1999 Pontiac Montana complaints

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILED AND ALLOWED COOLANT TO MIX WITH THE ENGINE OIL. THIS CAUSED THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT AND SHUT DOWN. THE CONSUMER FOUND OUT THAT THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND REDESIGNED THE GASKET. CHEVROLET OWNERS WITH 3.8L ENGINES WERE NOTIFIED OF THE POTENTIAL FAILURE, BUT OWNER OF GM VEHICLES WITH 3.1L AND 3.4L ENGINES WERE NOT CONTACTED. *AK *PH *NLM

TRANSMISSION QUIT RUNNING WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE WITH NO WARNING. *PH

MY 1999 PONTIAC MONTANA OVERHEATED. THERE WERE NO SIGNS OTHER THAN MY WIFE MENTIONING A FUNNY SMELL. HAD TO REPLACE BOTH INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS AND HAVE THE COOLING SYSTEM FLUSHED. HE CLAIMED DEX-COOL CAUSES THIS PROBLEM. *AK

GMC KNEW OF A PROBLEM WITH LEAKING MANIFOLD INTAKE GASKETS. I RECENTLY HAD THE PROBLEM, PAID OVER $600 TO HAVE IT REPAIRED, AND A FEW WEEKS LATER, THE ENGINE BLEW...COSTING ME CLOSE TO AN ADDITIONAL $3500. I CONTACTED GM BEFORE THE REPAIRS WERE DONE, AND THEY REFUSED TO HELP ME.*AK

THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE AND ALL WE CAN SAY IS THAT 3 WEEKS PRIOR TO THAT, THE CAR WAS WORKED ON BY THE DEALER TO FIX A COLANT LEAK BETWEEN THE INTAKE MANIFUL AND THE CYLINDER HEAD. WE DROVE THE CAR UP ON A STEEP HILL, THE CAR WAS PARKED AND 2 OR 3 MINUTES LATER WE WERE INFORMED THAT OUR CAR'S ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. ABD THE CAR WSA TOTALLED.*AK

AFTER HAVING MY VEHICLE SERVICED TO CHANGE THE OIL AND REPLACE THE AIR FILTER, I WAS DRIVING HOME A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER. I HAD JUST EXITED FROM I-70 ONTO HIGHWAY 59 NORTH, WHEN I ACCELERATED TO PASS A SLOW MOVING PICKUP TRUCK. WHEN I PUSHED DOWN ON THE PEDAL IT DID NOT RETURN TO THE NORMAL POSITION BUT REMAINED COMPLETELY OPEN. I WAS NOW DRIVING ON A TWO LANE HIGHWAY WITH CONSIDERABLE TRAFFIC AND MY ACCELERATOR WAS TO THE FLOOR GOING SOMETIMES AT SPEEDS OF 80 TO 90 MILES AN HOUR. AFTER HAVING MY DAUGHTER CHECK TO SEE IF THE PEDAL WAS STUCK, I MANAGED TO GET THE VEHICLE STOPPED BY ALTERNATING BETWEEN DRIVE AND NEUTRAL AND THEN PULLING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD ONCE I HAD REACHED A PLACE WITH ENOUGH ROOM. THE VAN WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP IN BRAZIL, INDIANA AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT WHEN THE AIR FILTER WAS REPLACED A CLAMP HAD NOT BEEN POSITIONED CORRECTLY AND HAD CAUSED THE LINKAGE TO BE STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION. EVEN AFTER ADVISING ANOTHER OIL SERVICE CENTER THIS CLAMP WAS AGAIN POSITIONED INCORRECTLY THE NEXT TIME THE AIR FILTER WAS CHANGED. LUCKILY, WE HAD CHECKED THIS BEFORE ANOTHER INCIDENT COULD HAPPEN. *AK

LEAKING INTAKE MANIFOLD GASGET AT 44,000 MILES. WAS FOUND BY DEALER WHEN IN FOR NORMAL SERVICE. TOLD THEY LOOK FOR THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS OUT OF WARRANTY SERVICE EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THE 3.4L ENGINE. *AK

AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOOR ON PASSENGER DOOR OPENED BY ITSELF WHILE DRIVING AT 40MPH. NEITHER THE DRIVER NOR PASSENGER TOUCHED THE DOOR OR DOOR SWITCH. THIS WAS ON A SMOOTH ROAD GOING STRAIGHT. THE DOOR LATCH SYSTEM WAS REPLACED DUE TO RECALL ON 8/28/02. *AK

1999 POTIAC MONTANA - MANIFOLD FAILURE, COOLANT LEAK. A COSTLY AND APPRANTLY FREQUENT PROBLEM. *AK

ON THE MORNING OF MAY 21, 2003 AT APPROXIMATELY 11:25 A.M. EST, MY PREGNANT WIFE OF NINE MONTHS, AND TWO CHILDREN AGES 3 AND 6 WERE DRIVING OUR 1999 PONTIAC MONTANA MINIVAN SOUTHBOUND ON US-131 IN THE GRAND RAPIDS, MI AREA. AT APPROXIMATELY MILE MARKER 85 THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DIED FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND WITH NO APPARENT WARNING. SHE WAS TRAVELING 60 MPH IN THE FAR LEFT LANE OF A 6 LANE STRETCH OF WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE S-CURVE IN THIS AREA. WITH NO POWER TO THE VEHICLE SHE SOMEHOW MANAGED TO SAFELY MANEUVER THE VAN ACROSS THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC AND EXIT AT FRANKLIN STREET. WITH THE HELP OF A STATE TROOPER WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE (WHICH WAS BLOCKING THE EXIT RAMP) TO A SAFE PLACE UNTIL IT COULD BE TOWED. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION BY A QUALIFIED GM DEALERSHIP TECHNICIAN THE FOLLOWING DAY, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE COMPLETELY FAILED DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH A FAULTY INTAKE GASKET WHICH ALLOWED DEXCOOL COOLANT TO SEEP INTO THE ENGINE AND DESTROY CRITICAL COMPONENTS. THIS IS APPARENTLY A PROBLEM THAT IS MORE THAN COMMON ON VEHICLES WITH THE SAME ENGINE AS OURS. GM HAS BEEN AWARE OF FOR SOMETIME, BUT HAS FAILED TO CORRECT VIA RECALL OR OTHER MEASURES. HAD MY WIFE NOT BEEN SWIFT AND CALM IN HER CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE THERE IS LITTLE DOUBT THAT A SERIOUS AND POSSIBLY FATAL ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED GIVEN THE LOCATION OF THE INCIDENT. VEHICLES TRAVELING AT 60+ MPH COME OUT OF A BLIND CURVE JUST BEFORE THIS LOCATION AND WOULD HAVE BEEN UNLIKELY TO STOP IN TIME. I WOULD

CAR WAS TAKING ON WATER FROM RAIN STORMS LEAKING THROUGH BODY ROOF AREA THROUGH THE CONTROL PANEL ON THE CEILING OF VEHICLE AND DRIPPING WATER RAPIDLY TO FLOOR TRAVELING DOWN THE WINDSHIELD MOLDING ON THE INSIDE OF THE WINDOW TRIM ON INSIDE OF DOORS. SENT IN TO BE FIXED UNDER 36,000. WARRANTY. STILL LEAKING SAME THING... TOLD TOO HARD TO FIND LEAK. OPENED FILE WITH GMAC97471426. OWNER WILL REOPEN FILE WHEN SERVICE CAN TAKE CAR IN FOR FURTHER REVIEW. *NLM

