1998 Pontiac Bonneville complaints

INTAKE MANIFOLD AND FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR FAILURE. *BF THE RECALLED COMPONENT FAILED PRIOR TO NOTIFICATION. THE CONSUEMR PAID TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. AFTER RECEIVING THE RECALL THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT BUT WAS ONLY OFFERED A PARTIAL REFUND. *NM

1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. EXPLOSION UNDER HOOD. $900.00 DAMAGE. SUMMER 2004 WE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. IF ALREADY OCCURRED, SEND BILLS FOR REIMBURSEMENT. WE RECEIVED A CHECK FOR ONLY $82! GENERAL MOTORS IS AT FAULT FOR A DEFECTIVE PART. YET THEY ONLY PAID FOR THE PART, NOT THE DAMAGE IT CAUSED.*JB

1998-BONNEVILLE 70,000 MILES. STARTED STALLING INTERMITTENTLY ON ONE OCCASION, GOT CAR TO MECHANIC AND FOUND OUT THAT THE UPPER PLENUM HAD A HOLE BURNED RIGHT THROUGH IT. HAD TO REPLACE THE UPPER MANIFOLD BECAUSE OF COOLANT LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE. $910.00 LATER IT IS FIXED. DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT GM IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND KNOW OF NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS. WONDERING WHEN THEY ARE GOING TO CALL FOR A RECALL??????*AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. VEHICLE SHUT DOWN, AND WAS TOWED. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE.*AK

INTAKE MANIFOLD PROBLEMS. *BF THERE WAS AN EGR PASSAGE THROUGH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. OVER TIME, HOT GASES FROM THE EGR SYSTEM PASSED BURNED A HOLE THROUGH THE PASSAGE WAY WALLS INTO THE SURROUNDING WATER JACKET. RECALL# 04V090000. *SC *JB

WHEN DRIVING AT AN UNDETERMINED SPEED, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD, THEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL PRESSURE FAILED. *AK THE RADIATOR CAP WAS REPLACED. WHILE IN MOTION, ABOUT 2 MILES AT 30 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE MECHANIC. THE NEXT DAY THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE DEALER FOUND THAT FUEL LEAKED AND RUPTURED THE MANIFOLD. RECALL#04V090000. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALL WAS NOT IN REFERENCE TO HER VEHICLE. *SC *JB THE CONSUMER SENT IN A THANK YOU NOTE AFTER RECIEVING HER RECALL NOTICE. *TC

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED AND TURNED OFF. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE ENGINE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH VEHICLE OVERHEATED. WHITE SMOKE CAME FROM THE TAIL PIPE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A CRACK AROUND THE EGR LOCATED ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. *AK

I PUSHED THE REAR DEFROSTER BUTTON AND ABOUT 5 SECONDS LATER THERE WAS THIS SMALL POP NOISE AND SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE DASH. I PULLED THE CAR OVER AND LOOKED INTO THE VENT AND SAW A FIRE ABOUT 3 INCHES HIGH. I GOT MY CHILDREN AND MYSELF OUT OF THE CAR RAN TO THE NEAREST HOUSE AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPT AND BY THE TIME THEY GOT THERE (7 MIN LATER) THE CAR WAS TOTALLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. IT WAS A TOTAL LOSS.*AK

THE CONSUMER WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH THE AMOUNT OF THE REIMBURSEMENT HE RECEIVED FROM THE MANUFACTURER. *NM THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE STARTING PRIOR TO RECEIVING THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THEY ONLY REIMBURSED THE CONSUMER THE AMOUNT THAT PERTAINED TO THE RECALL. OUT OF 834.60 FOR REPAIRS THE CONSUMER RECEIVED 97.92. RECALL#04V090000. *JB

CONSUMER RECEIVED NHTSA RECALL 04V090000 REGARDING FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR FAILURE. AFTER HAVING THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR REPLACED VEHICLE FAILED TO START. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. *AK

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED CONSUMER NOTICED FLUID LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS CRACKED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD BANG WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. HE PROCEEDED OFF THE HIGHWAY, OPENED THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE, AND FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, WHICH ENGULFED INTO FLAMES. WITHIN SECONDS CONSUMER CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHO INDICATED THAT THE FIRE STARTED NEAR THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE FIRE OCCURRED DUE TO THE DEFECT DESCRIBED IN THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR, RECALL 04V090000. BUT AFTER THE FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE HE CLAIMED THAT THE FIRE WAS NOT CAUSED BY THE DEFECT. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. *AK

I HAVE A 1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE WHICH WAS BROUGHT INTO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR DUE TO NOT HAVING ANY HEAT IN THE CAR. I EXPECTED A FAULTY THERMOSTAT OR SOME OTHER MINOR PROBLEM. IT TURNED OUT THAT ENGINE COOLANT LEAKED OUT FROM THE PLENUM, WATER PUMP AND GASKETS REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF THE WATER PUMP, WATER PUMP BELT, AND MANIFOLD (WITH THE VARIOUS GASKETS) MANIFOLD WAS ACTUALLY ROTTING FROM THE INSIDE DUE TO COOLANT LEAK INTO IT. THIS REPAIR COST OVER $1,000. UPON TALKING TO THE DEALER AND MY OWN INTERNET RESEARCH THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE GM 3800 ENGINE WHICH IS IN BONNEVILLES, GRAND PRIX AND BUICK LESABRE. I REFERENCE NHTSA CONSUMER COMPLAINTS LISTED UNDER BONNEVILLE AND GRAND PRIX COMPLAINTS OF "ENGINE COOLING SYSTEMS" AND "ENGINE." I ALSO DIRECT YOU TO EDMUNDS.COM "TOWN HALL" SECTION(BONNEVILLE AND GRAND PRIX) THAT IS A CHAT ROOM THAT SHOWS NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. I GUESS I WAS LUCKY IN THAT AT LEAST MY ENGINE DIDN'T COMPLETELY SEIZE AS IS ALSO COMMON WHEN THE ANTIFREEZE COOLANT LEAKS INTO THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER. GM WILL NOT REIMBURSE ME A DIME ON THE COST. THIS CAR HAS JUST 36K MILES ON IT BUT IT IS 4 1/2YRS OLD AND THUS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE CAR HAS BEEN PROPERLY MAINTAINED, INCLUDING A DEALER OIL CHANGE JUST 2 MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS PROBLEM. MY RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THE ENGINE COOLANT LEAKAGE FROM THE PLASTIC GASKETS AND PLENUM INTO THE MANIFOLD AND COMBUSTION CHAMBER IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT AND NEEDS THE NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE THIS

NO EVENTS LEAD UP TO THE FAILURE, IT WAS IMMEDIATE. CAR STOPPED DEAD IN ITS TRACKS, STARTED ONE MORE TIME BEFORE IT DIED IN 1/8TH OF A MILE. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS THE PROBLEM COOLANT LEAKED INTO THE ENGINE. *JB REPLACED INTAKE MANIFOLD,GASKET,OIL FILTER, OIL, COOLANT & SPARK PLUGS.CLEANED OUT COOLANT FROM INTAKE AND CYLINDERS. CHANGE OIL AND FILTER.

CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE, WENT INTO THE HOUSE TO LET THE VEHICLE WARM, UPON RETURNING THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. RECENTLY A RECALL 04V090000 WAS RECEIVED INDICATING A POSSIBLE FIRE. *AK

HAD TUNE-UP AND REGULATORS CHANGED (BASED ON RECALL) ON 7/19/04. THEN ON 7/22/04 SMOKE EMITTING FROM EXHAUST AND THEN CAR WOULD NOT START. CAR TOWED AND REPAIRED (MANIFOLD CRACKED). ON 7/26/04 CAR TAKEN FROM SHOP, 2 HRS LATER CAR WOULD NOT START AGAIN. THIS TIME CLAIMED STARTER WAS THE PROBLEM. CONSEQUENCES: OVER $1,500 IN REPAIRS.

WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH CONSUMER SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING, LIKE ELECTRICAL WIRES. STOPPED AND PULLED OFF ROAD. LIFTED HOOD AND BURNING WIRES SMELLED STRONGER NEAR ALTERNATOR. TOUCHED AREA, AND IT WAS HOT. TOOK VEHICLE TO INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, AND WAS INFORMED THAT ALTERNATOR FAILED DUE TO BEARINGS BURNING OUT. FRONT BEARINGS CAUSED THE ALTERNATOR TO BURN. HAD TO REPLACE OLD ALTERNATOR WITH A NEW ALTERNATOR THAT HAD LARGER/BIGGER BEARINGS, AND WOULD NOT WEAR OUT AS FAST.*AK

REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR INTAKE MANIFOLD THAT RUPTURED TWICE. *MR FUEL LEAKED INTO THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD. *SC THERE WAS A RECALL REGARDING THE ISSUE. RECALL#04V090000. *JB

INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURE. *JB

WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT AN UNDETERMINED SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED CAUSING THE DRIVER TO DRIFT OFF THE ROAD. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE OWNER THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD FAILED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

GENERAL MOTORS RECALL PROGRAM DENIAL OF PAYMENT FOR RECALL ITEM REPAIRED ND PAID FOR AT A GENERAL MOTORS PONTIAC DEALERSHIP. SECOND RECALL NOTICE RECIEVED ON MY 1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE, NHTSA ID# 04V090000, COMPONTENT IS THE FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE DELIVERY. MY 1998 BONNEVILLE WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP MANY TIMES AND OVER A PERIOD OF 2 YEARS UNTIL THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED. RENTAL VEHICLES, COSTLY NOT-NEEDED REPAIRS WERE DONE IN AN EFFORT TO FIND THE PROBLEM, DOWN TIME, ETC. PAYMENT FROM GENERAL MOTORS REQUESTED PROVIDING ALL ITEMS REQUESTED, ORIGINAL RECEIPTS, SIGNED FORMS AND THE REASON GIVEN FOR THE DENIAL WAS THAT THE VECHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. GENERAL MOTORS MAILED ME THE RECALL FORMS. MY CAR DID HAVE THE PROBLEM RELATED TO THE RECALL.*AK

WHILE EXITING THE FREEWAY, THE ENGINE GASKET BLEW OUT. *AK THE STARTER HAD GONE OUT AS WELL. GM STATED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. *SC *JB

1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE PURCHASED WITH 214 MILES ON 10-05-2000 FROM POWEL WATSON MOTORS IN LAREDO, TEXAS. THE VEHICLE HAD PROBLEMS FROM NOV. 2000 TO THE REPAIR DATE IN 2002. A SEPERATE DEALERSHIP (TINDALL CHEV/PONTIAC IN DILLEY, TEXAS) WAS FINALLY ABLE TO REPAIR THE PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL REGULATOR. THIS RECALL ITEM HAS BE DENIED FROM PONTIAC. THE DEALERSHIP BILLED ME $1,024.00 FOR REPAIRS NOT INCLUDING RENTAL FEES FOR THE LOANER CAR. I FEEL THAT PONTIAC SHOULD HONOR THE REALL AND RETURN MY MONEY TO ME DUE TO THE FAULTY DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR.

WHILE HAVING THE VEHICLE SERVICED AT A GARAGE, THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS LEAKING. THIS WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE ENGINE TO LOCK UP IF NOT CAUGHT IN TIME. *NM

HORN IS WORTHLESS. WAS HIT BY A PARTY WHO RAN A RED LIGHT. APPLIED HORN TO GET THEIR ATTENTION, BUT IT WOULD NOT WORK. I HAVE TRIED TO USE THE HORN ON NUMEROUS OCCASSIONS WHEN ABOUT TO BE HIT IN A PARKING LOT OR ON THE STREET, BUT IT NEVER SEEMS TO WORK. VERY HARD TO GET TO WORK. AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY EVEN THOUGH DAMAGE REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF FRONT BUMPER. WHEN GETTING CAR REPAIRED ALSO ADVISED THAT STEERING COLUMN BOLTS WERE STRIPPED ON ONE SIDE AND SHEARED OFF ON THE OTHER, BUT NOT CAUSED BY ACCIDENT. ESTIMATE TO FIX STEERING ANOTHER $500+

CONSUMER HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AS MENTIONED IN NHTSA RECALL 04V09000: 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. DEALERSHIP ADMITTED THIS VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT DUE TO VIN# WONT FIXED FREE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT FLASHED. THEN, ENGINE STALLED. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK WHEN VEHICLE STALLED, STEERING AND BRAKES WERE LOST. WHEN VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP, IT WAS FOUND THAT A FAULTY PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET THAT HAD LEAKED AND ALLOWED COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE, WHICH CAUSED VEHICLE TO STALL. *LA

