Chevrolet Monte Carlo Steering Problems
Owners have filed 200 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the Chevrolet Monte Carlo across 15 model years. The 2001 model year has the most (38). The words owners use most often: “steering shaft” (13% of reports).
- 200steering complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 19mention a crash
- 11mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 19%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.
- Steering shaft: mentioned in 26 of 200 complaints (13%)
- Rack pinion: mentioned in 26 of 200 complaints (13%)
- Clunking noise: mentioned in 11 of 200 complaints (6%)
- Tie rod: mentioned in 11 of 200 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 113 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 200 complaints, 19 mention a crash, 4 a fire, 11 an injury.
Chevrolet Monte Carlo steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 Monte Carlo | 1 | 50% | 43,773 |
| 2008 Monte Carlo | 1 | 50% | — |
| 2007 Monte Carlo | 7 | 17% | 40,000 |
| 2006 Monte Carlo | 21 | 19% | 45,000 |
| 2005 Monte Carlo | 2 | 2% | 30,000 |
| 2004 Monte Carlo | 16 | 7% | 45,250 |
| 2003 Monte Carlo | 3 | 2% | 122,000 |
| 2002 Monte Carlo | 18 | 8% | 51,000 |
| 2001 Monte Carlo | 38 | 14% | 58,750 |
| 2000 Monte Carlo | 25 | 11% | 47,000 |
| 1999 Monte Carlo | 5 | 4% | 54,000 |
| 1998 Monte Carlo | 16 | 16% | 94,000 |
| 1997 Monte Carlo | 30 | 18% | 118,000 |
| 1996 Monte Carlo | 8 | 5% | 116,000 |
| 1995 Monte Carlo | 9 | 5% | 113,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Steering:rack and pinion
Model years: 1997, 1998
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles have lower pinion bearings in the power rack and pinion assembly in which the retainer tabs were not crimped properly. These retainers could fail and permit the ball bearings to escape.
Risk: If this occurs, the pinion shaft can be forced upward during left turns and back down as the steering wheel is moved back and to the right. If the pinion shaft moves further, the driver will need to exert more effort to turn the steering wheel, similar to a vehicle without power assisted steering. If the pinion shaft moves even further, the driver will require much higher effort to turn left and may not be able to turn the wheel as much as intended. With the maximum pinion shaft movement, which requires internal gear component damage, the driver can encounter high resistance to turning left, followed by unintended power assist to the right. In any of these conditions, a crash could occur.
Fix: Dealers will install a new lower pinion bearing unless inspect of the existing bearing indicates that replacement of the gear assembly is necessary. Owner notification began on february 5, 2004. Owners should contact buick at 1-866-608-8080; chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438; oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537; or pontiac at 1-800-620-7668.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I took my car into Freeland Chevrolet for the recall my car was running great,when i picked it up it was idling rough and smoking on my way home it was stalling out at every stop causing me to loose control of power steering and braking creating a safty haszard called them the next day and told…
Power steering high pressure line may fail prematurely of the 20,000-24,000 mile service replacement. Had to replace this multiple times and it's leaking again from the hose.
Owned since 2007, no recalls active, older recall replaced intermediate steering shaft, have same problem again! Also abs/traction control/speed sensors issue: humming,grinding,trac off lights,abs lights. Common issue with these cars yet no fix by g.m ??
While driving vehicle lost of steering happens then comes back. Almost causing accident especially while driving around turns.
Tl* the contact owned a 2001 chevrolet monte carlo. While driving 35 mph, another motorist informed the contact that flames were coming from the front of her vehicle. While pulling off the roadway the steering wheel locked and all power was lost. There were no warning indicators illuminated. Two…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Chevrolet Monte Carlos have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 200 owner complaints about steering for the Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Chevrolet Monte Carlo steering?
Yes: 1 safety recall list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about steering problems on the Chevrolet Monte Carlo?
The most frequent phrase is “steering shaft”, in 26 of 200 complaints, followed by “rack pinion” (26).
Other Chevrolet Monte Carlo problems
See all Chevrolet Monte Carlo problems.