2000 Chevrolet MONTE CARLO: complaints, problems and recalls

ENGINE FOUND TO HAVE THREE OIL LEAKS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENT FOR WELL OVER A YEAR. A LOCAL DEALERSHIP FOUND CAKED OIL FROM LEAKS IN THE A/C COMPRESSOR (PASSENGER SIDE FRONT), FRONT CRANK SENSOR (PASSENGER>SIDE REAR) AND THE INTAKE MANIFOLD (DRIVER SIDE REAR). THEY ALSO STATED THAT THE CAR WAS TOO NEW TO HAVE THAT MUCH CAKED UP OIL AND THAT I SHOULD CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE FROM (ALONG WITH MY THREE PREVIOUS VEHICLES). THREE SEPARATE OIL LEAKS IN A 2000 VEHICLE IS NOT NORMAL OR EXPECTED.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10000363 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE VEHICLE WILL SWAY FROM SIDE TO SIDE. PLEASE FURNISH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002562 at NHTSA ↗

I TOO, LIKE ALL THE OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED MAJOR FRONT END PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. IT'S ALWAYS VIBRATED AND I'VE ALWAYS HEARD "NOISES." THE DEALER DID TRY TO RECTIFY THIS SITUATION BY REPLACING MY RACK AND PINION AND REPLACING MY TIE ROD ENDS, BECAUSE BOTH OF MY FRONT TIRES WERE ABOUT TO FALL OFF. I'VE EXTREMELY SCARED TO PUT MY CHILDREN IN THIS CAR, BUT HAVE NO CHOICE. NOW, AS OF TODAY MY EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT AND "TRAC OFF" LIGHT STAY ON CONSTANTLY. SO THERE IS JUST ONE MORE PROBLEM TO ADD TO THE LIST OF THINGS THAT HAVE GONE WRONG WITH…

Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002852 at NHTSA ↗

LOW COOLENT. TOOK TO THE DEALER AT 40,000 MILES FOR PROBLEM. DEALER REPLACED MANIFOLD INTAKE GASKETT. AT 42,000 VEHICLE HEATED TO LUKE WARM TEMPERATURE. RETURNED TO DEALER AT 45,000 MILES. DEALER REPLACED RADIATOR AND THERMOSTAT. DEALERS EXPLINATION: "THE WEEKEST AREA WAS ORIGINALLY REPLACE WHICH LEAD TO OTHER PROBLEMS DOWN THE LINE"!!!!

Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10004877 at NHTSA ↗

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED, WHICH CAUSED FLUID TO LEAK. EGR, PLUGS, NEW COOLANT OIL AND FILTER HAD TO BE REPLACED.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. 50 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007425 at NHTSA ↗

A POPPING NOISE WAS HEARD, WHEN THE VEHICLE MADE A TURN. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10012076 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE USING TURN SIGNALS, THE TURN SIGNALS INTERMITTENTLY WILL WORK AND NOT WORK. I HAVE FOUND THAT IF THEY ARE NOT WORKING THAT I CAN GET THEM WORKING AGAIN BY ACTIVATING THE 4-WAY FLASHERS. SOMETIMES IT TAKES PRESSING THE 4-WAY FLASHER BUTTON NUMEROUS TIMES TO GET THE 4-WAY FLASHERS WORKING BUT THEN THE TURN SIGNALS WILL WORK AGAIN. I BELIEVE THAT THE PROBLEM IS IN THE FLASHER UNIT. THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY IMPORTANT SAFETY ISSUE. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 39,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016723 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE STALLED AND BECAME DIFFICULT FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL. THE STARTER AND FLYWHEEL HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK *CB *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 54,271 miles reported. Look up ODI 10021537 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2000-08-07 (August 7, 2000)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES, LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH TRW SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLIES. THE BUCKLE BASE OF THESE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES WERE NOT PROPERLY HEAT TREATED AND THEREFORE DO NOT PASS THE LOAD BEARING REQUIREMENT OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 209, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES."

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE'S SAFETY BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY DATE CODES AND, IF NECESSARY, WILL REPLACE ANY SAFETY BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY.

Reported: 2004-02-24 (February 24, 2004)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3800 V6 (L36) ENGINES AND CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, THE REGULATORS HAVE A MUCH HIGHER THAN USUAL RATE OF FUEL LEAKS. A LEAK CAN ALLOW FUEL TO ENTER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD THROUGH A VACUUM LINE. IF THE ENGINE DOES NOT START WHEN CRANKED, THE FUEL FROM THE LEAKING REGULATOR AND A MISTIMED SPARK CAN CAUSE A BACKFIRE.

Consequence: THE BACKFIRE CAN RUPTURE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE RUPTURE OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CAN DISPLACE A FUEL LINE, PULLING AN INJECTOR OUT OF PLACE, AND CAUSING A FUEL LEAK AND POSSIBLE FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH IMPROVED DIAPHRAGMS. THE RECALL WILL BE CONDUCTED IN PHASED MAILINGS. PHASE 1 BEGAN ON JUNE 30, 2004, AND PHASE 2 BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537, OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.

Reported: 2009-04-08 (April 8, 2009)

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.

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ENGINE’S FRONT VALVE COVER AND FRONT-VALVE-COVER GASKET WITH NEW PARTS OF AN IMPROVED DESIGN AND REMOVE THE ENGINE’S 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.

Reported: 2014-07-03 (July 3, 2014)

This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on July 3, 2014, that they are recalling 5,877,718 model year 2000-2005 Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, 1997-2003 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2005 Malibu Classic, 1999-2004 Oldsmobile Alero, 1998-2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1999-2005 Pontiac Grand Am and 2004-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.

Consequence: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 9, 2014. GM's number for this recall is 14350.

Reported: 2015-10-26 (October 26, 2015)

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.

Consequence: Engine oil that drips onto the hot surface of the exhaust manifold may result in a fire.

Remedy: 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 engine’s 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.