THE PASSENGER SIDE SLIDING DOOR DID NOT LOCK WHEN THE CONSUMER PUSHED THE AUTOMATIC KEY CONTROL BUTTON. *JB *TS

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL NOT RETURN WHEN OFF, THEY RUN BUT STAY UP WHEN OFF. *JB

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURE. *NLM

I'VE EXPERIENCED THE WELL KNOWN (THOUSANDS AFFECTED) INTAKE GASKET LEAK ON GM'S 3.4L ENGINE. AT 75K MILES, EXPERIENCED LOW COOLANT, TOPPED OFF, BUT NO PUDDLES. AT NEXT OIL CHANGE, FOUND OIL TO BE MILKY-BROWN AND REEK OF COOLANT. DEALER SERVICE CONFIRMED INTAKE GASKET LEAK AND REPAIRED AT COST OF $700 INCLUDING FOULED OXYGEN SENSOR. PONTIAC "CUSTOMER SERVICE" WAS NO HELP AND WAS SOMEWHAT EVASIVE WHEN I ASKED IF SHE HAD BEEN INVOLVED WITH ANY OTHER INTAKE GASKET PROBLEMS. WHEN I ASKED WHY GM WOULD REDESIGN THE GASKET, CHANGE COOLANT MANUFACTURERS, AND HAVE A NATIONWIDE SHORTAGE OF THE NEW GASKETS, SHE SAID SHE WAS NOT AWARE OF THESE ISSUES AND I SHOULD QUESTION MY INFORMATION AS IT WAS NOT FROM GM. HER FINAL ADVISE, "SAVE YOUR RECEIPT, YOU NEVER KNOW." I AM SO CONSOLED. THERE MUST BE PRESSURE APPLIED TO FORCE GM TO MAKE THIS RIGHT. *NLM

MY 1999 PONTIAC MONTANA VAN'S INTAKE CRACKED AT BETWEEN 50,000 AND 60,000 MILES. IT COST $600.00 TO REPLACE. TWO GM MECHANICS HAVE ADMITTED THERE IS A HUGE PROBLEM WITH THESE INTAKES. WHY IS NOTHING BEING DONE ABOUT THIS?*JB

LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK AT 54000 MILES. REASON IS POOR DESIGN. I HAVE HEARD OF MANY COMPLAINTS ON THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP US. *JB

OUR 1999 PONTIAC MONTANA HAS JUST BEEN WORKED ON BY THE DEALERSHIP FOR A LEAK IN THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. THEY CHARGED ME $795.00 TO FIX THIS LAST WEEK AND NOW IT IS BACK IN THE SHOP TO FIX THE COOLANT SENSOR WHICH WILL COST ANOTHER $175.00. LAST NIGHT I FOUND OUT THERE IS A PETITION ONLINE WITH OVER 2,500 SIGNATURES ON IT FOR THESE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THEIR GM CAR. WHY ISN'T THERE A RECALL ON THIS! *NLM

THE VEHICLES HEAD GASKET FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO BE INOPERATIVE. *NLM

I HAD THREE TRANSMISSIONS, A CRACKED HEAD BECAUSE OF OVER HEATING, WATER PUMP AND HEAT SENSOR, OIL IN ONE CYLINDER, A SHORT IN THE REAR LIGHTS WITH DEALER SAYING I (SHOULD REPLACE THE LIGHTING STRUCTURE ON BOTH SIDES) $200.00. ABS SYSTEM SENSOR FRONT RIGHT SIDE WIRE BURNED THROUGH $500.00. THE $200.00 AND $500.00 I HAVE NOT DONE YET, SHOULD I WAIT UNTIL IT'S AN EVEN $1000.00 MORE TO SPEND MORE MONEY? THERE ARE MORE PROBLEMS.*JB

WITHOUT PRIOR DIFFICULTY OR WARNING, THE STRUTS FAILED, AND THE HATCH DROPPED ON THE CONSUMER'S HEAD, KNOCKED HER TO THE GROUND AND CAUSED A SEVERE NECK INJURY. THE STRUTS WERE REPLACED AT THE CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. *JB SCC

I HAVE A '99 PONTIAC MONTANA WITH GM'S INFAMOUS V6 3.4L ENGINE. JUST HAD THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET JOB AT 56.5K MILES. THIS IS A NOTED PROBLEM, WITH SUDDEN OVER HEATING AND THE CAR STOPPED ON MY WIFE. ALSO THE VEHICLE IS ON ITS THIRD TRANMISSION.*JB

LOW COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER STATED WATER PUMP AND INTAKE GASKET WERE LEAKING COOLANT. HAD TO REPLACE WATER PUMP AND RESEAL INTAKE AT 40K MILES. $1100 REPAIR

1999 PONTIAC MONATA VEHICLE IS SIMILAR TO THE 1915 OTHERS ONLINE HTTP://WWW.PETITIONONLINE.COM/MOD_PERL/SIGNED.CGI?GMCNSMRS&1 COST $800 TO REPAIR.

