1998 Pontiac Bonneville complaints

MY COMPLAINT IS THAT I AM ABOUT TO PUT MY 4TH AND 5TH INTAKE MANIFOLD & MANIFOLD GASKET, RESPECTIVELY, ON MY 1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. I WAS DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY 55 AT 70 MPH WHEN MY ENGINE DIED, BECAUSE MY MANIFOLD KEEPS CRACKING!! BECAUSE MY ENGINE DIED, IT KEPT BLOWING AND FORCING ANTIFREEZE DOWN MY INTAKE AND FILLING MY CYLINDERS WITH WATER AND ANTIFREEZE, CAUSING A VAPOR LOCK!!! THIS WAS TERRIBLE, BECAUSE WHEN I TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR IN NEUTRAL GOING 70 MPH, WITH 20-25 CARS AROUND ME AND 3-5 SEMI TRUCKS, THE ENGINE WAS LOCKED UP!!!!! BECAUSE OF THIS 'VAPOR LOCK UP' OF THE ENGINE, I LOST CONTROL OF MY CAR!!! I HAD NO POWER STEERING, NO POWER BRAKES, NO CONTROL TO BE ABLE TO AVOID A 20-25 CAR PILE UP, WITH TENS TO HUNDREDS BEING INJURED!!!!!!!!! GM NEEDS TO DO A COMPLETE RECALL OF ALL 3.1, 3.4 & 3.8 V6 ENGINES MADE WITH PLASTIC MANIFOLDS AND PLASTIC GASKETS!!!! GM NEEDS TO REPLACE THEM WITH THE ALUMINUM MANIFOLDS AND RUBBER GASKETS THEY USED TO PLACE ON ALL ENGINES MANUFACTURED SINCE THESE CHANGES WHICH I BELIEVE IS 1996!!!!! NEXT, AFTER ALL THESE MANIFOLDS AND GASKET FAILURES ON MY CAR, OF WHICH I CHANGE THE OIL EVERY 2000 MILES AND HAVE DOCUMENTATION TO SUPPORT MY OIL CHANGES, THE ANTIFREEZE HAS EATEN MY BEARINGS AND CRANKSHAFT MAINS AND ROD BEARINGS AND MY ENGINE IS KNOCKING BADLY!!! A FAIR RESOLUTION WOULD BE FOR GM TO GIVE ME(FREE OF ANY CHARGE), A NEW ENGINE TO REPLACE THE ONE THEY DAMAGED, WITH THEIR DEFECTIVE PARTS, WORKMANSHIP AND MANUFACTURING DESIGN CHANGES. I

LEAKING PLASTIC MANIFOLD HAS HYDROLOCKED MY ENGINE AND BENT 5 PUSHRODS. ALSO THE DEXCOOL ANTIFREEZE ENTERED THE CYLINDERS AND OILPAN, RUINING THE ENGINE.

ENGINE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND GASKET FAILED WHILE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY, WITH TRAFFIC MOVING AT A SPEED OF APX 70 MPH. THIS MANIFOLD AND GASKET FAILURE RESULTED IN THE ENGINE STALLING, FURTHER CAUSING A LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKING CONTROL. SEVERAL CARS SWERVED AND SKIDDED TO AVOID COLLISION WITH OUR DISABLED CAR. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE SELLING PONTIAC DEALER. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND GASKET HAD FAILED, AND THE COST OF REPAIR WAS $1,036.00. I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND GASKET HAD BEEN IMPROPERLY DESIGNED, AND THAT A HIGH FAILURE RATE IS OCCURRING ON GM V-6 3.8 ENGINES. I CONTACTED GM, AND THEY WILL NOT HELP WITH THIS. THERE ARE MANY WEB SITES THAT VERIFY THOUSANDS OF OTHER FAILURES. ALSO, A GM SERVICE MANAGER THAT I SPOKE WITH AT A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM, AND THAT MANY TIMES, THE ENGINES FAIL DUE TO THIS PROBLEM, RESULTING IN A $5,000.00 REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE ENGINE. THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, AS GM IS LAUGHING AT THE PUBLIC ON THIS ONE. WHO OF US HAS THE RESOURCES TO CHALLENGE THEM, AND THEY COULD CARE LESS IF WE EVER BUY ANOTHER CAR FROM THEM.

