2003 Pontiac Montana Owner Complaints

Van crashed with damage to the front when it ran off the road and went into a culvert/ditch and air bags did not deploy resulting in paralyzation of the wife of the owner after van had been apparently donated to Charity Cars as junk vehicle or salvage vehicle. Vehicle was apparently repaired by towing company and offered for sale at at a used car dealership in Zanesville, Ohio. The passenger side lower dashboard had a white wire hanging down which may have been connected to a defective replacement airbag. I am an attorney representing the owner and the owner's wife. Black box was analyzed in 2019, but not with the latest program.

NHTSA ID

11465536

Incident

Dec 7, 2018

I WAS IN A ACCIDENT AND HIT A TRUCK BROADSIDE. I ENDED UP HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL WITH MY CHEST. NOT ONLY WAS MY SEATBELT INEFFECTIVE, BUT THE AIRBAG DID NOT OPEN. I DID SUSTAIN CHEST INJURY. IRAN A STOP SIGN IN TOWN.

NHTSA ID

11150848

Incident

Nov 9, 2018

WHILE IN A STATIONARY MODE AFTER PARKING TO GET AIR FOR MY TIRES, THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED. TOOK ABOUT 20 MINUTES WITH ASSISTANCE TO UNLOCK, THIS I FEEL IS UNSAFE WITH THE CLIMATE OF THE WORLD TODAY, YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO GET IN YOUR VEHICLE TURN IT ON AND BE ON YOUR WAY. NO IMAGE OR DOCUMENT TO UPLOAD JUST FRUSTRATION.

NHTSA ID

11084525

Incident

Apr 10, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC MONTANA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS IN WET CONDITIONS, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE POWER STEERING MADE AN ABNORMAL WINDING NOISE. THE DEALER (STOOPS BUICK GMC, 1251 QUAKER BLVD, PLAINFIELD, IN, 46168, 317-839-7771) INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 216,000.

NHTSA ID

11011944

Incident

Feb 3, 2017

Mileage

216,000 mi

CHECK THE AIRBAGS SOMETHING WITH BRAKE LIGHT AN ELECTRICAL.

NHTSA ID

10891511

Incident

Jul 20, 2016

TAKATA RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN # 07349000 GM RECALL #06230 MY VAN IS LEAKING GAS AT THE INLET VALVE AND I SEE IS RECALLED AND CAUSE A FIRE. I NEED TO KNOW HOW I GET THIS RECAL FIXED ASAP. HAVE CHILDREN AND DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE VAN OR LETTING THE CHILDREN RIDE IN MY VAN. SMELLS LIKE GASOLINE THROUGHOT VEHICLE AND YOU CAN SEE THE CRACK AT THE INLET VALVE.

NHTSA ID

10860112

Incident

Apr 1, 2016

Mileage

149,000 mi

WE HAVE TO KEPT CHANGING THE BRAKE LIGHTS IN THE BACK BECAUSE THEY KEEP GOING OUT EVER FEW WEEKS. WE EVEN WENT AND BOUGHT A NEW STOP SIGNAL SWITCH BUT THAT WASN'T IT. WE WANT TO KNOW IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE BRAKE LIGHT AND THE WIRING AND WHY THEY KEEP GOING OUT. WE HAVE HAD ISSUES SINCE WE BOUGHT IN JUNE 2014. WE ARE JUST TIRED OF KEEP POURING MONEY INTO IT BUT I DON'T WANT AN ACCIDENT OR TO GET PULL OVER EITHER. THE ONLY LIGHT THAT NEVER HAS AN ISSUE IS THE BRAKE BAR ON TOP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10679563

Incident

Jul 3, 2014

Mileage

128,000 mi

BOTH SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS(INSIDE SEAT) DEPLOYED WITHOUT A VEHICLE ACCIDENT OR COLLISION.. BOTH MY WIFE AND I WERE STRUCK WITH THE AIRBAGS. OUR 4 CHILDREN WERE IN THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF DEPLOYMENT. NONE OF THEM WERE STRUCK DIRECTLY BUT THE NOISE INVOLVED WAS VERY LOUD AND POWDER WAS PRESENT IN THE AIR FOLLOWING DEPLOYMENT. VEHICLE IS NOT WORTH REPAIR ACCORDING TO GM . I HAD NOT PLANNED TO PURCHASE ANOTHER VEHICLE UNTIL THE FALL OF 2015 BUT THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE FOR MY FAMILY. I NEED TO HAVE IT HE VEHICLE PAID OFF DUE TO SAFETY SO WE CAN ATTEMPT TO PURCHASE ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT IS SAFE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10670171

