1998 Pontiac Montana Engine Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 PONTIAC MONTANA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY STALL WHEN MAKING TURNS OR WHEN DECELERATING. THE CONTACT TOOK HER VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHERE SHE WAS ADVISED THAT THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSIS THE FAILURE WITHOUT IT OCCURRING IN THEIR PRESENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FIVE ADDITIONAL TIMES BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE DEALER WAS FINALLY ABLE TO DIAGNOSE A TRANSMISSION FAILURE AFTER SIX PREVIOUS FAILED DIAGNOSTICS. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 07/03/14 MA

NHTSA ID

10585316

Incident

Feb 18, 1998

Mileage

100 mi

THE ENGINE JUST TURNED OFF WHILE STARTING TO TURN A CORNER. LOST POWER STEERING AND POWER BREAKS, BUT THE CAR JUST ROLLED ON. PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL AND TURNED KEY IT STARTED AND THEN DROVE NORMALLY. THIS HAS NOW HAPPENED 4 TIMES. THE PREVIOUS OWNER, WHEN CONTACTED, SAID, JUST RESTART THE CAR! DOES THIS RELATE TO GM IGNITION SWITCH RECALL? *TR

NHTSA ID

10568022

Incident

Mar 6, 2014

Mileage

115,230 mi

I NOTICED I HAVE BEEN USING A LOT OF ANTIFREEZE IN THE VAN BUT NO LEAKS UNDER IT. I TOOK IT TO THE GARAGE TO CHANGE THE THERMOSTAT AND TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. THEY TOLD ME MY HEAD GASKETS ARE BAD AND NEED TO BE REPLACED, WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER HE SAID I NEEDED A NEW RADIATOR TOO! I HAVE BEEN LOOKING ON THE WEB AND FOUND MANY CONSUMERS WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT AS MINE. WHY HAVEN'T THESE 1998 PONTIAC MONTANA'S BEEN RECALLED? *TR

NHTSA ID

10255620

Incident

Jan 13, 2009

Mileage

109,000 mi

A YEAR AGO,I PUCHASED A PREVIOUSLY OWNED 1998 PONTIAC MONTANA TRANSPORT VAN WITH APPROXIMATELY 58,000 MILES ON IT. I AM A CERTIFICATED AIRCRAFT MECHANIC WITH OVER 10 YRS OF EXPERIENCE. SO, I AM AWARE OF POTENTIONAL PROBLEMS WITH USED VEHICLES. I DID NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE UNTIL 3 MONTHS AGO. WHEN I HAD A LOW COOLANT LIGHT COME ON. I IMMEDIATLEY CHECKED THE FLUID LEVEL AND IT WAS LOW. I THEN, BEGAN TO LOOK FOR A REASON FOR LOW COOLANT. I FOUND THE COOLANT LEAKING EXTERNALLY OUT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AREA. I WAS ABLE TO PUT A SOCKET ON THE NEAREST INTAKE BOLTS AND FOUND THAT THEY WERE LOOSE. THIS TEMPORARILY STOPPED THE LEAK. SERVICED ALL THE FLUIDS. I ASSUMED THIS PROBLEM WAS FIXED. I DID NOT NOTICE ANY ENGINE NOISES, NO OTHER PROBLEMS, NOTHING ELSE. TWO WEEKS AGO, THE VAN AND IT LOST POWER MOMENTARILY, THEN A SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON. NO OTHER PROBLEMS, VAN RESUMED PERFORMANCE. WHEN I INSPECTED THE VAN AND ITS COMPONENTS. IT HAD A CODE OF 300 WHICH MEANT "RANDOM MISFIRE" IN THE ENGINE. THIS IS A CODE THAT COULD BE GIVEN BY NUMEROUS REASONS. I ALLOWED THE VAN TO IDLE TO OPERATING TEMPERATURES. WHEN SUDDENLY THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN. I IMMEDIATELY START IT BACK UP. NOW IT HAS NO OIL PRESSURE AND THE VALVES ARE RATTLING. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL PONTIAC DEALER TO SEE IF THEY WERE AWARE OF ANY RECALLS OR SERVICE BULLETINS RELATING TO THIS MODEL. THEY DID NOT KNOW OF ANY. I BEGAN TO RESEARCH THIS PROBLEM. I WAS ALARMED AT WHAT I HAD FOUND. APPARENTLY, THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT IS REPEATED OVER AND OVER WITH THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE AND COOLANT COMBINATION. SPECIFICALLY DEXCOOL, THE ORANGE COOLANT. IT IS SHOWING POSSIBLE INCOMPATIBILITIES BETWEEN THE COOLANT AND THE GASKETS USED ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLDS, HEADS AND OTHER VITAL ENGINE COMPONENTS. ONE OF THE WEB-SITES I RESEARCHED WAS WWW.GM-V6LEMONS.COM. I WOULD LIKE FOR GM TO RADIFY THIS INTO A RECALL( SERVICE BULLETIN) BECAUSE SO MANY OF US HAS SUFFERED FROM THIS POSSIBLE DEFECT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10072588

Incident

Apr 26, 2004

Mileage

69,000 mi

ON JULY 18, 2003 WE TOOK OUR 1998 PONTIAC MONTANA (58,000 MILES) TO DOMAILLE BUICK-MAZDA-MITSUBISHI IN ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA FOR A 3,000-MILE OIL CHANGE PRIOR TO LEAVING FOR OUR SUMMER VACATION. ON THAT DAY THE MECHANIC INFORMED US ABOUT EVIDENCE OF A LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK AND THE NEED FOR IMMEDIATE REPAIR. HE ADVISED US NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE FOR FEAR THAT THE ENGINE COULD SEIZE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF MAJOR TRAFFIC. THIS COSTLY PROBLEM, OF WHICH WE ARE NOW ACUTELY AWARE, IS FAIRLY COMMON AMONGST THIS LINE OF VEHICLE (CHEVY VENTURE AND OLDS SILHOUETTE). WE HAVE LEARNED VIA A PLETHORA OF INTERNET SOURCES THAT THE INCIDENCE OF THIS PROBLEM OCCURS REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE, AS SOME CONSUMERS ENDURED THIS PROBLEM WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER RESPONSE TO THIS SERIOUS AND COSTLY MECHANICAL PROBLEM HAS BEEN TO REDESIGN THE GASKET FOR NEWER MODEL VEHICLES. IN THE MEAN TIME, CUSTOMER AFTER CUSTOMER HAS FORKED OUT THE COST OF THESE REPAIRS. WHILE WE SADLY REFER TO OURSELVES AS ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES IN THAT OUR REPAIR BILL TOTALED A MERE $850.00 (SEE ATTACHED) AND WE CAUGHT THE PROBLEM PRIOR TO OUR VACATION, AND THAT WE WERE NOT INJURED AS A RESULT OF THIS PROBLEM, OTHERS HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THEIR ENGINE AT THE COST OF $4000.00 OR MORE. THIS IS A MAJOR CONSUMER CONCERN DUE TO SAFETY. FOR EXAMPLE, ANY GM OWNER COULD EXPERIENCE SUDDEN AND UNEXPLAINED STALLING OF THEIR VEHICLE IN THE MIDST OF TRAFFIC, AS A RESULT OF A LEAKY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. THE TRAFFIC EXPERIENCE COULD BE ON A COUNTRY ROAD OR ON A MAJOR INTERSTATE GOING 70+ MPH ... ENGINE SEIZING UP AND TRACTOR TRAILERS BEHIND YOU?!?!? THE DISASTROUS POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS.

