1999 Pontiac Bonneville Engine Problems

UPON ACCELERATING ONTO THE HIGHWAY, AFTER REACHING HIGHWAY SPEED, VEHICLE STALLS AND WOULD NOT START. FLOODING ENGINE, GASOLINE COMING OUT OF EXHAUST, ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART. AFTER RESEARCH AND REPLACING LEAKING LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD, THIS WAS NOT MY PROBLEM THERE WAS NO LEAK. AFTER MORE RESEARCH I REPLACED MORE SENSORS AND EVENTUALLY CYLINDER GASKETS AND LOWER INTAKE GASKET AGAIN. STILL ENGINE WOULD NOT START. AFTER 2 YEARS OF CAR SITTING I UNPLUGGED MAF SENSOR AND THEN IT STARTED FINALLY. FAULTY MAF SENSOR BUT NO WAY TO FIND OUT UNLESS IT IS UNPLUGGED BECAUSE SENSOR DID NOT GIVE OFF ANY PERTAINING FAULT CODE POINTING TO THE PROBLEM SPECIFICALLY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10604668

Incident

Jan 8, 2011

Mileage

130,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. IN 2003, WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED A HUGE CLOUD OF WHITE SMOKE AT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD BLOWN THE GASKET. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS REPLACED AS WELL AS THE INTAKE MANIFOLD ITSELF. IN 2005, THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR SWITCH BLEW OUT AND WAS REPAIRED UNDER RECALL; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED IN 2007. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THIS WOULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO BLOW DUE TO LEAKAGE OF FUEL INTO THE ENGINE. ALSO, THE REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER SWITCH WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. HE HAD TO REMOVE THE FUSE TO PREVENT IT FROM DRAINING THE BATTERY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 104,000. UPDATE 09/10/08 *CW UPDATED 09/19/08. *JB

NHTSA ID

10235121

Incident

Jul 10, 2003

Mileage

63,000 mi

PLASTIC ENGINE INTAKE PLENUM ASSY MELTDOWN CAUSING COOLANT INTO CYLINDERS OF ENGINE. ORIGINAL INCIDENT IDENTIFIED TO POSSIBLE DAMAGE TO 1ST CYLINDER. PLENUM ASSY REPLACED WITH METAL SLEEVE WHICH MECHANIC CLAIMED WAS SUPERIOR TO ORIGINAL MFG PART. PRIOR DAMAGE TO 1ST AND 2ND CYLINDERS BECAME PERMANENT MONTHS LATER WHEN ENGINE SHUTDOWN WHILE DRIVING. RESEARCHED RECALL DATA AND FOUND NOTHING TO DATE. MECHANIC ACKNOWLEDGES PROBLEM IS FREQUENT AND KNOWN BY MANUFACTURER FOR LONG TIME. CONTACTED GM AND WAS REFUSED ANY TYPE OF COMPENSATION. RESEARCHED COMPLAINTS ON NHTSA A FOUND AN UNBELIEVABLE LARGE VOLUME OF THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. INTEND TO CALL NHTSA DIRECT AND FIND OUT STATUS OF LARGE COMPLAINT BASE WITH NO ACTION. INTEND TO CONTACT ALL OTHERS FILING COMPLAINTS FOR DEFINITE IMMEDIATE CLASS ACTION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10216339

Incident

Mar 27, 2007

Mileage

74,301 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FRACTURED A YEAR AGO WHEN THE CAR HAD 40,000 MILES. THE FRACTURE IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CONSTITUTED A LEAK AND AS A RESULT OF THE LEAK THE ENGINE RAN VERY INEFFICIENTLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED 3 TIMES TO PROVIDE REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPAIRS PAID BY THE CONTACT. UPDATED 8/30/2006 - *NM

NHTSA ID

10164430

Incident

Jan 20, 2004

Mileage

40,000 mi

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS THE ENGINE STALLED, NO WARNING LIGHTS ILUMINATE IN THE DASH BOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO DETERMINED NO PROBLEMS IN THE ENGINE OR ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS. THE CONTACT CONTINUES TO DEAL WITH THE STALLING ENGINE.

