Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2000 Pontiac Montana submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 16 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
WHEN I STARTED THE CAR THIS MORNING AND STEPPED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, IT WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. UPON INSPECTION, THERE WAS A PUDDLE OF BRAKE FLUID ON THE DRIVEWAY UNDER THE PASSENGER DOOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. I INSPECTED FURTHER WITH A FLASHLIGHT AND MIRROR, AND COULD SEE THAT THE FLUID WAS DRIPPING FROM A BUNDLE OF BRAKE LINES ATTACHED TO THE CHASSIS, OF WHICH ONE WAS SEVERELY CORRODED.. *TR
SEVERE CORROSION OF BRAKE LINES. THERE IS A SHORT SECTION OF THE REAR BRAKE LINES JUST FORWARD OF THE REAR CONTROL ARM THAT RUSTS OUT. *TR
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A LOUD THUMPING NOISE WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE, ACCOMPANIED BY AN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE AND A SLIGHT VIBRATION IN THE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE REAR BRAKING CYLINDERS WERE LEAKING FLUID.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP PROPERLY. THE CONTACT DID THE REPAIR WORK AND FOUND THE FRONT BRAKE PADS HAD DISINTEGRATED AND THE REAR WHEEL CYLINDERS WERE LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. THE FRONT BRAKE PAD FELL OFF OF THE STEEL BACKING PLATE. THE PAD ON THE OTHER SIDE WAS BEGINNING TO SEPARATE. THESE WERE ORIGINAL GM PARTS. ALSO, THE ABS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY AND THE CONTACT DETERMINED THE CONNECTORS WERE DIRTY. UPDATED 2/21/2006 - *NM
THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM ENGAGED ITSELF WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING A REGULAR, NON-EMERGENCY STOP. THIS MADE THE STOPPING DISTANCE INCREASE SEVERELY AND COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BY CAUSING ME TO RUN INTO ANOTHER OBJECT. EVIDENTLY, THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE FOR THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM IS DEFECTIVE. I HAVE TEMPORARILY DISCONNECTED THIS CONTROL TO PREVENT THE MALFUNCTION FROM OCCURING AGAIN.
FUEL GAUGE READS FULL WHEN EMPTY AND EMPTY WHEN UNDER 3/4 OF A TANK. MESSAGE CENTER ALARMS TELLING ME THAT I AM OUT OF FUEL BUT WHEN I STOP AT THE GAS STATION IT WILL ONLY HOLD NO MORE THAN FIVE DALLORS. ALSO I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE BREAK LIGHTS REPLACED SEVREL TIMES. THE REAR MOTORIZED WINDOW ON THE DRIVER SIDE DOES NOT ALWAYS SHUT WHEN PRESSING THE BUTTON. AND ENGINE IS QUICK TO OVERHEAT. ALSO THE PASSANGER SLIDING DOOR DOES NOT ALWAYS LATCH PROPERLY, LOCK AND UNLOCK WHEN BUTTONS PRESSED. THE SAD THING ABOUT IT IS I HAVE ONLY HAD THE VAN FOR JUST UNDER A YEAR. THE VAN IS ONLY FIVE YEARS OLD AND I AM ALREADY HAVING THIS KIND OF PROBLEMS OUT OF IT. NEEDLESS TO SAY I WILL NEVER OWN ANOTHER PONTIAC (GM).
MY ABS SYSTEM ACTIVATES WITHOUT WARNING WHILE AT SLOW SPEEDS AND WHILE BRAKING. THERE ARE NO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS TO JUSTIFY THE ACTIVATION AND NO SERVICE ENGINE OR ABS LIGHTS ILLUMINATE WHEN THIS HAPPENS. WHEN THE ABS SYSTEM ACTIVATES, THE BRAKING DISTANCE INCREASES AND I'VE HAD TO ADJUST MY DRIVING SO I DO NOT HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE OR BRAKE INTO AN INTERSECTION. SINCE THIS BEGAN HAPPENING REGULARLY, I HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY AND NEVER WITH MY CHILDREN INSIDE. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A REPAIR ESTIMATE AND THEY FOUND CORROSION ON THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR AND JUMPER HARNESS. I REFUSED THE REPAIRS AT THAT TIME DUE TO THE HIGH COST TO REPAIR. IN ADDITION, AT TIMES THE "SERVICE TRACTION SYSTEM" MESSAGE WILL ILLUMINATE ALONG WITH THE ABS AND TRAC OFF LIGHTS. THE ILLUMINATION OF THESE LIGHTS DOES NOT CORRESPOND TO THE ABS BRAKING PROBLEM, SO IT MAY NOT BE DIRECTLY RELATED.
