1991 Chevrolet Camaro: common problems

Owners of the 1991 Chevrolet Camaro filed 86 complaints with NHTSA, most often about fuel system and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 86
involving a crash: 11

What fails most often

1 Fuel system 36% of all complaints
2 Air bags 22% of all complaints
3 Electrical system 15% of all complaints
4 Engine and cooling 9% of all complaints
5 Vehicle speed control 7% of all complaints
6 Structure 5% of all complaints
7 Powertrain 3% of all complaints
8 Service brakes 3% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Fuel system: 31 complaints (36% of all).
Air bags: 19 complaints (22% of all), 9 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electrical system: 13 complaints (15% of all).
Engine and cooling: 8 complaints (9% of all).
Vehicle speed control: 6 complaints (7% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

3.1 L · petrol · 6 cyl
5 L · petrol · 8 cylnamed in 1 complaints
5.7 L · petrol · 8 cyl
automatic, 4-speed
manual, 5-speed

Drive: RWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 86 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

fuel system, fuel smell10 · 12%
airbags did not deploy7 · 8%
stalls while driving6 · 7%
knocking, grinding or other noise4 · 5%
airbag warning light2 · 2%
seat belts2 · 2%
warning lights, check engine2 · 2%
headlights and tail lights1 · 1%
won't start1 · 1%
rust, corrosion1 · 1%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Fuel system	31	0
Air bags	19	9
Electrical system	13	0
Engine and cooling	8	0
Vehicle speed control	6	1
Structure	4	0
Powertrain	3	0
Service brakes	3	0
Exterior lighting	2	0
Fuel/propulsion system	2	0
Steering	2	0
Seat belts	1	1
Seats	1	0
Tires	1	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

Seat belt not only did not hold but it broke out of the seat my belt retractor on the driver side didnt stop me from hitting the steering wheel my husband was in the passenger. Seat his did not stop him and completely pulled loose from seat he has neck injuries.
Seat belts · crash · 2001-09-04 · NHTSA complaint #751339
Consumer was involved in a 60 mph frontal collision in which the driver's air bag did not deploy. Cause unknown. Please give any fuirther details.
Air bags · crash · 1999-01-13 · NHTSA complaint #820758
While driving at speeds of 45-50 mph the vehicle was involved in a frontal collision, and the airbag did not deploy. Owner will contact the manufacturer.
Air bags · crash · 1998-05-13 · NHTSA complaint #823285
Upon frontal impact @ 30 mph, air bag failed to deploy. Please describe details. Tt
Air bags · crash · 1995-11-06 · NHTSA complaint #974749
Driving 35mph started to slow down cruise control came on pedal went to floor causing collision. Tt
Vehicle speed control · crash · 1995-04-07 · NHTSA complaint #963388
Fuel leaking onto ground when filling tank at a gas station. Found information about safety recall from 1994. Owned the car since 1996.
Fuel/propulsion system · 2020-09-04 · NHTSA complaint #11353212
Tl* the contact owns a 1991 chevrolet camaro. The contact noticed an one inch crack on the fuel tank near the filler neck. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 95,500.
Fuel/propulsion system · 2013-04-25 · NHTSA complaint #10509548
5.0liter tbi vehicle stalled in traffic at idle only. I restarted and was able to exit freeway. Idle is good in park or neutral gear, idle is unsteady while in gear and stall occurs within seconds.
Electrical system · 2012-04-09 · NHTSA complaint #10454560

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

199521
199615
19979
19984
199913
20004
20016
20032
20042
20052
20081
20093
20102
20121
20131
20201

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 3,912 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 11% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Camaro has 78 complaints (41 years in the data). This year has 86, about average.

What to check before buying

Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1991 Chevrolet Camaro?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: fuel system, air bags, electrical system. Total complaints: 86. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: fuel system, fuel smell (12%), airbags did not deploy (8%), stalls while driving (7%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1991 Chevrolet Camaro?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 1991 Chevrolet Camaro from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 1991 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.