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1998 Chevrolet Camaro

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Camaro years

Owner complaints for the 1998 Chevrolet Camaro are substantially higher than 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 →
173Owner complaints

Model-year median: 32

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

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

Inspection summary

1998 Chevrolet Camaro

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 173 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 0 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)

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 84 reports
  • Engine And Engine Cooling: 17 reports
  • Electrical System: 16 reports
  • Power Train: 15 reports
  • Fuel System, Gasoline: 10 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

    No recall campaigns in this snapshot.

    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
    216
    1995    116
    1996    69
    1997    173
    1998    90
    1999    76
    2000    48
    2001
    Compare all Camaro years →

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

    What owners reported most

    Service Brakes, Hydraulic
    84    Engine And Engine Cooling
    17    Electrical System
    16    Power Train
    15    Fuel System, Gasoline
    10
    All reported categories
    Visibility
    9    Steering
    8    Air Bags
    7    Vehicle Speed Control
    7    Tires
    6    Service Brakes, Air
    5    Exterior Lighting
    4    Equipment
    3    Parking Brake
    3    Suspension
    3    Seats
    2    Structure
    2    Unknown Or Other
    2    Latches/locks/linkages
    1    Seat Belts
    1

    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: 13 of 173 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.

    • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 84 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Electrical System. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

    NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

    15 crash reports5 fire reports11 injury reports

    Power Train complaints

    15 reports
    Clear category filter
    Mileage unknown · Jul 15, 2002
    Power Train

    CHEVROLET REFUSED TO REPAIR TRANSMISSION FAILURE. LOST SECOND AND FOURTH GEAR AS WELL AS REVERSE. *AK

    NHTSA ODI #764272

    Mileage unknown · Apr 19, 2002
    Power Train

    UPON TAKE OFF, TRANSMISSION STARTED MAKING NOISE AND DID NOT WANT TO GO INTO SECOND GEAR. TRIED BACKING UP AND REVERSE WAS GONE. CAR WILL SHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR WITH HELP. CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN MAINTAINED PROPERLY AND TRANSMISSION SERVICED AT REQUIRED TIME. PRESENTLY AWAITING WORD FROM CHEVY TO SEE IF THEY WILL REPLACE TRANSMI…

    Read full complaint

    UPON TAKE OFF, TRANSMISSION STARTED MAKING NOISE AND DID NOT WANT TO GO INTO SECOND GEAR. TRIED BACKING UP AND REVERSE WAS GONE. CAR WILL SHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR WITH HELP. CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN MAINTAINED PROPERLY AND TRANSMISSION SERVICED AT REQUIRED TIME. PRESENTLY AWAITING WORD FROM CHEVY TO SEE IF THEY WILL REPLACE TRANSMISSION AT NO COST OR LITTLE COST AS MILEAGE IS LOW AND CAR HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED.*AK

    NHTSA ODI #760913

    Mileage unknown · Aug 23, 2001
    Power Train

    TRANSMISSION & TORQUE CONVERTER HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 54,000 MILES. EASY, HIGHWAY MILEAGE ONLY ON VEHICLE. I HAVE ALL RECEIPTS FOR MAINTENANCE OF VEHICLE SINCE DAY PURCHASED. VEHICLE MAINTAINED IN STRICT ADHERENCE TO OWNER'S MANUAL LONG TRIP/HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE. *AK

    NHTSA ODI #750990

    Mileage unknown · Jun 11, 2001
    Power Train

    CLUCH STUCK WHILE DEPRESSED AND ENGINE WAS ENGAGED. GEAR SHIFT WAS STUCK IN REVERSE. CAR WAS MOVING BY ITSELF AND WOULD NOT STOP WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. COULD NOT FORCE IT OUT OF GEAR OR GET CLUTCH TO RELEASE. HAD TO PULL EMERGENCY BRAKE TO GET CAR TO STOP AND ENGINE TO KILL. AFTER CAR DIED TRIED TO TURN THE KEY TO SEE I…

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    CLUCH STUCK WHILE DEPRESSED AND ENGINE WAS ENGAGED. GEAR SHIFT WAS STUCK IN REVERSE. CAR WAS MOVING BY ITSELF AND WOULD NOT STOP WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. COULD NOT FORCE IT OUT OF GEAR OR GET CLUTCH TO RELEASE. HAD TO PULL EMERGENCY BRAKE TO GET CAR TO STOP AND ENGINE TO KILL. AFTER CAR DIED TRIED TO TURN THE KEY TO SEE IF CLUTCH WOULD COME UP WHEN KEY WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION AND CAR STARTED AGAIN AND BEGAN TO MOVE ON IT'S OWN. AGAIN, I KILLED ENGINE BY PULLING EMERGENCY BRAKE. EVENTUALLY WAS ABLE TO FORCE CAR OUT OF GEAR WHILE IT WAS OFF AND THEN HAD TO FORCE CLUTCH UP AND WORK IT BACK AND FORTH UNTIL IT LOOSED UP AND CAR COULD BE MOVED FORWARD, BACK INTO OUR DRIVEWAY.

