2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo

Typical pattern

7.9% of complaints about the 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2002 vehicle — around the middle of the 230 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 7.6 yr in service. The most-reported system is electrical system (55 complaints), typically at 10.9 yr or about 95,000 miles.

Complaints: 303
Median age at failure: 7.6 yr
Median mileage: 70,010 n=231
Crash / fire / tow: 16.8% of reports
Safety recalls: 7

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System

0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y

Electrical system

55 reports · 95,000 mi

10.9 yr

12.7%

Engine

38 reports · 127,000 mi

13.3 yr

52.6%

Exterior lighting

35 reports · 76,000 mi

6.7 yr

Engine cooling

30 reports · 51,000 mi

5.3 yr

Service brakes, hydraulic

27 reports · 31,000 mi

2.3 yr

3.7%

Air bags

19 reports · 65,000 mi

2.2 yr

36.8%

Steering

18 reports · 51,000 mi

3.8 yr

5.6%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

15V701000 2015-10-26

Engine and engine cooling:engine

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 1998-1999 Chevrolet Lumina and Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1997-2004 Buick Regal and Pontiac Grand Prix, 2000-2004 Chevrolet Impala, and 1998-2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. The affected vehicles were previously repaired under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 to address the possibility that engine oil may drip onto the hot exhaust manifold.

Engine oil that drips onto the hot surface of the exhaust manifold may result in a fire.

14V400000 2014-07-03

Electrical system:ignition

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) notified the agency on July 3, 2014, that they are recalling 5,877,718 model year 2000-2005 Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, 1997-2003 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2005 Malibu Classic, 1999-2004 Oldsmobile Alero, 1998-2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1999-2005 Pontiac Grand Am and 2004-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles. In the

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.

09V116000 2009-04-08

Engine cooling

GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING 1,497,516 MY 1997-2003 BUICK REGAL, MY 1998-2003 CHEVROLET LUMINA, MONTE CARLO AND IMPALA, MY 1998-1999 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE, MY 1997-2003 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 3.8L V6 NATURALLY ASPIRATED ENGINE. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH DROPS OF ENGINE OIL MAY BE DEPOSITED ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD THROUGH HARD BRAKING.

IF THE MANIFOLD IS HOT ENOUGH AND THE OIL RUNS BELOW THE HEAT SHIELD, IT MAY IGNITE INTO A SMALL FLAME AND MAY SPREAD TO THE PLASTIC SPARK PLUG WIRE CHANNEL AND BEYOND INCREASING THE RISK OF AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.

09E005000 2009-02-17

Steering

DORMAN IS RECALLING 979 STEERING KNUCKLES, DORMAN P/NOS. 697-902 AND 697-903, SOLD UNDER DORMAN'S "OE SOLUTIONS<SUP>TM</SUP>" BRAND NAME, AND NAPA P/NOS. 7-8502 AND 7-8503 WHICH WERE SOLD FOR REPLACEMENT USE ON THE VARIOUS VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. A POTENTIAL MATERIAL OR DESIGN DEFECT COULD RESULT IN THE STEERING KNUCKLE BREAKING IN THE HUB AREA.

A BROKEN STEERING KNUCKLE COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND A POSSIBLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

08E063000 2008-10-17

Steering

DORMAN PRODUCTS IS RECALLING 3,900 INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFTS DORMAN PART NOS. 425-151, 425-152, AND 425-153, (SOLD UNDER DORMAN'S "OE SOLUTIONS" BRAND NAME), BALKAMP #'S 7-3057, 7-3058, 7-3059 (SOLD UNDER THE "NAPA" BRAND NAME), AND PLATINUM PARTS #'S 2425151, 2425152, AND 2425153 MANUFACTURED DURING THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2007. THESE REPLACEMENT STEERING SHAFTS CAN BE USED ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE WELD CONNECTING THE INNER TUBE TO THE OUTER TUBE MAY BE DEFECTIVE.

IF THE WELD FAILS, LOSS OF STEERING COULD RESULT, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

07E021000 2007-03-12

Fuel system, other:storage:tank assembly:pressure relief devices

CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, P/NOS. FP10020-11B1, FP10026-11B1, AND FP10027-11B1, SOLD AFTER JANUARY 9, 2007, AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE UNIVERSAL PRESSURE REGULATORS (UPR) WERE PRODUCED WITHOUT AN O'RING AND RETAINER.

FUEL MAY LEAK, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.

02V222000 2002-08-09

Air bags:frontal

CERTAIN PASSENGER, MINI VANS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES HAVE AN AIR BAG INFLATOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE THAT COULD FRACTURE AT A WELD DURING A DEPLOYMENT.

PIECES OF THE INFLATOR COULD STRIKE AND INJURE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS AND THE AIR BAG CUSHION WOULD NOT INFLATE FULLY, REDUCING THE CAPABILITY OF THE BAG TO PROTECT THE DRIVER.

In owners’ own words

Steering 29,000 mi 2.2 yr in service

2002 MONTE CARLO : AT 29,000 MILES NEEDS ALL FRONT AND REAR BRAKE ROTORS RESURFACED DUE TO WARPING AND NEW BRAKE PADS. THIS WAS DESCRIBED TO US AS NORMAL AND NOT COVERED UNDER ANY WARRANTIES. VEHICLE IS DRIVEN MAJORITY OF TIME ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WHERE BRAKES ARE NOT NEEDED MUCH. IN ADDITION, WHEN TURNING A NOISE WAS HEARD/FELT IN STEERING WHEEL. G.M. DEALER SERVICE CENTER HAD TO REPLACE INNER STEERING SHAFT IN STEERING COLUMN? (THEIR DESCRIPTION) THIS WAS REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY. *LA

Steering 30,192 mi 2.0 yr in service

2002 MONTE CARLO SS WITH STEERING SAFETY PROBLEMS STEERING COLUMN REPLACED FRONT END REPLACED STILL UNSAFE AND IN SHOP. RECALL CENTER SHOWS NO RECALLS FOR STEERING COLUMN DEALER SAYS THERE IS AND THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF CRACKED FRAMES BUT THESE ARE JUST WHAT THEY CALLED "TECH BULLETINS FROM OTHER DEALER" THERE WAS ALSO A RECALL ON A COOLANT PROBLEM NOT LISTED. 1-160465811 CHEVY COMPLAINT NUMBER. *NLM

Steering 1,000 mi 2.9 yr in service

POP IN STEERING AND CLUNK WHEN TURNING AT LOW SPEED. DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED STEERING COLUMN, STEERING BOX, FRONT END AND ROTORS. HAVE SOLD THE VEHICLE TO INSURE THE SAFETY OF OUR FAMILY. *AK

Service brakes, hydraulic 11,200 mi 1.7 yr in service

MONTE CARLO SS 2002. CAR UNDER 12000 MILES NEEDED NEW BRAKE PADS, AND ROTORS RESURFACED. PREVIOUSLY HAD MALIBU 2000 THAT WAS BOUGHT BACK BY DEALER AFTER 2 YEARS OF ROTOR AND BRAKE PROBLEMS THAT CAUSED 2 CRASHES. WHEN IS SOMEBODY GOING TO LOOK AT THE DESIGN OF EQUIPMENT IN THESE VEHICLES TO SEE THERE IS A DEFECT. DEALERSHIP EVEN ADMITTED TO FLAW. *NLM

Other Monte Carlo model years

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.