IllustrationWHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. ALL OF THE SEAT BELTS WILL NOT CLICK IN OR HOLD THROUGH THE RETRACTOR. *AK
1988 Pontiac Bonneville
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Bonneville years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 0 of 17 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
3 crash reports1 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
17 reportsTHE ALTERNATOR ON MY 1988 BONNEVILLE SSE HAS FAILED FIVE TIMES SINCE NEW, THE LAST TIME AFTER ONLY LESS THAN 18K MILES AND LESS THAN 2 YEARS, EACH TIME STRANDING ME. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT ALL BONNEVILLES FROM 1987 THROUGH MID-1992 MODEL YEAR HAVE VERY HIGH FAILURE RATES ON ALTNERNATORS, PERHAPS BECAUSE THE ALTERNATORS WER…
Read full complaint
THE ALTERNATOR ON MY 1988 BONNEVILLE SSE HAS FAILED FIVE TIMES SINCE NEW, THE LAST TIME AFTER ONLY LESS THAN 18K MILES AND LESS THAN 2 YEARS, EACH TIME STRANDING ME. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT ALL BONNEVILLES FROM 1987 THROUGH MID-1992 MODEL YEAR HAVE VERY HIGH FAILURE RATES ON ALTNERNATORS, PERHAPS BECAUSE THE ALTERNATORS WERE TOO SMALL FOR THE ELECTRICAL LOAD ON THE BONNEVILLE. THIS REPRESENTS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD FOR THE OWNERS OF THESE BONNEVILLES, INCLUDING ME, BECAUSE WHEN THE ALTERNATOR FAILS, IT STRANDS THE OWNER. A RECALL IS CLEARLY INDICATED, SINCE THERE ARE MILLIONS OF THESE CARS STILL ON THE ROAD.*AK
PRIOR ALTERNATOR LASTED LEST THAN 15K MILES. I GET STRANDED EVERY TIME THE ALTERNATOR FAILS (NOW FOR THE FIFTH TIME). THIS IS DANGEROUS AND COULD LEAD TO MY INJURY OR EVEN DEATH, DEPENDING ON WHERE I AM THE NEXT TIME THE ALTERNATOR FAILS, INCLUDING ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
THIS WAS MY FIRST BONNEVILLE THE BRAKES WENT OUT SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING ON BOTH CARS. THIS 1988 BONNEVILLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS BECAUSE DAMAGES ADDED UP TO MORE THAN THE CAR WAS WORTH. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
AIR CONDITIONING ELECTRONIC TEMPERATURE CONTROL.
A-FRAME THAT MOUNTED TO VEHICLE HAD RUSTED, CAUSING ENGINE TO FALL OUT BACKWARDS SUDDENDLY. ALSO CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING. NO WARNING. *AK
AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT; DURING IMPACT AT 30 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SHOULDER BELT DID NOT LOCK. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK
TRANSMISSION PUMP SHAFT SHEARED OFF DUE TO LONG TERM DETERIORATION. *AK
PLASTIC DEFROSTER GRILLE ON DASHBOARD HARDENS WITH AGE WHEN EXPOSED TO UV RAYS, CAUSING GRILLE TO DEFORM/ POOR DEFROSTING/POOR VISIBILITY. *SD
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
4EA90017 · Brake Failure
Opened Mar 26, 1990 · Closed Apr 22, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
There is no summary currently available
PE89171 · Brake Failure
Opened Sep 26, 1989 · Closed Mar 26, 1990
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
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PE89145 · Parking Brake Cable
Opened Jul 21, 1989 · Closed Sep 22, 1989
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Parking Brake
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PE89098 · Anti Lock Brakes
Opened Mar 10, 1989 · Closed May 17, 1989
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
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