Chevrolet / Monte Carlo / 1996
1996 Chevrolet Monte Carlo problems
Owners have filed 255 complaints about the 1996 Chevrolet Monte Carlo with NHTSA. Electrical system accounts for 21.6% of them — narrowly the most common, ahead of service brakes, hydraulic at 19.2%.
Complaints255
Crashes21
Fires1
Injuries11
Deaths0
What owners report breaking
Electrical system 21.6% · 55
Service brakes, hydraulic 19.2% · 49
Engine and engine cooling 17.6% · 45
Fuel system, gasoline 6.7% · 17
Structure 4.3% · 11
Power train 4.3% · 11
Equipment 3.5% · 9
Unknown or other 3.5% · 9
Severity
Of those complaints, 21 describe a crash, 1 describe a fire and 11 report an injury.
Reading the numbers
Across the 12 model years of the Chevrolet Monte Carlo in this data, 1996 sits 5th by complaint volume. 2001 draws the most.
Filings have fallen off, 8 in the last three years against 28 in the three before. That is normal as a generation leaves the road.
The median odometer reading at the time of complaint was 86,000 miles.
In owners' own words
Vehicle supposedly has 100,000 mile spark plugs installed, but spark plug cables failed below 60,000 miles. Contacted Chevrolet and they told me it was because how I had them routed, and I had never moved or touched them since I had bought the car new. I was really upset with their explanation, or "excuse". And to have an alternator go bad at 76,000 miles, I don't think so. Electrical system
Alternater has been replaced 3 times. Defective alternater would not allow engine to cool. *Ak consumer stated alternator is located at the bottom of the engine, because of its location it does not cool properly, to get the part the engine must be dropped, consumer stated this was a poor design.*Slc Electrical system
When at a light started to acelerate and car stalled , car is hard to turn on, when turned on the car would vibrate and smoke; also having other problems, will explain, took to dealer on seven occasions replace computer cluster and reprogrammed computer twice. Electrical system
Verbatim from NHTSA filings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.
Safety recalls
Checking NHTSA for open recalls…
Other Chevrolet Monte Carlo years
1995 244 complaints · 23.0% service brakes, hydraulic 1997 218 complaints · 16.5% service brakes, hydraulic 1998 129 complaints · 18.6% service brakes, hydraulic 1999 170 complaints · 34.1% service brakes, hydraulic 2000 332 complaints · 13.9% electrical system 2001 417 complaints · 18.7% electrical system