VEHICLE WAS OPERATING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED. TWO BLOCKS FROM MY DESTINATION, THE CAR WAS RUNNING ROUGH, ALMOST LIKE IT WAS SPUTTERING. I PARKED THE CAR IN THE HOPES IT WOULD START,THE BACKFIRE THAT I NEVER HEARD, NOT ONLY BROKE THE NOSE OFF THE STARTER, BLEW A HOLE IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND FILLED THE ENGINE WITH ANTIFREEZE. LUCKILY FOR ME I HAD SHUT THE CAR OFF BEFORE ANY MAJOR DAMAGE HAD BEEN DONE TO THE ENGINE. I HAD THE CAR TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER I HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM. MONDAY CAME AND I THEN WENT TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THEM FIX THIS VEHICLE I HAD JUST PURCHASED ONLY 3 MONTHS PRIOR, THEY LOOKED AT IT AND GAVE ME A $700 ESTIMATE, KNOWING FULL WELL THAT THIS IS A DEFECT WITH THE VEHICLE, BUT WOULD NOT PROVIDE ME WITH TEMPORARY TRANSPORTATION WHILE WAITING FOR THE REPARS TO BE DONE. I ASKED THAT THEY PUT THE OLD PARTS THAT HAD BEEN REPLACED INTO THE TRUNK FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION BY ME. HAVE DONE RESEARCH ON THIS ON THE INTERNET ONLY TO FIND THIS A MORE COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE THAN HAD BEEN IMAGINED. WHY MUST SOMEONE DIE BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE ABOUT THIS DEFECT WITH THIS VEHICLE???*AK

PURCHASED USED 1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE IN JANUARY, 2002 WITH 56, 000 MILES FROM GM DEALERSHIP. CAR WAS GM CERTIFIED. ABOUT 6 MONTHS LATER WITH 65,000 MILES DURING ROUTINE OIL CHANGE I NOTICE THE COOLANT WAS A LITTLE LOW. GOING BACK TO DEALER I PURCHASED GM LONG LIFE ANTIFREEZE AND BOTTLE OF GM SEALANT. THERE WERE NO VISIBLE SIGNS OF ANTIFREEZE LEAK ANYWHERE. COOLANT LEVEL MAINTAINED FROM THAT TIME. ON APRIL 30TH, 2004 WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE EXPRESSWAY, THE CAR SUDDENLY BEGAIN TO MISS FIRE SEVERLEY AND QUIT RUNNING WITHIN SECONDS. THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING AND NO POWER BREAKS. THE ENGINE HAD HYDROLOCKED. ALL CYLINDERS WERE FULL OF ANTIFREEZE. THE CAR NOW HAD 115,000 MILES. I REMOVED THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD TO FIND IT FULL OF ANTIFREEZE. THE HEAT RESISTANT MATERIAL AROUND THE EGR TUBE HAD FAILED ALLOWING SUPER-HEATED AIR TO MELT THE GASKET AREA AROUND THE ADJASCENT WATER JACKET ALLOWING COOLANT TO FLOW INTO THE MANIFOLD CAUSING THE HYDROLOCK. I REPLACED BOTH UPPER AND LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLDS AND GASKETS WITH NEWLY DESIGNED UNITS FROM THE DEALER. I WAS TOLD GM WAS AWARE OF THE DEFECT AND HAD REDESIGNED THE PARTS AGAINST THIS FAILURE. THE CAR IS NOW RUNNING FINE. WHILE THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT INVOLVED, THE SUDDEN POWER FAILURE CERTAINLY COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. I BELIEVE THE FAILURE BEGAN AT 65,000 MILES AND WAS TEMPORARILY FIXED WITH THE COOLANT SEALANT I PUT IN IT AT THAT TIME AS RECOMMENDED BY THE DEALER'S PARTS PERSON. ALL PARTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION.

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE WAS LEAKING COOLANT ONTO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THIS COULD RESULT IN ENGINE FAILURE. *AK CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY HER FRIEND THAT HER VEHICLE WAS ON A LIST OF POTENTIAL ENGINE FAILURES FROM COOLANT LEAKING BY GENERAL MOTORS (GM). CONSUMER WENT TO A GM DEALER AS SOON AS SHE LEARNED THE NEWS, AND SHOWED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WHICH WAS REPLACED. *LA

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON AND VEHICLE STALLED. THIS OCCURRED BECAUSE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKED FLUID ONTO THE ENGINE AND THE ENGINE SEIZED . *AK *LA

THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION FAILED. *PH *NM

VEHICLE BACK FIRED DUE TO MANIFOLD RUPTURING. THE NEXT DAY VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH ENGINE SERVICE LIGHT FLASHED. THEN, ENGINE STALLED. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY DEALER THAT ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

ENGINE HAD 70,000 MILES WHEN SUDDENLY SEIZED WITH NO WARNING. REPAIR SAID INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD WARPED CAUSING ANTIFREEZE TO SPILL INTO ENGINE. ENGINE AND STARTER HAD TO BE REPLACED. REPAIR CENTER SAID IT IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. REPLACEMENT ENGINE HAD SAME THING HAPPENING AND A KIT IS AVAILABLE FOR REPLACEMENT OF THIS PROBLEM-PURCHASED KIT FOR REPLACEMENT ENGINE. TOTAL REPLACEMENT COSTS---$3,223.06. I SEE IN BROWSING THE COMPLAINT PAGES THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. ITS TIME THAT GM MAKES THINGS RIGHT FOR THE CONSUMER.*AK

REPEATED STALLING IN TRAFFIC. TYPICALLY OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY TWO MINUTES AFTER START-UP. DURING ONE COLD START THE ENGINE MISS-FIRED AND BACK PRESSURE POPPED OFF THE BRAKE VACUUM LINE, CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKES. WAS DIAGNOSED FIRST TIME AS MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR. PROBLEM RECURRED, DIAGNOSED AS FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. SHORTLY AFTER, FLOODING AND SPARKPLUG FOULING OCCURRED DUE TO DAMAGED INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKING COOLANT INTO CYLINDERS. WHILE TWO OF THE COMPONENTS ARE THE SAME AS RECALL CAMPAIGN 04V090000, AND GM RECALL 03054B, GM SAYS THIS VIN [XXX] IS NOT INCLUDED. *AK UPDATED 07/30/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

ENGINE IS IDLING AND RUNNING ROUGH DUE TO ANTI-FREEZE GETTING INTO THE CYLINDER. THIS COULD LOCKED UP THE ENGINE. *AK THE CONSUMER IT WAS A COMMON KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE ENGINE MANIFOLD WHICH WAS MADE OF PLASTIC AND WARPED WHICH ALLOWED COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE CYLINDER. *JB

CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE WHILE TRAVELING ON A BRIDGE AT APPRX 15 - 20 MPH. NO WARNINGS LIGHTS OR GAUGE CONCERNS UNTIL MOMENT OF FAILURE. ENGINE IDLE BECAME EXCEPTIONALLY ROUGH. CAUSE WAS A GASKET FAILURE ALLOWING DEX-COOL TO ENTER ENGINE AND DESTROYED IT.*AK

1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE PLENUM WARPED AND LEAKED ANTI-FREEZE INTO COMBUSTION CYLINDERS. VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE STARTED AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER. RESULTED IN OVER $900.00 CHARGES OF WHICH $317.64 WAS NOT COVERED BY EXTENDED WARRANTY. *AK

PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURE ENGINE LOCKED UP AS DRIVING THE VEHICLE. NOBODY INJURED, BUT DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE. 1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE 2HX52K9W4202853. *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH VEHICLE WAS PULLING TO ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER SIDE. THE ABILITY TO STEER WAS GONE, AND CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AN DID NEARLY COLLIDE WITH THE CURB. DEALER DETERMINED THAT A BOLT SHEARED OFF IN THE POWER STEERING UNIT, AND DEALER REPLACED THE BOLT AND A SENSOR. *AK

THE MOTOR MOUNT BOLTS SHEARED OFF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THAT THE BOLTS HAD INDEED SHEARED OFF AND CAUSED THE POWER STEERING PUMP TO BREAK FREE. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT EXACTLY 3 WEEKS LATER, THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS TIME HE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A PONTIAC DEALER. THE PONTIAC DEALER/MECHANIC TOLD HIM THAT BY THE BOLTS BEING SHEARED OFF, IT HAD CRACKED HIS BLOCK, AND IT WOULD COST HIM $70.00 TO REALLY CHECKED THE VEHICLE AND APPROXIMATELY $1400.00 TO REPAIR IT. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT HE CALLED GM AND WAS ALMOST TOLD, THAT THEY DO NOT WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT. CONSUMER STATED THAT HE THINKS GENERAL MOTORS SHOULD TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY SINCE THEY KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. *NM

