Problems · NHTSA complaints

2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo problems

Owners filed 281 complaints about the 2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo with NHTSA between Nov 2000 and Oct 2020. The most-cited component is electrical system (77).

Complaints
281
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
14
Reported by owners
Fires
31
Reported by owners
Injuries
16
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system77
  2. Engine48
  3. Engine and engine cooling48
  4. Steering40
  5. Exterior lighting36
  6. Air bags26
  7. Service brakes, hydraulic25
  8. Power train18
  9. Fuel system, gasoline10
  10. Fuel/propulsion system9
  11. Equipment7
  12. Structure6
  13. Suspension6
  14. Visibility6

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 8, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20002
200116
200225
200329
200431
200519
200617
20075
200812
200922
201010
20118
20127
20136
201418
201515
201624
20177
20180
20196
20202

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Electrical system

77 reports3 crashes6 fires1 related recall
“MY 2001 MONTECARLO WAS HIT IN FRONT WITH FRONT END DAMAGE AND THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T GO OFF CAUSING MY GIRL FRIEND TO HAVE A BROKEN NOSE ..THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET IN THE TURNING LANE *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 18, 2020Electrical system, Air bags, StructureCrash reportedODI 11321466

Engine

48 reports19 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHE STARTED HER VEHICLE, SHE HEARD A LOUD BOOM FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF AND THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD. THE HOOD WAS OPENED AND A FIRE WAS DISCOVERED. THE CONTACT GOT A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND WAS ABLE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE NOT CALLED AND NO REPORTS WERE FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER FUTURE CHEVROLET OF SACRAMENTO (4811 MADISON AVE, SACRAMENTO, CA 95841 (916) 265-2473) AND THEY SUGGESTED THAT THE VEHICLE BE TOWED OVER SO THEY COULD INSPECT IT FOR THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE HAD A NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V-116000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) THAT MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE VEHICLE CATCHING ON FIRE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT MOVED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE DEALER YET. THE MANUFACTURER TOOK THE INCIDENT DOWN AND GAVE THE CONTACT A CASE NUMBER AND A CASE SPECIALIST TO CALL BACK. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 26, 2019EngineFire reportedODI 11235110

Engine and engine cooling

48 reports1 crash7 fires2 related recalls
“2001 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO REPLACEMENT PARTS NOT AVAILABLE TO REPAIR FRONT VALVE COVER AND GASKET RECALL NOTICE. *SMD THE CONSUMER REFERENCED RECALL # 15V701000. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 10, 2016Engine and engine coolingODI 10863894

Steering

40 reports2 crashes2 fires2 related recalls
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, ANOTHER MOTORIST INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT FLAMES WERE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF HER VEHICLE. WHILE PULLING OFF THE ROADWAY THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND ALL POWER WAS LOST. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED BUT NO FAILURE CODES WERE FOUND. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT SHE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR A KEY FOB, BUT NOT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V70100 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A FIRE REPORT AND A POLICE REPORT WERE FILED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR ELEVATED CARBON MONOXIDE IN THE BLOOD AND POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE RECALL DETAILS FOR THE KEY FOB WERE NOT PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 78,000. UPDATED 06/28/17*LJ UPDATED 9/28/18*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 1, 2017Steering, Electrical system, EngineFire reportedODI 10981679

Exterior lighting

36 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE TEMPERATURE AND FUEL GAUGES DISPLAYED INCORRECT READINGS. IN ADDITION, THE LOW COOLANT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS COOLANT IN THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 163,000. UPDATED 09/20/16*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED IF THE VEHICLE SAT FOR TWO DAYS, THE BATTERY WAS DRAIN AND DIE. HIS MECHANIC STATED IT WAS DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. ALSO ,THE REAR DEFROSTER DID NOT WORK, THE FAN SWITCH DID NOT WORK RIGHT AWAY, AND THE TURN SIGNAL LIGHT DID NOT WORK UNLESS HE TAPPED THE DASHBOARD, AND THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED HARD. UPDATED 10/13/16. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 22, 2016Fuel system, gasoline, Power train, Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Air bags, EngineODI 10887671

Air bags

26 reports9 crashes1 related recall
“I WAS DRIVING HOME ON HIWAY IN CRAWFORD COUNTY WI IT STARTED SNOWING MY BACK PASSENGER TIRE HIT A SLICK SPOT AND MY CAR SPUN OUT OF CONTROL CAUSING MY CAR TO TURN AROUND LIKE I WAS GOING BACK TO WHERE I CAME FROM ANOTHER CAR WAS COMING UP BEHIND ME DIDN'T SEE ME HIT ME SMASHED MY WHOLE BACK END THE IMPACT WAS SO BAD PUT MY TRUNK IN MY BACK SEAT BUT THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED MY DAUGHTER AND I WERE TAKEN TO HOSPITAL”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 26, 2016Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10909823
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.