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2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2004 Monte Carlo.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo is a passenger car equipped with a 5W‑30 API oil system that holds 4.5 qt. In its model‑year history it generated 230 owner complaints, seven recorded recalls, and its complaint level falls between the 285 complaints recorded in 2001 and the single complaint recorded in 1991. The top complaint area remains the electrical system, reflecting a consistent pattern across the model's production run from 1990 to 2010. Thus, the 2004 model sits at a mid‑range point in the vehicle’s reliability timeline, indicating moderate issues relative to both early and peak complaint years.

Model year200720062005200420032002200120001999

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 · 770 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 Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 · 770 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeSUPERCHARGED P235/55R17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.5 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter12731175 alt 25322835
Engine air filter15221217
Fuel filter25121293 discontinued
Spark plug12681664
Battery88866121 alt 88866305
Front wiper blades19120758
Serpentine belt19244951 alt 12576750
Thermostat24505924 alt 24507563
Cabin air filter84557894

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length198 in
Overall width72.4 in
Overall height55.1 in
Wheelbase110.6 in
Curb weight3342 lb
Track (front / rear)62.2 / 61 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)52/48

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.

6.5 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 6.50 sec — 2004 Supercharged SS Coupe
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2004Supercharged SS Coupe 3.8L Supercharger V66.50 sec15.10 sec240 hpFWD
2002SS Coupe 3.8L V68.60 sec16.60 sec200 hpFWD
2006SS Coupe 5.3L V86.00 sec14.50 sec303 hpFWD
2000SS Coupe 3.8L V67.30 sec15.50 sec200 hpFWD

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

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity7.4
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5 qt

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine BoltsLower: 11 ft-lbs; Upper: 7.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts22 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts7.4 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub118 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Cylinder Firing Order1-6-5-4-3-2
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance5000-7000 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance5000-7000 ohms
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap0.060 in
Spark Plug Torque11.0 ft-lbs
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity2.30 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity8.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number78
Standard BCI Cranking Performance770 cca
Standard BCI Group Number78

Service checks

Pressure Test15, Pressure should not exceed 20 psi.
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature188-206 °F
Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum59.0 psi
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)52-59
RPM42-56 @ Idle rpm
Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum59 psi
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)53-59

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket133 ft-lbs / 32 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle100 ft-lbs / 85 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.001 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.27 in / 0.433 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.27 in / 0.433 in
Rotor Minimum Machining1.224 in / 0.39 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
152 ft. lbs., step 2: 7252 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
1111 ft. lbs., step 2: 76111 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages
144 ft. lbs.44 ft. lbs
295
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages
137 ft. lbs.37 ft. lbs
2120
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages
137 ft. lbs.37 ft. lbs
2120
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
15 ft. lbs., step 2: bolts 1-4, 9.6 ft. lbs., step 3: bolts 5-8, 18 ft. lbs., upper 185 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 25,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel System (inspect) · Supercharger Assembly (inspect fluid level)
Every 100,000 miSpark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)
At 150,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · 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 2004 Monte Carlo sits amid a peak in federal complaints, with 230 complaints and 7 recalls, the highest complaint count since 2001 and 2002 and the second‑highest recall count after 2003. The trend from 2000 to 2004 shows a decline in complaints from 249 in 2000 to 230 in 2004, yet recalls remained high, peaking at 9 in 2003 before falling to 7. The next year, 2005, sees a sharp drop in complaints to 120 and recalls to 4, indicating a recovery in quality. In 2004, the top complaint categories were Electrical System (126), Engine (15), Steering (11), and Exterior Lighting (6), with 5 crash complaints and 11 fire complaints. This data suggests that 2004 was a transitional year with persistent electrical issues; therefore, a used 2004 model may warrant extra inspection, especially of the electrical system, before purchase.

7
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
479
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
230
Owner complaints
5 involved a crash · 11 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 230 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Electrical System126
Engine15
Steering11
Exterior Lighting6
Engine & Engine Cooling5
Service Brakes, Hydraulic5
Electrical System,Exterior Lighting4
Seats4

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 engine’s front valve…

15V201000Engine And Engine Cooling:EngineReported 06/04/2015

General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on April 2, 2015, that they are is recalling certain model year 2004 Buick Regal vehicles manufactured April 9, 2003, to June 1, 2003, 2004 Chevrolet Impala vehicles… Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will remove the plastic cover and plastic oil fill tube extension and replace the front valve cover and gasket. These repairs will be done free…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 479 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PIP5601C2025-07-18Unknown Or OtherThis PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic…
PIP5358D2025-02-19Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIP4723J2024-10-25Electrical SystemThis Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
PIT5099H2024-09-12Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIT5099H2024-09-12Unknown Or OtherThis 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 batteryVehicles taking 4.5 qtEngine oil filter 12731175Engine air filter 15221217Fuel filter 25121293Spark plug 12681664

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBsOBD-II trouble codesTorque specificationsMaintenance schedulesFluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2004 Monte Carlo take?

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

Does the 2004 Monte Carlo have open recalls?

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