vehicle signal
U.S. public vehicle records

Pontiac BONNEVILLE problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

1,596 owner complaints analyzed

40 distinct recall campaigns

78,015 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1965 to 2005 model years. Data snapshot: . 732 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine And Engine Cooling is the most frequently named component, appearing in 115 of 1,596 complaints (7.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Steering behavior22013.8%
Braking behavior19112.0%
Engine operation1368.5%
Electrical and battery issues1237.7%
Transmission and shifting805.0%
Fuel system concerns352.2%

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
115
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
96
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline
96
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe
92
Electrical System
83
Steering
75
Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls
70
Power Train:Automatic Transmission
69
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Engine And Engine Cooling115
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine96
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline96
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe92
Electrical System83
Steering75
Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls70
Power Train:Automatic Transmission69

Engine And Engine Cooling: 115; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 96; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 96; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe: 92; Electrical System: 83; Steering: 75; Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls: 70; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 69

Reported problems by failure mileage

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

Under 25,000
75
25,000 to 49,999
107
50,000 to 74,999
166
75,000 to 99,999
132
100,000 to 149,999
169
150,000 and above
83
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00075
25,000 to 49,999107
50,000 to 74,999166
75,000 to 99,999132
100,000 to 149,999169
150,000 and above83

Under 25,000: 75; 25,000 to 49,999: 107; 50,000 to 74,999: 166; 75,000 to 99,999: 132; 100,000 to 149,999: 169; 150,000 and above: 83

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (169). 864 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.

1995
111
1996
51
2000
152
2001
124
2002
183
2003
212
2004
245
2005
102
2006
77
2007
56
2008
60
2009
38
2010
29
2011
24
2012
12
2013
12
2014
54
2015
22
2016
13
2017
5
2018
3
2019
4
2020
3
2021
2
2026
2
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
1995111
199651
2000152
2001124
2002183
2003212
2004245
2005102
200677
200756
200860
200938
201029
201124
201212
201312
201454
201522
201613
20175
20183
20194
20203
20212
20262

1995: 111; 1996: 51; 2000: 152; 2001: 124; 2002: 183; 2003: 212; 2004: 245; 2005: 102; 2006: 77; 2007: 56; 2008: 60; 2009: 38; 2010: 29; 2011: 24; 2012: 12; 2013: 12; 2014: 54; 2015: 22; 2016: 13; 2017: 5; 2018: 3; 2019: 4; 2020: 3; 2021: 2; 2026: 2

Pattern summary

Engine And Engine Cooling leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 220 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 191 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 136 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 973198 · 1995-10-10 (October 10, 1995)

PURCHASE CAR USED THE RACK AND PINION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED . TT CONSUMER STATES THE STEERING IS COLD IN THE AM AND PM EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE WARMS UP THE WHEEL IS HARD TO STEER UNTIL IT LOOSENS UP, AND THEN WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED LEFT OR RIGHT IT LOCKS MOMENTARILY.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 973198 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 972840 · 1995-10-03 (October 3, 1995)

WHEN MAKING A TURN SLOPPY STEERING. DUE TO RACK DESIGN. TT

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 972840 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 480624 · 1995-01-10 (January 10, 1995)

PRESSURE CONTAINING ELEMENT FOR FRONT BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED. *SKD

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 480624 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 747975 · 2001-07-06 (July 6, 2001)

THIS WAS MY FIRST BONNEVILLE THE BRAKES WENT OUT SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING ON BOTH CARS. THIS 1988 BONNEVILLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS BECAUSE DAMAGES ADDED UP TO MORE THAN THE CAR WAS WORTH. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 747975 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 480771 · 1995-01-23 (January 23, 1995)

ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 480771 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 966673 · 1995-06-12 (June 12, 1995)

THE VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING, USUALLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED FOR THE FIRST TIME ON A PATICULAR DAY. TT

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 966673 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 748501 · 2001-07-15 (July 15, 2001)

THE ALTERNATOR ON MY 1988 BONNEVILLE SSE HAS FAILED FIVE TIMES SINCE NEW, THE LAST TIME AFTER ONLY LESS THAN 18K MILES AND LESS THAN 2 YEARS, EACH TIME STRANDING ME. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT ALL BONNEVILLES FROM 1987 THROUGH MID-1992 MODEL YEAR HAVE VERY HIGH FAILURE RATES ON ALTNERNATORS, PERHAPS BECAUSE THE ALTERNATORS WERE TOO SMALL FOR THE ELECTRICAL LOAD ON THE BONNEVILLE. THIS REPRESENTS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD FOR THE OWNERS OF THESE BONNEVILLES, INCLUDING ME, BECAUSE WHEN THE ALTERNATOR FAILS, IT STRANDS THE OWNER. A RECALL IS CLE…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 748501 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 959601 · 1995-02-06 (February 6, 1995)

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ALTERNATOR; BEEN REPLACE ABOUT THREE AND CAR WOULDN'T START. TT

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 959601 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10250651 · 2008-12-03 (December 3, 2008)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH IN COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINE SEPARATED AND CAUSED TRANSMISSION FLUID TO LEAK EXCESSIVELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 96V015000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES); THEREFORE, THEY WOULD NOT ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 190,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 190,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10250651 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 958637 · 1995-01-12 (January 12, 1995)

AUTO TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE. TT

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 958637 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 970737 · 1995-08-17 (August 17, 1995)

PURCHASE CAR USED HAD TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP FIVE TIMES HAD CAR FOR THREE YEARS. TT

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 970737 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 967486 · 1995-06-22 (June 22, 1995)

VEHICLE STALL WITH WARNING, IN FOR REPAIR COMPUTER, THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR, AND ALSO FUEL PUMP. TT

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 967486 at NHTSA ↗

Compare model years

Recalls by model year

All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.

Recall campaigns

Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.

1989
1
1990
0
1991
1
1992
3
1993
1
1994
0
1995
1
1996
2
1997
1
1998
1
1999
3
2000
2
2001
0
2002
2
2003
2
2004
0
2005
0
Recall campaigns data
CategoryCount
19891
19900
19911
19923
19931
19940
19951
19962
19971
19981
19993
20002
20010
20022
20032
20040
20050

1989: 1; 1990: 0; 1991: 1; 1992: 3; 1993: 1; 1994: 0; 1995: 1; 1996: 2; 1997: 1; 1998: 1; 1999: 3; 2000: 2; 2001: 0; 2002: 2; 2003: 2; 2004: 0; 2005: 0

Year-by-year records

Pontiac BONNEVILLE model-year comparison
Model yearComplaintsRecallsChange in recalls
196501Not available
196602+1
196902Not available
197102Not available
1972020
197401Not available
197503+2
197601-2
197704+3
197822-2
197911-1
198201Not available
198401Not available
198510-1
198611+1
1987113+2
1988130-3
1989161+1
1990250-1
1991131+1
1992673+2
1993711-2
1994560-1
19951781+1
19961142+1
19971071-1
199825010
19991293+2
20002142-1
20011290-2
2002892+2
20035420
2004280-2
20052700