Pontiac Bonneville problems and recalls.

Complaints by model year

Popular years draw more complaints partly because more were sold. We don't have sales for this model yet, so these are counts, not a score.

What owners complain about

When problems show up

Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 48,000 and 103,000 miles. The middle report was at 72,000 miles, from 629 complaints.

How serious

As reported by owners to NHTSA. Not verified.

Recalls 10

• 09E012000 Apr 2009 Exterior Lighting

  SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

  Fix. SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.

• 04V090000 Feb 2004 Fuel System, Gasoline / Delivery

  ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3800 V6 (L36) ENGINES AND CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, THE REGULATORS HAVE A MUCH HIGHER THAN USUAL RATE OF FUEL LEAKS. A LEAK CAN ALLOW FUEL TO ENTER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD THROUGH A VACUUM LINE. IF THE ENGINE DOES NOT START WHEN CRANKED, THE FUEL FROM THE LEAKING REGULATOR AND A MISTIMED SPARK CAN CAUSE A BACKFIRE.

  Fix. DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH IMPROVED DIAPHRAGMS. THE RECALL WILL BE CONDUCTED IN PHASED MAILINGS. PHASE 1 BEGAN ON JUNE 30, 2004, AND PHASE 2 BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537, OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.

• 03V238000 Jul 2003 Fuel System, Gasoline / Storage / Tank Assembly

  ON CERTAIN CADILLAC DEVILLE AND SEVILLE PASSENGER VEHICLES, FUNERAL COACHES, AND LIMOUSINES EQUIPPED WITH A V8 (4.6L) ENGINE, OLDSMOBILE AURORA PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A V8 (4.0L ) ENGINE, AND PONTIAC BONNEVILLE SSEI PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A SUPERCHARGED V6 (3.8L) ENGINE, THE FUEL TANK PRESSURE SENSORS ARE UNUSUALLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO MALFUNCTIONS. IF THE SENSOR MALFUNCTIONS, EXCESSIVE VACUUM CAN BE APPLIED DURING SELF-DIAGNOSTIC TESTING.

  Fix. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK PRESSURE SENSOR. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON OCTOBER 17, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339; OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537; OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.

• 02V222000 Aug 2002 Air Bags / Frontal

  CERTAIN PASSENGER, MINI VANS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES HAVE AN AIR BAG INFLATOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE THAT COULD FRACTURE AT A WELD DURING A DEPLOYMENT.

  Fix. DEALERS WILL INSPECT, AND REPLACE, IF NECESSARY, THE AIR BAG MODULE ASSEMBLY ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 15, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT BUICK AT 1-800-521-7300, CADILLAC AT 1-800-458-8006, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020, GMC AT 1-800-

• 00V114000 Apr 2000 Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Foundation Components

  VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE INTERNAL FLUID LEAKS IN THE BRAKE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT.

  Fix. DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE ABS HYDRAULIC MODULATOR UNIT AND IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE HYDRAULIC MODULATOR.

• 99V089000 Apr 1999 Power Train / Automatic Transmission

  VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4T65E AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 102, "TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER SEQUENCE." A RETAINING CLIP, WHICH SECURES THE MANUAL VALVE TO THE LINKAGE OF THE TRANSMISSION DETENT LEVER, CAN BECOME LOOSE UNDER A COMBINATION OF POSSIBLE DRIVER SHIFTING MANEUVERS AND ALLOW THE LINK TO BECOME DISCONNECTED FROM THE MANUAL VALVE.

  Fix. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE MANUAL VALVE/LINK ASSEMBLY WITH A REPLACEMENT MANUAL VALVE/LINK KIT, FEATURING A SPRING-TYPE FASTENER.

• 99V072000 Apr 1999 Wheels

  VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH CHROME PLATED ALUMINUM WHEELS. SOME OF THESE WHEELS HAVE A MOUNTING SURFACE THAT WAS NOT MACHINED CORRECTLY, CAUSING THE WHEEL STUDS TO BREAK.

  Fix. DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE WHEELS AND REPLACE ALL WHEELS WITH DATE CODES INDICATING THAT THEY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN MACHINED CORRECTLY. THE WHEEL MOUNTING STUDS AT ANY LOCATION WHERE A SUSPECT WHEEL WAS INSTALLED WILL ALSO BE REPLACED.

• 96V196000 Oct 1996 Seats

  THE SEAT COVER TRIM MATERIAL DOES NOT MEET THE FLAMMABILITY REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 302, "FLAMMABILITY OF INTERIOR MATERIALS."

  Fix. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE COVERS ON THE FRONT SEAT BACKS, REAR SEAT CUSHION AND REAR SEAT BACK ASSEMBLIES.

• 96V116000 Jul 1996 Fuel System, Gasoline / Fuel Injection System

  A BACKFIRE DURING ENGINE STARTING CAN CAUSE BREAKAGE OF THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD.

  Fix. DEALERS WILL UPDATE THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE PROGRAMMING. UNTIL THE CAMPAIGN REPAIR IS MADE, THE VEHICLE HOOD SHOULD BE SHUT WHENEVER STARTING THE VEHICLE TO REDUCE THE CHANCE OF PERSONAL INJURY.

• 95V204000 Oct 1995 Electrical System / Ignition / Anti-Theft / Control Module

  THESE VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH A MALFUNCTION ALARM, LIGHTING AND LOCKING (MALL) MODULE THAT CAN CONTAIN A DAMAGED CAPACITOR. IF THE CAPACITOR IS DAMAGED, THE "KEY IN THE IGNITION" WARNING CHIME AND THE DRIVER SEAT BELT UNBUCKLED WARNING CHIME AND INDICATOR LAMP MAY NOT WORK. THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 114, "THEFT PROTECTION" AND FMVSS NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION." IN ADDITION, OTHER CHIME REMINDER FUNCTIONS, INTERIOR LIGHTING CONTROLS, AND POWER DOOR LOCKING FEATURES ARE ALSO AFFECTED.

  Fix. DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF REQUIRED, REPLACE THE MALL MODULE.

Recall repairs are free at any dealer. Check the exact car's VIN for open recalls.

In owners' words

While leaving a parking lot vehicle fails to turn to left. vehicle can turn to right, but steering wheel is very hard. owner believes that failure was due to rack and pinion. *ak *yd

1997 Pontiac Bonneville owner · NHTSA complaint 899014

During inspection of vehicle dealer noticed and informed consumer of a broken inner tie rod. repairs were made under extened warranty. feel free to provide any further information. *ak

2000 Pontiac Bonneville owner · NHTSA complaint 899900

The consumer was in a head-on collision and the driver side air bag did not deploy. *ak

1996 Pontiac Bonneville owner · NHTSA complaint 980846