This service bulletin provides information on the proper Reflective High Temperature Heat and/or Insulating Tape to use for certain repairs, such as Wiring Harness Repairs.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2017 Chevrolet Camaro electrical problems
severe Owners of the 2017 Chevrolet Camaro have filed 19 NHTSA complaints about the electrical at roughly $850 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See electrical across all vehicles →
Complaints
19
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
| Model year | electrical complaints |
|---|---|
| 2013 Camaro | 74 |
| 2014 Camaro | 89 |
| 2015 Camaro | 104 |
| 2016 Camaro | 23 |
| 2017 Camaro (this page) | 19 |
| 2018 Camaro | 14 |
| 2019 Camaro | 5 |
| 2020 Camaro | 6 |
2crashes
1fire
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering electrical on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
The intent of this service bulletin is to identify aftermarket ALDL or DLC interface devices as potential sources for causing multiple customer concerns that do not have other diagnostic methods to identify them.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Service Programming System (SPS) Error Codes E4398, E4399, E4401, E4403, M4404, M4413, M6954, M6955, E4414, E4423, E4491, E4492, or E6961 and resolution information.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This service bulletin provides information to diagnose batteries that have set for a long period of time and/or cold weather climates and testing those batteries.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This bulletin advises the dealers to maintain the vehicle stock on hand by doing a full inspection on the vehicles before being sold (prepping) to the customer.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2017 Camaros describe a pattern of serious electrical faults that dealerships have not been able to resolve. The most dangerous involve sudden, complete power loss while driving at highway speed—the engine and all systems shut down for one or two seconds, leaving the driver with no steering, brakes, or throttle control. This has happened repeatedly to at least two owners, yet dealers say they cannot reproduce it.
Door lock and remote detection failures have trapped occupants in the car, including one person in 100-degree heat who had to call 911. A shift-to-park message prevented another owner from opening doors for 15 minutes. Key fobs lose charge rapidly and cannot be recharged inside the vehicle as designed.
Battery failures are common and intermittent. When one owner tried to jump-start their vehicle, the wipers and taillight engaged on their own—a sign of deeper electrical instability. Another owner's battery died completely despite testing good.
The fuel pump wiring harness to the PCM fails intermittently, with wires burning and melting inside the trunk. A temporary fusible-link fix did not work. One vehicle caught fire in 2020 after months of misfire codes and no-start conditions.
Convertible top recall service resulted in broken control arms and motor that remain unrepaired after a year. Climate control fails, fogging the windshield dangerously. Infotainment and gauge clusters shut down while driving. Bluetooth doesn't work reliably, and the wireless charger is incompatible with modern phones. Horn failure led to at least one accident.
Same Chevrolet Camaro electrical reports on nearby years: 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2018
Failure modes owners describe
Key Fob / Remote Detection Failure and Door Lock Entrapment
Remote not detected error messages prevent vehicle start and lock out occupants. One owner became trapped in the car at high temperature; another reported 15-minute entrapment with shift-to-park message preventing door release. Owners report the key fob battery cannot be reliably recharged in vehicle.
When: Intermittent; one case at 42,767 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Remote not detected message on dash; Inability to start vehicle with key fob; Doors lock and do not respond to unlock attempts; Shift to Park message preventing door release; Key fob battery rapidly depletes and cannot be recharged in vehicle
Repairs/costs cited: One owner manually recharged key fob battery using Apple Watch charger after removal. No dealer repairs documented; GM suggested physical unlock levers but declined to implement.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: GM specialist stated vehicle may not be eligible for recall; no recall action taken despite safety hazard
Sudden Power Loss and Stall During Driving
Vehicle loses all electrical power and engine shuts off while moving at highway speeds, with no warning lights preceding failure. All dashboard lights illuminate when power returns. Steering locks and brake control lost during power loss event.
When: Intermittent; occurred 5 times since purchase in 2017; one case on I-15 highway
Symptoms owners cite: Complete shutdown of engine and electrical systems while driving; All dashboard lights illuminate simultaneously when power returns; Steering wheel locks during power loss; No brake power during shutdown; No gas pedal response during shutdown
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer unable to reproduce issue in multiple service visits
Battery Failure and Intermittent No-Start
Battery fails prematurely, causing no-start conditions that are intermittent. Vehicle exhibits signs of electrical system instability with wipers and taillight engaging independently during jump-start attempt.
When: Approximately 42,767 miles; one vehicle with 145,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle stalls and will not restart; Wipers and taillights engage independently; Appears as dead battery even after jump start; Intermittent no-start after sitting; Symptoms disappear after time off
Repairs/costs cited: Battery replacement performed at dealership; dealer unable to duplicate failure after replacement
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer case opened; callback promised but follow-up not documented
Fuel Pump Wiring Harness Burning and Melting
Fuel pump wiring harness to PCM fails intermittently, with exposed wires burning and melting connectors. Dealer installed fusible link as temporary fix but problem persisted. Vehicle caught fire during 2020 incident.
