CSR

Chevrolet · NHTSA safety record

2012 Chevrolet Camaro

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

113

Complaints

10

Crashes

4

Fires

7

Injuries

3

Deaths

Owners of the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro have filed 113 safety complaints with NHTSA between May 2012 and July 2026. The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 27 of them (24%). The typical failure was reported at 34,471 miles, the median across the 84 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 4 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (4)

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST

14V447000 · July 23, 2014

The defect
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Buick LaCrosse, Regal and Chevrolet Camaro, as well as certain 2010-2012 Cadillac SRX, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles, equipped with power height adjustable driver and passenger seats. In the affected vehicles, the bolt that secures the driver's and passenger's power front seat height adjuster may fall out causing the seat to drop suddenly to the lowest vertical position.
The risk
If the driver's seat unexpectedly drops, the distraction and altered seat position may affect the drivers' control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the height adjuster shoulder bolts, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed interim letters to owners on September 11, 2014. The recall began on December 26, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14271.

General Motors LLC · up to 414,333 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

14V346000 · June 20, 2014

The defect
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling all 2010-2014 Chevrolet Camaro vehicles manufactured December 3, 2008 to May 23, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the driver may accidentally hit the ignition key with their knee, unintentionally knocking the key out of the run position, turning off the engine.
The risk
If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, a key knocked out of the run position could cause loss of engine power, power steering, and power braking, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
The remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will remove the key blade from the original flip key/RKE transmitter assemblies, and provide two new keys and two key rings per key. The recall began August 25, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14294. Note: Until the recall has been performed, it is very important that drivers adjust their seat and steering column to allow clearance between their knee and the ignition key.

General Motors LLC · up to 464,712 vehicles across all model years covered

AIR BAGS

14V300000 · June 6, 2014

The defect
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Buick Verano vehicles manufactured December 2, 2011 to July, 16, 2012, Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured December 7, 2011 to July 25, 2012, Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured December 5, 2011 to August 2, 2012, and Chevrolet Camaro vehicles manufactured December 1, 2011 to June 11, 2012. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals.
The risk
If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, that air bag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.
The remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel air bag coil, free of charge. The recall began on July 25, 2014. Chevrolet owners may contact GM at 1-800-222-1020. Buick owners may contact GM at 1-800-521-7300. Note: This is an expansion of recalls 12V-522 and 13V-023.

General Motors LLC · up to 31,520 vehicles across all model years covered

AIR BAGS

13V023000 · January 24, 2013

The defect
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Chevrolet Camaro, Cruze and Sonic, and model year 2012 Buick Verano vehicles. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals.
The risk
If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, that air bag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.
The remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel air bag coil, free of charge. The safety recall began on February 13, 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.

General Motors LLC · up to 4,167 vehicles across all model years covered

Defect investigations (1)

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

Air Bag Non-deployment

RQ13002

Closed recall query · opened May 31, 2013 · closed July 9, 2014 · led to recall 13V023000

the air bags

General Motors (GM) has initiated a safety recall of 31,520 model year (MY) 2012 Buick Verano and Chevrolet Camaro, Cruze and Sonic vehicles to address a defect condition that could result in the primary or secondary stage air bag not deploying.These vehicles are a small percentage of all MY 2012 vehicles and were built on several specific production dates broadly ranging from December 1, 2011 to August 2, 2012 (see NHTSA recall 14V-300 for more information).Also, see attached additional report for more information.This investigation was opened to evaluate the scope of two uninfluenced safety recalls (NHTSA recalls 12V-522 and 13V-023) of certain MY 2012 Verano, Camaro, Cruze and Sonic vehicles.These recalls involved the same defect issue as the new recall mentioned above.Accordingly, this investigation is closed based on the recall actions GM is undertaking.

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 113.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 27 24%
ENGINE 26 23%
AIR BAGS 22 19%
POWER TRAIN 15 13%
STRUCTURE 11 10%
STEERING 8 7%
SERVICE BRAKES 7 6%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 7 6%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 7 6%
SUSPENSION 6 5%
SEATS 5 4%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 3 3%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2014 at 17.

2012 2014 2026
2012 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

STEERING

3 deaths · 2 injured · crash

SUDDEN DECELERATION, LOSS OF ABILITY TO STEER VEHICLE, RESULTING IN REAR END COLLISION WITH 3 FATALITIES. ...UPDATED 05/11/15 *BF UPDATED 9/16/2015*JS *TR

NHTSA complaint 10705409. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1 injured · crash · 26,000 miles

ON 9/13/2014, MY WIFE DROVE MY 2012 CHEVY CAMARO ZL11 TO HER DADS, WHEN SHE LEFT SHE PULLED OUT OF HIS DRIVE WAY AND STOPPED AT STOP SIGN, SHE TOOK OFF IN FIRST GEAR SHE SAID WHEN SHE SHIFTED THE CAR INTO SECOND GEAR THE CAR JUST TOOK OFF SHE SAID IT ACTED LIKE SOMETHING JUST TOOK OVER, LIKE A CRUISE CONTROL, EXCEPT NO MATTER WHAT SHE DID INCLUDING HITTING THE BRAKE THE CONTINUED TO INCREASE IN SPEED, KEEP IN MIND THIS CAR HAS A 6 SPEED STANDARD TRANSMISSION, MEANING SHE HAD ONE FOOT ON THROTTLE AND ONE FOOT ON CLUTCH WHEN THIS HAPPENED UNLIKE AUTOMATIC WHERE YOU COULD HAVE HIT GAS INSTEAD OF BRAKE, MY WIFE HAS NEVER HAD AN ACCIDENT OR A SPEEDING TICKET, I BELIEVE SOMETHING HAPPENED, WITH

NHTSA complaint 10639845, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1 injured · crash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CAMARO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REDUCED POWER ENGINE SHUT OFF WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE FAILURES OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. ON ONE OCCASION, THE VEHICLE STALLED CAUSING THE CONTACT TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASH INTO A MEDIAN. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR PHYSICAL INJURIES THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V346000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND PENDING THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE

NHTSA complaint 10652065, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · 72,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CAMARO. WHILE AT A RED LIGHT, ANOTHER VEHICLE STRUCK THE DRIVER SIDE FENDER OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE DRIVER'S HEAD STRUCK THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DRIVER RECEIVED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000.

NHTSA complaint 10661553. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

185,000 miles

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Camaro. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the engine seized with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to several dealers several times. The alternator and the engine fuse were replaced, and a tune-up was completed. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a wiring harness failure. The contact was informed that the wiring harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was

NHTSA complaint 11752387, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

88,000 miles

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Camaro. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a left turn, the contact’s knee hit the ignition key and the vehicle shutoff and drove over into an oncoming lane. The contact was able to restart the vehicle, and the vehicle was driven back into the intended lane. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V346000 (Electrical System); however, the failure persisted. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.

NHTSA complaint 11751815. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY
I purchased this vehicle July of this year and just drove it to find it pulled extremely to the right. I was told it was an alignment issue which they attempted to fix which seems successful in July coming off the offramp after first time on the highway and applying the brakes, the car shook side side, and then up and down. It felt like the car was coming apart. I again notified the dealer. I purchased it from and was reminded it was bought as his, but that they would do what they can to fix it so that I would feel safe driving it. Also upon purchase when it got dark, I could not see even the beam of the headlights that they promised to replace and have not as yet.

NHTSA complaint 11750591. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES
Parking brake failed because crimped stopper at end of cable coming from interior lever failed. The stopper appears to be made of very soft metal and does not have much contact area with wire rope portion of cable. According to the dealership this is a very common failure, however, Chevrolet has discontinued the part. The manner in which this failed should never have happened. The car is equipped with a manual transmission and requires a functioning parking brake. Had this broken while the vehicle was parked and I was out of the vehicle, it could have rolled away. There was no indication that this was going to fail prior to failure. I pulled up on the parking brake lever and it just

NHTSA complaint 11744021, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER

141,510 miles

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2012 Chevrolet Camaro. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 90,480, and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 141,510.

NHTSA complaint 11712090. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I am experiencing similar issues to those identified in GM bulletin 07-06-04-019F. I keep getting DTC P2138. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The throttle/accelerator system. Yes. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The Accelerator Pedal Position signal is unreliable which is now derating my engine. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? No Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did

NHTSA complaint 11705602, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Chevrolet Camaro

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2022 13 1
2021 16 4
2020 31 3
2019 52 1
2018 78 2
2017 185 3
2016 139 1
2015 206 1 1
2014 187 3
2013 187 3 1
2011 194 2
2010 295 2 1

Other 2012 Chevrolet models

Every Chevrolet on this site — 298 vehicles, 747 recall campaigns and 5 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst