1997 Pontiac Montana

Defect. ON CERTAIN MINIVANS EQUIPPED WITH SECOND-ROW BUCKET SEATS OR CAPTAIN'S CHAIRS AND A POWER SLIDING DOOR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, A PASSENGER USING THE INTERIOR HANDLE TO OPEN THE POWER SLIDING DOOR COULD BE INJURED.

Risk. IF A PASSENGER USES THE INTERIOR HANDLE TO OPEN THE POWER SLIDING DOOR AND HOLDS ONTO THE HANDLE WHILE IT IS BEING OPENED BY THE MOTOR, THE PASSENGER'S ARM MAY BE PUSHED INTO THE SEAT BACK OR ARMREST AND A WRIST OR LOWER ARM INJURY MAY RESULT.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE POWER SLIDING DOOR INTERIOR HANDLE ON THE PASSENGER-SIDE. IF THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH A POWER OR MANUAL SLIDING DOOR ON THE DRIVER-SIDE, THE INTERIOR HANDLE WILL ALSO BE REPLACED FOR APPEARANCE REASONS. NOTE: BEFORE THE VEHICLE IS SERVICED, GM ADVISES OWNERS TO NOT USE THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE TO OPEN THE DOOR. THE DRIVER CAN OPEN AND CLOSE THE DOOR FROM SWITCHES AT THE DRIVER'S POSITION OR BY USING THE REMOTE KEY FOB. THE DRIVER SHOULD TELL PASSENGERS TO USE THE SWITCH LOCATED IN FRONT OF THE DOOR TO OPEN OR CLOSE IT. THE DRIVER SHOULD USE THE OVERRIDE SWITCH TO PREVENT OPERATION OF THE POWER DOOR BY CHILDREN OR BY OTHERS WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH ITS USE. THE OWNER NOTIFICATION LETTER MAILING WILL BE CONDUCTED IN PHASES WITH THE FIRST PHASE BEGINNING ON MAY 31, 2005. THE SECOND PHASE MAILING BEGAN ON JULY 18, 2005. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 31, 2005. PHASE 2 BEGAN ON JULY 18, 2005. PHASE 3 (FINAL PHASE) BEGAN ON AUGUST 24, 2005, TO ALL REMAINING CUSTOMERS. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438; PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668; OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537.

I RECENTLY SAW THAT TOYOTA VOLUNTARILY RECALLED SOME OF THEIR VEHICLES DUE TO FAILURES OF THE CABLE THAT HOLDS THEIR SPARE TIRES IN PLACE. I HAD THIS EXACT SAME FAILURE OCCUR TO ME ON A 1997 PONTIAC MONTANA VAN. THE ACTUAL FAILURE OCCURRED ON 1/21/08. I WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT WHEN THE SPARE TIRE SUDDENLY SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE AND FELL ONTO THE GROUND. THE METAL CABLE ON THE SPARE TIRE WINCH HAD FAILED DUE TO CORROSION AND ALLOWED THE TIRE TO FALL. HAD THIS HAPPENED EVEN 20 MINUTES EARLIER, WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY, THE TIRE WOULD HAVE BEEN BOUNCING AROUND ON THE HIGHWAY, IN MOVING TRAFFIC. I WAS CONCERNED THAT THIS WAS LIKELY A GENERIC GM PROBLEM AND THE CHANCE OF SOMEONE GETTING SERIOUSLY INJURED, OR WORSE, WAS VERY HIGH IF A SPARE TIRE WAS BOUNCING LOOSE ON THE HIGHWAY. ON 2/6/08, I PERSONALLY REPORTED THIS INFORMATION TO THE DEALER FROM WHICH I HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW. I WAS TOLD THEY WOULD REPORT THE INFORMATION TO GENERAL MOTORS. ON 2/25/08, I EMAILED MY CONTACT AT THE DEALER TO SEE IF THEY HAD GOTTEN ANY RESPONSE FROM GM. I NEVER GOT A RESPONSE TO THAT EMAIL. ON 3/4/08, I CALLED PONTIAC CUSTOMER SERVICE AND REITERATED MY CONCERN WITH THE DEFICIENT GM DESIGN. I WAS ASSIGNED REFERENCE NUMBER 71-608132149. I SPOKE TO A COUPLE OF CUSTOMER SERVICE TYPES, THE LAST BEING A SUPERVISOR SUPPOSEDLY. HE INFORMED ME HE DID NOT INTEND TO TAKE THIS MATTER (MY CONCERN) ANY FURTHER IN THE GM ORGANIZATION, THAT HE WOULD PERSONALLY TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY I