REAR BRAKE-LIGHT SUB ASSEMBLY HOLDS BRAKE LIGHT BULBS. EVIDENTLY WHEN USED IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC IN METROPOLITAN AREAS SUCH AS NEW YORK METRO AND LOS ANGELES, BULB HEATING MELTS THE BULB HOLDING SUB- ASSEMBLY DIRECTLY RELEASING THE BULB CONTACTS AND CAUSING BRAKE LIGHT FAILURE. BULBS CONTINUE TO TEST OK!!! ISUAL INSPECTION REVEALS MELTED PLASTIC. WRONG PLASTIC FORMULA. *AK
I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF IT IS NORMAL FOR THESE TO GO AS SOON AS THE WARRANTY IS OVER. THE PAINT, I ARGUED WITH THE DEALER AND THEY FINALLY AGREED TO PAY FOR IT. THE ABS BRAKES WENT JUST AFTER THE WARRANTY, THEY WON'T HELP ME THERE. THE PASSENGER SLIDING DOOR WILL NOT LOCK AUTOMATICALLY. NO PRICE FOR REPAIR YET.
OUR MONTANA PONTIAC VAN HAD PROBLEMS FROM THE START. WE PURCHASED IT AS A USED VEHICLE FROM A GM DEALER AND EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE. HOWEVER WITHIN THREE WEEKS OF HAVING THE VEHICLE WE STARTED EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS. WE HAD THE STARTED REPLACED THREE TIMES, WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT STRUTS, REPLACE THE BRAKES TWICE, WE HAVE A NOISE IN THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE-NO ONE CAN EXPLAIN AND WE HAVE IT WORKED ON FIVE TIMES NOW, THEN YESTERDAY THE SIDE PASSENGER SLIDE DOOR OPENED IN A TURN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC - WE DO NOT HAVE AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOORS. THE CONTROL PANEL DID NOT SHOW THAT THE DOOR WAS AJAR. HOWEVER BECAUSE WE REQUIRE EVERYONE TO WEAR SEATBELTS THE CHILD DID NOT FALL OUT BUT IT COULD HAVE HAD A TERRIBLE RESULTS HAD WE NOT MAKE IT A RULE IN OUR VEHICLE. I LOVE THE ROOM THE VAN PROVIDES HOWEVER, THESE PROBLEMS THAT KEEP POPPING UP ARE GETTING TIRESOME.
THERE HAVE BEEN MANY PROBLEMS, MOST NOTABLE RECENTLY WHEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE SLIDING DOOR FEEL OFF AT 45000 MILES. GM WON'T PAY, IT'S NOT "UNDER WARRANTY". THIS DOOR HAS HAD CONTINUAL PROBLEMS WITH HITTING THE FRONT DOOR UPON CLOSING. REPAIR WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN MADE BUT OBVIOUSLY INEFFECTUAL DUE TO EVIDENCE OF CHIPPED PAINT AT THE SITE WHERE DORS COLLIDE. COULD THIS HAVE PRECIPITATED THE DOOR FALLING OFF? SUPPOSEDLY THEIR WAS AN ADJUSTMENT MADE, COULD THIS ADJUSTMENT BEEN MADE INCORRECTLY TO DAMAGE THE DOOR? I FEEL IT IS UNACCEPTABLE THAT THIS DOOR HAS FALLEN OFF MY CAR AT 45000 MILES.
ON JUNE 17, 2003 WHILE DRIVING NEAR MY HOME MY BRAKES FAILED, TOTALLY, I HAD TO APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO AVOID BOTH MY HUSBAND AND I FROM GOING INTO THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON NOTHING. I HAD JUST A FEW INCIDENTS OF THE BRAKE PEDAL SEEMING LIKE IT WAS GOING DOWN MAYBE A COUPLE OF TIMES THE DAY BEFORE. BRAKES NEVER MADE ANY NOISES TO INDICATE THERE WAS A PROBLEM STARTING. MASTER CYLINDER HAD TO BE REPLACED
PROBLEMS WITH PAINT, GASKETS, BRAKES AND COOLING SYSTEM. *MR THERE WAS A HISSING NOISE WHICH HAD COME FROM THE TIRE AREA DUE TO MISALIGNMENT, LOW COOLANT LIGHT HAD COME ON, THE GASKETS ,OIL PUMP AND DRIVE O-RING WERE REPLACED, THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD GONE TO THE FLOOR WHILE STOPPED AT A LIGHT WHICH HAPPENED MORE THAN TWICE AND SEEMED AS IF THEY WEREN'T GOING TO WORK AT ALL AND HAD TO PUMP THE PEDAL TO BRING THE PEDAL BACK ENOUGH TO ALLOW STOPPING. THERE WAS AN INCIDENT WHERE THE CONSUMER HAD TO ACTIVATE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. THE WARNING LIGHT NEVER HAD COME ON. THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED, THE FRONT BRAKE PADS, RESURFACED ROTORS, CLEANED AND ADJUSTED REAR BRAKES. OTHER PROBLEMS ARE AS FOLLOWED: THE TRIM ON THE DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD HAD COME APART, THE HANDLE ON THE BACK LATCH HAD COME OFF, AND BOTH TURN SIGNAL BULBS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *SCC *JB
