1996 Chevrolet Monte Carlo

Routine

Owners filed 155 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic › antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. It has been recalled 3 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip27
500
Electrical System › Ignition9
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline8
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine8
000
Electrical System › Ignition › Module8
000
Electrical System › Alternator/Generator/Regulator8
000
Fuel System, Gasoline › Fuel Injection System7
000
Power Train › Automatic Transmission6
000
Air Bags › Frontal5
503
Vehicle Speed Control3
000

3 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Fuel System, Other › Storage › Tank Assembly › Pressure Relief Devices07E021000
Filed Mar 12, 2007742 vehiclesDelphi

Defect. CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, P/NOS. FP10020-11B1, FP10026-11B1, AND FP10027-11B1, SOLD AFTER JANUARY 9, 2007, AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE UNIVERSAL PRESSURE REGULATORS (UPR) WERE PRODUCED WITHOUT AN O'RING AND RETAINER.

Risk. FUEL MAY LEAK, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.

Remedy. DELPHI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE UPR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 23, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT DELPHI AT 877-411-8770.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components01I014000
Filed Sep 24, 2001General Motors Corp.

Defect. THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SAFETY ACT. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: 1995-1999 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO Z34 PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE BRAKING PERFORMANCE IN WET WEATHER OR WET ROAD CONDITIONS IS REDUCED MORE THAN A DRIVER WOULD EXPECT.

Risk. THE BRAKING COULD FEEL DELAYED MOMENTARILY WHEN LIGHT OR MODERATE FORCE IS APPLIED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WHILE DRIVING ON WET ROADS OR AFTER GOING THROUGH A CAR WASH.

Remedy. DEALER WILL MODIFY THE FRONT FENDER LINERS TO REMOVE A PORTION OF THE CLOSEOUT PANELS IN THE FRONT WHEEL WELLS AT NO CHARGE TO THE CONSUMER. THIS SERVICE WILL BE AVAILABLE THROUGH AUGUST 2004.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Power Assist › Vacuum96V122000
Filed Jul 1, 19963,591 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.

Defect. THESE VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH ONE OF THE FOUR BRAKE BOOSTER TABS NOT PROPERLY LOCATED IN THE FRONT OF DASH REINFORCEMENT ASSEMBLY.

Risk. 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.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Engine
Filed Nov 18, 201450,000 milesKY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE ENGINE SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

Air BagsCrash2 injured
Filed Oct 22, 2014MD

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE FRONT AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER AND THE REAR PASSENGER SUSTAINED UNKNOWN INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Oct 21, 2014148,000 milesIA

THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT DEVELOPED A SEVERE LEAK. THE LEAK CAUSED FUEL TO BE RELEASED IN LARGE QUANTITIES DIRECTLY INTO THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD AND OUT THE THROTTLE BODY. FUEL CONTINUED TO FLOW OUT INTO THE AIR CLEANER HOUSING AND EVENTUALLY THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND ONTO THE GROUND. SEVERAL GALLONS OF FUEL WERE DISCHARGED IN THIS FASHION. THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING POORLY BUT GAVE NO INDICATION THAT THERE WAS A LEAK UNTIL THE AIR CLEAN WAS OPENED. THE PART THAT FAILED WAS A STANDARD MOTOR PRODUCTS PART NUMBER PR216T PURCHASED FROM ROCKAUTO.COM ON 5/15/2013 AND INSTALLED SHORTLY THEREAFTER. VEHICLE MILEAGE AT INSTALLATION WAS APPROXIMATELY 131000. THE PART FAILED ON 10/20/2014 AT VEHICLE MILEAGE148243 MILES. THE PART WAS INSTALLED TO CORRECT A SIMILAR SITUATION INVOLVING A MUCH LESS SEVERE LEAK IN AN OLDER PART. THE FUEL LEAKAGE WITH THE OLDER PART DID NOT ESCAPE THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD. AGE AND ORIGIN OF THE OLDER PART ARE NOT KNOWN. THE OLDER PART MAY HAVE BEEN ORIGINAL TO THE VEHICLE. GIVEN THE SIGNIFICANT QUANTITY OF FUEL DISCHARGED AND THE REPEATED NATURE OF THE FAILURE, I FEEL AN INVESTIGATION IS WARRANTED. *TR

