NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
43 reportsClear category filter140,000 miles · Jun 28, 2012
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingFuel/propulsion SystemFire
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SEVERAL ATTEMPTS HAD TO BE MADE BEFORE SUCCEEDING IN STARTING VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHERE THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND OXYGEN SENSOR. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CAP WAS MELTING AND CAUSING OIL TO SPILL. IN ADDITION, THE …
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SEVERAL ATTEMPTS HAD TO BE MADE BEFORE SUCCEEDING IN STARTING VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHERE THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND OXYGEN SENSOR. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CAP WAS MELTING AND CAUSING OIL TO SPILL. IN ADDITION, THE FAILURE WAS PRODUCING WHITE SMOKE FROM THE TAILPIPE EXHAUST. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE CONTACT WAS UNSURE AS TO THE EXACT REPAIRS MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM FAILED AND WOULD ALERT THE CONTACT THAT THE DOORS WERE OPENED, AND THE SEAT BELTS WERE NOT SECURED ERRONEOUSLY. THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM WAS ALSO DEFECTIVE AND WAS REPAIRED BY REPLACING THE FUEL INJECTOR, AND ADDING FUEL CLEANER. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS: 96V116000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM) AND 95V204000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: IGNITION: ANTI-THEFT CONTROLLER) HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN EITHER RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 158,000. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
NHTSA ODI #10463433
55,000 miles · May 15, 2012
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingFuel/propulsion System
THIS CAR BELONGS TO MY ELDERLY MOTHER WHICH SHE BOUGHT USED AND HAS BEEN AN ON GOING PROBLEM! OCCASIONALLY WHEN STARTING THE CAR, THE ENGINE WILL BACKFIRE, AFTER STARTING IT WOULD RUN OK. THE CAR NOW DOES NOT RUN AS THE INTAKE MANIFOLD IS BROKEN FROM THE BACKFIRING AND ALMOST CAUGHT ON FIRE THE LAST TIME IT WAS ATTEMPTED TO STAR…
Read full complaint
THIS CAR BELONGS TO MY ELDERLY MOTHER WHICH SHE BOUGHT USED AND HAS BEEN AN ON GOING PROBLEM! OCCASIONALLY WHEN STARTING THE CAR, THE ENGINE WILL BACKFIRE, AFTER STARTING IT WOULD RUN OK. THE CAR NOW DOES NOT RUN AS THE INTAKE MANIFOLD IS BROKEN FROM THE BACKFIRING AND ALMOST CAUGHT ON FIRE THE LAST TIME IT WAS ATTEMPTED TO START THE MOTOR! ACCORDING TO PONTIAC THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS CAR BY THE VIN NUMBER!! *JS
NHTSA ODI #10458548
122,097 miles · Mar 9, 2010
Engine And Engine Cooling
1996 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE PLASTIC MANIFOLD IN ENGINE FROM MANUFACTURE BROKE CAUSING DEX COOLANT TO LEAK INTO ENGINE DESTROYING SEALS/HEAD GASKETS. REPLACE AT DEALER GASKET,GASKET KIT,VALVE,VALVE KIT,UPPER MANIFOLD, LOWER MANIFOLD RESEAL,COOLANT. DEALER DOES NOT HONOR RECALL. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10318090
170,000 miles · Oct 8, 2008
Engine And Engine CoolingFuel System, Gasoline
AROUND JAN 2008 WHILE DRIVING A PLASTIC WATER HOSE BURST. I REPLACED IT AND HAD NO OTHER PROBLEM UNTIL AROUND AUG 2008. THIS TIME THE WATER PUMP STARTED LEAKING. I REPLACED THAT AND THE THERMOSTAT AND RADIATOR CAP, BUT I STILL KEPT LOOSING COOLANT. THEN I FOUND A CRACK IN THE RADIATOR WHICH I REPLACE AROUND THE END OF AUG 2008. …
Read full complaint
AROUND JAN 2008 WHILE DRIVING A PLASTIC WATER HOSE BURST. I REPLACED IT AND HAD NO OTHER PROBLEM UNTIL AROUND AUG 2008. THIS TIME THE WATER PUMP STARTED LEAKING. I REPLACED THAT AND THE THERMOSTAT AND RADIATOR CAP, BUT I STILL KEPT LOOSING COOLANT. THEN I FOUND A CRACK IN THE RADIATOR WHICH I REPLACE AROUND THE END OF AUG 2008. I STILL KEPT HAVING TO TOP OFF THE COOLANT RESERVOIR EVER TWO DAYS. ABOUT JUNE 2008 I STARTED HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE VEH STARTING, IT WOULD SEEM LIKE IT WASN'T GETTING ENOUGH GAS OR FLOODING. IT WOULD BE RUNNING BUT BARLEY AND IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHEN YOU PRESS THE GAS PEDAL. FINALLY IT WOULD START. IT DOESN'T DO IT ALL THE TIME BUT IT'S DOING IT MORE OFTEN NOW. I'VE FUEL SYSTEM AND INJECTION CLEANERS WITH NO CHANGE. THEN I WENT TO NHTSA AND FOUND A RECALL 96V-116 THAT SEEMS TO BE THE CAUSE OF MY PROBLEM. I WENT TO THE LOCAL PONTIAC DEALERS AND THEY SAID THAT MY VIN WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY DO. I TOLD THEM THAT I WOULD BRING BACK TO GET A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10244906
105,000 miles · Mar 5, 2008
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 35-40 MPH, THE VEHICLE GRADUALLY LOST POWER AND SHUT OFF. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, IT BACKFIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED A…
Read full complaint
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 35-40 MPH, THE VEHICLE GRADUALLY LOST POWER AND SHUT OFF. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, IT BACKFIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED AND WOULD COST $503 TO REPAIR. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 176,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000. UPDATED 04/08/08. *LJ THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED DUE TO THE VEHICLE NOT STARTING.