NHTSA ID

10161104

Incident

Jun 27, 2006

Mileage

127,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE IT BACKFIRED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS LEAKING COOLANT AND THE GASKETS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN ALERTED.

NHTSA ID

10160018

Incident

Jun 14, 2006

Mileage

49,500 mi

TWO INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURES FOR MY 1999 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE, 3.8 ENGINE. FIRST ONE WAS IN JANUARY 2003. NOW 15 MONTHS LATER, IT HAS FAILED AGAIN AFTER 35000 MILES. THE FIRST TIME, REPAIR COSTS WERE JUST OVER $800. NOW I'M LOOKING AT A BILL OF $866. I HAVE READ THE TSB AND MANY OTHER ONLINE COMPLAINTS THAT I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS ISSUE OF RECURRING FAILURES. SOME HAVE EVEN REPORTED FIRES IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENTS OR COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10116866

Incident

Apr 12, 2005

Mileage

46,000 mi

1999 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.*MR WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED T START THE VEHICLE IT'S ENGINE BACKFIRED THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE. RECENTLY THE CONSUMER CAME ACROSS A RECALL FOR DEFECTIVE FUEL REGULATOR WHICH CAUSED FIRES. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER IS AWAITING A RESPONSE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10118971

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

99 BONNEVILLE, IN MARCH OF 2004 WHILE TRAVELING AT 45 MPH THE CAR BACK FIRED AND THE ENGINE KILLED, IT WAS TOWED TO A SHOP AND COOLANT WAS IN THE ENGINE. THE UPPER MANIFOLD WAS REPLACED AND GASKETS AT COST OF OVER $ 600.00. A YEAR LATER MARCH 2005 THE CAR WAS MAKING A NOISE. THE PONTIAC DEALER COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. ON APRIL 2005 THE PORBLEM WAS FIND, HAHA , PLASTIC INTAKE WAS CRANK, MORE MONEY. I THING GM SOULD RECALL AND PAY A THESE DEFECTS IN THERE PARTS. I WILL FIGHT TILL THE END. I HAVE SPENT OVER 1000.00 ON THERE DEFECT, ME MANY MANY OTHER PEOPLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10116417

Incident

Apr 1, 2005

Mileage

65,000 mi

A HOLE DEVELOPED IN THE PLASTIC UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD WHERE COOLANT RUNS NEXT TO THE EGR VALVE, RESULTING IN THE CAR SUDDENLY STALLING AND NOT ABLE TO BE RESTARTED, BECAUSE OF THE COOLANT BEING INTRODUCED INTO THE AIR FUEL MIXTURE. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM THAT PONTIAC IS AWARE OF.*AK

NHTSA ID

10100730

Incident

Nov 15, 2004

Mileage

74,000 mi

I HAD TO HAVE THE INTAKE PLENUM REPLACED ON MY 99 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE...STARTED WITH VEHICLE HESITATING ON TAKE OFF, RPM'S ACCELERATING VERY HIGH BUT MPH NOT CATCHING UP...VEHICLE THEN BACKFIRED AND LOSS ALL POWER...HAD IT TOWED TO DEALER...DEALER SAID INTAKE PLENUM WAS WARPED CAUSING COOLANT TO POSSIBLY LEAK INTO ENGINE...GM WOULD NOT COVER UNDER WARRANTY WHICH COST ME $1000 TO CORRECT...VEHICLE WAS FINE FOR A MONTH OR SO AND STARTED DOING IT AGAIN. I THINK ITS RIDICULOUS THAT GM KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BUT REFUSES TO TAKE RESPONSIBILTY FOR IT AS A FACTORY PROBLEM..I WOULD LIKE A RECALL ON THIS AND MY MONEY REIMBURSED TO ME. I ALSO THINK THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE REPAIRED CORRECTLY WITH A PART THAT WON'T BURN UP BECAUSE ITS MADE OF PLASTIC. I HAVE READ ON MANY WEBSITES COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT THEY ARE COMPLAINING TO THE WRONG PEOPLE. I WAS RECENTLY INFORMED THAT GM DOES NOT DECIDE TO PUT OUT THE RECALL, IT'S REALLY THE NHTSA THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT. MY PLAN IS TO POST THIS LINK ON THOSE WEBSITES AND HOPEFULLY ENOUGH PEOPLE WILL POST A COMPLAINT HERE TOO AND MAYBE WE COULD GET SOME REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE POORLY BUILT CARS THAT ALL OTHER CONSUMERS HAVE PURCHASED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10095676

