2001 Pontiac Bonneville

High concern

Owners filed 129 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine and engine cooling. No safety recall has been issued.

When it fails
020k40k60k90k120k200k
67,500 milesMedian miles at failure

91 complaints record an odometer reading. Failures cluster around 75,00090,000 miles.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Engine and Engine Cooling11
140
Steering9
000
Power Train › Automatic Transmission9
000
Fuel System, Gasoline7
040
Engine7
041
Electrical System7
053
Visibility › Power Window Devices and Controls6
000
Air Bags6
403
Steering › Column5
000
Power Train4
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Electrical SystemFire
Filed Aug 19, 2020191,600 milesTX

MY CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE BACK IN JANUARY 2020 UNDER THE HOOD ON MY WAY TO WORK THE FIRE STARTED BEHIND THE VALE COVER GASKETS AND NOW OIL IS LEAKING ON THE MANIFOLD GASKETS AND GAS IS MIXING WITH THE OIL AND I CAN'T DRIVE MY CAR ANYMORE HELP ME PLEASE.

Engine
Filed Aug 6, 2020264,000 milesNM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LEAKED OIL OUT OF THE VALVE COVER GASKET AND THE SPARK PLUG WIRE RETAINER CAUSING A MISFIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED BUT FAILED TO PROPERLY ACCELERATE WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE FUMES INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHICH CAUSED EYE IRRITATION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TPMS, CHECK ENGINE, SERVICE ENGINE, SEAT BELT, AND AIR BAGS WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. ADDITIONALLY, AFTER REFUELING, THE FUEL GAUGE FAILED TO PROVIDE AN ACCURATE FUEL READING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SPARK PLUG RETAINER AND VALVE COVER GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V238000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 264,000.

EngineFire
Filed Mar 21, 2019IN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. WHILE DRIVING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE ENGINE MADE AN ABNORMAL BANGING SOUND AND THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE ENGINE BLEW UP AND PRODUCED A THICK CLOUD OF SMOKE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

Air BagsCrash1 injured
Filed Feb 9, 2019178,000 milesMO

MY SON WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT AND HIS AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY.

Engine
Filed Jan 6, 201794,000 milesOH

VALVE COVER GASKETS LEAKING OIL CAN GET ON EXHAUST MANIFOLD CAUSING AN ENGINE FIRE.

Service Brakes
Filed Nov 8, 2016131,000 milesFL

STEEL BRAKE LINES HAVE CORRODED TO THE POINT OF FAILURE. VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP. BRAKE FLUID LEAKS

EngineFire
Filed Oct 27, 2015100,000 milesCT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AND EXPLODED WHEN THE IGNITION KEY WAS INSERTED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

EngineFire
Filed Oct 1, 2015150,000 milesWA

I HAD LEFT MY LIGHTS ON AND BATTERY WENT DEAD. WENT TO JUMP THE VEHICLE AND CHARGE THE BATTERY. CABLES CONNECTED CORRECTLY. WHEN I WENT TO START THE VEHICLE, I HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION NOISE LIKE A BACK FIRE BUT SAW A FLAME THEN SMOKE OUT OF ENGINE. THE ENGINE HOOD WAS CLOSED SINCE THE BATTERY IS LOCATED UNDER THE BACK SEAT OR THIS COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL OR A SERIOUS INJURY. THE FLAME MUST HAVE BEEN EXTINGUISHED BY THE FLUIDS? WHEN WE OPENED THE HOOD AFTER A SHORT PERIOD, WE FOUND THAT THEIR WAS SOME TYPE OF EXPLOSION IN THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND IN MY DRIVEWAY

Unknown or Other
Filed Aug 11, 2015100 milesWI

I JUST CURRENTLY BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE IN MARCH WHEN I GOT NO LIGHTS OR ANYTHING WAS ON A COUPLE DAYS LATER MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON SAYING THAT MY TRACK IS OFF ALSO WHEN I TRY TO GO OVER 50 MILES PER HOUR THE CAR SHAKES REALLY BAD I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THEY DID NOT HAVE A MECHANIC TO LOOK AT IT AND IT HAPPEN TO ME 3 TIMES WHEN I TOOK IT THERE.

Steering
Filed Feb 4, 2015114,000 milesOH

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,000.

