1998 Pontiac Bonneville Problems

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE APPROXIMATELY 30 MINS AFTER SHUTDOWN. INCIDENT 2015-00001363

THE BACK TWO CRADLE MOUNTS ON BOTH SIDES RUSTED OUT AND MOUNTS PULLED THROUGH THE CRADLE CAUSING THE STEERING TO BECOME LOOSE FILLING AND CAUSING STEERING TO BE OUT OF ALIGNMENT AND WHEN HIT BRAKES FRONT WOULD DART ONE WAY OR THE OTHER AND LOTS OF NOISE COMING FROM UNDER VEHICLE FROM CRADLE BOUNCING WHEN HITTING BUMPS TRIED THE FIND ONE IN JUNK YARDS AND ALL ARE THAT WAY. *TR

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

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

ABOUT A WEEK PRIOR TO INCIDENT, I GOT A WHIFF OF A BURNING SMELL, 2 DAYS IN A ROW, SHORT QUICK SCENT. NEXT 4 DAYS, SMELLED NOTHING (EVEN DROVE CAR 80 MILES ONE WAY AND BACK). DAY OF INCIDENT, I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 10 MPH WHEN WHITE SMOKE CAME FROM THE HEATER VENT. I INCREASED SPEED TO ABOUT 30 MPH TO GET TO A SAFE SPOT, AND BLACK SMOKE BILLOWED OUT OF HEAT VENT ON TOP OF DASHBOARD, AND FRONT OF DASHBOARD. TURNED CORNER TO GET OUT OF TRAFFIC, CAME TO A STOP AND FLAMES SHOT OUT OF CIGARETTE LIGHTER, AND AIR VENT IN FRONT OF DASH. HEATER WAS OFF, RADIO WAS OFF, AND CIGARETTE LIGHTER WAS NOT BEING USED. CAR FULLY ENGULFED IN APPROXIMATELY 2-3 MINUTES. CAR TOTALED. *TR

TRANSAXLE: AFTER STARTING COLD ENGINE AND DRIVING 20-30 MILES TRANSMISSION STARTS SHIFTING HARD INTO 2ND, 3RD, AND 4TH GEAR. DOES NOT SHIFT HARD WHEN LOCK-UP CONVERTER ENGAGES. TOOK IT TO PONTIAC DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE PCS (PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID) AND IT WAS GOING TO BE $700 TO REPAIR. CALLED SEVERAL TRANSMISSION SHOPS AND THEY SAID IT COULD BE THE PCS OR THE VALVE BODY AND MOST ALL 4T60 AND 4T65-E TRANSAXLES HAVE THIS PROBLEM?? IF THERE ARE SO MANY PROBLEMS, WHY DOESN'T GM DO SOMETHING TO AT LEAST CUT THE COST OF REPAIRS??*AK

THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION FAILED. *PH *NM

I PUSHED THE REAR DEFROSTER BUTTON AND ABOUT 5 SECONDS LATER THERE WAS THIS SMALL POP NOISE AND SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE DASH. I PULLED THE CAR OVER AND LOOKED INTO THE VENT AND SAW A FIRE ABOUT 3 INCHES HIGH. I GOT MY CHILDREN AND MYSELF OUT OF THE CAR RAN TO THE NEAREST HOUSE AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPT AND BY THE TIME THEY GOT THERE (7 MIN LATER) THE CAR WAS TOTALLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. IT WAS A TOTAL LOSS.*AK

CONSUMER NOTICED WHILE USING WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION WIPERS STARTED SMOKING, AND STOPPED WORKING. *AK

I WAS DRIVING ON THE NEW YORK THRUWAY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, MY CAR SHUT OFF. I HAD TO POWER STEER, NO POWER BRAKES, THE FUEL GAUGE READ NO FUEL AND THE BELLS WENT OFF. I HAD TO TRY TO GET TO A SAFE PLACE AND RESTART MY CAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY MORE TIMES. I CAN BE GOING 25MPH OR 70MPH; I CAN HAVE THE CRUISE ON OR OFF; I CAN HAVE THE HEAT OR A/C ON OR OFF, IT DOES NOT MATTER; IN ALL CASES, THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHEN I AM NOT EXPECTING IT. *JS

DT: GOT INTO THE VEHICLE, PUT PRESSURE ON THE GAS PEDAL AND IT WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. TRIED MASHING ON THE BRAKES, AND THE VEHICLE JUST KEPT GOING, THE MORE THE CONSUMER MASHED ON THE BRAKES THE FASTER THE VEHICLE WENT. VEHICLE HIT A BRICK BUILDING ON JUNE 6, 2005. CONTACTED PONTIAC, THEY SENT OUT AN INSPECTOR. THEN, THEY SENT A LETTER STATING THAT THE ALLEGATION HAD NO MERIT. THE CONSUMER WAS INJURED FROM THE AIR BAGS. *AK

THE BACK TWO CRADLE MOUNTS ON BOTH SIDES RUSTED OUT AND MOUNTS PULLED THROUGH THE CRADLE CAUSING THE STEERING TO BECOME LOOSE FILLING AND CAUSING STEERING TO BE OUT OF ALIGNMENT AND WHEN HIT BRAKES FRONT WOULD DART ONE WAY OR THE OTHER AND LOTS OF NOISE COMING FROM UNDER VEHICLE FROM CRADLE BOUNCING WHEN HITTING BUMPS TRIED THE FIND ONE IN JUNK YARDS AND ALL ARE THAT WAY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY FAILED CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A CONCRETE ROAD DIVIDER. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A BACK INJURY THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 164,000. DR

THE BACK TWO CRADLE MOUNTS ON BOTH SIDES RUSTED OUT AND MOUNTS PULLED THROUGH THE CRADLE CAUSING THE STEERING TO BECOME LOOSE FILLING AND CAUSING STEERING TO BE OUT OF ALIGNMENT AND WHEN HIT BRAKES FRONT WOULD DART ONE WAY OR THE OTHER AND LOTS OF NOISE COMING FROM UNDER VEHICLE FROM CRADLE BOUNCING WHEN HITTING BUMPS TRIED THE FIND ONE IN JUNK YARDS AND ALL ARE THAT WAY. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON THE NEW YORK THRUWAY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, MY CAR SHUT OFF. I HAD TO POWER STEER, NO POWER BRAKES, THE FUEL GAUGE READ NO FUEL AND THE BELLS WENT OFF. I HAD TO TRY TO GET TO A SAFE PLACE AND RESTART MY CAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY MORE TIMES. I CAN BE GOING 25MPH OR 70MPH; I CAN HAVE THE CRUISE ON OR OFF; I CAN HAVE THE HEAT OR A/C ON OR OFF, IT DOES NOT MATTER; IN ALL CASES, THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHEN I AM NOT EXPECTING IT. *JS

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE LENS ON THE LEFT HEAD LIGHT FELL OFF. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITION INFORMATION. TS

TRAVELING @65 MPH ENGINE JUST SHUT OFF. WOULD NOT START UNTIL 3 HOURS LATER THEN IT WAS HARD TO START. PROBLEM WAS DETERMINED TO BE GROUND UNDER PASSENGER SEAT. CAR STILL WAS HARD TO START NOW THE DEAL CLAIMS IT IS THE FUEL PUMP REGULATOR. VERY UPSET WITH THIS EXPERIENCE. OTHER PROBLEMS SEEM TO HAVE CROPPED UP DUE TO THIS GROUND PROBLEM SUCH AS ALTERNATOR FAILURE, HEADLIGHTS FAILING TO THE ON POSITON, POWER WINDOWS WOULD NOT WORK AND OF COURSE THE FAILURE OF THE FUEL REGULATOR. THIS GROUND SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM AND I AM SURPRISED THERE HAS NOT YET BEEN A RECALL. THE COMMON THREAD CAN BE SEEN IN THE COMPLAINTS LODGED ON YOUR INTERNET SITE.*AK

THE BACK TWO CRADLE MOUNTS ON BOTH SIDES RUSTED OUT AND MOUNTS PULLED THROUGH THE CRADLE CAUSING THE STEERING TO BECOME LOOSE FILLING AND CAUSING STEERING TO BE OUT OF ALIGNMENT AND WHEN HIT BRAKES FRONT WOULD DART ONE WAY OR THE OTHER AND LOTS OF NOISE COMING FROM UNDER VEHICLE FROM CRADLE BOUNCING WHEN HITTING BUMPS TRIED THE FIND ONE IN JUNK YARDS AND ALL ARE THAT WAY. *TR

MY CAR HAS BEEN STOLEN FROM SIOUX FALLS RESIDENTS HOME JULY 10 TH BUT HAVE A POLICE REPORT [XXX] BEEN SPOTTED IN MITCHELL OFF INTERSTATE 90 FIRST PARKING LOT RIGHT AFTER EXIT 90 INTO MITCHELL TANISH COLOR TRUNK HAS BUNNGIE CORD ON TRUNK SILVER SMALL SPOT ON PASSENGER SIDE PONTIAC 1998. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

DRIVERS SIDE AND PASSENGERS SIDE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN AUTO ACCIDENT. FRONT DRIVERS SIDE IMPACT THEN ROLLED 3 TIMES.*CN

HORN IS WORTHLESS. WAS HIT BY A PARTY WHO RAN A RED LIGHT. APPLIED HORN TO GET THEIR ATTENTION, BUT IT WOULD NOT WORK. I HAVE TRIED TO USE THE HORN ON NUMEROUS OCCASSIONS WHEN ABOUT TO BE HIT IN A PARKING LOT OR ON THE STREET, BUT IT NEVER SEEMS TO WORK. VERY HARD TO GET TO WORK. AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY EVEN THOUGH DAMAGE REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF FRONT BUMPER. WHEN GETTING CAR REPAIRED ALSO ADVISED THAT STEERING COLUMN BOLTS WERE STRIPPED ON ONE SIDE AND SHEARED OFF ON THE OTHER, BUT NOT CAUSED BY ACCIDENT. ESTIMATE TO FIX STEERING ANOTHER $500+

MY CAR HAS BEEN STOLEN FROM SIOUX FALLS RESIDENTS HOME JULY 10 TH BUT HAVE A POLICE REPORT [XXX] BEEN SPOTTED IN MITCHELL OFF INTERSTATE 90 FIRST PARKING LOT RIGHT AFTER EXIT 90 INTO MITCHELL TANISH COLOR TRUNK HAS BUNNGIE CORD ON TRUNK SILVER SMALL SPOT ON PASSENGER SIDE PONTIAC 1998. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND MY ENGINE LOCKED UP AND RADIATOR FLUID WAS COMING OUT OF THE HEAD GASKETS ON THE ENGINE WITH NO PRIOR WARNING. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME WITHIN 4 YEARS THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED WITH THIS CAR. *JB

THE BACK TWO CRADLE MOUNTS ON BOTH SIDES RUSTED OUT AND MOUNTS PULLED THROUGH THE CRADLE CAUSING THE STEERING TO BECOME LOOSE FILLING AND CAUSING STEERING TO BE OUT OF ALIGNMENT AND WHEN HIT BRAKES FRONT WOULD DART ONE WAY OR THE OTHER AND LOTS OF NOISE COMING FROM UNDER VEHICLE FROM CRADLE BOUNCING WHEN HITTING BUMPS TRIED THE FIND ONE IN JUNK YARDS AND ALL ARE THAT WAY. *TR

