1998 Chevrolet MONTE CARLO problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
74 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
86,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1998 model year. Data snapshot: . 30 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip is the most frequently named component, appearing in 10 of 74 complaints (13.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 25 | 33.8% |
| Steering behavior | 8 | 10.8% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 7 | 9.5% |
| Fuel system concerns | 5 | 6.8% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 1.4% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 1.4% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 10 |
| Electrical System | 6 |
| Engine | 6 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 5 |
| Air Bags | 4 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 4 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly | 4 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 |
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 10; Electrical System: 6; Engine: 6; Engine And Engine Cooling: 5; Air Bags: 4; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 4; Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly: 4; Fuel System, Gasoline: 3
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 10 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 3 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 6 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 5 |
| 150,000 and above | 5 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 10; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 6; 100,000 to 149,999: 5; 150,000 and above: 5
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (10). 44 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 13 |
| 2001 | 4 |
| 2002 | 10 |
| 2003 | 10 |
| 2004 | 15 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 1 |
2000: 13; 2001: 4; 2002: 10; 2003: 10; 2004: 15; 2005: 1; 2006: 2; 2007: 3; 2008: 1; 2009: 1; 2010: 2; 2011: 1; 2013: 2; 2014: 3; 2015: 2; 2016: 3; 2017: 1
Pattern summary
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 25 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 8 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 7 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 10001398 · 2002-12-23 (December 23, 2002)
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT THE FRONT BRAKE PAD. ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND TRIED TO BRAKE THE BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE BRAKES WERE DEFECTIVE AND HAVE REPLACED FRONT BRAKES AND ROTORS. TS
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001398 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10004277 · 2003-01-21 (January 21, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER TRIED TO BRAKE, BUT HER BRAKES DID NOT WORK. SHE REALIZED THAT HER FRONT BRAKE PADS WAS GONE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND CHANGED THE BRAKE PADS & ROTORS. PH
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004277 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10053945 · 2004-01-13 (January 13, 2004)
WHEN MAKING A LEFT/RIGHT TURNS STEERING WHEEL INTERMITTENTLY LOCKED UP. DEALERSHIPS MECHANIC WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 87,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10053945 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10060178 · 2004-03-02 (March 2, 2004)
HAVE GM PRESS RELEASE ON 1997-1998 MONTE CARLO ON STEERING GEAR PROBLEM STATING THAT GM WOULD BE RECALL SOME 824,000 CARS. MY 1998 MONTE CARLO IS EXPERENCING THIS PROBLEM AND I HAVE REPEATLY TRIED TO GET GM TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ON 24 FEB. 2004 WHEN I WAS TOLD TO BRING IN MY CAR TO MY LOCAL GM DEALER AND THE CAR WOULD BE FIXED. ONE WEEK HAD PASSED AND I HEARD NOTHING FROM GM SO I CALLED AND NOW THEY TELL ME IT IS NOT THIER PROBLEM. HOWEVER THEY STILL HAVE AN ACTIVE RECALL BUT STATE MY CAR IS NOT IN THE RECALL.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10060178 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10047642 · 2003-11-26 (November 26, 2003)
GM NEW CAR AND PRE-OWNED BUYER BEWARE. I PURCHASED A 1999 MONTE CARLO IN AUGUST 2001 FROM MONDAY CHEVROLET IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. THEY INSTALLED A NEW BATTERY BEFORE I COMPLETED THE PURCHASE. I ASSUMED THAT THE 6-YR WARRANTY ON THE BATTERY WAS IN FORCE. OBVIOUSLY, ACDELCO HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE "POSITIVE POST" ON THEIR BATTERIES CORRODING AND CAUSING THE POST TO SEPARATE FROM THE BATTERY. THERE ARE MANY CUSTOMERS CHATTING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ON THE WEB. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BATTERY IN MY CAR. IT APPEARS FROM THE POSITION THAT ACDELCO …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10047642 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10068069 · 2004-04-29 (April 29, 2004)
BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT WORK IF THE TURN-SIGNAL/BRIGHT LIGHT/WIPER LEVER IS MOVED SLIGHTLY FORWARD OF ITS NORMAL POSITION. AFTER USING THE TURN SIGNALS OR BRIGHT LIGHTS THE BRAKE LIGHTS WILL NOT WORK UNLESS THE LEVER IS PULLED UP TOWARD THE DRIVER. THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY ACCIDENT, NOR HAS THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER BEEN REMOVED IN THE FIVE YEARS I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE. THERE ARE NO OTHER ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE AND THE FAILURE SEEMS TO BE A RESULT OF DESIGN. THE LIGHT ON THE REAR DECK STILL WORKS. DRIVER MAY NOT BE A…
Owner-reported narrative. 108,238 miles reported. Look up ODI 10068069 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10041714 · 2003-10-13 (October 13, 2003)
THE GAS TANK ON MY 1998 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO HAS RUSTED THROUGH AND IS LEAKING.IT HAS 38550 MILES ON IT AND IT HAS BEEN KEPT IN A GARAGE.THE COST TO REPAY IT IS ABOUT $800.00. I FEEL THIS MUST BE A DEFECT IN THE TANK. *LA
Owner-reported narrative. 38,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10041714 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10052831 · 2004-01-11 (January 11, 2004)
THE GAS TANK ON MY 1998 MONTE CARLO HAS RUSTED THROUGH ,I HAVE CHECKED AT NHTSA WEB SITE AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A DEFECTIVE PROBLEM, I HAVE ALSO CHECK AT A JUNK YARD AND THIS WAS ALSO THE CASE THE GAS TANK WAS RUNTED THROUGH . I MADE COMPLAINT TO CHEVY BUT WAS TOLD CAR TO OLD AND WARRENTY HAD RUN OUT, I FEEL THIS IS A REAL BIG PROBLEM AND VERY DANGEROUS FOR ALL THE PEOPLE DRIVING THSES CARS SHOULD THEY EVERY BE IN AN ACCIDENT IT WOULD PROABLY GO UP IN FLAMES THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO BEFORE LIVES ARE LOST. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10052831 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 725071 · 2000-07-07 (July 7, 2000)
REPEATED EFFORTS TO GET GM/MICHAEL'S CHEVY TO FIX THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS: A.C. FAN ON HIGH RATTLES, INTERIOR TRIM PIECES (AFTER DEALER REPAIRS) DOES NOT FIT TOGETHER AND HANGS DOWN, CAUSING PROBLEM GETTING IN AND OUT OF VEHICLE,TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT 11,500+/- MILES LEAVING FLOOR SHIFTER TO SLIP OUT OF DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL WITH EASE,TACHOMETER DOESN'T WORK ALL THE TIME AND THE TRIP O METER FAILS AT DIFFERENT TIMES,POWER DOOR LOCKS DON'T ALLOW ENTRANCE/EXITING(BOTH ACTURATORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED), ALL ATTEMPTS WITH DEALERS HAVE ENDED WITH " CAN'T…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 725071 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 724142 · 2000-06-17 (June 17, 2000)
THE CAR WOULD EITHER STALL OR HESITATE IF DRIVEN, THEN LET COOL OFF FOR A WHILE AND THE WENT TO DRIVE AGAIN. DEALER WAS INFORMED BUT NOT ABLE TO FIX. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 724142 at NHTSA ↗