RoadVitals

1997 Pontiac Bonneville Steering Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Steering reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
14
Latest Apr 1, 2014
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
10%
of 147 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Pontiac Bonneville submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 14 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming steering

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

EngineSteering
Filed Apr 1, 2014

THE CAR LOST ALL POWER WHILE DRIVING ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. IT WOULD JUST QUIT AND I WOULD HAVE NO BRAKES OR STEERING AND ALL GAUGES WOULD SHUT DOWN. SOMETIMES IT WOULD LOSE POWER AND THEN IT WOULD COME BACK ON WHILE I WAS STILL DRIVING CUTTING IN AND OUT REPEATEDLY. IT HAPPENED A LOT WHEN I WAS IDLING AT A CORNER AND THEN WOULD START THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. IT WOULD QUIT GOING THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. SOMETIMES IT WOULDN'T START AFTER DRIVING IT A SHORT DISTANCE. AFTER IT SAT FOR A FEW MINUTES, A FEW HOURS OR SOMETIMES OVERNIGHT IT WOULD JUST START LIKE THERE WASN'T ANY PROBLEM WITH IT. IT DIDN'T SPUTTER OR ACT LIKE IT WASN'T GETTING GAS OR ANYTHING, IT JUST WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING AND HAD A TOTAL LOSS OF ALL POWER. WE TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIR SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY COULD NEVER REPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND DIAGNOSTICS DIDN'T SHOW ANY PROBLEMS THAT WOULD CAUSE THIS ISSUE. I ASKED A COUPLE OF TIMES IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS AND THE SERVICE GARAGE SAID NO. I FINALLY QUIT DRIVING THE CAR BECAUSE I WAS TIRED OF BEING STRANDED AND WITH TAKING MY CHANCES WITH IT LOOSING POWER DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY OR THROUGH INTERSECTIONS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. IT SOUNDS LIKE THE SAME ISSUE THAT THEY ARE CURRENTLY RECALLING SOME GM MODELS FOR BECAUSE OF AN IGNITION SWITCH SPRING BUT BONNEVILLE AREN'T ON THE RECALL LIST. *TR

NHTSA ID
10576488
Incident
Dec 27, 2004
Mileage
118,515 mi
Steering
Filed Aug 12, 2006

HEARD A "POPPING" NOISE, THEN LOST POWER STEERING WHEN TURNING LEFT. RIGHT TURNS WORK FINE, BUT NO POWER STEERING TO THE LEFT. *JB

NHTSA ID
10165328
Incident
Jul 5, 2006
Mileage
126,000 mi
Steering
Filed May 3, 2006

RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING, WOULD NOT ALLOW A LEFT TURN. RIGHT TURNING CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED WITH ONE FINGER, HOWEVER LEFT TURNS REQUIRE TREMENDOUS STRENGTH. RECALL ISSUED FOR GRAND PRIX AND SIMILAR 97 PONTIAC'S, BUT NOT THE BONNEVILLE. *NM

NHTSA ID
10156711
Incident
Apr 27, 2006
Mileage
130,000 mi
Steering
Filed Aug 5, 2004

WHILE MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING. CONSUMER HAD TO USE FORCE TO TURN STEERING WHEEL. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE CONSUMER NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE VEHICLE BUT THERE WERE RECALLS ON OTHER MODELS WITH THE SAME RACK AND PINION. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT PRODUCED AT THE PLANT OF THE RECALLED CARS. *NM

NHTSA ID
10081638
Incident
Jun 15, 2004
Mileage
100,000 mi
Steering
Filed Jul 20, 2004

WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TOWARDS THE LEFT, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK-UP, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE OWNER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TO BE INSPECTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *LA

NHTSA ID
10083266
Incident
Jul 4, 2004
Steering
Filed Apr 10, 2004

1997 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE RACK& PINION STEERING THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY FAILED WHEN TURNING TO THE LEFT ONLY. TURNING RIGHT WAS STILL FUNCTIONING WITH POWER ASSIST. THE PROBLEM INCREASED OVER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME TO WHERE THE CAR WOULDN'T TURN LEFT AT ALL (EVEN MANUALLY). COMPLAINT WAS MADE TO DEALERSHIP AS WELL AS MANUFACTURER WITH ABSOLUTLELY NO RESOLUTION.

NHTSA ID
10065876
Incident
Oct 19, 2002
Mileage
69,845 mi
Steering
Filed Feb 3, 2004

WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN POWER STEERING WENT OUT. ALSO, THIS OCCURRED WHEN VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AT LOW SPEEDS. THIS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECTS AS THE PONTIAC, GRAND PRIX WHICH WAS RECALLED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID
10057454
Mileage
180,000 mi
BrakesElectricalSteering
Filed Sep 2, 2003

CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT 25 MPH SUDDENLY ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS DIED. NO BRAKES/ NO POWER STEERING. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, DEALER POPPED HOOD, AND NOTICED BATTERY ACID ALL OVER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, AND BATTERY CABLES WERE LOOSE. DEALER REPLACED CABLES, AND PUT JELLY AROUND THEM. FIVE DAYS LATER, CABLES WERE LOOSE AGAIN. CAUSE UNKNOWN. THE CABLE HAS LOOSEN AGAIN AND VEHICLE STALLED AND LOST ALL POWER. CONSUMER WAS LEFT STRANDED. *AK

NHTSA ID
10033603
Incident
Aug 5, 2003
Mileage
39,000 mi
ElectricalEngineSteering+1 more
Filed Jan 7, 2003

NAR 1/29/2003. THE VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED TO THE CONSUMER WITH A BENT WATER PUMP AND A BENT WHEEL. THE ALTERNATOR, POWER STEERING PUMP, TRANSMISSION AND EGR VALVE WERE REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ID
10006051
Incident
Jan 7, 2003
Steering
Filed Aug 2, 2002

WHILE TURNING LEFT IN PARKING LOT, MY WIFE HEARD A POP/THUMP NOISE AND THEN COULD NOT CONTINUE LEFT TURN. STEERING WHEEL WOULD TURN RIGHT WITH POWER ASSIST BUT VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN STEERING WHEEL LEFT. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER WHO REPORTED "POWER STEERING RACK BROKE INSIDE". DEALER REPLACED RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY.*AK

NHTSA ID
765109
Incident
Jun 23, 2002
Steering
Filed Nov 9, 2001

WHILE LEAVING A PARKING LOT VEHICLE FAILS TO TURN TO LEFT. VEHICLE CAN TURN TO RIGHT, BUT STEERING WHEEL IS VERY HARD. OWNER BELIEVES THAT FAILURE WAS DUE TO RACK AND PINION. *AK *YD

NHTSA ID
899014
Incident
Nov 9, 2001
Steering
Filed Nov 13, 2000

POWER STEERING PUMP MOUNTING BOLTS BROKE WHILE PULLING INTO GARAGE. *AK

NHTSA ID
736215
Incident
Nov 12, 2000
Steering
Filed Jun 15, 2000

BOLTS THAT HOLD POWER STEERING GEAR BOX BROKE, CAUSING GEAR BOX TO FALL INTO THE COMPARTMENT. WHEN THIS HAPPENED, VEHICLE LOST BRAKES, STEERING, AND OTHER POWER UNITS. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND REPAIRED VEHICLE UNDER WARANTY. *AK

NHTSA ID
863617
Incident
Jun 15, 2000
Steering
Filed Jun 1, 2000

CAR HAS HAD HESITATION WHEN IN A SLIGHT STRAIN AT 45 TO 55 MPH FOR ABOUT 2 MO. IT WOULD DO IT SOMETIMES AND NOT OTHERS. FINALLY IT STARED DOING IT AND THE ENGINE LOCKED UP. I CALLED CUSTOMER SERVICE AND GOT A LOCAL FACTORY PERSON TO LOOK AT IT AND CALL ME TODAY. HE SAID THE MOTOR WAS LOCKED UP AND THEY O O O. *AK

NHTSA ID
723471
Incident
May 21, 2000

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .