Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Chevrolet Monte Carlo submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 47 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 47, in the owner's own words
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.
BRAKES DO NOT WORK DURING INCLIMATE WEATHER. LOSES A QUART OF OIL PER 500 MILES. BLOWS BY SMOKE THROUGH EXHAUST WHEN STARTING.
I OWN A 1996 Z34 WITH 78000 MILES ON IT. IN THE LAST MONTH MY ANTI LOCK LIGHT KEPT COMING ON IN THE DASH ALSO THE LOW TRACK WOULD COME ON SOMETIMES I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER YESTERDAY 5-2-03 TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT, THEY FOUND COMPUTER SCAN BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH OPEN. LEFT REAR SENSOR, LEFT REAR EXCESSIVE SPEED VARIATION, LEFT REAR OPEN SHORT THEY ORDERED A LEFT REAR HUB AND SENSOR AT MY COST I HAD TO PAY UP FRONT 469.19 FOR THE PART TO BE ORDERED ALSO 65.00 FOR THE LABOR PLUS WHEN THE PART COMES IN I HAVE TO PAY ANOTHER 130.00 FOR R/R THE LEFT REAR HUB . ABOUT A MONTH AGO WHILE PULLING OUT OF THE PARKING LOT AT WORK THE LEFT REAR WHEEL LOCK UP AND STARTED TO SKIP MY FELLOW EMPLOYEES CAME OVER TO MY CAR AND ASK WHAT HAD HAPPENED AN IF I WANTED THEM TO FOLLOW ME HOME AFTER MOVING ANOTHER 10 FEET IT UNLOCKED IT SELF IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHO KNOWS WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD THIS EXPERIENCE WITH THE 1996 CHEVROLET Z34 ABS. *JB
BRAKING PROBLEMS: I OWN A 1996 CHEVY MONTE CARLO AND I HAVE RECENTLY BEEN EXPERIENCING BRAKING PROBLEMS. THE LOW TRACK LIGHT COMES ON PERIODICALLY AND I LOSE ALMOST ALL OF MY BRAKES. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO STOP AND I FEEL THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED, IT SEEMS THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY CONSUMER WITH BRAKING CONCERNS AND PROBLEMS. SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET KILLED. *JB
I WAS RECENTLY DRIVING MY 1996 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO LS (VIN # [XXX]) ON THE HIGHWAY DURING A HEAVY RAINSTORM. I KEEP NOTICING THAT THE BRAKES FELT LIKE THEY WERE NOT WORKING WHEN I APPLIED BRAKE PRESSURE. AFTER A SHORT WHILE THE BRAKES WOULD BEGIN TO FEEL AS THOUGH THEY WERE FUNCTIONING AND THE CAR WOULD SLOW DOWN. AFTER NOTICING THIS PROBLEM, I SEARCHED FOR RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE AND CONTACTED MY DEALER. THE DEALER'S RECORDS SHOWED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THE NHTSA WEB SITE INDICATED TWO PROBLEMS. ONE WAS A RECALL, WHICH APPLIES ONLY TO VEHICLES MANUFACTURED DURING A SPECIFIC TIME PERIOD. THE OTHER NOTICE WAS FOR A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN (APPARENTLY DIFFERENT FROM A RECALL). THE NHTSA NUMBER FOR THIS CAMPAIGN IS 011014000. THE NHTSA WEBSITE STATES THAT THIS CAMPAIGN ONLY APPLIES TO THE Z34 VERSION OF THE 1996 MONTE CARLO. THE PROBLEM THAT IS DESCRIBED IS EXACTLY WHAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED WHEN DRIVING MY LS MONTE CARLO IN WET CONDITIONS. IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THE Z34 AND THE LS VERSIONS OF THE 1996 MONTE CARLO HAVE IDENTICAL FENDER WELLS AND LINERS AND WOULD EXPERIENCE IDENTICAL WET BRAKING PROBLEMS, THEREBY REQUIRING THE SAME FENDER LINER MODIFICATION. THUS, THIS SAFETY PROBLEM IS NOT LIMITED TO THE ONLY Z34 MODEL AND THIS CAMPAIGN SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO ALL 1995-1999 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO VEHICLES. I WOULD LIKE THE MANUFACTURER TO MODIFY MY VEHICLE SO THAT I WILL NOT EXPERIENCE WET BRAKE FADING AND BE ABLE TO PROPERLY STOP MY CAR WHEN DRIVING IN WET CONDITIONS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
THIS CAR ALSO HAS BRAKE AND INJECTOR PROBLEMS. I HAD TO REPLACE THE REAR STRUTS IN JUNE TOO. THIS CAR HAS LOW MILEAGE AND I THINK IT IS HIGHLY UNUSAL TO HAVE THESE PROBLEMS.
