Chevy Camaro Transmission Problems [5 Common Issues]

Your new Chevrolet Camaro transmission isn’t changing gears smoothly. You don’t know if this means the transmission has a problem or you just aren’t operating it correctly.

In this post, you’ll learn the common transmission problems with Chevy Camaro and how to resolve them.

But first, here are the common causes of transmission problems in a Chevy Camaro:

Dirty transmission fluid.
Bad rear suspension bushings.
Loose bolts on your driveshaft couplings.
A loose transmission fluid pan gasket.
A broken solenoid.
Weak needle bearings in your torque converter.
A jammed clutch.

Table of Contents

Chevy Camaro Transmission Problems

1. Car jolts heavily when gear is engaged

If your car jolts heavily every time a gear is engaged, your transmission is faulty. The vehicle may shake roughly when it slows down or when the engine is warm. You might also hear weird vibrations and feel like your transmission is slamming into gear.

Dirty transmission fluid is the most likely culprit for this issue. Your transmission fluid is meant to keep the moving parts of the transmission lubed, so they can easily shift gears.

But as your transmission fluid ages, it may lose its lubricating effect. As a result, the components in your transmission may start wearing out, thus causing them to expend more effort while changing gears. This extra effort makes your car shake.

Change your transmission fluid to fix this issue. Make sure you replace the old fluid with OEM-approved oil.

Loose bolts or cracked rubber on your driveshaft coupling can also cause your car to shake when it engages a gear.

Your driveshaft contains a coupling that aligns its two sides.

If a bolt loosens on the driveshaft coupling, the driveshaft will become misaligned. A misaligned driveshaft will need more effort to rotate when transmitting power to your wheels. This stressful rotation of the driveshaft may cause your vehicle to vibrate when power reaches the wheels.

Consider replacing your driveshaft couplings if your car keeps shaking when it engages a gear. Your driveshaft is located at the bottom of your vehicle, between your transmission and differential.

If the problem recurs after changing your driveshaft couplings, you might need to change your rear suspension bushings. If these bushings become faulty, they can cause your vehicle to vibrate while changing gears.

You’ll find your rear suspension bushings mounted on your vehicle’s rear suspension.

2. Transmission shifts into neutral by itself

You can tell that your Chevrolet Camaro transmission is bad if the transmission keeps shifting into Neutral gear on its own. This problem usually occurs when the car is idling or slowing down.

If you’re facing this issue, your transmission is dead. Ask your dealer to change your transmission.

3. Transmission slipping

If your transmission keeps switching gears when you drive at a steady speed, the system has a problem.

Usually, gear slippage occurs because your transmission fluid level is low.

Transmission fluid keeps the parts of your gearbox in place. This prevents the parts from randomly changing gears unless a transmission range sensor prompts it.

The obvious solution to this problem would be to refill the transmission with new fluid. But a mere refill won’t fix the issue permanently.

Low fluid levels are caused by leaks in the transmission. So, before you pour new fluid into your transmission, you must seal the leaky parts in the system.

The main culprit behind a transmission fluid leak is a slack transmission pan gasket. This gasket is the rubber attached to the edges of the transmission fluid pan, and its role is to prevent the fluid in the pan from leaking out. The rectangular shape of the gasket helps it stay in contact with the transmission fluid pan, which has the same shape.

This is why all the fluid in your transmission pan leaks out when the gasket becomes loose.

To fix the leak in your transmission, apply a gasket sealant on the gasket. This will help the gasket regain its shape. But if your car is fairly old, you may consider replacing the gasket with a new one.

Once you’ve repaired your transmission leak, you can refill your transmission with new fluid.

If you check your gasket and realize that it hasn’t lost shape, you might have a broken solenoid. A bad solenoid can restrict the flow of fluid through your transmission, causing the system to misbehave.

Consider changing your solenoid to prevent your transmission from slipping gears. You’ll find your solenoid between your engine and your ignition module.

4. Transmission makes grinding sounds while driving

Another sign of a faulty transmission in a Chevy Camaro is grinding sounds when you drive. Once you shift your gear to Neutral, the transmission stops making this noise.

Your Chevy Camaro transmission might be producing grinding noises because the needle bearings in your torque converter are broken.

Your torque converter contains several metal parts that work together to transmit power from the engine to your transmission. Because the parts are so close, there are needle bearings between them to keep them from making contact.

Over time, these needle bearings get worn out. As a result, the metal components may start hitting each other. The constant contact between these parts may reflect as grinding noises outside the engine.

Once you shift your gear to Neutral, the engine goes off, and your torque converter stops working. This is why you don’t hear the noise after changing your gear to Neutral.

You’ll need to replace the needle bearings between your torque converter to resolve this problem. Locate your torque converter between your transmission and engine flex plate, which are placed at the bottom of your car.

5. Car shakes vigorously when changing gear

If you feel a vigorous shake under your car every time it changes gears, the vehicle might have a transmission issue. You may also discover that the engine is overheating.

A violent shake during gear changes often indicates that the clutch is jammed. A jammed clutch may restrict your transmission from moving during a gear shift. This forces your vehicle to use more power than it requires to operate.

If your engine has excess energy, it might start vibrating, thus causing your vehicle to shake. The energy overload in your engine is also the reason why it is overheating.

Your car will stop shaking once you free your clutch.

Here’s how to unjam your clutch in your Chevy Camaro:

Shift your car to Neutral.
Ask a friend to push your car.
Then, turn your ignition until your car starts.
If your clutch remains stuck after this, ask a transmission specialist to inspect the vehicle.

Related Post: Chevy Equinox Transmission Problems.

Chevy Camaro Models with the Most Transmission Problems

The following Chevy Camaro models have the highest number of transmission problems:

2010 Chevy Camaro
2017 Chevy Camaro

Carcomplaints.com states that the 2010 Chevy Camaro model has the most transmission problems. Unlike most Chevy Camaro cars, which didn’t get any user complaints about transmission issues, the 2010 model received five adverse reports about its transmission.

The 2017 Chevy Camaro is another notorious model for transmission issues. This model garnered four reports about transmission issues.

Chevy Camaro Models with the Least Transmission Problems

1978 Chevy Camaro
1982 Chevy Camaro
1984 Chevy Camaro
1985 Chevy Camaro
1986 Chevy Camaro
1988 Chevy Camaro
1989 Chevy Camaro
1990 Chevy Camaro
1991 Chevy Camaro
1992 Chevy Camaro
1993 Chevy Camaro
1994 Chevy Camaro
1996 Chevy Camaro
1997 Chevy Camaro
1999 Chevy Camaro
2000 Chevy Camaro
2001 Chevy Camaro
2019 Chevy Camaro
2020 Chevy Camaro
2021 Chevy Camaro

According to carcomplaints.com, none of the Chevy Camaro models in the list above have transmission problems.

How Much Does It Cost to Fix Chevy Camaro Transmission Problems?

Fixing a transmission problem in a Chevy Camaro may cost you between $150-$3500.

Tips to Prevent Chevy Camaro Transmission Problems

Don’t load your vehicle beyond its capacity.
Always warm up your car before driving it.
Change your transmission fluid after every 30,000 miles.
Don’t shift into Reverse gear while driving.
Remember to engage your parking brake when you are parking the car.

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Wrapping Up

If you can’t find the issue you’re facing in this article, your transmission might be working properly. But if you still suspect a problem with your transmission, contact your dealer.