Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 61 complaints with NHTSA about the 1985 Chevrolet Camaro, and it carries 6 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Seat belts | 30 | 49% |
| Structure | 10 | 16% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 6 | 10% |
| Parking brake | 4 | 7% |
| Electrical system | 2 | 3% |
| Visibility | 2 | 3% |
| Parking brake | 1 | 2% |
| Suspension | 1 | 2% |
| Unknown or other | 1 | 2% |
| Steering | 1 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1985 CHEVROLET CAMARO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 85V169000 (SEAT BELTS: FRONT: BUCKLE ASSEMBLY) IN 1991 AND 1994. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR REPA
NHTSA complaint: Seat belts
THE FOLLOWING SAFETY RECALLS AND TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS ARE LISTED BELOW, BUT A LOOKUP OF MY VIN NUMBER ON THE GM WEBSITE OR A LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP (HOSELTON) REVEALS NO OPEN RECALLS ON IT, AND THEY REFUSE TO
NHTSA complaint: Parking brake
DT: THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL 90V105000 CONCERNING THE SEAT BELT LATCHES BACK IN 1990. HE TOOK THE CAR TO SERVICE DEALER, AND THE SERVICE DEALER TOLD HIM IF THE LATCHES BROKE, TO BRING VEHICLE IN. AT THAT TIME T
NHTSA complaint: Seat belts
WHAT A NIGHTMARE, 33000 ORIGINAL MILES AND IT'S STILL A DEATH TRAP. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
RECALL 85V169000 CONCERNING SHOULDER BELTS. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS REMEDIED UNDER THIS CAMPAIGN, CONSUMER STATED THAT RECALL LETTER FROM 1994 STATED THAT VEHICLE HAS YET TO BE
NHTSA complaint: Seat belts
I FOUND OUT THROUGH THIS WEBSITE THAT THERE ARE RECALLS ON THIS CAR. WHEN MY HUSBAND CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULDN'T FIX IT-IT WAS TOO OLD. ANOTHER DEALERSHIP TOLD US THAT THERE WEREN'T ANY OPEN ORDE
NHTSA complaint: Parking brake
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND FRAME BROKE. WHEN SHE WAS DRIVING VEHICLE WENT INTO OTHER LANES. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK
NHTSA complaint: Structure
THE CAMAROS WITH REAR DSK BRAKES/MANUAL TRANNY WERE RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT NOT THE ONES W/ REAR DRUM BRAKES, WHICH I DON'T UNDERSTAND. THE PERSON WHO OWNED THIS CAR AT TIMES OF RECALLS DIDN'T FOLLOW THROUGH WITH
NHTSA complaint: Parking brake
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 1985 Chevrolet Camaro. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE D
Risk: WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Fix: PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.
CERTAIN HONEYWELL FRAM RACING BRAND HP4 AND HP8 OIL FILTERS THAT WERE MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 25, 2006, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 14, 2007, AND SOLD FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR VEHICLES LIST ABOVE. THE AFFECTED FILTERS ARE MARKED WITH A DATE CODE A61451 THROUGH A72571 SEQUENTIALLY. THE DATE CODE AN
Risk: THIS CONDITION MAY CAUSE INADEQUATE SEALING AND LOSS OF ENGINE OIL, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.
Fix: HONEYWELL WILL REPLACE THE AFFECTED OIL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN DURING NOVEMBER 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE TOLL-FREE AT 1-800-890-2075.
CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18, 2005, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2006, SOLD FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE AND ON CE
Risk: THIS CONDITION MAY CAUSE AN INADEQUATE SEAL AT THE CONNECTION, POTENTIALLY LEADING TO A FUEL LEAK. IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE COULD OCCUR.
Fix: HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION 1).
PARKING BRAKE ADJUSTER FAILS TO OPERATE AND DO NOT WORK AFTER BRAKE PAD WEAR.
Risk: PARKING BRAKES WILL NOT COMPLETELY HOLD A PARKED VEHICLEWHEN PARKED ON A SLOPE, CAUSING UNINTENDED VEHICLE ROLLAWAY WHICH COULD RESULTIN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Fix: REPLACE NONFUNCTIONING PARKING BRAKE ADJUSTERS.
| Reliability raw | 85 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 79 | good |
| Maintenance | 75 | good |
| Depreciation | 66 | good |
| Performance | 71 | good |
| Efficiency | 33 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 61 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and seat belts is the most reported area with 30 of them (49%). There are 6 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 85/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 79/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 1985 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 72/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.