2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 55 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, 24% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 97,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “ignition switch” (11% of reports).
- 55electrical system complaints
- 97,500median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 48%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Ignition switch: mentioned in 6 of 55 complaints (11%)
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 42 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 55 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 6 a fire, 1 an injury.
Chevrolet Monte Carlo electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 Monte Carlo | 1 | 50% | — |
| 2007 Monte Carlo | 17 | 40% | 85,000 |
| 2006 Monte Carlo | 29 | 26% | 80,000 |
| 2005 Monte Carlo | 87 | 73% | 69,500 |
| 2004 Monte Carlo | 151 | 66% | 55,000 |
| 2003 Monte Carlo | 49 | 31% | 99,000 |
| 2002 Monte Carlo | 55 | 24% | 97,500 |
| 2001 Monte Carlo | 77 | 28% | 86,137 |
| 2000 Monte Carlo | 45 | 19% | 117,700 |
| 1999 Monte Carlo | 10 | 8% | 82,500 |
| 1998 Monte Carlo | 10 | 10% | 106,000 |
| 1997 Monte Carlo | 17 | 10% | 92,000 |
| 1996 Monte Carlo | 41 | 26% | 120,852 |
| 1995 Monte Carlo | 11 | 7% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Electrical system:ignition
Problem: 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 these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.
Risk: 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.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 9, 2014. GM's number for this recall is 14350.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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.
Was going about 55-60 mph down the highway and my rpms started to drop and i let off gas and it just died. It cranks and turns over but will not fire
Passlock system; car will randomly (temperature based?) refuse to start due to poorly constructed passlock sensor. I keep my dash apart so i can poke at the contacts (corroded? Cheap tin plating) to hotwire my car when it locks out. Took 20 minutes to go see if my wife was ok at the er, thanks…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlos have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 55 owner complaints about electrical system for the 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo (24% of the 230 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo electrical system?
Yes: 1 safety recall list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do electrical system problems start?
The median reported mileage is 97,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo?
The most frequent phrase is “ignition switch”, in 6 of 55 complaints.
See all 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo problems or electrical system problems across all Monte Carlo years.