Model year record

1998 Chevrolet Monte Carlo recalls & problems

The 1998 Chevrolet Monte Carlo has 4 safety recalls and 100 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (24 complaints).

Recalls4safety recalls

Complaints100filed by owners

Crashes · fires13 · 8reported in complaints

Injuries · deaths11 · 7reported in complaints

Safety recalls

Engine and engine coolingOct 26, 2015

Exhaust system › Manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe

Recall 15V7010001,003,556 vehicles

Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 1998-1999 Chevrolet Lumina and Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1997-2004 Buick Regal and Pontiac Grand Prix, 2000-2004 Chevrolet Impala, and 1998-2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. The affected vehicles were previously repaired under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 to address the possibility that engine oil may drip onto the hot exhaust manifold.
Risk: Engine oil that drips onto the hot surface of the exhaust manifold may result in a fire.
Fix: The remedy applied under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 did not adequately remove the safety risk. Under the improved remedy, dealers will replace the engineÂs front valve cover and gasket. Vehicles that are covered by recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, or 15V-201 that have not yet received the original remedy will instead receive the improved remedy under the original recall number. The recall began on February 19, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Oldsmobile customer service at 1-800-442-6537 and Pontiac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 15757. Note: Until the improved remedy has been applied, owners are advised to park their vehicle outside since the fire risk exists even when the vehicle is unattended.

Components: Engine and engine cooling › Exhaust system › Manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe; Engine and engine cooling › Engine

Engine and engine coolingApr 8, 2009

Engine and engine cooling

Recall 09V1160001,497,516 vehiclesopened after NHTSA action (ODI)

Problem: GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING 1,497,516 MY 1997-2003 BUICK REGAL, MY 1998-2003 CHEVROLET LUMINA, MONTE CARLO AND IMPALA, MY 1998-1999 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE, MY 1997-2003 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 3.8L V6 NATURALLY ASPIRATED ENGINE. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH DROPS OF ENGINE OIL MAY BE DEPOSITED ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD THROUGH HARD BRAKING.
Risk: IF THE MANIFOLD IS HOT ENOUGH AND THE OIL RUNS BELOW THE HEAT SHIELD, IT MAY IGNITE INTO A SMALL FLAME AND MAY SPREAD TO THE PLASTIC SPARK PLUG WIRE CHANNEL AND BEYOND INCREASING THE RISK OF AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ENGINEÂS FRONT VALVE COVER AND FRONT-VALVE-COVER GASKET WITH NEW PARTS OF AN IMPROVED DESIGN AND REMOVE THE ENGINEÂS PLASTIC COVER AND PLASTIC OIL-FILL-TUBE EXTENSION, FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MAY 2016. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537, AND PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668 OR HTTP://WWW.PONTIAC.COM OR HTTP:WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.

Fuel system, otherMar 12, 2007

Storage › Tank assembly › Pressure relief devices

Recall 07E021000742 vehicles

Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.

SteeringDec 11, 2003

Rack and pinion

Recall 03V527000750,283 vehiclesopened after NHTSA action (ODI)

Problem: CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES HAVE LOWER PINION BEARINGS IN THE POWER RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY IN WHICH THE RETAINER TABS WERE NOT CRIMPED PROPERLY. THESE RETAINERS COULD FAIL AND PERMIT THE BALL BEARINGS TO ESCAPE.
Risk: IF THIS OCCURS, THE PINION SHAFT CAN BE FORCED UPWARD DURING LEFT TURNS AND BACK DOWN AS THE STEERING WHEEL IS MOVED BACK AND TO THE RIGHT. IF THE PINION SHAFT MOVES FURTHER, THE DRIVER WILL NEED TO EXERT MORE EFFORT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL, SIMILAR TO A VEHICLE WITHOUT POWER ASSISTED STEERING. IF THE PINION SHAFT MOVES EVEN FURTHER, THE DRIVER WILL REQUIRE MUCH HIGHER EFFORT TO TURN LEFT AND MAY NOT BE ABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL AS MUCH AS INTENDED. WITH THE MAXIMUM PINION SHAFT MOVEMENT, WHICH REQUIRES INTERNAL GEAR COMPONENT DAMAGE, THE DRIVER CAN ENCOUNTER HIGH RESISTANCE TO TURNING LEFT, FOLLOWED BY UNINTENDED POWER ASSIST TO THE RIGHT. IN ANY OF THESE CONDITIONS, A CRASH COULD OCCUR.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW LOWER PINION BEARING UNLESS INSPECT OF THE EXISTING BEARING INDICATES THAT REPLACEMENT OF THE GEAR ASSEMBLY IS NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 5, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080; CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438; OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537; OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.

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.

