Owner-reported complaints naming the fuel system system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Pontiac Bonneville submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 36 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.
The 25 most recent of 36, in the owner's own words
ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS I HAVE PULLED TO A DEAD STOP AT A LIGHT AND DURING THE IDLING TIME THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF AND IT WILL NOT START AGAIN. VERY EMBARRASSING SET OF TRIPS TO NEARBY GROCER. .. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. WHEN THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF, FLUID LEAKED ONTO THE GROUND FROM BENEATH THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER OR A MECHANIC. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V090000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 154,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 154,735. UPDATED
1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE POOR PRODUCTION MANIFOLD/GASKETS. CUSTOMER STATES THAT THE MANIFOLD/GASKETS AND DEX. COOL WERE IN POOR PRODUCTION ON HER VEHICLE. *KB THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE THERMOSTAT AND GASKET HAD COOLANT IN THEM. THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR WAS BAD. METAL FRAGMENTS WERE FOUND IN THE OIL WHICH WAS COMING FROM, THE ROD BEARING THAT FAILED DUE TO THE VEHICLE OVER HEATING AND COOLANT IN THE OIL. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS RIDING ROUGH AND THE ENGINE WAS SHAKING. THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE VEHICLE TO PREVENT THE MANIFOLD FROM CRACKING. AFTER THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED IN JULY 2004, THE MANIFOLD CRACKED ONE MONTH LATER. THE CONSUMER STATED EVER SINCE THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED SHE HAS ENGINE PROBLEMS. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS REPLACED IN AUGUST 2004 THE LOWER MANIFOLD SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED AS WELL TO PREVENT FUTURE DAMAGE, HOWEVER SINCE IT WAS NOT REPLACED, STOP LEAK PELLETS MIXED WITH THE DEX-COOL AND THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKED.
DT: CONTACT STATES THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS LEAKING INTO CYLINDERS, CAUSING ENGINE TO LOCK, DAMAGING STARTER AND SPARK PLUGS. REMOVED AND REPLACED FOR THE SECOND TIME ON 6-17-05 AT A COST OF $900.00: THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD AND GASKET, REPLACED SPARK PLUGS DUE TO A RECALL #04V09000 FUEL SYSTEM/ GASOLINE DELIVERY. SHE WAS REFUNDED MONEY BY PONTIAC. NOW SHE WAS REQUESTING MONEY BACK FOT THE SECOND TIME. ALSO, RECEIVED AN INVESTIGATION# PEO2050; CONCERNING ENGINE, BUT SHE HAS NOT RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER . *AK
CONSUMER DISAPPOINTED WITH REIMBURSEMENT FOR 1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR WAS REPLACED. *BF RECALL CAMPAIGN: 04V090000. THE RECALL IS RELATED TO THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR LEAK. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS FLUCTUATING WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DID NOT COME ON. THE CONSUMER TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND ALLOWED IT TO COOL OFF. THE CONSUMER RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND HEARD A LOUD BACK FIRE WITH A LOUD BANG. THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESTART. THE CONSUMER SMELLED FUEL SHORTLY AFTER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A NEARBY DEALER. THE INTAKE PLENUM AND THE INTAKE PLENUM GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE THERMOSTAT BLEW OUT AGAIN. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT HE FEELS THAT THE FAILURES ARE A RESULT OF THE RECALL ISSUE THEREFORE THE REIMBURSEMENT CHECK WAS NOT SUFFICIENT. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE BRAKES HAD A TICKING NOISE. *TC
'RECALL CAMPAIGN' CONCERNING 19998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. *BF THE CONSUMER HAD THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR REPLACED PRIOR TO THE RECALL BEING ISSUED BECAUSE THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONSUMER SUBMITTED THE REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT, HOWEVER HE HAS NOT RECEIVED ANYTHING FROM THE MANUFACTURER STATING WHAT THE DECISION WAS. THE CONSUMER HAS SINCE DONATED THE VEHICLE. *JB
CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN RECALL 04V09000. HE WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALL WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OFF. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE BLEW UP APPROXIMATELY TWO TO THREE YEARS AGO. HE RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER DAYS AGO, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE WORK SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE 2 OR 3 YEARS AGO. CONTACTED PONTIAC, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PLENUM WAS THE DEFECTIVE PART ON THE VEHICLE. WHICH HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. HOWEVER, HIS CLAIM WAS DENIED. *AK
INTAKE MANIFOLD AND FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR FAILURE. *BF THE RECALLED COMPONENT FAILED PRIOR TO NOTIFICATION. THE CONSUEMR PAID TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. AFTER RECEIVING THE RECALL THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT BUT WAS ONLY OFFERED A PARTIAL REFUND. *NM
1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. EXPLOSION UNDER HOOD. $900.00 DAMAGE. SUMMER 2004 WE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. IF ALREADY OCCURRED, SEND BILLS FOR REIMBURSEMENT. WE RECEIVED A CHECK FOR ONLY $82! GENERAL MOTORS IS AT FAULT FOR A DEFECTIVE PART. YET THEY ONLY PAID FOR THE PART, NOT THE DAMAGE IT CAUSED.*JB
INTAKE MANIFOLD PROBLEMS. *BF THERE WAS AN EGR PASSAGE THROUGH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. OVER TIME, HOT GASES FROM THE EGR SYSTEM PASSED BURNED A HOLE THROUGH THE PASSAGE WAY WALLS INTO THE SURROUNDING WATER JACKET. RECALL# 04V090000. *SC *JB
WHEN DRIVING AT AN UNDETERMINED SPEED, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD, THEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL PRESSURE FAILED. *AK THE RADIATOR CAP WAS REPLACED. WHILE IN MOTION, ABOUT 2 MILES AT 30 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE MECHANIC. THE NEXT DAY THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE DEALER FOUND THAT FUEL LEAKED AND RUPTURED THE MANIFOLD. RECALL#04V090000. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALL WAS NOT IN REFERENCE TO HER VEHICLE. *SC *JB THE CONSUMER SENT IN A THANK YOU NOTE AFTER RECIEVING HER RECALL NOTICE. *TC
THE CONSUMER WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH THE AMOUNT OF THE REIMBURSEMENT HE RECEIVED FROM THE MANUFACTURER. *NM THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE STARTING PRIOR TO RECEIVING THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THEY ONLY REIMBURSED THE CONSUMER THE AMOUNT THAT PERTAINED TO THE RECALL. OUT OF 834.60 FOR REPAIRS THE CONSUMER RECEIVED 97.92. RECALL#04V090000. *JB
CONSUMER RECEIVED NHTSA RECALL 04V090000 REGARDING FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR FAILURE. AFTER HAVING THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR REPLACED VEHICLE FAILED TO START. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. *AK
CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD BANG WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. HE PROCEEDED OFF THE HIGHWAY, OPENED THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE, AND FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, WHICH ENGULFED INTO FLAMES. WITHIN SECONDS CONSUMER CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHO INDICATED THAT THE FIRE STARTED NEAR THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE FIRE OCCURRED DUE TO THE DEFECT DESCRIBED IN THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR, RECALL 04V090000. BUT AFTER THE FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE HE CLAIMED THAT THE FIRE WAS NOT CAUSED BY THE DEFECT. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. *AK
HAD TUNE-UP AND REGULATORS CHANGED (BASED ON RECALL) ON 7/19/04. THEN ON 7/22/04 SMOKE EMITTING FROM EXHAUST AND THEN CAR WOULD NOT START. CAR TOWED AND REPAIRED (MANIFOLD CRACKED). ON 7/26/04 CAR TAKEN FROM SHOP, 2 HRS LATER CAR WOULD NOT START AGAIN. THIS TIME CLAIMED STARTER WAS THE PROBLEM. CONSEQUENCES: OVER $1,500 IN REPAIRS.
REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR INTAKE MANIFOLD THAT RUPTURED TWICE. *MR FUEL LEAKED INTO THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD. *SC THERE WAS A RECALL REGARDING THE ISSUE. RECALL#04V090000. *JB
GENERAL MOTORS RECALL PROGRAM DENIAL OF PAYMENT FOR RECALL ITEM REPAIRED ND PAID FOR AT A GENERAL MOTORS PONTIAC DEALERSHIP. SECOND RECALL NOTICE RECIEVED ON MY 1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE, NHTSA ID# 04V090000, COMPONTENT IS THE FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE DELIVERY. MY 1998 BONNEVILLE WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP MANY TIMES AND OVER A PERIOD OF 2 YEARS UNTIL THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED. RENTAL VEHICLES, COSTLY NOT-NEEDED REPAIRS WERE DONE IN AN EFFORT TO FIND THE PROBLEM, DOWN TIME, ETC. PAYMENT FROM GENERAL MOTORS REQUESTED PROVIDING ALL ITEMS REQUESTED, ORIGINAL RECEIPTS, SIGNED FORMS AND THE REASON GIVEN FOR THE DENIAL WAS THAT THE VECHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. GENERAL MOTORS MAILED ME THE RECALL FORMS. MY CAR DID HAVE THE PROBLEM RELATED TO THE RECALL.*AK
1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE PURCHASED WITH 214 MILES ON 10-05-2000 FROM POWEL WATSON MOTORS IN LAREDO, TEXAS. THE VEHICLE HAD PROBLEMS FROM NOV. 2000 TO THE REPAIR DATE IN 2002. A SEPERATE DEALERSHIP (TINDALL CHEV/PONTIAC IN DILLEY, TEXAS) WAS FINALLY ABLE TO REPAIR THE PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL REGULATOR. THIS RECALL ITEM HAS BE DENIED FROM PONTIAC. THE DEALERSHIP BILLED ME $1,024.00 FOR REPAIRS NOT INCLUDING RENTAL FEES FOR THE LOANER CAR. I FEEL THAT PONTIAC SHOULD HONOR THE REALL AND RETURN MY MONEY TO ME DUE TO THE FAULTY DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR.
VEHICLE WAS OPERATING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED. TWO BLOCKS FROM MY DESTINATION, THE CAR WAS RUNNING ROUGH, ALMOST LIKE IT WAS SPUTTERING. I PARKED THE CAR IN THE HOPES IT WOULD START,THE BACKFIRE THAT I NEVER HEARD, NOT ONLY BROKE THE NOSE OFF THE STARTER, BLEW A HOLE IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND FILLED THE ENGINE WITH ANTIFREEZE. LUCKILY FOR ME I HAD SHUT THE CAR OFF BEFORE ANY MAJOR DAMAGE HAD BEEN DONE TO THE ENGINE. I HAD THE CAR TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER I HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM. MONDAY CAME AND I THEN WENT TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THEM FIX THIS VEHICLE I HAD JUST PURCHASED ONLY 3 MONTHS PRIOR, THEY LOOKED AT IT AND GAVE ME A $700 ESTIMATE, KNOWING FULL WELL THAT THIS IS A DEFECT WITH THE VEHICLE, BUT WOULD NOT PROVIDE ME WITH TEMPORARY TRANSPORTATION WHILE WAITING FOR THE REPARS TO BE DONE. I ASKED THAT THEY PUT THE OLD PARTS THAT HAD BEEN REPLACED INTO THE TRUNK FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION BY ME. HAVE DONE RESEARCH ON THIS ON THE INTERNET ONLY TO FIND THIS A MORE COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE THAN HAD BEEN IMAGINED. WHY MUST SOMEONE DIE BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE ABOUT THIS DEFECT WITH THIS VEHICLE???*AK
REPEATED STALLING IN TRAFFIC. TYPICALLY OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY TWO MINUTES AFTER START-UP. DURING ONE COLD START THE ENGINE MISS-FIRED AND BACK PRESSURE POPPED OFF THE BRAKE VACUUM LINE, CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKES. WAS DIAGNOSED FIRST TIME AS MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR. PROBLEM RECURRED, DIAGNOSED AS FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. SHORTLY AFTER, FLOODING AND SPARKPLUG FOULING OCCURRED DUE TO DAMAGED INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKING COOLANT INTO CYLINDERS. WHILE TWO OF THE COMPONENTS ARE THE SAME AS RECALL CAMPAIGN 04V090000, AND GM RECALL 03054B, GM SAYS THIS VIN [XXX] IS NOT INCLUDED. *AK UPDATED 07/30/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
THE ENGINE EXPLODED UPON STARTING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE PARK AVENUE WHICH HAD THE SAME ENGINE AS THE BONNEVILLE, BUT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE BONNEVILLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE FURTHER. *JB
CONSUMER BOUGHT THE BONNEVILLE IN AUGUST, SINCE THEN IT HAS BEEN IN REPAIR SHOP 7 TIMES. THE FIRST FOUR TIMES WERE FOR TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THEY REPLACED THE PRESSURE CONTROL VALVE AND THROTTLE BODY. THE REMAINING VISITS WERE FOR 4 FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM FAILURES, INJECTOR COIL FAILURES MELTED 4 SPARK PLUG WIRES. ALSO, WATER PUMP STARTED LEAKING. *AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND NO WARNING THE INTAKE MANIFOLD BLEW CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BE NON DRIVABLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. PH
INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURES ARE A KNOWN PROBLEM AT GM, AND NOTHING IS BEING DONE ABOUT IT. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, AT A SPEED OF APX. 65 MPH, ON A FOUR LANE HIGHWAY, IN THE CENTER LANE WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURE CAUSES THE ENGINE TO STOP, AND LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKING THEN OCCURRES. AS SHE PROCEEDED TO TRY TO GET THE CAR OFF OF THE HIGHWAY, SEVERAL CARS SKIDDED TO STOP AS THE CAR SLOWLY MADE IT'S WAY OFF OF THE HIGHWAY. IT HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT GENERAL MOTORS IS AWARE OF THESE INTAKE MANIFOLDS FAILING, AND THAT IT IS A KNOWN DESIGN DEFECT. THEY SEE A LOT OF 3.8 ENGINES WITH THIS PROBLEM, AND ARE DOING NOTHING ABOUT FIXING IT FOR THE CONSUMER. MY REPAIR COST ME A LITTLE OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS. A LOT OF TIMES, THE ENTIRE ENGINE HAS TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT IS DAMAGED BY THE CATASTROPHIC EVENTS THAT TAKE PLACE WHEN THE INTAKE MANIFOLDS FAIL. WE ARE VERY LUCKY THAT SHE WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR OFF OF THE HIGHWAY, DESPITE THE FACT THAT SEVERAL CARS LOCKED UP THEIR BRAKES TO AVOID COLLISION WITH THIS DISABLED VEHICLE. WE PURCHASED THE CAR NEW, AND MAINTAIN IT MORE THAN IS REQUIRED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THIS INTAKE MANIFOLD DEFECT SHOULD HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATED A LONG TIME AGO, AS I HAVE TRACED OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES HAVING THIS PROBLEM SINCE 1996, AND POSSIBLY BEFORE. IF NOTHING IS DONE, THEN SURELY DEATHS WILL OCCUR DUE TO THE SERIES OF CATASTROPHIC EVENTS THAT WILL OCCUR DUE TO THIS DEFECTIVE INTAKE MANIFOLD, INCLUDING LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, STEERING AND BRAKING. DT
FUEL LINE BROKE, AND STARTED LEAKING ,COULD HAVE STARTED FIRE.*AK
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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