Problems with 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Speedometer went haywire back in feb 2008. would read many mph higher than current speed. would read 30-40mph at idle or when shut off. took car to chevy dealer. they testing it and found nothing wrong but was told it would be $500 to replace if it happens again. it worked fine until today when the problem returned. did some research online and found many 2004 chevy owners (monte carlo's and impala's) with same problem. gm does not appear to want to do anything. research asked anyone with similar problem to report to gm and nhtsa. *tr

Car would not start due to passlock sensor. the security light blinked for 10 to 40 mins at a time and would not allow car to start. it has made me late to work, church, daycare, etc. it is still happening up to today's date which is may 19, 2012. *tr

Have had the car since feb-14-08. repeatedly the message center battery light comes on, for ten minutes or longer. then all the gauges in cluster drop as if car is off including cruise control, seat belt light and chime. having traveled from ny to ga i was concerned i'd be stranded. contacted onstar diagnostics en route and was told they didn't detect a problem. 29,000 miles on it, believe factory warranty is still active and will take it in asap. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet monte carlo. while driving approximately 45 mph on normal road conditions, the speedometer displayed inaccurate readings. there were no warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. the vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop and they stated that the failure was related to the instrument panel cluster. the vehicle was repaired. the contact was concerned of the safety risk involved. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 50,000 and current mileage was 60,000. updated 12/15/08. *lj updated 12/15/08. *jb

For several months now my gauges my 2004 chevrolet monte carlo have not worked..it started off with the speedometer not working all the time.. now it doesn't work at all. the rpms gauge doesn't work either. tonight my gas gauge stopped working. i have discovered now that alot of people with this vehicle has the same problem. its will cost me several hundred dollars to have this fixed. if so many people have had this problem a recall or something should be issued.. *tr

2004 chevrolet monte carlo ls, 43330 miles, complete failure of speedometer and tachometer in the automobile's dashboard instrument cluster. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet monte carlo. the contact stated that all the gauges on the instrumental panel displayed inaccurate readings. he is unable to determine how fast he is driving. the vehicle has not been taken to the dealer. the current and failure mileages were 36,000.

I started my car and realized the fuel gauge was buried all to the right. then when driving the car my speedometer was giving false readings. when i'm stopped it displays 50 mpg. now all the gauges are either erratic or not working at all. *tr

Hi there, i bought a 2004 chevy monte carlo from carmax in october 2007. all was functioning fine until i noticed about a week ago, february 7, 2008, that the rpm was registering as very high on the tachometer, almost into the red area, around 5500 and higher. panicking, i took it to a meineke car repair place, where they told me nothing was wrong with the car engine etc., and that it was the gauge itself that was messed up. they suggested i check recalls. i found no recalls on tachometers for 2004 chevy monte carlos. i thought i'd wait and check around for prices, but this morning, february 12, 2008, on my way in to work, my speedometer started showing 30mph, when i knew i was going at least 70mph. i've checked for recalls on speedometers, and i see none. the tachometer was bad enough, but i cannot drive properly without a functioning speedometer, and from checking online, it looks like other monte carlo drivers are having the same problem. i love my car, but this is a problem. please recall the affected part (instrument panel/cluster). thank you, eulena jonsson *tr

No recent work leading up to the problem has been done to the vehicle. the vehicles speedometer reads erratic speeds while driving. sometimes it will stop while braking and pick up again immediately upon acceleration. thus showing a higher speed than actual. most of the time it will stop while accelerating and either stay immobile or will pick up eventually showing a lower than actual speed indication. i have read about this same complaint on multiple forums, on a variety of gm vehicles. nothing has been done to correct this issue. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet monte carlo. the contact noticed that none of the instrument panel gauges were working properly. in addition, the speedometer did not display the correct speed. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that the entire instrument panel needed to be replaced. the current mileage was 76,000 and failure mileage was 45,000.

I have a 2004 monte carlo ss that i bought brand new in 2004. i have about 38,000 miles on it and my volt gauge, gas gauge and my speedometer are not working properly, speedometer shows wrong speed and sometimes doesn't work at all. gas and volt gauges are pointing straight down all the time. this problem started around january. i searched around on the internet and found out that i could leave a complaint here with your agency. *tr

I have been experiencing problems with the gauges in my instrument panel not functioning correctly and getting stuck and not resetting themselves when the vehicle is turned off. currently 4 out of the 6 gauges within the cluster have failed. upon researching this issue there has been a realization of how common this problem is. there has been a recall on gm models for this issue involving the same parts, but nothing for the monte carlo. i have contacted gm about this issue on 11/11/10 and have not yet received a response. *tr

My gas gauge stopped working first, still not working. now my speedometer only works sometimes not real sure if its correct when it does work i received a speeding ticket when i did not realize i was speeding. *tr

I have had the car since 3/05 brand new off the show room floor, currently have about 38k miles on the vehicle -since i have owned the vehicle more than 20 times while driving all of the lights will come on the dashboard and the seatbelt light will chime --then the battery light will remain on for approx 15 to 20 minutes-have had the vehicle on for service numerous times and they have replaced module after module -cannot diagnose problem. on at least 5 occasions while driving at highway speeds of 50mph or more the vehicle will just turn off and everything will lock up. vehicle will restart right away but there is no warning that the vehicle is about to stall or turn off --had in for service numerous times -have been assured that the problem is fixed and then it will happen all over again. this vehicle is a hazard to be on the road -as chevrolet truly has no idea what is causing the problem, they believed the problem was due to the remote start in the vehicle -they replaced that numerous times and finally removed all together and the problem still exists. there is no telling when the car will shut off it will be fine for days and the problem will resurface. last incident date was 3/27/09 -problem started in 2007. *tr

I purchase a 2004 monte carlo ls in oct. of 2007. the instrument cluster worked ok until 3 months after i had the car. now the tach is never where its supposed to be. sometimes it will jump past the red zone on its own. i have some other friends that have a 2004 impala that is showing the same issues, with the tach and speedometer. this seems like a major safety issue and needs to be addressed. i have read many forums online describing this same issue. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet monte carlo. while driving at any speed, the speedometer dial would remain at 0 mph. when the vehicle is turned off and restarted, the speedometer dial would move 5 mph each additional time. the vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. the current mileage was 108,000 and failure mileage was 75,000.

My speedometer is erratic. at times it reads 140 mph at a complete stop or 80 mph when i think i'm doing 30 mph. there is no way to tell how fast i'm actually going. *tr

Instrument cluster. more specifically the odometer and temp gauge just get stuck and go all over the place while driving. the odometer will read 50 mph when going much faster ad the more you slow down the lower it reads finally when you stop the needle reads well below 0 then when you start moving again you can be at 40-45 mph and it reads 10mph or less. *tr

Faulty speedometer. does not read accurate speed the majority of the time. not sure if odometer is affected also, but i do know that there is a present problem gm has admitted to which affects their trucks and suvs in the same year. special policy for replacement/repair is being offered to owners of those vehicles. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet monte carlo. the contact stated that the speedometer would go to 30 mph when the vehicle was turned off. when the vehicle was turned on, the speedometer would read 35 mph even though he was driving 65 mph. the failure has been occurring for a year and the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the contact stated that this was a safety issue because the vehicle travels at speeds that are not within regulation and could lead to speeding tickets and crashes. the current mileage was 39,000 and failure mileage was 33,000.

Instrument cluster stopped working on my 2004 chevrolet monte carlo ss. temp gauge and speedometer have both stopped working. speedometer says i'm doing 110 mph all the time, even with car shut off. my friend had the same thing happen to her 2005 monte carlo and had it replaced under warranty. my car started as soon as the warranty ended. i have heard several complaints from other 2004 and 2005 monte carlo owners for the same exact problem. i did contact chevrolet about my issue. they said i will have to pay close to $1000 to have the cluster replaced, which i can't afford as i am a single mother just barely getting by. they also said that they will not recall a vehicle unless they have a bunch of complaints from the same area. i think this should be a safety recall beings it is a major safety issue due to not knowing how fast i am going or if my car is ready to overheat. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet monte carlo. the speedometer never displays the correct speed. the vehicle has not been taken to a dealer for inspection. the current mileage was 83,000 and failure mileage was 76,000. updated 04/16/08 *tr

Speedometer needle is not showing correct speed. it will show 10 mph when vehicle is maintaining identical speed of other vehicles on a freeway . it will show 120 mph when vehicle is stopped. the needle will point directly downward at any given time. *tr

I have a 2004 monte carlo ss, at about 55,000 miles the speedometer starting acting unreliable. sometimes i registers 30 mph when i am at 70, other times it will stick at 71 mph when i am at zero. it occurs randomly with different behaviors, is unreliable. i called the local gm dealer and they mention it is a problem with the instrument cluster. this is a safety issue and other gm vehicles i am told had recalls for this same issue. not being able to reliably know the speed in all situations is a risk to the operators. *tr

Instrument panel malfunctions. tach, gas gauge, and speedometer. only work intermittently. sometimes i look at speedometer and it says 70 mph when i am doing 25 mph and sometimes it says 25mph when i am doing 70 mph. started at about 50k miles. chevy did recall on trucks of this year for the same issue but did not include monte carlo's. replacement cost can run anywhere from 600 to 2000 dollars. money i do not have at present. filing complaint to add to other complaints. if enough complain then maybe chevy will do something.. one of those things you expect never to go wrong......... *tr

