U.S. public vehicle records

2002 Pontiac BONNEVILLE problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

89 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

50,176 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 54 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 12 of 89 complaints (13.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Steering behavior	22	24.7%
Braking behavior	6	6.7%
Electrical and battery issues	6	6.7%
Engine operation	4	4.5%
Transmission and shifting	3	3.4%
Fuel system concerns	3	3.4%

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.

Steering

Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls

Electrical System

Steering:Column

Engine And Engine Cooling

Air Bags

Engine

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Steering	12
Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls	11
Electrical System	8
Steering:Column	6
Engine And Engine Cooling	5
Air Bags	4
Engine	4
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	4

Steering: 12; Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls: 11; Electrical System: 8; Steering:Column: 6; Engine And Engine Cooling: 5; Air Bags: 4; Engine: 4; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 4

Reported problems by failure mileage

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

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 12; 25,000 to 49,999: 15; 50,000 to 74,999: 8; 75,000 to 99,999: 8; 100,000 to 149,999: 7; 150,000 and above: 4

25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (15). 35 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.

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2013

2014

2015

2016

2019

2026

2002: 7; 2003: 6; 2004: 21; 2005: 11; 2006: 6; 2007: 13; 2008: 3; 2009: 3; 2010: 3; 2011: 2; 2013: 1; 2014: 8; 2015: 1; 2016: 2; 2019: 1; 2026: 1

Pattern summary

Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 22 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 6 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 6 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 10029465 · 2003-07-16 (July 16, 2003)

CONSUMER STATES WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL THERE IS A CLUNKING NOISE THAT CONSUMER CAN FEEL IN THE REAR. TOOK TO PONTIAC, AND DEALER STATED TWO METAL GEARS WERE RUBBING TOGETHER. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10029465 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10032987 · 2003-08-17 (August 17, 2003)

CLUNK FROM THE FRONT, SOME PLACE IN THE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY WHEN TURNING. HOW DO I FIX IT, OR IS IT ANYTHING TO BE CONCERNED WITH?*AK FRONT SEATS ARE SO VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. WE HAVE ADDED SEAT CUSHIONS IN AN ATTEMPT TO HAVE BETTER SUPPORT, YET THEY CONTINUE TO BE HORRIBLE.

Owner-reported narrative. 29,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10032987 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10009710 · 2003-03-04 (March 4, 2003)

THE SHIFTER WAS DIFFICULT TO GET OUT OF PARK. NO BRAKES AFTER CAR WASH AND HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT AT TIMES. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10009710 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10058456 · 2004-02-19 (February 19, 2004)

CAR CONSTANTLY SQUEAKS ON DRIVER'S SIDE BY DOOR/SEAT. WHEN DEALER NOTIFIED LESS THAN 36000 MILES SAID THEY CUULDN'T FIND ANYTHING, WHEN COMPLAINED AGAIN AT 40000 MILES DEALER SAID I NEEDED NEW BRAKES. THE CAR WAS BOUGHT IN ONE CITY, I LIVE IN ANOTHER CITY AND PURCHASED GM EXTENDED WARRANTEE AND AT FIRST DEALER IN THE CITY I LIVE IN WAS REFUSING TO DO NEW CAR WARANTEE WORK.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10058456 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10081007 · 2004-07-13 (July 13, 2004)

VEHICLE WILL NOT START, BATTERY IS IN GOOD CONDITION, LIGHTS COME ON. I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE IGNITION SWITCH. IGNITION SWITCH HAS BEEN REPLACED AND THE IGNITION CYLINDER HAS ALSO BEEN REPLACED. VEHICLE STILL CONTINUES DO EXPERIENCE THE PROBLEM. *LA

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10081007 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10136978 · 2005-10-06 (October 6, 2005)

DT: THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A BATTERY PROBLEM. THE POSITIVE TERMINAL CAME OUT OF THE BATTERY. THIS HAPPENED ON AUGUST 25, 2005. HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED THE DEALER BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. BATTERY ACID WAS SLIPPING OUT OF IT, AND THE BATTERY WAS IN THE BACK FLOOR BOARD. THEY NEUTRALIZED THE BATTERY ACID AND PUT IN A NEW BATTERY. *AK THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE AC DELCO SIDE TERMINAL BATTERIES. THE CONSUMER'S WIFE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE IN HER VEHICLE. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10136978 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10569043 · 2014-03-13 (March 13, 2014)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH OUT WARNINGS. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,019 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 113,119.

Owner-reported narrative. 113,019 miles reported. Look up ODI 10569043 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10607729 · 2014-07-02 (July 2, 2014)

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 295 IN NJ MY VEHICLE STALLED. THE STALLED AND ALMOST CAUSED A NEAR FATAL ACCIDENT WITH A SEMI. THE VEHICLE AFTER 20 MINUTES AND NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS THE VEHICLE STARTED BACK UP AND I DECIDED TO TRY AND MAKE IT HOME BY TAKING BACK ROADS AWAY FROM THE INTERSTATE. THE VEHICLE STALLED 4 MORE TIMES BEFORE I COULD GET IT HOME. I WAS VISIBLY SHAKEN UPSET AND SCARED OUT OF MY MIND. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 145,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10607729 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10064172 · 2004-03-30 (March 30, 2004)

I AM CONCERNED WITH THE PROBLEM GM IS HAVING WITH THE 4T65E TRANSMISSION. THE ISSUE DEALING WITH SLIPPAGE DUE TO A POSSIBLE FAILURE OF AN INTERNAL COMPONENT. I HAVE A 2002 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE THAT IS DRIVEN BY MY WIFE. I HAVE BEEN A LOYAL GM CUSTOMER AND WORKED THROUGH SEVERAL TSB CONCERNING BOTH OUR VEHICLES. I AM CONCERNED THEY FIX THESE AS THEY OCCUR, HOWEVER WHEN I AM AT 37,000 MILES AND OUT OF WARRANTY WHO PAYS THEN? SAFETY IS MY FORST PRIORITY! IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR (AND GM KNOWS IT MIGHT) WHEN MY WIFE IS PASSING, PULLING INTO TRAFFICE, ET…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10064172 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10081046 · 2004-07-14 (July 14, 2004)

FOR A SHORT 2-3 WK PERIOD I NOTICED MY TRANSMISSION NOT PERFORMING NORMALLY. I OBSERVED 4-5 OCCURENCES OF SLOW GEAR SHIFTING IN THIS 3 WK PERIOD AND PROMPTLY SCHEDULED A TEST OF THE TRANSMISSION. THE COMPUTER TEST IDENTIFIED AN ERROR THAT WAS EXPLAINED AS "INACCURATE GEAR RATIO", WHICH MEANS THE COMPUTER TOLD THE TRANSMISSION THAT CAR WAS TRAVELING AT INACCURATE SPEEDS. THEREFORE CAUSING THE GEARS TO SHIFT INACCURATELY. I SCHEDULED A FOLLOW-UP FOR THE NEXT WEEK TO LEAVE THE CAR WITH THE REPAIR SHOP FOR FURTHER, MORE COMPREHENSIVE TESTING. …

Owner-reported narrative. 49,352 miles reported. Look up ODI 10081046 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10051961 · 2003-12-23 (December 23, 2003)

THERE'S A METALLIC POPPING NOISE FROM THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION OF THE NOISE THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE PLASTIC FUEL TANK WAS COMING IN CONTACT WITH THE FLOOR PAN AND RUBBING. THE AREA WHERE THE COMPONENTS WERE RUBBING BEGAN TO RUST. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDED ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 45,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10051961 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10088521 · 2004-08-25 (August 25, 2004)

WHEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, THE FUEL SAFETY SHUT OFF IN MY WIFE'S BONNEVILLE DIDN'T WORK. SHE WAS STRUCK JUST BEHIND THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR DOOR AND THEN PUSHED INTO A TRAFFIC LIGHT HARD ENOUGH TO SET OFF THE AIR BAGS. AFTER BOTH IMPACTS THE CAR WAS STILL RUNNING AND HAD TO BE SHUT OFF BY THE IGNITION KEY. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO FUEL LEAK. NO INJURIES DUE TO THE FAILURE.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 43,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10088521 at NHTSA ↗