2000 Pontiac Montana Engine Problems

THIS IS A ADDON FROM THE PREVIOUS ONE I SUBMITTED JUST NOW. I WANT TO POINT OUT. I WAS ALMOST KILLED WHEN I RAN OUT OF GAS ON THE HIGHWAY, BECAUSE THE GAS GAUGE READ INCORRECTLY. WHEN THE ENGINE BECOME HOT, IT ALMOST STARTED A FIRE. I AM A SINGLE PARENT WITH A TEN YEAR OLD. DEALERS ARE STILL SELLING THESE PONTIAC MONTANA'S. WE DO NOT KNOW HOW MANY DEATHS IT MAY HAVE ALREADY CAUSED. OR HOW MANY WOMEN AND CHILDREN WERE STRANDED, BECAUSE THE GAS GAUGE READS INCORRECTLY, IT WILL SAY ITS FULL BUT IT IS ACTUALLY EMPTY. THE CONDENSERS GO, WHICH CAUSE A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. I CANNOT AFFORD TO REPLACE THE MOTOR, AND I ALREADY PUT OUT CLOSE TO A THOUSAND DOLLARS ALREADY. THE FIRST MONTH I BOUGHT IT FROM A DEALER. EVERY OWNER HAS HAD THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. EVERY OWNER. HERE IS ONE OF THE WEBSITES I DID NOT REALIZE EVERY OWNER OF A PONTIAC MONTANA ALL HAD SAME PROBLEMS. EVERY OWNER. HERE IS ONE OF THE WEBSITES. HTTP://FORUMS.EDMUNDS.COM/DISCUSSION/COMMENT/3340529. YOU CAN GOOGLE PONTIAC MONTANA COMPLAINTS AND THEIR ARE HUNDREDS OF WEBSITE COMPLAINTS ON THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. BUT GMC REFUSED TO RECALL SINCE THE COMPLAINTS FIRST STARTED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10676193

Incident

Jan 1, 2015

Mileage

161,677 mi

I DID NOT REALIZE EVERY OWNER OF A PONTIAC MONTANA ALL HAD SAME PROBLEMS. EVERY OWNER. HERE IS ONE OF THE WEBSITES. HTTP://FORUMS.EDMUNDS.COM/DISCUSSION/COMMENT/3340529. THE DEALER SOLD ME A PONTIAC MONTANA. THE SECOND DAY I DROVE IT, I RAN OUT THE GAS BECAUSE THE GAS GAUGE READ FULL, BUT ACTUALLY IT WAS EMPTY. I DID NOT REALIZE THE GAS GAUGE STOPS WORKING UNTIL EVERY OWNER HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. EVERY OWNER HAD A CONDENSER PROBLEM. EVERY OWNER. WHICH IN TURN MAKES THE HEAD GASKET GO. I AM A SINGLE PARENT AND DID NOT UNDERSTAND THAT NUMEROUS CALLS TO GMC WERE MADE AND NO RECALLS HAS BEEN DONE. IT IS SHAMELESS, HOW PEOPLE LIKE ME ARE STRUGGLING AND THESE CAR DEALERS MADE BILLIONS WITH FAULTY EQUIPMENT. IF YOU GOOGLE PONTIAC COMPLAINTS. EVERY OWNER HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. EVERY OWNER. I CANT AFFORD TO REPLACE A MOTOR BECAUSE OF THE HEAD GASKET. I AM STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON THIS CAR LOAN. ISN'T THEIR A LAW THAT CAN HELP VICTIMS LIKE US. IT SHOULD BE SHAMEFUL HOW GMC HAS SOLD PONTIAC VEHICLES WITH SO MANY FAULTY EQUIPMENT. I NEED HELP. IF EVERY SINGLE OWNER HAD THE SAME CONDENSER, SAME, HEATING PROBLEM, SAME GAS GAUGE, SAME BLOWN HEAD GASKET AS A RESULT. PONTIAC GMC SHOULD BE FORCED TO PAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10676192

Incident

Jan 1, 2015

Mileage

161,677 mi

THE CAR WOULD START MISSING, LIKE THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE ELECTRICAL AND THEN THE CAR WOULD SHUT OFF THE AND I WOULD HAVE TO SIT THERE FOR 1 TO 2 HRS AND THEN IT WOULD START AND RUN FOR A WHILE AND SHUT OFF AGAIN, THE LAST 2 TIMES THIS HAPPEN I HAD TO HAVE A TOW TRUCK PICK IT UP AND TAKE IT TO MY HOME WHERE IT HAS SAT EVER SEANCE 2008. *TR

NHTSA ID

10614941

Incident

Jun 13, 2008

Mileage

182,000 mi

INTAKE MANIFOLD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 84,000 MILES. VERY COSTLY REPAIR $1,500.00. *TR

NHTSA ID

10378391

Incident

Jul 8, 2009

Mileage

84,000 mi

2000 PONTIAC MONTANA INTAKE GASKET FAILED...I'VE READ ALL THE OTHER COMPLAINTS AND JUST WANTED TO ADD MINE. I CALLED GM AND THEY SAID THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY COMPLAINTS RELATIVE TO THIS PROBLEM, AND THERE WAS NO RECALL EITHER. I HAVE NEVER USED ANYTHING BUT DEXCOOL IN THIS VAN, NOW IT IS GOING TO COST ME TO HAVE IT FIXED FOR FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS....NOW I UNDERSTAND WHY PONTIAC IS BEING DROPPED BY GM THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PAY ALL THE REPAIR BILLS IF THE OWNED UP TO THEIR MISTAKE...GOODBYE PONTIAC!!!!!!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10277611

Incident

Jul 21, 2009

Mileage

155,000 mi

I OWN A 2000 PONTIAC MONTANA THAT NEEDS AN INTAKE GASKET REPLACED. THE COMPANY SPECIFICALLY ADVISES THAT NO OTHER COOLANT IS TO BE USED IN THIS VAN BUT DEXCOOL. I NEVER USED A DIFFERENT PRODUCT THAN DEXCOOL. NOW DEXCOOL HAS DESTROYED THAT GASKET. MY CAR IS LEAKING FLUIDS AND BARELY HEATS. COST FOR REPAIR IS OUTLANDISHLY EXPENSIVE. THE RECOMMENDATIONS BY GM WERE FOLLOWED AND THEY WERE WRONG! THIS IS A MANUFACTURING ISSUE, NOT A CONSUMER ONE. THE ONUS SHOULD BE ON GM TO RECALL AND REPAIR THE INTAKE GASKET IMMEDIATELY! THEY HAVE GOTTEN AWAY WITH THIS PROBLEM FOR YEARS AND EVERY MONTANA HAS THIS ISSUE. PLEASE HELP. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ID

10264436

Incident

Apr 7, 2009

MANIFOLD INTAKE GASKET FAILURE AT 125,000 MILES REPLACED AT COST OF $1100, MECHANIC TOLD ME THIS WAS COMMON PROBLEM FOR VEHICLE, BECAUSE ORIGINAL GASKET WAS PLASTIC AND FAILED OFTEN. WOULD LIKE AT LEAST PARTIAL REFUND FOR REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10264117

Incident

Oct 1, 2008

Mileage

100,000 mi

2000 PONTIAC MONTANA; 3.4LTR 6CYL: "SERVICE ENGINE" SOON LIGHT PROMPTED SERVICE VISIT. TECH TOLD US THAT CODES INDICATED THAT INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS HAD FAILED AND THAT ENGINE OIL AND COOLANT WERE LEAKING. SUCH LEAKAGE CAUSED OIL CONTAMINATION OF THE COOLANT AS WELL AS COOLANT CONTAMINATION OF THE OIL. TECHNICIAN FURTHER COMMENTED THAT THIS WAS AN EXTREMELY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE GM 3.4 LTR 6CYL ENGINE AND HAD BEEN KNOWN TO GM FOR SEVERAL YEARS, BUT HAD NEVER BEEN FIXED. REPAIR COSTS APPROX $800 AND MUST BE DONE SINCE THE RELATED CODES WILL CAUSE FAILURE OF ANNUAL EMISSIONS TESTING AND VEHICLE LICENSE TAGS WILL NOT BE ISSUED. INTERNET RESEARCH ON THIS DEFECT CONFIRMED THAT PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD AND WELL KNOWN. GM SHOULD BE FORCED TO RECALL ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10228724

