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
1996 Chevrolet Camaro
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Camaro years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Chevrolet Camaro are substantially higher than the model-year median of 32.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Camaro years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 8 of 116 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Power Train. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Air Bags complaints
18 reportsWHILE 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
VEHICLE HIT A TREE AT 25-30 MPH, AND NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. FRONT IMPACT, TWO INJURIES, VEHICLE TOTALLED. *AK *JB
WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL CRASH. UPON IMPACT, BOTH DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK CONSUMER STATES ROAD WAS SLIGHTLY DAMP, AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO FISH TAILED, CONSUMER TRIED TO STOP …
Read full complaint
WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL CRASH. UPON IMPACT, BOTH DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK CONSUMER STATES ROAD WAS SLIGHTLY DAMP, AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO FISH TAILED, CONSUMER TRIED TO STOP THE VEHICLE BUT IT SEEMED TO HAVE GAINED SPEED INSTEAD OF SLOWING DOWN, VEHICLE STARTED GOING AROUND IN CIRCLES AND FRONT END HIT AN ENBANKMENT, THROUGH IT AROUND AND BACKEND WENT INTO A DEEP DITCH, THE SEAT BELTS BROKE FROM THE ROOF OF THE VEHICLE , AS WELL AS OTHER DAMAGE TO VEHICLE.*JB
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A 50 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, AND DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK UP, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO SUSTAIN INJURIES. *AK
THE VEHICLE WAS IN A DIRECT FRONTAL IMPACT. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, RESULTIN GIN INJURIES TO BOTH, DRIVER AND PASSENGER. NO ONE HAD INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. *AK
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION, TRAVELING 50 MPH IN WHICH DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. ALSO, VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER. DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH ON WET PAVEMENT, SWERVINGTO KEEP FROM HITTING OTHER VEHICLES, BUT HIT ONE VEHICLE WITH HIS REAR. VEHICLE HIT SEVERAL FENCE POSTS AND PINE TREES. NEITHER AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOYED. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
DURING FRONTAL IMPACT AT 55 MPH, THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK
NOVEMBER 11, 1997 VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 55 MPH IN THE CENTER OF THE HOOD , AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE REAR ENDED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY . BOTH INCIDENTS CAUSED INJURIES TO DRIVER AND PASSENGER. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2EA97024 · Fuel Tube Retaining Clip Failure
Opened Nov 13, 1997 · Closed Sep 29, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
MOST OF THE REPORTS REVIEWED IN THIS INVESTIGATION ARE FIRE INCIDENTS IN WHICH FUEL LEAKAGE HAS BEEN ALLEGED AS THE CAUSE OR THE AREA OF ORIGIN IS CONSISTENT WITH THE ALLEGED DEFECT.THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE SUBJECT CLIP WAS A FACTOR IN ANY OF THESE FIRE INCIDENTS AND NHTSA TESTING INDICATES THATBROKEN OR DISLODGED RETENTION CLIP DOES NOT RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT MOVEMENT OF THE FUEL LINE BUNDLE TOWARD THE LEFT SECONDARY AIR INJECTION CHECK VALVE.FAILURE OF THE CLIP PLACES THE FUEL LINE BUNDLE ASSEMBLY IN THE SAME CONFIGURATION AS THE 1993 MODEL YEAR LTI VEHICLES.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
PE97036 · Fuel Tub Retaining Clip Failure
Opened Jul 24, 1997 · Closed Nov 13, 1997
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
OWNERS HAVE REPORTED FAILURES OF THE FUEL TUBE RETENTION CLIP THAT ATTACHES TO THE PLASTIC THROTTLE LINKAGE COVER.ACCORDING TO GM, THE SUBJECT RETENTION CLIP (P/N 12048089) WAS IMPLEMENTED IN PRODUCTION ON OCTOBER 12, 1993, TO ADDRESS A CONCERN WITH INCORRECT ASSEMBLY PLANT FUEL LINE ROUTING.MIS-ROUTED FUEL TUBES MAY FAIL FROM CONTACT WITH A HOT AIR CHECK VALVE, CREATING A FIRE HAZARD IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.GM MAINTAINS THAT NO PROBLEMS SHOULD OCCUR IF THE CLIP IS PROPERLY INSTALLED AND ISN'T MISHANDLED DURING SUBSEQUENT SERVICE OPERATIONS.SOME OWNERS HAVE ALLEGED TO ODI THAT THE SUBJECT CLIP BECOMES BRITTLE OVER TIME AND MAY ALSO PULL FREE OF THE THROTTLE LINKAGE COVER ATTACHMENT HOLE.
Illustration