IllustrationTAKES 2 TO 3 CRANKS TO START WARM ENGINE
1997 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
20–25K
325–50K
750–75K
875–100K
14100–150K
3150K+
37 reports with mileage · 110 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 50 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 16 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 reports16 fire reports6 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
50 reportsWHEN DRIVING OR IDLING VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY DIE ,AND WILL NOT RESTART UNTIL AFTER 10-15 MINUTES LATER . DEALER HAS REPLACED ALTERNATOR, BUT DEFECT HAS REOCURRED, DEALER CLAIMED THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE WITHOUT DUPLICATING DEFECT. *AK AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE, THE DEALER IDENFIFIED THE PROBLEM TO BE…
Read full complaint
WHEN DRIVING OR IDLING VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY DIE ,AND WILL NOT RESTART UNTIL AFTER 10-15 MINUTES LATER . DEALER HAS REPLACED ALTERNATOR, BUT DEFECT HAS REOCURRED, DEALER CLAIMED THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE WITHOUT DUPLICATING DEFECT. *AK AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE, THE DEALER IDENFIFIED THE PROBLEM TO BE A FAILED FUEL PUMP AND WAS REPLACED. THE CONSUMER WANTS REIMBERSMENT FOR THE COST OF REPLACING THE ALTERNATOR THAT WAS NOT THE CAUSE. *YH
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY, CAUSING THE STEERING TO LOCK UP AND POWER TO GO OUT. ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND DRIVE HOME. CURRENTLY AT DLR'S. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
PERPETUAL OIL LEAK AROUND ENGINE OIL PAN.
THE HORN BUTTON IS DIFFICULT TO PUSH, MUST HIT SPOT PRECISELY TO ACTIVATE. *ET
ADUE TO A DEFECTIVE DESIGN THE REAR ENGINE GASKET CRACKED, CAUSING AN OIL LEAK, WHICH MAY RESULT IN A FIRE IF THERE IS A SOURCE OF IGNITION. PONTIAC HAS A NEW DESIGN OF THE OIL PAN. *AK.ET
WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
UPON DECELERATION, THE VEHICLE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK
INTERMITTENT STALLING.
WHEN TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED AND UPON IDLING, THE VEHICLE WILL STALL OUT AND CUT OFF. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER , DEALER HAS REPLACED NUMBER OF PARTS, PROBLEM STILL NOT CORRECTED. *AK
Official recalls
196V196000 · Seats
Oct 8, 1996
THE SEAT COVER TRIM MATERIAL DOES NOT MEET THE FLAMMABILITY REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 302, "FLAMMABILITY OF INTERIOR MATERIALS."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF AN IGNITION SOURCE WERE PRESENT, A VEHICLE INTERIOR FIRE CAN OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE COVERS ON THE FRONT SEAT BACKS, REAR SEAT CUSHION AND REAR SEAT BACK ASSEMBLIES.
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
2EA02030 · Engine Compartment Fires
Opened Oct 22, 2002 · Closed Mar 9, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline; Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery; Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
Additional source detail variants (3)
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
Fuel System, Gasoline
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
PE02050 · Engine Compartment Fires
Opened Jun 13, 2002 · Closed Oct 22, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
No summary supplied.