This preliminary informational (PI) bulletin provides information to dealership personnel that may be helpful when addressing underbody component corrosion with customers.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2017 Chevrolet Camaro powertrain problems
moderate 50 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500 · see powertrain across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
50
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
1crash
1injury
When does it fail?
Of the 50 powertrain complaints filed for the 2017 Chevrolet Camaro, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Of the 12 model years of Chevrolet Camaro we track for powertrain problems, this one carries the most owner complaints on file — 50.
Owners have filed 50 powertrain complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering powertrain 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.
This Preliminary information communicates Diagnostic aids for a no start or DTC'S following a transmission replacement
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This Preliminary information communicates Diagnostic aids for a no start or DTC'S following a transmission replacement
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This service bulletin provides information on Transmission Adaptive Functions and Correcting Low Mileage Harsh Shifts, Slips, or Flares.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This Preliminary Information communicates additional information to the customer on the "No Lift Shift" feature found on all Manual Transmission equipped Camaros.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2017 Camaro powertrain complaints cluster around an 8-speed automatic transmission that shudders, vibrates, and shifts hard—especially between 40–85 mph and at 1500–1800 rpm. Multiple owners describe it as riding over rumble strips; several were nearly hit from behind before realizing no one was there. The shudder often occurs without warning lights. Dealers and GM acknowledge it as a known issue and point to Service Bulletin 18-NA-355, which calls for transmission fluid flush using updated GM specs. Many owners report the shudder returns or worsens even after one, two, or three flushes. Some have had torque converters replaced; a handful had full transmission replacement recommended due to internal metal shavings or wear.
Manual transmission owners report two distinct problems: pop-out from 2nd gear (causing grinding and unexpected neutral in traffic) and bogging/stalling on takeoff from a stop (dangerous when merging into traffic). One owner documented transmission pop-out on YouTube; multiple owners cite GM awareness but no recall.
Additional failures include stuck transmission solenoids forcing Limp mode, rough shift engagement, synchronizer wear in 2nd gear, and a TCU error that displays "shift to park" repeatedly and prevents engine shutdown. One low-mileage owner reported an oil pump failure at 18,000 miles. Dealers have been reluctant to perform warranty work or provide root-cause repairs, and extended warranties often expire before issues manifest or are covered.
Same Chevrolet Camaro powertrain reports on nearby years: 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2018 · 2019
Failure modes owners describe
Transmission shudder and vibration at highway speeds
Vehicle shakes, shudders, or vibrates noticeably during cruise or acceleration, especially between 40–85 mph and at 1500–1800 rpm. Owners describe it as riding over rumble strips. Dealers often identify it as a torque converter or transmission fluid issue, sometimes addressing it with fluid flushes using updated GM specifications (per TSB 18-NA-355). Many report the shudder returns or worsens even after service.
When: Early ownership (within first 20k miles) through higher mileage (50k+); some report onset within a month of purchase
Symptoms owners cite: Violent shaking or shuddering at highway speeds; Vibration felt under seats, especially 40–85 mph; Shudder at 1200–1800 rpm cruising; Vibration worse in V4 cylinder mode; Shudder goes away temporarily when releasing gas pedal
Codes mentioned: TSB 18-NA-355 referenced by multiple owners
Repairs/costs cited: Transmission fluid flush (sometimes repeated 2–3 times); some dealers reluctant to perform service; one owner paid $452.48 for repair after warranty expired; torque converter replacement performed in some cases
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Service Bulletin 18-NA-355 issued; GM acknowledged as 'known issue' per owner reports; no recall issued; owners were not proactively notified
Hard shifting and gear hesitation
Transmission exhibits delayed, rough, or jarring shifts, particularly between 1st and 2nd gear and during low-speed acceleration. Owners report the car lurches, hesitates to catch gear, or feels like it will stall when pulling into traffic. Some note shift lag or flare on cold starts after vehicle sits.
When: From early ownership onward; shift flare reported after sitting 1+ hour
Symptoms owners cite: Hard or rough shifts between 1st and 2nd gear; Hesitation when accelerating from stop; Lurching or jerking sensation during shifts; Delayed transmission response; Shift flare from 1st to 2nd after vehicle sits; Slipping or lugging at 1500–1800 rpm
Repairs/costs cited: Valve body replacement performed in at least one case; provided temporary relief (1500 miles) before symptoms returned; multiple transmission fluid flushes attempted
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No manufacturer response documented in narratives; GM aware of issue per owners' statements
Manual transmission pop-out from 2nd gear and grinding
6-speed manual transmission pops out of 2nd gear when shifting or engaging the clutch, causing grinding noises and leaving the vehicle in neutral during traffic. Owners attribute it to defective transmission housing. A YouTube video and online forums document the issue; multiple owners cite GM awareness and inaction.
When: Present since purchase for at least one owner
Symptoms owners cite: Transmission pops out of 2nd gear; Grinding noise on gear engagement and clutch release; Vehicle unexpectedly in neutral during traffic; Defective housing suspected
Repairs/costs cited: Transmission replacement resolved the issue in at least two known cases per owner; one owner's car sat at dealership for 2 months without service
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No formal manufacturer response; owners state 'GM is aware of the issue but ignoring it'; no recall issued
Manual transmission bogging and stalling from stop
Engine bogs, hesitates, or almost stalls when taking off from a complete stop or shifting gears in a manual transmission car. Owners report excessive torque management by the ECU causes the issue. One owner nearly caused a traffic accident when pulling from a driveway.