When: Intermittent; vehicle caught fire 01/10/2020
Symptoms owners cite: Intermittent no-start condition; Wires burning and melting in trunk; Fuel pump circuit failure; Vehicle fire during operation
Repairs/costs cited: Fusible link installed as temporary fix between fuel pump and PCM; did not resolve issue. Multiple tows required.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Upper management awareness; directed to different dealership; repeated attempts to repair unsuccessful
Engine Misfire, Stabilitrack, and Reduced Power with Fire Risk
Engine misfire paired with Stabilitrack and reduced power messages, with intermittent no-start mimicking dead battery. Vehicle eventually caught fire. AAA diagnosed battery was good and identified electrical system problem.
When: Intermittent; vehicle caught fire 01/10/2020
Symptoms owners cite: Stabilitrack message on dashboard; Engine misfire; Reduced power mode; Intermittent no-start; Check engine light illuminated; Symptoms disappear after sitting; Vehicle caught fire during operation
Codes mentioned: P0300
Repairs/costs cited: Engine lifters replaced at first dealership visit; second visit unable to duplicate concern. Battery tested good by AAA.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: GM customer service opened case; callback promised but not documented as completed
Electrical System Degradation with Cylinder Compression Loss
Electrical system degradation caused battery drain and ABS brake failure. Engine internally damaged with cylinder #1 compression loss and piston ring damage, following documented GM service bulletin for LTG engines (PI1178F).
When: 145,000 miles; sudden onset after one year of normal maintenance
Symptoms owners cite: Battery rapidly dies; ABS brake system complete failure; Cylinder #1 no compression; Piston ring internal damage; Engine failure
Codes mentioned: P0300, C0299, B1517
Repairs/costs cited: Diagnostic revealed cylinder compression loss and piston ring damage
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: GM service bulletin PI1178F known common problem for LTG engines
Convertible Top Mechanism Failure After Recall Replacement
Convertible top replaced under recall; immediately after replacement, control arms and motor broke. Dealer and contracted upholstery company failed to respond to repair requests for months. Low-quality replacement material reported.
When: Immediately after recall service
Symptoms owners cite: Control arms completely broken; Motor failure; Noises when raising and lowering top; Low-quality, thin replacement material
Repairs/costs cited: Replacement top has cheap material; control arms and motor require replacement. No service completed despite months of follow-up attempts.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall replacement performed; dealer deferred to contracted upholstery company; no follow-up service completed in nearly one year
Climate Control Blender Door Failure Causing Windshield Fogging
Blender door controlling air flow fails, causing windshield to fog excessively regardless of outside conditions. Air temperature randomly changes from hot to cold during driving, creating unsafe visibility and comfort conditions.
Symptoms owners cite: Windshield fog buildup constant regardless of weather; Random temperature changes during driving from hot to cold; Defog mode causes exterior glass to fog; Fogging obscures visibility to point of inability to drive safely; Rapid reoccurrence of fogging even with defog active
Infotainment and Gauge Cluster Shutdown During Driving
Gauge cluster and infotainment system shut down completely while vehicle is in motion, with loss of power steering, acceleration, and brake response. Multiple warning messages display upon restart.
When: After engine replacement
Symptoms owners cite: Gauge cluster shuts down while driving; Infotainment system shuts down; Loss of power steering; Loss of acceleration; Loss of braking; Multiple warning messages upon restart: Service Stabilitrack, ABS System, Battery System, Engine Oil Low, Engine Reduced Power, Reduce Clutch Use, Check Engine Light
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle had engine replaced due to engine lock-up prior to symptom onset
Blind Spot Detection System Failure
Side detection system (blind spot monitoring) failed. Owner reports Chevrolet has widespread known issues with this system.
Symptoms owners cite: Side detection system inoperative
Bluetooth Connectivity Issues
Bluetooth audio function unreliable with poor microphone sensitivity, requiring occupants to yell for incoming callers to hear them. Inconsistent performance whether phone is connected or not.
Symptoms owners cite: Bluetooth audio reception poor; Microphone sensitivity inadequate; Requires yelling for caller to hear; Inconsistent performance with and without phone connection
Infotainment Display Screen Degradation in Cold Weather
Infotainment screen display text and words become distorted or unreadable when outside temperatures are cold. Owner reports this is a widespread complaint.
When: Cold weather conditions
Symptoms owners cite: Screen display text becomes unclear or blanked out in cold weather
Wireless Phone Charger Incompatibility
Wireless charging pad only functions with older phone models. Newer phones will not charge on the built-in wireless charger. YouTube contains workarounds but owners report dealers and Chevrolet refuse to address the issue.
Symptoms owners cite: Wireless charger incompatible with newer phone models; Older phones charge; newer phones do not
Repairs/costs cited: YouTube workarounds exist but not factory solution
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No response documented; owners report dealer and manufacturer refusal to address
Horn Failure
Horn stopped functioning completely. Owner involved in accident directly attributable to inability to warn other vehicles.
Symptoms owners cite: Horn inoperative
Interior Lighting Failure
Interior lights will not turn off, remaining on continuously.
Symptoms owners cite: Interior lights remain on continuously
Synthesized from 19 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Horn stopped working, and I got in an accident because of it. Also my interior lights will not turn off
Had electrical trouble with your 2017 Chevrolet Camaro?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the electrical problem on the 2017 Chevrolet Camaro?
It's a meaningful issue. 19 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $850.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Based on the 19 complaints filed, electrical issues most often appear around 30,553 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2017/Chevrolet/Camaro.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.