1998 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO Electrical System Problems

ON SEPTEMBER 24, 2015, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR MONTE CARLO. 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. SHE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE ABOUT ANOTHER MILE BEFORE LOSING CONTROL AND CRASHING INTO A TREE ON MY NEIGHBOR?S YARD. THE CAR BECAME COMPLETELY ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND WAS DESTROYED. WERE IT NOT FOR SEVERAL GOOD SAMARITANS, AND POLICE AND FIRE PERSONNEL, SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THE FOLLOWING IS A HISTORY OF ISSUES WITH THIS CAR, DOCUMENTED FULLY BY SERVICE RECORDS FROM ITS PURCHASE IN 1998. 1.BRAKE LIGHTS WORKING INTERMITTENTLY OR NOT AT ALL. 2.TURN SIGNAL FAILURE. 3.UNABLE TO START DUE TO SHORT IN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. 4.WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLY REPLACED. 5.POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACED. 6.REAR SUSPENSION (PASSENGER'S SIDE) BROKEN. 7.PREMATURE ALTERNATOR FAILURE. 8.PREMATURE BRAKE REPLACEMENT, I.E.,...

MY BRAKE LIGHTS (EXCEPT FOR RAISED THIRD BRAKE LIGHT) HAVE STOPPED WORKING AND EVEN REPLACING A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE JUST LEARNT THAT MY BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING AND THIS IS AFTER SPENDING $100 AT A DEALERSHIP TO FIX THE PROBLEM! *TR

ARRIVED AT WORK AFTER ABOUT A 20 MINUTE DRIVE. WENT TO CHANGE INTO MY UNIFORM AND MY SUPERVISOR PAGED ME OVER THE INTERCOM SYSTEM TELLING ME I HAD TO GET TO MY CAR IMMEDIATELY. WHEN I ARRIVED A CO-WORKER WAS STANDING THERE WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AS MY CAR WAS SMOKING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I TRIED TO RELEASE THE HOOD BUT THE CABLE HAD MELTED THROUGH. WHILE WAITING FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO ARRIVE, THE CAR ATTEMPTED TO START ITS SELF CAUSING THE FLAMES TO GET BIGGER AS IT WAS SHOOTING SMOKE OUT OF THE TAILPIPES. AFTER THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED, THEY PRECEDED TO GET INTO THE HOOD BY TAKING AN AX AND SAW TO THE HOOD. FIRE FIGHTER SAID IT LOOKED LIKE A POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL FIRE SINCE THERE WAS NO SMELL OF FUEL OR OIL. NEEDLESS TO SAY THE CAR IS TOTALED BECAUSE THE ENGINE MELTED, MY WINDSHIELD...

WHILE ON VACATION IN WILLIAMSBURG VA. HEARD ANNOUCMENT OVER THE INTERCOM AT A CRACKER BARREL RESTURAUNT .. OWNER OF WHITE CHEVY MONTE CARLO WITH MD TAGS GO TO YOUR CAR ASAP.. WHEN ARRIVED IN PARKING LOT.. MANAGER OF REST. WAS STANDING NEXT TO MY CAR WITH A FIRE EXT. AND THE ENGINE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES.. THE VEHICLE TRAVELED ONLY ABOUT 4 MILES FROM THE HOTEL WE WERE STAYING AT, SO IT WAS NOT EXTREMELY HOT...THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO BURN UNTIL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ( YORK COUNTY) ARRIVED AND RIPPED OPEN THE HOOD BECAUSE THE HOOD LATCH RELEASE CABLE HAD BURNED THROUGH AND YOU COUND NOT GET THE HOOD UP.. THE CAR WAS VERY WELL MAINTAINED, ENGINE HAD BEEN RECENTLY DEGREASED AND LOOKED AND DROVE LIKE A NEW CAR... THE CAR HAS BEEN TOTALLED OUT BY ERIE INS CO. AND LEFT IN VA. WE HAD TO GET A RENTAL BACK...

CIGARETTE LIGHTER FAILS TO FUNCTION- FUSES HAVE BEEN REPLACED- EVEN THO' NOT INDICATED AS FAULTY. ENTIRE UNIT [INNER] HAS BEEN REPLACED AND OUTER LIGHTER PIECES HAVE BEEN REPLACED ALSO - BOTH MULTIPLE TIMES. NEW UNIT WILL FUNCTION FOR SHORT TIME BUT THEN FAILS AGAIN.*AK

CONSUMER STATES OF HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE ALTERNATOR,BATTERY KEEP ON DYING,THEN CAR WOULDN'T STAR.VEHICLE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH PCM WHICH WAS REPAIR AND THE VEHICLE STILL HAS PROBLEMS.DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND VEHICLE WAS REPAIR BY A INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. NLM