Incident

Oct 1, 2005

Mileage

120,000 mi

BLOWN HEAD GASKET AT 107K MILES IN A 2000 PONTIAC MONTANA. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR CAUSED BY FAULTY DESIGN OR THE USE OF DEX COOL. THIS IS ONE OF MANY FAILURES ON THE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10221853

Incident

Mar 19, 2008

Mileage

107,000 mi

I HAVE 3 CHILDREN, ONE DISABLED. I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN FROM DAY 1 WHEN THE MANUAL SLIDING DOOR BROKE TWO WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE. ALMOST KILLED MY DISABLED CHILD WHEN IT SPRANG OPEN ON HIM. DEALER, SAID HE BROKE IT, A CHILD WITH FULL BODY MUSCLE DISORDERS WHO CAN'T LIFT A BRICK. NOW WE HAVE HAD UNENDING PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE, COOLANT LEVELS, THE CAR SMELLS LIKE BURNT PLASTIC OFTEN, TIMES WHEN I WENT TO START IT, NOTHING HAPPENED. NOW I AM TOLD THAT THE ENGINE WILL SEIZE SOON. INTERESTING SINCE I ALWAYS CHANGED THE FLUIDS ON TIME AND I HAVE ONLY OWNED IT FOR 5 YEARS. BOTH SIDE DOORS DO NOT WORK, AUTOMATIC WORKS SOMETIMES, MANUAL COMES OFF THE TRACK. ONE OF THE REAR PASSENGER SEATS DOES NOT FOLD PROPERLY. THE CAR OFTEN FEELS AS THOUGH IT HAS "BAD GAS" JERKING BACK AND FORTH WHILE DRIVING IT. I AM AFRAID, I HAVE THREE KIDS IN THE CAR USUALLY. I NEED A CAR AND NOW WITH NO MONEY AND NO ABILITY TO BUY A NEW ONE, I AM TOLD THAT THE CAR WILL SEIZE IF I DO NOT SPEND $4000 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. I AM GETTING A SECOND OPINION BUT FROM WHAT I AM READING, IT SEEMS FEUDAL. SHAME ON GM!! WHY WASN'T THIS CAR RECALLED??? THIS IS A VAN, A FAMILY CAR!!! YOU WANT TO KILL CHILDREN???? I AM WRITING MY CONGRESSMAN AND THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU. THIS CAR SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN OUT OF CIRCULATION UNTIL THE PROBLEMS WERE IRONED OUT. IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO MY CHILDREN, I WILL MAKE IT MY PERSONAL CRUSADE TO SHUT DOWN ALL GM PLANTS. THE AMOUNT OF MONEY I PUT INTO THIS CAR IS RIDICULOUS WHEN I HAD A 20 YEAR OLD VOLVO THAT IS STILL RUNNING. SHAME ON AMERICA! THIS IS WHY OUR INDUSTRIES ARE FAILING AND WE MUST TURN TO FOREIGN COUNTRIES. SO I HAVE A CAR THAT I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH. I SERIOUSLY HAVE NO MONEY TO REPLACE THE ENGINE NOR BUY A NEW CAR. I HAVE CHILDREN IN 3 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS THE OLDEST NEEDING THERAPIES EACH DAY THAT I MUST DRIVE HIM TO. WHAT AM I TO DO? *TR

NHTSA ID

10216743

Incident

Feb 1, 2008

Mileage

50,000 mi

I OWN A 2000 PONTIAC MONTANA,IN THE PAST 2 YEARS I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE WATERPUMPX2 AND INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET X2. THE GASKET LASTED 18 MONTHS AND THE WATERPUMP 3 MONTHS. I FEEL THAT PUTTING 1400.00 DOLLARS INTO A VEHICLE WITHIN 18 MONTHS FOR THE SAME PARTS IS OUTRAGEOUS. THE SERVICEMAN HOWEVER STATED THE WARRANTY WAS 1 YEAR. SOMETHING SEEMS VERY WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE. *CN