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Oct 8, 200980,000 milesWI

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION GEARS SLIPPED OUT OF PLACE. A LOCAL MECHANIC ATTEMPTED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AND DID NOT HAVE ALL OF THE NECESSARY COMPONENTS TO DO SO. THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT IDENTIFY OR LOCATE THE CORRECT TRANSMISSION FOR HIS MODEL. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Oct 10, 2006181,545 milesGA

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED IMMEDIATELY UPON STARTING THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED BUT IMMEDIATELY STALLED AGAIN. THE ABS LIGHT ALSO ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR SERVICE.

Seats1 injured
Filed Aug 12, 200684,000 milesPA

1996 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO Z34, POWER DRIVER SEAT FRAME DEFECT. BOTTOM OF SEAT DETACHED FROM FRAME, WHICH MADE DRIVER FALL BACKWARD TOWARD REAR SEATS. *NM

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Mar 6, 200675,385 milesNY

I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE AUTOMOBILE HAVING A TICKING NOISE AFTER I START IT UP IN THE MORNING SO I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT. IT WAS THE HEAD GASKET. THE AUTO ONLY HAS 75000 MILES ON IT. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR ME. THERE WAS A TSB #57-61-24A JUN98 ON THIS PROBLEM. *NM

Fuel System, Gasoline
Filed May 6, 2005IL

1996 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL REGULATOR.*MR THE CONSUMER DROVE ABOUT 7 MILES AND NOTICED THAT THE FUEL TANK NEEDLE MOVED FROM FULL TANK TO HALF TANK DURING THE SHORT RIDE AND SAW SMOKE COMING FORM UNDER THE HOOD. THE NEXT DAY A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE COULD BE SMELLED. THE CONSUMER OPENED THE HOOD AND NOTICED FUEL WAS LEAKING ONTO THE GROUND. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL REGULATOR HAD FAILED. THE CONSUMER HAS THE FAULTY REGULATOR. *NM

Fuel System, Gasoline
Filed Apr 27, 2005IL

1996 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH FUEL REGULATOR.*MR THE CONSUMER DROVE ABOUT 7 MILES AND NOTICED THAT THE FUEL TANK NEEDLE MOVED FROM FULL TANK TO HALF TANK DURING THE SHORT RIDE AND SAW SMOKE COMING FORM UNDER THE HOOD. THE NEXT DAY A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE COULD BE SMELLED. THE CONSUMER OPENED THE HOOD AND NOTICED FUEL WAS LEAKING ONTO THE GROUND. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL REGULATOR HAD FAILED. *BF *NM

Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System
Filed Feb 2, 2005119,000 milesMI

THE PROBLEM DESCRIBED BELOW HAS OCCURRED ON 3 PREVIOUS OCCASIONS.(1) EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE - "DEX COOL" COOLANT LEAK FROM INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. 2) FAILURE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES - LOSS OF COOLANT LEADING TO ENGINE OVERHEATING OR FAILURE. (3) WHAT WAS DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE; I.E, PARTS REPAIRED OR REPLACED (AND IF OLD PART IS AVAILABLE) - GM STARTED USING "DEX-COOL" EXTENDED LIFE COOLANT IN 1996 IT DIDN'T TEST THE LONG TERM AFFECTS ON IT'S EXISTING GASKET TECHNOLOGY. ONE ARTICLE I READ STATED "IT APPEARS THAT ON SOME ENGINES, THE USE OF CONVENTIONAL PLASTIC-AND-RUBBER GASKETS IN COMBINATION WITH MORE AGGRESSIVE OAT (ORGANIC ACID TECHNOLOGY) ENGINE COOLANTS HAS CAUSED A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF SEALING RELATED ISSUES FOR CONSUMERS AND AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE PROVIDERS", SAID FEL-PRO CHIEF ENGINEER JERRY ROSENQUIST -- PER P://WWW.THEAUTOCHANNEL.COM/NEWS/2004/10/14/252583.HTML. DEX-COOL IS AN OAT COOLANT MANUFACTURED BY TEXACO FOR GM. OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS I'VE READ MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT GM INTAKE GASKET LEAKS AND IT SEEMS MORE LIKELY THAT THE COOLANT, RATHER THAN THE GASKET ITSELF, IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM.*AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed May 1, 200480,000 milesIN