PAINT IS PEELING AROUND KEY HOLE ON TRUNK - AT THIS TIME APPROXIMATELY A 5 INCH DIAMETER CIRCLE SPOT. THE HOOD IS TURNING MILKY LOOKING. WE TOOK IT TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHERE WE WERE TOLD THAT OUR CAR WAS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION AND HAD BEEN TAKEN VERY GOOD CARE OF. WE WERE TURNED DOWN DUE TO BEING OUT OF WARRANTY AND THERE ARE NO RECALLS ON YOUR 1998 BONNEVILLE REGARDING ANY PAINT CONCERNS.

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER TO BE INSPECTED, AND MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED CAUSING FLUID TO LEAK ONTO THE ENGINE. *AK

ENGINE/COOLING SYSTEM. *AK

ENGINE STOPPED ON INTERSTATE. CAR WAS TOWED. FAILURE ANALYSIS INDICATES INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED ALLOWING ENGINE COOLANT TO BE DRAWING INTO ENGINE CAUSING HYDROLOCK. CAR HAD ABOUT 60,000 MILES. HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS OTHER OWNERS OF OTHER GM CARS WITH 3.8L V-6 ENGINES WITH SAME PROBLEM.*AK

I TOO HAD A INTAKE EXHAUST MANIFOLD FAILURE !! LEAKED ANTI-FREEZE INTO CYLINDERS !! BUT MINE WAS CAUGHT IN TIME !! TOOK TO DEALER THE DAY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON !! INTAKE MANIFOLD REPLACED, FUEL PRESSURE SWITCH REPLACED, PLUGS AND PLUG WIRES REPLACED !! DEALER SHIP OWNER SAID "THIS PROBLEM DID NOT SURPRISE HIM" THERE HAS BEEN ENOUGH OF THESE PROBLEMS DOCUMENETED ON YOUR SITE !! ARE YOU EVER GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM?? COST ME $ OVER $700.00 MIKE MILLER LAPORTE INDIANA THIS CAR ONLY HAS A LITTLE OVER43,000 MILES ON IT !!*AK

INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKED COOLANT INTO ENGINE. SEEMS THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD AND GASKET WARPED CAUSING EXCESSIVE COOLANT CONSUMPTION INTO THE ENGINE. *AK

CONSUMER BOUGHT THE BONNEVILLE IN AUGUST, SINCE THEN IT HAS BEEN IN REPAIR SHOP 7 TIMES. THE FIRST FOUR TIMES WERE FOR TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THEY REPLACED THE PRESSURE CONTROL VALVE AND THROTTLE BODY. THE REMAINING VISITS WERE FOR 4 FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM FAILURES, INJECTOR COIL FAILURES MELTED 4 SPARK PLUG WIRES. ALSO, WATER PUMP STARTED LEAKING. *AK

DEXCOOL COOLANT CORRODED AN UPPER PLENUM INTAKE COSTING ME $1,1185.00. THIS PONTIAC BONNEVILLE ONLY HAS 69000 MILES ON IT. MY MECHANIC SAYS GMC IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND IS DOING NOTHING ABOUT IT.*AK

