1989 Chevrolet Camaro Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1989 Chevrolet Camaro, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Seat belts623.1%
- Brakes519.2%
- Electrical415.4%
- Interior & seats27.7%
- Engine27.7%
- Fuel system27.7%
- Steering27.7%
- Tires & wheels13.8%
- Suspension13.8%
- Driver assistance13.8%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT, PASSENGER CANNOT USE THE SEAT BELT. *AK
GMC REFUSES TO REPLACE MY FAULTY SEAT BELTS AND HAND BRAKE. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
GMC REFUSES TO REPLACE MY FAULTY SEAT BELTS AND HAND BRAKE. *AK
REAR BRAKE CALIPERS INOPERATIVE. TOOK CAR IN FOR EMISSIONS TESTING AND REAR BRAKES WOULD NOT STOP CAR WHILE REAR WHEELS WERE ON ROLLERS. REAR BRAKES WILL NOT STOP WHEELS WHEN REAR OF VEHICLE IS RAISED AND VEHICLE PLACED IN DRIVE. HAVE NOT HAD TO CHANGE REAR BRAKE PADS SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR TWO YEARS AGO. PARKING BRAKE STICKS. HAVE TO MANUALLY RELEASE PARKING BRAKE MECHANISM. CAR SEEMS TO TAKE LONGER TO STOP THAN ANY REAR DRUM CAMARO I'VE EVER OWNED. HAVE ASKED AROUND ON VARIOUS CAMARO SPECIFIC WEB SITES AND HAVE FOUND THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE SAME PROBLEM. ONLY SOLUTION FOR MANY IS TO INSTALL AFTERMARKET SETUPS. FIND IT RIDICULOUS TO HAVE TO BUY AFTERMARKET IN ORDER TO STOP SAFELY. VARIOUS LOCAL DEALERS CONTACTED WITH NO HELP.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
IGNITION/BAT/SECURITY SYSTEM/WIRING/ALTERNATOR/BATTERY THE SECURITY LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON AND THE CAR WON'T START. SOMETIMES FOR HOURS. ONCE THE SECURITY SYSTEM RESETS IT WILL START. HAVE REPLACED THE IGNITION SEVERAL TIMES. ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY AT LEAST 2 TIMES A YEAR FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS. *JB
STARTER REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES. ALSO, IGNITION CYLINDER AND SWITCH AND BATTERY REPLACED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBACK LATCH UNLATCHES, ALLOWING THE SEATBACK TO FALL TO THE REAR. *AK
ELECTRICIAL SAFETY LATCH ON HATCHBACK WHEN VEHICLE IN DRIVE, SAFTEY DEVICE DOES NOT WORK, BECAUSE LATCH FLYS UP WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
THIS CAR HAS BEEN CUTTING OFF FOR 3 YRS. AND NO ONE CAN FIND THE PROBLEM. WE HAVE SPENT 1500.00 TRYING TO GET IT FIXED WITH NO LUCK. 10 GARAGES HAVE WORKED ON IT. GM MASTER TECHS. DID NOT FIX IT. *AK
REPLACED CATALYTIC CONVERTER. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 10-30MPH THE VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY, CAUSING THE STEERING AND BRAKES TO LOCK UP, COULD RESULT IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. OWNER STATED HE HAD REPAIRED THE VEHICLE NUMEROUS TIMES. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. *AK
CLAMPS THAT SECURE THE FUEL LINES RUSTED. RESULTING IN BOTH CONNECTIONS LEAKING. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE BOLTS IN THE STEERING COLUMN HAVE LOOSENED, CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO WOBBLE. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THESE VEHICLES. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
THE STEERING WHEEL IS LEAKING. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING, RIGHT REAR YOKOHAMA MOHAWK MONTEGA A/S TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, RIGHT REAR QUARTER PANEL AND PASSENGER DOOR WERE DAMAGED DUE TO ACCIDENT, TIRE SIZE P215/65R15, DOT # CCIHFH1488. *SLC
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH ON HIGHWAY, APPLIED BRAKES, AND FRONT END OF VEHICLE WAS VIBRATING, CONSUMER COULDN'T CONTROL VEHICLE. TIRE WAS SLIDDING FRONT TO BACK, TOUCHING THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL WELL. FRONT CROSS MEMBER CONTROL ARM ATTACHMENT WAS BROKEN. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING, ACCELERATOR WENT TO FLOOR WITHOUT FOOT ON PEDAL; LURCHED FORWARD WITH BRAKES APPLIED; WENT INTO FISHTAIL; HIT TREE; NO WARNING. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .