Problems · NHTSA complaints
2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo problems
Owners filed 243 complaints about the 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo with NHTSA between Feb 2002 and Jan 2024. The most-cited component is electrical system (59).
Complaints
243
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
13
Reported by owners
Fires
24
Reported by owners
Injuries
12
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Electrical system59
- Engine38
- Exterior lighting35
- Engine and engine cooling31
- Service brakes, hydraulic29
- Air bags22
- Steering20
- Fuel system, gasoline10
- Power train9
- Structure8
- Fuel/propulsion system7
- Service brakes7
- Visibility6
- Vehicle speed control5
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
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
14
24
15
17
7
16
15
21
22
4
5
6
26
17
18
8
1
3
1
2
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 14 |
| 2003 | 24 |
| 2004 | 15 |
| 2005 | 17 |
| 2006 | 7 |
| 2007 | 16 |
| 2008 | 15 |
| 2009 | 21 |
| 2010 | 22 |
| 2011 | 4 |
| 2012 | 5 |
| 2013 | 6 |
| 2014 | 26 |
| 2015 | 17 |
| 2016 | 18 |
| 2017 | 8 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Electrical system
59 reports1 crash6 fires1 related recall
“MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WILL RESET WHILE I AM DRIVING. THE GUAGES WILL SWEEP AND ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS COME ON AND THE CAR WILL DING AS IF IT WAS JUST STARTED HOWEVER THE CAR NEVER STALLS AND THE RADIO STAYS ON ALONG WITH EVERYTHING ELSE.”
Engine
38 reports2 crashes17 fires
“THE CAR'S FUEL GAGE STOPPED WORKING. THE CAR WOULDN'T TURN OVER WHEN I STARTED IT SO I GOT A NEW BATTERY SINCE IT SAID MY OLD ONE WAS BAD, BUT IT'S STILL NOT WORKING. THE SECURITY LIGHT IS ON AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY AND IF THIS IS AFFECTING IT FROM TURNING ON”
Exterior lighting
35 reports
“TURN SIGNALS FAIL TO WORK AND HEADLIGHTS GO OFF WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE OR LOCAL ROADS. SOMETIMES THE HEADLIGHTS WILL COME BACK ON IN A FEW SECONDS, OTHER TIMES IT TAKES AS LONG AS THIRTY SECONDS”
Engine and engine cooling
31 reports2 related recalls
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE CONTACT NOTICED A BURNING ODOR INSIDE THE VEHICLE CAUSED BY THE EMITTING OIL FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000. .....UPDATED 08/11/16 *BF”
Service brakes, hydraulic
29 reports2 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE ATTEMPTING A LEFT TURN, THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE AND THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL. THE CONTACT HAD TO REPLACE THE ABS WIRING FOR THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN, BUT THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 170,000. UPDATED 04/26/12*LJ”
Air bags
22 reports9 crashes1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE FLOORMAT BECAME STUCK UNDER THE PEDAL. THE CONTACT COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A BOULDER. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 28,000.”
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.