1999 Pontiac MONTANA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
219 owner complaints analyzed
5 distinct recall campaigns
60,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1999 model year. Data snapshot: . 105 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 31 of 219 complaints (14.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 28 | 12.8% |
| Transmission and shifting | 23 | 10.5% |
| Engine operation | 8 | 3.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 7 | 3.2% |
| Fuel system concerns | 5 | 2.3% |
| Steering behavior | 4 | 1.8% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 31 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 28 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 23 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 18 |
| Air Bags | 16 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe | 16 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 13 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 12 |
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 31; Engine And Engine Cooling: 28; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 23; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 18; Air Bags: 16; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe: 16; Air Bags:Frontal: 13; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 12
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 5 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 19 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 45 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 18 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 13 |
| 150,000 and above | 5 |
Under 25,000: 5; 25,000 to 49,999: 19; 50,000 to 74,999: 45; 75,000 to 99,999: 18; 100,000 to 149,999: 13; 150,000 and above: 5
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (45). 114 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 |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 33 |
| 2001 | 22 |
| 2002 | 30 |
| 2003 | 47 |
| 2004 | 39 |
| 2005 | 16 |
| 2006 | 11 |
| 2007 | 9 |
| 2008 | 5 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2016 | 1 |
2000: 33; 2001: 22; 2002: 30; 2003: 47; 2004: 39; 2005: 16; 2006: 11; 2007: 9; 2008: 5; 2010: 1; 2011: 2; 2012: 1; 2013: 1; 2014: 1; 2016: 1
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 28 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 23 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 8 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 10010629 · 2003-03-17 (March 17, 2003)
I HAD THREE TRANSMISSIONS, A CRACKED HEAD BECAUSE OF OVER HEATING, WATER PUMP AND HEAT SENSOR, OIL IN ONE CYLINDER, A SHORT IN THE REAR LIGHTS WITH DEALER SAYING I (SHOULD REPLACE THE LIGHTING STRUCTURE ON BOTH SIDES) $200.00. ABS SYSTEM SENSOR FRONT RIGHT SIDE WIRE BURNED THROUGH $500.00. THE $200.00 AND $500.00 I HAVE NOT DONE YET, SHOULD I WAIT UNTIL IT'S AN EVEN $1000.00 MORE TO SPEND MORE MONEY? THERE ARE MORE PROBLEMS.*JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10010629 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10064030 · 2004-03-27 (March 27, 2004)
1999 PONTIAC MONTANA VIN [XXX] GOOD WEATHER GOOD ROAD CONDITION. WHILE ATTEMPT TO ACCELERATE A BIT AT ABOUT 60 MPH THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN AS THOUGH THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ON. TAPPED THE BRAKES AND MADE SURE THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS OFF BUT CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. PUT IT NEUTRAL AND THE ACCELERATION STOPPED. PROBLEM KEPT REPEATING AND DIDN'T NECESSARILY STOP WHEN IN NEUTRAL. THEN WHILE CAR WAS IN NEUTRAL AND COASTING AT ABOUT 50 MPH CAR SWITCHED INTO PARK ON ITS OWN AND STALLED. RESTARTED CAR AND GOT IT OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND T…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10064030 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10031018 · 2003-08-07 (August 7, 2003)
TRANSMISSION QUIT RUNNING WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE WITH NO WARNING. *PH
Owner-reported narrative. 77,468 miles reported. Look up ODI 10031018 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10046814 · 2003-11-12 (November 12, 2003)
TRANSMISSION SHIFTS HARD, LATE AT TIMES. RADIO/CD SCREEN IS GARBLED LOOSE SRS CONNECTORS POWER LOCK PROBLEMS SLIDING DOOR PROBLEMS *LA