LOW TRACTION LIGHT COMES ON, THEN BRAKES GO OUT. BUT IF ABS AND TRACTION LIGHTS COME ON TOGETHER, BRAKES SOMETIMES WORK. *AK
PROBLEM WITH BRAKES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THERE. CONSUMER RAN A RED LIGHT GOING 30 MPH BECAUSE VEHICLE WOULDN'T STOP. BRAKE PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY TO FLOOR, BUT IT STARTS TO SLOW DOWN. DEALER HAS HOOKED VEHICLE UP TO A DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE, BUT PROBLEM DOESN'T SHOW. DEALER IS CONVINCED THAT'S THE WAY THEY SHOULD WORK.*AK THE CONSUMER HAD TWO ACCIDENTS AS THE RESULT OF BRAKE FAILURES. *YH
TOO MUCH PEDAL PRESSURE REQ'D TO STOP CAR. BRAKES/ROTORS WORN OUT AT 36,OOO MILES , FRONT AND REARS. *AK
AT 70208 MILES DEALER REPLACED WATER PUMP AT MY COST, AGAIN AT 91000 MILES DEALER REPLACED WATER PUMP. AFTER COMPLAINING TO GM THE DEALER AGREED TO WARRANTY PARTS AND LABOR. 2 WATER PUMPS IN 91000 MILES! #2 BRAKES AT 48911 DEALER REPLACED FRONT DISC AND WARPED ROTORS. AGAIN AT 91000 MILES DEALER SAYS ROTORS ARE WARPED AGAIN AND REPLACED, BOTH TIMES AT COST. 2 SETS OF ROTORS IN 91000 MILES! NEITHER TIME WERE THE ROTORS VISUALLY DAMAGED OR WORN FROM DISC PADS. *NLM **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*734293
AT 70208 MILES DEALER REPLACED WATER PUMP AT MY COST, AGAIN AT 91000 MILES DEALER TO REPLACE WATER PUMP, AFTER COMPLAINING TO GM DEALER AGREED TO WARRANTY PARTS AND LABOR. 2 WATER PUMPS IN 91000 MILES! #2 BRAKES AT 48911 DEALER REPLACED FRONT DISC AND WARPED ROTORS. AGAIN AT 91000 DEALER SAYS ROTORS ARE WARPED AGAIN AND REPLACED, BOTH TIMES AT MY COST. 2 SETS OF ROTORS IN 91000 MILES! NEITHER TIME WERE THE ROTORS VISUALLY DAMAGED OR WORN FROM DISC PADS.
BRAKES REPLACED TWICE WITH UNDER 50,000 MILES. *AKY
BALL JOINT AND TIE ROD + FRONT BRAKES REPLACED AT 1ST ALTERNATOR - PARTS CORRODED AND FUSED TOGETHER 75K ON ORIGNIAL TIRES
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
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 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.
FUEL FILTER FAILED. YH
MY BRAKES HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 22,000 APPROX AND 46,000 AND EACH TIME I WAS TOLD THE REASON WAS POOR METAL--BY A MECHANIC AND SERVICE DIRECTOR--THE PADS WERE GONE AND THE ROTORS EATEN AWAY. I'VE BEEN DRIVING FOR CLOSE TO 50 YEARS W/O HAVING EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE THIS.
FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WARPED, REPLACED BOTH CALIPERS AND ROTORS DUE TO WARPING. *ET
SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT STAYS ON /ROUGH IDLE AT START/ALOT HARD TO START, AND BRAKES WON'T HOLD IN WET CONDITONS. *AK
ENGINE CHECK LIGHT HAS CAME ON 5 TIMES. 2 TIMES THE DEALER CLAIMED THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE. 2 TIMES THEY HAVE REPLACED NUMEROUS SPARK PLUGS, AND 2 FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS HAVE BEEN PUT ON THE CAR. THE GAS GUAGE UNIT HAS BEEN REPLACED BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO REGISTER HOW MUCH GAS WAS IN THE CAR. VEHICLE HAS SPUTTERED WHEN FIRST STARTED AND WHEN GOING DOWN THE ROAD. THE DEALER HAS FIXED THESE PROBLEMS. THE PROGRAM UNIT IN THE CAR HAS BEEN REPLACED BECAUSE OF THE SPUTTERING AND IDLING PROBLEM. THE CAR IS NOW EXPERIENCING HARD STARTS WHEN THE IGNITION HAS TO BE TURNED FOR ABOUT 5-6 SECONDS BEFORE THE CAR WILL CRANK. DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN NOTIFIED OF THIS, BUT HAS BEEN UNABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED WHEN ROADS ARE WET AN D BRAKE PEDAL HAS TO BE PUSHED TO THE FLOOR FOR THE CAR TO STOP. ON THE OCCASIONS WHEN THE VEHICLE'S CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE WAS SPUTTERING, THE CODE PO300 APPEARED THE 5 TIMES THAT THE CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THIS. NUMEROUS SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED POSSIBLY DUE TO SPUTTERING OF VEHICLE. *AK
BRAKES FAIL INTERMITTENTLY DURING WET WEATHER CONDITIONS.
BRAKING SYSTEM IS NOT STOPPING VEHICLE PROPERLY CONSUMER FEELS THE BRAKE PEDAL GOING DOWN TO THE FLOOR BEFORE VEHICLE COMES TO A STOP. DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT WAS A NORMAL CONDITION. ALSO, REAR CYLINDERS ARE LEAKING. *AK *ML
ANTI-LOCK BRAKES FAIL IN WET CONDITIONS. BRAKE MUST BE APPLIED ALMOST TO THE FLOOR. THEY ARE VERY SPONGY FEELING. DEALER HAS CHECKED SYSTEM AND FINDS NO PROBLEM. THERE IS A PROBLEM !!!! ENGINE: FAILS TO START OR HAS A ROUGH START. WHEN THE ENGINE IS HAVING THESE PROBLEMS IT WILL SMOKE AND SPUTTER. DEALER HAS REPALCED THE MAIN COMPUTER, SPARK PLUGS, GASKETS, FUEL INJECTORS... PROBLEM STILL OCCURS.
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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