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2002 Pontiac Bonneville problems

The most common problem on the 2002 Pontiac Bonneville is steering, typically around 21,205 miles. It has 1.6 times the complaints of a typical Bonneville model year.

Typical year1.6x the typical complaints
Year score
57/100
Owner complaints
89
Recalls
2
Service bulletins
409
Worst area
Steering
Fuel economy
19-21mpg

The worst 2002 Pontiac Bonneville problems

Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.

Problems by type

Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.

Specific symptoms reported on the 2002 Pontiac Bonneville

Harsh shifting 16Steering noise 10Power windows 5

Recalls 2

Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assemblyReported July 1, 2003 · 102,212 vehicles affected
What is wrong
On certain cadillac deville and seville passenger vehicles, funeral coaches, and limousines equipped with a v8 (4.6l) engine, oldsmobile aurora passenger vehicles equipped with a v8 (4.0l ) engine, and pontiac bonneville ssei passenger vehicles equipped with a supercharged v6 (3.8l) engine, the fuel tank pressure sensors are unusually susceptible to malfunctions. If the sensor malfunctions, excessive vacuum can be applied during self-diagnostic testing.
Risk
Fuel system components can be damaged and fuel can leak from the vehicle when it is refueled. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source can result in a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the fuel tank pressure sensor. Owner notification began on october 17, 2003. Owners should contact cadillac at 1‑866‑982‑2339; oldsmobile at 1‑800‑630‑6537; or pontiac at 1‑800‑620‑7668.

Recall number 03V238000 · Recall details

Air bags: frontalReported August 9, 2002 · 133,221 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Certain passenger, mini vans, and sport utility vehicles have an air bag inflator on the driver's side that could fracture at a weld during a deployment.
Risk
Pieces of the inflator could strike and injure vehicle occupants and the air bag cushion would not inflate fully, reducing the capability of the bag to protect the driver.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect, and replace, if necessary, the air bag module assembly on the driver's side. Owner notification began august 15, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact buick at 1‑800‑521‑7300, cadillac at 1‑800‑458‑8006, chevrolet at 1‑800‑222‑1020, gmc at 1‑800‑462‑8782, oldsmobile at 1‑800‑442‑6537, or pontiac at 1‑800‑762‑2737.

Recall number 02V222000 · Recall details

See all 2 recalls for the 2002 Pontiac Bonneville

Defect investigations

Engine compartment fireOpened June 12, 2007, closed May 1, 2008

By letter dated march 12, 2008, general motors corp. (gm) has notified the agency that it will conduct a safety recall (identified by the federal safety agency recall number 08v‑118) to address a defect in approximately 207,542 model year (my) 1997-2003 buick regal gs and pontiac grand prix gtp vehicles equipped with the l67 supercharged version of gm's 3800 series ii v6 engine.the recalled regal gs vehicles were built from august 1996 to june 2003 and the grand prix gtp from march 1996 through january 2003.according to gm, oil may escape past the valve cover gasket on the front cylinder bank (cylinders 1-3-5) and deposit onto hot exhaust system components.under certain conditions, it is possible for this oil to ignite a small pilot flame, which may spread to the adjacent plastic spark plug wire channel, the spark plug wires themselves, the plastic engine cover, and other under hood components.reports indicate this most often occurs on higher-mileage vehicles shortly after the vehicle has been driven and then parked.typically, the fire was discovered within 5 to 15 minutes after the vehicle was parked.during this time window, under hood temperatures may become elevated.such elevated temperatures combined with a lack of airflow through the engine compartment may permit a small pilot flame to propagate and ignite other fuel sources.to correct the safety defect, gm will install an improved design front valve cover gasket and spark plug wire retainer.this remedy will be suppliedfree of charge for all recalled vehicles.until sufficient parts become available to repair all of the affected vehicles, gm strongly recommends that owners observe the following important precautions: (1) they strongly recommend that owners do not park their vehicle in a garage, carport, or other structure; (2) if owners notice a burning odor, they should have their dealer inspect the vehicle - the dealer will inspect the vehicle without charge; and (3) use premium fuel (91 octane or higher) in the vehicle as recommended in the vehicle's owner manual.the action taken by gm is sufficient to resolve the issues raised by this investigation.the subject fire incident rate on the c-, g-, and h-platform subject vehicles is low.the agency will continue to monitor this issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.accordingly, this investigation is closed.see document file for additional information regarding this resume.

EA07008

Engine compartment firesOpened October 22, 2002, closed March 9, 2004

Ea02-030 is closed with gmea02-030 is closed with gm?s actions in 03v‑473 and 04v‑090 recalling approximately 529,000 my 1998-99 c- and h-body vehicles equipped with defective fuel pressure regulators.these vehicles were equipped with plastic intake manifolds that are unable to contain pressures that occur in some backfire events and defective fuel pressure regulators with leaking diaphragms that can provide a source of fuel to produce a combustible air-fuel mixture in the manifold.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by odi that no safety defect exists in the vehicles that are not included in gm?s recalls.odi will continue to monitor the incidence of manifold ruptures and related fires in other my 1995-2002 gm passenger cars equipped with the subject intake manifold.for additional information, see the attached closing report.

