2018 Chevrolet Camaro Problems and Top Complaints – Is Your Car A Lemon?

Updated on April 21st, 2023 Author: Brian Jones

GM classified the 2018 Chevrolet Camaro as a “legend at any speed.” We are sure that it is known as a legend, but not necessarily for the reasons you might think. Instead, it is riddled with complaints from owners that can’t get on board with the excitement. Between engine issues, powertrain problems, faulty electrical systems and trouble with visibility, there’s a lot that can go wrong. Driving down the road leads many owners to wish they had chosen a different legend to invest in.

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NHTSA Complaints for the 2018 Chevrolet Camaro

Problems with the Engine

You expect a powerful performance from the American Chevrolet Camaro. After all, it’s known as one of the iconic muscle cars of our culture. Unfortunately, this model tends to disappoint. From strange noises to unreliable motors, a lot is lacking with this lineup.
One owner stated on the NHTSA website, “The vehicle has stalled numerous times attempting to start from a stop. Vehicle has also stalled going up driveways. Only way to avoid stalling is to not apply throttle or ride the clutch which is going to prematurely wear said clutch.”

GM has issued several documents to technicians regarding service of the engine. One of the notable Service Bulletins is #PIP5531. It relates to a stalling shudder, hard shifting and reverse vibration on launch. It also talks about excessive crankshaft end play and engine noise. The proposed fix refers to replacing the crankshaft or thrust bearing.

Most people that sit behind the wheel of a Camaro expect it to go fast. Anyone driving a model affected by these issues is happy just to get it to go. It sure isn’t going to beat the Mustang in a street race if it can’t get off the line, which is downright embarrassing.

Here are some actual complaints logged with the NHTSA about the 2018 Chevy Camaro Engine Problems:

ON THE ZL1 TRIM PACKAGE, MANUAL TRANSMISSION CARS WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOP THE THE CARS TORQUE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IS INCORRECTLY CONFIGURED AND SENSES WHEEL SLIP (EVIDENT ON THE ELSD SLIP GUAGE) AND CUTS ENGINE POWER AND CAUSES THE CAR TO BOG DOWN AND POTENTIALLY STALL. THIS IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC AND IS A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE IT CAUSES AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND DISCUSSED AT LENGTH ON NUMEROUS FORUMS.

Problems with the Transmission

Besides the engine, the other aspect that keeps the 2018 Chevrolet Camaro is the powertrain. When you have a malfunctioning motor combined with a faulty powertrain, you have more problems than you can deal with. Sadly, that is what some owners face when driving their sports car.

One owner on the NHTSA website wrote, “Stability control light on, when I drive over a bump at highway speeds it caused me to veer across 2 lanes. Thankfully, I did not hit another car.”

This is one of those issues that can lead to a disaster on the road. No one wants to worry about things like this while driving. What GM found is that this isn’t the only powertrain issue being reported. Service Bulletin #08-07-30-026E talks about vehicle movement when the vehicle is in Park. What occurs is that the cars may rock or move a little while in Park at startup. Most often, it happens while using the auto-start feature. What GM wanted technicians to know was that this condition is normal. There’s no fix to perform other than to tell drivers to expect this action to occur.

Here are some actual complaints logged with the NHTSA about the 2018 Chevy Camaro Transmission Problems:

2018 2.0 LITER TURBO HAS SHIFTING ISSUES I BELIEVE. IT IS VERY VIOLENT SHIFTING THROUGH GEARS WHEN FIRST START DRIVING AND SLOWING VEHICLE DOWN, AND SEEMS TO CAUSE LAG WHEN ACCELERATING IN EVERYDAY DRIVING.

Problems with the Electrical System

After you move past the major components of the 2018 Chevrolet Camaro, you come to the issues that are mainly nuisances. Of course, some electric system parts are also a safety concern as well. If anything electric short circuits, it could easily lead to a fire.

That’s what one reader experienced who wrote about it on a Camaro forum. The review states, “I’ve had a persistent water leak in my trunk for the last 3-6 months.Every time it rained there was a solid 2-4 inches of water almost up to the middle of the fuse box. I took it into the dealership before my bumper to bumper expired and they said they fixed it, but the problem just got worse. Fast forward to two days ago and the car wouldn’t start. 100% dead, won’t even unlock. Can’t jump it. I get in manually and can instantly smell burnt electronics. Fuse box obviously got taken out – I even see corrosion on the fuses themselves.”

As you can see, this could turn into a disaster very quickly. Service Bulletin #18-NA-375 refers to a no-start situation that also presents itself with the MIL illuminated and other electric concerns. The cause of all these conditions is a water intrusion that affects the electrical components in the rear compartment area. There are also times that water shows up at the Rear Body Fuse Block. After determining where the water is getting in, the technicians then need to replace equipment to give drivers a fresh start.

If you don’t want to have a campfire on the side of the road, it’s wise to keep an eye on this area of your Camaro. At the first sign of water intrusion, you will want to get it to the repair shop, unless you would rather toast some marshmallows.

Here are some actual complaints logged with the NHTSA about the 2018 Chevy Camaro Electrical Problems:

THE VEHICLE HAS STALLED NUMEROUS TIMES ATTEMPTING TO START FROM A STOP. VEHICLE HAS ALSO STALLED GOING UP DRIVEWAYS. ONLY WAY TO AVOID STALLING IS TO NOT APPLY THROTTLE OR RIDE THE CLUTCH WHICH IS GOING TO PREMATURELY WEAR SAID CLUTCH.

Problems with the Wiper and Visibility

It’s vital that you see clearly out the windshield and windows of your 2018 Chevrolet Camaro when it decides it wants to drive properly. When your visibility is hindered, you open yourself up to dangerous safety situations.

Many drivers face visibility concerns regularly. Read what this person wrote on NHTSA. “Whenever the A/C is running the defrosters stay open and badly fog the windshield on the inside…GM is aware and has fixes that do not work. I have attempted to have the dealer and GM correct it (it appears to be extremely widespread as a problem)…GM responded that the car functions as it was designed. I find it dangerous.”

While GM hasn’t officially responded to this exact complaint, there are other visibility issues they are willing to look at. Service Bulletin #PIC5260B refers to intermittent sunroof operation, binding, noise and water leaks. Unfortunately, they tell their technicians not to immediately replace the sunroof module assemblies but instead clean the seal without removing any of the grease. Whether it’s the defrosters, wipers or the sunroof, GM doesn’t seem ready to jump on any fixes for these situations. Looking at everything we’ve seen regarding the Camaro, it should be a little disheartening. Not only might you have trouble getting the car to go, getting it to Park and keeping it from starting on fire, you might not be able to see what’s happening while it’s going on. Guess you won’t have to worry about looking in the blind spot if you can’t see out the windows.

Here are some actual complaints logged with the NHTSA about the 2018 Chevy Camaro Wiper Visibility Problems:

WHEN USING THE WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER, INSTEAD OF CLEARING THE CONDENSATION, IT CREATES A VERY THICK AREA OF CONDENSATION ON THE INSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD, REGARDLESS OF TEMPERATURE SETTING OR FAN SPEED. I HAVE TO CARRY A MICRO FIBER CLOTH TO CLEAR THIS CONDENSATION REPEATEDLY, EVEN WHILE DRIVING.

Your Lemon Law Legal Rights

Think you have a lemon? Sit back and let the experts work out your lemon case at no cost to you. The law makes Chevrolet pay legal fees. You may be able to get your lemon out of your life. Every year, auto manufacturers buy back, replace or pay cash settlements to thousands of ‘lemon’ owners like you.

About the Author:

Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.

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