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.

[JimRed]

I will not ever buy a Government Motors car.

[caver]

It’s a GM/UAW/Obama product. No frigging way I’d buy one.

[evets]

It ran great forever,
but all the parts fell off!

Kinda of like what’s happened to me...

[Daffynition]

Yes. Been there. Done that. It bothered me terribly to buy foreign. I got over it. And nothing I’ve seen or tried that was made in Detroit has ever won me back.

[thefactor]

An all time great by The Dead Milkmen:

Bitchin' Camaro, Bitchin' Camaro!
I ran over my neighbors
Bitchin' Camaro, Bitchin' Camaro!
Now I'm in all the papers

My folks bought me a bitchin' Camaro
With no insurance to match
So if I happen to run you down
Please don't leave a scratch

I ran over some old lady
One night at the county fair
And I didn't get arrested
Because my dad's the mayor

Bitchin' Camaro, Bitchin' Camaro!
Donuts on your lawn
Bitchin' Camaro, Bitchin' Camaro!
Tony Orlando and Dawn

When I drive past the kids
They all spit and cuss
Cause I've got a bitchin' Camaro
And they have to ride the bus

So you'd better get out of my way
When I come through your yard
Cause I've got a bitchin' Camaro
And an Exxon credit card

Bitchin' Camaro, Bitchin' Camaro!
Hey man where ya headed?
Bitchin' Camaro, Bitchin' Camaro!
I'm drunk on unleaded!

[Lazamataz]

Me, I'm waiting for the GM Frank 2011 Model 69.

It has a jacked-up rear end.

[Daffynition]

Not too shabby ... wanna race?

And the 172-horse flat six in this car made only 3 horsepower less than the optional "high-performance" 350 in the '79 Camaro. Meh.

[GBA]

I've had two Camaros, loved the first one, cursed the second one or was cursed to have bought it. Since GM is now obamaMotors, I will not be buying a new Camaro or anything else obamaMotors makes. Instead, I really want one of these:

[JoeProBono]

[antiRepublicrat]

Is that engine real? The fastest Trabbi in the world?

[Charles Martel]

I can look at a new Honda and Toyota and find these same workmanship issues over a wide range of cars...just like they did with the Camaro.

Yes, a big part of this is the source - an enthusiasts' web forum. These are the people who've been waiting for this car for four years - and yes, they are reporting every possible disappointment. I don't think GM has ever before introduced an all-new "enthusiast" vehicle in that environment.

However, some of it reads like a pre-production punchlist for identifying problems on the assembly line - but as you said, it's from a (relatively) wide range of vehicles. Someone at Chevrolet better strike a reassuring tone in response to this; the natives are already restless over the "new management".

Of the problems identified, one has definitely been mentioned repeatedly in the forums - the transmission failures. It seems that GM put a launch control in the SS model, automatic and manual transmissions alike. Hard launches in the stick-shift cars are causing those Tremec 6-speed transmissions to fail, big time.

The Camaro is already a heavy car with a huge traction patch and lots of torque - adding the launch control as well seems to be the final straw. They need to fix that problem, pronto.

[Sarajevo]

069. Mullet haircut
070. Pack of Virginia Slims

071. Double wide trailer

 

If you follow a Camaro long enough....................;)

[Daffynition]

[Daffynition]

Tough?

You want tough?

I'll give you tough.

[Daffynition]

I’ve seen a few of these, or some model like them, around town ... they look terrific!

[Daffynition]

HAHAHA! ........I shouldn’t laugh .......but......you made me laugh!

[Charles Martel]

069. Mullet haircut
070. Pack of Virginia Slims
071. Double wide trailer

[JoeProBono]

[Daffynition]

If you're gonna do it .... do it right!

[JoeProBono]