1995 Pontiac Bonneville

AS STATED MANY TIMES HERE-UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKED AROUND METAL HEAT RISER TUBE, LEAKING WATER INTO CYLINDERS CAUSING A VAPOR LOCK IN CYLINDERS. THIS PROBLEM IS OFTEN MISDIAGNOSED AS HEAD CRAKED OR GASKET FAILURE. THE PLASTIC MANIFOLD MELTS OR CHAFES AROUND TUBE CAUSING A SMALL HOLE IN THE SEALED WATER JACKET IN THE MANIFOLD. WATER WILL DIRECTLY LEAK INTO CYLINDER HEADS. VERY EASY FIX AND A GOOD UPPER MANIFOLD FROM A JUNKYARD WILL RUN AROUND 100 AS OPPOSED TO A NEW ENGINE!*AK

WE HAVE REPLACED ONE LIGHTING SWITCH. THE WIRE HARNESS WAS MELTED. WE ASKED ABOUT A RECALL ON THIS 2 YEARS AGO WHEN IT HAPPENED. WHEN IT GOES OUT WE HAVE NO TAIL LIGHTS AND NO DASH BOARD LIGHTS. BY THE LOOKS OF OTHER COMPLAINTS WE ARE NOT ALONE. WITH THIS MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT AN ELECTRICAL WIRING DEFAULT WHERE IS MELTS DOWN LIKE OURS DID OR THE CAUSE OF A FIRE WHY IS THERE NOT A RECALL ON SUCH A DANGEROUS THING. WOULD THEY RATHER BE SUED AND BE LIABLE FOR DEATHS IF A PERSON IS CAUGHT IN THEIR VEHICLE WHEN IT CATCHES ON FIRE. THIS IS DEFINITELY AN ITEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ON THE RECALL LIST.*AK

THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AT ~76,000 MILES. REPLACED AT GM DEALER WITH A REMANUFACTURED GM UNIT. 06/23/2001. BRAKE FAILURE - WARNING LIGHT AT 81,728 MILES. REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER AND REAR WHEEL CYLINDERS. ANTILOCK BRAKES HAVE ALWAYS BEHAVED STRANGELY AT TIMES BUT HAVE NEVER FAILED TO STOP THE CAR IN A REASONABLE DISTANCE. 09/22/2001. ENGINE FAILURE AT 82,449 MILES. REPLACEMENT ENGINE INSTALLED AT INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR $1400.00. . REPAIR LEAKING GENUINE GM REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION. SIDE COVER LEAKS SEVERELY, DEALER ADVISES OUT OF WARRANTY PERIOD AND REPAIR COST OF $300+ FOR SIDE PAN GASKET. PROBLEM SOLVED AT LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOP (MR. TRANSMISSION) FOR $92.95. IN ADDITION THE FOLLOWING NO LONGER FUNCTION OR FUNCTION IMPROPERLY: FUEL GAUGE DOES NOT WORK, REFILL BASED ON MILEAGE DRIVEN. ALSO THE FUEL PUMP WHINES VERY NOTICEABLY, CAN BE HEARD PLAINLY IN THE VEHICLE OVER THE RADIO. COST FOR REPAIR OF BOTH AT DEALER: $600+ DEPENDING ON PARTS REQUIRED. STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS FOR THE RADIO DO NOT FUNCTION. AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHT CONTROL WILL NOT TURN HEADLIGHTS OFF AFTER TURNING THEM ON. RESULT - BATTERY REPLACEMENT. NOW LEAVE THE CONTROL IN THE OFF POSITION. SPRING LOADED CENTER CONSOLE DOOR LATCH FAILED CAUSING CONSOLE DOOR TO REMAIN OPEN. REPLACED CONSOLE DOOR AND TWO VENTS THAT HAD BROKEN FOR $124.66. CONSOLE DOOR LATCH FAILED APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR LATER (SAME FAILURE). REMOVED DOOR SPRING SO DOOR NOW STAYS CLOSED. DRIVERS SIDE DOOR LOCK JAMS WHEN USING KEY FOB, HAVE TO USE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. NO LONGER USE KEY FOB, DOOR UNLOCKS PROPERLY WHEN USING THE KEY. WITHIN THE PAST YEAR THE PAINT HAS BEGAN TO PEEL ON THE TOP OF THE REAR QUARTER PANELS AND ROOF. I HAD A FLAT TIRE AND WENT TO RETRIEVE THE JACK, WHICH IS LOCATED IN THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE TRUNK. THE JACK IS STORED IN A PLASTIC CASE THAT IS BOLTED TO A BRACKET. ONLY ONE WELD WAS MADE DURING MANUFACTURE ALLOWING THE BRACKET TO BREAK LOOSE. THE JACK CASE NOW JUST LIES IN TRUNK.

