IllustrationWHILE DRIVING SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE DASHBOARD. HEADLIGHT SWITCH AND BRACKET WERE BURNED. INTERIOR LIGHTS, HEADLIGHTS, AND PARKING LIGHTS STOPPED FUNCTIONING. OWNER HAS MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS.
1995 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
30–25K
225–50K
750–75K
975–100K
32100–150K
14150K+
67 reports with mileage · 177 unknown
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.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 55 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 40 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
12 crash reports4 fire reports14 injury reports
Exterior Lighting complaints
27 reportsMY HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT TURN OFF. I HAD TO UNHOOK THE BATTERY. I SAW ON THE INTERNET THERE WAS A RECALL ON MY HEADLIGHTS . MY HUSBAND CALLED PONTIAC AND AGRESTA, THE DEALER, AND THEY BOTH SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL. COULD YOU LOOK INTO THIS FOR ME. ALL I WANT IS THE DEALER(SERVICE) TO REPLACE THE HEADLAMP MODULE. *JB
WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT THE VEHICLES HEADLIGHTS GO OUT. CONSUMER STATES' THE VEHICLE HAS TO SIT WITH ENGINE OFF FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES TILL LIGHTS COME BACK ON. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
HEADLIGHTS GO OUT WITHOUT WARNING. *AK
FAULTY HEADLIGHT SWITCHES, CAUSED HEADLIGHT FAILURE WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. REPLACED SWITCH AND NOTICED MELTDOWN OF SWITCH WIRING REOCCURRING, AND NOTICE A BURNING SMELL. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER.*AK
HEADLIGHTS GO OUT WHILE DRIVING. SOMETIMES WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE ON CONSUMER CAN'T TURN THEM OFF. ALSO, VEHICLE IS ON ITS THIRD BATTERY. *AK *TT
HEADLIGHTS WILL COME ON AT RANDOM WITH VEHICLE'S POWER SHUT OFF. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 94V190000. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT EXAMINED VEHICLE FOR THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK
HEADLIGHT DIMMER SWITCH DEFECTIVE CAUSING DASH BOARD LIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS NOT TOO FUNCTION. IN ADDTION, THE MALFUNCTION SWITCH CAUSED AN ELECTRICAL MELTDOWN OF THE PIG TAIL CONNECTOR INTO DEFECTIVE SWITCH. I HAD TO REPLACE AT MY OWN EXPENSE THE SWITCH AND PIG TAIL CONNCECTOR. I MY OPINION, THIS IS A VEHICLE SAFETY HAZARD THAT …
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HEADLIGHT DIMMER SWITCH DEFECTIVE CAUSING DASH BOARD LIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS NOT TOO FUNCTION. IN ADDTION, THE MALFUNCTION SWITCH CAUSED AN ELECTRICAL MELTDOWN OF THE PIG TAIL CONNECTOR INTO DEFECTIVE SWITCH. I HAD TO REPLACE AT MY OWN EXPENSE THE SWITCH AND PIG TAIL CONNCECTOR. I MY OPINION, THIS IS A VEHICLE SAFETY HAZARD THAT SHOULD PROMPT A VEHCILE RECALL. I HAVE ALSO NOTICE A FEW OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT SUCH DEFECTS. MY WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED AND I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR OF THE DEFECITVE PART AND ITS COMPONENTS. THERE SHOULD BE A MANATORY RECALL ON THIS VEHCILE FOR DEFECTIVE HEADLIGHT SWITCHES. THIS DEFECT PART IS A SAFETY HAZARD, WHICH COULD CAUSE AND ELECTICAL FIRE, MOTORIST SAFETY HAZARD AND IN ADDTION TO NOT BE ABLE TO PASS THE MASSACHUESTTS MANADORTY SAFETY INSPECTION.
HEADLIGHT DIMMER SWITCH DEFECTIVE CAUSING DASH BOARD LIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS NOT TO FUNCTION. IN ADDITION, THE MALFUNCTION SWITCH CAUSED AN ELECTRIC MELTDOWN OF THE PIG TAIL CONNECTOR GOING INTO THE SWITCH. I HAD TO REPLACE BOTH THE SWITCH AND PIGTAIL CONNECTORS. IN MY OPINION, THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED THAT A …
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HEADLIGHT DIMMER SWITCH DEFECTIVE CAUSING DASH BOARD LIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS NOT TO FUNCTION. IN ADDITION, THE MALFUNCTION SWITCH CAUSED AN ELECTRIC MELTDOWN OF THE PIG TAIL CONNECTOR GOING INTO THE SWITCH. I HAD TO REPLACE BOTH THE SWITCH AND PIGTAIL CONNECTORS. IN MY OPINION, THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED THAT A FEW OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS PROBLEM HAD BEEN REPORTED. MY WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED AND HAD TO PAY THE COST OF THE INSTALLATION OF THE SWITCH. THERE SHOULD BE A MANDATORY RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE. THIS DEFECTED PART COULD CAUSE AN ELECTRIC FIRE. IS A SAFETY HAZARD FOR MOTORIST. THE DEFECTIVE SWITCH WOULD CAUSE MY CAR TO FAIL MASSACHUSETTS SAFETY INSPECTION. *AK *JB **** DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*****739867.
BOTH TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLIES MOUNTING SCREW RECETICLES 3 ON EACH ASSEMPLY HAVE SHEARED MAKING THE WIRING THE ONLY THING HOLDING BOTH ASSEMBLIES IN PLACE. *AK
Official recalls
194V190000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights
Oct 4, 1994
THESE VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH LIGHTING CONTROL MODULES WHICH CAN EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE CURRENT LEAKAGE DUE TO DAMAGED SURFACE MOUNTING CAPACITORS. THIS CAN CAUSE LOSS OF HEAD LAMPS AND PARKING LAMPS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SUDDEN LOSS OF HEADLAMPS CAN CAUSE REDUCED DRIVER VISIBILITY WHICH CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT. ALSO, THE HEAD LAMPS CANNOT BE TURNED OFF, OR THEY MAY TURN ON WHILE THE VEHICLE IS PARKED, RESULTING IN LOSS OF BATTERY CHARGE AND INABILITY TO RESTART THE CAR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HEADLAMP MODULE.
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.