NHTSA ID

10216345

Incident

Dec 28, 2007

ON SEPT 26, 2006, I HAVE MY PONTIAC MONTANA MY 2000 VEHICLE SERVICE IN A DEALER FOR ISSUE OF ENGINE VIBRATION OCCASIONALLY. THE REPAIRING FEE IS ABOUT $1000 TO REPLACE SPARK PLUG AND COILS. AT 5:36 PM OF DURING MY DRIVING BACK HOME IN I-696, MY VEHICLE ENGINE SUDDENLY STOP RUNNING AT ABOUT 75 MILE/HOUR WHICH MADE ME ALMOST BECOME INVOLVED IN A DEADLY ACCIDENT. AT THIS TIME, I CALLED THE DEALER TO INFORM THIS ISSUE AND DEALER MADE A NOTE. WHEN THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING, THE DIC WAS LIGHTING UP WITHOUT ANY INFORMATION. I CAME BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG. I WAS ASKED TO USA A RECORDING DATA TOOL, HOWEVER, THE NEXT A MONTH, THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING OK WITHOUT INCIDENT. THEREFORE, I STOPPED RECORDING DATA FOR THE VEHICLE. IN JANUARY OF 2007, THE SAME PROBLEM BEGAN TO HAPPEN AGAIN. 3 TIMES WHEN I DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 60 TO 75 MILE/HOUR, THE VEHICLE ENGINE STOP RUNNING SUDDENLY IF THE BRAKE WAS PUSHED. THEN I WENT BACK TO DEALER AGAIN FOR TROUBLE SHOOTING ON 1/4/07. THEY STILL CAN NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG AND THEN SCHEDULE TO A FULL CHECK ON 1/9/07. HOWEVER ON 2:30 PM OF 1/8/07, THE VEHICLE CAN NOT BE RUNNING AND HAS TO TOW TO DEALER AGAIN. IN THE MEANTIME, I CALLED GM AND DEALER TO REPORT THIS INCIDENT. I HAD TWICE IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND PUT MY FAMILY AND MYSELF LIFE IN A VERY HARMFUL SITUATION. GM GIVE ME A CASE NUMBER 71-476-171970. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THEY CAN GET VEHICLE STARTED BUT CAN NOT RESOLVE THE ISSUE OF ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPING WITH BRAKE PRESSED. I NEED TO PAY $711 FOR THE VEHICLE RUNNING AND THEN GO FROM THERE. THE DEALER AND GM HAD A TALK, THEN GM REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME SHE WILL PURSUE TO REIMBURSE ME THE REPAIRING FEE. THEN AFTER 4 DAYS GM TOLD ME AGAIN THEY WILL NOT TO REIMBURSE ME THE MONEY NOW SINCE I AM SCARED FOR THE ENGINE STOP ISSUE, I CAN NOT DRIVE VEHICLE OVER 65 MILE/HOUR. *JB

NHTSA ID

10182943

Incident

Sep 26, 2006

INTAKE GASKET LEAKING COOLANT. THIS IS A GROSS MISCONDUCT ON BEHALF OF GM ALLOWING THESE TO FAIL WITHOUT ANY COMPENSATION. NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO THIS FAILURE...JUST DRIVE NORMALLY. CONSEQUENCES ARE $1200 TO REPLACE A GASKET THAT SHOULD HAVE LASTED MORE THAN SIX YEARS.

NHTSA ID

10163135

Incident

Jul 20, 2006

Mileage

87,000 mi

2000 MONTANA LEAKED COOLANT FROM LOWER INTAKE GASKET. *TS *NM

NHTSA ID

10158388

Incident

Mar 13, 2006

MY 2000 PONTIAC MONTANA HAS COOLANT LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE THROUGH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. I NOTICED THE PROBLEM TODAY WHEN I CHANGED THE OIL. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED YET. AT ABOUT 50,000 MILES I HAD TO START ADDING A LITTLE COOLANT TO THE RESERVOIR WITH EVERY OIL CHANGE, BUT IT WASN'T ENOUGH TO NOTICE THE WATER IN THE OIL. NOW, WITH NEARLY 80,000 MILES THE LEAK IS BAD ENOUGH THAT THE COOLANT LIGHT RECENTLY CAME ON. *NM

