1993 Pontiac Bonneville Body & structure Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, ENCOUNTERING A SPEED BUMP, HE HEARD A LOUD POPPING NOISE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. HE OBSERVED THAT THE FRONT FRAME AND ENGINE BOTH DETACHED AND WERE POSITIONED ON THE GROUND. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE A SHORT DISTANCE TO THE RESIDENCE AT AN EXTREMELY LOW SPEED; AND UPON REACHING THE DESTINATION THE STEERING COLUMN FRACTURED COMPLETELY. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

10375096

Incident

Dec 31, 2010

Mileage

30 mi

1993 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE (3.8L) REAR ENGINE CRADLE ROTTED AT ALL FOR BOLT POINTS CAUSING REAR OF ENGINE CRADLE TO FALL OUT OF THE CAR CAUSING STEERING ISSUES AND AN EVENTUAL LOSS OF STEERING. 1.) DRIVING DOWN NORMAL PAVED CITY STREET. BEGAN TURNING A CORNER. (EXTREMELY LUCKY THIS HAPPENED AT LOW SPEEDS ON A CITY STREET. IF THIS HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY SERIOUS INJURY COULD HAVE TAKEN PLACE) 2.) FAILURE OCCURRED ONCE. ANY FAILURE CAUSING STEERING LOSS IS ONE TOO MANY. 3.) NOT YET REPAIRED IN SEARCHING THE INTERNET I SEE THAT GM HAS ISSUED RECALLS FOR THIS EXACT TYPE OF FAILURE ON THE PONTIAC GRAND PRIX, BUT I DO NOT SEE ONE LISTED FOR THE BONNEVILLE. IN SEARCHING THE INTERNET I HAVE FOUND MANY OTHER REPORTS OF THIS OCCURRING. THIS WAS CRITICAL ENOUGH TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THE PONTIAC GRAND PRIX, THEN THIS SHOULD BE SERIOUS ENOUGH TO INCLUDE THE BONNEVILLE AS WELL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10265058

Incident

Apr 12, 2009

Mileage

147,000 mi

I OWN A 1993 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE, VIN [XXX] WITH JUST OVER 160,000 MILES ON IT. ON THE EVENING OF APRIL 6TH, 2006 MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THIS CAR NEAR OUR HOME. SHE WAS AT A STOP SIGN ON ORTMAN ROAD AND AS SHE PULLED ONTO CHERRY CREEK ROAD SHE HEARD A LOUD CLUNK. AT THE SAME TIME SHE LOST ALL STEERING ABILITY. WHEN SHE TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL IT JUST SPUN IN CIRCLES AS IF IT WERE NO LONGER ATTACHED TO ANYTHING. I WAS CALLED AND WENT TO SEE WHAT HAD HAPPENED. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE I SAW THAT THE SUB FRAME AND MOTOR HAD DROPPED DOWN ABOUT 6 INCHES. THERE ARE FOUR BOLTS THAT ATTACH THE SUB FRAME TO THE BODY OF THESE VEHICLES. THE BOLTS WERE ALL IN PLACE AND IN GOOD SHAPE. EACH BOLT HAS A WASHER, WHICH RETAINS THE SUB FRAME TO THE BODY OF THIS CAR. ON MY CAR THE WASHERS CORRODED AND WORE TO THE POINT THAT THEY WOULD NO LONGER RETAIN THE SUB FRAME. THE BOLTS PULLED THROUGH THE MOUNTING HOLES OF THE SUB FRAME, THUS ALLOWING THE ENGINE AND ALL RELATED COMPONENTS TO DROP ABOUT 6 INCHES. WHEN THIS HAPPENED THE SHAFT FROM THE RACK AND PINION STEERING TO THE STEERING WHEEL PULLED APART, THEREBY LEAVING THE OPERATOR OF THE VEHICLE WITH NO ABILITY TO STEER. ON FRIDAY APRIL 7TH I CALLED PUBLIC SERVICE GARAGE IN MARQUETTE MI. AND SPOKE TO THE SERVICE MANAGER. HE SAID THAT THERE WAS ??NO RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEM AND THAT HE SEES THIS A FEW TIMES A YEAR??. I CALLED AND FILED A COMPLAINT WITH PONTIAC ALSO. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS ??VERY UNLIKELY THAT PONTIAC WILL DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THIS ONLY HAPPENS IN THE MIDWEST WHERE THE WINTER ROADS ARE SALTED?? THUS CAUSING HIGH RATES OF CORROSION. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A FIVE-MINUTE FIX IF IT WERE DONE BEFORE THE FAILURE. YOU COULD PULL THE BOLTS OUT ONE AT A TIME AND SIMPLY REMOVE THE OLD WASHER AND REPLACE IT WITH A NEW ONE. I FEEL THAT THE OWNERS SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF THIS POSSIBLE PROBLEM. I ALSO BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM EXISTS ON OTHER MAKES AND MODELS OF GM VEHICLES. *NM UPDATED 07/16/2012*JS

NHTSA ID

10155493

Incident

Apr 6, 2006

Mileage

160,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH FRONT FRAME DROPPED. CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER, AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10072078

Incident

Mar 4, 2004

THE VEHICLES MAKES POPPING NOISE IN FRONT SUSPENSION, FRAME WAS RUSTED OUT AND BROKEN WHICH CAUSED DAMAGE TO SUSPENSION COMPONENTS. ET

NHTSA ID

553556

Incident

Jun 22, 2000

THE ASSIST HANDLE ON THE FRONT PASSENGER' SIDE DOOR CAME OFF IN OCCUPANT'S HAND WHEN GETTING OUT OF VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID

863433

Incident

May 27, 2000

THESE SITUATIONS POSED SAFETY HAZARDS TO MY PREGNANT WIFE. BOTH LOCKS FAILED WITHIN THE SAME MONTH, LOCKING HER IN THE CAR IN ONE INSTANCE AND PREVENTING ACCESS TO THE VEHICLE IN ANOTHER. WHAT IF SHE NEEDED TO GET OUT OF THE CAR? WHEN THE INTERIOR DASHBOARD LIGHT FAILED, SHE WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, I.E. WHEN YOU CANNOT READ YOUR INTERIOR DASH INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

718779

Incident

Dec 14, 1999

THE DOOR ON THE DRIVER'S DOES NOT OPEN WITH THE KEYLESS ENTREE OR THE KEY, WHEN THE DOOR HANDLE ON THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE IS HELD OPEN AND THE AUTOMATIC LOCKING BUTTON IS PUSHED DOWN. THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALER. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA ID

854605

LEFT SIDE OF TRUNK ARM, TENSION BAR, WHICH SUPPORTS THE LEFT SIDE OF TRUNK LID, SNAPPED AND BROKE. DEALER CONTACTED AND AWARE OF PROBLEM, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

837005

Incident

Apr 8, 1999

FREEZING ICE CAUSED DOORS NOT OPEN. ONCE DRIVER INSIDE ANOTHER DOOR MAY OPEN WITHOUT WARNING AFTER UNFREEZING. WATER SEEPS BETWEEN DOOR AND VEHICLE BODY AND FREEZES.

NHTSA ID

539842