Owner-reported narrative. 53,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10046814 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 719903 · 2000-03-09 (March 9, 2000)
INTERMITTENTLY, TRANSMISSION WILL SHIFT VERY ROUGH AND HARD, AND TRANSMISSION EMITS A WHINING NOISE. ONCE IT STARTS, IT CONTINUES UNTIL THE VEHICLE RESTS. ALSO, AFTER DRIVING A DISTANCE CONTINUOUSLY OF 200 MILES OR MORE, THE VEHICLE WILL CONSISTENTLY STALL AT RED LIGHTS OR STOPSIGNS UNTIL IT HAS RESTED AT LEAST A FEW HOURS. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 719903 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10069738 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)
ENGINE: INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKING. I FOLLOWED THRU WITH A COMPLAINT TO THE BBB AND TO PONTIAC'S 800 NUMBER. I WAS TOLD I NEEDED TO HAVE THE VAN DIAGNOSED AT A GM DEALER BEFORE ANYTHING COULD BE DONE BY PONTIAC. MY DEALER QUALITY PONTIAC IN COCOA, FLORIDA LOOKED AT THE VAN AND AGREED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS LEAKING (NOVEMBER 2002). QUALITY INFORMED ME IT WOULD BE ABOUT $500 TO REPAIR. A PHONE CALL TO PONTIAC'S 800 # PUT PRESSURE ON THE DEALER AND THEY PERFORMED THE WORK FOR $100 PLUS EXTRA FOR A COOLANT FLUSH. THE TOTAL WAS AROUND $1…
Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10069738 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10345982 · 2010-07-28 (July 28, 2010)
FIRST THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW STOPPED WORKING, THEN THE TAIL LIGHTS JUST WENT OUT ON THE 99 PONTIAC MONTANA. THEY WERE JUST WORKING AND THEN ON MY WAY HOME THEY JUST STOPPED WORKING. I REPLACED ALL BULBS AND THEY STILL AREN'T WORKING. WENT TO SEE A TECHNICIAN AND HE SAYS IT IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. AFTER THAT THE RADIO DISPLAY FLICKERS IN AND OUT WHEN THE BRAKE IS PUSHED ON. I'VE SEARCHED TO SEE IF I COULD FIND AN ANSWER AS TO WHY THIS HAPPENED AND THERE ARE MANY WEBSITES WITH THE SAME COMPLAINTS AS I HAVE STATED HERE WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS.…
Owner-reported narrative. 178,280 miles reported. Look up ODI 10345982 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10121607 · 2005-05-19 (May 19, 2005)
I HAVE A 1999 PONTIAC MONTANA WITH A 3.4LTR ENGINE. AFTER 40,000 MILES I BEGAN HAVE FUEL INJECTOR MALFUNCTIONS. ON AUGUST 4, 2004, AFTER SEVERAL INJECTOR CLEANINGS, I DECIDE TO HAVE ALL THE INJECTORS REPLACED WITH OEM GM INJECTORS. UNFORTUNATELY THIS DID NOT CURE THE PROBLEM SINCE I HAVE LATER DISCOVERED, THE OEM INJECTORS FOR GM'S 3.4LTR ENGINES HAVE AN INHERANT DEFECT - THE MAGNET THAT IS USED TO OPEN AND CLOSE THE INJECTOR IS VERY WEAK. WHEN EVER THE INJECTOR ENCOUNTERS SMALL DIRT PARTICLES THE INJECTOR REMAINS SHUT, THEREFORE CAUSING THE…
Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10121607 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10131905 · 2005-08-08 (August 8, 2005)
MY PONTIAC MONTANA HAD A FUEL INJECTOR GO BAD AT 76,000 MILES. THERE REPAIR SHOP WHO DID THE LABOR AND REPAIR SAID THEY HAVE HAD VENTURES AND OLDS VANS DO THE SAME THING. THIS SHOP IS A MASTER MECHANIC CERTIFIED. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10131905 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10066777 · 2004-04-07 (April 7, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING THE SRS LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. ALSO, STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WHILE DRIVING. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO UNLOCK THE STEERING WHEEL. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE BELTS AND OTHER PARTS. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10066777 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10069972 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)
ENGINE-LOW COOLANT LIGHT EVALUATED AND FOUND TO HAVE FAULTY INTAKE GASKET-REPAIRED, WOULD LIKE GM TO COVER UNDER RECALL, SERVICE MANAGER STATED "IT HAPPENS ALOT MORE OFTEN THAN GM WANTS TO ADMIT IN THE 3.4 AND 3.8L ENGINES IN SEARCHING RECALLS, NOTED SEVERAL PETITIONS WITH SAME COMPLAINT. STEERING--HARD LEFT TURNS AT LOW SPEEDS, EVALUATED AND SERVICE DEPT (GM) STATED NO CURRENT RECALLS FOR THE '99 MONTANA, THE RECALL ENDED WITH THE '98 TRANSPORTS. THE SAME PROBLEM SEEMS TO HAVE CONTINUED, WOULD LIKE GM TO EXTEND THE RECALL TO COVER THE '…
Owner-reported narrative. 54,530 miles reported. Look up ODI 10069972 at NHTSA ↗