2003 Pontiac Bonneville

2003 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE SSEI WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, LEFT OR RIGHT FROM A STOPPING POSITION A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE APPEARS. IT IS FELT THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN. WHILE DRIVING THE NOISE HAPPENS RARELY. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS ACCOUNTS OF THIS BUT NO RECALL AS OF YET. I AM WORRIED THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAYS AT HIGH SPEEDS ESPECIALLY. IS SOMETHING LOOSE AND/OR GETTING RUBBED TO CAUSE DAMAGE AND LOSS OF STEERING IN THE FUTURE? GM DEALER DEFECT? *TR

I HAVE A 2003 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE BLOWER MOTOR HAD INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS BEFORE GOING OUT. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTED TO THE BLOWER MOTOR FOR THE HEAT/AC HAD MELTED AND REQUIRED REPLACING. I WAS LUCKY THE CAR DIDN'T CATCH ON FIRE! THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR. A VERY QUICK SEARCH ON THE INTERNET REVEALED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM NOT ONLY WITH PONTIAC BUT MANY GM CARS AND TRUCKS. SOUNDS LIKE GM HAS INSTALLED INADEQUATE WIRING AND ALL VEHICLES WITH THIS SUBSTANDARD WIRING SHOULD BE RECALLED AND WIRING REPLACED. THOSE WHO HAVE SUFFERED LOSS DUE TO THIS SUBSTANDARD WIRING SHOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR GM'S FAILURE TO INSTALL WIRE OF SUFFICIENT GAUGE TO HANDLE THE LOAD OF THE BLOWER MOTOR. I AM GOING TO ASK FOR THE OLD WIRING HARNESS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH OR TURNING THE VEHICLE LEFT OR RIGHT, THE CONTACT HEARD A CLUNKING SOUND COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. HE CAN ALSO FELT THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATE ONCE THE NOISE BEGAN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT OTHER CONSUMERS WITH THE SAME TYPE OF VEHICLE EXPERIENCED IDENTICAL FAILURES IN THE PAST. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED BECAUSE IT APPEARS TO BE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THE FAILURE HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR QUITE SOME TIME. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 35,000. UPDATED 05/15/09 *BF UPDATED 05/18/09.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED AN ENGINE COOLANT LEAK AT THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD THROTTLE BODY. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO INSTALL A KIT IN THE ENGINE AT HIS EXPENSE BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER STOPPED ASSUMING FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN 2005. HE WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE FRONT END WAS DAMAGED, BUT THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE INSURANCE COMPANY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 91,512.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND ALL THE WARNING INDICATOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. THE REPAIR SHOP STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A SPUN BEARING AND A BLOWN ROD. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 90,000. UPDATED 03-04-08 *BF THE VEHICLE HAD A COOLANT LEAK FROM THE INTAKE. AFTER THE REPAIR WAS MADE, THE ENGINE BLEW OUT A ROD.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. THE NOISE OCCURRED IN ANY GEAR. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT WAS LOOSE. THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT WAS REPLACED AT 32,340 AND 37,000 MILES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 59,000.

STEERING KNUCKLE U-JOINT WAS CLUNKING. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED AND I PAID $275. ONE YEAR LATER, IT STARTED CLUNKING AGAIN ON TURNS - DEALERSHIP ADDED IN GREASE KIT AT NO CHARGE. ONE YEAR LATER, STEERING STARTS CLUNKING AGAIN AND THEY SAY IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. WHY IS THIS THING DESIGNED TO LAST ONLY ONE YEAR? THE DEALERSHIP SAYS IT IS NOT A SAFETY HAZARD, BUT IF THE STEERING IS CLUNKING LIKE SOMETHING IS LOOSE, HOW DO I KNOW IT IS SAFE? *JB