2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo

IN LATE 2015, AND AGAIN IN JANUARY 2016, WE RECEIVED NOTICE FROM GM THAT THE FOLLOWING RECALL APPLIED TO OUR VEHICLE: NHTSA RECALL NUMBER: 15V701, MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER: N150757 THIS IS A RECALL TO REMEDY LEAKING VALVE COVER GASKETS. WE CONTACTED THE LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER FROM WHOM WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND WERE INFORMED THAT "PARTS ARE ON NATIONAL BACKORDER." WE HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER REPEATEDLY SINCE THEN, AND HAVE BEEN TOLD EACH TIME THAT THE PARTS ARE ON BACKORDER, AND THAT WE WOULD BE CONTACTED WHEN THEY WERE IN STOCK. THE LAST SUCH CALL WAS 7/29/2016. IT IS NOW SEPTEMBER. THIS MIGHT BE UNDERSTANDABLE IF THE RECALL INVOLVED PRECISION PARTS SUCH AS AIRBAGS, OR COMPLEX ASSEMBLIES SUCH AS A TRANSMISSION. THAT IS NOT THE CASE. IT'S A VALVE COVER (PLASTIC MOLDED) AND GASKET FOR THE MOST POPULAR ENGINE GM EVER MADE - POSSIBLY THE MOST POPULAR ENGINE IN HISTORY. WE SUSPECT THAT EITHER THE DEALER OR THE MANUFACTURER IS RELUCTANT TO INVEST THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT TIME IN THIS LOW-VALUE, LOW-PROFILE RECALL.

I WAS DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND THE TEMP GAUGE DROPPEF TO ZERO, AIR CONDITIONING STOPPED WORKING, AND CAR BEGAN TO STRUGGLE. I PULLED THE CAR OFF THE HIGHWAY TO SEE IF WAS DUMPING COOLANT PUT. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOP AND HE NEW WHAT WAS WRONG BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE CARS COME IN WITH THE PROBLEM. I HAD TO HAVE THE TIMING COVER REPLACED AND THE ECT SENSOR. THE MECHANIC SAID THIS HAPPENS OFTEN AS GM CARS HAVE THESE ISSUES. WAS ALSO TOLD IT LOOKED AS IF THE CAR OVERHEATED AND WAS LUCKY IT DIDN'T BLOW UP ON THE HIGHWAY AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE TEMPERATURE AND FUEL GAUGES DISPLAYED INCORRECT READINGS. IN ADDITION, THE LOW COOLANT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS COOLANT IN THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 163,000. UPDATED 09/20/16*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED IF THE VEHICLE SAT FOR TWO DAYS, THE BATTERY WAS DRAIN AND DIE. HIS MECHANIC STATED IT WAS DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. ALSO ,THE REAR DEFROSTER DID NOT WORK, THE FAN SWITCH DID NOT WORK RIGHT AWAY, AND THE TURN SIGNAL LIGHT DID NOT WORK UNLESS HE TAPPED THE DASHBOARD, AND THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED HARD. UPDATED 10/13/16. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V701000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. UPDATED 08/30/16*LJ *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. IN ADDITION, A CLANKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE RECALL REPAIR SPOT. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V701000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), BUT THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED OIL AND COOLANT SPEWING AFTER THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,536.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V701000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE MANIFOLD AND UNDER THE HOOD, WHICH PENETRATED INTO THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE SMOKE WAS NOT DUE TO THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V701000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT HEARD AN EXPLODING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE AND REALIZED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD EXPLODED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V701000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V701000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.