Air BagsCrash1 injured
Filed Oct 20, 2014MI

MY SON WAS THE PASSENGER IN A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT AND HIS EYEBALL WAS SEVERED BY THE AIRBAG. MY SON RECEIVED HIS PROSTHETIC EYE FOR HIS 18TH BIRTHDAY. *TR

Power Train
Filed Sep 15, 201425,000 milesTX

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND REPAIRED. THE TYPE OF REPAIRS WERE UNKNOWN AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000. UPDATED 11/12/14*LJ

Electrical System
Filed Apr 18, 201484,423 milesPA

CAR JUST SHUTS OFF WHEN SITTING AT A STOPLIGHT AND WILL NOT RESTART. HAVE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO DEALER ONLY TO FIND AFTER SITTING IT FIRES RIGHT UP AND THE COMPUTER SHOWS NO PROBLEM. IT HAS ON 1 OCCASION SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD, BUT AFTER PULLING IN NEUTRAL IT DID RESTART. IT IS STILL SITTING AT THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THEY DRIVE IT SHUTS OFF THEY GET IT BACK TO DEALERSHIP AND IT RESTARTS AND IS FINE PER COMPUTER. *TR

EngineFire
Filed Feb 20, 201486,700 milesIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED AN ABNORMAL NOISE WHEN FIRST STARTED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND ASSISTED WITH EXTINGUISHING THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. AFTER THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR, UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD, FUEL INJECTORS, FUEL LINE, MASTER CYLINDER, ALTERNATOR, ENGINE WIRING HARNESS, COOLANT RESERVOIR, ACCELERATOR CABLE, AND SEVERAL OTHER COMPONENTS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,700.

Electrical SystemFire
Filed Feb 14, 2014136,000 milesPA

WE HAD A LOT OF SNOW AND I LIVE ON A SLIGHT HILL. WENT TO START THE CAR THAT WAS COVERED IN SNOW TO MOVE THE CAR ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET FACING DOWN HILL. I TURNED THE KEY TO START THE CAR AND HEARD IT POP OR BACKFIRE WHICH IT HAD NEVER DONE BEFORE. I TRIED AGAIN TO START THE CAR AND NOW IT SOUNDED LIKE THE BATTERY WAS DEAD (WHICH I KNEW IT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN). THE NEXT THING I KNEW, A NEIGHBOR RIPPED OPEN MY DRIVER DOOR AND WAS PULLING ME OUT OF THE CAR SAYING "YOUR CAR IS ON FIRE". MY NEIGHBORS CALLED 911 FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHO CAME AND PUT THE FIRE OUT BUT THE CAR WAS TOTALED! I AM FORTUNATE THAT THE NEIGHBORS HEARD THE POP, CAME OUTSIDE, SAW THE FLAMES UNDER THE CAR, AND I WAS NOT HURT. THIS HAPPENED WITH THE CAR PARKED RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE! STILL UNBELIEVABLE AND VERY FRIGHTENING! *TR

Electrical SystemFire
Filed Jan 30, 2014180,000 milesOH

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE BUT WHEN THE KEY WAS TURNED IN THE IGNITION, THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION FROM UNDER TO HOOD. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT A FIRE HAD ERUPTED FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE BUT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE ORIGIN OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Dec 3, 2013166,000 milesMI

WHEN I DRIVE MY CAR IT SHUTS DOWN ON ME WHILE DRIVING AND I HAVE TO WAIT AT LEAST 20 MINS BEFORE IT STARTS BACK UP AND SOMETIMES IT SMELLS LIKE SOMETHING IS BURNING. *TR

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Apr 30, 2013137,000 milesIN

GAS FUMES COMING INTO THE CAR. *TR

Engine1 injured
Filed Dec 20, 2012111,000 milesOH

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE WOULD TAKE IN THE EXHAUST FUMES FROM THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE AND OTHER VEHICLES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A FIRE DEPARTMENT DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF CARBON MONOXIDE ENTERING THE VEHICLE HOWEVER, THEIR MACHINES DID NOT DETECT ANY CARBON MONOXIDE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE COLDER THE WEATHER, THE WORSE THE ODOR WOULD BECOME. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE CONTACT AND ANYONE WHO ENTERED THE VEHICLE TO SUFFER FROM HEADACHES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED HER TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 111,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 126,000.

Fuel System, GasolineFire
Filed Mar 27, 2012174,000 milesMI

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FUEL FUMES WOULD SEEP INTO THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE WOULD EMIT A LOUD CLICKING NOISE. A LOCAL MECHANIC AND DEALER WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 174,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 190,000.

20 of 129 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1998
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
200527010Routine
200428010Routine
200354250Routine
200289230Routine
2001 — this page1290200High concern
20002142210High concern
1999143490Routine
19982772280High concern
19971472160Routine
1996150370Routine
1995244140Above average
199488090Routine
19931381110Routine
1992113350Routine
199122210Routine
199039110Routine

Compare every Bonneville year →

Reading this record

A high number of complaints describe fires or crashes.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.