IllustrationPLUG WIRE REPLACED AT 35K 50K 71K - LAST TWO CAUSED ALTERNATOR TO BE REPLACED. *AK
1996 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Monte Carlo years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 18 of 155 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 44 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 39 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
14 crash reports1 fire reports6 injury reports
What owners actually said
155 reportsREPLACED 2X (BOTH 4,000M AFTER PLUG WIRE REPLACEMENT) - NEEDED NEW BATTERIES. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ALWAYS COMING ON, BURNED UP O2 SENSOR, VACCUM LINE BROKE CONTROLLING VENTS, CHARCOAL CANISTER CRACKED, TRANSMISSION SLIPS IF PEDAL IS FLOORED FROM TAKEOFF BETWEEN RST AND 2ND AND WHEN DOWNSHIFTING AFTER BRAKING, ABS FAIL IN WET CONDITONS RESULTING IS EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE,ALTERNATOR DEFECTIVE AT 63,000 M…
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ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ALWAYS COMING ON, BURNED UP O2 SENSOR, VACCUM LINE BROKE CONTROLLING VENTS, CHARCOAL CANISTER CRACKED, TRANSMISSION SLIPS IF PEDAL IS FLOORED FROM TAKEOFF BETWEEN RST AND 2ND AND WHEN DOWNSHIFTING AFTER BRAKING, ABS FAIL IN WET CONDITONS RESULTING IS EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE,ALTERNATOR DEFECTIVE AT 63,000 MILES, VEHICLE SKIDS AND LOW TRAC LIGHT COMES ON WHEN BRAKING FREQUENTLY. *AK
WHILE GOING DOWN A GRAVELED DRIVEWAY STEPPED ON BRAKES, AND ONLY THE LEFT REAR ABS BRAKE WAS WORKING. CONSUMER COULD TELL BY THE MARKS IN THE GRAVEL.*AK
UPON STARTING VEHICLE SHAKES VIOLENTLY AND MAKES HORRIBLE NOISES. ALSO, THIS HAPPENS WHILE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THERE IS A LOSS OF POWER. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE NOVEMBER OF 1997. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN REPAIR SHOP 16 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER HAS REPLACED VARIOUS PROBLEMS OF THE SYSTEM. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. *AK
THERE ARE MANY THINGS WRONG WITH MY VEHICLE AND NOW THE WARRANTY IS UP AND ITS NOT CHEAP TO REPAIR MAJOR PARTS THAT SHOULDN'T NEED REPAIR AT THIS TIME AND MILEAGE ON THIS VEHICLE(21,287). I LOOKED UP THE LEMON LAW ON MY INTERNET AND MY CAR DEFINITELY QUALIFIES AS A LEMON WHICH IS A SHAME BECAUSE I LOVE MY CAR. I ALREADY HAD RE…
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THERE ARE MANY THINGS WRONG WITH MY VEHICLE AND NOW THE WARRANTY IS UP AND ITS NOT CHEAP TO REPAIR MAJOR PARTS THAT SHOULDN'T NEED REPAIR AT THIS TIME AND MILEAGE ON THIS VEHICLE(21,287). I LOOKED UP THE LEMON LAW ON MY INTERNET AND MY CAR DEFINITELY QUALIFIES AS A LEMON WHICH IS A SHAME BECAUSE I LOVE MY CAR. I ALREADY HAD REPLACES 3 SPARK PLUGS, 3 CYLINDERS IN THE ENGINE, IGNITION COIL, 3 CD PLAYERS, BRAKES, LEFT TURN SIGNAL. LET'S PUT IT THIS WAY WHEN I WALK INTO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR THEY KNOW ME BY FIRST NAME, AND THEN THEY ASK ME WHAT'S WRONG THIS TIME? IT'S VERY EMBARASSING TO HAVE THIS MANY PROBLEMS. IF I COULD AFFORD A LAWYER I WOULD FILE MY CAR AS A LEMON BUT I WOULD GET MY MONEYS WORTH BACK FOR ALL THE PROBLEMS AT 21,287 MILEAGE. AND IT WILL BE 4 YEARS OLD IN OCTOBER\2000. I WAS HOPING YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP IN SOME SORT OF WAY. I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE CHEVROLET COMPANY, BECAUSE MY FATHER ONLY WILL DRIVE CHEVROLET VEHICLES AND THAT WHAT HE WANTED ME TO GET AND IT A PROBLEM SINCE DAY 1 OF THE VEHICLE. IT'S A GORGEOUS VEHICLE AND DRIVE BEAUTIFUL WHEN THERES NOT A PROBLEM WITH IT. PLEASE TRY TO HELP ME.
