Problems · NHTSA complaints

1998 Chevrolet Camaro problems

Owners filed 191 complaints about the 1998 Chevrolet Camaro with NHTSA between Feb 1998 and May 2014. The most-cited component is service brakes, hydraulic (86).

Complaints
191
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
18
Reported by owners
Fires
5
Reported by owners
Injuries
17
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Service brakes, hydraulic86
  2. Engine and engine cooling17
  3. Electrical system15
  4. Power train15
  5. Steering11
  6. Fuel system, gasoline10
  7. Visibility10
  8. Air bags9
  9. Tires9
  10. Vehicle speed control8
  11. Equipment5
  12. Service brakes, air5
  13. Suspension4
  14. Exterior lighting4

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
199817
199982
200030
200123
20027
200310
200414
20053
20061
20071
20080
20091
20101
20110
20120
20130
20141

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Service brakes, hydraulic

86 reports6 crashes
“VEHICLE TENDS TO CONTINUE TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING EVEN AFTER THE STEERING COMPUTER CHIP WAS REPLACED. VEHICLE SWERVES UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE BEING DRIVEN AT ABOUT 50-55 MPH. *AK THE STEERING VEARED TO THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT. BRAKE POWER BOOSTER PUMP WENT OUT LEAVING THE VEHICLE BRAKELESS. *TC”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 8, 2004Steering, Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10101041

Engine and engine cooling

17 reports1 fire
“WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE, AND WHEN CHECKING VEHICLE THEY NOTICED THAT TENSIONER BELT PULLEY SYSTEM HAD SOME SCREWS THAT WERE CRACKING AND COMING LOOSE. CONTACTED DEALER, *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 21, 2002Engine and engine coolingODI 8004355

Electrical system

15 reports1 crash2 fires
“CHEVROLET CAMARO 1998 3.8L V6.ATTERY RETENSION TRAY FAILED, CAUSING THE BATTERY TO BECOME LOOSE INSIDE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. PROBLEM WAS FOUND DURING OIL CHANGE. PLASTIC LIP, HOLDING BOTTOM OF THE BATTERY HAS BROKE OFF, LEAVING NO RETENSION FEATURE ON THE TRAY. NEW TRAY MUST BE PURCHASED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I SUSPECT THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF BATTERY SHORT CIRCUIT AND POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD IF BATTERY TERMINAL CONTACT CAR BODY DURING VEHICLE OPERATION. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 13, 2004Electrical systemODI 10090886

Power train

15 reports
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 19, 2002Power trainODI 760913

Steering

11 reports3 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET CAMARO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO SEIZE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT ABLE TO MANEUVER THE STEERING WHEEL DUE TO THE FAILURE AND ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A FRACTURED STERNUM AND REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. UPDATED 8/11/14*CN”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 23, 2014Air bags, SteeringCrash reportedODI 10593701

Fuel system, gasoline

10 reports2 fires
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET CAMARO Z28. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE HAD TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP FIVE TIMES WITHIN FOUR MONTHS. THE DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE WHY THE FUEL PUMP CONTINUOUSLY FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD POTENTIALLY EXPERIENCE ELECTRICAL FAILURE, BUT THE DEALER VERIFIED THAT THIS DID NOT OCCUR. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 85,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 25, 2009Fuel system, gasolineODI 10259953
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.