C8 Corvette 'Frunk' Over-the-air Update Underway

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

Owners of the newly mid-engined Chevrolet Corvette might notice a new message greeting them this week, now that a solution to a recent recall concerning the 2020 C8 ‘Vette’s “frunk” appears to be underway.

C8 owners have complained of their front-end trunk’s (frunk’s) lid opening while on the road, leading to a dangerous situation as they attempt to pull over to close it. Just like a hood flying up on the highway, no one wants their frunk doing the same. TTAC’s Chris Tonn, currently ensconced in a bright yellow example, received the prescribed remedy last night.

The issue at the core of last week’s recall is that the car will still allow drivers to get on the freeway if the frunk isn’t securely latched. Audible and visual warnings alerting drivers of the possible danger were deemed lacking; as such, the C8’s advanced electrical infrastructure is now tasked with remedying the issue via an over-the-air software update.

The strategy is multi-pronged. GM claims it will make those warnings harder to ignore (an increase in volume and altered messaging, to be exact), but it also plans to limit the vehicle’s speed to 26 mph if the frunk lid isn’t securely latched, thus preventing an incident. Once the lid is closed properly, the road’s your baby.

Several alarming videos have appeared over the past month, with this one depicting the frunk lid flying up at 43 mph.

Another element of the OTA update is that drivers will have to press the frunk release button on their key fob, as well as the one inside the car itself, for a longer period of time for the unlatching to occur. A separate recall one week earlier concerned the possibility that, in some C8s, a person could become locked inside the front-end cargo cubby after the internal frunk-release button stops operating. In these cars, the vehicle enters “sleep mode” 10 minutes after engine shutoff, killing the functionality of that button.

You can imagine the potential harm that could come to the unlucky individual curled up inside the frunk. Again, it’s something that can be remedied via an OTA update.

In Chris’ C8, the following messages appeared over the past 12 hours:

It would seem Chris’ frunk is now safe, but is the car safe from his digital pen? Tune in for his upcoming review.

[Images: General Motors, Chris Tonn/TTAC]

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • Someoldfool Someoldfool on Aug 26, 2020

    What's this about someone getting trapped in the "frunk?" I thought the frunk was big enough to hold EITHER the roof panel OR a laptop case. If there was a serious electrical problem, why not move the hinges to the front? It's not like someone will carry something large and awkward there.

    • See 2 previous
    • JMII JMII on Aug 27, 2020

      @anomaly149 If Ram boxes fit the bill then there are some center consoles and rear seat storage areas in modern full size trucks you could get trapped in!

  • ToolGuy ToolGuy on Aug 26, 2020

    "fob" is a word; "FOB" is an acronym. The thing you carry in your pocket which starts the vehicle, I'm pretty sure is a "fob". The word is hundreds of years old. Not sure why GM capitalizes it. The Corvette owner's manual refers to the RKE or "remote key" and never mentions "fob" - why the different language on the dash notification?

  • MaintenanceCosts It's not a Benz or a Jag / it's a 5-0 with a rag /And I don't wanna brag / but I could never be stag
  • 3-On-The-Tree Son has a 2016 Mustang GT 5.0 and I have a 2009 C6 Corvette LS3 6spd. And on paper they are pretty close.
  • 3-On-The-Tree Same as the Land Cruiser, emissions. I have a 1985 FJ60 Land Cruiser and it’s a beast off-roading.
  • CanadaCraig I would like for this anniversary special to be a bare-bones Plain-Jane model offered in Dynasty Green and Vintage Burgundy.
  • ToolGuy Ford is good at drifting all right... 😉
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