What owners report

Problem area	Complaints	Crashes	Fires	Injuries	Typical mileage*
Service brakes, hydraulicAntilock/traction control/electronic limited slip; Foundation components	24	4	0	1	58,000 mi
SteeringRack and pinion; Hydraulic power assist system	17	1	1	1	94,000 mi
Engine and engine coolingEngine › Gasoline; Engine	15	0	2	0	72,000 mi
Electrical systemHorn; Alternator/generator/regulator	10	1	4	1	106,000 mi
Fuel system, gasolineStorage › Tank assembly; Delivery › Fuel pump	9	1	1	1	38,500 mi
Air bagsFrontal; Side/window	9	5	0	3	—
Engine	6	2	3	2	180,000 mi
VisibilityDefroster/defogger/hvac system; Rearview mirrors/devices › Interior	5	0	0	0	—
SeatsFront assembly › Recliner	5	0	0	1	—
Vehicle speed controlAccelerator pedal	4	1	0	0	—
SuspensionFront; Front › Hub	4	1	1	1	—
Power trainAutomatic transmission; Driveline › Constant velocity joint	4	0	0	0	—

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

Recent owner complaints

Engine
1998 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO HIS DISAPPROVAL OF EXHAUST MANIFOLD RECALL NOTICE REMOVAL OF THE ENGINE PLASTIC "BEAUTY" COVER. *SMD THE CONSUMER WAS ADVISED THE RECALL INCLUDED REMOVING THE BEAUTY COVER. THE CONSUMER STATED THE RECALL NOTICE DOES SAY THAT THE COVER WILL BE REMOVED, BUT DOES NOT STATE THAT IT WOULDN'T BE RETURNED. UPDATED 10/10/2017*JS
Sep 1, 2017
SteeringCrashFire1 injury
ON SEPTEMBER 24, 2015, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR MONTE CARLO. UNBEKNOWNST TO HER THE CAR BEGAN SMOKING UNDERNEATH, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL WITH NEITHER STEERING NOR BRAKING CAPABILITY. OTHER DRIVERS, NOTICING THE SMOKE, WERE ATTEMPTING TO NOTIFY HER OF THE IMPENDING FIRE. SHE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE ABOUT ANOTHER MILE BEFORE LOSING CONTROL AND CRASHING INTO A TREE ON MY NEIGHBOR?S YARD. THE CAR BECAME COMPLETELY ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND WAS DESTROYED. WERE IT NOT FOR SEVERAL GOOD SAMARITANS, AND POLICE AND FIRE PERSONNEL, SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THE FOLLOWING IS A HISTORY OF ISSUES WITH THIS CAR, DOCUMENTED FULLY BY SERVICE RECORDS FROM ITS PURCHASE IN 1998. 1.BRAKE LIGHTS WORKING INTERMITTENTLY…
Sep 24, 2015 · 190,000 miles
EngineCrashFire1 injury
ON SEPTEMBER 24, 2015, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR MONTE CARLO. UNBEKNOWN TO HER THE CAR BEGAN SMOKING UNDERNEATH, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL WITH NEITHER STEERING NOR BRAKING CAPABILITY. OTHER DRIVERS, NOTICING THE SMOKE, WERE ATTEMPTING TO NOTIFY HER OF THE IMPENDING FIRE. SHE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE ABOUT ANOTHER MILE BEFORE LOSING CONTROL AND CRASHING INTO A TREE ON MY NEIGHBOR'S YARD. THE CAR BECAME COMPLETELY ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND WAS DESTROYED. WERE IT NOT FOR SEVERAL GOOD SAMARITANS, AND POLICE AND FIRE PERSONNEL, SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. ALL DOCUMENTATION IS AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW.
Sep 24, 2015 · 180,000 miles
Engine
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V701000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
Feb 19, 2016
EngineFire
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1998 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE NEAR THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. NO FURTHER DETAILS WERE AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 05/11/16*BF *TR
Jan 1, 2014
Air bagsCrash1 injury
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1998 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED AND REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 198,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Apr 23, 2015 · 198,000 miles
Service brakes
AT APPROXIMATELY 4 PM I WAS DRIVING WITH THREE OTHER PEOPLE IN MY CAR ON THE STREET IN THE SOUTH SAINT LOUIS COUNTY(RAILROAD CROSSING WEBER RD AND CLOSE TO NEW HAMPSHIRE) AND WE WERE GOING ACROSS THE RAILROAD, WHEN ALL FUNCTIONS OF MY CAR DIED AND THE BRAKES .STEERING. ENGINE , ALL WENT OFF AND I GOT SCARED BUT IN THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT I PULLED MY EMERGENCY BREAK AND PULLED THE CAR TO A STOP. ALL THESE HAPPENED ON A VERY WELL PAVED STREET., AND ALL HAPPENED JUST WHEN I CROSSED THE RAILROAD TRACKS. I WAS VERY FRIGHTEN AS WELL ALL THE PEOPLE IN MY CAR. I WAS WONDERING IF ANY OF THIS THAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR HAS TO DO WITH THE RECALLS THAT HAPPENED WITH GM IGNITION SWITCHES. I ALSO TALK TO MY…
Jun 30, 2014 · 175,000 miles
Unknown or otherCrash3 injuries
FATAL CAR ACCIDENT ON 270 ON MAY 18TH 2008 4 TEENS KILLED AND 3 OTHERS INJURED. WITH ALL THE GM RECALLS WE ARE CERTAIN THIS WILL END UP BEING PART OF THE RECALL. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. *TR
May 18, 2008

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
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRESClosedLed to recall 04V090000
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
EA02030 · opened Oct 22, 2002 · closed Mar 9, 2004
DEGRADED BRAKING PERFORMANCEClosed
There is no summary currently available
EA98019 · opened Aug 31, 1998 · closed Dec 13, 2001