1997 Chevrolet Monte Carlo problems
Owners have filed 218 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Brakes is the most reported problem area, at 18% of complaints. Next are steering (14%) and engine (13%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 218 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Brakes 18% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 17 and 3
- Injuries and deaths
- 13 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 95,000 miles 36 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 0 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 1 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 3 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 10 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 5 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 5 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 10 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 1 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 0 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 1 |
What the data shows
Of the 36 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 95,000 miles.
Safety-related details: 17 complaints mention a crash; 3 complaints mention a fire; 13 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 1997 ranks 8th most-complained-about out of 13 model years of the Chevrolet Monte Carlo with enough data (112 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 1 safety recall campaign.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
While driving 50 MPH vehicle skidded on an icy patch on the road, driver lost control, and vehicle hit an embankment head on. Upon impact, dual airbags did not deploy. Driver sustained severe injuries to the face and neck, and passenger sustained a concussion and a black eye. Due to severe damage the vehicle was totaled.
Dt: 1997, monte carlo, cruise control was set for 68 MPH. Consumer went to turn off at an exit and the cruise control would not shut off. Because of this vehicle would not slow down ,causing a collision. Consumer and other occupants were injured. The driver was braking hard but could not slow down vehicle. The vehicle was on a interstate highway, when accident occurred.
Involved in a collision and the air bags deployed but the passenger side air bag exploded and the chemicals in the air bag burned the face and neck of the driver.
Blown motor. When car was taken apart to remove engine the bolts on the intake manifold were not tight and were removed by hand, no tools needed.
Consumer stated that while the automobile was sitting in the driveway, the air bag began to inflate on the driver's side. However, on the passenger's side it did not inflate, it is still intact. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, who stated that they had no answer as what made the air bag inflate.