VEHCILE IS LOSING COOLANT DISCOVERED A BAD IONTAKE GASKET. REPAIRS TOTALLED $800 BY LOCAL DELAERSHIP. RAMPANT PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE

PONTIAC MONTANA PRESENTED WITH A LOW COOLANT LIGHT,, FOUND TO HAVE A FAULTY INTAKE GASKET, (REPAIRED FOR APPROX $700.) WHEN ASKED ABOUT RATE OF OCCURRENCE, GM SERVICE MANAGER STATED "IT HAPPENS A LOT MORE OFTEN THAN GM WANTS TO ADMIT IN THE 3.4L AND 3.8L ENGINES". *JB

FAILURE OF LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET ON MY 1999 PONTIAC MONTANA. INTERNET SEARCH PROVIDED EVIDENCE THAT THOUSANDS OF THESE ARE FAILING AND THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL NOTICE TO DATE.

I OWN A 1999 PONTIAC MONTANA AND AT 54,000 MILES BEGAN EXPERIENCING LOSS OF OIL AND COOLANT. I TOOK TO A REPAIR SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT MY INTAKE MANIFOLD UPPER AND LOWER GASKETS NEED TO BE REPLACED, AS WELL AS MY THERMOSTAT AND GASKET. QUOTE $900 FOR REPAIRS.

MY WIFE & I OWN A 1999 PONTIAC MONTANA. IN SEPTEMBER WITH 53,000 MILES WE NOTICED THAT THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON. WE ADDED COOLANT AND ABOUT 2 WEEKS LATER THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I THEN CONTACTED MY PERSONAL MECHANIC (SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY). HE TOLD ME THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS BAD AND THAT THIS WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS TYPE OF ENGINE. HE ALSO TOLD ME THAT GM DEALERS TOLD HIM THAT IT WAS A RESULT OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD BEING MADE OF PLASTIC AND THAT THE DEXCOOL WAS EATING UP THE GASKETS AND THE PLASTIC MANIFOLDS. THE COST OF THE REPAIR ON THE INTAKE PORTION OF THE ENGINE WAS $392.57. HE ALSO TOLD US THAT AS A RESULT OF THIS, COOLANT SPILLED INTO OUR ENGINE OIL. THIS MEANS THAT WE HAVE A GOOD CHANCE OF ENGINE FAILURE IN THE NEAR FUTURE AND WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. REPLACING THE ENGINE WOULD COST $2000 -$2500. WE DID CONTACT THE DEALER WHERE WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE AND POSTED A COMPLAINT. THEY TOLD US TO CONTACT PONTIAC. WE DID CALL THE PONTIAC CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER IN MICHIGAN AN FILED A COMPLAINT OVER THE PHONE. THEY CLAIMED THAT THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING. PLEASE RESPOND. THANKS

1999 PONTIAC MONTANA- COOLANT IN OIL- LEAKING INTAKE MAINIFOLD GASKET AND BAD WATER PUMP. 75,000 MILES AT TIME OF INCIDENT.

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE PASSENGER FRONT SEATBELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN THE PASSENGER UPON IMPACT, AND NIETHER DRIVER NOR PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. HAD A FRONT END COLLISION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. PH

PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT SEATBELT FAILED TO LOCK WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE PLOWED INTO CONSUMER'S VEHICLE FRONT END. NEITHER OF VEHICLE'S FRONTAL OR REAR AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. PH...*AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACK CAUSING COOLANT FLUID TO LEAK ONTO THE ENGINE. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK CAUSING COOLANT/OIL MIX INTERNALLY ON A VEHICLE WITH ONLY 41K. CAUGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS 900MI TRIP. WOULD HAVE LIKELY CAUSED ENGINE TO SEIZE IF NOT CAUGHT BEFORE TRIP. OIL WAS CREAMY WHITE.

