Chevrolet Camaro: common faults & what to check

Which Chevrolet Camaro are you looking at?

2 generation variants documented. Pick the shape you recognise: the faults, the servicing and the timeline below all narrow to it. Free, no account needed.

Petrol

2 variants documented

2018–20202018–2020Generation2.0 turbo petrolPetrolDocumented issues5 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: Kevauto via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

2018–20202018–2020Generation6.2 V8 petrolPetrolDocumented issues5 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: Kevauto via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Now narrow it to the engine

A 1.8 and a 2.4 of the same car do not fail the same way, so the faults below narrow to the engine as well as the year. Free, no account needed.

Start your free check on this Chevrolet Camaro

No plate needed. You get the risk score, the buyer's checklist and the guided inspection for the exact car you picked above — not the whole nameplate.

The checks worth doing on a Chevrolet Camaro before you hand over any money. Every documented fault is listed below, each with its own page.

• Serious issue

  Listen carefully for valve train tick on a cold start.

  See why

  LT1 6.2 V8 AFM/DOD lifter collapse and camshaft damage

  The LT1 V8 (6th generation Camaro SS) uses Active Fuel Management (AFM, also called DOD) deactivating lifters identical in concept and failure mode to the Hemi MDS pattern. Lifters collapse under fatigue, sending metal debris through the oiling system and destroying camshaft lobes. This is one of the most extensively documented engine failures in the modern American muscle segment. Repair requires full lifter replacement and usually camshaft replacement. Disabling AFM via tune (commonly done) eliminates the risk but should have been performed before this failure mode strikes.

  What you would notice

  • Engine tick or tap on cold start that may diminish when warm
  • Random cylinder misfires, especially at cruise on cylinders 1, 4, 6, 7
  • Oil pressure drop under load
  • Rough idle or engine shake

  Typically $4,500–$15,000 to put right.

• Serious issue

  Cold-start listen for front or top-of-engine rattle.

  See why

  3.6L LFX V6 Timing Chain Stretch and Tensioner Failure

  The 3.6L LFX V6 fitted to fifth-generation Camaros has a documented timing chain stretch issue affecting both primary and secondary chains on high-mileage or oil-neglected examples. The LFX runs two secondary chain sets (one per head) plus a primary chain, and tensioner failure on any one allows chain slap and eventual jump. GM issued a TSB and extended coverage in the US. Documented on Camaro5 forum with thousands of posts. A known hazard for NZ-imported V6 fifth-gen Camaros.

  What you would notice

  • Cold-start rattle from engine that clears as oil pressure builds
  • P0008, P0009, P0016, P0017 cam/crank or chain correlation codes
  • Rough idle or misfires on cold start
  • Reduced engine performance at high RPM

  Typically $2,800–$6,500 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Drive at light throttle around 40-80km/h feeling for shudder, note harsh shifts, and ask when the transmission fluid was last serviced.

  See why

  8L90 8-speed torque-converter shudder

  The GM 8L90 eight-speed automatic is known for torque-converter shudder felt as a vibration around 40-80km/h under light load, often linked to degraded transmission fluid, plus harsh or hunting shifts. A fluid flush with the updated Mobil spec fluid resolves many cases. Neglected fluid worsens it.

  What you would notice

  • Vibration or shudder at light cruise
  • Harsh or hunting shifts
  • Judder around 40-80km/h
  • Delayed engagement

  Typically $400–$3,000 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Test drive with attention to gear changes, especially 3rd gear cold and during brisk driving.

  See why

  Tremec TR-6060 manual transmission synchroniser wear

  The Tremec TR-6060 6-speed manual fitted to V8 Camaros is a strong unit but the 3rd-gear synchroniser is the known weak point, particularly on cars used for performance driving or track days. Worn synchros cause difficulty engaging 3rd gear, especially on quick downshifts or when cold. The gearbox requires removal for synchro replacement. Street-driven examples fare better but high-mileage cars with spirited use commonly show this symptom.

  What you would notice

  • Difficulty or grinding when engaging 3rd gear
  • Crunching on quick 4th-to-3rd downshifts
  • Notchy or stiff gear engagement when transmission is cold
  • Gear lever popping out of 3rd under hard acceleration

  Typically $2,000–$6,000 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Listen for rattling on a cold start from a genuinely cold engine (not warmed up beforehand).

  See why

  LTG 2.0T timing chain cold-start rattle and stretch

  The turbocharged LTG 2.0T four-cylinder in the Camaro 1LE and base models is prone to timing chain stretch and cold-start rattle. The upper timing chain guide and tensioner wear allows the chain to slap on cold start, producing a metallic rattling that settles as oil pressure builds. Left unaddressed, chain stretch leads to timing drift and potential engine damage. This is a documented pattern across the LTG platform including the Cadillac ATS/CTS. Cars that have had infrequent oil changes are at significantly higher risk.

  What you would notice

  • Metallic rattling noise from engine on cold start, lasting 1–5 seconds
  • Rattle disappears once oil pressure builds
  • Check engine light with camshaft timing codes (P0016, P0017)
  • Rough running after cold start

  Typically $1,500–$5,000 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Watch for a blue smoke puff on cold start and after idling, and check oil level and consumption history on V8 cars.

  See why

  LT1/LT4 valve-guide seal oil smoke at idle

  The 6.2 LT1 and supercharged LT4 V8s can weep oil past valve-guide seals, producing a puff of blue smoke on start-up or after idling, and elevated oil consumption. The Active Fuel Management cylinder deactivation can worsen consumption in the deactivated bank. Catch-cans and seal replacement address it.

  What you would notice

  • Blue smoke puff on start-up
  • Smoke after prolonged idle
  • Oil consumption between changes
  • Oily spark plugs

  Typically $800–$2,500 to put right.

Chevrolet Camaro service schedule

What falls due, and at what distance, for each generation of the Chevrolet Camaro. These are the model’s intervals — the car’s own service book is the only thing that can tell you what has actually been done to it.

What these repairs cost on other cars

Some of the Chevrolet Camaro’s documented faults are repairs other models share. Each page lists the documented NZ cost for every model it affects.

• Timing Chain Replacement Cost

Other Chevrolet models