Incident

May 2, 2004

Mileage

95,000 mi

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING WHEN THE VEHICLE STARTED BACK FIRING, LOST POWER AND STOPPED. THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10091542

Incident

Oct 14, 2003

Mileage

90,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THIS CAUSED THE DRIVER TO DRIFT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE OWNER THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD CRACKED WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO FAIL. *JB THE INTAKE MANIFOLD MELTED AND ALLOWED COOLANT INTO THE CYLINDER. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10083383

Incident

Jul 15, 2004

ON THE MORNING OF 7/15/04 WHILE DRIVING ON LOOP 1604,SAN ANTONIO TX, AT APPROXIMATLY 60 MPH THE ENGINE STOPPED FORCING ME TO TRY AND GET OFF THE HIGHWAY, MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND I ONLY MADE IT PARTWAY OFF THE HIGHWAY. MY CAR ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART AND I WAS STUCK HALFWAY INTO THE FAST LANE. PRIOR THIS THIS THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ANY PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE, NO LIGHTS CAME ON EXCEPT JUST AS THE ENGINE WAS STOPPING TELLING ME TO CHECK ENGINE. THERE WERE NO INDICATORS SAYING THE ENGINE WAS OVER HEATING. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO CAR PRO, IN SAN ANTONIO. THE EXTENDED WARRANTY IS COVERED BY HERITAGE POLICY #HBB 313037, HOWEVER, THE POLICY STATES THEY DO NOT COVER EMMISSION CONTROLS. HERITAGE INSISTED THAT OTHER ITEMS BE PULLED FROM THE VEHICLE BEFORE AN ADJUSTER WOULD EVEN BE SENT OUT. THE ADJUSTER TOLD CAR PRO HE DID NOT KNOW WHY HE WAS EVEN SENT OUT AS THEY KNOW THEY ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE EMMISSION CONTROL OVER HEATING AND CAUSING THE PLASTIC MANIFOLD TO MELT. WHICH OF COURSE LEADS TO THE FLUIDS DRAINING OUT AND LOCKING UP THE ENGINE. SO OF COURSE THE REPAIRS ARE NOT GOING TO BE COVERED AND I HAVE TO FOOT THE BILL FOR EVEN THE EXTRA HERITAGE WANTED DONE. NOW CAR PRO TELLS ME THAT THEY HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH OTHER VEHICLES WITH MELTED MANIFOLDS DUE TO THE EMMISSION CONTROLS OVER HEATING AND CAUSING THEM TO MELT. THE NEW REPLACEMENT MANIFOLD HAS BEEN UPGRADED AND NOW HAS A METAL AREA THAT SITS OVER THE EMMISSIONS CONTROL SO WHEN IT GETS HOT IT WONT MELT THE MANIFOLD. THIS IS A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM, THEY KNOW THAT AND CHANGED THE MANIFOLD BUT DID NOT RECALL IT. THUS COSTING ME OVER $1200.00 IN DAMAGES AND IT COULD HAVE BEEN MY LIFE SINCE MY VEHICLE DIED ON THE HIGHWAY IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. *LA