EA02030

Technical service bulletins for the 2002 Pontiac Bonneville 409

Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.

See all 409 bulletins for the 2002 Pontiac Bonneville

2002 Pontiac Bonneville fuel economy

Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.

EngineDriveCityHighwayCombined
3.8L 6‑cylFWD16-1725-2719-21

What 2002 Pontiac Bonneville owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Jul 9, 2026 · Airbags · ID · crash

The airbags did not deploy all the way my [XXX] is in the car as well and the driver side and passenger airbags did not deploy 100% it did cause me to end up having a cut on my face and abruzz eye I have pictures but I did not go to the ER but my [XXX] did cuz she had two cuts on her head it also shattered my windshield and something was leaking INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Feb 22, 2019 · Airbags · 187,000 miles · IL

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 pontiac bonneville. When the vehicle was started, the air bag indicator illuminated. The dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 187,000. .*bf consumer owned the vehicle for a year an airbag light came on.

Filed May 13, 2016 · Electrical, Engine · 96,000 miles · MA

Car will re-start on its own after key is removed. After parking and shutting off the car, then removing the key and opening the driver's door to exit: if you accidentally press the upper part of the lock button on the door (the unlock function) instead of pressing the lower part of the lock button (the lock function), the car will re-start itself. It then cannot be turned off because the ignition switch is already in the off position. The only way to shut off the engine is to jiggle the shifter.

Filed Apr 14, 2016 · Engine · 100,000 miles · IL · fire

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 pontiac bonneville. While driving at various speeds, the vehicle began to smoke under the hood. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the gaskets and valve cover failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

Filed Jun 18, 2015 · Electrical · 80,529 miles · GA

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 pontiac bonneville. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start without warning. The vehicle was able to be started, but it took several attempts. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the ignition switch malfunctioned and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 80,529.

Filed Nov 18, 2014 · Electrical · 48,502 miles · OR

Ignition switch, engine control module & security/theft module were all replaced because auto was inoperable due to their failure. The mobile mechanic charged $616.22 for parts, $1215.00 for labor & $13.08 for a hazardous waste fee, total repair was $1844.30. Please send email so I can scan detailed invoice of repair.

Filed Oct 23, 2014 · Airbags · 160,000 miles · CA

I have had a airbag light illuminated on my dash for some time now (not sure how long but a couple of years or more) and was concerned about this dash indicator with the recent airbag recalls. My VIN doesn't match any such recall notices, however some news websites (like cbs) initially indicted 2002 -2003 pontiac bonneville's were included in this airbag recall? They also indicated that vehicles near higher humidity areas were the vehicles being recalled, so that concerned me too, since I live about 8 miles from the pacific ocean. I think there is something inherently wrong with my airbags and I'd like the gm/the dealer to be responsible for this defect repair, before any harmful incidents occur in my vehicle!

Filed Sep 16, 2014 · Electrical, Fuel system · 188,000 miles · VA · fire

Mass air flow sensor and o2 sensor failure constant. 10/2013 security light comes on frequently while in motion12/2013 leaks in lower gasket valve...engine is extremely hot most of the time 04/2014 service engine light remains on due to o2 sensor failure even after replacement 7/2014 interior lights caught fire 05/2014.

Filed Aug 6, 2014 · Electrical · 82,000 miles · KY

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 pontiac bonneville. While driving various speeds, the vehicle would stall without warning. An independent mechanic stated that the failure was caused by the electrical system. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 82,000. Updated 10/02/14*lj updated 3/6/2015

Filed Jul 17, 2014 · Engine, Fuel system · AL

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 pontiac bonneville. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled on several occasions. The contact also mentioned that the vehicle would drive extremely rough as if it could have stalled when there was a quarter tank of fuel or less. In addition, the service engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that the VIN was not included in the federal safety agency campaign id number: 03v238000 (fuel system, gasoline). The approximate failure mileage was unknown.

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Compare the 2002 Pontiac Bonneville

Other model years

1990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005

Questions about the 2002 Pontiac Bonneville

Is the 2002 Pontiac Bonneville reliable?

Owners have filed 89 complaints about the 2002 Pontiac Bonneville, 1.6 times a typical Bonneville model year.

What is the 2002 Pontiac Bonneville year score?

The 2002 Pontiac Bonneville scores 57 out of 100 (below average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Pontiac Bonneville: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.

What is the most common problem with the 2002 Pontiac Bonneville?

Steering, with 19 complaints, typically around 21,205 miles. Next is engine (14).

How many recalls does the 2002 Pontiac Bonneville have?

2 recalls, covering fuel system, gasoline and air bags.

What year does the Pontiac Bonneville have bad steering?

The Pontiac Bonneville model years with the most steering complaints are 2000 (47 complaints), 2001 (31 complaints) and 1995 (27 complaints).

What gas mileage does the 2002 Pontiac Bonneville get?

Official estimates for the 2002 Pontiac Bonneville range from 19 to 21 mpg combined. The most efficient version (3.8L 6-cyl, FWD) gets 16-17 city and 25-27 highway.

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