NHTSA ID

10156460

Incident

Apr 27, 2006

VAN HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET THAT IS APPARENTLY EXTREMELY COMMON WITH THIS VEHICLE. IT COST ME ABOUT $800 TO HAVE THE REPAIR DONE AT A LOCAL MECHANIC. IT WOULD HAVE COST MORE THAN $1200 TO HAVE IT DONE AT THE DEALER. SHAME ON GM FOR NOT ISSUING A FULL RECALL FOR THIS OBVIOUS DEFECT! *JB

NHTSA ID

10144390

Incident

Jan 24, 2005

Mileage

45,000 mi

2000 PONTIAC MONTANA 3.4 LITER NUMEROUS COOLANT LEAKS AT INTAKE AREA AT ABOUT 60,000 MILES. ALSO COOLANT COOLER ALLOWED OIL TO GET IN TO THE COOLANT SYSTEM. I RETORQUED INTAKE AND ALEVIATED PROBLEM FOR ABOUT 10,000 MILES AND THEN CAME BACK. ENDED UP HAVING DEALER REPLACE INTAKE GASKETS AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT GM HAD REDESIGNED THE GASKETS BECAUSE OF AN EPIDEMIC OF THIS EXACT PROBLEM. THE DEALER DESIGNATED 1 MECHANIC TO SPECIALIZE WITH THIS DEFECT AND I TALKED TO THE MECHANIC AND HE INGFORMED ME THAT HE HAD DONE THIS SO MUCH THAT HE COULD DO THE WOKK IN ABOUT 3 HRS VERSUS THE ORIGINAL 6 TO 7 HOURS IT TOOK HIM THE FIRST TIME HIS QUOTE "YOU DO IT AS MUCH AS I HAVE AND YOU GET VERY EFFICIENT". GM SHOULD HAVE RECALLED AND MADE GOOD ON THE REPAIR. IN THE LAST 20 YEARS I HAVE BOUGHT 6 NEW GM VEHICLES AND I AM VERY DISSAPPOINTED THAT THE DEALER/CORPORATE WOULD NOT MAKE GOOD ON THE REPAIR. IT COST ME $550.00 FOR DEALER REPAIR. I WANT TO BE REIMBERSED FOR THE REPAIR COST FOR THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT THAT GM CHOSE TO IGNORE OTHER THAT MAKING SURE THAT THE NEWER MONTANAS (3.4L) HAVE THE NEW DESIGNED GASKETS.

NHTSA ID

10133610

Incident

Aug 10, 2002

Mileage

60,000 mi

NEW MARCH 2000. VAN ALWAYS RECEIVES REGULAR MAINTENANCE. THE FOLLOWING IS A HISTORY OF REPAIRS: 4/00 WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT RETURN TO CLOSED POSITION - DEALER FIXED. 12/03 (37,179 MI) TPS SENSOR BREAKING DOWN CAUSING IDLE TO SURGE - DEALER REPLACED THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR, COMPLETED REPROGRAM ($255.14) 12/03 (37,182 MI) AIR BAG LIGHT COMING ON - DEALER REPLACED RIGHT FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLE UNDER WARRANTY (LABOR $134.51). 12/27/03 (37,555 MI) WAS IN COLLISION (OTHER VEHICLE PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME AS I WAS COMING DOWN SMALL OVERPASS, HE WAS CITED). MY VAN SUSTAINED $4,500 IN FRONT END DAMAGES, HIS CAR WAS TOTALED. MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NO ONE INJURED. 5/04 (40,983 MI) REAR HATCH WOULD NOT STAY UP - DEALER REPLACED BOTH HATCH PROPS ($258.73) 7/04 (43,437 MI) VAN WAS "SHIFTING" HARD, WOULD NOT PICK UP SPEED CORRECTLY. DEALER REPLACED PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID, FLUSHED TRANSMISSION AND REPLACED FRONT BRAKE PADS AND MACHINED ROTORS ($986.48). 12/04 (48,284 MI) VAN WOULD NOT START ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. KNOWN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP REPLACED BATTERY, CHECKED OIL LEAK. ($114.90). 4/05 (51,646 MI) LOW COOLANT LIGHT /CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON. SAME INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP REPLACED INTAKE GASKETS, THERMOSTAT, SPARK PLUGS AND FILTER, AND OIL PUMP SHAFT 0-RING. CORRECTED AIR BAG LIGHT ($791.03) 6/05 PURCHASED NEW TIRES AND WERE TOLD NEEDED ALL NEW TIE RODS. WE WENT ON VACATION JULY 9, 2005 (OHIO TO VIRGINIA AND BACK). CONCERNED THAT THE VAN SHOOK TERRIBLY WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES ON LONG DOWNGRADES THROUGH WV AND VA. WE WERE TOWING NOTHING. THE VERY NEXT DAY, AFTER RETURNING HOME, THE VAN WOULD NOT START CONSISTENTLY. 7/05 (56,533 MI) TOLD THAT THE COMPUTER CRASHED. SAME INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP REPLACED ECM, CRANK SENSOR, IGN MODULE AND MACHINED FRONT ROTORS WHICH IF YOU REMEMBER WERE JUST DONE IN JULY OF 2004 ($982.02). AFTER RESEARCHING THE TRACK RECORD OF PONTIAC MONTANA, HAVE FOUND THAT MANY CONSUMERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. *NM