Instrument cluster inoperative. speedometer says you are doing 110 mph when car is shut off and in park. temperature gauge does not register. always reads cold. tachometer barely works. all gauges give a false reading. contacted gm about the problem and they said it is not a safety concern so it will not be recalled. quoted over $500 to replace the instrument cluster. driver message center pops up random warnings, like check air pressure when air pressure is fine. not sure how this does not classify as a safety concern when you have no clue how fast you are going, if the car is going to overheat, if the oil pressure is too high or low, or if the super charger boost is correct. gm needs to recall these cars and fix it before someone gets seriously injured!!!!! *jb

Speedometer failure; driving down road, speedometer went to zero. driving freeway, speedometer suddenly went backwards past zero. driving down road, speedometer went from 35 to 60 to 120. each time would not work again until car sat parked and restarted. even in park with car off at times speedometer was still reading either zero or 120. took to dealer, had to pull out dash and send it out for repair overnight, fixed for $438.88. (car has 60,000 miles). *tr

Speedometer in 2004 monte carlo began behaving erratically about 10k miles ago. now it has affected the other gauges. the speedometer reads anywhere from 60 to 120 at a standstill. rpm gauge is maxed. this seems to be a common problem with gm ic's and i am wondering why there is no recall notice. at this time i can not afford to have it fixed or be without it for 3 days. *tr

To the best of my knowledge, any time the wipers, lights, rear-defrost, or when its just cold out, the instrument cluster stops functioning. notably the speedometer will go up with speed, but not go back down. this also applies to the oil pressure, temperature, fuel and rpm gauges. this defect makes it so i have no idea what speed i am traveling and can be a risk to hazardous road conditions. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet monte carlo. while decelerating from 45 mph, the brakes failed. the contact lost control of the vehicle and struck a guard rail. there were no injuries. the dealer cleaned the rotors and brakes; however, the vehicle continued to hesitate when attempting to stop. the manufacturer stated that the dealer should diagnose the failure. the current mileage was 31,498 and failure mileage was 9,000. updated 02-19-08 *bf the consumer stated they did not hit the guard rail, there were limited brakes the vehicle pulled to the right. the consumer further stated this is the second incident and the remedy for the dealer is to machine the rotors, however the defect persists and pedal pulsates. the consumer stated after vehicle starts the starter stays engaged and a/c is inoperable. updated 02/14/08 *tr

Dangerous gm speedometer defect the electronic speedometer on 2004 chevrolet monte carlo periodically begins to display incorrect information. this can be either reflecting a lower than actual speed or a higher than actual speed. this results in either driving at an unsafe speed for the road and/or conditions or the presenting an obstacle to other drivers by maintainga lower speed than the general traffic. although this has not resulted in an accident on our vehicle, i have noted many other owners identifying this issue on various chat rooms and customer forums on the internet. from what i have seen on the internet this issue is not limited to the 2004 chevy monte carlo, other makes of gm vehicles (cars and trucks) manufactured before and after this year have shown the same defect we have contacted the gm dealer and were told they are not responsible for correcting this problem and we would have to pay to replace the entire dashboard to correct the issue. we purchased this vehicle new and the problem surfaced shortly after reaching 36000 miles (warranty period). given the recent publicity regarding toyota's problems i think it would be well served to identify and correct this issue before it becomes as serious. this error occurs almost daily without warning. while you are driving the speedometer appears to work normally and at some point it will stop working, the only way to detect is to accelerate sharply or apply the brakes sharply while noting if the speedometer reflects the change in speed. this approach may work well for an experienced driver but a very young driver or an elderly driver may note realize the speedometer is not accurate and result in a accident. *tr

The 2004 monte carlo speedometer erratic, indicating going 30-12 mph, even though i stopped/ or drove at or near the speed limit on interstate 55 mph and it read 45 mph. i could drive 30 mph, and it read 110 mph. dealer wanted $500.00 to fix. i hope gm recall soon. i heard that gm trucks and suv had this problem. *ak

Speedometer fails to register the correct miles per hour and doesn't even work most of the time. i have had it checked at a certified garage. *tr

My speedometer began to act erratically last winter, just after my warranty expired. i didn't realize it until i was pulled over for going 20 miles over the limit, with my cruise control on. i didn't receive a ticket, but was late for an important appointment. when i called my chevy dealer, they claimed they had never heard of this and would have to replace the entire panel. this occurs more in very cold or rainy conditions. i have not had it corrected yet.

