Buying A 2010 Chevy Camaro? Take This 68-Point Checklist With You

The Consumerist ^ | Tue Jul 21 2009 | Chris Walters

[Daffynition]

Some Camaro fans at Camaro5 have put together a list of owner-submitted things to watch out for with the new Camaro. Although they point out that not every other Camaro that rolls off the line is a bucket of fail—this isn't the Xbox 360, after all—there do seem to be enough first year production issues that you should inspect the vehicle very carefully before leaving the dealership.

Here's their list:

***IMPORTANT NOTE*** The following list is compiled from various individuals who are mostly experiencing isolated incidents. These are not issues every individual is having with their Camaro. Again, these are ISOLATED incidents that have mostly occurred to single individuals. By the accounts of owners on this site, most Camaros that have been delivered have been without problems. Please keep in mind that every first year production vehicle has more issues than later production years. This list is meant to serve as a comprehensive (perhaps overly) checklist of things to check for upon delivery, and should not be interpreted as widespread quality-control issues with the 2010 Camaro.

Also note: This list is mainly a checklist for things wrong that a dealer can immediately fix. A broken transmission or bad drive-shaft from dropping the hammer on this beast is something that they won't know until it actually happens. Thank you for submitting all your issues.

001. Loose Bolts that hold fluid back causing leaks (ex: on oil pan, tranny fluid)
002. Trunk Locking mechanism (issues with opening w/o adding down pressure to top of trunk first and/or emergency release appears to be loose keeping the trunk from locking properly)
003. Loose plastic paneling around the 4-gauges cluster, launch control, cigarette power plug as well as Left and Right A-Pillars Trim Loose, sill trim loose, and dash pannel where doors and dash meet popping open.
004. Loose Spoiler/installed correctly (Re-torque Spoiler bolts)

005. Wiper transmission cable overheating from engine causing a short circuit.
006. Matching Headlight Halos strength. (one defective being dimmer then the other).
007. Mismatched paint on parts of the vehicle (including gas door). As well as paint runs or clear coat runs. Paint Chips.
008. Loose Rocker Panel "Chevrolet" causing it to peel off.
009. Minor Problem With Window Indexing.
010. Ambient Lighting on doors defective.
011. Bad radiator (leaks).
012. Hood release/latch issues (won't unhook to open the hood).
013. Gap at base of ONStar Antenna.

014. Battery cable routing near the starter has been done.
015. Digital Speedometer is off. Also keeps going on and off.
016. Bottom pulley shakes and needs replacement per dealer.
017. Broken tranny.
018. Ignition Mechanism Issue with key getting stuck in car.
019. Non RS taillights installed on RS equipped cars (all 4 of them).
020. Rocker Panel aligned with body and clipped in correctly.
021. Bumper rubs with body
022. Trunk opens with switch and remote

023. Correct speedo/tach gauge ring color
023. Ambient lighting on drivers door as bright as passenger door
024. Doors gaps /alignment
025. Dirt/bubbles in rally stripes
026. Door panel not scratched from seat belt.
027. Shift knobs wearing out extremely fast could be faulty material
028. AC system stops blowing cold air in random durations, most likely blockage in AC drainage and/or AC draining into the car instead of beneath it
029. Clunking noise in changing gears
030. Trunk opens with remote and laser cut key

031. USB drive and aux port works
032. Squeaky Breaks
033. GFX installed correctly
034. Rims and tires in good condition (coming off carrier in bad condition/damaged)
035. Check for damage in the interior, basic procedure
036. Check the locking mechanism of both doors
037. Scraping sound for a second when backing up
038. SS emblem on trunk is loose
039. Loose interior windshield trim loose

040. The front GFX lip is not coming loose at the double sided tape
041. The front passenger brake rotors are not wearing with a dark colored groove
042. Hood latch handle on inside of cab doesn't retract properly (just hangs)
043. Scratches in seats
044. Oil cooler leaking
045. Once in every 10-15 times I unlock the car, the drivers side door is still locked, while
the locking knob on the door is in the "up" position
046. Faulty as gauge (improper readings)
047. Missing paint around the headlights

048. Bleed screw on clutch slave cylinder loose
049. Stickers on rockers peelin
050. Scratches on window pillars
051. Misaligned body & door panels as well as hood not centered properly (more to one side then the other)
052. Alignment of doors to dash interior the door interior seems to sag below the dash interior
053. Drivers side roof light( the one with the toggle switch) only works when its toggled over to the passenger side
054. Door sill decals peeling up
055. Paint swirls in driver/passenger door

056. Drive-shaft connection to the differential cracking when dropping the clutch
057. Tach Needle Sticking
058. Wiper motor wiring comes through bottom of the cowling-well in front of the driver. (The fix (decided upon between the dealer and myself) was to re-insulate the wires, cover the harness with a hard, slick plastic covering, drill a small hole in the bottom of the cowling-well (fill the hole with silicone) and use a cable tie down like the rest of the wiper harness uses to secure the harness to the floor of the cowling (the grommet will collapse downward with little force), far away from harm from the wiper arms.)
059. engine makes continuous clicking noise, starting roughly 5 seconds after engine starts
060. Door Sill plates wrinkled on outside edges (both sides)
061. Trunk gasket at bottom of rear window coming off
062. Uneven Dash (driver's side dash is lower then passenger's side)
063. Passenger/Driver's side Fender alignment off. (wheel cover well had to come off, then loosen fender bolt, and it pops right in place)
064. Key won't stay in folded position