ON NOVEMBER 4, 2003 MY WIFE CONTACTED ME AT LUNCH TIME TO INFORM ME HER CAR WOULD NOT START. AFTER CHECKING THE BATTERY AND STARTER IT WAS DETERMINED THE MOTOR HAD LOCKED UP. WHEN I CONTACTED THE DEALER I FOUND THAT I STILL HAD 1 YEAR LEFT ON MY EXTENDED WARRANTY ALTHOUGH AT 88,000 MILES I WAS 500 MILES OVER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THEY INFORMED ME THIS WAS CLASSIC SIGNS OF THE AIR INTAKE MANIFOLD. I PROCEEDED TO REPAIR THE CAR MYSELF. AFTER TAKING THE AIR PLENIUM OFF THE AIR INTAKE MANIFOLD I FOUND THE TOP OF THE AIR INTAKE MANIFOLD FILLED WITH ANTI-FREEZE. APPARENTLY, THE AIR PLENIUM HAD DEVELOPED A CRACK AND ALLOWED THE ANTI-FREEZE INTO THE AIR INTAKE. THIS PERMITTED ANTI-FREEZE TO FILL NUMBER 1 CYLINDER WITH ANTI-FREEZE AND WOULD NOT ALLOW THE PISTON TO TRAVEL TO THE TOP OF THE CYLINDER. AFTER SEARCHING THE INTERNET IT BECAME APPARENT I WAS VERY LUCKY. THERE WERE SEVERAL CASES REPORTED ON LINE WHERE THIS HAPPENED WHILE PEOPLE WERE DRIVING AND CAUSED MAJOR LOWER ENGINE REPAIR SUCH AS SHATTERED RODS AND CRANKSHAFTS. I ALSO NOTICED THERE APPEARS TO BE A LARGE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ON YOUR WEB SITE ON THIS ISSUE. I SENT AN EMAIL TO GENERAL MOTORS VIA THEIR WEB SITE ON THIS ISSUE. IT AMAZES ME THAT THIS PART IS MADE OF A PLASTIC COMPOSITE MATERIAL AND IS MOUNTED TO THE TOP OF THE ENGINE. WITH THE HEATING AND COOLING CYCLES THE ENGINE GOES THROUGH, IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THIS PRODUCT WOULD FAIL. FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN ON THE INTERNET AND TALKING TO VARIOUS PART CLERKS

NOTICED SLOW LOSS OF ENGINE COOLANT (NO OBVIOUS LEAKS) OVER THE MONTH PRIOR TO INCIDENT DATE. ON INCIDENT DATE, ENGINE POPPED, BANGED, AND RAN EXTREMELY ROUGH ON START-UP. I HAD READ ABOUT A PROBLEM WITH THE 3.8 LITER V-6 GM ENGINE, AND BROUGHT VEHICLE TO DEALER. DEALER FOUND WARPED/CRACKED PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD, WHICH WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF OVER $700. PONTIAC/GM WOULD NOT CONSIDER ANY COST SHARING ON THE REPAIR. FAILURE WAS IN AREA OF MANIFOLD/PLENUM WHERE THROTTLE BODY/EGR VALVE MOUNT, AND IS DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT BUILD-UP OVER TIME. THIS PROBLEM IS A DESIGN DEFECT (USE OF PLASTIC MANIFOLD VS. METAL IN HIGH TEMPERATURE APPLICATION) ON THIS AND SEVERAL OTHER GM V6 ENGINE TYPES FROM 1995 TO AT LEAST 2002. GM INSTALLS THESE ENGINES IN VARIOUS MODELS OF PONTIACS, BUICKS, OLDSMOBILES, AND I BELIEVE SOME CHEVROLETS. I ESTIMATE THAT GM HAS WELL OVER 1,000,000 OF THESE PROBLEM ENGINES IN VEHICLES, AND THEIR POTENTIAL COST LIABILITY IS IN THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS. I DON'T EXPECT THEM TO INITIATE A RECALL WITHOUT GOVERNMENT MANDATE. IN OTHER CASES I HAVE RESEARCHED, THIS PROBLEM HAS APPARENTLY LED TO COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE, AND IN SOME CASES, ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES. *LA

VEHICLE'S WARNING SIGNAL STARTS UP AND THE VEHICLE HESITATES OR STALLS OUT WHILE DRIVING.*MR THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS ALSO DAMAGED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SMOKE AND OVER HEAT. *CB

