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2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2002 Monte Carlo.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo is a passenger car that General Motors maintained with a 4.5-quart engine oil capacity using 5W-30 API viscosity, placing it firmly within the mainstream two-door coupe segment of the era. With 245 total owner complaints and 7 recalls on record, this model year carries a notable reliability burden, with the electrical system standing out as the top complaint area among owners. Within the Monte Carlo's broader complaint history spanning 1990 through 2010, the 2002 model year sits just behind the 2001 peak of 285 complaints, suggesting that this generation was in the midst of its most problematic period — a reality researchers should weigh heavily when evaluating the car's long-term ownership prospects.

Model year2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 78 · 600 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731175. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 78 · 600 CCAOEM · verified

Tail / brake / turnLAMPOEM · verified

Tire sizeALL EX. SUPERCHARGED P225/60R16OEM · verified

Wheel / rim6.5 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	12731175 alt 25322835
Engine air filter	15221217
Fuel filter	25121293 discontinued
Spark plug	12681664
Battery	88866306
Front wiper blades	19120758
Serpentine belt	12588411 alt 12588410
Thermostat	24505924 alt 24507563
Cabin air filter	84557894

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	198 in
Overall width	72.4 in
Overall height	55.1 in
Wheelbase	110.6 in
Curb weight	3342 lb
Track (front / rear)	62.2 / 61 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	65/35

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Monte Carlo of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

8.6 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.60 sec — 2002 SS Coupe

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
2002	SS Coupe 3.8L V6	8.60 sec	16.60 sec	200 hp	FWD
2000	SS Coupe 3.8L V6	7.30 sec	15.50 sec	200 hp	FWD
2004	Supercharged SS Coupe 3.8L Supercharger V6	6.50 sec	15.10 sec	240 hp	FWD
2006	SS Coupe 5.3L V8	6.00 sec	14.50 sec	303 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-6-5-4-3-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.5 qt
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	5 qt
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.5 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts	75 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	Lower: 11 ft-lbs; Upper: 7.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	22 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts	7.4 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts	100 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	159 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-2-3-4-5-6
Cylinder Firing Order	1-6-5-4-3-2
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance	5000-7000 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance	5000-7000 ohms
Spark Plug Manufacturer	AC Delco
Spark Plug Gap	0.060 in
Spark Plug Torque	11.0 ft-lbs
Spark Plug Manufacturer	AC Delco

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	2.20 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46
Oil Capacity	9.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	78
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	600 cca
Standard BCI Group Number	78

Service checks

Pressure Test	15, Pressure should not exceed 20 psi.
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	188-206 °F
Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum	59.0 psi
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)	52-59
RPM	42-56 @ Idle rpm
Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum	59 psi
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)	53-59

Brakes

Brake Application	WITH DISC
Torque Caliper to Bracket	32 ft-lbs / 133 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	85 ft-lbs / 100 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Brake Application	WITH DISC
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.0005 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	0.43 in / 1.27 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

111 ft. lbs., step 2: 76

111 ft. lbs

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages

1	44 ft. lbs.	44 ft. lbs
2	95

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages

1	37 ft. lbs.	37 ft. lbs
2	120

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

5 ft. lbs., step 2: bolts 1-4, 9.6 ft. lbs., step 3: bolts 5-8, 18 ft. lbs., upper 18

5 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 mi	Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 mi	Cabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 60,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 100,000 mi	Spark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)
At 150,000 mi	Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo sits at the tail end of the generation's peak complaint and recall arc, following the 2001 model year's high-water marks of 285 complaints and 8 recalls. For the 2002 model specifically, federal records document 245 complaints, 7 recalls, and 452 technical service bulletins, indicating a slight improvement over 2001 but still representing an elevated risk window compared to the lower complaint volumes seen in 2003 and beyond. The primary areas of concern for the 2002 model are the electrical system (34 complaints), engine and engine cooling (27 complaints), and exterior lighting (27 complaints), alongside a concerning 24 fire complaints and 13 crash complaints. Although the data does not specify the root causes of these failures, the combination of high electrical issues and fire complaints points to systemic vulnerabilities that were only partially addressed by the manufacturer. Given that the 2002 model falls squarely within the generation's high-complaint plateau, this is not a strong model year to buy unless all 7 recalls and relevant technical service bulletins are thoroughly documented as completed.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

452

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

245

Owner complaints

13 involved a crash · 24 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01’02’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’10

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 245 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Electrical System34

Engine & Engine Cooling27

Exterior Lighting27

Engine22

Air Bags15

Service Brakes, Hydraulic14

Steering8

Electrical System,Engine6

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 7 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

15V701000Engine And Engine Cooling:EngineReported 26/10/2015

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… 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 engines front valve…

14V400000Electrical System:IgnitionReported 03/07/2014

This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should… Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 452 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
PIP5601C	2025-07-18	Unknown Or Other	This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic…
PIP5358D	2025-02-19	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIP4723J	2024-10-25	Electrical System	This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
PIT5099H	2024-09-12	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIT5099H	2024-09-12	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Monte Carlo. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 78 battery Vehicles taking 4.5 qt Engine oil filter 12731175 Engine air filter 15221217 Fuel filter 25121293 Spark plug 12681664

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2002 Monte Carlo take?

4.5 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2002 Monte Carlo have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 7 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.