1997 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO Electrical System Problems

MY 97 CHEVY MONTE CARLO HAS HAD NO LOWER BRAKE LIGHTS FOR SOME TIME . I HAD MY CAR CHECKED BY AN AUTO ELECTRICIAN AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS SO SEVERE AND IT WOULD PROBABLY NEVER FIND THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. I AM VERY CONCERNED WITH THIS ISSUE BEING IT MAY CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY TO MY SELF/FAMILY OR OTHERS. AS I DRIVE ON THE ROAD I NOTICE MANY AUTOS OF THE SAME YEAR AND TYPE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM SO I KNOW ITS NOT ONLY MY VEHICLE .I THOUGHT IT COULD OF BEEN THE FACTORY INSTALLED SECURITY SYSTEM SO I HAD IT UNINSTALLED TO COME TO THE FACT THAT IT WAS NOT THE SECURITY SYSTEM AFTER ALL. PLEASE HELP WITH THIS ISSUE . THIS IS MY ONLY SOURCE OF TRANSPORTATION AS I AM DISABLED AND CANNOT AFFORD ANOTHER VEHICLE . I HAVE PUT CONSTANT REPAIRS ON THIS CAR , FUEL INJ TANK, ETC. AGAIN PLEASE ADDRESS THIS URGENT ISSUE. *TR

THIS IS MY SECOND GM VEHICLE WITH THE SAME MALFUNCTION. FIRST, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT TURN ON. THEN THE RIGHT BLINKER WOULD NOT WORK (STAYS SOLID, DOESN'T FLASH). THEN THERE WAS A SMALL FIRE ACCOMPANIED BY A LOT OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THIS IS A 1997 CHEVY MONTE CARLO. THE OTHER CAR I HAD WITH THE SAME MALFUNCTION WAS A 1995 CHEVY BERETTA. ALL REPAIRS ARE COSTLY. *JB

Mileage: 120,000

WHILE DRIVING MY CAR HOME ONE EVENING IT WAS IDLING HIGH AND AND EVERYTHING ELECTRICAL WAS ACTING LIKE IT WAS SHORT CIRCUTING AND THEN MY CAR DIED. THANK GOODNESS THAT NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME BECAUSE OF COURSE THE POWER STEERING THE FAILED AND THERE WAS A SOUND OF METAL AGAINST METAL. MY FATHER AND I THEN CHANGED THE ALTERNATOR THINKING THAT THAT MIGHT FIX THE PROBLEM. IT DIDN'T AND THE CAR HAS HAD THE PROBLEM MULTIPLE TIMES. NOW I AM UNABLE TO DRIVE IT FOR THE FEAR OF THIS HAPPENING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC OR OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE AND ME BE STUCK THERE. THE PROBLEM IS NOT A FAULTY ALTERNATOR SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY CLUE AS TO WHAT THE PROBLEM MIGHT BE. *AK

Mileage: 92,000

DOOR AND ELECTRICAL WINDOW . MY POWER WINDOW'S WILL NOT GO UP OR DOWN. THE CONTROL BUTTON WILL NOT EVEN MOVE. I SOMETIMES HAVE TO LIFT MY PASSENGER DOOR TO CLOSE IT. I ALSO HAVE PAINT CHIPPING OFF OF MY WIPER ASSEMBLY AND THE BODY OF MY CAR. *JB

Mileage: 75,000

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING ENGINE LOSES POWER, AND ABS BRAKING SYSTEM BECOMES INOPERABLE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTATCED. RESULTS FROM COMPLETE DIAGNOSTIC WORK-UP WHERE THAT VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING THESE PROBLEMS DUE TO A LOW BATTERY CELL. CONSUMER REPLACED BATTERY, AND I WAS EXPERIENCING SAME PROBLEMS AS BEFORE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHUR DETAILS.*AK