All dash gauges have failed (one at a time) including speedometer (which was the last gauge to fail on 7-21-08). trunk release (electronic) failed. have been told the only way to get dash cluster repaired is through a dealer. dealer refuses to sell necessary part to a certified mechanic. *tr

My speedometer is erratic. it will show incorrect speeds. i have had this replaced once by the dealer while the car was under warranty but it is no longer covered. i have read on the internet that this is a common problem with chevrolet products. i believe someone should force chevrolet to recall these cars since the instruments in the clusters cannot be depended on to be accurate. *tr

My speedometer and gas gage on my 2004 chevrolet monte carlo are erratic in their readings. sometimes it will read 100mph while i am not moving, and sometimes it will read 0mph when i am going at least 65mph. i have not had any consequences (speeding tickets or accidents)due to this failure, but it is inconvenient and surely will cause problems in the future. *tr

The speedomter and rpm gauges work irratically, and are not accurate. there were no signs that this was starting it just one day started for no apparent reason. i have spoken to serveral owners of the 2004 chevrolet monte carlo's in my area, and all have the same problems. chevrolet needs to recall these dash clusters. *nm

Display panel aka control center failure. inoperative speedometer and tachometer. occasionally errant fuel gauge. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet monte carlo. when the vehicle is traveling one speed, the speedometer displays another speed. the failure occurred on several occasions. the vehicle has not yet been taken to a dealer. the current mileage was 67,937 and failure mileage was 30,000. updated 04/16/08. *lj

2004 chevrolet monte carlo gauge cluster is erratic and does not work properly i did receive a recall for my 2004 chevy silverado for the same problem but am not having any problems with that vehicle dealership told me they should have a recall on all 2004 models as they are all made at the same manufacturer. *tr

At approximately 45,000 miles the speedometer quit reading correctly. next the tachometer went haywire. now the temp gauge has quit. *tr

I have a 2004 chevy monte carlo. the speedometer went out last fall. not completely right away, just off by 8-15 miles per hour. i was stopped by a police officer who said that i was speeding. i had the cruise set for 57 miles per hour. he said that i was going 73 miles per hour. no way! since the beginning of december it completely quit. i have had the speed sensor replaced, that lasted all of three hours. is there anything that i can do? this is not a cheap fix. *jb

Every gauge on my instrument panel of a 2004 chevrolet monte carlo are inoperable. this has been ongoing for years, with each gauge failing. dealers, of course, are completely aware that the problem is rampant in monte carlos over a 5-6 year production period and are charging approximately $600 or more to repair. after reading many posts on internet sites and talking to owners and dealers, this is a problem that should result in a recall. don't have $600 or more to repair so i have resorted to using a gift card and purchasing a gps for $50 so i can at least see my speed as i'm driving. *tr

Speedometer started registering incorrect speed, then worked sporadically and sometimes not at all. car was taken to the dealership to have it looked at. they determined that the whole instrument panel console needed to be replaced (not just the speedometer). the dealership sent the old instrument panel to the parts supplier and received a new instrument panel, then installed it. they speculated that it might have been because of a bad ground in the system. unsure whether or not old part is available. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 40 mph,the vehicle lost power without warning. no dash panel lights illuminated to indicate a failure. the engine was easily restarted, but the vehicle was taken to a dealer for inspection. a diagnostic test was performed which indicated the fuel relay connector hose was loose. although this was repaired, the problem persisted. the vehicle is currently at the dealership awaiting further inspection. updated on 05/16/2006. the brakes pulsated while braking. the dealer replaced the rotors because the were pitted and warped. they also replaced the rear brakes. *ak *nm

My 2004 chevy monte carlo dash board just stop working gm did nothing to fix this problem i am still driving without any dash board instruments and they wonder why americans buy hondas this is the last chevy for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *tr

Warped dashboard in my 2004 monte carlo, radio face also gets blistering hot, trunk lid open appears all the time on dash, too k to dealer, trunk lid fixed new dash installed 3 days later dash warped worse than before and both side pillars now cracked, brakes still noisy and pedal to the floor, dealer states normal. scheduling for my second dashboard, and still no answers on why you cant touch the radio. *nm

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet monte carlo. while driving approximately 55 mph, the vehicle suddenly shut off. as a result, the driver lost control and crashed into the rear of a second vehicle. the contact suffered a head injury that required medical attention. the vehicle was completely destroyed. a police report was filed. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. in june of 2015, a recall notice for nhtsa campaign number: 14v400000(electrical system) was received. the contact stated that the vehicle experienced the same failure listed in the recall. the failure mileage was 15,000.