U.S. public vehicle records

1997 Chevrolet MONTE CARLO problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

89 owner complaints analyzed

1 distinct recall campaigns

89,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1997 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 28 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Steering:Rack And Pinion is the most frequently named component, appearing in 14 of 89 complaints (15.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Steering behavior	26	29.2%
Braking behavior	22	24.7%
Electrical and battery issues	5	5.6%
Engine operation	4	4.5%
Transmission and shifting	2	2.2%
Fuel system concerns	2	2.2%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Steering:Rack And Pinion

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline

Air Bags:Frontal

Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights

Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Steering:Rack And Pinion	14
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	7
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip	7
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	6
Air Bags:Frontal	4
Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights	3
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly	3
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	3

Steering:Rack And Pinion: 14; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 7; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 7; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 6; Air Bags:Frontal: 4; Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights: 3; Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly: 3; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 3

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 10; 75,000 to 99,999: 5; 100,000 to 149,999: 9; 150,000 and above: 2

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (10). 61 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2012

2000: 17; 2001: 14; 2002: 11; 2003: 15; 2004: 22; 2005: 2; 2006: 3; 2007: 1; 2008: 2; 2009: 1; 2012: 1

Pattern summary

Steering:Rack And Pinion leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 26 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 22 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 5 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10001774 · 2002-12-31 (December 31, 2002)

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT THE RACK AN PINION STEERING BROKE. ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE RACK AND PINION STEERING BROKE WHICH IT COMPLETELY LEFT THE CONSUMER WITH NO CONTROL OF THE STEERING. DEALER AND MANUFACTURE WERE CONTACTED AND HAVE A RECALL AND THAT THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001774 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10006272 · 2003-02-04 (February 4, 2003)

WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT ROTATE BACK TO STANDARD POSITION. THE WHEEL CONTINUES TO ROTATE AROUND IN A CIRCLE. PH

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10006272 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10001397 · 2002-12-23 (December 23, 2002)

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT THE FRONT BRAKES. ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE FRONT BRAKE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE BROKE. DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED AT THE TIME OF THIS CALL. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001397 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10004278 · 2003-01-21 (January 21, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE FRONT BRAKE PAD BROKE. DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED AT THE TIME OF THIS CALL. PH

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004278 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10010887 · 2003-03-22 (March 22, 2003)

DOOR AND ELECTRICAL WINDOW . MY POWER WINDOW'S WILL NOT GO UP OR DOWN. THE CONTROL BUTTON WILL NOT EVEN MOVE. I SOMETIMES HAVE TO LIFT MY PASSENGER DOOR TO CLOSE IT. I ALSO HAVE PAINT CHIPPING OFF OF MY WIPER ASSEMBLY AND THE BODY OF MY CAR. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 75,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10010887 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10098123 · 2004-11-01 (November 1, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING MY CAR HOME ONE EVENING IT WAS IDLING HIGH AND AND EVERYTHING ELECTRICAL WAS ACTING LIKE IT WAS SHORT CIRCUTING AND THEN MY CAR DIED. THANK GOODNESS THAT NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME BECAUSE OF COURSE THE POWER STEERING THE FAILED AND THERE WAS A SOUND OF METAL AGAINST METAL. MY FATHER AND I THEN CHANGED THE ALTERNATOR THINKING THAT THAT MIGHT FIX THE PROBLEM. IT DIDN'T AND THE CAR HAS HAD THE PROBLEM MULTIPLE TIMES. NOW I AM UNABLE TO DRIVE IT FOR THE FEAR OF THIS HAPPENING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC OR OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE AND ME BE …

Owner-reported narrative. 92,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10098123 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10127552 · 2005-07-05 (July 5, 2005)

DT: CONSUMER HAD RECALL 03V527000 REPAIRS DONE IN FEBRUARY WHICH WAS SUPPOSE TO BE PREVENTIVE RECALL WORK. VEHICLE WAS STILL EXPERIENCING LOSS OF POWER STEERING. CONSUMER SAID WHEN SHE TURNED LEFT THE VEHICLE DEMONSTRATED HIGH RESISTANCE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AFTER MANUFACTURER ADVISED HER TO TAKE IT TO ANY DEALER. THE DEALER INSISTED THAT SHE GO BACK TO DEALER WHO DID THE ORIGINAL RECALL REPAIRS. DEALER CHECKED VEHICLE AFTER SHE AGREED TO PAY FOR THE LABOR. MECHANIC CHECKED VEHICLE AND CLAIMED IT WAS RACK AND PINION PROBLEM. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 127,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10127552 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 716769 · 2000-01-03 (January 3, 2000)

SIX REWIRINGS AND CAR STILL STALLS AND SHUTS OFF, ABS FAILS ON WET ROADS, FUEL GUAGE FAILS, SHUTS OFF WITHOUT WARNING, ETC.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 716769 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 561885 · 2001-07-03 (July 3, 2001)

A GEAR EXPLODED OUT OF THE TRANSMISSION, DISABLING THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT IF THIS IS THE DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION, HE WANTS TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE COST, THERE WAS EXCESSIVE METAL DAMAGE DUE TO FAILURE. *YH

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 561885 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 8015318 · 2002-08-01 (August 1, 2002)

TWICE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED, SLIPPING BACK AND FORTH INTO NEUTRAL, AND THEN SLAMMED BACK INTO GEAR. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED, SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED WITH THE REPLACEMENT. OWNER HAD PIECES OF TRANSMISSION THAT CAME FROM TRANSFER CASE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 8015318 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10081757 · 2004-07-12 (July 12, 2004)

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED CONSUMER NOTICED FLUID LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE GAS TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10081757 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 8017397 · 2002-08-28 (August 28, 2002)

FUEL TANK IS RUSTING AT THE STEM AND CAUSES FUEL LEAKAGES. DEALER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 8017397 at NHTSA ↗