Total Complaints
6 filings
CHEVROLET CAMARO · model year
1979 CHEVROLET CAMARO
6 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1979CHEVROLETCAMARO carries 6 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 1 fire, 3 injuries, and 1 fatality. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1979 CAMARO is tires with 2 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (1) and visibility:windshield wiper/washer (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 1979 CAMARO, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
6
Complaints
1
Crashes
1
Fires
3
Injuries
1
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| TIRES | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER | 1 |
| TIRES:SIDEWALL | 1 |
| STEERING | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20120709CrashFatalSTEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1979 CHEVROLET CAMARO. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 25 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE UNCONTROLLABLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE OR REGAIN CONTROL AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT AND A PASSENGER WERE INJURED, AS WELL AS THE DRIVER OF THE SECOND VEHICLE WHO WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. THE POLICE WERE ON SCENE AND FILED A POLICE REPORT OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE DRIVER OF THE SECOND VEHICLE WAS HOSPITALIZED BUT DIED 18 DAYS AFTER THE CRASH DUE TO COMPLICATIONS. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE CRASH. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED WHO GAVE THE CONTACT A CASE NUMBER (711084923939) AND OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 80V108000 (STEERING:LINKAGES :KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM) BUT COULD NOT CONFIRM IF THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. ..UPDATED 05/09/13 *BF
20120411TIRES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1979 CHEVROLET CAMARO WITH KUMHO SOLUS TIRES, SIZE: 205/70/14. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE HAD BECOME FLAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THERE WAS A PIN HOLE ON THE TREAD AND SIDE WALL JUNCTURE. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED BOTH DRIVER SIDE TIRES HAD ALSO FAILED. THE VIN AND DOT WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 245,136. UPDATED 05/09/12 *BF
Mileage: 245,136
20100420TIRES
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1979 CHEVROLET CAMARO. THE TIRE BRAND WAS KUMHO AND THE TIRE SIZE WAS P205/70/R14(NA). THE DOT WAS UNKNOWN. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR PASSENGERS SIDE TIRE DEFLATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. HE CONTACTED A ROADSIDE SERVICE THAT INSTALLED THE SPARE TIRE. WITHIN HOURS, THE SPARE TIRE FAILED. THE DEALER REFILLED THE TIRE WITH AIR AND RELEASED THE VEHICLE TO THE OWNER. SEVERAL HOURS LATER, THE SPARE TIRE HAD DEFLATED A SECOND TIME. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND PROVIDED THE CONTACT WITH A REPLACEMENT TIRE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 247,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 251,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Mileage: 247,000
20030903TIRES:SIDEWALL
THE FRONT TIRES CRACKED AROUND THE BEAD AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK THERE WAS CRACKING IN THE BEAD AREA OF THE SIDEWALL OF THE TWO FRONT TIRES. THE OTHER TIRE DOT# WAS KUKENX712300. *SCC *JB
Mileage: 28,000
19980805VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
WINDSHIELD WASHER PUMP FAILED.
19960425FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FIRE. (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT) *DSH
Compare 1979CHEVROLETCAMARO to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 2 Open
EA25007Engineering AnalysisOpen
Loss of motive power due to engine failure
PE23022Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Loss of Motive Power due to the Battery Energy Control Module
PE20016Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Electric Vehicle Battery Fires
EA20002Engineering AnalysisClosed
Outboard Front Seat Belt Anchor Cable Failure
PE20011Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Fuel Line Leak
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1979 CHEVROLET CAMARO have?▼
The 1979 CHEVROLET CAMARO has 6 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 1 fires, 3 injuries, and 1 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1979 CHEVROLET CAMARO?▼
The most-complained component for the 1979 CHEVROLET CAMARO is TIRES with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE and VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER.
Is the 1979 CHEVROLET CAMARO safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.