2012 Chevrolet Camaro Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year report a fairly wide spread of problems, with engine and electrical complaints most common and several cases tied to ignition-key and air-bag issues that were later covered by recalls. Reports also include a recurring low-speed shudder or hesitation on automatic cars, heating and defroster faults traced to a blend door or heater core, and both sudden engine stalling and gradual oil-pressure/engine noise problems at higher mileage. Many complaints were filed at moderate mileage, roughly 25,000 to 80,000 miles, and describe repeated dealer visits where symptoms could not be reproduced.

1. 1
   Engine

   Engine stalling, rough running or timing chain wear

   • 17 complaints (15%)
   • median 55,000 mi at 6.5 yrs old (13 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2012–2023

   Complaints describe the engine dying while driving or after stopping, sometimes with rapid shaking or a no-start condition afterward. Others report a check engine light with a timing chain and gear diagnosis, a low oil pressure warning, or a loud noise traced to pistons and wrist pins. Dealers are described variously as resetting the computer, replacing the starter, or replacing the timing components. Ranges widely, from a few thousand miles up to about 150,000 miles, with timing chain reports often above 75,000 miles.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Listen for a rattle or tick at cold start and at idle, check the oil level and condition, and ask whether the timing chain or any engine internal work has been done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Driving into work and the engine starts sucking air through the inner cabin, all of a sudden the engine just dies completely however the electronics stayed on. I tried to start the car after letting it cool for 2 hrs and the engine started shaking rapidly, there are no engine lights or alarms on the dash. I get the car towed home, I test the battery and alternator and they both check out. I had a full tune up and tried to fire it up again and the crank wouldn't turn and noticed the starter was engaged. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11172213, filed 2019-01, 55,000 miles

   “While driving about 30 miles per hour and the my stabilitrak lights came on, along with all my traction and brake lights. Immediately following that, I lost speed and it sounded like I ran over something. My vehicle only has 88k miles on it. I attempted to turn around to go back home and my Camaro shut completely off. I attempted to restart the car but it would never turn over. I had my car towed home since the dealership was already closed. I tried once more crank it but this time it would not turn over, I just got a click click click. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11090312, filed 2018-04, 88,000 miles
2. 2
   Air bags

   Air bag warning light and no deployment in a crash

   • 16 complaints (14%)
   • median 43,031 mi at 3.5 yrs old (14 state mileage)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2012–2023

   Complaints describe the service air bag light coming on with no impact, and dealers diagnosing a failed sensing diagnostic module or air bag module. Some owners report air bags that did not deploy in a collision, and a few were told their vehicle was not covered by the air bag recalls. Mostly between about 18,000 and 73,000 miles.

   Recall 14V300000Recall 13V023000

   What to check: Verify by VIN whether the driver-side air bag recalls 13V023000 and 14V300000 were completed, and confirm the air bag light comes on briefly and then goes out at start-up.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Takata possible. I'm new to this but I see recalls on my car and my air bag light is on for no reason and dealership tells me no recall. I am not sure what to do. As I put my VIN in and it does show air bag recall musson patout dealerships says no and wants me to pay. Is there any help. Just came on service air bag driving no special reason.”

   NHTSA complaint #10836678, filed 2016-02, 40,000 miles

   “I was driving from work going from at least 25mph and had an accident with another vehicle crossing the intersection. His air bags deployed, but mine did not. I had hit my mouth on the steering wheel and had to get stitches.”

