2003 Pontiac Montana Electrical Problems

CHECK THE AIRBAGS SOMETHING WITH BRAKE LIGHT AN ELECTRICAL.

NHTSA ID

10891511

Incident

Jul 20, 2016

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

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

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

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC MONTANA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5-10 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND LOST ALL POWER. ALL OF THE POWER DOORS LOCKED, WHICH PREVENTED THE CONTACT FROM EXITING THE VEHICLE. SHE MOVED INTO THE BACK SEAT AND WAS ABLE TO OPEN THE SLIDING DOOR TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE BATTERY WAS DEAD. AFTER FURTHER DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, THE DEALER REALIZED THAT THE THEFT MODULE WAS DEFECTIVE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE STARTED. THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED THAT THE FAILURE COULD OCCUR WHILE DRIVING WITH CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE OR A FIRE OR CRASH COULD OCCUR. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER AND THEY ARE REPLACING THE BATTERY AND THEFT MODULE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 32,000.

NHTSA ID

10249816

Incident

Nov 23, 2008

Mileage

32,000 mi

CELL PHONE CAR CHARGER WOULD NOT CHARGE WHEN PLUGGED INTO THE FRONT POWER SOURCE ADAPTER. GOT VEHICLE MANUAL, LOCATED FUSE, REMOVED BLOWN FUSE, REPLACED WITH EXACT SAME SIZE FUSE THAT WAS REMOVED-PER VEHICLE MANUAL. ONCE FUSE WAS REPLACED, PLUGGED IN CELL PHONE CHARGER, VEHICLE FILLED WITH SMOKE, YANKED CELL PHONE CHARGER OUT, OPENED HOOD AND PULLED OUT FUSE. FUSE WAS MELTED IN TWO. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER THE NEXT DAY, ADVISED THEM WHAT HAPPENED. CALLED ME LATER IN THE AM AND ADVISED ME EXTENDED WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER COST OF REPAIRS, HAD TO HAVE WIRE HARNESS REPLACED AS SEVERAL WIRES HAD BEEN MELTED ALL THE WAY BACK TO FUSE BOX. DEALERSHIP BLAMED DAMAGE ON CELL PHONE CHARGER. IRONICALLY THEY WAS NO DAMAGE TO CELL PHONE CHARGER OR VISIBLE DAMAGE TO POWER SOURCE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10157588

Incident

Apr 10, 2006

DT: CONSUMER HAS A BACK SLIDING PASSENGER DOOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE THAT OPENS AT RANDOM. SPEED IS NOT A FACTOR. WHEN PUTTING VEHICLE IN GEAR AND SOMETIMES IN PARK THE DOOR OPENS BY ITSELF. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES FOR WORK BUT PROBLEM HAS STILL NOT BEEN RESOLVED. DEALER CLAIMS THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM. AFTER VAN WAS PICKED UP ON FRIDAY NIGHT DOOR HAD BEEN SCRATCHED UP WITH SANDPAPER. THIS WAS UNDOCUMENTED ON THE PAPER WORK. ALL THAT WAS INCLUDED ON THE PAPER WORK WAS OIL CHANGE. THE VAN WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR OIL CHANGE, AND TO HAVE THE DOOR FIXED. THE RECEIPT ONLY MENTIONED OIL CHANGE. ALSO, IGNITION STARTED BY ITSELF. WHEN THE KEY WAS TURNED IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION THE VAN CRANKED ,AND DRIVER'S HAND WAS NOT ON THE KEY. IN ADDITION, THERE IS WATER IN FRONT HEADLIGHT COVER WHICH WAS REPLACED 3 TIMES . REAR HATCHBACK MALFUNCTIONED AND WAS TAKEN BACK TO DEALER FOR SERVICE. HATCHBACK WAS RECALLED, AND HAD ALREADY BEEN FIXED ONCE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10120264

Incident

Apr 26, 2004

Mileage

15,829 mi

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, 35-40 MPH, HEARD A POP THAT SOUNDED LIKE IT CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD AREA, SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM UNDER HOOD AREA, PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD AND EXITED VEHICLE, HAD SMOKE AND FIRE FROM UNDER HOOD AREA, TRIED TO GET BACK INTO THE VEHICLE, HAD SMOKE INSIDE VEHICLE AS WELL, VEHICLE DESTROYED IN FIRE, INSURANCE COMPANY REFUSING TO SETTLE CLAIM, CANNOT FIND SOURCE/LOCATION OF FIRE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10118468

Incident

Nov 5, 2004

Mileage

46,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING MY 2003 MONTANA STOPPED DEAD IN TRAFFICE. THE BRAKES LOCK AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED THE VEHICAL STOPPED DEAD WITH OUT ANY WARNING. IT HAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC TWICE AND A TOTAL OF 7 TIME. EACH TIME I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE MONTANA. FROM VLS 05/05/04. *AK

NHTSA ID

10068316

Incident

Mar 28, 2004

Mileage

14,898 mi

MONTANA KEEPS CUTTING OFF WITHOUT A WARNING AND IT WILL STOP DEAD IN TRAFFICE WITH OUT A WARNING. THIS HAS HAPPEN A TOTAL OF 7 TIMES. THE DEALERSHIP KEEPS TELLING ME THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG AND THAT THEY CAN NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE 2003 MONTANA. I BROUGHT THIS MONTANA BRAND NEW LAST YEAR 2003. THERE IS A SAFTY PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICAL. FROM VLS..05/05/04. *AK

NHTSA ID

10068314

Incident

Mar 28, 2004

Mileage

14,898 mi

1) WATER IN HEADLIGHT 2) HARD TO START 3) TURNS ITSELF OFF WHILE DRIVING IT! 4) SQUEAKY BRAKES 5) 1/2 GALLON OF WATER DUMPS OUT OF DASH ONTO PASSENGER FLOOR BOARD

NHTSA ID

10066554

Incident

Oct 28, 2003

Mileage

12,448 mi

2003 PONTIAC MONTANA STALLED WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER INCLUDING STEERING AND BRAKES. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE IN THE PAST 2 MONTHS. I DROVE THE VAN TO THE DEALERSHIP BOTH TIMES. NO PROBLEMS WAS FOUND BY DEALERSHIP. I CONTACTED PONTIAC. THEY SAID IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN NOT TO START IT BACK UP, THEY WILL HAVE VAN TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. I AM NOT TOTALLY SATISFIED WITH THEIR RESPONSE FOR SAFETY REASONS. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10049103

Incident

Nov 1, 2003

Mileage

16,400 mi