Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 129 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2001 Pontiac Bonneville. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Showing 1–25 of 129 · page 1 of 6
MY CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE BACK IN JANUARY 2020 UNDER THE HOOD ON MY WAY TO WORK THE FIRE STARTED BEHIND THE VALE COVER GASKETS AND NOW OIL IS LEAKING ON THE MANIFOLD GASKETS AND GAS IS MIXING WITH THE OIL AND I CAN'T DRIVE MY CAR ANYMORE HELP ME PLEASE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LEAKED OIL OUT OF THE VALVE COVER GASKET AND THE SPARK PLUG WIRE RETAINER CAUSING A MISFIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED BUT FAILED TO PROPERLY ACCELERATE WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE FUMES INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHICH CAUSED EYE IRRITATION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TPMS, CHECK ENGINE, SERVICE ENGINE, SEAT BELT, AND AIR BAGS WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. ADDITIONALLY, AFTER REFUELING, THE FUEL GAUGE FAILED TO PROVIDE AN ACCURATE FUEL READING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SPARK PLUG RETAINER AND VALVE COVER GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V238000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 264,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. WHILE DRIVING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE ENGINE MADE AN ABNORMAL BANGING SOUND AND THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE ENGINE BLEW UP AND PRODUCED A THICK CLOUD OF SMOKE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
MY SON WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT AND HIS AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY.
VALVE COVER GASKETS LEAKING OIL CAN GET ON EXHAUST MANIFOLD CAUSING AN ENGINE FIRE.
STEEL BRAKE LINES HAVE CORRODED TO THE POINT OF FAILURE. VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP. BRAKE FLUID LEAKS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AND EXPLODED WHEN THE IGNITION KEY WAS INSERTED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
I HAD LEFT MY LIGHTS ON AND BATTERY WENT DEAD. WENT TO JUMP THE VEHICLE AND CHARGE THE BATTERY. CABLES CONNECTED CORRECTLY. WHEN I WENT TO START THE VEHICLE, I HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION NOISE LIKE A BACK FIRE BUT SAW A FLAME THEN SMOKE OUT OF ENGINE. THE ENGINE HOOD WAS CLOSED SINCE THE BATTERY IS LOCATED UNDER THE BACK SEAT OR THIS COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL OR A SERIOUS INJURY. THE FLAME MUST HAVE BEEN EXTINGUISHED BY THE FLUIDS? WHEN WE OPENED THE HOOD AFTER A SHORT PERIOD, WE FOUND THAT THEIR WAS SOME TYPE OF EXPLOSION IN THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND IN MY DRIVEWAY
I JUST CURRENTLY BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE IN MARCH WHEN I GOT NO LIGHTS OR ANYTHING WAS ON A COUPLE DAYS LATER MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON SAYING THAT MY TRACK IS OFF ALSO WHEN I TRY TO GO OVER 50 MILES PER HOUR THE CAR SHAKES REALLY BAD I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THEY DID NOT HAVE A MECHANIC TO LOOK AT IT AND IT HAPPEN TO ME 3 TIMES WHEN I TOOK IT THERE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,000.
MY SON WAS THE PASSENGER IN A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT AND HIS EYEBALL WAS SEVERED BY THE AIRBAG. MY SON RECEIVED HIS PROSTHETIC EYE FOR HIS 18TH BIRTHDAY. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND REPAIRED. THE TYPE OF REPAIRS WERE UNKNOWN AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000. UPDATED 11/12/14*LJ
CAR JUST SHUTS OFF WHEN SITTING AT A STOPLIGHT AND WILL NOT RESTART. HAVE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO DEALER ONLY TO FIND AFTER SITTING IT FIRES RIGHT UP AND THE COMPUTER SHOWS NO PROBLEM. IT HAS ON 1 OCCASION SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD, BUT AFTER PULLING IN NEUTRAL IT DID RESTART. IT IS STILL SITTING AT THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THEY DRIVE IT SHUTS OFF THEY GET IT BACK TO DEALERSHIP AND IT RESTARTS AND IS FINE PER COMPUTER. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED AN ABNORMAL NOISE WHEN FIRST STARTED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND ASSISTED WITH EXTINGUISHING THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. AFTER THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR, UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD, FUEL INJECTORS, FUEL LINE, MASTER CYLINDER, ALTERNATOR, ENGINE WIRING HARNESS, COOLANT RESERVOIR, ACCELERATOR CABLE, AND SEVERAL OTHER COMPONENTS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,700.
WE HAD A LOT OF SNOW AND I LIVE ON A SLIGHT HILL. WENT TO START THE CAR THAT WAS COVERED IN SNOW TO MOVE THE CAR ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET FACING DOWN HILL. I TURNED THE KEY TO START THE CAR AND HEARD IT POP OR BACKFIRE WHICH IT HAD NEVER DONE BEFORE. I TRIED AGAIN TO START THE CAR AND NOW IT SOUNDED LIKE THE BATTERY WAS DEAD (WHICH I KNEW IT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN). THE NEXT THING I KNEW, A NEIGHBOR RIPPED OPEN MY DRIVER DOOR AND WAS PULLING ME OUT OF THE CAR SAYING "YOUR CAR IS ON FIRE". MY NEIGHBORS CALLED 911 FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHO CAME AND PUT THE FIRE OUT BUT THE CAR WAS TOTALED! I AM FORTUNATE THAT THE NEIGHBORS HEARD THE POP, CAME OUTSIDE, SAW THE FLAMES UNDER THE CAR, AND I WAS NOT HURT. THIS HAPPENED WITH THE CAR PARKED RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE! STILL UNBELIEVABLE AND VERY FRIGHTENING! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE BUT WHEN THE KEY WAS TURNED IN THE IGNITION, THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION FROM UNDER TO HOOD. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT A FIRE HAD ERUPTED FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE BUT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE ORIGIN OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.
