CHEVROLET CAMARO · model year

1996 CHEVROLET CAMARO

159 NHTSA complaints, 28 crash reports. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1996CHEVROLETCAMARO carries 159 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 28 crashes, 6 fires, 27 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1996 CAMARO is air bags:frontal with 14 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (11) and engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (9). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.

NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 1996 CAMARO, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.

159
Complaints
28
Crashes
6
Fires
27
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

159 filings

Crashes Reported

28 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL14
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP11
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE9
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION8
UNKNOWN OR OTHER6
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER4
AIR BAGS4
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM4
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL3
STEERING3
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE3
POWER TRAIN3
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING3
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE3

Recent Complaints

20150224CrashAIR BAGS

I GOT IN A ACCIDENT MY CAR HIT ANOTHER CAR IN FRONT DRIVER FENDER AT 45 MILE PER HOUR DESTROYED MY CAR NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED I AM INJURED I BOUNCED OFF STEERING WHEEL WHEN WE HIT MY SEAT BELT UNLOCKED ABOUT BROKE MY WHOLE RIB CAGE. *JS

Mileage: 175,000

20150224CrashSEAT BELTS

I GOT IN A ACCIDENT MY CAR HIT ANOTHER CAR IN FRONT DRIVER FENDER AT 45 MILE PER HOUR DESTROYED MY CAR NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED I AM INJURED I BOUNCED OFF STEERING WHEEL WHEN WE HIT MY SEAT BELT UNLOCKED ABOUT BROKE MY WHOLE RIB CAGE. *JS

Mileage: 175,000

20140901ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

PARKED CAR IN PUBLIC PARKING SPACE FOR APPROX. 20 MINUTES. TRIED TO START CAR WITH NO RESULTS. CHECKED BATTERY ETC. LEFT CAR OVER NIGHT AND HAD IT TOWED 20 MILES TO BOYD CHEVROLET IN HENDERSONVILLE, NC. BOYD REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH. TOTAL COST OVER $300. I DEMAND NEW IS WHICH DOES NOT FALL WITHIN THE IS RECALL TIMELINE. *TR

Mileage: 78,500

20070803STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP

POWER STEERING PUMP/HOSE LEAK. *TR

Mileage: 100

20060908ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAK 96 CHEVY CAMARO. *NM

Mileage: 6,500

20050601ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

LEAKING FROM FRONT OF ENGINE COOLANT A CHEVY /LUBY EMPLOYEEE SAYS THEY HAVE SEEN ALOT OF THAT ?

Mileage: 110,000

20040422VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

POWER LOCK SWITCH BROKE 1999 COVERED UNDER WARRANTY POWER DOOR WINDOW SWITCH BROKE 1999 COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, AND AGAIN 2003 COVERED UNDER MY RYAN EXTENDED WARRANTY REAR WINDOW HATCH RUBBER SEAL WENT BAD AND SEPARATED FROM THE CAR IN 1999 AND NOW AGAIN IN 2003. 2 WINDOW SEALS ON ONE CAR IN 7 YEARS. FIRST ONE WAS COVERED BY WHAT I WAS TOLD A SILENT RECALL. THIS TIME THEY ARE SAYING THEY NEVER SAID THAT BEFORE AND THIS TIME IT IS UP TO ME TO PAY FOR THE SEAL.

Mileage: 56,878

20040422UNKNOWN OR OTHER

POWER LOCK SWITCH BROKE 1999 COVERED UNDER WARRANTY POWER DOOR WINDOW SWITCH BROKE 1999 COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, AND AGAIN 2003 COVERED UNDER MY RYAN EXTENDED WARRANTY REAR WINDOW HATCH RUBBER SEAL WENT BAD AND SEPARATED FROM THE CAR IN 1999 AND NOW AGAIN IN 2003. 2 WINDOW SEALS ON ONE CAR IN 7 YEARS. FIRST ONE WAS COVERED BY WHAT I WAS TOLD A SILENT RECALL. THIS TIME THEY ARE SAYING THEY NEVER SAID THAT BEFORE AND THIS TIME IT IS UP TO ME TO PAY FOR THE SEAL.

Mileage: 56,878

20040306ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

I BELIEVE A PROBLEM "MAY" EXIST WITH CHEVROLET CARS EMPLOYING THE NEW FIVE YEAR OR 50K MILES ANTI-FREEZE. FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND THOSE OF RELATIVES IT APPEARS THE FLUSHING AND REPLACEMENT OF ANTI-FREEZE AT THE SUGGESTED FIVE YEAR OR 50K MILES POINT MAY LEAD TO WATER PUMP FAILURE WITHIN WEEKS EVEN THOUGH THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 50K MILES ON THE ODOMETER. *JB