1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE, 3.8 LITER V6, 65K MILES WHEN ITS INTAKE MANIFOLD "PLASTIC" GASKET WARPED UNDER NORMAL USE. COOLANT DAMAGED IT WHEN DRAINED INTO ENGINE. GM HAS SEVERAL SERVICE BULLETINS OUT THERE REGARDING THEIR 3.8-LITER V6 AND THIS PROBLEM. THEY KNOW IT'S DEFECTIVE IN THEIR DESIGN, BUT REFUSED TO COVER ANY PERCENTAGE OF REPAIR COST. LUCKILY, THE CAR WAS NOT TRAVELING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AND NO ONE GOT HURT FROM A LOCKED UP OR DESTROYED ENGINE. GM SHOULD RECALL OR OFFER A REPAIR COPY ON THEIR DEFECTIVE DESIGN. SERVICE BULLETIN REPLACES "PLASTIC" PART WITH REDESIGNED ALUMINUM ONE. THEY KNOW ITS A PROBLEM, IT'S TIME THEY MAKE IT RIGHT. *LA

ON SEPTEMBER 19,2003, MY 1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE WITH 3800 V6 OVERHEATED(CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND HIGH TEMP ON GAUGES), WOULD NOT RESTART AND WOULD NOT TURN OVER BY STARTER MOTOR. HAD TO TOW INTO SHOP AND HAD COOLING SYSTEM CHECKED. PRESSURE LEAKS WERE DETECTED. THE SHOP MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE UPPER PLENUM FOR THE INTAKE MANIFOLD, WHICH IS MADE OF PLASTIC, HAD BECOME WARPED WHERE THE EGR VALVE CONNECTS TO THE ENGINE BLOCK. THIS ALLOWED ANTIFREEZE TO FILL UP THE ENGINE CYLINDERS. THE SMALL REPAIR SHOP WHERE MY CAR WAS REPAIRED STATED THAT THEY HAD REPLACED MANY OF THIS PARTICULAR UPPER INTAKE PLENUM FOR THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER TOLD ME WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS EVEN BEFORE I TOLD HIM THE ENTIRE PROBLEM. *JB

COOLANT WAS LEAKING FROM INTAKE MANIFOLD INTO THE ENGINE. THIS COULD RESULT IN ENGINE FAILURE.*AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND BLEW OUT. TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

VEHICLE'S INTAKE MANIFOLD IS DEFECTIVE.*MR THE CONSUMER IS DISTURBED ABOUT THE HER VEHICLE NOT BEING ALLOWED IN THE RECALL FOR DEFECTIVE INTAKE MANIFOLDS. WHEN HER VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS MENTIONED ABOVE. SHE IS NOW REQUESTING TO BE REIMBURSED FOR APPROX $1299.56 TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE AND AVOID LITIGATION. *CB

UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD DEVELOPED CRACKS AND ANTI FREEZE LEAKED ONTO THE ENGINE. THIS RESULTED IN THE MOTOR LOCKING UP. *AK

THIS CAR HAS HAD VERY GOOD CARE/MAINTENANCE, HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN HARD, AND HAS ONLY 67,000 MILES ON IT. WHILE DRIVING DOWN A CITY STREET, APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CAR BEGAN TO SPUTTER. I PULLED IN TO A PARKING LOT AND SHUT THE CAR OFF SO THAT I COULD LOOK AT THE SPARK PLUG WIRES. I HAD A SPARK PLUG WIRE LOOSE WHEN THIS HAPPENED ONCE BEFORE. I HAD NO OVER TEMP, I HAD NORMAL OIL PRESSURE AND THERE WAS NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. I DID NOT FIND A NOTICEABLE PROBLEM, BUT I COULD NOT GET THE ENGINE TO START AGAIN. I HAD IT TOWED HOME. I CHANGED THE BATTERY, THE STARTER, AND FINALLY CHECKED TO SEE IF THE CRANKSHAFT WOULD TURN, WHICH IT WOULDN'T. I REMOVED THE SPARK PLUGS AND TRIED IT AGAIN. I GOT ANTIFREEZE FROM FOUR OF THE CYLINDERS! THIS WAS DETERMINED TO BE BECAUSE OF A FAILED INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET.*AK

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT ANTIFREEZE LEAKING INTO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE CONTACTED, AND STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON A DIFFERENT VEHICLES WITH THE SAME ENGINE BUT NOT ON THIS PARTICULAR ONE.*AK

THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING 20 MPH AROUND A CORNER. WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO BUCK, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE CAR SUDDENLY STALLED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILED. *NLM THE PLENUM FAILED AND CAUSED COOLANT TO ENTER THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE HYDRO-LOCKED DUE TO A FAULTY GASKET THAT GM HAD KNOWN ABOUT. THE ENGINE, STARTER AND PLENUM WAS REPLACED. *SCC *JB

COOLANT WAS SUCKED INTO THE CYLINDERS THROUGH TWO UNKNOWN HOLES IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD SYSTEM. ENGINE HAD 66,000 MILES. RESULTED IN TOTAL BLOW-OUT OF ENGINE AND REPLACEMENT WAS NECESSARY AT A REPAIR COST OF CLOSE TO $3,000. ACCORDING TO SERVICE TECHNICIAN THIS ENGINE HAS A HISTORY OF THESE PROBLEMS AND GM NEEDS TO RECTIFY THE FAULTY PLASTIC MANIFOLDS AND GASKETS. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING COOLANT WAS LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. *AK

1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE - ON NUMREOUS OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE HAS STALLED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. SOMETIMES WHILE MOVING, OTHER TIMES AT STOP SIGNS OR STOPLIGHTS. WARM AND COLD WEATHER. WARM AND COLD ENGINE. THE DEALER HAS HAD IT ON THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHNIES AND EVEN HOOKED UP A RECORDER TO RECORD CONDITIONS WHEN THE STALLS OCCUR, BUT STILL NO ANSWERS.

1998 PONTAIC BONNEVILLE SE, STANDARD V6 ENGINE, WHILE STOPPED WITH THE BRAKE ENGAGED THE ENGINE WILL SURGE AND LEAP FORWARD . CAR ENGINE WILL QUIT WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING LOSS OF ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. TRANSMISSION SOMETIMES SHIFTS UP AND DOWN WITHOUT ANY REASON, EVEN AT SPEED CAUSING CONTROL PROBLEMS. SUPOSEDLY RELATED TO THE DESIGN OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD ( PLASTIC CRACKS CAUSING VACUM PROBLEMS AND SOMETINES LOSS OF WATER). ALSO EXTERIOR PAINT STARTED TO PEAL OFF AT 70.000 MILES.*AK

CONSUMER NOTICED WHILE USING WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION WIPERS STARTED SMOKING, AND STOPPED WORKING. *AK

I PURCHASED VEHICLE ON 02/17/03. IN MAY 2003, WITHOUT ANY WARNING, I WAS REPLACING A MOTOR. ONCE AGAIN, ON JULY 19, 2003 I AM REPLACING YET ANOTHER MOTOR.*AK

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING GASKET PROBLEMS. GASKETS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE, AND HE WAS CONCERNED. MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTATED AT THE TIME OF THIS CALL. *AK

WIFE WAS DRIVING CAR WHEN SHE NOTICED THE CHECK GAUGE LIGT CAME ON. ENGINE STARTED OVERHEADING. I WENT TO LOCATION AND ADDED COLLANT BUT SOMETHING DID NOT SEEM RIGHT. CALLED TOW AND HAD TOWED TO DEALER SHIP. WAS TOLD PROBLEM WAS BETWEEN THE EGR PASSAGE AT UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD! OTHERWISE CALLED "MATERIAL DEGRADATION". DEALERSHIP SAID THIS WAS COMMON FOR THIS YEAR OF CAR.... COST US APPROX $700 TO HAVE FIXED. CALLED GMC CUSTOMER SATISIFACTION AND DID NOT GET ANY SATISIFACTION... SOLD CAR AND WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER GMC UNTIL THEY CAN STAND BEHIND THEIR PROBLEMS. WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS RECALLED... *AK

ON JULY 1, 1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE WITH 3800 V6 OVERHEATED. TOOK IT INTO SHOP AND HAD COOLING SYSTEM CHECKED. NO PRESSURE LEAKS WERE DETECTED. WHEN I LEFT THE SHOP, ENGINE BEGAN MISSING AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. ENGINE SMOOTHED OUT, BUT TOOK BACK TO SHOP AND THEY PUT ON MACHINE. CYLINDERS 1 AND 6 HAD BEEN MISFIRING, BUT SEEMED TO BE RUNNING FINE. THE NEXT DAY ON WAY TO WORK, THE ENGINE BEGAN MISSING BADLY AGAIN AND TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT UP TO ABOUT 240. AFTER WORK, ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER AT ALL. AFTER HAVING CAR TOWED BACK TO SHOP, I LEARNED THAT THE UPPER PLENUM FOR THE INTAKE MANIFOLD,WHICH IS MADE OF PLASTIC, HAD BECOME WARPED WHERE THE EGR VALVE CONNECTS TO THE ENGINE BLOCK. THIS ALLOWED ANTIFREEZE TO FILL UP THE ENGINE CYLINDERS. THE SMALL REPAIR SHOP WHERE MY CAR WAS REPAIRED STATED THAT THEY HAD REPLACED 10 OF THIS PARTICULAR UPPER INTAKE PLENUM FOR THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE.

A PLASTIC COMPONENT IN THE ENGINE OF THE 1998 BONNEVILLE MELTED ALLOWING ANTIFREEZE TO ENTER THE ENGINE AND CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE. THERE WAS ONLY 70,000 MILES ON THE CAR. ALL REPLACEMENT ENGINES HAVE THE SAME PLASTIC COMPONENTS AND CAN HAVE THE SAME POTENTIAL FOR ENGINE FAILURE OR FIRE.*AK

I OWN A 1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE MANIFOLD COVERS ARE MADE OF PLASTIC AND EVENTUALLY CRACK CAUSING ANTIFREEZE TO ENTER THE ENGINE CAUSING VAPOR LOCK. THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF LEAVING THE DRIVER WITH NO POWER STEERING OR START UP CAPABILITIES BECAUSE THE STARTER CONE ON THIS INCIDENT WAS BLOWN OFF DUE TO INTENSE PRESSURE. MY 17 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AT THE TIME AND I'M THANKFUL THAT SHE WAS IN TOWN TRAVELING ONLY AROUND 25 MPH. I DREAD THE THOUGHT WHAT MAY HAVE HAPPENED ON THE EXPRESSWAY. I HAVE HEARD OF AND READ OF SEVERAL CASES THAT ARE EXACTLY LIKE THIS ONE. GENERAL MOTORS IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM YET REFUSES TO RECALL THIS MANIFOLD COVER PROBLEM. MY VEHICLE IS WELL MAINTAINED AND HAS ONLY 83000 MILES ON IT. THERE IS NO WAY THIS SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. IT IS VERY COSTLY TO MYSELF AS A CONSUMER. IT RAN ME NEARLY $900 DOLLARS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. HOPEFULLY THERE ISN'T ANY LONG TERM DAMAGE (WHICH I UNDERSTAND THERE WILL BE) TO MY ENGINE FROM THIS PROBLEM. *NLM

CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER SINCE THE ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. DEALER STATED NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. FOUR DAYS LATER, ENGINE BLEW OUT.*AK

CONSUMER TRIED TO START UP VEHICLE, AN UNDER HOOD FIRE OCCURRED. *MR THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T CRANK. THE CONSUMER THOUGHT THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T START BECAUSE IT WAS COLD. THE VEHICLE SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING EXPLODED UNDER THE HOOD AS THE CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE. *SCC *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT 35MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING THE ENGINE BLEWOUT, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO PULLOVER. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

I HAVE A 1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE (GM 3800 LITER V-6). THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED ALLOWING COOLANT TO FLOOD THE CYLINDERS AND RESUKTING IN A $675 REPAIR BILL. LUCKILY THIS HAPPENED IN MY GARAGE AND NOT ON THE HIGHWAY. NO MAJOR ENGINE DAMAGE. NO FIRE; JUST A COSTLY REPAIR BILL THAT I THINK GM SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR.