WHEN I DRIVE MY CAR IT SHUTS DOWN ON ME WHILE DRIVING AND I HAVE TO WAIT AT LEAST 20 MINS BEFORE IT STARTS BACK UP AND SOMETIMES IT SMELLS LIKE SOMETHING IS BURNING. *TR
GAS FUMES COMING INTO THE CAR. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE WOULD TAKE IN THE EXHAUST FUMES FROM THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE AND OTHER VEHICLES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A FIRE DEPARTMENT DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF CARBON MONOXIDE ENTERING THE VEHICLE HOWEVER, THEIR MACHINES DID NOT DETECT ANY CARBON MONOXIDE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE COLDER THE WEATHER, THE WORSE THE ODOR WOULD BECOME. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE CONTACT AND ANYONE WHO ENTERED THE VEHICLE TO SUFFER FROM HEADACHES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED HER TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 111,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 126,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FUEL FUMES WOULD SEEP INTO THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE WOULD EMIT A LOUD CLICKING NOISE. A LOCAL MECHANIC AND DEALER WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 174,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 190,000.
ON OCTOBER 27,2011 I CAME ON FROM WORK AROUND 7:00 PM TURN MY CAR OF AND WENT INTO THE HOUSE. I HEARD SOME ONE BAMMING ON THE BACK DOOR , I OPEN THE DOOR AND A GUY SAID THAT YOUR CAR IS ON FIRE HE ASKED IF I HAD ANY ON ELSE IN THE HOUSE I TOLD HIM YES SO I GO INSIDE TO GET MY CHILDREN OUT THE HOUSE. THAT IS WHEN I SAW THE SAME GUY WHO WAS KNOCK ON THE DOOR USE MY HOSE PIPE SPRAYING WATER ON THE CAR. AT THAT TIME I CALLED THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT THEY ADVISE ME THAT THE PLAQUEMINE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ON THERE WAY. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT THE REST OF THE FIRE OUT. ONE OF THE FIRE FIGHTER TOLD ME THAT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. *TR
STEERING SHAFT ON MY 2001 BONNEVILLE SSEI MAKING GRINDING AND CLUNKING NOISE. THE SOUND IS MORE NOTICEABLE AT LOWER SPEEDS BELOW 20 MPH. I HAVE HEAD FROM OTHER BONNEVILLE OWNERS THIS IS AN ONGOING EXPENSIVE PROBLEM. THE DESIGN OF THE STEERING SHAFT SEEMS TO BE FLAWED. *TR
MY 2001 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE HAS STARTED SHUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING AND THEN WHEN YOU GET IN THE CAR SOMETIMES IT STARTS SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T YOU MAY HAVE TO SIT THERE OVER FIVE MINUTES TURNING KEY ON AND OFF AND FINALLY IT WILL START SOMETIMES TAKING UP TO 10 TRIES BEFORE IT STARTS OTHER TIMES IT WILL START AFTER 2 I WILL BE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND HIGHWAYS AND SUDDENLY THE CAR WILL JUST TURN OFF IT WILL EVENTUALLY START AGAIN HOWEVER DOING THIS AT THE WRONG TIME AND CERTAIN DISASTER WILL ARRIVE EITHER ANOTHER CAR HITTING ME WHILE I AM SITTING STILL OR MANY WRECKS BEING CAUSED BY THIS PROBLEM. *TR
FIRST INCIDENT HAPPENED WHEN I WAS JUST DRIVING TO WORK I WENT TO LOWER THE REAR WINDOW HEARD A NOISE AND THE WINDOW FELL DOWN. I TRIED TO SHUT IT, BUT IT WOULD NOT CLOSE, THE MOTOR DID NOT WORK AND I ONLY HAD 52,000 MILES ON THE CAR. SECOND INCIDENT HAPPENED LAST WEEK WHEN I WAS DRIVING TO THE STORE WITH MY BABY GRANDDAUGHTER AND THE WINDOW ON THE OTHER SIDE DID THE SAME THING. DIFFERENCE HERE IT WAS A COLD DAY IN MAINE AND MY 16 MONTH OLD GRANDDAUGHTER WAS IN HER CAR SEAT IN THE BACK. TRIED TO GET IT CLOSED BUT IT WOULD FALL RIGHT BACK DOWN. I HAD TO GET THE PARENTS TO COME GET THE BABY BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TO COLD FOR ME TO DRIVE HER HOME WITH THE WIND COMING THROUGH THE WINDOW I NOW HAVE 62,331 MILES ON THIS CAR. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE, ALL 2001 BONNEVILLES SHOULD BE RECALLED, AND HAVE THE WINDOWS FIXED.
BATTERY DEAD, CHARGED THE CAR, STARTED IT UP...THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE(PLENUM). INS AGENT SAID IT WAS THE PLENUM AND THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES. GM IS LUCKY NO ONE WAS HURT!!!! *TR
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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