Incident

Nov 14, 2014

Mileage

106,000 mi

AFTER HEADING HOME FROM TAKING MY SON TO THE ER, MY TEMP GAUGE STARTED TO RISE FAST TO THE RED LINES WHILE I WAS GOING DOWN THE STREET. I QUICKLY PULLED OVER, PUT IT IN PARK AND SHUT MY ENGINE OFF. I GOT OUT OUT OF THE CAR AND LOOKED UNDER NEATH. COOLANT WAS POURING ALL OVER THE GROUND UNDER THE ENGINE. OBVIOUSLY COULDN'T DRIVE SO I HAD TO CALL THE HUSBAND TO PICK US UP AND A TOW TRUCK. TOOK THE VAN TO TWO DIFFERENT GARAGES AND THEY BOTH SAID THE HEAD GASKET BLEW. I HAVE FOUND THAT GM KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND MANY HAVE COMPLAINED BUT YET NOT ONE RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. I HAVE EVEN SEEN THIS ISSUE IN THE SERVICE NOTE DUE TO PLASTIC PARTS. GARAGES ARE ASKING 15 HUNDRED FOR REPAIR!!! *JS

NHTSA ID

10669519

Incident

Dec 16, 2014

Mileage

125,000 mi

STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP,IGNITION DID NOT DISENGAGE WHEN KEY WAS RELEASED,INCIDENT BECOMING MORE AND MORE FREQUENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10648400

Incident

Mar 26, 2004

Mileage

3,400 mi

BRAKES LIGHTS AND HEAD LIGHTS ON MY 2003 PONTIAC MONTANA HAVE BEEN GOING OUT PERIODICALLY FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW. AFTER REPLACING LIGHT HOUSING, BULBS AND OTHER COMPONENTS, THE BRAKE LIGHTS CONTINUE TO BLOW OUT. AT ONE POINT WE THOUGHT IT WAS BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE MOISTURE BUILD UP, SO AFTER MY HUSBAND REPLACED THE HOUSING AGAIN, HE DRILLS HOLES IN THE BOTTOM OF THE HEADLIGHT COVERS TO HELP DRAIN MOISTURE. THAT HAS SEEMED TO HELP IN ONE OF THE LIGHTS. THE BRAKE LIGHTS ON THE LEFT SIDE CONTINUE TO GO OUT ABOUT A DAY AFTER EVERY REPLACEMENT. MOST OF THE INTERIOR LIGHTING HAS GONE OUT AS WELL AND THE SUSPENSION IS TERRIBLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10619349

Incident

Sep 1, 2006

Mileage

80,000 mi

BRAKE LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. CHECKED BRAKE LIGHT BULBS AND FOUND THAT PLASTIC LAMP BASES WERE MELTED SO THE TERMINALS NO LONGER MADE CONTACT IN THE SOCKETS. SEARCHING THE INTERNET, I FOUND THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND THESE VEHICLES SHOULD BE RECALLED AND CORRECTIVE ACTION TAKEN. *TR..UPDATED 10/30/13 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE RIGHT BRAKE LIGHT BURNS OUT EVERY 4-6 WEEKS. UPDATED 10/31/2013*JS

