IllustrationHEAD GASKET FAILED, REPLACED
1995 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Monte Carlo years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 7 of 169 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 43 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
27 crash reports1 fire reports12 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
19 reportsSUSPENSION SYSTEMS EXPERIENCING CONTINUED NOISE, VIBRATION AND WANDERING, SEVERAL REPAIRS NECESSARY TO COMPLETE (REAR SPRINGS COIL, ALIGNMENT AND ADJUSTMENT TO TIRES), DUE TO SUSPENSION SYSTEM FAILURE. YH
INTERNAL LOSS OF COOLANT STARTED SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE. WHEN I DETERMINED THAT IT WAS AN ABNORMAL AMOUNT, THE WARRANTY WAS DONE. CAR IS PRESENTLY DOWN UNTIL I CAN AFFORD THE HEAD GASKETS REPLACEMENT AND POSSIBLY REPLACEMENT OF A CRACKED HEAD. UPON STATE INSPECTION, LEAKING REAR WHEEL CYLINDERS WERE DISCOVERED ON BOTH WHEELS.…
Read full complaint
INTERNAL LOSS OF COOLANT STARTED SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE. WHEN I DETERMINED THAT IT WAS AN ABNORMAL AMOUNT, THE WARRANTY WAS DONE. CAR IS PRESENTLY DOWN UNTIL I CAN AFFORD THE HEAD GASKETS REPLACEMENT AND POSSIBLY REPLACEMENT OF A CRACKED HEAD. UPON STATE INSPECTION, LEAKING REAR WHEEL CYLINDERS WERE DISCOVERED ON BOTH WHEELS. ALSO, BOTH REAR STRUTS WERE DETERMINED TO BE FAULTY. WHENEVER IT IS VERY COLD, THE ACCELERATOR LINKAGE STICKS AND I MUST SHIFT TO NEUTRAL TO STOP WITHOUT SLIDING. OCCASIONALLY THE ENGINE HAS RACED AT OVER 3000 RPM FOR SEVERAL MINUTES AFTER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL HAS BEEN RELEASED. THE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED TO SEVERAL OTHER PERSONS I KNOW WITH THE 3.1 ENGINE. FOUR DIFFERENT MECHANICS HAVE TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE ENGINES AFTER 30000 MILES. *AK
VEHICLE DOES NOT START UP/HESITATES WHETHER IT'S HOT OR COLD. DEALER REPLACED PCV VALVE /EGER VALVE, BUT PROBLEM CONTINUES. *AK
VEHICLE VIBRATES AT SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 70 MPH, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.
ENGINE NOISE 7 TIMES.
GAS LEAK, CAUSING FUMES TO ENTER VEHICLE'S PASSENGER COMPARTMENT.
ENGINE STALLS. *DSH
VEHICLE LURCHED BACKWARDS.
Official recalls
397V065000 · Seat Belts:front:anchorage
Apr 18, 1997
THE CENTER REAR SEAT BELT ANCHOR PLATE EXHIBITS STRESS CRACKS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE SEAT BELT SYSTEM CAN FRACTURE AND INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT CAN OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CENTER REAR SEAT BELT SYSTEM.
97V017000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:switch/wiring
Feb 11, 1997
SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE A STRAINED OR SEPARATED WASHER/WIPER SWITCH POWER FEED WIRE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN CAUSE THE WINDSHIELD WASHER/WIPER TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY AND COULD ULTIMATELY RESULT IN INOPERATIVE WIPERS. IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR IN A SEVERE WEATHER SITUATION, DRIVER VISIBILITY COULD BE REDUCED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE OLD DESIGNED WASHER/WIPER SWITCHES WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED SWITCH.
94V230000 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint
Nov 21, 1994
A RIGHT-HAND LOWER CONTROL ARM TAPERED BALL JOINT MOUNTING HOLE WAS INCORRECTLY MACHINED. MOVEMENT WITHIN THIS ATTACHMENT CAN ALLOW THE BALL JOINT STUD TO FATIGUE AND FRACTURE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE BALL JOINT FRACTURED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL TO THE VEHICLE CAN OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE RIGHT-HAND LOWER CONTROL ARM AND BALL JOINT STUD ON ALL INVOLVED VEHICLES.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1EA98019 · Degraded Braking Performance
Opened Aug 31, 1998 · Closed Dec 13, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
There is no summary currently available