TRANSAXLE: AFTER STARTING COLD ENGINE AND DRIVING 20-30 MILES TRANSMISSION STARTS SHIFTING HARD INTO 2ND, 3RD, AND 4TH GEAR. DOES NOT SHIFT HARD WHEN LOCK-UP CONVERTER ENGAGES. TOOK IT TO PONTIAC DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE PCS (PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID) AND IT WAS GOING TO BE $700 TO REPAIR. CALLED SEVERAL TRANSMISSION SHOPS AND THEY SAID IT COULD BE THE PCS OR THE VALVE BODY AND MOST ALL 4T60 AND 4T65-E TRANSAXLES HAVE THIS PROBLEM?? IF THERE ARE SO MANY PROBLEMS, WHY DOESN'T GM DO SOMETHING TO AT LEAST CUT THE COST OF REPAIRS??*AK

WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH DASHBOARD CAUGHT ON FIRE. CONSUMER PULLED OVER , PUT THE FIRE OUT, AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

FROM THE NIGHT WE DROVE THE CAR HOME WE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE HEADLIGHTS/ DASH LIGHTS AND INTERIOR LIGHTS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THEN WE HAD TROUBLE WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS NOT WORKING , HORN. UPON REPAIR WORK IN MARCH OF 1999 WE WERE SHOWED AND TOLD THAT THE DASH HAD BEEN BROKEN OUT BEFORE AND WIRES HAD BEEN CUT INTO. WE HAVE ALSO HAD A PROBLEM WITH LACK OF POWER UPON PRESSING ACCELERATOR. *AK

MY CAR HAS BEEN STOLEN FROM SIOUX FALLS RESIDENTS HOME JULY 10 TH BUT HAVE A POLICE REPORT [XXX] BEEN SPOTTED IN MITCHELL OFF INTERSTATE 90 FIRST PARKING LOT RIGHT AFTER EXIT 90 INTO MITCHELL TANISH COLOR TRUNK HAS BUNNGIE CORD ON TRUNK SILVER SMALL SPOT ON PASSENGER SIDE PONTIAC 1998. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

HAD A VIBRATION IN VEHICLE. I THOUGHT IT WAS A WHEEL OUT OF BALANCE. HAD TIRES BALANCED THE DAY OF ENGINE FAILURE. STILL HAD VIBRATION. ENGINE RAN ROUGH THEN QUIT. CHECKED ENGINE COMPARTMENT, REALIZED HAD NO COOLANT. ENGINE HAD SIEZED. WOULD NOT CRANK. MECHANIC REMOVED SPARK PLUGS AND COOLANT DRAINED FROM ALL COMBUSTION CHAMBERS. I DID DESIGN WORK ON THIS PRODUCT AT GM AND ASKED AN AQUANITANCE ABOUT ENGINE PROBLEMS. HE SAID THAT GM HAD THE EGR GAS TEMPERATURE TOO HIGH AND THIS WAS CAUSING THE "PLASTIC " INTAKES TO FAIL. INTAKE WILL WARP AND COOLANT LEAKS INTO AIR PASSAGES CAUSING ENGINE TO RUN ROUGH AND/OR STOP DEPENDING ON AMOUNT OF LEAKAGE. THIS ALSO CONTAMINATES THE EXHAUST SYSTEM (CATALYTIC CONVERTER). ALSO EXTENSIVE ENGINE DAMAGE DEPENDING ON FAILURE. ( AMOUNT OF WATER). THIS DEFECT INVOLVES ALL GM VEHICLES MADE WITH THIS ENGINE. PONTIAC, BUICK,CHEVY. ANY PRODUCT MADE WITH "PLASTIC" INTAKES UNTIL GM CORRECTED THE PROBLEM ( EGR TEMPERATURE INTO INTAKE). I AM SURE THERE ARE AND WILL BE A LOT OF FAILURES OF THIS TYPE AS THE VEHICLES AGE. I THINK THIS IS A RECALL TYPE SITUATION DUE TO THE AMONUT OF VEHICLES INVOLVED. THIS ALSO MAY MEAN I WON'T BE ABLE TO FIND A JOB IN THIS INDUSTRY BY REPORTING THIS!!! I HAVE AN AUTOMOTVE RELATED JOB DOING BUSINESS WITH GM AS ONE OF THE CUSTOMERS.*AK

POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED. *YC