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2016 Chevrolet Camaro problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
48%
64 of 132 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

48% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.

Worse than 62% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 9 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 45%).

NHTSA data checked October 17, 2026
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The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro have transmission problems?

Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 64 of 132 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (48%), and the largest group is filed under power train (48). For comparison, the 2015 scores 24% and the 2017 scores 40%. On a test drive, check for shuddering, slipping, delayed or harsh shifts, or a whine at speed. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
64
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
141
this model year
Fires reported
4
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
1
3 crashes · 1 injuries

Complaints by component

POWER TRAIN48 · 34%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM31 · 22%
ENGINE22 · 16%
STEERING22 · 16%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER19 · 13%
SERVICE BRAKES9 · 6%

The years either side

2010
62%
125 of 295
2011
40%
49 of 194
2012
44%
40 of 113
2013
18%
29 of 187
2014
22%
35 of 188
2015
24%
46 of 206
2016
48%
64 of 141
2017
40%
70 of 189
2018
43%
33 of 81
2019
51%
26 of 53
2020
52%
14 of 31
2021
too few complaints
2022
too few complaints
2023
too few complaints

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro

What one owner reported

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING11/30/2023FIRE1 INJURED
The contact's grandson owned a 2016 Chevrolet Camero. While the grandson was driving at approximately 40 MPH, smoke suddenly was present coming from under the front hood of the vehicle. The vehicle was immediately parked and moments later flames and smoke streamed from the engine compartment and the vehicle exploded. T…

One of 64 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows them, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro?

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

1 other recall on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
electrical system: software16V084000 · Feb 2016
Genera Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Camaro, Malibu, Silverado and GMC Sierra vehicles. The radio may intermittently fail to provide an audio warning when the key…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 17, 2026.

Checking one particular 2016 Chevrolet Camaro? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro

Does the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro have transmission problems?

Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 64 of 132 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (48%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the transmission and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro?

No. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.

Which Chevrolet Camaro years are better?

Among the Chevrolet Camaro years we track, the 2013 (18%), the 2014 (22%) and the 2015 (24%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2016 (48%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.

Should I buy a 2016 Chevrolet Camaro?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2016 Chevrolet Camaro has an elevated transmission complaint pattern, so treat it as a car that needs proof: service records showing transmission work, a cold-start test drive, and an independent pre-purchase inspection focused on the transmission. A well-kept or already-repaired example can be a fine car; an unknown one is a gamble.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.