NHTSA ID

10509983

Incident

Apr 1, 2013

Mileage

50,000 mi

VAN OVER HEATED AFTER REPLACING WATER PUMP AND THERMOSTAT. DEXCOOL WAS REQUIRED BY GM FOR WARRANTY CAR WAS FLUSHED OUT AND DEXCOOL WAS REPLACED. ONE WEEK LATER VAN OVER HEATED AGAIN, WAS TOLD IT WAS AN AIR BUBBLE IN HEATING SYSTEM. BLEED OUT SYSTEM USING A VACUUM PUMP AND PULLED OUT ALL THE AIR IN THE SYSTEM. THIS WORKED FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS. PROBLEM RETURNED AGAIN IN SPRING IN 3/6/2012 OVER HEATED AGAIN DRIVINGBAT HIGHWAY SPEEDS 25 MILES FROM STARTING POINT. FOUND AIR IN SYSTEM AGAIN. HAD WATER PUMP, THERMOSTAT, HOSES AND COOLANT ALL REPLACED AGAIN. PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING. DEXCOOL DESTROYED THE HEAD GASKET IN THE MOTOR. NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM I HAVE FOUND FROM NEW REPAIR SHOP THEY WORK ON AT LEAST 2 A WEEK. GM HAS HIDDEN THIS FROM THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO BE A FULL RECALL ON HEAD GASKETS. AT NO COST TO OWNERS. THIS REPAIR WILL COST ABOUT $1500 TO $2000 DEPENDING ON THE REPAIR SHOP I HAVE CONTACTED. WHEN CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY NOTHING WAS SAID, NOW THEY SAY IT'S THE HEAD GASKETS AT THE GM DEALERSHIPS. *JS

NHTSA ID

10462225

Incident

Oct 13, 2011

Mileage

97,000 mi

FUEL TANK LEAKS SEVERE WHERE FILLER TUBE ENTERS THE FUEL TANK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10454609

Incident

Apr 3, 2012

Mileage

205,220 mi

GOT INTO VAN,STARTED ENGINE AND REACHED TO GET SEATBELT WHEN THERE WAS A LOUD BANG. I WAS VERY STARTLED; EARS RINGING,LEFT ARM TINGLING/ACHING. THEN REALIZED THAT BOTH SIDE AIRBAGS HAD DEPLOYED. I SHUT THE ENGINE OFF WONDERING IF SOMEONE HIT ME IN PARKING LOT BUT THAT WAS NOT THE CASE. THEY DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. *TR

NHTSA ID

10453728

Incident

Mar 27, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC MONTANA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT MOISTURE WAS ACCUMULATING IN THE HEADLIGHTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO REFERRED HIM TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHTS WITH A NEWER MODEL. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 77,000.

NHTSA ID

10396666

Incident

Aug 28, 2006

Mileage

77,000 mi

I HAVE A 2003 PONTIAC MONTANA. THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WOULD ROLL DOWN FINE USING THE POWER SWITCH. BUT ROLLING IT UP IS A PROBLEM. IT ROLLS UP CROOKED AND IS SLOW. HAD TO GRAB THE GLASS BY MY HAND AND HELP. I TOOK IT TO A GARAGE AND WE REPLACED THE SLIDER FOR THE GLASS, THE OLD ONE LOOKED LOOSE AT THE JOINTS THAT SWIVEL. THE NEW MECHANISM WORKED FINE FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS AND IS NOW ACTING THE SAME AS THE OLD ONE. SLOW AND CROOKED RISE. WE DID NOT CHANGE THE MOTOR, JUST THE TRACK HARDWARE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10365210

Incident

Aug 15, 2010

Mileage

160,000 mi

A 2003 PONTIAC MONTANA WAS IN A PARKING LOT. PEOPLE SITTING IN DRIVER'S SEAT AND FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THE IGNITION WAS ON BUT THE CAR WAS STILL IN PARK. WITHOUT ANY WARNING, BOTH SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, CAUSING SOFT TISSUE INJURY TO DRIVER'S LEFT LOWER RIB CAGE. THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS INVOLVED; THERE WAS NO CONTACT WITH ANY OTHER OBJECT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10361651

Incident

Oct 19, 2010

Mileage

152,000 mi

GAS LEAK ON MY 2003 PONTIAC MONTANA. MECHANIC SAID IT WAS A DEFECT IN THE TANK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10345246

