Most common 1999 Chevrolet Monte Carlo problems
Share of the 125 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Monte Carlo complaints by model year
Best Monte Carlo years: 2007, 2003, 1998. Years to avoid: 2001. Compare all years →
1999 Chevrolet Monte Carlo recalls (3)
Engine and engine cooling › Exhaust system › Manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 1998-1999 Chevrolet Lumina and Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1997-2004 Buick Regal and Pontiac Grand Prix, 2000-2004 Chevrolet Impala, and 1998-2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles.
Remedy: The remedy applied under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 did not adequately remove the safety risk. Under the improved remedy, dealers will replace the engine's front valve cover and gasket.
Engine and engine cooling
General motors is recalling 1,497,516 my 1997-2003 Buick regal, my 1998-2003 Chevrolet lumina, monte carlo and impala, my 1998-1999 Oldsmobile intrigue, my 1997-2003 Pontiac grand prix vehicles equipped with a 3.8l v6 naturally aspirated engine.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the engine's front valve cover and front-valve-cover gasket with new parts of an improved design and remove the engine's plastic cover and plastic oil-fill-tube extension, free of charge.
Air bags › Frontal
On certain passenger, sport utility vehicles and Mini vans, some of these vehicles have a passenger air bag that was manufactured without a check valve pin. An air bag without the check valve pin could produce increased pressure at the onset of the air bag deployment and reduced pressure afterward.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the passenger air bag. Owner notification began December 16, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive…
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 1999 Chevrolet Monte Carlo:
Engine compartment fires
Ea02-030 is closed with gmea02-030 is closed with GM?s actions in 03v-473 and 04v-090 recalling approximately 529,000 my 1998-99 c- and h-body vehicles equipped with defective fuel pressure regulators.these vehicles were equipped with plastic intake manifolds that are unable to contain pressures that occur in some backfire events and defective fuel pressure regulators with leaking diaphragms that can provide a…
What 1999 Chevrolet Monte Carlo owners say
Brakes all 49 →
Left front wheel hub assembly failure, tie rod end & elec sensors on lh axle that help operate ABS (wheel speed sensors), torque converter slippage.: left front tire was not secure and wobbled during driving due to faulty hub assembly; ABS wheel speed sensor cracked causing ABS not to work properly; transmission slips out of overdrive under normal highway driving speeds when gearshift is in the "od" position; car starts off in what appears to be too high of a gear making it very sluggish to move-danger to pull into traffic with this. Local GM dealer mechanic stated he has reported the faulty wheel speed sensor problem to GM because many vehicles of this same model have had same problem for which the ABS control module had been replaced in error not solving the problem-vehicle makes "clicking" sound when applying brakes and causes headlights to dim and flash making it appear that I am …
ABS operated erratically. Firstcrash resulted when consumer attempted to stop while approaching a stop light traveling at approximately 35 to 40 MPH under cold/wet weather conditions, and brakes failed to engage. Vehicle rear ended another vehicle. Dealership examined vehicle at beginning of March, and found nothing wrong with ABS. On March 16th, 2001, under rainy/icy conditions, consumer was traveling at approximately 30 to 40 MPH when she tried to apply brakes. Brake pedal went to the floor, and braking system failed to engage. Vehicle went into a ditch, causing rear end of vehicle to swing around into ditch, and causing 3 tires to flatten, and $9000.00 of damage. Consumer has not been in possession of vehicle since second occurrence. Dealership has provided consumer with no information as to the cause of this defect. The brakes fail completely when it gets wet and cold.
Engine & cooling all 40 →
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal odor coming into the vehicle. In addition, the contact noticed smoke coming from the engine compartment. It was unknown if the vehicle was diagnosed or repaired. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15V701000 (engine and engine cooling) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 178,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. The contact stated that after turning the ignition key to start the engine, an explosion occurred under the hood. The contact discovered that during the incident the intake manifold and the top of the engine were severely damaged. The cause of the failure was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 148,551.
Electrical system
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. After refueling the vehicle, the contact noticed fuel leaking underneath the vehicle. In addition, the front driver and passenger side power windows and the air conditioner failed to function. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the fuel tank needed to be replaced and the air conditioning unit needed to be recharged. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure with the air conditioner recurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 80,000.
My car will not turn all the way off to be able to remove the keys from the ignition. I understand there is a recall on 2000 models and up. And there is a recall for the same issue on the 1999 lumina - but not on the Monte Carlo, given that the mc is so similar to the lumina, I think there has been a mistake not including the mc. It has happened on several different occasions and is getting worse. I believe the 1999 should be included in the recall also. Please let me know, thank you. If you are not the right people please point me in the right direction.
1999 Chevrolet Monte Carlo engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 26 / 21 |
| 3.8L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 27 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1999 Chevrolet Monte Carlo a good car?
Based on 125 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1999 Monte Carlo rates average: 24% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Monte Carlo at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1999 Chevrolet Monte Carlo?
The brakes — 49 complaints, 39% of all complaints for this model year, most often about antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. Next are the engine & cooling (40) and electrical system (10).
How many recalls does the 1999 Chevrolet Monte Carlo have?
There are 3 recalls for the 1999 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, the most recent from October 26, 2015 (manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet Monte Carlo?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2007, 2003 and 1998. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2001. See the full Chevrolet Monte Carlo years comparison.
At what mileage do 1999 Chevrolet Monte Carlo problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 80,000 miles; 18% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.