IllustrationWHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. VEHICLE SHUT DOWN, AND WAS TOWED. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE.*AK
1998 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
40–25K
1325–50K
5050–75K
2975–100K
18100–150K
3150K+
117 reports with mileage · 160 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 194 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 33 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 →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports28 fire reports6 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
194 reportsWHEN DRIVING AT AN UNDETERMINED SPEED, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD, THEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL PRESSURE FAILED. *AK THE RADIATOR CAP WAS REPLACED. WHILE IN MOTION, ABOUT 2 MILES AT 30 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT …
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WHEN DRIVING AT AN UNDETERMINED SPEED, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD, THEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL PRESSURE FAILED. *AK THE RADIATOR CAP WAS REPLACED. WHILE IN MOTION, ABOUT 2 MILES AT 30 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE MECHANIC. THE NEXT DAY THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE DEALER FOUND THAT FUEL LEAKED AND RUPTURED THE MANIFOLD. RECALL#04V090000. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALL WAS NOT IN REFERENCE TO HER VEHICLE. *SC *JB THE CONSUMER SENT IN A THANK YOU NOTE AFTER RECIEVING HER RECALL NOTICE. *TC
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED AND TURNED OFF. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE ENGINE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH VEHICLE OVERHEATED. WHITE SMOKE CAME FROM THE TAIL PIPE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A CRACK AROUND THE EGR LOCATED ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. *AK
WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED CONSUMER NOTICED FLUID LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS CRACKED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
I HAVE A 1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE WHICH WAS BROUGHT INTO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR DUE TO NOT HAVING ANY HEAT IN THE CAR. I EXPECTED A FAULTY THERMOSTAT OR SOME OTHER MINOR PROBLEM. IT TURNED OUT THAT ENGINE COOLANT LEAKED OUT FROM THE PLENUM, WATER PUMP AND GASKETS REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF THE WATER PUMP, WATER PUMP BELT, AND MANI…
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I HAVE A 1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE WHICH WAS BROUGHT INTO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR DUE TO NOT HAVING ANY HEAT IN THE CAR. I EXPECTED A FAULTY THERMOSTAT OR SOME OTHER MINOR PROBLEM. IT TURNED OUT THAT ENGINE COOLANT LEAKED OUT FROM THE PLENUM, WATER PUMP AND GASKETS REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF THE WATER PUMP, WATER PUMP BELT, AND MANIFOLD (WITH THE VARIOUS GASKETS) MANIFOLD WAS ACTUALLY ROTTING FROM THE INSIDE DUE TO COOLANT LEAK INTO IT. THIS REPAIR COST OVER $1,000. UPON TALKING TO THE DEALER AND MY OWN INTERNET RESEARCH THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE GM 3800 ENGINE WHICH IS IN BONNEVILLES, GRAND PRIX AND BUICK LESABRE. I REFERENCE NHTSA CONSUMER COMPLAINTS LISTED UNDER BONNEVILLE AND GRAND PRIX COMPLAINTS OF "ENGINE COOLING SYSTEMS" AND "ENGINE." I ALSO DIRECT YOU TO EDMUNDS.COM "TOWN HALL" SECTION(BONNEVILLE AND GRAND PRIX) THAT IS A CHAT ROOM THAT SHOWS NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. I GUESS I WAS LUCKY IN THAT AT LEAST MY ENGINE DIDN'T COMPLETELY SEIZE AS IS ALSO COMMON WHEN THE ANTIFREEZE COOLANT LEAKS INTO THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER. GM WILL NOT REIMBURSE ME A DIME ON THE COST. THIS CAR HAS JUST 36K MILES ON IT BUT IT IS 4 1/2YRS OLD AND THUS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE CAR HAS BEEN PROPERLY MAINTAINED, INCLUDING A DEALER OIL CHANGE JUST 2 MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS PROBLEM. MY RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THE ENGINE COOLANT LEAKAGE FROM THE PLASTIC GASKETS AND PLENUM INTO THE MANIFOLD AND COMBUSTION CHAMBER IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT AND NEEDS THE NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE FURTHER. GM CUSTOMER SERVICE IS OF NO SERVICE AND THEY HAVE BASICALLY TOLD ME TO BUY JAPANESE FROM NOW ON. *SC *JB
NO EVENTS LEAD UP TO THE FAILURE, IT WAS IMMEDIATE. CAR STOPPED DEAD IN ITS TRACKS, STARTED ONE MORE TIME BEFORE IT DIED IN 1/8TH OF A MILE. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS THE PROBLEM COOLANT LEAKED INTO THE ENGINE. *JB REPLACED INTAKE MANIFOLD,GASKET,OIL FILTER, OIL, COOLANT & SPARK PLUGS.CLEANED OUT COOLANT F…
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NO EVENTS LEAD UP TO THE FAILURE, IT WAS IMMEDIATE. CAR STOPPED DEAD IN ITS TRACKS, STARTED ONE MORE TIME BEFORE IT DIED IN 1/8TH OF A MILE. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS THE PROBLEM COOLANT LEAKED INTO THE ENGINE. *JB REPLACED INTAKE MANIFOLD,GASKET,OIL FILTER, OIL, COOLANT & SPARK PLUGS.CLEANED OUT COOLANT FROM INTAKE AND CYLINDERS. CHANGE OIL AND FILTER.
CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE, WENT INTO THE HOUSE TO LET THE VEHICLE WARM, UPON RETURNING THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. RECENTLY A RECALL 04V090000 WAS RECEIVED INDICATING A POSSIBLE FIRE. *AK
INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURE. *JB
WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT AN UNDETERMINED SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED CAUSING THE DRIVER TO DRIFT OFF THE ROAD. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE OWNER THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD FAILED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *JB
Official recalls
104V090000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery
Feb 24, 2004
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3800 V6 (L36) ENGINES AND CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, THE REGULATORS HAVE A MUCH HIGHER THAN USUAL RATE OF FUEL LEAKS. A LEAK CAN ALLOW FUEL TO ENTER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD THROUGH A VACUUM LINE. IF THE ENGINE DOES NOT START WHEN CRANKED, THE FUEL FROM THE LEAKING REGULATOR AND A MISTIMED SPARK CAN CAUSE A BACKFIRE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE BACKFIRE CAN RUPTURE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE RUPTURE OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CAN DISPLACE A FUEL LINE, PULLING AN INJECTOR OUT OF PLACE, AND CAUSING A FUEL LEAK AND POSSIBLE FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH IMPROVED DIAPHRAGMS. THE RECALL WILL BE CONDUCTED IN PHASED MAILINGS. PHASE 1 BEGAN ON JUNE 30, 2004, AND PHASE 2 BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537, OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.
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.