2017 Chevrolet Camaro Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2017 Camaro most often describe intermittent loss of electric power steering assist, sometimes while driving and sometimes with a warning message, and a transmission shudder or hard-shift pattern that many identify with the 8-speed automatic. Both appear across a wide mileage range, from a few thousand miles up past 100,000, and several complaints note that dealers flushed transmission fluid or replaced parts without a lasting cure.

1. 1
   Steering

   Intermittent loss of power steering assist

   • 50 complaints (26%)
   • median 30,000 mi at 3.3 yrs old (27 state mileage)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2017–2026

   Complaints describe the power steering assist dropping out at various speeds, often with a service power steering or drive with care message on the dash, leaving the wheel very hard to turn. Some owners say restarting the vehicle restores assist for a while before the problem returns. Dealers reportedly replaced the steering gear or connectors in some cases, while other owners were told their vehicle was not covered by the power steering recall. Reported from roughly 10,000 to over 110,000 miles, with many cases between 20,000 and 70,000 miles and no clear seasonal pattern.

   Recall 25V175000Recall 19V086000

   What to check: Ask whether the power steering recall remedy has been applied and whether the steering gear or assist motor was ever replaced. On a test drive, confirm the wheel returns to center normally and that no steering warning appears.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Car comes equipped with eps (electric power steering assist). I have had two occasions since ownership where power steering ceases to work while I'm driving and the vehicle is in motion. The first occurrence happened at around 8k miles and I was on the freeway. I lost power steering while driving! I took it to autonation Chevrolet in austin tx and they replaced a connector. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11111385, filed 2018-07, 11,000 miles

   “Started my car started to pull out of the parking lot into a highway lost power steering assist and had to turn steering wheel with a lot of effort and avoided a collision . Pulled over to side of road shut off and restarted still no power steering . Pulled two codes and drove home 75 miles with no electric power assist. Took car to Chevrolet gave them codes and they did not tell me of any recall , although many camaros have been recalled for exact problem. I am a master ase technician . …”

   NHTSA complaint #11405217, filed 2021-03, 15,000 miles
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission shudder and hard shifts

   • 33 complaints (17%)
   • median 21,000 mi at 3.5 yrs old (16 state mileage)
   • filed 2018–2026

   Owners describe a shudder or vibration under light acceleration, often around 1,500 to 1,800 rpm or while cruising at highway speed, along with hard or delayed shifts between the lower gears. Several say dealers flushed or replaced the transmission fluid and in some cases replaced the torque converter or valve body, with the symptom returning afterward. A few complaints state the dealer found debris in the transmission and recommended replacement. Mostly reported between about 10,000 and 80,000 miles, with a cluster under 35,000 miles, and often noticed under light throttle at steady speed.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test drive at a steady 45 to 65 mph and under light throttle from a stop, feeling for vibration or a shudder that fades when you lift off the throttle. Ask for service records showing transmission fluid changes, torque converter or valve body work, and which fluid was used.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Had a torque converter shudder which was fixed by updating to new GM fluids. After this service, around 1000 miles later I started experiencing hard shifts from 1st to 2nd gear. Took it into service where they changed a valve body. This got rid of my hard shifts for about 1500 miles, then it came back even worse. These problems occur when the car is in motion(usually under slow acceleration).”

   NHTSA complaint #11309392, filed 2020-02, 10,000 miles

   “Hello! I want to report GM on the infamous 8l45 transmission shudder. I have had the fluid changed in 2018, the torque converter changed in 2018, and the fluid flushed with the na-18-355 bulletin back last year. Although the shudder hasn't returned. I don't trust that this transmission shows quality. I worry that this will last until our warranties are up and we're on our own. This not acceptable. This is a weak point of this amazing car. I had rough shifting and I've had shifts that bucked. This is not safe. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11353284, filed 2020-09, 21,000 miles
3. 3
   Other or unknown

   Convertible rear window separating from the top

   • 13 complaints (7%)
   • median 34,000 mi at 2.5 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2018–2026

   Convertible owners report the rear glass starting to come loose from the fabric top around the lower corners, with the gap growing over time. Some say the repair was not covered because the vehicle was just past the warranty mileage, and others mention water leaking into the cabin or air and light coming through the top seals, which a dealer described as normal. Reported from roughly 27,000 to 50,000 miles, with several cases appearing just after the basic warranty mileage limit.

