IllustrationCONSUMER TUNED VEHICLE AFTER FAST IDLE, FEELS LIKE VIBRATION; CAR STALLS; BUMPING NOISES UNDERNEATH. ALSO, BACKFIRING. ALL OF WHICH HAPPENS WHEN GOING UP HILL OR SITTING STILL AT RED LIGHT, VEHICLE ALWAYS STALLS. *AK
1991 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: 2 of 22 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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 3 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 reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
22 reportsANTI-LOCK BRAKE SENSORS BECAME INOPERATIVE THROUGH NORMAL USE. *AK
VEHICLE STALLED AND CAUSED ACCIDENT, PRIOR TO RECALL.
POWER DOOR LOCKS HAD CORRORED, PASSENGERS CANNOT GET OUT OF VEHICLE, THE RELEASE BUTTON WILL NOT OPEN, HAVE TO OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. *AK
DOOR LOCKS STICK NOT ALLOWING DRIVER TO EXIT. *SD
FAILURE OF THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT, BELT DID NOT LOCK WHEN THE CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT. TT
SOMETIMES THE ABS BRAKES GET HARD AND THE AUTO DOES NOT STOP RIGHT. TT
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE, GEAR WILL NOT ENGAGE. TT
BRAKES FAILED WHILE DRIVING-PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR-CAUSING ACCIDENT. TT
WHEN OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE REACHES 85 DEGREES TEMPERATURE INSIDE VEHICLE RISES TO 70 DEGREES DUE TO DEFECTIVE CLIMATE CONTROL MODULE. *AW
Official recalls
191V198000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
Nov 14, 1991
THE CONSOLE MOUNTED SHIFT LEVER MAY DISENGAGE FROM THE SHIFT CONTROL CABLE BRACKET CAUSING LOSS OF GEAR INDICATOR REFERENCE AND SHIFT SELECTOR OPERATION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE DRIVER CAN PLACE THE GEAR SHIFTER IN THE PARKPOSITION WITHOUT SETTING THE PARKING BRAKE AND THE TRANSAXLE MAY NOT ACTUALLY BEIN PARK, RESULTING IN UNEXPECTED VEHICLE MOVEMENT IF THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED ON AGRADE. ALSO, THE DRIVER CAN PLACE THE GEAR SELECTOR IN DRIVE OR REVERSE WITHOUTTURNING THE ENGINE OFF AND THE TRANSAXLE MAY NOT BE IN THE POSITION INDICATED,CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO MOVE IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. BOTH CONDITIONS CANRESULT IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy: INSTALL TWO TRANSAXLE SHIFT CONTROL CABLE RETAINING CLIPS.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.