FIRST, THE A/C WENT OUT. AS I WAS DRIVING THE CAR IN FOR MAINTENANCE, SUDDENLY, WHILE DRIVING, ALL THE POWER WENT OUT. FORTUNATELY, NO OTHER CARS WERE ON THE ROAD, AND I WAS NOT TRAVELING VERY FAST. MY CAR BEGAN TO SLOW, BUT I WAS ABLE TO TURN INTO A PARKING LOT. AS I PULLED INTO A SPACE, I TRIED TO STEP ON MY BRAKES, BUT THEY DIDN'T WORK. IT TURNS OUT THAT MY ALTERNATOR WAS OUT, SO I DIDN'T HAVE ANY POWER. BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THERE SHOULD BE A BACK-UP SYSTEM FOR THE BRAKES, SO THAT THEY WOULD STILL WORK IN THIS SITUATION (OR IN A MORE DANGEROUS SITUATION, E.G., IF I HAD BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY). THE PARKING BRAKE IS A BACK-UP OF SORTS, BUT, REALLY, I DON'T BELIEVE THE BRAKES SHOULD FAIL WHEN THE POWER GOES OUT.*AK

CAR STARTS HARD AND IDLES ROUGH. CHECK ENGINE CHECK LIGHT REMAINS ON. REPLACED PARTS WERE SPARK PLUGS. SPARK PLUG WIRES AND FUEL INJECTORS. *AK

PROBLEM 1--AN IGINITION WIRE SHORTED OUT WITHIN A YEAR OF PURCHASE AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. AT THAT TIME, DEALERSHIP SERVICE INFORMED ME THERE WAS A TECHNICAL BULLETIN ON THIS PART BUT DEALERSHIP COULD ONLY REPLACE ONE WIRE AT TIME. WITHIN THREE WEEKS, ANOTHER WIRE SHORTED OUT. THIS TIME THE ENTIRE SET OF IGINITION WIRES WERE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. AT 38500 MILES ANOTHER IGINITION WIRE FROM THE NEW SET SHORTED OUT AND WAS REPLACED. TWO WEEKS LATER, AT 38900 MILES ANOTHER IGINITION WIRE IS SHORTED OUT. DEALERSHIP NOW CLAIMS THERE ARE NO TECHNICAL BULLETINS ON THIS PART---ESPECIALLY SINCE THE WARRANTY IS OUT. IGINITION WIRES ARE NOT AVAILABLE AFTER MARKET. PROBLEM 2. ALTERNATOR BURNED UP AT 38775 MILES. I WAS INFORMED THAT SINCE IT WAS PLACED ON THE BOTTOM SIDE OF THE ENGINE WHEN THIS VEHICLE WAS DESIGNER, IT IS COMMON FOR THIS PART TO BURN OUT DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT. IT WOULD SEEM THIS WAS INTENTIONALLY DESIGNED THIS WAY.

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FAILURE OF THE MANUFACTURER RECALL COMPONENT PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE, REIMBURSEMENT IS NOT SUFFICIENT FOR WORK COMPLETED, DENIED FULL REIMBURSEMENT (C99021)SPARK PLUGS AND WIRING.

PROBLEM HAS ALWAYS BEEN ROUGH IDLE OR NOT STARTING.IN THE CASE OF THE FUEL PUMP ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WAS NOT ON AND WE WERE TOLD THERE COULD NOT BE ANYTHING WRONG.BROKE DOWN ON WAY HOME.HAD SPARK PLUG WIRES/ ALTENATOR AND.FUELPUMP REPLACED.SPARKPLUGS HAVE ONLY BEEN CLEANED. *AK

PROBLEM HAS ALWAYS BEEN ROUGH IDLE OR NOT STARTING.IN THE CASE OF THE FUEL PUMP ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WAS NOT ON AND WE WERE TOLD THERE COULD NOT BE ANYTHING WRONG.BROKE DOWN ON WAY HOME.HAD SPARK PLUG WIRES/ ALTENATOR AND.FUELPUMP REPLACED.SPARKPLUGS HAVE ONLY BEEN CLEANED. *AK

SPARK PLUG WIRES FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE. MJS

FOURTH ALTERNATOR IN 18 MONTHS. REPAIRS WERE UNDER WARRANTY, BUT SOMETHING IS WRONG HERE. THE DEALERSHIP BLAMES THE FAILURE ON LIGHT WIEGHT, LESS DURABLE COMPONENTS USED TO MAKE THE ALTERNATORS. HOWEVER, THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS NOT A COMMON FAILURE FOR MONTE CARLOS. THEY SAY THAT I HAVE JUST HAD A STRING A "BACK LUCK WITH ALTERNATORS".

