Total Complaints
7 filings
CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO · model year
1985 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO
7 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1985CHEVROLETMONTE CARLO carries 7 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1985 MONTE CARLO is tires:tread/belt with 1 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (1) and exterior lighting (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 1985 MONTE CARLO, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
7
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20160708STRUCTURE:BODY
AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE SPRAY PAINTED, I NOTICED A BURST-LIKE OPENING IN THE PILLAR NEXT TO THE WINDSHIELD. I RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE BUSINESS FOR REPAIR. HOWEVER, SOME MONTHS LATER THE BURST-LIKE OPENING REAPPEARED. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. IS THERE A PERMANENT FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM? THREE GAUGES HAVE STOPPED WORKING SUDDENLY. THIS OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET. THE GAS GAUGE IS PARTIALLY OPERABLE. PART OF A LEVER THAT WORKS WITH THE SEAT BELT, HAS BROKEN OFF. I FOUND IT TO BE BENT OUT OF SHAPE, THEN IT BROKE OF. THE VEHICLE BEING STATIONARY. THE REAR SEAT IS OUT OF PLACE AND STUCK.
Mileage: 65,000
20160708SEAT BELTS
AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE SPRAY PAINTED, I NOTICED A BURST-LIKE OPENING IN THE PILLAR NEXT TO THE WINDSHIELD. I RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE BUSINESS FOR REPAIR. HOWEVER, SOME MONTHS LATER THE BURST-LIKE OPENING REAPPEARED. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. IS THERE A PERMANENT FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM? THREE GAUGES HAVE STOPPED WORKING SUDDENLY. THIS OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET. THE GAS GAUGE IS PARTIALLY OPERABLE. PART OF A LEVER THAT WORKS WITH THE SEAT BELT, HAS BROKEN OFF. I FOUND IT TO BE BENT OUT OF SHAPE, THEN IT BROKE OF. THE VEHICLE BEING STATIONARY. THE REAR SEAT IS OUT OF PLACE AND STUCK.
Mileage: 65,000
20160708SEATS
AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE SPRAY PAINTED, I NOTICED A BURST-LIKE OPENING IN THE PILLAR NEXT TO THE WINDSHIELD. I RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE BUSINESS FOR REPAIR. HOWEVER, SOME MONTHS LATER THE BURST-LIKE OPENING REAPPEARED. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. IS THERE A PERMANENT FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM? THREE GAUGES HAVE STOPPED WORKING SUDDENLY. THIS OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET. THE GAS GAUGE IS PARTIALLY OPERABLE. PART OF A LEVER THAT WORKS WITH THE SEAT BELT, HAS BROKEN OFF. I FOUND IT TO BE BENT OUT OF SHAPE, THEN IT BROKE OF. THE VEHICLE BEING STATIONARY. THE REAR SEAT IS OUT OF PLACE AND STUCK.
Mileage: 65,000
20040212CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL WHILE EXITING THE TURNPIKE. THE BRAKE LIGHT ON THE DASH SUDDENLY ILLUMINATED AND THE BRAKES BECAME INOPERATIVE. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE STRUCK A MEDIAN BARRIER AT A TOLLBOOTH. TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THIS ACCIDENT THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE'S MASTER CYLINDER AND BRAKE LINES REPLACED (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). *PH *NM
20020225SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR AN INSPECTION AND WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THAT THE BRAKE LINE PROCEDURE THAT WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE WAS ILLEGAL, CONUSMER THEN CONTACTED THE BUSINESS THAT PERFORMED THE WORK AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PROCEDURE THEY USED WAS CALLED COMPRESSION FITTINGS WHICH WAS USED ALL THE TIME, ALSO THE MARKER LIGHTS WERE OUT.*JB
20020225EXTERIOR LIGHTING
CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR AN INSPECTION AND WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THAT THE BRAKE LINE PROCEDURE THAT WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE WAS ILLEGAL, CONUSMER THEN CONTACTED THE BUSINESS THAT PERFORMED THE WORK AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PROCEDURE THEY USED WAS CALLED COMPRESSION FITTINGS WHICH WAS USED ALL THE TIME, ALSO THE MARKER LIGHTS WERE OUT.*JB
20001024TIRES:TREAD/BELT
PE00-020; WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 30 MPH, RIGHT REAR TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, STILL WITH AIR IN IT, CONSUMER HEARD A FLAPPING NOISE, TIRE WAS A FIRESTONE FIREHAWK SS P215/65R15 DOT 15101AT340. *SLC
Compare 1985CHEVROLETMONTE CARLO to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 2 Open
EA25007Engineering AnalysisOpen
Loss of motive power due to engine failure
PE23022Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Loss of Motive Power due to the Battery Energy Control Module
PE20016Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Electric Vehicle Battery Fires
EA20002Engineering AnalysisClosed
Outboard Front Seat Belt Anchor Cable Failure
PE20011Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Fuel Line Leak
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1985 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO have?▼
The 1985 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO has 7 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1985 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO?▼
The most-complained component for the 1985 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO is TIRES:TREAD/BELT with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS and EXTERIOR LIGHTING.
Is the 1985 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.