1998 Chevrolet Monte Carlo: common problems

Owners of the 1998 Chevrolet Monte Carlo filed 100 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and steering. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 100
involving a crash: 13

What fails most often

1 Service brakes 24% of all complaints
2 Steering 16% of all complaints
3 Engine and cooling 14% of all complaints
4 Electrical system 10% of all complaints
5 Air bags 9% of all complaints
6 Fuel system 9% of all complaints
7 Engine 6% of all complaints
8 Seats 5% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Service brakes: 24 complaints (24% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Steering: 16 complaints (16% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine and cooling: 14 complaints (14% of all).
Electrical system: 10 complaints (10% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Air bags: 9 complaints (9% of all), 5 of them with a crash reported by the owner.

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 100 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

smoke, burning smell, fire10 · 10%
knocking, grinding or other noise7 · 7%
brake failure5 · 5%
rust, corrosion5 · 5%
windows, sunroof4 · 4%
airbags did not deploy3 · 3%
stalls while driving3 · 3%
steering or power steering problems3 · 3%
fuel system, fuel smell2 · 2%
hesitation when accelerating2 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Service brakes	24	4
Steering	16	1
Engine and cooling	14	0
Electrical system	10	1
Air bags	9	5
Fuel system	9	1
Engine	6	2
Seats	5	0
Visibility	5	0
Exterior lighting	4	0
Suspension	4	1
Vehicle speed control	4	1
Powertrain	3	0
Structure	3	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

Unbeknownst to her the car began smoking underneath, causing loss of control with neither steering nor braking capability. Other drivers, noticing the smoke, were attempting to notify her of the impending fire.
Steering · crash · 2016-12-26 · NHTSA complaint #10937463
Unbeknown to her the car began smoking underneath, causing loss of control with neither steering nor braking capability. Other drivers, noticing the smoke, were attempting to notify her of the impending fire. She was able to drive about another mile before losing control and crashing into a tree on my neighbor's yard.
Engine · crash · 2016-06-29 · NHTSA complaint #10881372
The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained severe head, chest, and neck injuries. A police report was filed. The dealer and manufacturer have not been contacted. The engine size was unknown. The current and failure mileages were 60,000.
Air bags · crash · 2007-05-23 · NHTSA complaint #10191557
The sudden acceleration caused the driver to loose control and crash into a tree on the roadside. The engine continued to rev, but the tree would not allow any additional forward motion. The ignition was turned off before placing the shifter into park. The driver was wearing a seatbelt and received no injuries.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2006-02-06 · NHTSA complaint #10149506
Consumer state as a result of highdroplained into a ditch at 40 mph vehicle air bags did not deploy. Please provide further information. Ph
Air bags · crash · 2002-12-09 · NHTSA complaint #8023970
Brakes failed at 25 mph causing consumer to rearend another vehicle. Damage to vehicle was $2100. Vehicle had been taken to dealer numerous times in past, beginning in august of 2000. Dealer replaced calipers/pads, and turned rotors. Dealer said there was nothing wrong with brakes. Also, neither airbag deployed.
Service brakes · crash · 2001-02-13 · NHTSA complaint #880488
While driving approximately 45 mph, vehicle had direct frontal impact, and driver's/passenger's airbags did not deploy, failing to protect occupant in this crash. No prior problems with airbag system. Please provide further information.
Air bags · crash · 1999-06-30 · NHTSA complaint #841506
1998 chevrolet monte carlo. Consumer writes in regards to his disapproval of exhaust manifold recall notice removal of the engine plastic "beauty" cover. The consumer was advised the recall included removing the beauty cover.
Engine · 2017-10-10 · NHTSA complaint #10913415

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

19987
199919
200014
20013
200210
200311
200415
20051
20062
20073
20081
20091
20102
20111
20132
20143
20152
20163
20171

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 3,569 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 10% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Monte Carlo has 83 complaints (26 years in the data). This year has 100, above average.

What to check before buying

Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1998 Chevrolet Monte Carlo?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, steering, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 100. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (10%), knocking, grinding or other noise (7%), brake failure (5%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 Chevrolet Monte Carlo?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 1998 Chevrolet Monte Carlo from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 1998 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.