AIR PUMP FAILURE - SECOND IN 2 YEARS - INFORMED BY DEALER OF PROBLEMS "DUE TO DESIGN DEFECT, LOCATION ALLOWS WATER INTO AIR PUMP, THIS VEHICLE IS KNOWN FOR THIS PROBLEM" BUT COST TO CONSUMER STILL $313 PART COVERAGE 12000 MILES AND HAVE 14000 MILES SINCE LAST REPLACEMENT . DEALER SAID THEY WOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET, NEVER HEARD…
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AIR PUMP FAILURE - SECOND IN 2 YEARS - INFORMED BY DEALER OF PROBLEMS "DUE TO DESIGN DEFECT, LOCATION ALLOWS WATER INTO AIR PUMP, THIS VEHICLE IS KNOWN FOR THIS PROBLEM" BUT COST TO CONSUMER STILL $313 PART COVERAGE 12000 MILES AND HAVE 14000 MILES SINCE LAST REPLACEMENT . DEALER SAID THEY WOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET, NEVER HEARD FROM THEM, I CALLED CHEVROLET AND HAVE TO MAIL ALL INFORMATION TO THEM BUT I HAVE ALREADY HAD THE REPAIR THEY ONLY WAIVE PRIOR TO REPAIR. *AK
TRANSMISSION FAILED, REBUILT TRANSMISSION FAILED ALSO, VEHICLE WAS SPEED SHIFTING CONTINUALLY. *MJS
Official recalls
196V122000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist:vacuum
Jul 1, 1996
THESE VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH ONE OF THE FOUR BRAKE BOOSTER TABS NOT PROPERLY LOCATED IN THE FRONT OF DASH REINFORCEMENT ASSEMBLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS CONDITION WERE PRESENT IN A SITUATION WHERE STOPPING DISTANCES WERE SMALL, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR PROPER BOOSTER INSTALLATION. BOOSTERS FOUND TO BE IMPROPERLY LOCATED WILL BE REMOVED AND REINSTALLED PROPERLY.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
5EA03019 · Power Rack And Pinion Steering Failure
Opened Sep 15, 2003 · Closed Dec 18, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering; Steering:rack And Pinion
GM'S LETTER TO NHTSA DATED DECEMBER 11, 2003, EXPANDS ITS ORIGINAL RECALL (NHTSA 02V286) TO INCLUDE CERTAIN W-BODY VEHICLES: 96-97 OLDS CUTLASS SUPREME; 98 OLDS INTRIGUE; 97-98 OLDS CUTLASS; 97-98 CHEVY LUMINA, MONTE CARLO AND MALIBU; 96 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX; AND 96-98 BUICK REGAL.THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES RECALLED IS 750,283.GM DETERMINED THAT FAILURE OF THE RACK AND PINION IS RELATED TO DAMAGE OF THE LOWER PINION BEARING AND THE LEVEL OF THE PINION BEARING PRE-LOAD SPRING FORCE.GM STATES, HIGHER RACK PRE-LOAD SPRING FORCE (133 LB.) IS THE DESIGN CHARACTERISTIC MOST CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH HIGHER BEARING DAMAGE RATES IN MOST OF THE VEHICLE APPLICATIONS THAT USED THE GENERAL BEARING COMPANY (GBC) BEARING.ALL OF THE VEHICLES COVERED IN THE EXPANDED RECALL HAVE THE 133 LB SPRING FORCE.THE 96 LUMINA/MONTE CARLO AND 97-98 CENTURY W-BODY VEHICLES INCLUDED IN THIS INVESTIGATION UTILIZE A LOWER SPRING FORCE AND ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Steering
