Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. 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. 40 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 40, in the owner's own words
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.
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.
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
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
ROUGH IDLE, RANDOM MISFIRES, STRONG ODOR WHEN MISFIRE OCCURS, FLUCTUATING GAS GAUGE. *AK
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
I HAD TO REPLACE THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET DUE TO ANTIFREEZE LEAK, AND NOW THE HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE.*AK
BRAKES DO NOT WORK DURING INCLIMATE WEATHER. LOSES A QUART OF OIL PER 500 MILES. BLOWS BY SMOKE THROUGH EXHAUST WHEN STARTING.
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
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
THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKED FLUID WHICH RESULTED IN THE ENGINE OVER HEATING. *JB
THE TIMING BELT WAS REPLACED TWICE.*JB
MY INTAKE MANIFOLD IS LEAKING. I UNDERSTAND FROM THE DEALERSHIP THAT THIS IS EXTREMELY COMMON BUT UNFORTUNATELY HAS NOT LEAD TO A RECALL YET. TS
WHILE DRIVING STARTED TO SMELL EXHAUST FUMES IN VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS CHECKED, AND DETERMINED THAT MANIFOLD IS CRACKED ALL THE WAY AROUND.*AK
WHEN I PURCHASED THIS CAR, IT WAS THE CAR OF MY DREAMS. I HAD IT FOR LESS THAN 2 WEEKS, WHEN I NOTICED SLUDGE IN THE OIL AND AROUND THE CAP. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS CONDENSATION! IT WASN'T. IT WAS THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. WHEN I FIRST COMPLAINED TO SUNSHINE FORD, WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR, IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. WHEN IT FINALLY BLEW, THANK GOD 10 FEET FROM MY DRIVEWAY, IT WAS 300 MILES OVER THE WARRANTY. I HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS TRYING TO GET THEM TO FIX IT. THEY DIAGNOSED IT WRONG TO BEGIN WITH! IT ENDED UP COSTING ME AROUND 250.00. TWO WEEKS AFTER I GOT THE CAR BACK I WAS DOING 65 ON THE HIGHWAY, WHEN SOMETHING BIG DROPPED OUT FROM UNDER MY CAR. IT WAS THE COMPUTER AND THE FRONT GUARD! THEY CHARGED ME FOR THAT TOO. NOW, I STARTED UP THE CAR THE OTHER DAY AND HEARD A MUFFLER NOISE IN THE FRONT DOWN IN THE ENGINE. MY DRIVERS SIDE MANIFOLD IS CRACKED ALL THE WAY AROUND! NEEDLESS TO SAY, THIS IS ANOTHER $6-700.00 I HAVE TO PUT IN THIS CAR! ALSO, MY STEERING COLUMN, TURN SIGNALS SHORTED OUT, WERE REPLACED, BUT I STILL GET SURGING IN MY LIGHTS. I AM NOT AT ALL HAPPY WITH THIS CAR, OR CHEVY. OH! AND LET'S NOT FORGET THE SNAPPED FRAME ON THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT!*AK
1ST PUMP REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. AT 63,000 MILES PUMP FAILED AGAIN $150 PLUS LABOR TO REPAIR. *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.
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
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 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
FUEL FILTER FAILED. YH
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE DIES. THIS HAPPENS WITHOUT ANY KIND OF WARNING. CONSUMER EXPERIENCED SAME PROBLEM IN AUGUST OF 99. THE DEALER IS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. DEALER KNOWS THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM, BUT THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT IT IS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. AK
NO SUMMARY
VEHICLE IS OVERHEATING AND THERE IS A CRACKED ENGINE HEAD GASKET. ALSO, ENGINE WON'T CRANK. VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED FOR OVERHEATING, AND THE PROBLEM HAS RETURNED. *AK
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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