    NHTSA ODI #746685

    Mileage unknown · Feb 12, 2001
    Power Train

    DRIVESHAFT HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES, CONSUMER STATES THAT IT SEEMS TO FAIL EVERY 10,000 MILES AND DOES NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE. *SLC

    NHTSA ODI #559591

    Mileage unknown · Mar 15, 2000
    Power Train

    WINSHIELD WIPERS OCCASIONALLY FAILED TO OPERATE, DEALER REPLACED MODULE. RECALL ISSUED ON THE SAME PART FOR THE 1996 CHEV S10. *AK *ML

    NHTSA ODI #858593

    Mileage unknown · Feb 11, 2000
    Power Train

    LEFT REAR DIFFERENTIAL SEAL FAILED. *ET

    NHTSA ODI #784499

    Mileage unknown · Oct 19, 1999
    Power TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

    CAR HAS BEEN IN REPAIR 5 TIMES FOR THE BRAKES. 2 TIMES FOR A CALIPER BOLT THAT FELL OUT, AND THE WHEEL LOCKED. BOTH TIMES I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT IF MY WHEEL WOULD HAVE LOCKED UP ON THE INTERSTATE. THEY NEVER DO ANYTHING AT THE DEALERSHIP BUT TURN/CLEAN ROTERS WHICH BECOME FAULTY AGAIN. I'M LOOKING INTO SUEING CH…

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    CAR HAS BEEN IN REPAIR 5 TIMES FOR THE BRAKES. 2 TIMES FOR A CALIPER BOLT THAT FELL OUT, AND THE WHEEL LOCKED. BOTH TIMES I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT IF MY WHEEL WOULD HAVE LOCKED UP ON THE INTERSTATE. THEY NEVER DO ANYTHING AT THE DEALERSHIP BUT TURN/CLEAN ROTERS WHICH BECOME FAULTY AGAIN. I'M LOOKING INTO SUEING CHEVROLET IF THEY DON'T FIX THIS DEFECT. IT IS WAY TOO DANGEROUS FOR SOMETHING OF THIS NATURE TO KEEP OCCURING OVER AND OVER AGAIN. NEXT TIME I MIGHT NOT BE SO LUCKY. *AK

    NHTSA ODI #713531

    Mileage unknown · Oct 7, 1999
    Power TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

    I HAVE TALKED TO QUITE A FEW PEOPLE DESCRIBING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THERE CLUTCHES NOT WORKING PROPERLY IN THE COLD, ALSO MANY PEOPLE HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THERE ROTORS WARPING.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P275/40/17 )

    NHTSA ODI #712979

    Mileage unknown · Mar 21, 1999
    Power Train

    MY CAR HAS DONE A 'TINK-TINK' SOUND SINCE I TOOK IT OUT OF THE DEALER WITH ONLY 8 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. EVERY TIME I PUT IT IN DRIVE OR REVERSE, IT MAKES A DOUBLE TINK-POP FROM UNDER. WHEN YOU ACCELERATE, IT SOUNDS AGAIN, AND SOMETIMES SOUNDS AS THE TRASMISSION CHANGES GEARS (AUTOMATIC) OR YOU BRAKE. I'M CONCERNED THAT IT COULD…

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    MY CAR HAS DONE A 'TINK-TINK' SOUND SINCE I TOOK IT OUT OF THE DEALER WITH ONLY 8 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. EVERY TIME I PUT IT IN DRIVE OR REVERSE, IT MAKES A DOUBLE TINK-POP FROM UNDER. WHEN YOU ACCELERATE, IT SOUNDS AGAIN, AND SOMETIMES SOUNDS AS THE TRASMISSION CHANGES GEARS (AUTOMATIC) OR YOU BRAKE. I'M CONCERNED THAT IT COULD BREAK WHILE DRIVING, AND CAUSING A POTENTIAL HAZARD WITH A CRASH AS IT BECOMES UNDRIVEABLE. *AK

    NHTSA ODI #704701

    Recall campaigns

    0

    No recalls in this snapshot.

    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

    0

    No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

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