Muscle cars have always represented a great American legacy. Muscle cars are essentially performance cars known for their big engines and incredible performances at full throttle. Just about every American carmaker has a muscle car to brag about. Some of the popular models include the Ford Mustang, Chevy Camaro, Dodge Challenger, and Dodge Charger.
However, that doesn’t mean that every single muscle car is perfect. In fact, some of them have been involved in a whole lot of trouble over the years. Just check out these 10 glaring problems that we’ve found involving the muscle cars produced in recent years:
10 Faulty Audio Warning System
More recently built vehicles come with all sorts of warning systems to decrease the risk of accidents on the road. However, what happens when you can’t hear what your car is trying to tell you? Well, this seems to be the case for the 2016 Chevy Camaro that was found to have a faulty audio warning system.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the car’s radio may not be able to warn you if the door has been opened or the key has been left in the ignition.
9 Side Impact Airbags That May Rupture
Performance cars are strictly built for speed and if you don’t know how to handle a fast car, a crash is more likely. Fortunately, today’s muscle cars are built with every driver’s safety in mind. That’s why these cars are designed with various safety technologies and added airbags.
However, not all airbags in muscle cars are reliable. In the case of the 2015 Camaro, it turns out that it has side impact airbags which may rupture during deployment. If this should happen, there is nothing that would protect the driver and passengers from side impact.
8 Ignition Switch May Turn Off Due To Knee Contact
This is an issue that affects the 2010 to 2015 year models of the Chevy Camaro, according to records from the NHTSA. A copy of the manufacturer's notice has also noted that there is a chance that the driver would bump the ignition key while operating the vehicle.
When this happens, the key would be moved away from the “run” position. As a result, this would affect the car’s power braking, power steering and engine power. A recall was issued to remedy this problem, which roughly affects 464,712 units.
7 Sudden Loss Of Power Steering Assist
This is a problem experienced by the 2017 year models of the Chevy Camaro and the Corvette. According to the filed safety recall report, there was a manufacturing error found in the steering gear assembly for these cars.
These brought about connectivity issues that could open circuits and lead to a loss of power steering assist while on the road. This condition may persist during the entire ignition cycle. If this should occur while the car is being driven, the driver may find the car harder to control.
6 Cruise Control Refuses To Disengage
This problem has been reported in the 2014 to 2016 models of the Dodge Challenger and Charger, as well as the 2018 Challenger. The source of the issue is said to be the Powertrain Control Module in the cars.
When a driver uses the cruise control and a short circuit in the wiring occurs, the cruise control feature won’t disengage. Typically, this can be done by stepping on the brakes or turning the system off manually. As the cruise control remains engaged though, it can keep traveling at the current speed or worse, even go faster.
5 Sudden Loss Of Engine Oil
This is a problem associated with the 2015 to 2017 year models of the Ford Mustang. According to the safety recall report, the assembly of the engine oil cooler tube may be lacking crimps. Hence, there is a possibility that an oil leak would occur, along with a hose separation.
If the car loses engine oil while being driven, it can result in unexpected engine failure and increase the likelihood of a crash. Even worse, when near an ignition source, the oil leak can also cause a fire.
4 Front Driveshaft That Can Detach From The Car
The U-joint found on the affected car’s front prop shaft may fracture and cause the front prop shaft to separate from the vehicle. If this should happen, there is a high risk of experiencing a crash. Not to mention, the affected car may also end up leaving debris on the road, posing a problem for other motorists.
This problem was detected in 2015 to 2018 year models of the Charger with the pursuit package. An investigation into this issue was opened following a complaint of a lost prop shaft while a car was in the middle of a pursuit.
3 Faulty Park Function And Potential Vehicle Rollaway
This problem has been detected in the 2018 Mustang along with several other Ford models with the same year model. According to a press statement from the carmaker, a transmission gear shift cable clip may have not been fully seated. As a result, there is a possibility of the clip becoming dislodged.
When this happens, the transmission may be in a different gear state than the selected gear shift position. A driver could then shift the car to park without realizing that the transmission gear is still not in park. And as you exit, it might roll away without warning.
2 Potentially Damaged Front Tires
This issue affects both 2019 year models of the Challenger and Charger. According to the safety recall report, it is possible that the affected cars were built with an incompatible front wheel and brake package. This means that there isn’t enough clearance between the suspension steering knuckle and the inner sidewall of the tire.
Because of their proximity to each other, contact between its components is possible. If this should happen, the affected car could sustain tire damage without warning. Even worse, this could lead to a sudden decrease in air pressure in the damaged tires.
1 Missing Pressure Regulator In The Fuel Pump
Unfortunately, this problem was detected in the 2020 Camaro, along with several other vehicle models from the General Motors group. According to a filed FAQ document for the safety recall, there is a possibility that the fuel pump supplier did not install a component that regulates the pressure in the pump.
Because of this, there is a risk that over-pressurization would occur, which would lead to a crack in some welds inside the pump. If a crack occurs, fuel could easily leak from the pump. And if there is a nearby ignition source, a fire can occur.