TRIED TO START CAR 1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE WITH 54,000 MILES, IT BACKFIRED AND COUGHT FIRE. IT IS TOTALLED. I READ ON THE INTERNET THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD, BUT I HAVE NEVER BEEN ADVISED. MY CAR WHICH WAS LIKE NEW IS GONE.*AK

WHILE MY 1998 PONTIAC BONEVILLE WAS BEING AUTO STARTED IN -15 F TEMPERTURES THERE WAS AN IMMEDIATE SUDDEN LOUD REPORT, MUCH LIKE A BACKFIRE, I LOOKED OUTSIDE AND THE CAR APPEARED TO BE FINE. IT TRIED TO AUTOSTART ITSELF 2 MORE TIMES IN SUCESSION. BOTH TIMES IT STARTED RATHER ROUGHLY AND SHUT ITSELF OFF IMMEDIATLY AGAIN. I QUICKLY WENT OUTSIDE AND UPON OPENING THE HOOD IT WAS SEEN THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS BROKEN INTO SEVERAL PARTS.*AK

THE UPPER ENGINE COVER AND PLENUM BROKE. THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR LEAKED ONTO THE INTAKE AND CAUSED A BACKFIRE. THE PRESSURE REGULATOR WAS REPLACED, AND THE LOWER AND UPPER INTAKE WAS RESEALED. *LA THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED BUT STALLED. (THE LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD AT START UP) *SC *JB

THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR LEAKED GASOLINE; ALLOWING FUEL TO ENTER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD THROUGH A VACUUM LINE. A SPARK IGNITED THE EXCESS FUEL CAUSING AN EXPLOSION AND RUPTURING THE MANIFOLD. THE BLAST HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME SO HARD THEY THOUGHT THEY HAD BEEN REAR-ENDED. SMOKE BELLOWED OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD, BUT LUCKILY IT DIDN'T BURN. IT HAPPENED AS I WAS ENTERING AN INTERSECTION AND WE NEARLY MISSED BEING BROADSIDED. THE CAR LOST BOTH POWER STEERING AND BRAKES WHEN IT EXPLODED AND WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. ABOUT 2 WEEKS BEFORE THIS IT HAD BEEN TAKEN IN FOR REPAIRS BECAUSE IT WAS STALLING OUT, DIFFICULT TO START AND THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES HAD BEEN FAILING. A NEW VACUUM HOSE WAS INSTALLED. IT HAD BEEN REPAIRED THE YEAR BEFORE BECAUSE IT LEAKED ANTIFREEZE INTO THE ENGINE, DAMAGING IT EXTENSIVELY. IT IS THE SECOND BONNEVILLE I OWN THAT HAS DONE THIS. IT IS THE THIRD DAMAGED ENGINE THAT FITS THE DESCRIPTION OF THE BUICK RECALL- GM #03054. GM VEHICLES EQUIPED WITH 3800 V6 ENGINES. *AK

THE ENGINE EXPLODED UPON STARTING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE PARK AVENUE WHICH HAD THE SAME ENGINE AS THE BONNEVILLE, BUT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE BONNEVILLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE FURTHER. *JB

POSSIBLE DEFECTIVE ENGINE PART. PONTIAC 3.8L INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURE CAUSING POSSIBLE CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE IF ENGINE VAPOR LOCKS AT TIME OF FAILURE WHILE ENGINE IS RUNNING. THIS PART FAILED ON MY VEHICLE AND THE INDEPENDANT REPAIR SHOP I TOOK IT TOO ALREADY HAD NEEDED REPAIR PART ON HAND BECAUSE (AS THEY STATED) THERE ALWAYS FIXING THIS ENGINE FOR THIS PROBLEM. I FOUND 1 TSB ON YOUR SITE #01060007A BUT IT WAS 2.5 YEARS AGO. I SPOKE WITH A GM REPRESENTATIVE BUT WAS ADVISED THE COULD NOT COMMENT ON IF THIS WAS A PROBLEM OR NOT.*AK

DESIGN FLAW OF COOLANT PIPE. BREAKAGE OF THE COOLANT PIPE INSIDE THE AIR INTAKE OF THE 3800 V-6 ENGINE CAUSING ENGINE COOLANT TO FLOOD THE ENGINE AND CAUSE IMMEDIATE ENGINE FAILURE.