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U.S. public vehicle records

1999 Pontiac BONNEVILLE problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

129 owner complaints analyzed

3 distinct recall campaigns

70,048 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1999 model year. Data snapshot: . 60 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline is the most frequently named component, appearing in 15 of 129 complaints (11.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Engine operation3023.3%
Braking behavior1511.6%
Steering behavior118.5%
Electrical and battery issues86.2%
Transmission and shifting64.7%
Fuel system concerns64.7%

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.

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline
15
Engine And Engine Cooling
12
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
11
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe
7
Electrical System:Ignition
6
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System
6
Fuel System, Gasoline
6
Power Train:Automatic Transmission
6
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline15
Engine And Engine Cooling12
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine11
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe7
Electrical System:Ignition6
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System6
Fuel System, Gasoline6
Power Train:Automatic Transmission6

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 15; Engine And Engine Cooling: 12; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 11; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe: 7; Electrical System:Ignition: 6; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 6; Fuel System, Gasoline: 6; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 6

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
3
25,000 to 49,999
11
50,000 to 74,999
21
75,000 to 99,999
11
100,000 to 149,999
11
150,000 and above
3
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0003
25,000 to 49,99911
50,000 to 74,99921
75,000 to 99,99911
100,000 to 149,99911
150,000 and above3

Under 25,000: 3; 25,000 to 49,999: 11; 50,000 to 74,999: 21; 75,000 to 99,999: 11; 100,000 to 149,999: 11; 150,000 and above: 3

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (21). 69 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.

2000
21
2001
17
2002
15
2003
21
2004
26
2005
5
2006
7
2007
2
2008
3
2009
3
2010
1
2011
4
2013
1
2014
2
2016
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
200021
200117
200215
200321
200426
20055
20067
20072
20083
20093
20101
20114
20131
20142
20161

2000: 21; 2001: 17; 2002: 15; 2003: 21; 2004: 26; 2005: 5; 2006: 7; 2007: 2; 2008: 3; 2009: 3; 2010: 1; 2011: 4; 2013: 1; 2014: 2; 2016: 1

Pattern summary

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 30 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 15 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 11 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 10019542 · 2003-05-09 (May 9, 2003)

THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING, WHICH MADE THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10019542 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10031703 · 2003-09-04 (September 4, 2003)

THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED WHICH MADE THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. *PH THE DEALER REPLACED THE OXYGEN SENSOR, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. *SCC *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10031703 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10037584 · 2003-09-10 (September 10, 2003)

MY CAR STALLS INTERMITTENTLY, USUALLY IN TOWN WHILE BRAKING OR TURNING, OR MERELY SLOWING DOWN. IT LURCHES WHEN CRUISE CONTROL IS SET AT HIGHER SPEEDS LIKE IT'S TRYING TO DIE. IT HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 10 TIMES (DYING) AND 5 TIMES (LURCHING) IN THE LAST 3 DAYS. DEALERSHIP UNABLE TO DUPLICATE MORE THAN 1 TIME AND CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO NEXT. HAVE CLEANED TERMINALS AND REPLACED CRANK SHAFT SENSOR. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 84,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10037584 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10042331 · 2003-11-05 (November 5, 2003)

THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR FAILED WILL DRIVING. WHEN THIS OCCURRED, THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD BEFORE STOPPING, LOST POWER BRAKES AND STEERING. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE PART, BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED WITHIN 12,000 MILES. *AK *SCC *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10042331 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10076103 · 2004-06-10 (June 10, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED SHAKING UNCONTROLLABLE. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND PULL OVER. THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE VALVE STEM SHEARED OFF. THIS CAUSED A DEFLATED TIRE. THE DRIVER CHANGE THE TIRE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE VALVE STEM IS DEFECTED AND WILL REPLACED THE TIRE. MICHELIN MXV4 225/55HR17. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10076103 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10047657 · 2003-11-26 (November 26, 2003)

POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL CORRODED OUT OF BATTERY. PREVIOUSLY HAD PROBLEMS WITH POSITIVE TERMINAL CABLES(REPLACED IN 2001). *LA

Owner-reported narrative. 22,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10047657 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10093614 · 2004-10-05 (October 5, 2004)

MY 1999 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE EXPLODED WHEN THE KEY WAS TURNED IN THE IGNITION & FIRE SHOT OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WHEN THE KEY WAS TURNED OFF, THE FIRE STOPPED. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE A FUEL INJECTER & UPPER INTAKE PLENUM (WHICH WAS IN PIECES FROM THE EXPLOSION). MY BILL WAS $430.63. IN JUNE 2004, I RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER FROM GM CORPORATION SAYING THERE WAS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR DIAPHRAGMS LEAKING. THE LETTER DESCRIBED THE FOLLOWING: "A LEAK CAN ALLOW FUEL TO ENTER THE INTAKE MAN…

Owner-reported narrative. 102,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10093614 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10024708 · 2003-09-23 (September 23, 2003)

THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR IS GIVING FALSE READINGS. DRIVER HAS NO CLUE TO WHAT GEAR THE VEHICLE IS IN. *AK THE SHIFT INDICATOR DID NOT WORK MOST OF THE TIME. THE VEHICLE WOULD DRIVE BUT IT WAS ACTUALLY IN REVERSE THE INDICATORS WERE IN NEUTRAL BUT THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN DRIVE. *SCC. THE CONSUMER LEARNED THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE MATTER, HOWEVER THE RECALL DID NOT APPLY TO HIS VEHICLE, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 59,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10024708 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10068150 · 2004-05-01 (May 1, 2004)

I WAS ON VACATION DRIVING INTO A REST AREA WHEN THE CAR MADE A "THONK" SOUND AND THE TRANSMISSION JUST STOPPED. I COULD SHIFT IT INTO ANY GEAR, BUT IT WOULD NOT GO ANYWHERE. WE HAD TO PUSH THE CAR INTO THE PARKING LOT AND HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO A REPAIRMAN. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WAS TORN DOWN, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE GEARS HAD BLOWN A PART. THE MACHANIC COULD NOT FIND A USED ONE AND IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN 4 OR 5 DAYS TO GET ONE FROM AC DELCO, SO HE REBUILT THE EXISTING PART. THE MECHANIC SAID HE HAD THREE OTHER CARS WITH THE SAME TRANSMISSION COME I…

Owner-reported narrative. 48,038 miles reported. Look up ODI 10068150 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10023971 · 2003-06-29 (June 29, 2003)

FUEL PUMP. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 48,299 miles reported. Look up ODI 10023971 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10091527 · 2004-08-30 (August 30, 2004)

REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR DAMAGE TO ENGINE FROM A PULLED FUEL INJECTOR.*MR WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT A PULL FUEL INJECTOR FLOODED THE INJECTOR, PISTONS, CYLINDERS, CRANKCASE AND ENGINE WITH GASOLINE WHICH RESULTED IN A BLOWN ENGINE. A 1998 REPLACEMENT ENGINE WAS INSTALLED FROM ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT BECAUSE HE BELIEVED THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO A RECALL (RECALL #03054B). THE CONSUMER FILED A CLAIM FO…

Owner-reported narrative. 96,850 miles reported. Look up ODI 10091527 at NHTSA ↗