RoadVitals

1997 Chevrolet Camaro Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
13
Latest Feb 1, 2003
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
19%
of 69 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Chevrolet Camaro submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 13 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Engine
Filed Feb 1, 2003

WITHIN 5 MONTHS OF PURCHASE (THE MILEAGE WAS 59585 WHEN ISSUES BEGAN) I BEGAN HAVING ISSUES WITH THE ENGINE, AND TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP OVER 10 TIMES OVER THE NEXT YEAR, AND WAS CHARGED $500 EVERY TIME FOR THEM TO PUT NEW SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES AND SEND ME HOME ONLY TO COME BACK A MONTH LATER WITH THE SAME PROBLEM ONLY WORSE. THIS LASTED UNTIL MY WARRANTY EXPIRED AND THEN I WAS TOLD I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE BBB (#CHV0230345) AND IT WAS ACCEPTED FOR ARBITRATION BUT THE MANUFACTURER NEVER CONTACTED ME AS THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO AND I CAN NOT GET A RESPONSE. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE MOTOR AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER TWICE AND NOW THE CAR WILL NOT EVEN START. I ALWAYS TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP SO THAT IT WOULD BE PROPERLY SERVICED, AND I AM VERY UPSET AND AM PLANNING ON SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT, COMPENSATION AND A VEHICLE THAT WORKS. I SEE THAT THERE WERE MANY BULLETINS SENT OUT REGARDING THE SAME ISSUES AND HAVE SPOKEN TO OTHER 1997 CAMARO OWNERS WHO ARE ALSO VERY UPSET AND HAVE THE SAME ISSUES, AND WE ARE SEEKING TO FILE A CLASS ACTION SUIT. TS

NHTSA ID
10005061
Incident
Jan 8, 2001
Mileage
59,585 mi
Engine
Filed Jan 19, 2003

LEAK IN REAR MAIN SEAL

NHTSA ID
10002949
Incident
Dec 18, 2002
Mileage
67,400 mi
Engine
Filed Jun 9, 2002

CENTER BEARING BROKEN INSIDE MOTOR. *AK *TS *NLM *DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIST*762837

NHTSA ID
10009368
Incident
Nov 1, 1999
Mileage
59,000 mi
Engine
Filed Feb 4, 2002

VEHICLE WAS LEAKING COOLANT. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND DEALER INDICATED ENGINE COOLANT WAS BREAKING DOWN AND MALFUNCTIONING DIFFERENT PARTS IN ENGINE.*AK

NHTSA ID
8003454
Incident
Dec 12, 2001
Engine
Filed Jun 17, 2001

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.

NHTSA ID
746942
Incident
Feb 15, 2001
EngineFuel systemPowertrain (other)
Filed Jan 5, 2000

DEALER HAS BEEN JERKING ME AROUND. REPLACED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET ONCE. YEAR WENT BY, GOT ANOTHER OIL LEAK AND THE WATER PUMP WENT UP. TOOK TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY REPLACED WATER PUMP, BUT DIDN'T FILL THE COOLANT BACK UP. THEY ALLEGED TO HAVE FIXED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET AGAIN. STILL GETTING AN OIL LEAK. CHECKED THE PROBLEM MYSLEF AND FOUND OIL COMING FROM PINION SEAL. DEALERSHIP SAID THAT IT WASN'T LEAKING WHEN I JUST HAD THE WATER PUMP FIXED. THEY CHARGED ME TO REPLACE THE PINION SEAL, EVEN AFTER TALKING TO THE SERVICE MANAGER, CHEVROLET AND GMPP, THE EXTENDED WARRENTY PROVIDER. AFTER THE SEAL WAS REPLACED I NOTICE A HUM AT 35MPH+. DEALER SAYS IT'S NORMAL, EVEN THOUGH I'VE NEVER HAD IT BEFORE. I CHECKED THE FLUID LEVEL IN THE REAR, AND IT WAS A QUART LOW ON OIL. NOONE SEEMS TO WANT TO DO ANYTHING TO HELP ME. *AK

NHTSA ID
716911
Incident
Feb 1, 1998
Body & structureEngineExterior lighting
Filed Dec 13, 1999

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 ID
716007
Incident
Mar 19, 1999
Engine
Filed Nov 5, 1999

ENGINE CUTS OUT WHEN HOOD GETS WET, WHETHER BY RAIN OR BY WASHING THE CAR. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE SYSTEM WORKED AS DESIGNED. THEY SAID, "IT IS TYPICAL FOR THIS TYPE VEHICLE TO MISS AND RUN ROUGH IF WATER GETS ONTO DISTRIBUTOR ASM UNDER FRONT OF VEHICLE." THERE IS NO FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM. YOU HAVE TO PARK THE CAR AND WAIT FOR IT TO DRY OUT TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR AGAIN.

NHTSA ID
714354
Incident
Oct 30, 1999
Engine
Filed Feb 1, 1999

OXYGEN SENSOR IN GAS FILLER TUBE FAILED. YH

NHTSA ID
608610
Incident
Jul 16, 1998
Engine
Filed Oct 30, 1998
1 injury reported

AIR INTAKE MANIFOLD/ AIR INTAKE BOOT FAILED; AIR LEAKS OUT. ALSO, THERE IS AN OIL LEAK.

NHTSA ID
781431
Incident
Jun 11, 1998
Engine
Filed May 19, 1998

HEARD OF ONE MORE VALVE COVER OIL LEAK FROM CO-WORKER WHO OWNS THE SAME MAKE/MODEL AS MYSELF.

NHTSA ID
536188
Incident
May 12, 1997
Engine
Filed May 8, 1998

INTAKE GASKET LEAKS OIL ONTO HOT EXHAUST, MAY CREATE SERIOUS FIRE HAZARD.

NHTSA ID
535359
Incident
Dec 20, 1997
Engine
Filed Dec 23, 1997

ENGINE INTAKE GASKET FAILED TWICE. *AK

NHTSA ID
524190
Incident
Sep 24, 1997

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .