1998 Pontiac Bonneville complaints

THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. * MR THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START DUE TO THE COOLANT LEAKING INTO THE CYLINDERS. THE CONSUMER THEN RECEIVED A BULLETIN WHICH WAS IN REFERENCE TO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD/COOLANT CONSUMPTION LEAK. SCC *JB

THE CONSUMER COULDN'T GET THE VEHICLE STARTED. THE CONSUMER TRIED TO GET THE VEHICLE STARTED AGAIN AND HEARD A LOUD NOISE WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. *SCC *NLM REFERENCED IN EA02-030

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED AND CAUSED THE MOTOR TO SEIZE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *NLM

PLENUM PART NUMBER 17113136 FAILED HAVE INCURRED $511.78 IN DAMAGES THROUGH GM'S NEGLECT TO ADMIT TO A DESIGN PROBLEM AND THEIR FAILURE TO DO A VOLUNTARY RECALL, CAR STILL DOES NOT RUN PROPERLY AND WILL END UP COSTING MORE MONEY TO CORRECT. *JB

WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE, IT CUT OFF. THIS WAS DUE TO A FAILED INTAKE MANIFOLD. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND PART WAS REPLACED.*JB

PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED. $1500 REPAIR DUE TO POOR DESIGN. ENGINE STALLED DUE TO COOLANT LEAKING ONTO ENGINE CYLINDERS. HAVE DONE EXTENSIVE RESEARCH INCLUDING WEB SITES LIKE CARREVIEW.COM WHERE OVER 10% OF ALL COMMENTS ON THIS CAR (GOOD OR BAD) COMPLAINED ABOUT INTAKE MANIFOLD PROBLEMS. RECALL SEEMS IN ORDER.*JB

PLASTIC MANIFOLD MELTED CAUSING COOLANT TO FLOW INTO THE PISTON CHAMBER. THIS SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR MALFUNCTION WITH THIS PART AND SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO GM'S ATTENTION TO BE RECALLED WITH A BETTER SOLUTION THAN A PLASTIC MANIFOLD.*JB

THE UPPER INTAKE ON THE VEHICLE, LEAKED ANTIFREEZE. *JB

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED. *JB

I OWN A 1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE WITH 87,000 MILES AND OUT OF WARRANTY. LATE ONE EVENING MY CAR SUDDENLY LET OUT A CLOUD WHITE SMOKE AND STOPPED IN TRAFFIC. I ASSUMED THAT WHEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE MANUAL SUGGESTED "A TANK OF BAD GAS" OR SIMILAR PROBLEMS THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT SERIOUS. AFTER HAVING MY CAR TOWED TO MY DEALER, I WAS VERY SURPRISED WHEN MY DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD CRACKED AND COOLANT HAD INFILTRATED MY CYLINDERS. THIS "MINOR" REPAIR ENDED UP COSTING $1836 AFTER REPLACING THE MANIFOLD, GASKETS, HOSES, AND THERMOSTAT. I DO NOT HAVE MUCH TRUST IN MY VEHICLE NOR THE AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURER WHO KNOWS THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH MY YEAR AND MODEL OF CAR AND DOES NOTHING TO WARN OWNERS OF THIS PROBLEM. I FEEL THAT I SHOULD BE COMPENSATED FOR THE PARTS AND LABOR TO REPLACE A MANUFACTURER MISTAKE. *JB

THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED AND LEAKED ANTIFREEZE ONTO THE ENGINE WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO LOCK UP.*JB *TS

THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED AND LEAKED ANTIFREEZE ONTO THE ENGINE WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO LOCK UP.*JB

THE ANTIFREEZE LEAKED AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE ROD BEARINGS, AND CRANKSHAFT.*DT *JB

I HAVE HAD THE PLENIUM MANIFOLD FAIL IN MY 1998 BONNEVILLE AND HAVE SPOKEN TO A DEALER ABOUT THIS AND TYEY ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BUT YET THEY DO NOT HAVE ANY PLANS TO DO ANY TYPE OF RECALL.THE SERVICE DIR. THAT I SPOKE WITH SAID THEY WERE HAVING THIS PROBLEM WITH ALOT OF THE SAME STYLE MOTORS THAT GM PUT OUT BUT THEY HAVE NO PLANS ON FIXING THIS PROBLEM,BUT I HAD TO SPEND 1100.00 OF MY MONEY TO GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED AND THE DEALER JUST SEEMS NOT TO CARE THAT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM.

THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD CRACKED AND LEAKED ANTIFREEZE OVER ENGINE COMPONENTS. (RELATED INVESTIGATION EA02-030) PH THE DEALER REPLACED THE UPPER MANIFOLD PLENUM. SCC

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PH

SECOND REPLACEMENT OF THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD.

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE ENGINE WILL OVERHEAT. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT HE HAD A DIFFERENT INTAKE MANIFOLD AND IT WAS REPLACED BUT CONSUMER HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. THE SECOND TIME THE VEHICLE GOT ON FIRE. TS

CONSUMER WAS ADVISED THE ENGINE FAILED DUE TO A DESIGN PROBLEM OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE TOP OF INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS PLASTIC AND HAD A METAL TUBE THAT RAN THROUGH PLASTIC. OVER TIME THE PLASTIC ALSO DEGRADED AND CRACKED WHICH RESULTED IN THE COOLANT ENTERING THE ENGINE.*JB

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE LENS ON THE LEFT HEAD LIGHT FELL OFF. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITION INFORMATION. TS

MY COMPLAINT IS: I WAS DRIVING DOWN ILLINOIS INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 55 AT 70 MPH WHEN MY ENGINE DIED, BECAUSE MY MANIFOLD KEEPS CRACKING, THIS IS THE 4TH TIME!! 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!!! I TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR IN NEUTRAL GOING 70 MPH, WITH 20-25 CARS AROUND ME AND 3-5 SEMI TRUCKS, BUT THE ENGINE WAS LOCKED UP!!!! 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!!!!!!!!! THIS IS A "SAFETY ISSUE THAT MUST BE RESOLVED!! 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 1995!!!!! ALSO, DO NOT ALLOW GM TO DENY THESE CHARGES OF DEFECTIVE MATERIAL, PARTS, WORKMANSHIP, OR MANUFACTURING, BECAUSE I WAS TOLD YESTERDAY THERE IS A "NEW TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN" CHANGING THE MANIFOLD, GASKET AND INSTALLATION!! PLEASE SEE THE ATTACHED URL - HTTP://WWW.PETITIONONLINE.COM/MOD_PERL/SIGNED.CGI?GMCNSMRS TO VIEW THE OVER 1,300 PEOPLE SO FAR THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN JUST A FEW MONTHS BY WORD OF MOUTH. THE DEALERSHIPS STOCK THESE PARTS, WHERE BEFORE THEIR DESIGN CHANGE IN 1996 FROM ALUMINUM TO PLASTIC MANIFOLDS, THE DEALERSHIPS NEVER ST

1998 PONTIAC BONNIVILLE THEY USE A PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD COVER OF SCHROWED.WITHIN THIS COVER THEY HAVE HOLE FOR THE EGR VALVE WHICH GETS VERY VERY HOT,AND TO COOL THIS THEY RUN COOLANT AROUND THIS WITHIN THE PLASTIC. DON'T THEY REALIZE THAT THE PLASTIC WILL CRACK FROM EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION AND COOLANT WILL INFILTRATE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND THE ENTIRE COMBUSTION CHAMBER,EXHAUST. THIS HAPPENED TO MY 98 BONNIVILLE AND I WANT THIS TO BE INVESTIGATED.

THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED ALLOWING COOLANT TO ENTER THE CYLINDERS AND OIL, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE EXHAUST. GAS FROM THE EGR PASSES THROUGH THE PLASTIC AND EVENTUALLY SOFTENS AND DETERIORATES IT. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE ACCORDING TO LOCAL DEALERS AND MECHANIC. WHY HASN'T A RECALL BEEN ISSUED SINCE IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY AND DAMAGE ISSUE. I CALLED THE MANUFACTURER---NO SATISFACTION. *****DIMS 11 IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS******770815. *AK *JB

CAR SUDDENLY BEGAN MISSING AND RUNNING VERY ROUGH. DROVE ONLY A SHORT DISTANCE & CAR STOPPED RUNNING. THE DEALER SAID THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD PLENNUIM NEEDED REPLACED, AS WELL AS THE PLUGS REMOVED & CLEANED. ALSO NEEDED OIL, FILER & COLLANT CHANGED. COST OVER $750 TO REPAIR & MANIFOLD WAS ABOUT THE ONLY ENGINE COMPONENT TO NOT BE INCLUDED UNDER THE ADD'L SERVICE CONTRACT WE HAD PURCHASED.

WHILE IN MOTION, THE ENGINE DIED CAUSING A PILE UP ON THE HIGHWAY. THE ENGINE MANIFOLD AND THE GASKET CAUSED WHAT IS CALLED A VAPOR LOCK UP. THIS IS A CONTINUOUS PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE MANIFOLD AND GASKETS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES PRIOR. *JG

CONSUMER STATES THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED, CAUSING ENGINE TO HYDROLOCK AND BENDING 5 PUSH RODS. THIS ALLOWING COOLANT TO ENTER ENGINE CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE. TS

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND NO WARNING THE INTAKE MANIFOLD BLEW CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BE NON DRIVABLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. PH

NO SUMMARY. DT

CONSUMER ADVISED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK ONTO ENGINE. VEHICLE STALLE OH HIGHWAY. TS

UPPER INTAKE CRACK WHICH CAUSED COOLANT LEAK INTO INTAKE AND FUEL SYSTEM. DT

INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURES ARE A KNOWN PROBLEM AT GM, AND NOTHING IS BEING DONE ABOUT IT. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, AT A SPEED OF APX. 65 MPH, ON A FOUR LANE HIGHWAY, IN THE CENTER LANE WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURE CAUSES THE ENGINE TO STOP, AND LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKING THEN OCCURRES. AS SHE PROCEEDED TO TRY TO GET THE CAR OFF OF THE HIGHWAY, SEVERAL CARS SKIDDED TO STOP AS THE CAR SLOWLY MADE IT'S WAY OFF OF THE HIGHWAY. IT HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT GENERAL MOTORS IS AWARE OF THESE INTAKE MANIFOLDS FAILING, AND THAT IT IS A KNOWN DESIGN DEFECT. THEY SEE A LOT OF 3.8 ENGINES WITH THIS PROBLEM, AND ARE DOING NOTHING ABOUT FIXING IT FOR THE CONSUMER. MY REPAIR COST ME A LITTLE OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS. A LOT OF TIMES, THE ENTIRE ENGINE HAS TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT IS DAMAGED BY THE CATASTROPHIC EVENTS THAT TAKE PLACE WHEN THE INTAKE MANIFOLDS FAIL. WE ARE VERY LUCKY THAT SHE WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR OFF OF THE HIGHWAY, DESPITE THE FACT THAT SEVERAL CARS LOCKED UP THEIR BRAKES TO AVOID COLLISION WITH THIS DISABLED VEHICLE. WE PURCHASED THE CAR NEW, AND MAINTAIN IT MORE THAN IS REQUIRED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THIS INTAKE MANIFOLD DEFECT SHOULD HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATED A LONG TIME AGO, AS I HAVE TRACED OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES HAVING THIS PROBLEM SINCE 1996, AND POSSIBLY BEFORE. IF NOTHING IS DONE, THEN SURELY DEATHS WILL OCCUR DUE TO THE SERIES OF CATASTROPHIC EVENTS THAT WILL OCCUR DUE TO THIS

THE ENGINE INTAKE PLASTIC MANIFOLD CRACKED, WHICH CAUSED ANTIFREEZE TO RUN INTO THE ENGINE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. TS. *JG *JB

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND NO WARNING COOLANT FLUID ARE BEING PUMP INTO THE ENGINE. DEALER NOTIFIED TS

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON THE DASHBOARD. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD MELTED CAUSING OIL TO MIX IN WITH ANTIFREEZE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. TS *YH

VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON A BUSY INTERSTATE. THE DEALER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS THE PLASTIC INTAKE HAD CRACKED, WHICH DUMPED THE ENGINE COOLANT INTO THE CHUNDERS AND LOCKED THE ENGINE. MR SCC *JB

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STARTED TO MAKE A WIERD NOISE, VEHICLE STARTED TO LOOSE POWER AND ENGINE DIED. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. NLM

FUEL LINE BROKE, AND STARTED LEAKING ,COULD HAVE STARTED FIRE.*AK

ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. PULLED OVER AND NOTICED WATER LEAKING FROM RADIATOR. UPPER PLENUUM PLASTIC MELTED, ALLOWING WATER TO GET INTO ENGINE, AND ENGINE LOCKED UP. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED OUT. HAD VEHICLE TOWED. THIS WAS A RESULT OF COOLANT FUEL LEAKING.DEALER CONTACTED.*AK

ENGINE LOST COOLANT - INFORMED BY DEALER THAT INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD WARPED ALLOWING COOLANT TO MIX WITH FUEL AND AIR. DEALER SAID THAT THIS PART WAS A PLASTIC COMPOSITE PART THAT FAILED OFTEN. FAILURE COULD CAUSE ENGINE LOSS OR FIRE. INTAKE MANIFOLDS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO WARP UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS. *AK *PH *NLM **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS**765826

AFTER REFUELING ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, DEALER STATED RADIATOR NEEDED WATER. WATER WAS COMING THROUGH RADIATOR, AND EXITING THROUGH EXHAUST SYSTEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFOMATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STARTED RUNNING ROUGH. THEN, THE ENGINE STOPPED. CONTACTED DEALER, VALVE COVER GASKET WAS LEAKING, AND WATER WENT INTO ENGINE CYCLINDER. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. *AK THE MECHANICS REMOVED/REPLACED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD, BOTH UPPER AND LOWER MANIFOLD GASKETS. *SCC

ANTI FREEZE WAD SLEAKING BUT NOT ON GROUND. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND NOTICED ANTI FREEZE LEAKING INTO ENGINE, INTAKE MANIFOLD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD IS LEAKING COOLANT ONTO ENGINE WHILE DRIVING. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK DEALER REPLACED THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD DUE TO IT BEING WARPED WHERE IT JOINED THE THROTTLE BODY. *SLC

ENGINE WOULD NOT RUN DUE TO COOLANT IN CYLINDER/S, COST TO REPLACE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD APX. $900.00 THE TERM DEGRADE AS USED BY GM SHOULD BE DEFECTIVE AS BY ALL EXPERIENCE, AN INTAKE MANIFOLD HAS NO MOVING PARTS TO WEAR AND THE CAR WAS EQUIPPED WITH COOLANT WHICH DOES NOT NEED REPLACINGG UNTIL 150,000 MILES OR FIVE YEARS. THERE IS NO MAINTENACE THAT ANY OWNER CAN DO TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING. IF IT HAPPENS WHEN IN TRAFFIC AND THE ENGINE STOPPED, THERE WILL BE SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM. GM DOES NOT WANT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR A DEFECT OR DESIGN PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING, ENGINE STALLED, RESULTING IN VEHICLE BECOMING INOPERABLE.*AK CONSUMERS WIFE WAS COMING TO A STOP WHEN THE ENGINE FROZE. THE VEHICLE LOST ALL COOLANT AND RADIATOR WATER DUE TO THE PLENUM MELTING FROM THE EGB TUBE. THE POOR DESIGN HAS BEEN CORRECTED BY GM, BUT AS A REPAIR BULLETIN AND NOT A SAFETY RECALL. *JG

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND SMELLED A ROTTEN SMELL COMING FROM VENTS AREA., AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, VEHICLE SHUTDOWN INSIDE OF PARKING LOT.*AK

ANTIFREEZE LEAKED FROM VEHICLE, DEALER DETERMINED THAT PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD MELTED, CAUSING ANTIFREEZE TO LEAK INTO ENGINE. ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD HAS GOTTEN A HOLE IN IT 2 TIMES NOW. THE FIRST TIME WAS AT 83000 MILES AND RESULTED IN NEEDING A NEW ENGINE. THE NEW ENGINE HAD 16000 MILES ON IT AND AFTER DRIVING 19000 MILES THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN CAUSEING US TO REPLACE THE MANIFOLD, HEAD GASKETS, BOLTS AND STARTER. IT HAS COST OVER 2000.00 FOR THE SAME DEFECTIVE PLASTIC PEICE. THE GARAGE SAID TO GET RID OF THE CAR BECAUSE IT IS JUST GOING TO KEEP HAPPENING AND THERE IS NO WAY OF TELLING AHEAD OF TIME THAT IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. WE JUST PAID THE CAR OFF AND CANT TAKE ON NEW PAYMENTS SO THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE. SO SOMEONE NEEDS TO GET GM TO FIX THEIR DEFECT SO WE DON'T HAVE TO KEEP GOING THROUGH THIS. WE CONTACTED THE GM CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AND THEY WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE A DEFECT OR PROBLEM. WE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THEY HAD RECEIVED A BULLITIN ON IT AND SAID WHAT TO CHECK BUT WOULD NOT HELP WITH THE COST EITHER. NEITHER WERE ANY HELP AT ALL. BUT THEY WERE SORRY WE WERE HAVING DIFFICULTY WHAT A BIG HELP.*AK

CONSUMERS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE COOLANT LEAK.*JB