WHILE DRIVING, THE MASTER CYLINDER FAILED. WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER. MR *JG

AFTER THE DEALER PERFORMED THE RECALL ON THE VEHICLES SLIDING DOOR THE PROBLEM REOCURRED, THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN RECALLED TWICE FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TS *NLM

COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE REPLACEMENT COST $2600. THIS WAS CAUSED BY AN INTERNAL RADIATOR FAILURE, WHICH TRANSMISSION FLUID INTO THE ENGINE COOLANT, DESTROYING ENGINE GASKETS AND REQUIRING $1700 IN ENGINE REPAIRS. THAT'S $4300 IN ONE MONTH, ON A FOUR YEAR OLD VEHICLE. NOTE THE NUMBER OF TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS REPORTED ON THIS VEHICLE. WHY NO RECALL? DT

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE LOWER CRADLE COLLAPSED WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVER UNDER A MANUFACTURER RECALL. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER FORMATION. NLM

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM REAR, AND IN TURN COLLIDED WITH A VEHICLE IN FRONT. UPON IMPACT, BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK

DRIVER'S SEAT BELT PRETENSIONER FAILED CAUSING THE AIR BAG LIGHT TO STAY ON, THE DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG ALSO CAME OUT OF THE SEAT. NLM

MY DAUGHTER DRIVES THIS VAN. SHE HAD JUST PUT THE BABY IN THE CAR SEAT , WALKED AROUND TO GET IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND THE DOOR FELL OFF. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS STANDING IN FRONT OF THE DOOR AND SHE WAS PARKED. THE PART INSIDE MISSED THE BABY. IF SHE HAD BEEN TRAVELING THE BABY COULD OF BEEN HURT . THE PONTICAC DEALER SAID CONTACT A LOCAL DEALER. THE LOCAL DEALER STATED WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS OURSELVES. TO ME THIS IS A DEFECT. I MEAN HOW MANY DOORS FALL OFF? WE ARE VERY LUCKY THAT NO ONE WAS HURT OR KILLED. PLEASE HELP! WHAT IF THIS HAPPENS TO SOMEONE ELSE?*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITH NO WARNING INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED AND WAS CAUSING FLUID TO LINK OUT. DEALER NOTIFIED.-*AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL HESITATE TO SHIFT GEARS,AND WILL SHAKE IF SUDDENLY STOPPED.DEALER CONTACTED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 20/35MPH CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISON AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED.*AK THERE WERE 2 INJURIES. *YH

CONSUMER STATES SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING TWICE. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAD TO BE REPLACED BOTH TIMES. *TT

THE MANUFACTURER DOES NOT HAVE PARTS AVAILABLE FOR A 1999 PRODUCTION VEHICLE. BEEN TOLD BY MY SELLING DEALER THAT THE PART IS ON "NATIONAL BACK-ORDER" WITH NO EXPECTED DATE OF ARRIVIAL. WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE MANUFACTURER STOPPED MAKING THE PART DUE TO A SUPPLIER FAILURE. WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE DEALERASHIP ITSELF WAS HAD SIX VEHICLES WAITING THE SAME REPAIR. I THOUGHT THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD TO HAVE A SUPPLY OF PARTS AVAILABLE FOR ALL CAR FOR AT LEAST TEN YEARS PAST PRODUCTION ENDING? THIS IS A THREE YEAR OLD CAR.*AK

CAMSHAFT BROKE WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL OUT. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

WE HAVE BEEN PLAGED WITH COOLANT LEAKAGE FOR SOME TIME. OUR INTAKE GASKET HAS BEEN PEGGED AS THE CAUSE. WHY SHOULD THE CONSUMER BE FORCED TO FOOT THE BILL FOR SOMETHING THAT IN MY MIND IS AN ASSEMBLY OR DEFECT PROBLEM. NOONE SHOULD BE HAVING TO FOOL WITH THE ENGINE ON SUCH A NEW VEHICLE. THIS IS ABOVE AND BEYOND ANY WEAR AND TEAR ISSUE.*AK

AFTER BEING STRUCK HEAD ON, THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS GOING 35-40MPH AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT OPEN. SEATBELT WAS ON AND MY FACE HIT THE STEERING WHEEL AND KNEES HIT THE DASH.

VEHICLE OVERHEATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE LOWER INTAKE GASKET NEED TO BE REPLACED. PER DEALER 30000 OF THESE PARTS ARE ON BACKORDER.*JB