THE PROBLEM WITH MY CAR IS THE PAINT. I OWN A WHITE 1995 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE, WHICH I BOUGHT NEW ON NOV23,1994. I'VE TAKEN THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE PURCHASED AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE UNDERCOATING PROCESS AND THAT MY CAR WAS GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS KNOWN AS DELAMINATION OF THE PAINT OR BETTER KNOWN AS PEELING OF THE PAINT. THE BODY SHOP MANAGER SAID THAT MY CAR WAS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE AND WAS A CAR THAT WAS WELL TAKEN CARE OF. I'VE WRITTEN TO THE PONTIAC CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AND RECEIVED A REPLY BACK FROM A MICHAEL GOONAN. SPOKE TO A REP. AT THE PONTIAC CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AND WAS GIVEN A SERVICE REQUEST NUMBER: 1-41426281. I EVEN WROTE (AND SENT PICTURES) A LETTER TO JOHN F SMITH JR. CHAIRMAN/CEO AND RECEIVED A PHONE CALL ON NOV.27 FROM ANDREW DRUCKS WHO SAYS HE IS AN EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT FROM GM IN DETROIT. ALL THREE (3) PEOPLE TOLD ME THE SAME RESPONSE: SORRY. YOUR WARRANTY IS UP AND THAT THERE IS NOTHING THAT THEY CAN DO FOR ME...THAT THE CAR IS ALMOST 8 YEARS OLD AND HAS 63,000 PLUS MILES ON IT. THEY CLAIM THAT THE WARRANTY IS UP FOR PAINT AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO FOOT THE BILL TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. MY QUESTION IS: WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY FOR REPAIRS WHEN GM KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM YEARS AGO? HOW WAS I TO FORESEE WHEN THE PAINT WAS GOING TO START TO PEEL. NO ONE COULD HAVE PREDICTED WHEN THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. THE PAINT IS PEELING ON THE ROOF OF MY CAR AND HAS VISIBLE SIGNS THAT IT WILL HAPPEN ON THE HOOD,TRUNK, AND SPOILER. THESE ARE THE COMMON AREAS FOR THIS TO HAPPEN. PAINT DOES NOT JUST PEEL THE WAY THIS PAINT IS PEELING. THIS CAR IS WELL MAINTAINED. GENERAL MOTORS SHOULD STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS NO MATTER HOW LONG IT TAKES BEFORE THE PAINT STARTS TO PEEL!!!!! THANK YOU JOSEPH TODARO, 169 KEEGANS LANE, STATEN ISLAND N.Y. 10308 (718) 966-7685, CONJO51@AOL.COM

GM TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 01-06-01-007A IDENTIFIES AN INHERENT DESIGN FLAW ON THE 3.8 L ENGINE (VIN K - RPO L36) AVAILABLE IN THE FOLLOWING VEHICLES: 1995-1997 BUICK RIVIERA 1995-1998 BUICK LESABRE, PARK AVENUE 1996-1998 BUICK REGAL 1998 CHEVROLET LUMINA, MONTE CARLO 1995-1996 OLDSMOBILE NINETY-EIGHT 1995-1998 OLDSMOBILE EIGHTY-EIGHT 1998 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE 1995-1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE 1997-1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GM MINIMIZES THE IMPACT OF THE PROBLEM BY IDENTIFYING ONE OF THE SYMPTOMS AS OWNER COMPLAINING OF A SMALL COOLANT LEAK. THE FACT IS THAT IN MOST CASES THE LEAK IS NOT VISIBLE. THE COOLANT TYPICALLY LEAKS INTERNALLY BY THE EGR STOVE PIPE INTO THE ENGINE'S INTAKE MANIFOLD WHERE IT BUILDS UP. EVENTUALLY THE COOLANT LEVEL IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD RISES TO THE POINT WHERE THE COOLANT WILL GET SUCKED INTO ONE OF THE CYLINDERS. IN LESS SEVERE CASES, WHEN IT HAPPENS AT IDLE OR LOW RPM, THIS CAUSES THE ENGINE TO SEIZE AND STALL. IN THE MOST SEVERE CASES, WHEN IT HAPPENS AT HIGH RPM, THE HAMMERING EFFECT OF THE ENGINE TRYING TO COMPRESS A LIQUID, CAUSES THE AFFECTED PISTON TO SHATTER (MY CASE). THIS IS A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE CAUSED BY A DESIGN FLAW. WHEN THIS HAPPENS ON A HIGHWAY AT 75 MPH (MY CASE) THERE IS GREAT POTENTIAL FOR AN ACCIDENT AND INJURY TO PASSENGERS. I WAS LUCKY, BUT I STILL HAD TO REPLACE MY ENGINE WITH A REMANUFACTURED ONE AT MY EXPENSE. I COULD NOT AFFORD WHAT GM CHARGED FOR A NEW ENGINE. GM IS FULLY AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. GM REPAIR CENTERS ARE ATTRIBUTING THE FAILURE TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR AND ARE CHARGING OWNERS TO REPLACE THE FLAWED PARTS WITH THE NEW DESIGN. I SPOKE WITH A SERVICE MANAGER AT A LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND HE STATED THAT HE HAS SEEN A LOT OF VEHICLES COMING IN WITH THE SAME FAILURE, THE LESS SEVERE CASE BEING THE MOST COMMON.. I BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM CALLS FOR A RECALL OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLE TO REPLACE THE FLAWED PARTS. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT GM SHOULD PARTIALLY REIMBURSE ME FOR MY EXPENSES RELATED TO THE ENGINE REPLACEMENT.