065. Faulty Tail lights.
066. Weather stripping at back of rear windows loose (I can literally grab and peel it back).
067. Missing or peeling paint between trunk lid and spoiler (right rear section)-could possibly spread over time down the trunk lid.
068. Driver's seat makes clicking noises when set all the way back.

[Emile]

Here's more for you:

69. Taxpayer money has gone to ensure the pension and medical benefits of union workers for life, at the same time taxpayer retirement accounts are being eroded away.

70. The 0 administration forced the disregard of bankruptcy law, thus screwing GM secured bondholders and stockholders in favor of the unions, an 0 interest group.

71. Taxpayer money is warranting every car Government Motors sells.

72. The government and the unions have unconstitutionally taken control of a large portion of a major American industry.

Off the top of my head.

[TexasCajun]

I’ve been a Chevy man most of my adult life, but I will not buy a Government Motors/UAW produced vehicle of any kind.

[edcoil]

Yes but what does this Transformer turn into?

[Daffynition]

LOL ... you betcha. The last American car I bought was a Chevy and that was probably 20 years ago ... it had all of the items on this list and more rolling out the dealership driveway. Nothing has changed in Detroit. They never learned.

[tc45a]

My P.O.S. was a 1982 2.2L 4-cylinder 3 speed.

Did you buy the car new or as the 3rd or 4th owner when it had 150K + miles on it and was beaten to death??

My wife's 2002 Camaro has been great and zero problem whatsover.

[Joe 6-pack]

"Buying a Camaro? Look in the mirror, there you will see what the real problem is."

LOL....reminds me of the old joke:

IROC = Illiterate Redneck Out Cruisin'.

[Travis T. OJustice]

Around here, they say “Italian Retard Out Cruising”.

[Daffynition]

LOL. Was that a T-top?

[AnotherUnixGeek]

I’ve been a Chevy man most of my adult life, but I will not buy a Government Motors/UAW produced vehicle of any kind.

The only American car I've ever owned is a Corvette. Unless they get turned into 160 HP "green" cars by the current ownership, I'll continue to stay interested in them when car-buying time comes around.

[meyer]

Here’s my checklist:

1. Does the federal government own a stake in General Motors?
2. Did the UAW build it?

If the answer is “yes” to either of the above, then I will not buy it.

[ZirconEncrustedTweezers]

I first heard it as “It’s Really Only a Camaro.”

[chiefqc]

Just wait until it is completely controlled by the governmeny:

Ten people employed to do the work of one and nine of them on break,

Phone calls going unanswered or if answered unable to understand anything they say as they are actually answering from some foreign country.

Closed for one of the 30 federal holidays.

Unable to answer even the mos basic questions.

Prices that are thousands of dollars more than a cars with the same equipment.

Waiting 6 to twelve months to take delivery of the car that you have been making payment on.

Well now you have some idea of the future of the great government owned auto industry.

[JoeProBono]

Yup. T-Top TURBO

[LeftIsSinister]

The 4-cylinder in the early 80s Camaro (the only 4-cyl ever in one) was the 2.5L Pontiac “Iron Duke” as used in the S-10, Fiero, Monza, etc. It was probably the least likely thing to fail on the car!

[The Great RJ]

Having owned Chevys for decades, many of these problems were ones I saw on my vehicles as far back as the 1970s. I never owned a Chevy that didn't have some oil leakage from the valve covers. Too bad Hyundai didn't take over GM as they would never let a vehicle off the assembly line with such problems.

However, wait until your government run GM starts producing electric cars and glorified golf carts to save the world from global warming.

[LeftIsSinister]

This list comes from a bunch of guys demanding perfection from a low-cost high-power car. I know, I used to be one of them back when I got my ‘97 Z28. I bet a most “run of the mill” cars (especially from GM, ha ha) have the same issues, it’s just that no one cares much because the car gets them from point A to point B.

“Driver’s seat makes clicking noises when set all the way back?” WHATEVER!

[AngelesCrestHighway]

Buy a new car from Government Motors?....Hell no!

[AngelesCrestHighway]

“....wait until your government run GM starts producing electric cars and glorified golf carts to save the world from global warming.”...

They would do just great on the friday night run up the I-15 to Vegas from L.A. The ditch would be full of them from getting blown over or run off the road.....

[tc45a]

The last American car I bought was a Chevy and that was probably 20 years ago ... it had all of the items on this list and more rolling out the dealership driveway.

You did not have a Chevy but a frickin time machine!!!

031. USB drive and aux port works

[doodad]

I still want one to match my 96.