Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit.
Owners have filed 113 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro, and it carries 5 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 16 | 14% |
| Air bags | 14 | 12% |
| Engine | 14 | 12% |
| Power train | 9 | 8% |
| Visibility/wiper | 6 | 5% |
| Power train | 4 | 4% |
| Service brakes | 3 | 3% |
| Unknown or other | 3 | 3% |
| Suspension | 3 | 3% |
| Tires | 2 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Camaro. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Camaro. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a left turn, the contact’s knee hit the ignition key and the vehicle shutoff and drove over into an oncom
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
I purchased this vehicle July of this year and just drove it to find it pulled extremely to the right. I was told it was an alignment issue which they attempted to fix which seems successful in July coming off the offram
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
Parking brake failed because crimped stopper at end of cable coming from interior lever failed. The stopper appears to be made of very soft metal and does not have much contact area with wire rope portion of cable. Accor
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2012 Chevrolet Camaro. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 90,480, and at the t
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
I am experiencing similar issues to those identified in GM bulletin 07-06-04-019F. I keep getting DTC P2138. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The throttle
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
The air bags aren't working properly. They initially fixed a prior issue with my air bags long ago. However this issue has persisted. I think these cars have major issues with our air bags.
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
Air bag on passenger side. transmission stared vibration brought in they repair it . This was still under warranty at the time. Now it doing it again. Seat they want change driver side motor . I fix it myself .it was the
NHTSA complaint: Power train
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2012 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.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain replacement flip-key ignition transmitter assemblies sold as replacement equipment for 2010-2015 Chevrolet Camaro vehicles. GM dealers may have inadvertently sold these assemblies as replacement keys despite them having been recalled under NHTSA recall n
Risk: Once the engine is off, the vehicle can lose power steering and power braking, increasing the risk of a crash. The air bags may not deploy in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the key with the flat blade design, free of charge. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk were mailed November
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling all 2010-2014 Chevrolet Camaro vehicles manufactured December 3, 2008 to May 23, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the driver may accidentally hit the ignition key with their knee, unintentionally knocking the key out of the run position, turning off the engine.
Risk: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, a key knocked out of the run position could caus
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will remove the key blade from the original flip key/RKE transmitter assemblies, and provide two new keys and two key rings per key. The recall began August 25, 201
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Buick LaCrosse, Regal and Chevrolet Camaro, as well as certain 2010-2012 Cadillac SRX, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles, equipped with power height adjustable driver and passenger seats. In the affected vehicles, the bolt t
Risk: If the driver's seat unexpectedly drops, the distraction and altered seat position may affect the drivers' control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the height adjuster shoulder bolts, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed interim letters to owners on September 11, 2014. The recall began on D
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Buick Verano vehicles manufactured December 2, 2011 to July, 16, 2012, Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured December 7, 2011 to July 25, 2012, Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured December 5, 2011 to August 2, 2012, and Chevrolet Camaro
Risk: If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, that air bag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel air bag coil, free of charge. The recall began on July 25, 2014. Chevrolet owners may contact GM at 1-800-222-1020. Buick owners
| Reliability raw | 63 | average |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 69 | good |
| Maintenance | 75 | good |
| Depreciation | 66 | good |
| Performance | 76 | good |
| Efficiency | 36 | below average |
| Safety | 100 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 113 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and electrical system is the most reported area with 16 of them (14%). There are 5 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 63/100 (average) 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 69/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2012 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: be careful, because the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit. Its overall ownership score is 69/100. 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.