NHTSA ID

10057074

Incident

Jul 18, 2003

Mileage

58,000 mi

BLOWN HEAD GASKET AT 98001 MILES. LEAKING ENGINE COOLANT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10054632

Incident

Jan 19, 2004

Mileage

97,995 mi

WE PURCHASED THE 1998 PONTIAC MONTANA IN MARCH 1998. SINCE WE PURCHASED THE CAR, WE HAVE HAD THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL SOCKET REPLACED THREE TIMES DUE TO MALFUNCTION. IN OCTOBER 2002, WE TOOK THE AUTOMOBILE IN FOR PROBLEMS NOTED. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT WE NEEDED TO REPLACE THE TURN SIGNAL SOCKET AGAIN, REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR, REPLACE THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES DOOR POWER WINDOW MOTORS, REPLACE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, AND THEY WORKED ON THE SLIDING DOOR FOR THE FIFTH TIME DUE TO A RECALL. THE TOTAL ESTIMATE FOR THE PENDING WORKS CAME TO $3500.00 PLUS. I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER WITH ME CONCERNS, BUT MY CONCERNS FELL ON DEAF EARS. ALL THE AGREED TO HELP ME WITH WAS THE PRICE ON THE PARTS OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR AND THAT WE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LABOR AND ALL OF THE MAJOR REPAIRS/REPLACEMENTS BECAUSE THEY FELT THAT WE DID NOT HAVE ANYMORE WARRANTY ON THE AUTOMOBILE. THE SERVICE MANAGER ADVISE ME TO TRADE IN THE VEHICLE SINCE IT WOULD BE EXPENSIVE TO DO THE JOBS REQUIRED, BUT WE THOUGHT IT NOT TO AT THIS TIME. WE EVEN SUGGESTED THAT THERE MIGHT NOT BE A NATIONAL RECALL ON THE ITEMS, BUT WE STRONGLY FEEL THAT THIS PARTICULAR VAN HAS A DEFECT. WE ARE ASKING YOU TO PLEASE HELP US TO RESOLVE OUR CONCERNS.

NHTSA ID

10069870

Incident

Nov 15, 2002

INTAKE GASKET FAILED ALLOWING COOLANT TO LEAK INTO OIL.68638 MILES VALVE LIFTER KNOCKING.74809 MILES STALLING OF ENGINE COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKING AND STEERING. DESTRUCTION OF ENGINE.75110 MILES FAILURE OF CAMSHAFT. ENGINE THROWN INTO GARBAGE

NHTSA ID

10069397

Incident

Jul 15, 2003

Mileage

75,110 mi

CURRENTLY RUNNING, BUT NOT FOR LONG. LOW COOLANT LIGHT ON LIFTERS CLANGING. 75,000 MILE NOW..... RUNNING LIKE CRAP. I SEE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON THIS MATTER WITH MAJOR ENGINE REPAIRS. $$$$$$ WHEN IS GM GOING TO RECALL???????

NHTSA ID

10068715

Incident

Jun 15, 2003

Mileage

75,000 mi

ON JULY 18, 2003 WE TOOK OUR 1998 PONTIAC MONTANA (58,000 MILES) TO DOMAILLE BUICK-MAZDA-MITSUBISHI IN ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA FOR A 3,000-MILE OIL CHANGE PRIOR TO LEAVING FOR OUR SUMMER VACATION. ON THAT DAY THE MECHANIC INFORMED US ABOUT EVIDENCE OF A LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK AND THE NEED FOR IMMEDIATE REPAIR. GM HAS A VEHICLE OWNER SATISFACTION PROGRAM INITIATED IN RESPONSE TO THE PROBLEMS NOTED WITH THEIR INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. GM REDESIGNED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET AND REPLACED THE GASKET AT NO COST TO THE OWNERS OF 1999-2003 MODEL CARS. THIS REPAIR WAS NEITHER COVERED UNDER THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY OR THE SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED TO THE DEALER IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM. GM HAS BEEN UNRESPONSIVE TO MY COMPLAINT. I BELIEVE THAT I SHOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR THE COST OF THIS REPAIR, WHICH EXCEEDED $800.00. *LA

NHTSA ID

10047598

Incident

Jul 18, 2003

Mileage

58,000 mi

CAR STALLING AT ANY SPEED. CAR STALLED,ENGINE DESTROYED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10028787

Incident

Jul 12, 2003

Mileage

74,809 mi

THE ENGINE LOCKED UP. DEALER NOTIFIED. PH

NHTSA ID

10006533

Incident

Jan 15, 2003

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

758912

THIS VEHICLE HAS BLOWN A HEAD GASKET AT 50,000 MILES WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE OR ACCIDENT AND I THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN A GM SEVICE CENTER APPROXIMATELY 10 TIMES WITHIN THE PAST 18 MOS FOR MECHANICAL PROBLEMS OR DEFECTS AND I FEEL LIKE IM DRIVING A TICKING TIME BOMB WAITING FOR SOMETHING TO EXPLODE DUE TO ALL THE PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD. *AK

NHTSA ID

757101

Incident

Jan 15, 2002

LEFT REAR AIR PUMP. PASSENGER SLIDING DOOR--OPENS AUTOMATICALLY WHEN CLOSED.

NHTSA ID

609124

Incident

Jun 1, 1998