Incident

May 14, 2010

Mileage

185,000 mi

WE HAVE OWNED THE CAR SINCE OCT 2005, PURCHASED USED FROM A SATURN DEALERSHIP. CAR WAS INVOLVED IN A GAS TANK RECALL, HOWEVER WE WERE NOTIFIED NEARLY TWO YEARS AFTER WE HAD A RUPTURE THAT DROPPED AN ENTIRE TANK OF FUEL ON THE DRIVEWAY AND WERE TOLD WE WERE LUCKY TO BE ALIVE HAVING DRIVEN UNKNOWINGLY WITH THIS LEAK. TANK WAS REPLACED UNDER EXTENDED AUTO WARRANTY. MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS: TAIL LIGHT GOES OUT AND IS REPLACED, THEN DRIVER HEADLIGHT GOES OUT. WATER LEAKS INSIDE DRIVERS SIDE HEADLIGHT WHEN IT RAINS. THE TAIL PLUG IN FOR TAIL LIGHT BULB HAD GOTTEN SO HOT IT HAD MELTED THE PLUG IN BOTH TAIL LIGHTS. RANDOM ELECTRICAL FAILURE WITH WINDOWS AND DOOR LOCKS OCCURRING. DASH PANEL BURNED OUT, RADIO DISPLAY BLED OUT AND RADIO THEN FAILED - WOULD NOT TURN OFF AFTER BUTTON WAS PUSHED AND HAD TO BE REMOVED FROM THE DASHBOARD IN ORDER TO AVOID DRAINING BATTERY COMPLETELY. TRACTION TIRE FAILURE WHEN ENGAGED OCCURRED IN COMBINATION WITH POWER STEERING FAILURE, CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE, AND ON ONE OCCASION COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. NO WARNING, NO SQUEALING, NO GRINDING, NO PULLING TO THE SIDE: JUST COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE THAT RESULTED IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT THAT INJURED 3 PEOPLE. NON DEALERSHIP MECHANIC CHECKED THE BRAKES AND DETERMINED BRAKE FLUID LEAK/MASTER CYLINDER CAUSED THE FAILURE, STATED REGULATORY SYSTEM FOR BRAKE SYSTEM MOST LIKELY RESULTED IN LEAK. MECHANIC ALSO DISCOVERED DRIVERS SIDE FRONT BRAKE HAD SEIZED AND SCOURED THE ROUTER AND PAD ON THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL. BRAKES HAD BEEN REPLACED TWO YEARS PRIOR AND CAR HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN BUT FOR ONCE A MONTH SHORT TRIPS TO THE DOCTOR FOR ONE OF THOSE YEARS, THE SECOND YEAR IT WAS DRIVEN ONLY 3 OR 4 TIMES AND WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. AUTO ACCIDENT IN MAY 2010 DUE TO BRAKE FAILURE DID NOT HAVE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT IN REAR END COLLISION. CAR WAS BROADSIDED ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE IN 2007 AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED AND AIR BAGS ALSO DID NOT DEPLOY. INJURIES IN BOTH ACCIDENTS. CAR IS A DEATH TRAP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10339878

Incident

Mar 18, 2010

Mileage

68,000 mi

MOISTURE IN HEADLIGHTS, BACK BULBS CONSTANTLY BURN OUT, BACK WINDOWS OFTEN WILL NOT CLOSE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10325073

Incident

Jul 10, 2006

I OPENED THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WITH MY REMOTE AND BEGAN PLACING GROCERIES IN THE VAN. WHILE PERFORMING THIS ACTION, MY DAUGHTER THOUGHT SHE WOULD HELP ME BY TURNING ON THE LIGHT ON THE OVERHEARD PANEL. SHE PUSHED THE WRONG BUTTON. THE AUTOMATIC DOOR BEGAN CLOSING WHILE I WAS LEANING INTO THE VAN. IT CONTINUED CLOSING, SQUEEZING ME INTO THE DOOR FRAME ITSELF. I WAS NOT ABLE TO FREE MYSELF UNTIL THE DOOR BEGAN RETRACTING ON ITS OWN. BOTH HIPS ARE BRUISED AND SORE AND IT IS PAINFUL TO WALK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10315275

Incident

Feb 28, 2010

Mileage

134,505 mi

THERE HAS BEEN A NOTICEABLE ACCUMULATION OF WATER IN THE HEADLIGHTS OF MY 2003 PONTIAC MONTANA. ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE BULB SHORTS OUT. THERE HAS BEEN SOME DETERIORATION OF ILLUMINATION ABILITY DUE TO THE WATER, PARTICULARLY IN THE LAST YEAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10295564

Incident

Dec 13, 2009

Mileage

50,000 mi

HEADLIGHT LENSES FILL WITH MOISTURE AND BLOW BULBS OUT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10293944

Incident

Oct 24, 2009

Mileage

60,000 mi

FRONT HEADLIGHT HAD LOTS OF MOISTURE ON THE INTERIOR, WHICH CAUSED THE BULB TO BURN OUT. I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT UNIT, A $240 PART. *TR

NHTSA ID

10292543

Incident

Nov 2, 2009

Mileage

88,500 mi