1986 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1986 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Transmission240.0%
- Engine120.0%
- Other / unspecified120.0%
- Seat belts120.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
TRANSMISSION FAILS TO COME OUT OF LOCK UP CAUSING CAR TO STALL AND SHIFT ERRATICALLY WHEN RESTARTED. I FAILURE ANALIZED THE PSOLENOID WHICH WAS REMOVED AND FOUND THE MAL-FUNCTION TO BE CAUSED BY A BLISTERING OF THE PHENALIC CORE MATERIAL DUE TO OVERHEATING THUS CAUSING THE SOLENOID PISTON TO STICK OPEN AND NOT ALLOWING THE FEFLOW OF FLUID TO THE PROPER NON LOCK UP AREAS. I AM NOT ALONE .... THIS IS A FACTORY DESIGN DEFECT IN THE 400 TRANSMISSION. MY SOLUTION WAS TO DECREASE THE POWER ACROSS THE SOLENOID BY 20% BY ADDING A 4 OHM 1 WATT RESISTOR IN THE POWER FEED CIRCUITRY FROM THE NORMALLY CLOSED BRAKE SWITCH POWER FEED. ACTUALLY , GM HAS AN INCORRECT DESIGN HERE AND PERHAPS SHOULD HAVE USED A TEFLON CORE MATERIAL WHICH WOULD NOT HAVE BLISTERED OR HAD A DIFFERENT POWER TYPE UNIT WHICH WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DEGRADED BY THE HEAT. PROBABLY NOT MANY 96'S AROUND BUT AT OVER A HUNDRED BUCKS A FIX AND POSSIBLE ACCIDENTS .... YOU MIGHT LOOK INTO. THANKS
IT'S A MODEL 200 4R TURBO HYDRA 4 SPEED OVERDRIVE THE RINGS ARE NOT HARDENED. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
AFTER BEING IN AN ACCIDENT VEHICLE STARTED TO FLIP. AFTERWARDS VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIND OUT WHY VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEEL FELL OFF OF VEHICLE AND COLLIDED WITH TWO OTHER VEHICLES.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
SEAT BELT SHOULDER HARNESS HANGS UP ON TOP HOLDER WHEN TRYING TO EXTRACT TO USE IT.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .