2001 Pontiac Montana Body & structure Problems

MID MAY 2011...I PURCHASED A 2001 PONTIAC MONTANA FROM AN OLDER WOMAN (70-80'S). SHE HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW AND SHE LIVED NEAR TUSCON, ARIZONA. THE VEHICLE WAS/IS IN GREAT CONDITION (NO RUST, ETC.) FOR BEING 10 YEARS OLD...AND HAD ONLY 44,000 MILES ON IT. SINCE I BOUGHT THE VAN...I PUT ON MAYBE 1500 MILES. WITHIN THE FIRST MONTH...I HAD A FEW ISSUES...ONE BEING EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. ON THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2011 AS I BACKED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY...I NOTICED A WEIRD FEELING WITH THE VAN...ALMOST A SQUISHY FEEL. I THOUGHT I MAYBE HAD A FLAT TIRE. I CHECKED AND IT LOOKED FINE. MY MOM PICKED UP MY 14 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER LATER THAT DAY WITH MY VAN...AND AS SHE WAS MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN FROM A STOP SIGN...SHE SAID THAT IT FELT AS THOUGH THE BACK END OF THE VAN SLID OUT FROM UNDER HER. SHE PULLED OVER AS SHE THOUGHT MAYBE SHE HAD A FLAT TIRE. THAT LOOKED FINE. THEN SHE GOT OUT AGAIN AND RECHECKED THE LUG NUTS ON THE TIRES. THOSE WERE TIGHT. THEN SHE THOUGHT THAT PERHAPS SHE HIT SOMETHING IN THE ROAD. AS SHE TURNED THE VAN AROUND TO CHECK THE INTERSECTION SHE JUST CAME THROUGH...THE VAN WOBBLED HORRIBLY. UPON INSPECTION...THE TRAILING ARM ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WAS BROKEN CLEAN IN HALF. YOU COULD MOVE THE TIRE COMPLETELY AROUND SO IT COULD TOUCH THE ALL PARTS OF THE WHEEL WELL. WE'VE TAKEN IT TO A FEW MECHANICS...AND ALL CANNOT FIGURE WHY OR HOW THAT HAPPENED. ALL OF THEM HAVE SAID, HOWEVER, THAT THIS TRAILING ARM SEEMS TO BE PRETTY THIN METAL WHEN YOU CONSIDER IT'S HOLDING YOUR TIRE ON! AND...THE WAY IT BROKE...IT'S ALMOST AS IF THERE WAS A FLAW FROM THE MANUFACTURER. SINCE THEN...WE HAVE HAD IT WELDED. BUT...I HAVEN'T DRIVEN THE VEHICLE MUCH. I'M EXTREMELY HESITANT WITH MY NOW 15 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER IN THE VAN. I'M SO GRATEFUL THIS INCIDENT DIDN'T HAPPEN ON THE FREEWAY! IT COULD HAVE BEEN A ROLLOVER. WE ARE TRYING TO DISCUSS THIS WITH GM TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO. *TT

NHTSA ID

10411978

Incident

Jun 16, 2011

Mileage

45,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC MONTANA. WHENEVER THE CONTACT WOULD ACTIVATE THE AIR CONDITIONER, EITHER WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS OR AT A STOP, ONLY HOT AIR WOULD COME OUT OF THE VENTS. THE CONTACT DID NOT NOTICE ANY DIFFERENCES IN THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE AIR CONDITIONER FAILURE. ALSO, ON BOTH OF THE SLIDING DOORS, THE RUBBER BUMPER FALLS OFF WHENEVER THE DOORS ARE OPENED OR CLOSED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 119,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ID

10236383

Incident

Jul 26, 2007

Mileage

100,000 mi

THE VEHICLE'S POWER SLIDING DOOR OPENED WHEN THE CONSUMER'S GRANDDAUGHTER PRESSED THE DOOR BUTTON OVER RIDING THE SECURING LOCK ON THE DOOR. *NM *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10111187

Incident

Jan 1, 2005

THE DESIGN POSITION AND FORCE OF THE SLIDING DOOR OPERATION CAUSED THE PASSENGER ARM TO BREAK WHEN ATTEMPTING TO EXIT THE VAN. *AK CONSUMER RECOMMENDED THAT GM SHOULD MOUND THE DOOR HANDLE POINTING FORWARD INSTEAD OF UP BECAUSE THE HANDLE WOULD HAVE SLIPPED OUT OF THE PASSENGER WHILE EXITING THE VAN. ALSO, A FORCE SENSOR IN THE OPENING MOVEMENT LIKE THAT IN THE CLOSING MOTION. LASTLY, CONSUMER ALSO SUGGESTED THAT A WARNING SIGN SHOULD BE INSTALLED ON THE DOOR. *LA PE04064.PCO

NHTSA ID

10075944

Incident

Aug 15, 2002

Mileage

25,000 mi

GAS LEAKING UNDER THE DRIVER SEAT AND UNDER THE HOOD. ALSO, GAS WAS POURING OUT FROM THE MOTOR. *LA THE WINDOW FAILED TO OPEN, THE CONSUMER IS CURRENTLY WAITING ON A NEW MOTOR. THE REAR BRAKES WERE LEAKING, THE TIE RODS HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THEY WERE LOOSE, THE LEFT REAR STUCK BECAME STUCK, WHEN THE GEAR WAS TAKEN OUT OF PARK AND PLACED INTO DRIVE AND THE CONSUMER PROCEEDED TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE JERKED, THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE DEALER DETERMINED THE EMISSION SYSTEM WAS DRAGGING, THE DRIVER SIDE MIRROR VIBRATED, THE BUMPER COVER WAS LOOSE. WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, THE VEHICLE DID NOT START, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE CONSUMER'S CONCERN. THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR WAS LEAKING AND THE FUEL FILTER WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO OVER 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED AND THEN RETURNED TO NORMAL SPEED. THE PLASTIC ON THE DRIVERS SEAT WAS LOOSE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10061147

Mileage

3,060 mi

THE PASSENGER SIDE SLIDING DOOR OPENED WHILE DRIVING. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10020057

Incident

Mar 15, 2003

WHILE DRIVING, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE VIBRATED. *JB THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATED WHEN ACCELERATED AFTER A COMPLETE STOP OR WHEN SLOWING. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED A REFUND FOR THE VEHICLE. OTHER PROBLEMS ARE AS FOLLOWED: THE VEHICLE FELT AS IF IT WAS GOING TO STALL WHEN IDLED DUE TO DIRTY INJECTOR(S), THERE WAS NOISE ON DRIVER SIDE OF THE ENGINE, THE HORN WOULD GO OFF BY ITSELF/DEALER UNABLE TO DUPLICATE, THE COVER IN THE REAR HATCH ON THE LEFT SIDE DID NOT STAY IN PLACE AND REINSTALLED THE PANEL DOOR, THE TRANSMISSION HAD NO REVERSE AND GRINDS WHEN PLACED IN FORWARD GEARS/REMOVED TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY AND DISASSEMBLED, THERE WAS CLUNKING WHEN IN GEAR, THE PLANETARY GEARS WERE ROUNDED, THE TRANSMISSION ACTED AS IF IT WANTED TO TAKE OFF, FOUND A LOOSE MOTOR MOUNT ON THE DRIVER SIDE AND WAS TIGHTENED, THE STEERING WAS STIFF, AND WAS NOISY WHEN TURNING RIGHT. *SCC

NHTSA ID

10017567

Incident

Apr 23, 2002

Mileage

13,305 mi

THE SLIDING DOOR AUTOMATICALLY CLOSED WITHOUT THE CONSUMER PUSHING THE BUTTON. CONSUMER WAS INJURED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10014727

Incident

Mar 20, 2003

PASSENGER SITTING ON THE MIDDLE SEAT NEXT TO THE POWER DOOR HAD THEIR RIGHT ARM RESTING ON THE DOOR HANDLE, THE BUTTON TO OPEN THE DOOR WAS PRESSED, CAUSING THE PASSENGERS ARM TO BE TRAPPED BETWEEN THE SEAT BACK AND THE DOOR HANDLE, PASSENGER COULD NOT REMOVE THEIR RIGHT ARM AND THE WRIST WAS BENT BACKWARD UNTIL THE WRIST BONE SNAPPED, THIS VEHICLE WAS A RENTAL FROM ALAMO COMPANY. *SLC DUP OF 10/02/2001 RPT.PCO

NHTSA ID

562961

Incident

Aug 31, 2001

WHILE DRIVING, SIDE POWER SLIDING DOOR CAME OPEN. LATCH WOULD NOT CATCH. HAD RECALL 01V067000 DONE ON DOOR, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. VAN HAS BEEN IN FOR REPAIR APPROXIMATELY 4 TIMES. *JG *AK

NHTSA ID

8005098

Incident

Mar 6, 2002

WHEN GETTING INTO VEHICLE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR UNEXPECTEDLY FELL OF THE HINGES. DEALER REPLACED DOOR WHICH FELL OFF AGAIN . PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID

8001536

Incident

Dec 2, 2001

POWER DOOR HAS NO SAFETY LATCH FEATURES TO PREVENT DOOR FROM OPENING WHEN GRABBED OR HELD. THIS CAUSED CONSUMER TO HAVE A BROKEN WRIST. TOOK TO DEALER, AND MECHANIC CHECKED DOOR AND NOTICED NO SAFETY LATCH. INDICATED ONE SHOULD BE PRESENT TO PREVENT CONSUMER FROM BREAKING WRIST.*AK *YH PE04064.PCO

NHTSA ID

896090

Incident

Aug 11, 2001

OPEN THE MIDDLE RIGHT SEAT DOOR OF THE VAN AND THE DOOR CAUGHT MY HAND AROUND THE DOOR HANDLE WHILE IT WAS OPENING, CAUGHTING MY ELBOW BETWEEN THE DOOR AND THE SEAT. PE04064.PCO

NHTSA ID

9003679

Incident

Jul 5, 2001