GM'S LETTER TO NHTSA DATED DECEMBER 11, 2003, EXPANDS ITS ORIGINAL RECALL (NHTSA 02V286) TO INCLUDE CERTAIN W-BODY VEHICLES: 96-97 OLDS CUTLASS SUPREME; 98 OLDS INTRIGUE; 97-98 OLDS CUTLASS; 97-98 CHEVY LUMINA, MONTE CARLO AND MALIBU; 96 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX; AND 96-98 BUICK REGAL.THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES RECALLED IS 750,283.GM DETERMINED THAT FAILURE OF THE RACK AND PINION IS RELATED TO DAMAGE OF THE LOWER PINION BEARING AND THE LEVEL OF THE PINION BEARING PRE-LOAD SPRING FORCE.GM STATES, HIGHER RACK PRE-LOAD SPRING FORCE (133 LB.) IS THE DESIGN CHARACTERISTIC MOST CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH HIGHER BEARING DAMAGE RATES IN MOST OF THE VEHICLE APPLICATIONS THAT USED THE GENERAL BEARING COMPANY (GBC) BEARING.ALL OF THE VEHICLES COVERED IN THE EXPANDED RECALL HAVE THE 133 LB SPRING FORCE.THE 96 LUMINA/MONTE CARLO AND 97-98 CENTURY W-BODY VEHICLES INCLUDED IN THIS INVESTIGATION UTILIZE A LOWER SPRING FORCE AND ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.
Steering:rack And Pinion
GM'S LETTER TO NHTSA DATED DECEMBER 11, 2003, EXPANDS ITS ORIGINAL RECALL (NHTSA 02V286) TO INCLUDE CERTAIN W-BODY VEHICLES: 96-97 OLDS CUTLASS SUPREME; 98 OLDS INTRIGUE; 97-98 OLDS CUTLASS; 97-98 CHEVY LUMINA, MONTE CARLO AND MALIBU; 96 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX; AND 96-98 BUICK REGAL.THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES RECALLED IS 750,283.GM DETERMINED THAT FAILURE OF THE RACK AND PINION IS RELATED TO DAMAGE OF THE LOWER PINION BEARING AND THE LEVEL OF THE PINION BEARING PRE-LOAD SPRING FORCE.GM STATES, HIGHER RACK PRE-LOAD SPRING FORCE (133 LB.) IS THE DESIGN CHARACTERISTIC MOST CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH HIGHER BEARING DAMAGE RATES IN MOST OF THE VEHICLE APPLICATIONS THAT USED THE GENERAL BEARING COMPANY (GBC) BEARING.ALL OF THE VEHICLES COVERED IN THE EXPANDED RECALL HAVE THE 133 LB SPRING FORCE.THE 96 LUMINA/MONTE CARLO AND 97-98 CENTURY W-BODY VEHICLES INCLUDED IN THIS INVESTIGATION UTILIZE A LOWER SPRING FORCE AND ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.
