Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1983 Camaro.
The 1983 Chevrolet Camaro is the model-year entry in Chevrolet's Camaro line, and its maintenance specification calls for 3 quarts of engine oil in 20W-20 / 20W-20 / 20W-50 viscosity grades. Reliability records for the model span 1990 through 2023 and show the 1983 model carrying 23 owner complaints across 4 recalls, with Structure standing out as the top complaint area. Against the broader Camaro history—where complaint volume peaked at 295 for 2010 and bottomed at 13 for 2022—the 1983 model sits near the low end of reported problems, meaning it is one of the less frequently documented years in the tracked dataset.
Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Overall length | 187.8 in |
| Overall width | 72.8 in |
| Overall height | 50 in |
| Wheelbase | 101.2 in |
| Curb weight | 2875 lb |
0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.
Independent road tests for the Camaro of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.
| Year | Trim / engine | 0–60 | ¼ mile | HP | Drivetrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Z28 Coupe 5.0L V8 | 6.70 sec | 15.00 sec | 190 hp | RWD |
| 1983 | Z28 Coupe 5.0L V8 | 7.41 sec | 15.55 sec | 190 hp | RWD |
| 1983 | Coupe 5.0L V8 | 9.50 sec | 17.50 sec | 165 hp | RWD |
| 1982 | Z28 Coupe 5.0L V8 | 8.60 sec | 16.40 sec | 145 hp | RWD |
| 1982 | Z28 Coupe 5.0L V8 | 9.70 sec | 17.50 sec | 145 hp | RWD |
| 1984 | Berlinetta Coupe 5.0L V8 | 9.30 sec | 17.00 sec | 150 hp | RWD |
| 1985 | Berlinetta Coupe 2.8L V6 | 10.00 sec | 17.00 sec | 135 hp | RWD |
| 1987 | IROC-Z 350 Coupe 5.7L V8 | 6.10 sec | 14.50 sec | 225 hp | RWD |
Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.
This engine holds 3 qt of 20W-20 / 20W-40 / 20W-50 engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.
| Brake Fluid | DOT 3 |
| Engine Oil | 20W-20 · 20W-40 · 20W-50 · 15W-40 · 5W-30 |
| Engine Oil Capacity | 3 qt |
| Engine Oil | 20W-20 · 20W-40 · 20W-50 · 15W-40 · 5W-30 |
| Engine Oil Capacity | 4 qt |
| Engine Oil | 20W-20 · 20W-40 · 20W-50 · 15W-40 · 5W-30 |
| Engine Oil Capacity | 4 qt |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
The federal record shows that from 1990 onward complaints varied from a low of 28 in 1990 to a high of 295 in 2010, with recalls generally ranging between 1 and 7 per year. Over the period, complaints rose through the mid‑2000s, peaked around 2010‑2015, then declined steadily to the low teens by 2022‑2023. The data set does not include any entries for 1983 or earlier years, so the target year cannot be positioned within this complaint/recall arc. Consequently, we cannot determine whether 1983 experienced higher or lower complaint or recall rates relative to the surrounding years based solely on the supplied federal record. Given the lack of specific 1983 data, a prudent takeaway is to treat the 1983 Camaro as having unknown reliability trends from this source and to seek additional vehicle‑specific histories before purchase.
All 23 complaints on record, top 8 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
CERTAIN HONEYWELL FRAM RACING BRAND HP4 AND HP8 OIL FILTERS THAT WERE MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 25, 2006, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 14, 2007, AND SOLD FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR VEHICLES LIST ABOVE. THE AFFECTED FILTERS… Remedy: HONEYWELL WILL REPLACE THE AFFECTED OIL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN DURING NOVEMBER 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE TOLL-FREE AT 1-800-890-2075.
PARKING BRAKE ADJUSTER FAILS TO OPERATE AND DO NOT WORK AFTER BRAKE PAD WEAR. Remedy: REPLACE NONFUNCTIONING PARKING BRAKE ADJUSTERS.
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
3 qt of ABOVE 40 degrees F 30, ABOVE 20 degrees F: 20W-20, 20W-40, 20W-50, ABOVE 10 degrees F: 15W-40, BELOW 60 degrees F: 5W-30, per the factory manual.
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.