The Dodge Monaco is a full-size car built from 1981 to 1992 over 6 generations. Most were assembled in Canada — 100% of those on record. Engines offered: V6. Worth buying? It holds up well, with the usual caveat about model years at 4.0/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the Monaco is
The Dodge Monaco is a full-size car that Dodge built from 1981 to 1992 — 12 model years. Our measurements put it at 6 generations, the current one starting in 1977. It has been offered with V6 power. Its closest siblings in the Dodge range: Charger, Intrepid.
Where the Monaco is built
A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 45 Monacos on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 2B3 | 1990-1992 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Dodge VIN decide which of these 6 lines your Monaco belongs to. What every character in a Monaco VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Dodge Monaco adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
Monaco generations, and what changed
These boundaries are not copied from a brochure — they fall out of the measurements. Where the Monaco's length or wheelbase jumps between consecutive model years the platform changed: a facelift moves a bumper by centimetres, a new generation moves the whole car — for the Monaco that gives 6 distinct generations below.
| Generation | Length | Wheelbase | Weight | vs previous | Weight change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 559 cm | 310 cm | 1880 kg | - | - |
| 1972 | 569 cm | 310 cm | 1969 kg | +10 cm | +89 kg |
| 1973 | 583 cm | 310 cm | 1980 kg | +14 cm | +11 kg |
| 1974 | 563 cm | 310 cm | 2083 kg | -20 cm | +103 kg |
| 1976 | 578 cm | 312 cm | 2095 kg | +15 cm | +12 kg |
| 1977-1978 | 554 cm | 298 cm | 1805 kg | -24 cm | -290 kg |
Dodge Monaco tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment Monaco owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What engines does the Dodge Monaco have? Power & range
The Dodge Monaco is offered with 1 powertrain — 3L 6-cyl. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 1 for the Dodge Monaco, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| V6 | 3.0L · 6-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | FWD | Regular |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
The Monaco by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Dodge Monaco. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | Monaco | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 16 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 70 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 4.0 / 5 | Best and worst years |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Dodge Monaco?
The Monaco is a full-size car, built from 1981 to 1992 across 6 generations. Engines offered: V6.
Where is the Dodge Monaco made?
Across 45 cars in our records the split is: Canada (100%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.
How many generations does the Monaco have?
6 by our measurements, the latest starting in 1977. We draw the boundaries where length or wheelbase jumps between model years — a facelift moves a bumper, a new generation moves the whole car.
What is the Dodge Monaco warranty?
New models carry 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.
Is the Monaco reliable?
It scores 4.0/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.
How do I check a specific Monaco?
This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.
More in Dodge
| Model | Years | Recalls | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dodge Charger | 1983–2026 | 133 | 98 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Dodge Ram | 1994–2012 | 188 | 17 mpg | 3.5/5 |
| Dodge Challenger | 1981–2026 | 77 | 23 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Dodge Durango | 1995–2026 | 160 | 21 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Dodge Viper | 1992–2017 | 45 | 16 mpg | 3.5/5 |
| Dodge Caravan | 1984–2008 | 208 | 35 mpg | 3.5/5 |
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