NHTSA ODI #10220126
150,000 miles · Apr 13, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE VEHICLE BACKFIRED WHEN THE IGNITION WAS STARTED, AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS DAMAGED. THIS FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE BEFORE AND THE MANIFOLD WAS REPLACED. A LOCAL MECHANIC STATED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN RECALL # 96V116000…
Read full complaint
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE VEHICLE BACKFIRED WHEN THE IGNITION WAS STARTED, AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS DAMAGED. THIS FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE BEFORE AND THE MANIFOLD WAS REPLACED. A LOCAL MECHANIC STATED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN RECALL # 96V116000. HOWEVER, THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL. THE CONTACT POSSESSED THE REPAIR INVOICES. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 150,000. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10187745
121,200 miles · Apr 30, 2005
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingEquipment
MY 1996 BONNEVILLE STARTED ACTING UP, ROUGHLY IDLING, AND HESITATING WHEN TAKING OFF. THERE WAS LOSS OF POWER, POOR GAS MILEAGE, CAR WOULD SHUT IT SELF OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY.CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND STARTED FLASHING. TOOK IT TO AUTO ZONE TO GET IT CHECKED. SCANNER IDICATED THAT IT HAD MULTIPLE MISFIRES, AND…
Read full complaint
MY 1996 BONNEVILLE STARTED ACTING UP, ROUGHLY IDLING, AND HESITATING WHEN TAKING OFF. THERE WAS LOSS OF POWER, POOR GAS MILEAGE, CAR WOULD SHUT IT SELF OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY.CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND STARTED FLASHING. TOOK IT TO AUTO ZONE TO GET IT CHECKED. SCANNER IDICATED THAT IT HAD MULTIPLE MISFIRES, AND THAT MY MAP SENSOR WAS BAD. REPLACED MAP SENSOR. STILL DIDNT CHANGE ON HOW THE VEHICLE OPERATED. REPLACED ONE OF COIL PACKS, STILL NOTHING. PUT NEW PLUG WIRES AND NOTHING CAHNED. NEW OXYGEN SENSOR INSTALLED, AND STILL NOTHING. CHANGES. OVER ALL I JUST GOT DONE SPENDING $150.00 ON THIS CAR AND I CANT EVEN AFFORD THAT, AND STILL HAVE NOT RESOLVED THE PROBLEM. I REPLACED BASICALLY EVERYTHING THAT THE COMPUTER CAME UP WITH. WHAT CAN I DO HERE TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM WITHOUT ME HURTING MY FINANCIAL STATUS, AND ME BLOWING THE CAR UP.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10118753
76,600 miles · Nov 24, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
1)COOLANT LOSS FROM PLASTIC UPPER INTAKE. 2)EGR PIPE BURN THROUGH FAILURE, UPPER AND LOWER GASKET FAILURE. 3)REPLACE UPPER PLASTIC INTAKE, UPPER AND LOWER GASKETS, COOLANT ELBOW OIL AND FILTER CHANGE. (5 HRS LABOR). *NM
NHTSA ODI #10100470
54,820 miles · Jun 17, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
COOLANT FROM UPPER INTAKE PLENUM FOUND TO CAUSE MIS-FIRE CYLINDER. REPLACED UPPER INTAKE PLENUM TWICE ONCE AT 54,820 MILES AND AGAIN AT 107,181 MILES. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10078410
92,203 miles · May 11, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
AN INDEPENDENT DEALER REPLACED THE MANIFOLD GASKET AND UPPER PLENUM ON 01/16/04, 03/15/04 THE GASKET AND EGR VALVE WAS REPLACED, AND THE PLENUM GASKET WAS REPLACED ON 02/27/03. COOLANT LEAKED FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. *AK *SC *JB
NHTSA ODI #10067165