Your vehicle report
1996 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 155
- Received Nov 1995 to Nov 2014
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up15 complaints · 9.7% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Engine suddenly shuts off while driving13 complaints · 8.4% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines8 complaints · 5.2% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #96V122000These vehicles were assembled with one of the four brake booster tabs not properly located in the front of dash reinforcement assembly.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 14 crashes, 1 fire, 10 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 14 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
- Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up
- Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines
- Front brake rotors warp and wear early
1 more problem
Electrical & lights
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Body, doors & glass
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 1 |
| 1996 | 19 |
| 1997 | 25 |
| 1998 | 27 |
| 1999 | 21 |
| 2000 | 21 |
| 2001 | 12 |
| 2002 | 4 |
| 2003 | 10 |
| 2004 | 5 |
| 2005 | 3 |
| 2006 | 3 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 155 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 15 | 9.7% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 13 | 8.4% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 8 | 5.2% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 7 | 4.5% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 7 | 4.5% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 7 | 4.5% | – | |
| Fuel pump fails and engine stalls | 6 | 3.9% | – | |
| Plastic intake manifold cracks and leaks coolant | 6 | 3.9% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 5 | 3.2% | – | |
| Spark plugs blow out of cylinder head | 5 | 3.2% | – | |
| Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly | 5 | 3.2% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 4 | 2.6% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 4 | 2.6% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 3 | 1.9% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #96V122000July 1, 19963,591 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: power assist: vacuum
These vehicles were assembled with one of the four brake booster tabs not properly located in the front of dash reinforcement assembly.
If this condition were present in a situation where stopping distances were small, a vehicle crash could occur.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect for proper booster installation. Boosters found to be improperly located will be removed and reinstalled properly.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1996 Chevrolet Monte Carlo.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN