Problems · NHTSA complaints

2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo problems

Owners filed 157 complaints about the 2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo with NHTSA between Oct 2002 and Dec 2023. The most-cited component is electrical system (48).

Complaints
157
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
10
Reported by owners
Fires
18
Reported by owners
Injuries
8
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system48
  2. Engine31
  3. Engine and engine cooling25
  4. Service brakes, hydraulic22
  5. Air bags11
  6. Power train11
  7. Exterior lighting7
  8. Visibility5
  9. Suspension4
  10. Vehicle speed control4
  11. Fuel system, gasoline4
  12. Steering3
  13. Tires3
  14. Traction control system3

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 9, 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
20021
200315
200413
200512
20061
20076
200811
20099
20107
20115
20124
20132
201417
201514
201621
20177
20185
20194
20200
20212
20220
20231

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

48 reports4 crashes4 fires1 related recall
“Vehicle stalls when starting. While driving vehicle may shut off when moving on highway if you are not pushing on gas pedal. May be due to faulty EGR or emissions component”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 1, 2021Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11438831

Engine

31 reports9 fires
“The service manager told me the Engine cover will be removed and NOT replaced. This downgrades the vehicle as the engine cover is part of the appearance element and gives a certain amount of protection to some components and wiring harnesses. It will soon be a Classic and the engine cover is part of the original equiptment that needs to be on it. There is NO logical reason the valve cover gasket cannot be replaced AND keep the engine cover in place. Thank you for your help.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 10, 2023EngineODI 11559383

Engine and engine cooling

25 reports7 fires2 related recalls
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V701000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 6, 2016Engine and engine coolingODI 10883015

Service brakes, hydraulic

22 reports3 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CHECK ENGINE, SERVICE TRACTION, AND ABS WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRONT WHEEL HUB WITH THE ABS SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL HUBS WERE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. NEITHER THE MANUFACTURER NOR THE DEALER WERE CONTACTED OR NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,856.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 10, 2017Service brakes, hydraulic, Traction control system, EngineODI 11003988

Air bags

11 reports4 crashes2 related recalls
“MY CAR IS A 2003 MONTE CARLO, IF I TRY TO USE THE DIRECTIONAL SIGNALS THEY MAKE A BUZZING SOUND AND THEN THE BRAKE LIGHT AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON ALONG WITH THE BATTERY LIGHT, NO SIGNAL WORKS, THE HAZARD LIGHTS WORK , I REPLACED THE HAZARD SWITCH BUT THAT DIDNT SOLVE IT . BATTER IS FINE AND THE ALTERNATOR I HAD THEM CHECKED THERE IS NO RELAY FOR THE DIRECTIONALS ITS ALL IN ONE . SOMETHING IS STRANGE GOING ON I ALSO NOTICED SOMETIMES WHEN YOUR DRIVING THE THOSE THREE LIGHTS WILL START COMING ON AS WELL . I HAD PUT UP THE WINDOWS AND THEY ALL WENT ON TOO , SOMETIMES JUST WHEN DRIVING IT OR EVEN STOPPED HAD THIS CAR SINCE IT WAS BRAND NEW NEVER HAD A PROBLEM TILL A FEW WEEKS AGO”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 2, 2019Electrical system, Air bags, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 11205354

Power train

11 reports1 crash1 fire
“MY 2003 MONTE SS HAD BEEN SMOKING AND HAVING PROBLEMS ACCELERATING & SHIFTING AND PUT ON TESTERS AND READ CODE AND I NEEDED A AIR FLOW SENSOR SO I HAD THAT PUT ON, WAS RECOMMENDED I GET TUNE UP SO I GOT THAT, AND HAD JUST PUT NEW BATTERY IN THE CAR. THE FOLLOWING DAY AFTER PUTTING GAS IN THE CAR I WAS LEAVING GAS STATION AND LOST ACCELERATION AGAIN AND THE CAR SMOKED AGAIN. I SOON LOST ALL POWER INCLUDING GAS & BREAKS AND WINDOWS. PEOPLE PASSING BY WERE HONKING AND SAID THE UNDERNEATH OF CAR AND UNDER HOOD HAD FLAMES IN FRONT OF CAR. I HAD TO THROW IT IN PARK AND JUMP OUT BECAUSE THE PEDDLES QUIT WORKING AND THE CAR EXPLODED IN FLAMES AND HAD I NOT HAD MY WINDOW DOWN I WOULD HAVE BEEN LOCKED INSIDE AND COULD HAVE LOST MY LIFE. THE ENGINE AND WHOLE ELECTRICAL WIRE HARNESS HAD CAUGHT FIRE AND THE CAR BURNED UP WITH 3-5 MINUTES. THIS WAS OUR ONLY CAR AND THE ONLY MEANS OF GETTING DISABLED CHILD TO THE APPOINTMENTS HE NEEDED AND TO WORK AND HAS PUT HARDSHIP ON OUR FAMILY. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 13, 2014Power train, Electrical system, Service brakes, EngineFire reportedODI 10632913
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026

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