1996 Pontiac Bonneville

MY 1996 BONNEVILLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR FACILITY ON MONDAY MORNING, SEPT. 22, 2003. I WAS INFORMED THAT MY ENGINE HAD GONE INTO HYDRAULIC LOCK. THE PLASTIC INTAKE HAD CRACKED AND FILLED THE CYLINDERS WITH COOLANT. I HAD TO HAVE THE HEAD REMOVED AND SURFACED, THE HEAD GASKET REPLACED AND SEVERAL OTHER RELATED ITEMS. THE REPAIRS TOTALED TO OVER $2000. THIS WAS VERY FRUSTRATING BECAUSE I AM VERY CAREFUL TO HAVE ALL OF MY MAINTENACE DONE ON TIME AND ALL OF THE FLUIDS CHANGED EVERY 30,000 MILES. IF YOU CAN HELP WITH THIS, IT WILL BE MOST APPRECIATED. I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THERE IS A CONTINUING PROBLEM WITH THIS DESIGN OF INTAKE. *LA

CAR WAS AT APROXIMATELY 87000. TURNED THE CAR ON, THERE WAS A LOUD EXPLOSION AND SMOKE CAME OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD, DIDNT SEE ANY FLAMES, POPPED OPEN THE HOOD, AND SMOKE JUST CONTINUED TO PILE OUT. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE MECHANIC FOUND THE ENGINE WAS ON ITS LAST BREATH. HAD ENGINE RELACED FOR A USED ENGINE WITH 4500 MILES ON IT FOR $1500. SOON AFTER THE ENGINE THE ALTERNATOR STARTED TO DIE, WHERE JUST BY STANDING NEXT TO THE CAR YOU CAN HEAR METAL TO METAL GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM IT. PAID $100 TO GET NEW ALTERNATOR. RIGHT AFTER ALTERNATOR THE EG R VALVE DIED, HAD IT REPLACED, ANOTHER $300 SPENT. NOW COME SPEDOMETER SAYING 99000 BUT THE SECOND ENGINE ONLY HAVING 60000 THE SERPENTINE BELT CRACKED AND WORN OUT BEYONG BELIEVE. ANOTHER $75 SPEND. WHILE HAVING THAT REPLACED THE MECHANIC POINTED OUT PUDDLES OF OIL ON THE ENGINE, THUS THE MANIFOLDS/GASKET ON ENGINE#2 WILL SOON NEED TO HAVE WORK DONE.SHOULD I CONTACT THE LOCAL DEALER ABOUT THE GASKETS LEAKING...DOES IT RELATE TO THE RECALL THAT WAS MADE ON THE MANIFOLDS. *AK

1ST THE PLENUM WAS MELTED BY THE EGR VALVE, WHICH CAUSED ME TO BE STRANDED. WHEN THAT WAS FIXED, I BEGAN HEARING A HIGH PITCHED WHINE ONCE THE ENGINE IS HEATED UP. WE HAVE REPLACEDTHE HARMONIC BALANCER POWER STEERING PUMP, WATER PUMP, ALL BELTS, CHECKED THE TIMIMG CHAIN, AND EVERYTHING ELSE WE COULD THINK MIGHT BE CAUSING IT, BUT I STILL HAVE THE WHINE. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN STILL.*AK

THE ENGINE ON THIS CAR FAILED. IT HAS 115,000 MILES. IT WAS MAINTAINED FROM THE START. WE PURCHASED IT NEW. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED AND LEAKED ANTIFREEZE THROUGHOUT THE MOTOR. WE HAD THE MANIFOLDS, OXYGEN SENSORS, AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED. WE FOUND OUT THERE WAS A TSB ISSUED ON THIS VEHICLE REGARDING THE MANIFOLD PROBLEM. PONTIAC AND THE DEALERSHIP WERE CONTACTED. THEY BOTH TOLD US IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM, BUT THEY'LL DO NOTHING. I'D UNDERSTAND GIVEN THE MILEAGE THAT THIS IS NOT A NEW CAR, HOWEVER, KNOWING THERE'S A TSB ISSUED ON IT, IT SEEMS THEY ARE FAILING TO PROVIDE A GOOD PRODUCT TO THEIR CUSTOMERS.

COOLING SYSTEM LEAKAGE-THE BLACK PLASTIC COVER ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKS COOLANT/WATER. IT LEAKS WHEN THE WEATHER IS COLD, IT DOES THIS WHEN EVER PARKED AND THE CAR IS ALLOWED TO SIT AND GET COLD. THERE IS CLEAR EVIDENCE IT IS LEAKING AROUND THE BASE OF THE PLASTIC COVER WHERE IT SEALS AGAINST THE ALUMINUM INTAKE MANIFOLD. IT HAS DONE THIS EVERY WINTER FOR THE PAST FOUR WINTERS. IT IS GETTING WORSE, AND FROM THE COMPLAINTS I HAVE READ IT IS COMMON TO THE 3.8 L ENGINE. IT DOES NOT LEAK AT ALL IN THE SUMMER OR FALL, ONLY IN THE WINTER BELOW 35 DEGREE'S. WHAT IS THE REAL PROBLEM AND IS THERE A SOLID FIX FOR THIS, OR ARE ALL REPAIRS JUST TEMPORARY UNTIL THE NEW GASKETS START LEAKING AGAIN? IS THERE ANY TYPE OF RECOURSE OR RECALL? THE COLDER IT GETS, THE BIGGER THE LEAK AND THE PUDDLE UNDER THE CAR. IT ALSO STINKS WHEN YOU DRIVE IT WHILE THE COOLANT COOKS ON THE MOTOR. *JB