[VIDEO] How to Fix the C8 Corvette’s Front Lift Fluid Leak

By
Keith Cornett
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4
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[VIDEO] How to Fix the C8 Corvette's Front Lift Fluid Leak


We’ve learned over the last couple of weeks that some C8 Corvette owners have been reporting their Front Lift fluid reservoirs have been leaking and now we have an official resolution for this issue. GM has issued a Technical Service Bulletin for this and it’s as easy as installing a new cap to solve the problem.

The TSB is #N202321570 and it states that only 149 cars are believed to be affected. This is not a recall, and if your car is on the list you will be notified next time you bring the car to your service department.

The issue stems from the current vented cap that is on the Front Lift’s fluid reservoir. This cap has a small hole and channels around the edge for venting air from the system as the front lift system is utilized. The problem stems from that in the cap hole which can get larger over time. The fix is a new non-vented cap (GM part number #85165040) that should solve the problem. Even though just a small amount of affected cars are specified, this might be a part to add to your wish list even if you aren’t seeing any leaking under your car.

The original cap has a small slit in the rubber gasket for venting.

Photo Credit: 63TO2020 / MidEngineCorvetteForum.com


As some owners are only reporting small leaks, the best way to check your car is to remove the trim panels from the frunk and look down to see if you have any fluid on the reservoir itself or the surrounding area. The Front Lift uses DOT 4 hydraulic brake fluid which is very corrosive and not something you want dripping on metal or other unprotected services.

Here’s a pretty cool video from YouTuber madgraphx who shows off his “gizmo” he created for capturing that extra fluid, and he also shows off the new DOT 4 non-vented cap that serves as the replacement. But the real value of this video comes from a GoPro camera mounted down in the chassis near the reservoir that shows just how much the fluid moves around while driving and then when the Front Lift system is utilized. There’s a surprising amount of fluid moving around.


Our friend Rick ‘Corvette’ Conti has also talked about this and he says the replacement cap costs around $66 bucks or so. So good news that the “Corvette Tax” is alive and well for replacing a simple plastic cap.

Update
Here’s another quick video just added to YouTube by madgraphx who shows how to check if your Front Lift system is leaking:


Source:
MidEngineCorvetteForum.com

Related:
C8 Corvette Oil Change is Free Only During the First 12 Months of Ownership
[ACCIDENT] Yet Another C8 Corvette Has Fallen Off A Two-Post Lift
[VIDEO] C8 Owner Documents the Gremlins in His New Corvette

 



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4 COMMENTS

  3. How can this cap possibly cost a ridiculous $66? I just bought a replacement master cylinder cap and diaphragm (which look almost identical to this simple blue cap) for my 93 Corvette. I ordered them from Zip Corvette Products and the two parts cost a total of $14.

  4. GM is the gift that just keeps giving! One thing after another with them and the C8! Awful quality control issues of late, especially with the C8.

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