1996 Chevrolet Monte Carlo recalls & problems

Safety recalls

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.

What owners report

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

• Engine

  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.

  Nov 16, 2014 · 50,000 miles
• Air bagsCrash2 injuries

  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.

  Oct 5, 2009
• Fuel/propulsion system

  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…

  Oct 20, 2014 · 148,000 miles
• Power train › Automatic transmission

  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.

  Oct 1, 2008 · 80,000 miles
• Engine and engine cooling

  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.

  Oct 10, 2006 · 181,545 miles
• Seats1 injury

  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

  Oct 12, 2005 · 84,000 miles
• Engine and engine cooling › Engine

  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

  Feb 6, 2006 · 75,385 miles
• Fuel system, gasoline

  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

  Apr 15, 2005

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

• POWER RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILUREClosedLed to recall 03V527000

  GM'S LETTER TO NHTSA DATED DECEMBER 11, 2003, EXPANDS ITS ORIGINAL RECALL (NHTSA 02V286) TO INCLUDE CERTAIN W-BODY VEHICLES: 96-97 OLDS CUTLASS SUPREME; 98 OLDS INTRIGUE; 97-98 OLDS CUTLASS; 97-98 CHEVY LUMINA, MONTE CARLO AND MALIBU; 96 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX; AND 96-98 BUICK REGAL.THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES RECALLED IS 750,283.GM DETERMINED THAT FAILURE OF THE RACK AND PINION IS RELATED TO DAMAGE OF THE LOWER PINION BEARING AND THE LEVEL OF THE PINION BEARING PRE-LOAD SPRING FORCE.GM STATES, HIGHER RACK PRE-LOAD SPRING FORCE (133 LB.) IS THE DESIGN CHARACTERISTIC MOST CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH HIGHER BEARING DAMAGE RATES IN MOST OF THE VEHICLE APPLICATIONS THAT USED THE GENERAL BEARING COMPANY (GBC) BEARING.ALL OF THE VEHICLES COVERED IN THE EXPANDED RECALL HAVE THE 133 LB SPRING FORCE.THE 96 LUMINA/MONTE CARLO AND 97-98 CENTURY W-BODY VEHICLES INCLUDED IN THIS INVESTIGATION UTILIZE A LOWER…

  EA03019 · opened Sep 15, 2003 · closed Dec 18, 2003
• POWER RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILUREClosed

  GM CONDUCTED A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA # 02V286) TO ADDRESS A STEERING DEFECT PERTAINING TO A LOWER PINION BEARING (LPB) WITHIN THE RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR (R&P). THE RECALL COVERED 1,159,156 MODEL YEAR 1997-1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES BUILT BETWEEN MARCH 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997, 1996-1998 PONTIAC TRANS SPORT, CHEVROLET LUMINA APV, CHEVROLET VENTURE, OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE MINIVANS, AND CHEVROLET CAVALIER AND PONTIAC SUNFIRE SEDANS BUILT BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997.ODI OPENED THIS RQ AFTER RECEIVING REPORTS THAT OTHER VEHICLES WERE EXHIBITING THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS THE RECALLED VEHICLES.BASED ON ODI'S REVIEW OF TECHNICAL AND COMPLAINT DATA COLLECTED DURING THE RQ, THE W-CARS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH EITHER A HIGHER STEERING COMPLAINT RATE OR A HIGHER LPB FAILURE RATE THAN THE OTHER VEHICLES INVESTIGATED UNDER THE RQ AND ARE ABOVE OR NEAR THE RATES FOR THE RECALLED…

  RQ03001 · opened Jan 2, 2003 · closed Sep 15, 2003
• DEGRADED BRAKING PERFORMANCEClosed

  There is no summary currently available

  EA98019 · opened Aug 31, 1998 · closed Dec 13, 2001
• DEGRADED BRAKING PERFORMANCEClosedLed to recall 01I014000
  PE98023 · opened Apr 23, 1998 · closed Aug 31, 1998
• INAPPROPRIATE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTClosed

  THE FAILURE RATE (1.25/100K) ON THIS ISSUE IS LOW.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF THE AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITURE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO CLOSELY MONITOR THIS ISSUE.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS CLOSING REPORT IS INCLUDED IN THE PUBLIC FILE.

  EA96023 · opened Sep 27, 1996 · closed Feb 13, 1998