1997 Chevrolet Camaro

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1997 Chevrolet Camaro do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 32.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →

69Owner complaints

Model-year median: 32

1Recall campaigns

View recall details →

2Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

1997 Chevrolet Camaro

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 69 owner complaints · 1 recall campaigns · 2 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

Engine And Engine Cooling: 13 reports
Air Bags: 8 reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 8 reports
Exterior Lighting: 7 reports
Power Train: 7 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

96V219000 — Seat Belts:front:retractor

Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year

Compare all Camaro years →

Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Engine And Engine Cooling

13 Air Bags

8 Service Brakes, Hydraulic

8 Exterior Lighting

7 Power Train

All reported categories

Electrical System

6 Steering

5 Fuel System, Gasoline

1 Vehicle Speed Control

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 12 of 69 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Air Bags. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

12 crash reports3 fire reports9 injury reports

Structure complaints

4 reports

Clear category filter

Mileage unknown · Dec 13, 1999

Engine And Engine CoolingExterior LightingStructure

Read full complaint

IN REGARD TO THIS VEHICLE, CHEVROLET HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND NOT MUCH IS BEING DONE ABOUT THE SITUATION. I BELIEVE THAT CHEVROLET SHOULD SUPPORT THEIR CONSUMERS, AS THEY SHOULD BE DEDICATED TO THEIR PRODUCTS AND THE PEOPLE WHO PURCHASE THEM. I AM NOY GETTING MUCH SUPPORT FROM EITHER THE DEALERSHIP OR CHEVROLET PERSONALLY. ANYTHING YOU CAN ASSIST IN RESOLVING THIS MATTER WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. I BELIEVE THAT CHEVROLET SHOULD EXTEND THE WARRANTY ON THE PROBLEMS MY VEHICLE HAS HAD, AS IT CAME FROM THE MANUFACTURER DEFECTIVE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *AK

NHTSA ODI #716007

Mileage unknown · Apr 19, 1999

StructureVisibility

REPEATED INTERMITTENT ELECTRIC WINDOW/LOCKS/ WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURES; DEALER UNABLE TO CORRECT CAUSE.

NHTSA ODI #705768

Mileage unknown · Oct 11, 1997

Structure

DRIVER SHATTERED T-TOP AFTE RHITTING A BUMP IN ROAD AT 35 MPH. DEALER DENIES SUCH AN INCIDENT COULD HAPPEN, AND REFUSES TO FIX DEFECTED PRODUCT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #524177

Mileage unknown · Jan 27, 1997

Structure

DRIVING DOWN HWY, T-TOP WAS LOCKED IN PLACE, SUDDENLY IT FLEW OFF VEHICLE, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, WAS INFORMED NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT, OFFERED PLASTIC FOR TOP. *AK

NHTSA ODI #808218

Recall campaigns

96V219000 · Seat Belts:front:retractor

Nov 4, 1996

THESE VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH SEAT BELT RETRACTORS OUT OF DESIGN POSITION WHICH CAN CAUSE THE RETRACTOR TO LOCK-UP ON SLOPES LESS SEVERE THAN THE FMVSS REQUIREMENT. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO. 209, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE COLLISION, UNBELTED OCCUPANTS ARE MORE AT RISK OF INJURY THAN THOSE USING SEAT BELTS.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SEAT BELTS FOR PROPER FRONT SEAT BELT RETRACTOR POSITION. RETRACTORS FOUND TO BE IMPROPERLY POSITIONED WILL BE REINSTALLED CORRECTLY.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

Defect investigations

EA97024 · Fuel Tube Retaining Clip Failure

Opened Nov 13, 1997 · Closed Sep 29, 1998

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

MOST OF THE REPORTS REVIEWED IN THIS INVESTIGATION ARE FIRE INCIDENTS IN WHICH FUEL LEAKAGE HAS BEEN ALLEGED AS THE CAUSE OR THE AREA OF ORIGIN IS CONSISTENT WITH THE ALLEGED DEFECT.THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE SUBJECT CLIP WAS A FACTOR IN ANY OF THESE FIRE INCIDENTS AND NHTSA TESTING INDICATES THATBROKEN OR DISLODGED RETENTION CLIP DOES NOT RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT MOVEMENT OF THE FUEL LINE BUNDLE TOWARD THE LEFT SECONDARY AIR INJECTION CHECK VALVE.FAILURE OF THE CLIP PLACES THE FUEL LINE BUNDLE ASSEMBLY IN THE SAME CONFIGURATION AS THE 1993 MODEL YEAR LTI VEHICLES.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

PE97036 · Fuel Tub Retaining Clip Failure

Opened Jul 24, 1997 · Closed Nov 13, 1997

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

OWNERS HAVE REPORTED FAILURES OF THE FUEL TUBE RETENTION CLIP THAT ATTACHES TO THE PLASTIC THROTTLE LINKAGE COVER.ACCORDING TO GM, THE SUBJECT RETENTION CLIP (P/N 12048089) WAS IMPLEMENTED IN PRODUCTION ON OCTOBER 12, 1993, TO ADDRESS A CONCERN WITH INCORRECT ASSEMBLY PLANT FUEL LINE ROUTING.MIS-ROUTED FUEL TUBES MAY FAIL FROM CONTACT WITH A HOT AIR CHECK VALVE, CREATING A FIRE HAZARD IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.GM MAINTAINS THAT NO PROBLEMS SHOULD OCCUR IF THE CLIP IS PROPERLY INSTALLED AND ISN'T MISHANDLED DURING SUBSEQUENT SERVICE OPERATIONS.SOME OWNERS HAVE ALLEGED TO ODI THAT THE SUBJECT CLIP BECOMES BRITTLE OVER TIME AND MAY ALSO PULL FREE OF THE THROTTLE LINKAGE COVER ATTACHMENT HOLE.

An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.