THE FRONT LEFT BRAKE CALIPER OVER HEATS INTERFERING WITH POSSE TRACTION AND ABS BRAKES. PH
AT APPROXIMATELY 25,000 MILES ON MY LEASED 2000PONTIAC MONTANA THE FRONT BRAKES BEGAN TO EXHIBIT WHAT SEEMED TO BE A WAPARAGE CONDITION. MINIMAL USE, AND NO HIGH SPEED STOPS INDICATED A PROBLEM TO ME BEYOND NORMAL. BRAKE INSPECTION (ON SATURDAY - NOT AT DEALER LOCATION) INDICATED EXTREME PITTING AND WARPING OF FRONT ROTORS - WITH SUBSEQUENT DESTRUCTION OF THE BRAKE PADS. REPLACEMENT WAS ACCOMPLISHED ($294.30). DEALER ON FIRST BUSINESS DAY FOLLOWING REPAIR DENIED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DEFECT UNDER WARRANTY RULES - AND SERVICE MANAGER STATED THAT HIS SHOP COULD HAVE TURNED AND RE-CONDITIONED THE ROTORS SO THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR DEFECTS. SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSIONS AND RESEARCH ON THIS PROBLEM INDICATED THAT G.M. KNOWS WELL OF THIS PROBLEM, AND THAT THEY ARE NOT DISCLOSING IT TO THE PUBLIC. FURTHER, THE ROTORS WERE INSPECTED BY TWO INDEPENDENT SHOPS WITH EXCELLENT REPUTATIONS, AND FOUND TO BE UN-REPAIRABLE BY THEIR STANDARDS AS WELL AS THE DISCARD STANDARD GIVEN TO ME BY REFUSING DEALER. ISSUE: IS IT ILLEGAL FOR DEALER SHOPS TO MAKE SUCH JUDGEMENTS, AND SEND PEOPLE OUT ON THE ROADS WITH DANGERIOUS BRAKES? MY PRESSURE HAS GOTTEN RE-IMBURSEMENT FOR MY COSTS ON THIS ISSUE. THE PURPOSE OF THIS NOTICE IS TO NOTIFY G.M. AND/OR THE DEALER OF THEIR MIS-GIVINGS. THANK YOU, [XXX]. *AK PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
WHILE DRIVING NORTH ON US-57 IN ILLINOIS, WE EXPERIENCED A FAILURE OF OUR BRAKING SYSTEM, APPARENTLY FROM A SEVERED BRAKE LINE. WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING, WE EXITED THE HIGHWAY AT EXIT #283, GILMAN, ILLINOIS. AS WE WENT UP THE RAMP, MY WIFE BEGAN BRAKING, AND THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, WHILE BARELY SLOWING THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT WAS NOT ON BEFORE THIS POINT, BUT CAME ON AFTER SEVERAL PUMPS OF THE PEDAL. SHE PUMPED THE PEDAL A FEW TIMES, AND GOT SOME BRAKING, AND STOPPED AT THE STOP SIGN AT THE END OF THE RAMP. AT THIS POINT WE DETERMINED THAT WE HAD ENOUGH BRAKING ABILITY TO CONTINUE TO THE GAS STATION WHICH WAS ABOUT 50 YARDS FROM US. IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE GAS STATION I CHECKED THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER AND FOUND THE FLUID RESERVOIR EMPTY. I THEN CHECKED UNDER THE VEHICLE FOR LEAKS, AT WHICH TIME I DISCOVERED THE BRAKE LINE, COMING FROM THE LEFT SIDE TO THE RIGHT, AT THE POINT AT WHICH IT PASSES IN FRONT OF AND OVER THE TOP OF THE SQUARE, TUBULAR STEEL AXLE HOUSING,TO BE SEVERED. IN THIS SHORT SPAN OF THE BRAKE LINE, WHICH HAS A SPIRAL STEEL WIRE PROTECTOR AT THIS POINT, SOME OBJECT,(APPARENTLY),IMPACTED THE LINE AND SMASHED IT AGAINST THE AXLE HOUSING WITH ENOUGH FORCE TO NOT ONLY FLATTEN IT, BUT ALSO SEVER IT, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FLATTENED AREA. I FEEL THAT SOME TYPE OF GUARD SHOULD BE INSTALLED IN FRONT OF THE BRAKE LINE AT THE POINT WHERE IT CROSSES IN FRONT OF THE STEEL AXLE HOUSING. *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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