NHTSA ID

10131915

Incident

Aug 8, 2005

Mileage

37,182 mi

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).

NHTSA ID

10125567

Incident

Oct 10, 2004

WHILE DRIVING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. CONSUMER PULLED OFF THE ROAD , CALLED THE MECHANIC, WHO TOLD THEM TO CHECK THE WATER LEVEL, WHICH WAS FINE , THE ANTIFREEZE LEVEL WAS EMPTY. CONSUMER REFILLED THE ANTIFREEZE AND DROVE TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHO INDICATED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET HAD GONE OUT, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10113744

Incident

Mar 4, 2005

Mileage

35,000 mi

DEXCOOL ANTIFREEZE LEAKING FROM ENGINE. TOOK VEHICLE TO MY MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD IT HAD A FAULTING INTAKE GASKET. REPLACED ALL GASKETS AT A COST OF ALMOST $800. WAS TOLD GM REDESIGNED GASKET BUT DID NOT PLACE A RECALL ON THE PART. OLD PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10110389

Incident

Feb 9, 2005

Mileage

70,288 mi

1.WHILE GETTING MY TIRES ROTATED, CARX NOTICED MY COOLANT WAS LEAKING. 2. ANTIFREEZE WAS GETTING INTO THE ENGINE, AND IF NOT FIXED WOULD DAMAGE IT. 2. TOOK CAR TO PONTIAC DEALER. BILL TO FIX WAS $650. REPLACED THE LOWER INTAKE GASKET. *JB

NHTSA ID

10109910

Incident

Jan 8, 2005

Mileage

90,000 mi

THE DOOR COMES UNLATCHED FROM THE PONTIAC MONTANA MINI VANS W/O POWER SLIDER ALSO. SUBSEQUENTLY MY VAN DOOR PASSANGER SIDE CAME OPEN SLAMMING OFF HALF ON THE ROAD AND THEN REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE TOP BUT THE TRACK WHEEL SNAPPED OFF, MAKING IT INPOSSIBLE TO PUT ON WITH OUT TOOLS AND THE MUSCLES TO EVEN LIFT IT. *AK

NHTSA ID

10108308

Incident

Jan 8, 2005

Mileage

88,852 mi

LOW COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON. COULD SMELL BURNING COOLANT TURNS OUT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS CRACKED CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK. PAID $900 IN REPAIRS. CONTACTED GENERAL MOTORS AND THE WILL NOT DO ANYTHING AT THIS TIME. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL CAR. THIS HAPPENED AT 71,000 MILES. *JB

NHTSA ID

10107623

Incident

Dec 12, 2004

I WON A 2000 PONTIAC MONTANA AND I NOTICED OVER THE PAST YEAR THAT I WAS LOOSING A LITTLE ANTI-FREEZE OVER TIME. THE RATE INCREASED OVER THE PAST MONTH UNTIL THE "ENGINE OVERHEATED LIGHT" CAME ON. WHEN TAKEN TO THE REPAIR SHOP, THEY TOLD ME THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS LEAKING AND I WAS LOOSING ANTI-FREEZE THROUGH THE GASKET. THEY ALSO SAID THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR GM 3.1 AND 3.4 LITER ENGINES. *JB

NHTSA ID

10102662

Incident

Nov 28, 2004

Mileage

77,000 mi