ANTIFREEZE LEAK; LEAD TO REPLACEMENT OF LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET (VERY COSTLY) ABOUT 4 YEARS AGO. NEEDS REPLACING AGAIN. DEALERSHIP WARNS OF EXCESSIVE ENGINE DAMAGE DUE TO ANTIFREEZE IN THE MOTOR OIL. *NM

PONTIAC TRANSPORT MONTANA WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT FOR 1/2 HOUR OR SO AND BECAME INGULFED IN FLAMES. FIRE MARSHALL THINKS IT WAS FROM BATTERY/ ELECTRIC. DESTROYED OUR CAR AND 5 OTHERS. NO HUMANS HURT...THANK GOD IT WAS PARKED AND MY SON WAS NOT DRIVING IT.

DT CONTACT STATES HIS PASSENGER SAFETY BELT IN HIS VEHICLE IS LOCKED, ORIGINALLY DESIGNED A CHILD SAFETY FEATURE. THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE IN THE MIDDLE ROW, CENTER AND RIGHT SIDE SEAT IS COMING APART. *NM

DRIVING DOWN A TWO LANE FREEWAY, VEARING TO THE RIGHT AND I REARENDED A CAR. THE SEATBELTS DID NOT LOCK AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT WORK..THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND EVERYTHING WAS SAID TO BE WORKING FINE..THE VAN IS FULLY LOADED AND ALL THE ELCTRONICS ARE WORKING PERFECTLY, AS FAR AS I KNEW.*AK

INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE HAD DIFFICULTY MAKING A LEFT TURN, OR WAS UNABLE TO MAKE A LEFT TURN WHILE IN MOTION . CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM BACK IN OCTOBER 23, 2003. BUT WAS NOT ABLE LOCATE THAT INFORMATION IN NHTSA DATA BASE. *AK

THE HEADLIGHT ON DRIVERS SIDE FELL OUT WHILE DRIVING. THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT FELL OUT AFTER THE TRUNK WAS CLOSED. *AK

A/C HEAT - AIR CONDITIONING / HEAT UNIT IN REAR OF VAN FAILED IN 2001. HAVE NOT ATTEMPTED TO HAVE IT REPAIRED TO DATE. A/C AND HEAT IS OK FRONT. BODY - PASSENGER AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOOR. RATTLED ALMOST FROM THE DAY WE BOUGHT THE CAR. IT ALSO AT TIMES WOULD NOT CLOSED (IN PARK). IT WOULD CLOSE AUTOMATICALLY UNTIL IT TOUCHED THE CAR BODY THEN WOULD RE-OPEN. THEY REPLACED THE POWER SLIDING DOOR UNLATCH ACTUATOR UNDER A RECALL. ENGINE - STARTING AT 48,000 MILES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD START TO BLINK WHEN DRIVING, IMMEDIATELY THE VAN WOULD START TO RUN VERY ROUGHLY AND HAVE POOR ACCELERATION. LIGHT WOULD THEN STOP BLINKING AND STAY "ON". THEN OVER A PERIOD OF ABOUT AN HOUR RUNNING TIME WOULD TURN OFF. THIS WOULD HAPPEN EVERY OTHER MONTH OR SO FOR A DAY. EVENTUALLY -WE WERE TOLD IT WAS THE FUEL INJECTORS (AT 56,000 MILES). WE REPLACED THOSE 2000 MILES AGO AND THE SAME PROBLEM JUST APPEARED AGAIN TODAY (JULY 31, 2003) AUGUST UPDATE: HAD COOLANT LOSS - IT WAS THE GASKET WHICH HAD TO BE REPLACED AT ABOUT $750.. MOST OF IT LABOR TO GET TO THE DARNED THING.

