1996 Pontiac BONNEVILLE problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
114 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
115,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1996 model year. Data snapshot: . 63 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 12 of 114 complaints (10.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 10 | 8.8% |
| Fuel system concerns | 8 | 7.0% |
| Braking behavior | 7 | 6.1% |
| Engine operation | 5 | 4.4% |
| Steering behavior | 5 | 4.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 0.9% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 12 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe | 12 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 11 |
| Electrical System | 10 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 9 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 8 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System | 7 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 4 |
Air Bags: 12; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe: 12; Engine And Engine Cooling: 11; Electrical System: 10; Air Bags:Frontal: 9; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 8; Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System: 7; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 4
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 2 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 3 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 7 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 11 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 26 |
| 150,000 and above | 14 |
Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 3; 50,000 to 74,999: 7; 75,000 to 99,999: 11; 100,000 to 149,999: 26; 150,000 and above: 14
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (26). 51 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 1 |
| 2000 | 6 |
| 2001 | 6 |
| 2002 | 14 |
| 2003 | 24 |
| 2004 | 21 |
| 2005 | 12 |
| 2006 | 5 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 5 |
| 2009 | 3 |
| 2010 | 4 |
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 1 |
1996: 1; 2000: 6; 2001: 6; 2002: 14; 2003: 24; 2004: 21; 2005: 12; 2006: 5; 2007: 3; 2008: 5; 2009: 3; 2010: 4; 2011: 3; 2012: 2; 2014: 3; 2015: 1; 2016: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 10 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 8 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 7 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10109078 · 2005-01-05 (January 5, 2005)
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD TO BE REPLACED AND THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. *SC THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS THE CONSUMER HAD WERE WITH THE DOORS, THE BATTERY, SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT AND THE INTERIOR LIGHTS AND THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR WAS BAD. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10109078 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10116659 · 2005-04-09 (April 9, 2005)
WHILE IN PARK DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, CAUSING BROKEN WINDSHIELD AND ELECTRICAL FAILURE OF SOME SYSTEMS. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10116659 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10008563 · 2002-11-15 (November 15, 2002)
THIS IS A FUEL LEAK DIRECTLY ONTO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM FROM ATOP. THE GAS TANK RUSTED THROUGH LINES FROM FUEL PUMP TO GAS LINES TO THE ENGINE. GAS LEAKS DIRECTLY ONTO THE TOP OF EXHAUST. FIRE HAZARD. -----DIMS 11 IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS----------------769751. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 124,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10008563 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10016342 · 2003-04-22 (April 22, 2003)
REF: NHTSA RECALL #96V116000, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. PREVIOUSLY I ATTEMPTED TO CRANK THE 1996 BONNEVILLE AND IT MADE A LOUD NOISE LIKE A SHOTGUN BEING FIRED. MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER CAME OUT OF THE HOUSE AND ASKED WHAT MADE THAT SOUND. TODAY I WAS INFORMED THAT THE CAR HAD A CRACKED PLENUM,INTAKE AND IT WAS GOING TO COST OVER $600 TO REPAIR IT. THE CAR IS AT EASLEY PONTIAC IN EASLEY, SC. I ASKED THEM WASN'T THIS A TYPICAL PROBLEM WITH THE 3.8L V-6 ENGINE AND THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID YES. I ASKED HIM ABOUT ANY RECALLS…
Owner-reported narrative. 45,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016342 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10030403 · 2003-07-30 (July 30, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING AT APRX 40MPH THE CAR LOST ALL POWER, AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. THIS HAPPENED TWICE WITHIN 3 WEEKS. THE BRAKES STILL WORKED ,AND IT WAS A STRAIGHT ROAD SO WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR WITHOUT CAUSING ANY ACCIDENTS OR INJURY.*AK STEARING WHEEL AND PEDALS SHAKE BETWEEN 65 AND 75MPH. MECHANIC FOUND THAT SMALLER BRACKET OF THE DRIVE WHEEL HAS BECOME LOOSE. REPLACED THE BRACKET. WORKED FINE FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS...THEN SHAKING STARTED TO COME BACK...WILL BE TAKING IT TO THE MECHANIC AGAIN..
Owner-reported narrative. 85,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10030403 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10054666 · 2004-01-22 (January 22, 2004)
LAST WEEKEND WHEN I WAS DRIVING MY PONTIAC BONNEVILLE REGISTRATION TAG [XXX], NJ LICENSE PLATE HAS A [XXX] BACK DOOR POPS OPEN ACCIDENTALLY. SURPRISINGLY I CALL THE GM DEALER AND FOUND THIS VEHICLE IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH DOOR OPEN WARNING. THIS FEATURE IS VERY COMMON IN VERY CHEAP BASIC CARS, WHERE AS LARGE BIG CAR IS MISSING. BEING A FULL SIZE FAMILY SEDAN, I WAS EXPECTING TO SEE THIS TYPE OF BASIC SAFETY WARNING SYSTEM WHEN THIS CAR HAS SUNROOF, ANTILOCK BRAKES, LEATHER SEATS, TRACTION CONTROL AND CLIMATE CONTROL ETC. IT WAS GOOD THAT …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10054666 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10044950 · 2003-10-29 (October 29, 2003)
VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND THEY FOUND THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED, AND CAUSED COOLANT TO LEAK INSIDE THE ENGINE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 100,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10044950 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10056481 · 2004-02-03 (February 3, 2004)
REPLACED PLENUM ON 1996 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE THREE TIMES. LAST TIME WAS APPROXIMATELY AT 87,000 MILES. FAULTY (PLASTIC) PART ALLOWED ANTIFREEZE AND OIL TO MIX IN THE ENGINE CAUSING STALLING (IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY STATE ROAD INTERSECTION, A SAFETY HAZARD). THE MIXING OF THE FLUIDS ALLOWS THE ENGINE TO BURN THE ANTIFREEZE AND BY THE TIME YOU REALIZE ANYTHING YOU ARE OVERHEATED. THIS WAS THE THIRD TIME I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 87,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10056481 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10028696 · 2003-07-21 (July 21, 2003)
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
Owner-reported narrative. 14,840 miles reported. Look up ODI 10028696 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10054808 · 2004-01-24 (January 24, 2004)
I BOUGHT MY 1996 BONNEVILLE NEW IN THAT YEAR. AROUND 20,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER UNDER WARRANTY. AT 145,000 MILES I NOTICED THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING AND A SMELL OF BURNT FLUID. TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALER. THEY FLUSHED AND REPLACED THE TRANS FLUID STATING THE FLUID WAS BURNT (MEANING NOT USEFUL ANY MORE). I HAD THE FLUID CHANGED A COUPLE OF TIMES DURING THE LIFE OF THE CAR AS I ALSO INSURE ALL MAINTENANCE IS DONE. THAT FLUSHING LASTED ABOUT 1,000 MILES BEFORE THE TRANS BEGAN SLIPPING AGAIN AND TH…
Owner-reported narrative. 144,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10054808 at NHTSA ↗