Pontiac Bonneville overheating problems

Filed Apr 8, 2013 · Engine · 62,000 miles · VT · fire

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 pontiac bonneville. The contact stated that while driving 20 MPH, the vehicle overheated. The contact then attempted to park the vehicle however, the vehicle then stalled without warning. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnosis and the contact was informed that the intake manifold was melted and the head gasket was blown. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 62,000.

Filed Jun 18, 2009 · Engine, Visibility · 93,767 miles · AZ

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 pontiac bonneville. The contact noticed coolant leaking underneath the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and they replaced the intake gasket, valve cover gasket, oil pan, and several piping components at the cost of $1,400. The repairs were made at the contact's expense; however, the vehicle continued to leak coolant. The dealer stated that the contact should not be concerned. The contact later took the vehicle to a different dealer and they found that a coolant elbow pipe had been knocked out of place, which caused the leak. The necessary repairs were made to the vehicle for the second time at the cost of $10, due to the failure of the initial dealer. The failure mileage was 93,767 and current mileage was less than 105,000. Updated 07/08/09 *bf the front passenger electric window motor failed and needs to be replaced for a second time. Updated 07/08/09.

Filed Dec 15, 2008 · Engine · 18,000 miles · OH

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 pontiac bonneville. The contact noticed an engine coolant leak at the upper intake manifold throttle body. He took the vehicle to the dealer and they stated that he would have to install a kit in the engine at his expense because the manufacturer stopped assuming financial responsibility in 2005. He was never notified of the alleged defect by the manufacturer. The vehicle has not been repaired. The failure mileage was 18,000 and current mileage was 105,000.

Filed Jan 31, 2008 · Engine · 90,000 miles · MI

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 pontiac bonneville. While driving 65 MPH, the engine stalled and all the warning indicator lights illuminated. The vehicle would not restart. The repair shop stated that the failure was caused by a spun bearing and a blown rod. The engine was replaced. The current and failure mileages were 90,000. Updated 03-04-08 *bf the vehicle had a coolant leak from the intake. After the repair was made, the engine blew out a rod.

Filed Aug 22, 2007 · Engine · 65,600 miles · OH

3/13/2007 coolant leak in lower and upper gaskets at 65,600 miles. Required removal and replacement of lower and upper gaskets and upper intake manifold. Evidently a gm problem with gaskets. $700 repair on car that has been well taken care of by original owner and only driver of vehicle.

Filed Mar 29, 2007 · Engine · 51,000 miles · OH

Coolant leaking from the plenium gasket, cracked manifold.

Filed Feb 9, 2007 · Engine · 41,500 miles · MI

I am the owner of a 1998 pontiac bonneville with a 3800 engine. I am the original owner and the car has less then 42,000 miles on it. The upper intake (plenum) and seals have failed resulting in coolant leaking into the engine. I phoned an acquaintance who worked as a technician at the gm power train engineering facility in flint, michigan where the 3800 engine was engineered. He said it was common knowledge by the engineering skilled trades employees that the upper intake design was flawed. There were many intake failures observed during dynamometer testing. Some even exploded. I was told that the engineers and management was well aware of the defective design, but for some reason, changes were not made. I can direct investigators to employees who witnessed intake design failures in the testing facilities.

Filed Feb 8, 2007 · Engine, Fuel system · 31 miles · VA

I have had a steering problem since I purchased my 2001 bonneville se. I have a document id #01-02-32-001a that states 2000-2002 pontiac bonneville has a clunk noise from front of steering wheel rotation (lubricate intermediate shaft). After months of getting a run-around duke pontiac in suffolk va finally diagnosed my problem and lubricated the shaft on 03/01/02. The noise stopped for about a year or so and has been getting worse. It now feels like the car has a safety issue because it is hard to control at low or higher speeds. I was advised by perry buick -pontiac 10/05/06 that the noise I'm hearing is from the intermediate shaft. I also experienced low fluid levels that was detected on 8-16-05 when I got an oil change from tune up plus. I then went to perry buick-pontiac and was charged $376.62 to replace upper intake manifold and the work order was noted that the coolant reservoir was empty. After investigating I found that there was a notice in 2003 that pertains to engine coolant leak at the upper intake manifold to throttle boby gasket. It states that the condition could result in low engine coolant level and higher engine temperature. I feel that general motors should replace the intermediate shaft because I still own the car and am having the same problem that I feel is a threat to my safety and to those who ride with me. I also feel that general motors should reimbursed me the $376.62 that I paid 8-18-05 to have the manifold replaced. I also had a fuel leak oct 5,20005 and am not sure if that was not related to the problem aforementioned.

Filed Dec 3, 2006 · Brakes, Electrical · 43,000 miles · TX

Component failure-gauge cluster panel-2004 pontiac bonneville se 1. Failure - temp gauge failures prompted a computer check engine reading that stated the temp sending unit was probable cause. Dealer "ewing buick-pontiac" did not have part, referred to reliable chevrolet who sold us the part as specified in tech pub but was not the correct sending unit. Compared the old one to another year model and located an identical sending unit within 48 hours but this did not fix the temp gauge. The car never has overheated but the gauge would read a different temp daily until it finally rarely ever read a degree. Dealer said would need to pull cluster panel and send out. Only the warranty had just expired 5,000 miles and dealer quoted $650.00 to pull the unit out and send out to have diagnosed and would take about a week. Service writer suggested I wait until warning lights indicate a problem. Next day the tachometer gauge began failing. You could start the car over 4 or 5 times and get both temp and tach to read something and sometimes thought it was accurate but within another month the gauges rarely registered anything and then the fuel gauge failed. The car was purchased as pre-owned gm certified vehicle and warranty was until 39000 miles and at 45000 the gauges began failing of course the temp sending unit was replaced at 43000 miles because of a check engine warning code. I have only owned 2 pontiacs in my driving history but most vehicles I have owned were gm products and I have never owned a vehicle with more faults, which started with the test drive and a popping in the steering and brake problems at 28000 miles but dealer convinced to purchase as the items were covered under manf warranty and they gave me another car to drive for a week while repairs were made to my bonneville purchased jan 2005. This car should not have enough miles on it yet to be requiring costly major component failures which are a safety concern.

Filed Sep 27, 2006 · Lights · 122,000 miles · NY

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 30 MPH at dawn on normal road conditions, the head lights switch was turned off, but the headlights remained illuminated. There was no warning signal to indicate a defect. When driven back to the contact's residence at night, the head lights failed to turn off again. The lighting control module overheated so the contact disconnected the battery, but before doing so the lights turned off twenty minutes after the vehicle was turned off. The manufacturer was contacted, and indicated that the VIN # was not affected in the recall # 94v190000 and instructed the contact to take the vehicle to the dealership for a diagnosis.