20040121CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES

THIS IS REFERENCE A SAFETY PROBLEM DURING A MOVING EMERGENCY STOP/BRAKING SITUATION ON THE 1996 CAMARO. NAMING THE PANEL OR COVER FOR THE BOTTOM OF THE DRIVERS SIDE DASH, JUST ABOVE THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDALS. *AK THE PANEL HAS A CUT OUT FOR THE DRIVERS FOOT JUST ABOVE THE GAS PEDDLE, BUT IT ALSO HAS A SLIGHT DROP DOWN ABOVE THE BRAKE PEDDLE. DURING AN EMERGENCY STOP SITUATION, THE DRIVER MOVES HIS FOOT FROM THE GAS PEDDLE TO THE BRAKE, BUT STRIKES THE DROP IN THE FOOT PANEL ABOVE AND DOES NOT ALLOW DRIVERS FOOT TO GET OVER THE BRAKE PEDDLE& THEN WHEN HE PUSHES DOWN, HE STEPS ON THE GAS PEDDLE CAUSING HIM TO RUN INTO WHAT HE STARTED TO BRAKE FOR, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT.

Mileage: 57,000

20040121CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

THIS IS REFERENCE A SAFETY PROBLEM DURING A MOVING EMERGENCY STOP/BRAKING SITUATION ON THE 1996 CAMARO. NAMING THE PANEL OR COVER FOR THE BOTTOM OF THE DRIVERS SIDE DASH, JUST ABOVE THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDALS. *AK THE PANEL HAS A CUT OUT FOR THE DRIVERS FOOT JUST ABOVE THE GAS PEDDLE, BUT IT ALSO HAS A SLIGHT DROP DOWN ABOVE THE BRAKE PEDDLE. DURING AN EMERGENCY STOP SITUATION, THE DRIVER MOVES HIS FOOT FROM THE GAS PEDDLE TO THE BRAKE, BUT STRIKES THE DROP IN THE FOOT PANEL ABOVE AND DOES NOT ALLOW DRIVERS FOOT TO GET OVER THE BRAKE PEDDLE& THEN WHEN HE PUSHES DOWN, HE STEPS ON THE GAS PEDDLE CAUSING HIM TO RUN INTO WHAT HE STARTED TO BRAKE FOR, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT.

Mileage: 57,000

20031215CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH DURING A SNOW STORM VEHICLE VEERED AND BUMPED INTO A CONCRETE MEDIAN. VEHICLE ONLY HAD SCRATCHES ON THE BUMPER, BUT THE FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. WHEN THE FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, THE WINDSHIELD BROKE. THE DRIVER'S NECK WAS INJURED. *AK

Mileage: 59,150

20021125ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH A NOISE WHICH IT MAKE IT HARD TO SHIFT GEAR. DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. TS

20020926ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE COOLING FAN MOTOR CUTS OFF . DEALER STATED THAT THE WIRES THAT CONNECT TO THE COOLING FAN ARE NOT POWERFUL ENOUGH. NLM

20020429EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS

I HAVE CONTINUOUSLY HAVE HAD SAFETY PROBLEMS WITH MY VEHICLE, WHICH THE DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO CORRECTLY FIX. THE BRAKE LIGHTS, ALONG WITH THE LEFT DIRECTIONAL HAS BEEN INCORRECTLY FIXED OVER 5 TIMES NOW, AND I HAVE ALL THE PAPERWOK MTO PROVE THE PROBLEMS.*AK

20020429EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:FLASHER UNIT

I HAVE CONTINUOUSLY HAVE HAD SAFETY PROBLEMS WITH MY VEHICLE, WHICH THE DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO CORRECTLY FIX. THE BRAKE LIGHTS, ALONG WITH THE LEFT DIRECTIONAL HAS BEEN INCORRECTLY FIXED OVER 5 TIMES NOW, AND I HAVE ALL THE PAPERWOK MTO PROVE THE PROBLEMS.*AK

20020419FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY

CONSUMER NOTICED FUEL LEAKING, DEALER DETERMINED THE FUEL LINE RUPTURED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. NLM

20020315SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

WHEEL SPEED SENSOR FAILS, CAUSING THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES TO ENGAGE, MAKING THE CAR TAKE A SIGNIFICANTLY LONGER STOPPING DISTANCE. I AM AFRAID IT IS GOING TO END IN A CRASH. NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY, EVEN THOUGH IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. *AK

20011025CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

VEHICLE HIT A TREE AT 25-30 MPH, AND NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. FRONT IMPACT, TWO INJURIES, VEHICLE TOTALLED. *AK *JB

20010920ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS VEHICLE WOULD DIE OUT FOR NO REASON. PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP AT LEAST 3 TIMES. MECHANIC PLACED ON DIAGNOSTIC AND COMPUTER FAILED TO REGISTER ANY PROBLEM CODES. MECHANIC DID REPLACE FUEL PUMP AND CRANKSHAFT, BUT PROBLEM WAS NOT SOLVED.*AK

Compare 1996CHEVROLETCAMARO to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1996 CHEVROLET CAMARO have?
The 1996 CHEVROLET CAMARO has 159 NHTSA complaints, 28 crashes, 6 fires, 27 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 CHEVROLET CAMARO?
The most-complained component for the 1996 CHEVROLET CAMARO is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL with 14 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE.
Is the 1996 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 vintage: August 2026. 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.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1996 CHEVROLET CAMARO; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.