   What to check: Inspect the bond line around the rear glass on all sides and look for lifting, gaps or water stains inside. Ask whether the top or rear window has been replaced or reglued and whether the convertible top campaign was completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The convertible top had a recall on my car. I took it to the dealership and they kept the car for a while and replaced the top but immediately after I took it home the mechanical mechanism broke and haven't been able to use the top and no one has contacted me to replace the recalled top and motor to the convertible top portion”

   NHTSA complaint #11408507, filed 2021-04, 22,000 miles

   “The window in the convertible top is coming out. I was told that this is not covered on warranty because I was 2000 miles over. With the age of this vehicle this not have happened. I bought the car last year.”

   NHTSA complaint #11206014, filed 2019-05, 37,500 miles
4. 4
   Electrical system

   Stalling or no-start with electrical warnings

   • 27 complaints (14%)
   • median 15,000 mi at 3.0 yrs old (17 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2017–2026

   Complaints describe the engine quitting while driving or failing to restart, sometimes with stability control, ABS, battery or reduced power messages and warning lights cycling on the cluster. Owners report repeated dealer visits where the problem could not be reproduced, and in one case engine lifters were replaced without resolving the symptoms. Reported from near-new mileage up to about 70,000 miles, appearing intermittently and often clearing after the vehicle sits.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for any stored diagnostic codes and whether the battery, ground connections or starting circuit have been checked. Verify that all warning lights come on and go out normally at start-up and that the car restarts reliably after a short drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The car shut off and then wouldn't start. Had engine replaced because the engine was locked up. Recently received the vehicle and gauge cluster shuts down completely while driving vehicle along with infotainment system. When it turns back on screen shows: service stibillitrac, ABS system, battery system, engine oil low, engine reduced power, reduce clutch use, and check engine light. Had no power steering, no acceleration, and had loss of brakes.”

   NHTSA complaint #11352126, filed 2020-08, 49,000 miles

   “Starter getting heat and not allowing the car to start properly or not at all . There is a lawsuit about this issue but never has happen in favor of the customers”

   NHTSA complaint #11383185, filed 2020-12, 50,000 miles
5. 5
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Windshield fogging over the defroster vent

   • 13 complaints (7%)
   • median 10,150 mi at 1.7 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2017–2025

   Complaints describe the windshield fogging up from the inside, sometimes in the middle of a drive and sometimes with the air conditioning on or in humid weather, until forward view is obscured. Some owners report a dealer performed a repair described in a service bulletin, and a few say the fogging came back or got worse afterward. Reported from very low mileage, in some cases under 1,000 miles, up to about 15,000 miles, and mostly tied to humid conditions or air conditioning use.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: On a humid day or with the air conditioning running, check whether the glass over the defroster outlet starts to haze over. Ask whether the HVAC defrost door or case repair described in the service bulletin was performed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Ac blows on front window causing constant condensation on windshield. I have turned the AC on and off, adjusted the temperature high/low and my windshield always gets fogged up. The higher the humidity the worse it is.”

   NHTSA complaint #11112010, filed 2018-07, 300 miles

   “The windshield fogs up with and without activating the defrost. The fog occurs in the middle of the drive and obstruct the driver's view. The fog also occurs when the vehicle is powered on and in park. However, the risk is the view obstruction when this occurs while driving. This has been ongoing for several months and seems to be getting progressively worse.”

   NHTSA complaint #11129654, filed 2018-09, 15,000 miles

Buying note. Have a pre-purchase inspection focus on the electric power steering and the automatic transmission, since those two account for most of what owners describe. Ask for the full service history, confirm which recalls apply to the specific vehicle, and test drive long enough to feel for transmission shudder at steady speed.

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.