NHTSA ID

10082367

Incident

Jul 15, 2004

Mileage

54,998 mi

I'VE HAD MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH MY 99 BONNEVILLE, COSTING ME OVER $2,400. IT STARTED AT 64,000 MILES (6/26/02) WITH A BACKFIRE CAUSED BY A FAULTY FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR, WHICH NOW HAS A SERVICE RECALL (A LITTLE TOO LATE); THAT COST ME $300. A WEEK LATER, THE UPPER MANIFOLD PLENUM LEAKED CAUSING THE ENGINE TO FLOOD AND DIE; I SPENT OVER $500 ON THAT LITTLE PROJECT (REPLACING THE MANIFOLD AND CLEANING THE ENGINE). IT NEVER RAN RIGHT AFTER THAT; I HAD EXTREMELY LOW GAS MILEAGE AND LACK OF POWER, AND THE ENGINE LIGHT KEPT COMING ON AND OFF AND IT STALLED ON MANY OCCASIONS. AFTER ABOUT SIX MONTHS OF THIS, IT DIED AGAIN ON 3/22/03. THIS TIME, IT SPUN THE MAIN BEARING AND THE LOWER HALF WAS RUINED. I WENT TO THREE DIFFERENT MECHANICS BEFORE I COULD FIND SOMEONE WILLING TO TOUCH IT, BUT I FOUND A GOOD MECHANIC THAT REBUILT THE LOWER HALF (VERSUS REPLACING THE ENGINE) FOR $1,600. I STILL HAVE THE CAR AND IT SEEMS TO BE PERFORMING WELL, BUT YOU NEVER KNOW. IM GOING TO INCLUDE ALL OF MY REPAIR COSTS FOR REIMBURSEMENT (THROUGH THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR RECALL NOTICE) AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. MY MECHANIC SAYS THAT ALL OF THIS IS RELATED TO THE BACKFIRE AND THE PLENUM LEAK. *JB

NHTSA ID

10082225

Incident

Jun 26, 2002

Mileage

64,008 mi

CRACKED PLENEM ALLOWING FLUID TO LEAK INTO ENGINE TO THE POINT OF WATER LOCKING IT. CAUSED $1200 IN PARTS AND LABOR. 70,096 MILES ON VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10080645

Incident

Jan 5, 2004

Mileage

70,096 mi

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED CONSUMER NOTICED THAT FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A BODY SHOP FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET. *AK *NM

NHTSA ID

10073527

Incident

May 10, 2004

Mileage

26,000 mi

IN MID MAY I HAD A AUTHORIZED PONTIAC DEALER REPLACE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WHICH HAD RUPTURED AFTER A BACKFIRE UPON INITIAL START OF 1999 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE WITH A 3.8 L ENGINE. ON JUNE 1, 2004, I WAS NEARLY NEAR ENDED ON INTERSTATE 80 IN COUNCIL BLUFFS AS I RETRUNED FROM A TRIP BECAUSE VEHICLE LOST POWER. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY SAID LOWER BEARING WAS GONE, MEANING A NEW ENGINE. I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS CONSUMER COMPLAINTS. IT'S MORE THAN THE COST OF A NEW ENGINE THAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT. WITH MY NEAR INCIDENT THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURY TO ME OR ANOTHER PARTY, I THINK IT'S TIME THAT GM TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THESE ISSUES AND A RECALL IS GONE TO COVER THE ISSUE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10074945

Incident

Jun 1, 2004

Mileage

83,000 mi

WITHOUT WARNING, MY 1999 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE, EQUIPPED WITH 3.8 ENGINE, LOST POWER AND DIED. THE INTAKE PLENUM (SITTING ATOP THE ENGINE, AND PROVIDING AIR AND COOLING OF ENGINE WATER, RUPTURED AND SENT WATER INTO THE CYLINDERS, AND INTO OIL PAN. THIS IDENTICAL PROBLEM OCCURRED AT 60000 MILES, WAS REPAIRED, AND RECENTLY OCCURRED @ 102000 MILES, 5/24/04. *AK

NHTSA ID

10074632

Incident

May 27, 2004

COOLANT LEAKED INTO THE ENGINE. DEALER STATED THE PLASTIC MANIFOLD MELTED WHICH CAUSED LEAKAGE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10066990

Incident

Apr 4, 2004

Mileage

70,609 mi

VEHICLE WAS PARKED INSIDE OF THE GARAGE CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE AN DIT BACK FIRED, AND THE CAUGHT ON FIRE. CONSUMER EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE , AND A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. NO INJURIES REPORTED. INSURANCE COMPANY HAD THE VEHICLE TOTALED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10063048

