IllustrationVEHICLE WAS LEAKING COOLANT. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND DEALER INDICATED ENGINE COOLANT WAS BREAKING DOWN AND MALFUNCTIONING DIFFERENT PARTS IN ENGINE.*AK
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.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Camaro years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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
What owners actually said
69 reportsGMC PAPER WORK ADMITS A DESIGN DEFECT, LOOKING FOR OTHER POWER TRANSMISSION FAILURES. *AK
EXCESSIVE RUST IN THE COOLING SYSTEM POSSIBLY DUE TO DEXCOOL COOLANT. CAUSING OVERHEATING, FALSE INSTRUMENT READINGS, AND GUMMING UP THE THERMOSTAT CAUSING IT TO STICK.
DRIVESHAFT FAILED IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASE, POSSIBLY RELATED TO THE INSTALLATION OF UNBALANCED DRIVESHAFT. *YH
VEHICLE HAS EXTREME VIBRATION WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH DUE TO DRIVESHAFT WEARING OUT. *AK
THIS IS A GENERAL OBSERVATION OF THE 1997 AND NEWER CAMARO AND FIREBIRD. IF A BULB BURNS OUT IN THE TURN SIGNAL DRL SYSTEM, THE REMAINING BULB CAN BE MISINTERPRETED AS A TURN SIGNAL INSTEAD OF A DRL. I SUGGEST RECALLING ALL SUCH VEHICLES AND DISCONNECTING THE DRLS OR REQUIRE THE MANUFACTURER TO WIRE SUCH DRLS IN SERIES. I'VE FIL…
Read full complaint
THIS IS A GENERAL OBSERVATION OF THE 1997 AND NEWER CAMARO AND FIREBIRD. IF A BULB BURNS OUT IN THE TURN SIGNAL DRL SYSTEM, THE REMAINING BULB CAN BE MISINTERPRETED AS A TURN SIGNAL INSTEAD OF A DRL. I SUGGEST RECALLING ALL SUCH VEHICLES AND DISCONNECTING THE DRLS OR REQUIRE THE MANUFACTURER TO WIRE SUCH DRLS IN SERIES. I'VE FILED A SIMILAR COMMENT IN DOCKET 4124.
VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM BEHIND, FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT DID NOT ENGAGE, THE PASSENGER'S HEAD AND SHOULDER HIT THE DASHBOARD AND WINDSHIELD. *SLC
1997 CAMARO-THE REAR WHEEL AXLE SPINDLE BROKE CAUSING THE REAR WHEEL TO BREAK OFF WHILE TRAVELING AT 45MPH. VEHICLE CAUSED DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL HIT HEAD ON IN A DITCH EMBANKMENT, THEN ROLLING OVER AND SLIDING ABOUT 15 FT. THUS CAUSING WHIPLASH TO THE DRIVER AND COMPLETE TOTAL OF VEHICLE
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WHEN TURNED OFF STAY IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION INSTEAD OF GOING DOWN. HAD TO REPLACE THE MOTOR WHICH WAS BURNT OUT AND ALSO THE WIPER CIRCUIT. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH VARIOUS YEAR, MAKE ,AND MODELS OF CHEVY'S WINDSHIELD WIPERS.
TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE. *AK
Official recalls
196V219000 · 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 ↗
NHTSA investigations
2EA97024 · 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.