LENS COVER OVER THE HEADLIGHTS FELL OUT OF BOTH HEADLIGHTS ON SEPERATE OCCCASIONS. I HAD TO BUY THE WHOLE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND THEY JUST FELL OUT AND BROKE ON THE ROAD. WE CURRENTLY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT OVERHEATING HAVE REPLACE THERMOSTAT AND WATER PUMP STILL HAVING SAME PROBLEM. NOT FIXED YET. THE POWER SLIDING DOOR ALARMS THAT IT IS OPEN FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THE DOOR HAS NOT OPENED AND CLOSED BY THE POWER FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. IT HAS TO BE MANNAULLY OPENED. WE HAVE ALSO REPLACED THE BOTH AIR SHOCKS IN THE REAR OF THE VAN. CAN'T GET THE RADIATOR CAP FROM RADIATOR HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO REMOVE SINCE IT WAS BOUGHT.

THE MOST IMPORTANT PROBLEM THAT I HAVE HAD WITH THIS CAR IS THAT WHEN MAKING RIGHT HAND TURNS, GOING APPROX 5-10 MILES AN HOUR, THE CAR WILL SHUT ITSELF OFF COMPLETELY. IN ORDER TO RETURN DRIVING, THE CAR MUST BE PUT INTO PARK AND THEN RESTARTED. THIS HAS OCCURRED MANY TIMES. THE CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN TO SEVERAL DIFFERENT PROFESSIONALS AND NO ONE HAS AN EXPLANATION. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL SMALLER PROBLEMS AS WELL, MANY OF WHICH I HAVE SEEN REPORTED IN THIS WEB PAGE. THUD IN GAS TANK, LEAKING COOLANT, DRIVER AUTO WINDOW MALFUNCTION, AS WELL AS THE POWER STEERING. I HAVE A TWO YEAR OLD LITTLE GIRL AND BOUGHT THIS CAR HEARING THAT IT WAS A SAFE VEHICLE, FORTUNEATELY FOR US WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY ACCIDENTS, HOWEVER, I WOULD NOT CALL THIS CAR SAFE AT ALL.*AK

WE HAVE HAD LENS COVERS FALL OFF BOTH FRONT HEADLIGHTS. WHAT SHOULD NORMALLY BE A VERY LOW COST FIX HAS RESULTED IN REPAIR/LABOR COSTS OF OVER $300 FOR US AS YOU CANNOT REPLACE JUST THE LENS COVER. AS I WAS TOLD, THE "GLUE" WHOCH HOLDS THE LENS COVER ON BREAKS DOWN AND RESULTS IN THE LENS COVER FALLING OFF. THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY HAS TO BE REPLACED (LAST YEAR PARTS ALONE WERE $130...THIS YEAR AROUND 90 FOR THE OTHER HEADLIGHT). THIS IS AN AWFUL DESIGN! IF I WERE ABLE TO REPLACE JUST THE LENS COVER (ONLY NEEDS TO BE GLUED BACK IN PLACE!), I WOULDN'T COMPLAIN, BUT WE ARE NOT LOOKING AT HAVING TO REPLACE THESE "GLUED TOGETHER" ITEMS AT A COST OF ANOTHER $300+ WITHIN THE NEXT 5 YEARS WHEN THIS GLUE FAILS.*AK

I HAVE A 1997 PONTIAC MONTANA MINIVAN. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT I HAVE THE DREADED INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAK. IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM WITH THE 3.4 LITER ENGINE. *JB

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK. MR. *AK

BLOWN HEAD GASKET AFTER ONLY 50,000 MILES. NOT TO MENTION I HAD A BLOWN MANIFOLD GASKET 6 MONTHS BEFORE THIS!. *NLM

CONSUMER STATES THE VEHICLE LEAKS FUEL FROM THE ENGINE. *TS

CONSUMER STATES, THE DRIVER SIDE SLIDING DOOR HANDLE WHEN IS CLOSE MANUAL MAY CATCH YOUR FINGER AND HAVE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET IS DAMAGED YET NO PARTS AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT US. IS THIS A KNOWN FACT TO GM? IS THIS A RECALL ITEM. MY VAN NOW OVERHEATS AND CANNOT BE REPAIRED DUE TO LACK OF PARTS.*AK

A REMOTE CONTROL WAS USED TO OPEN AND CLOSE SLIDING DOOR, REMOTE CONTROL JUST STOPPED WORKING. CONSUMER HAS TO MANUALLY OPEN AND CLOSE DOOR. *AK