2006 Chevrolet MONTE CARLO: complaints, problems and recalls

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE DASH PANEL INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS POORLY LIGHTED AND THERE WAS LIMITED VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING IN THE DAYLIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS SEEN BY A SERVICE DEALER ON A BRIGHT DAY, THEREFORE THE PANEL WAS VISIBLE AND THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, IN CLOUDY CONDITIONS THE GAUGES ARE NOT VISIBLE AT ALL.

Owner-reported narrative. 800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10151096 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE A 2006 CHEV. MONTE-CARLO, BOUGHT NEW WITH 9 MILES ON IT. I COMPLAINED TO MY DEALERSHIP ( COOPER CHEV. ANNISTON AL. ) ABOUT THE CAR HAD A LIGHT SHIFTING MOVEMENT FROM LEFT TO RIGHT IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR,( AT 90 MILES A HR. THE CARD WILL DART TO THE LEFT INTO THE OTHER LANE )ALSO A VERY LOUD WIND NOISE COMING FROM THE WINDSHIELD AREA,MY DEALERSHIP DROVE MY CAR AND SAID YES YOUR CAR HAVE A MOVEMENT IN THE FRONT END,AND A WIND NOISE COMING FROM THE WINDSHIELD, THEY HAD ME TO TEST DRIVE ANOTHER MONTE CARLO AND IT DID THE SAME AS MY CAR DID…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10161412 at NHTSA ↗

CAR SHAKES WHILE DRIVING SINCE NEW. NOW 1000 MILES. BEEN TO A CHEVY DEALER(TEAM CHEV IN SMYRNA, TN) THEY HAVE TRIED 3 SETS OF TIRES, ALL DEFECTIVE. THEY BELIEVE THE RIMS ALSO TO BE DEFECTIVE. CAR STILL SHAKES, AND FEELS LOOSE OVER BUMPS. DEALER SAYS HANDS ARE TIED DUE TO VERY POOR CHAIN OF COMMAND TO PROPERLY RESOLVE THIS MATTER QUICKLY, SO MY NEW CAR DRIVES NEW. COMPUTER WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO CHOOSE TIRE SIZE WHICH IS ACTUALLY 225/60-16. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 25 miles reported. Look up ODI 10162487 at NHTSA ↗

TERRIBLE ODOR FROM THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT, I HAVE BROUGHT THIS CAR BACK TO THE DEALER ON 3 OCCASIONS. THEY STATE THEY CLEANED THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT?? NOW AFTER 2 WEEKS OF HAVING MY CAR BACK THE ODOR IS BACK AND WORSE. THE DEALER STATES THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE DRAIN PLUG, THEN THE ONBOARD COMPUTER, THEN THEY SAY THEY REMOVED THE ENTIRE UNIT AND CLEAN AND DISINFECTED IT? THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE. I AM A VERY UNHAPPY CUSTOMER!!! *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 25 miles reported. Look up ODI 10172207 at NHTSA ↗

2006 MONTE CARLO HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE SEAT BELT AND AIR BAG FAILURE. *TS THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. DIAGNOSTICS WERE RUN BUT NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. WHEN THE AIR BAGS FAILED, THIS CAUSED AN ISSUE WITH THE ONSTAR SYSTEM. THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON WHILE SOMEONE WAS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THIS MEANT THAT THE AIR BAG WAS NOT ACTIVATED. THE SEAT BELT INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER REPLACED AND REPROGRAMMED THE SDM. THE ONSTAR SYSTEM HAD BEEN REPLACED ONCE. THE AIR CONDITIONER HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE. THE KEYLESS EN…

Owner-reported narrative. 11,089 miles reported. Look up ODI 10172235 at NHTSA ↗

SOMEONE NEEDS TO LOOK CLOSER AT ON-STAR'S BUSINESS PRACTICES...THEY NEARLY CAUSED A SEVERE ACCIDENT TONIGHT. WHILE DRIVING MY MONTH-OLD CHEVY THRU A BUSY INTERSECTION IN THE DARK, BAD WEATHER, THE RADIO TURNED ITSELF OFF AND A MALE VOICE CAME FROM THE BACK SEAT (REAR SPEAKERS) TELLING ME I NEEDED TO HIT THE BLUE ONSTAR BUTTON AND 'FINISH' SIGNING UP FOR THE SERVICE. I NEARLY JUMPED OUT OF MY SKIN, MID-INTERSECTION. I HAVE REPEATEDLY TOLD THEM I DO NOT WANT THE SERVICE, DID NOT KNOW THEY WOULD LITERALLY SOLICIT WITH AUTOMATED MESSAGES WHILE D…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10176625 at NHTSA ↗

TIRE MONITOR SYSTEM FAILED FROM DAY ONE. IT HAS NOW BEEN 5 MONTHS WITH NO FIX AVAILABLE. AFFECTS THE REMOTE LOCKS AND STARTER AS WELL. NEED TO BE WITHIN 10 FEET OF CAR FOR IT TO WORK. HAVE HAD IT IN 3 TIMES AND THEY STATE THEY ARE WAITING FOR A FIX AND BULLETIN. HELP CORRECT THIS SOMEONE. THE DEALER IS GETTING NO HELP FROM CHEVROLET AT ALL. BAD PRACTICE. I HAVE OWN CHEVROLET FOR 25 YEARS WITH NOT HAVING THIS MUCH TROUBLE FIXING AN ISSUE. MY DEALER IS ALWAYS GREAT IT IS ON THE OTHER END THEY NEED HELP.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10180919 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE INFREQUENT LIFTER NOISE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS IS PISTON SLAP. IT'S NOT PISTON SLAP. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TWICE. I GOT THE SAME RESPONSE. PISTON NOISE. SYMPTOMS: COLD START..WINTER-FALL OR SUMMER...LIFTER NOISE..VALVES CLATTER...ENGINE RUNS ROUGH..NO CODES..AFTER IDLING FOR A FEW MINUTES THE VALVES PUMP UP AND THE ROUGHNESS AND NOISE GO'S AWAY... I ALSO HAVE THE ODOR OF BURT TRANSMISSION FLUID (HAIR BURNING) WHEN ACCELERATING.. I ALSO OIL 1QT A MONTH. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10181338 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2014-06-23 (June 23, 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) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Buick LaCrosse, 2006-2011 Buick Lucerne, 2000-2005 Cadillac DeVille, 2006-2011 Cadillac DTS, 2006-2014 Chevrolet Impala, and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the weight on the key ring and 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. Additionally, a key knocked out of the run position will cause loss of engine power, power steering, and power braking, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

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 23, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), and 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet). GM's number for this recall is 14299.