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD IS MADE OF PLASTIC AND BECAUSE IT IS COOLED BY THE ENGINE COOLANT IT REGULARLY FAILS. PH

MY 1998 BONNEVILLE HAD BEEN LOOSING ANTIFREEZE, THE DEALER REPLACED THE THERMISTAT, THEN THE WATER PUMP WENT OUT. IT STILL LOST ANTIFREEZE....A COUPLE WEEKS LATER WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD IT JUST DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. MY INTAKE MANFOLD ALOUD MY ENGINE TO FILL WITH ANTIFREEZE, GM HAS A KIT FOR THIS PROBLEM.....SO THEY KNOW IT IS A PROBLEM.

THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER STATED OIL MIXED WITH THE ANTI-FREEZE. *JB

BONNEVILLE ENGINE OVER HEATING AND UPPER MANIFOLD CRACKED AND BROKE. *JB

NAR 04/28/2003 MR WHILE DRIVING 55-70 MPH THE CONSUMER ENGINE DIED OUT BECAUSE OF A DEFECTIVE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD. *CB

UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED IN MY 1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO HYDROLOCK. THIS FAILURE CAUSED ADDITIONAL FAILURES OF THE STARTER AND SPARK PLUGS. ALSO THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS REPLACED WITHOUT FAILING WITH A REDESIGNED PART. THIS LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT GM THINKS THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THESE MANIFOLDS THAT THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED WITH REDESIGNED PARTS EVEN IF THEY DON'T FAIL. TOTAL COST OF REPAIRS WAS $1600. *NLM

ENGINE FAILED WHILE TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE STRANDING MY SON AND THREE FRIENDS FOR OVER 3 HOURS. THE DIAGNOSIS IS HEAD GASKET FAILURE AND WILL COST APPROX. $1300 TO REPAIR IN ADDITION TO THE $300 SPENT IN TOWING FEES. THIS IS THE 5TH ONE OF THIS MAKE AND MODEL THAT WE HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE THAT HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM. DOES GM DELIBERATELY MAKE ENGINES TO SELF-DESTRUCT? *NLM

THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED, WHICH CAUSED COOLANT TO LEAK ONTO THE ENGINE. THE DEALER STATED THE PROBLEM OCCURRED DUE TO THE PLASTIC MANIFOLD NOT BEING ABLE TO WITHSTAND ENGINE HEAT TEMPERATURES. *JB

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. *JB *TS

COOLANT WAS SUCKED INTO THE CYLINDERS THROUGH A HOLE IN THE PLENUM WHICH IS PART OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD SYSTEM. I HAVE READ OVER 40 COMPLAINTS DETAILING THE SAME PROBLEM AT THIS LOCATION. THIS ENGINE HAD ONLY 56,000 MILES AND DEALER REFUSED TO WARRANTY OR TO ASSIST WITH COSTS. THIS IS CLEARLY A WIDE RANGING DEFECT AND THIS FLUID LOCK CAN SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY STOP THE ENGINE WHILE IN TRAFFIC CAUSING A POTENTIAL FOR SERIOUS ACCIDENTS. THIS DEFECT AFFECTS ALL GENERAL MOTORS VEHICLES WITH THE 3.8 L ENGINE YET GENERAL MOTORS HAS REFUSED TO DO A RECALL AND I CANNOT DETECT ANY ACTION BY NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE THIS AND FORCE A RECALL. IT IS TIME TO DO THIS. *JB

THE ORIGINAL AND THE REPLACEMENT UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD MALFUNCTIONED. MR SCC *JB

EMAIL FM DONALD MARK (NY) *PH. A DEFECTIVE PART CALLED PLENUM CAUSED PROBLEMS IN THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, THE CONSUMER REQUESTED A RECALL TO BE ISSUED. *JB SCC