Incident

Mar 11, 2004

ENGINE PLENUM CRACKED. SUCKED UP COOLANT/ANTI-FREEZE , ALMOST DESTROYING THE ENGINE BLOCK. *JB

NHTSA ID

10056292

Incident

Jan 30, 2004

Mileage

60,315 mi

THE ENGINE'S PLENUM(SPELLING??) MANIFOLD STARTED LEAKING WATER. MY MECHANIC SAID IT HAD "WARPED". HE THEN TOLD ME THAT GM WAS HAVING QUITE A PROBLEM WITH THIS PART. HE SAID HE HAD REPLACED ABOUT 10 OF THESE SO FAR THIS YEAR. AND THAT HIS PART DISTRIBUTOR SAID THERE WAS A NATIONWIDE BACKORDER ON THIS PLENUM MANIFOLD. I CONTACTED GM AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO PROBLEM OR BACKORDERS ON THIS PART. WOULD LIKE TO CONTACT OTHER GM OWNERS TO SEE IF THEY HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THIS PART BUT DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START. ANY HELP WILL BE APPRECIATED. THANKS

NHTSA ID

10068963

Incident

Apr 15, 2003

Mileage

50,000 mi

1999 BONNEVILLE; 58,000 MILES; IT HAD BEEN STALLING INTERMITTENTLY FOR SEVERAL WEEKS -- ESPECIALLY DURING TURNS. BEFORE I COULD TAKE IT TO THE DEALER, THE CAR LOSES POWER ON HWY 63; FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER. THE MECHANIC REPORTS ENGINE HAS LOCKED UP BECAUSE COOLANT HAS LEAKED INTO THE ENGINE DUE TO A KNOWN PROBLEM BY GM OF COOLANT LEAKING INTO ENGINE AND THUS DESTROYING THE ENGINE. TOTAL COSTS TO REPLACE THE ENGINE, THE MANIFOLD AND DAMAGED THE STARTER AMOUNTED TO A REPAIR BILL OF $5300 AFTER A 10% EXISTING CUSTOMER DISCOUNT PLUS STATE TAXES. I CHECKED THE ODI DATABASES FOR '99 BONNEVILLE'S AND ALMOST A 1/3 OF THE 111 COMPLAINTS RELATE TO THE SAME PROBLEMS I HAD BEFORE MY CAR ENGINE WAS DAMAGED AND SIMILAR PROBLEMS OF COOLANT LEAKS INTO THE ENGINE. DOES THERE HAVE TO BE A INJURY BEFORE THE NHTSA WILL ACT? WHY DID THE RECENT RECALL FOR THE 2000 AND NEWER MODELS NOT COVER THE 1999'S WHEN GM HAS KNOWN OF THIS ISSUE OF COOLANT LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE SINCE THE 1995/96 MODEL YEAR? PLEASE SEE MY WEBSITE FOR THE ANALYSIS OF THE 1999 COMPLAINTS HTTP://WWW.MISSOURI.EDU/~RYH352/2003/BONNE.HTM I, OF COURSE, WANT MY $5,300 RETURNED FROM GM. I ALSO THINK IT ONLY FAIR THAT THE RECALL EXTEND TO 1998 AND 1999 BONNEVILLE OWNERS WITH LESS THEN 100,000 MILES ON THEIR CAR AND GM REPAIR THOSE CARS FREE. *LA

NHTSA ID

10047511

Incident

Oct 2, 2003

Mileage

58,500 mi

MY CAR STALLS INTERMITTENTLY, USUALLY IN TOWN WHILE BRAKING OR TURNING, OR MERELY SLOWING DOWN. IT LURCHES WHEN CRUISE CONTROL IS SET AT HIGHER SPEEDS LIKE IT'S TRYING TO DIE. IT HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 10 TIMES (DYING) AND 5 TIMES (LURCHING) IN THE LAST 3 DAYS. DEALERSHIP UNABLE TO DUPLICATE MORE THAN 1 TIME AND CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO NEXT. HAVE CLEANED TERMINALS AND REPLACED CRANK SHAFT SENSOR. *JB

NHTSA ID

10037584

Incident

Sep 10, 2003

Mileage

84,000 mi