   NHTSA complaint #10717628, filed 2015-05, 18,000 miles
3. 3
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Low-speed shudder or hesitation on acceleration

   • 8 complaints (7%)
   • median 7,850 mi at 0.7 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2012–2024

   Owners describe a shudder, vibration or hesitation during gentle acceleration, often around 1,500 to 2,500 rpm or while the transmission shifts. Several say dealers could not find a code, reprogrammed the computer, or called the behavior normal for the six-speed, and the condition often returned. Reported from under 8,000 miles to around 40,000 miles, usually during gradual acceleration.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test drive at steady light throttle through the 1,500 to 2,500 rpm range and in each gear, and ask whether the transmission or throttle calibration has been updated.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “During acceleration, the engine hesitates and begins to choke. When it attempts to shift into the next gear it feels like the car will shut off. I was almost in several accidents on the highway due to this issue. Took car to chevy dealership at 845am the next morning and the mechanics could not get any type of answer to me until 2pm. I was told they were on the phone and laptops with tech's somewhere else in the u.s. The guessed decision, was some sort of can/am or cam sensor. They did not know why there were five error codes from this issue. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10498334, filed 2013-02, 40,013 miles

   “At RPM's approximately 1200-2000 car stutters, like it needs to downshift. Happens at various speeds when applying gradual acceleration. Dealer service says no error codes found, that this is normal on the 6 speed transmission & that because of all of the computer components, the transmission naturally lags. Seems to be problem in the torque converter?”

   NHTSA complaint #10478850, filed 2012-10, 6,500 miles
4. 4
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   No heat, fogged windshield from blend door or heater core

   • 8 complaints (7%)
   • median 63,419 mi at 6.3 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2017–2020

   Owners report the heater blowing only cold or uneven air and the defroster failing to clear the windshield, traced by dealers or owners to a broken blend door or a plugged or leaking heater core. Several note the repair requires dash removal and is costly, and that the windshield fogs during driving. Mostly reported between about 23,000 and 80,000 miles.

   What to check: Run the heater and defroster on both temperature settings and check for even airflow and clear glass, and look for a coolant smell or low coolant level that could point to a heater core leak.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My AC blend door broke off causing my driver side to blow cool air and my passenger to blow cold air. Also my oem radio shuts off randomly and sometimes causes my turn blinkers to no work. The dealer can not explain why this has happened.”

   NHTSA complaint #11338729, filed 2020-07, 56,839 miles

   “2012 Camaro with 56000 miles on it has a problem with heater core being plugged. Causes the windshield to fog over suddenly losing visibility while vehicle is in motion. This should not be happening on a car thats only a few years old with low miles. I have done research on the internet and google and there are a lot of newer model camaros that are experiencing this problem but GM refuses to admit there is a problem. I just had to pay 1400.00 out of pocket with no help or assistance from GM. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10945194, filed 2017-01, 56,208 miles
5. 5
   Electrical system

   Ignition key shuts engine off when bumped

   • 9 complaints (8%)
   • median 24,000 mi at 3.0 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2014–2026

   Owners describe the engine switching off when the key is accidentally knocked with a knee, or when the key is bumped while driving. Some say a dealer dismissed it as a starting technique, and others report that after the recall remedy the key fob or lock function still failed. Complaints describe steering and power assist loss once the engine stops. Reported from roughly 3,000 to 88,000 miles, with several under 30,000 miles.

   Recall 14V346000

   What to check: Ask whether recall 14V346000 was completed and in what form, and check that the key ring and key insert modification is in place. Test that the key sits securely and does not move when the driver's knee is near it.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I started to have an issue with the ignition in my car. At all different times the key would stick and not turn in the car. I brought it in and told hem and they aid it was the way I was starting it. That the wheels were not straight. This was not the case as it happened at all different times and I now the wheels need to be straight. I continued to have problems until this day. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10629840, filed 2014-09, 3,000 miles

   “As my 2012 Camaro has been issued a VIN recall, I want to let Chevrolet, the public at large and my local chevy dealership in colorado that I am utterly disgusted with the offered treatment of this recall stated as remedy: dealers are to provide two replacement key rings. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10641879, filed 2014-10, 7,950 miles

Buying note. Check the recall status for the ignition key and driver-side air bag campaigns by VIN before anything else, and drive the car at light throttle through several gears to look for the shudder. Look closely at heater and defroster operation and listen for engine noise at cold start, since those repairs are described as expensive.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.