ROUGH IDLE, RANDOM MISFIRES, STRONG ODOR WHEN MISFIRE OCCURS, FLUCTUATING GAS GAUGE. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System › Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe
Filed Mar 22, 200486,000 milesOH

DUE TO INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK (THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME FOR THIS PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE) I HAD TO STOP TO ADD COOLANT IN ORDER TO SAFELY DRIVE THE VEHICLE. HAD I NOT NOTICED THE PROBLEM THIS POTENTIALLY COULD HAVE LEFT ME STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. AFTER GETTING TO A SAFE LOCATION I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALER FOR REPAIR. ALSO, AS I STATED ABOVE THIS IS MY FOURTH TIME DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE; IN ADDITION, I KNOW OF PERSONALLY 3 OTHER VEHICLES WITH THE SAME ENGINE THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND THEY TOO HAVE CHANGED THE INTAKE GASKET SEVERAL TIMES.*AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System
Filed Mar 15, 2004MI

I HAD TO REPLACE THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET DUE TO ANTIFREEZE LEAK, AND NOW THE HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE.*AK

Steering › Rack and Pinion
Filed Jan 15, 2004TX

RACK AND PINION HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED 5 TIMES. EACH TIME CAUSES METAL SHAVINGS IN THE POWER STEERING PUMP CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING. *CB

Service Brakes, HydraulicCrash
Filed Jan 15, 200492,000 milesIN

BRAKES DO NOT WORK DURING INCLIMATE WEATHER. LOSES A QUART OF OIL PER 500 MILES. BLOWS BY SMOKE THROUGH EXHAUST WHEN STARTING.

Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System › Radiator Assembly
Filed Dec 28, 200380,000 milesMS

THE RADIATOR LOOKED DIRTY AND SLIMY AFTER HAVING IT FLUSHED. SINCE THEN THE ENGINE STARTED RUNNING HOT AND LEAKING ANTIFREEZE. TOOK IT TO MECHANIC AND HE STATED THE "HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN."*AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline › Belts and Associated Pulleys
Filed Nov 24, 200325,703 milesAZ

DEFECTIVE TIMING BELT - TIMING BELT FAILS COMPLETELY AT 25,700 MILES, LESS THAN HALF THE MILEAGE LISTED IN OWNER DOCUMENTATION (60000 MILES, NO TIME GIVEN). FAILURE AT HIGHER SPEEDS COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKE FUNCTION. *LA

Steering › Gear Box (other Than Rack and Pinion)Fire
Filed Sep 29, 2003116,000 milesMI

WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED STEERING GEAR BOX WAS LEAKING AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

Unknown or Other
Filed Sep 27, 2003120,852 milesNC

REOCURRING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN EVEN 100 MILES THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF BECAUSE IT WONT PASS INSPECTION. THE EMISSION SYSTEM HAS GONE OUT. SINCE WE'VE HAD THE CAR WE'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SYSTEM AND THE WINDOWS KEPT GOING OFF TRACK. AS OF NOW THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW WILL NOT GO UP. I CANT AFFORD TO GET IT FIXED SINCE I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH "CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE" AND I'M ON PERMANENT DISABILITY THROUGH SOCIAL SECURITY.

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed May 8, 200310,000 milesGA

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKED FLUID WHICH RESULTED IN THE ENGINE OVER HEATING. *JB

20 of 155 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2001
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20102000Routine
20082000Routine
200742222Fatalities reported
2006113202Fatalities reported
2005120430Routine
20042307110Above average
20031589180Routine
20022307240High concern
20012768310High concern
20002338351Fatalities reported
1999125560Routine
1998100587Fatalities reported
1997164310Routine
1996 — this page155310Routine
1995169511Fatalities reported
19911100Routine
19900100Routine

Compare every Monte Carlo year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Mar 12, 2007. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.