I HAVE HAD THIS CAR SINCE NOVEMBER OF 1998. WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR, I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM BECAUSE THE BRAKES "FELT FUNNY" AND THERE WAS A CONSTANT "SQUEAKING" WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. ALSO STOPPING DISTANCES WERE INCREASED WITH WET PAVEMENT. THEY REPORTED THAT MY ROTORS WERE WARPED. THEY RESURFACED THE ROTORS. I THEN WENT BACK BECAUSE THE BRAKES WERE STILL "NOT RIGHT" . THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM AND I THEN WENT TO BOB MCDORMAN CHEVROLET. THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM EITHER.

I TOOK MY CAR TO BOB MCDORMAN CHEVROLET IN JANUARY (VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY) ABOUT SEVERAL CONCERNS I HAD. ONE CONCERN I POINTED OUT WAS THAT MY CAR "CRANKED" A LONG TIME TO START. I ALSO HAD THEM REPAIR MY DRIVER SEAT BELT, THAT WOULD NOT CONTRACT, HAD THEM CHECK MY BRAKES BECAUSE THEY WERE TAKING LONGER TO STOP ON WET PAVEMENT AND THEY WERE SQUEAKING. WELL, NEEDLESS TO SAY, NOTHING WAS FOUND TO BE WRONG WITH ANYTHING EXCEPT MY SEAT BELT. I ALSO REPORTED THAT THERE WAS A TICKING SOUND IN THE MORNING WHEN I STARTED THE CAR. THEY TOLD ME SOME TICKING IS NORMAL ON A COLD START. ON 03-29-99 I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN BECAUSE THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT KEPT FLASHING AND STAYING ON, THE IDLE WAS VERY ROUGH, CAR WAS MISSING TERRIBLY, SULFUR SMELL WAS PRESENT. BOB MCDORMAN CHEVROLET REPLACED THREE PLUGS AND WIRES. I TOOK MY CAR BACK ON 4-14-99 BECAUSE THE CAR WAS "RUNNING ROUGH" AGAIN. BOB MCDORMAN CHEVROLET REPLACED THE OTHER THREE SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES. ON JULY 26, 1999 I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY @ APPROXIMATELY 65MPH. I LOST ALL POWER AND MY CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. I CALLED CHEVY ON 07-27-99. I WAS TOLD TO TAKE THE CAR INTO A DEALER AND THEY "MAY" ASSIST WITH REIMBURSEMENT BUT COULD NOT GUARANTEE IT. I CALLED SEVERAL CHEVROLET DEALERS BUT COULD NOT GET MY CAR IN FOR A WEEK. BOB MCDORMAN WAS CALLED AND I SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER (STEVE ALEXANDER). HE TOLD ME THAT THEY COULDNOT GO BACK ON THE WARRANTY BECAUSE THIS WAS A NEW PROBLEM. I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT MY CAR WAS RUNNING ROUGH ALL ALONG LIKE BEFORE IN "SPURTS" AND I FELT THE WARRANTY SHOULD COVER WHAT I HAD IT IN FOR BEFORE. TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, I TOOK MY CAR TO A GARAGE, THEY SAID IT WAS THE ALTERNATER ($453.16). NOW, IN THE BEGINNING OF SEPTEMBER, MY CAR MISSES AFTER IT IS STARTED AND STILL IDLING ROUGH. TOOK IT BACK TO THE GARAGE AND WAS TOLD IT IS NOW MY FUEL PUMP. I CONTACTED

EXPOSED WIRING TO THE STARTER MOTOR CAN BE EASILY CONTACTED WHEN CHANGING THE OIL FILTER WITH A METAL TYPE WRENCH. THIS SITUATION CAUSES A SHORT BETWEEN THE STARTER MOTOR WIRING AND THE WRENCH. A COVER FOR THE STARTER MOTOR WIRING HARNESS WOULD PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING. BOTH PERSONAL INJURY AND MECHANICAL DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE ARE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS TO ANYONE PERFORMING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE TO THESE VEHICLES. *AK

SPARK PLUG WIRES HAVE FAILED 3 TIMES IN THE LAST 4 MONTHS. GM HAS PUT TO SMALL A GAGE SPARK PLUG WIRE. SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST 8MM SIZE WIRE.

WHEN DRIVING THERE IS A SHORT CIRCUIT, CAUSING THE HEADLIGHTS/INTERIOR LIGHTS/DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHTS AND INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS TO TURN OFF FOR A LONG PERIOD. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS REPLACED THECIRCUIT BREAKER. *AK