When: Occurs almost daily during normal operation; risk highest when merging or pulling into traffic
Symptoms owners cite: Engine bogs and almost stalls from stop; Requires reapplication of clutch and more throttle to prevent stall; Nearly caused accidents when pulling into traffic; Occurs during normal and aggressive acceleration
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs documented; owners attribute to ECU torque management issue requiring software fix
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No manufacturer response documented; issue discussed extensively in online forums (camaro6.com)
Manual transmission synchronizer wear in 2nd gear
Transmission has difficulty fully engaging 2nd gear under both normal and aggressive driving. Clutch release causes grinding of synchronizer teeth because the gear does not fully seat.
When: Intermittent; occurs on hot or cold starts
Symptoms owners cite: Trouble shifting completely into 2nd gear; Grinding sound on clutch release; Feels like gear goes in but pops out; Occurs during normal and hard acceleration
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs documented in narrative
Transmission fluid degradation and specification issue
Original factory transmission fluid on 8L45 automatic is incorrect or degrades prematurely, requiring updated GM fluid specifications. Owners report dealers blamed initial fluid type for shudder and vibration before transitioning to fluid flushes per TSB 18-NA-355.
When: Early in ownership; issue present from purchase on at least one vehicle
Symptoms owners cite: Shudder and vibration attributed to fluid; Problem resolves temporarily after fluid flush with correct specification
Repairs/costs cited: Transmission fluid flush with updated GM specifications per TSB 18-NA-355; multiple flushes required for some owners
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Service Bulletin 18-NA-355 issued; updated fluid specification not provided to owners at purchase; no recall
Stuck transmission solenoid and limp mode
Transmission solenoid becomes stuck, forcing vehicle into Limp mode and locking it in 4th gear, eliminating driver control of vehicle speed until computer resets itself.
When: After 1000 miles of driving with repaired torque converter shudder
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle forced into Limp mode; Transmission locks in 4th gear; Driver unable to regulate speed properly; Computer resets after pulling off road
Codes mentioned: Limp mode activated
Repairs/costs cited: No repair documented; incident resolved when vehicle computer reset
Reverse gear engagement and shifting difficulty
Manual transmission struggles to shift out of reverse, fighting the driver and requiring manipulation to return to 1st gear. Forward gears function normally.
When: Intermittent issue
Symptoms owners cite: Difficulty shifting out of reverse; Reverse fights driver when trying to shift; Requires manipulation to shift back to 1st gear; All forward gears function normally
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs documented in narrative
Transmission metal shavings and internal wear
Transmission contains metal shavings indicating internal wear or damage requiring full transmission replacement. One owner experienced loss of motive power and metal contamination detected during dealer diagnosis.
When: Occurred at approximately 77,800 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Loss of motive power while driving; Vehicle able to be restarted; Metal shavings found inside transmission during inspection
Repairs/costs cited: Transmission replacement required; owner did not authorize repair
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer made aware and case opened
Transmission Control Unit (TCU) malfunction and 'shift to park' error
Vehicle displays 'shift to park' message when placed in park, preventing engine shutdown and requiring repeated restarts to clear the error. Owners must restart the car until the message disappears to avoid battery drain. Issue occurs every time the vehicle is shifted to park.
When: Recurring with every park attempt
Symptoms owners cite: Persistent 'shift to park' message on display; Vehicle will not shut off with message active; Requires multiple restarts to clear error; Risk of battery drain if message persists
Codes mentioned: TCU error—'shift to park' message
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs documented in narratives
Oil pump failure and low oil pressure warning
Vehicle displays 'low oil pressure, shut off vehicle immediately' warning while idling, indicating oil pump failure. Occurs on a low-mileage, well-maintained vehicle (18,000 miles) with no modifications.
When: At approximately 18,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Low oil pressure warning on dashboard; Warning appears while idling; Vehicle requires immediate shutdown
Codes mentioned: Low oil pressure warning
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle towed home; dealer reportedly unhelpful citing warranty expiration; no repair documented
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer declined service due to warranty timeframe; owner appeals to GM for assistance as loyal customer
Synthesized from 50 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 6 most recent
Car stalls with manual trying to start from a stop or shifting gears. Occurred to me several times. Twice in intersection almost causing an accident. This is a well documented ssue and reported to Chevrolet. On website camaro6.com searching zl! Bogging issue, several entries will be found. This is dangerous. Please help us. Here is a video…
Starter getting heat and not allowing the car to start properly or not at all . There is a lawsuit about this issue but never has happen in favor of the customers
Transmission is shuddering. Can try to accelerate and it lurches until it finally catches gear and goes. Definitely a concern when at a stop and pulling into traffic
8 speed transmission shudders while cruising on the highway , very hard shift between gears 1and2 at low parking lot speeds. Down shifting at times takes a while forcing you to manually downshift with the paddle shifters
When taking off from a stop, at normal speed, the engine bogs and almost stalls. This requires a re application of the clutch and more throttle to prevent stalling. This happens almost daily. It has happened while pulling into traffic from a driveway and almost caused an accident. I have been driving with a clutch for over 30 years on both cars and motorcycles. There is a real problem with…
When I place my car in park, I get a message on my display that says “shift to park”. Once that message comes on, I cannot turn my vehicle off and have to keep restarting my car until the message goes away, so it does not drain my battery completely. It happens every time I shift to park.
Had powertrain 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 powertrain problem on the 2017 Chevrolet Camaro?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 50 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $2,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Across the 23 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most powertrain failures cluster between 9,500 and 31,744 miles, with the median around 21,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 9,500; a quarter make it past 31,744. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $2,500 for powertrain 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 powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain 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.