2002 Pontiac MONTANA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
126 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
60,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: . 86 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling is the most frequently named component, appearing in 10 of 126 complaints (7.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 26 | 20.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 14 | 11.1% |
| Transmission and shifting | 6 | 4.8% |
| Steering behavior | 3 | 2.4% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 1.6% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 0.8% |
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 | 10 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 9 |
| Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights | 8 |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch | 8 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 7 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 6 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe | 5 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 5 |
Engine And Engine Cooling: 10; Fuel System, Gasoline: 9; Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights: 8; Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch: 8; Fuel/Propulsion System: 7; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 6; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe: 5; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 5
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 12 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 15 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 30 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 12 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 12 |
| 150,000 and above | 5 |
Under 25,000: 12; 25,000 to 49,999: 15; 50,000 to 74,999: 30; 75,000 to 99,999: 12; 100,000 to 149,999: 12; 150,000 and above: 5
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (30). 40 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 |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2002 | 11 |
| 2003 | 13 |
| 2004 | 26 |
| 2005 | 15 |
| 2006 | 18 |
| 2007 | 11 |
| 2008 | 5 |
| 2009 | 5 |
| 2010 | 4 |
| 2011 | 4 |
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2013 | 4 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 3 |
2001: 1; 2002: 11; 2003: 13; 2004: 26; 2005: 15; 2006: 18; 2007: 11; 2008: 5; 2009: 5; 2010: 4; 2011: 4; 2012: 3; 2013: 4; 2015: 1; 2016: 2; 2017: 3
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 26 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 14 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting 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 10010091 · 2003-03-06 (March 6, 2003)
INTERMITTENTLY THE ABS LIGHT BECAME INOPERATIVE AND DISABLED THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE. *JB *TS
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10010091 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10012239 · 2003-03-21 (March 21, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE ABS BRAKE LIGHT AND THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. CONSUMER STATED THAT AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE WAS STUCK IN THE SNOW. *NLM WHEN THE ABS IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY, THE VEHICLE WILL NOT BRAKE SAFELY, AND THE FOUR/ALL WHEEL DRIVE WILL NOT WORK. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT HAVE THE TRACTION TO GO UP A HILL. ( ABS AND ALL WHEEL DRIVE WOULD FAIL AT ANY TIME) SCC
Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10012239 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10038715 · 2003-09-11 (September 11, 2003)
LEAKING GAS TANK FOR 2002 PONTIAC MONTANA. TANK LINER IS MADE OF PLASTIC. INFORMED THAT THERE IS A 'NATIONAL BACK ORDER" FOR THESE TANKS. OTHER CONSUEMRS MAY HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS. LEAK APPEARED AT 9900 MILES. VEHICLE UNDER MFR. WARRANTY.
Owner-reported narrative. 9,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10038715 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10071310 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)
WHEN THE GAS TANK IS 1/2 TO ALMOST FULL, THE FUEL WILL THUMP AGAINST THE ENDS OF THE TANK WHEN THE VEHICLE COMES TO A STOP OR MOVES FORWARD. THERE IS AN OPEN TAC SINCE MAY 2002 AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THERE ARE MORE MONTANAS AS WELL AS OTHER MODELS INVOLVED. NO SOLUTION AS OF YET, AND I AM GETTING TIRED OR WAITING FOR A SOLUTION OR FOR THE TANK TO FAIL.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10071310 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10038116 · 2003-09-03 (September 3, 2003)
TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 60,00 MILES. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10038116 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10066364 · 2004-04-17 (April 17, 2004)
THE TRANSMISSION IS OUT OF MY 2002 PONTIAC MONTANA VAN WITH ONLY 52,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE ALREADY PUT 4 NEW TIRES ON IT AND ALSO NEW BRAKES AND SHOES ALL AROUND. THIS ALL HAPPENED WHEN THERE WAS 35,000 ON THE VAN.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 52,378 miles reported. Look up ODI 10066364 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10074581 · 2004-06-01 (June 1, 2004)
ENGINE STOPPED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING A LOW SPEED ON THREE SEPERATE TIMES. FIRST TIME WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A RIGHT TURN AFTER TRAFFIC LIGHT CHANGE TO GREEN. THE SAME THING HAPPEND A SECOND TIME AS I PULL INTO A GAS STATION. THIS THIRD TIME HAPPEND AS I WAS LOOKING FOR PARKING SPACE IN THE PARKING LOT. IN ALL THREE TIME, THE ENGINE STOPPED WITHOUT WARNING AND POWER STEERING WAS LOST. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR AND AFTER RESTART THE ENGINE AFTER SHIFT TO PARK. THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR AFTE…
Owner-reported narrative. 27,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10074581 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10318080 · 2010-03-09 (March 9, 2010)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PONTIAC MONTANA. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 40 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE MADE IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE DRIVER TO MAINTAIN CONTROL IN STEERING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 91,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 91,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10318080 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10069431 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)
MY VEHICHLE IS ON IT'S FOURTH BATTERY AND ONLY HAS 1200 MILES . IF THE VAN IS PARKED FOR MORE THAN A DAY THEN IT DRAINS THE BATTERY. THEY CAN'T SEEM TO FIND THE PROBLEM. I TOLD THEM TO CALL THE FACTORY FOR HELP BUT I DOUBT IF THEY WILL DO SO.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10069431 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10347829 · 2010-08-06 (August 6, 2010)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PONTIAC MONTANA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SPORADICALLY, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND WOULD NOT TURN OVER. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE CONTACT WOULD ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO SIT FOR TEN MINUTES AFTER ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE. THE RADIO, AIR CONDITIONER AND POWER WINDOWS WOULD OPERATE BUT THE VEHICLE STILL WOULD NOT START. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE ANTI-THEFT PASS LOCK SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 195,000 AND THE…
Owner-reported narrative. 195,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10347829 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 8004023 · 2002-02-13 (February 13, 2002)
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL THEN JUMP INTO GEAR, DEALER WAS CONTACTED, REPLACED TRANSMISSIOM, CONSUMER STATED THAT DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 8004023 at NHTSA ↗