RQ03001 · Power Rack And Pinion Steering Failure
Opened Jan 2, 2003 · Closed Sep 15, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering; Steering:rack And Pinion
GM CONDUCTED A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA # 02V286) TO ADDRESS A STEERING DEFECT PERTAINING TO A LOWER PINION BEARING (LPB) WITHIN THE RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR (R&P). THE RECALL COVERED 1,159,156 MODEL YEAR 1997-1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES BUILT BETWEEN MARCH 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997, 1996-1998 PONTIAC TRANS SPORT, CHEVROLET LUMINA APV, CHEVROLET VENTURE, OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE MINIVANS, AND CHEVROLET CAVALIER AND PONTIAC SUNFIRE SEDANS BUILT BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997.ODI OPENED THIS RQ AFTER RECEIVING REPORTS THAT OTHER VEHICLES WERE EXHIBITING THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS THE RECALLED VEHICLES.BASED ON ODI'S REVIEW OF TECHNICAL AND COMPLAINT DATA COLLECTED DURING THE RQ, THE W-CARS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH EITHER A HIGHER STEERING COMPLAINT RATE OR A HIGHER LPB FAILURE RATE THAN THE OTHER VEHICLES INVESTIGATED UNDER THE RQ AND ARE ABOVE OR NEAR THE RATES FOR THE RECALLED VEHICLES.THUS, ODI WILL FURTHER EXAMINE THE W-CARS (1996-1997 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME, 1996-1998 BUICK REGAL, CHEVROLET LUMINA, CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO, 1997-1998 BUICK CENTURY, AND 1998 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE) UNDER A NEW INVESTIGATION, ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA)03-019.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Steering
GM CONDUCTED A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA # 02V286) TO ADDRESS A STEERING DEFECT PERTAINING TO A LOWER PINION BEARING (LPB) WITHIN THE RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR (R&P). THE RECALL COVERED 1,159,156 MODEL YEAR 1997-1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES BUILT BETWEEN MARCH 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997, 1996-1998 PONTIAC TRANS SPORT, CHEVROLET LUMINA APV, CHEVROLET VENTURE, OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE MINIVANS, AND CHEVROLET CAVALIER AND PONTIAC SUNFIRE SEDANS BUILT BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997.ODI OPENED THIS RQ AFTER RECEIVING REPORTS THAT OTHER VEHICLES WERE EXHIBITING THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS THE RECALLED VEHICLES.BASED ON ODI'S REVIEW OF TECHNICAL AND COMPLAINT DATA COLLECTED DURING THE RQ, THE W-CARS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH EITHER A HIGHER STEERING COMPLAINT RATE OR A HIGHER LPB FAILURE RATE THAN THE OTHER VEHICLES INVESTIGATED UNDER THE RQ AND ARE ABOVE OR NEAR THE RATES FOR THE RECALLED VEHICLES.THUS, ODI WILL FURTHER EXAMINE THE W-CARS (1996-1997 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME, 1996-1998 BUICK REGAL, CHEVROLET LUMINA, CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO, 1997-1998 BUICK CENTURY, AND 1998 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE) UNDER A NEW INVESTIGATION, ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA)03-019.
Steering:rack And Pinion
GM CONDUCTED A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA # 02V286) TO ADDRESS A STEERING DEFECT PERTAINING TO A LOWER PINION BEARING (LPB) WITHIN THE RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR (R&P). THE RECALL COVERED 1,159,156 MODEL YEAR 1997-1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES BUILT BETWEEN MARCH 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997, 1996-1998 PONTIAC TRANS SPORT, CHEVROLET LUMINA APV, CHEVROLET VENTURE, OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE MINIVANS, AND CHEVROLET CAVALIER AND PONTIAC SUNFIRE SEDANS BUILT BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997.ODI OPENED THIS RQ AFTER RECEIVING REPORTS THAT OTHER VEHICLES WERE EXHIBITING THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS THE RECALLED VEHICLES.BASED ON ODI'S REVIEW OF TECHNICAL AND COMPLAINT DATA COLLECTED DURING THE RQ, THE W-CARS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH EITHER A HIGHER STEERING COMPLAINT RATE OR A HIGHER LPB FAILURE RATE THAN THE OTHER VEHICLES INVESTIGATED UNDER THE RQ AND ARE ABOVE OR NEAR THE RATES FOR THE RECALLED VEHICLES.THUS, ODI WILL FURTHER EXAMINE THE W-CARS (1996-1997 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME, 1996-1998 BUICK REGAL, CHEVROLET LUMINA, CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO, 1997-1998 BUICK CENTURY, AND 1998 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE) UNDER A NEW INVESTIGATION, ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA)03-019.
EA98019 · Degraded Braking Performance
Opened Aug 31, 1998 · Closed Dec 13, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
There is no summary currently available
PE98023 · Degraded Braking Performance
Opened Apr 23, 1998 · Closed Aug 31, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
No summary supplied.
EA96023 · Inappropriate Air Bag Deployment
Opened Sep 27, 1996 · Closed Feb 13, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags
THE FAILURE RATE (1.25/100K) ON THIS ISSUE IS LOW.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF THE AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITURE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO CLOSELY MONITOR THIS ISSUE.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS CLOSING REPORT IS INCLUDED IN THE PUBLIC FILE.