1999 Pontiac BONNEVILLE: complaints, problems and recalls
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.
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.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 30 | 23.3% |
| Braking behavior | 15 | 11.6% |
| Steering behavior | 11 | 8.5% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 8 | 6.2% |
| Transmission and shifting | 6 | 4.7% |
| Fuel system concerns | 6 | 4.7% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 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 |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 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 |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 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 |
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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10002205 · 2003-01-07 (January 7, 2003)
AFTER CONSUMER STARTED THEIR VEHICLE, THE ENGINE BLEW UP, WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THE CAUSE WAS A BAD GAS REGULATOR VALVE. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS
Owner-reported narrative. 99,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002205 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10003909 · 2003-01-31 (January 31, 2003)
THE CONSUMER'S BROTHER EXPERIENCED THE VEHICLE BACKFIRING THE AN ENGINE FIRE. THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING THE REIMBURSEMENT OF THE DEDUCTIBLE FOR THE INSURANCE CLAIM. THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THERE MAY BE A NEGLIGENCE ISSUE, PER NEWS ARTICLE, THAT MAY UNCOVER MORE INCIDENTS OF THIS NATURE. REFER TO RECALL#'S 010601008A AND 99070. SCC REFERENCED IN EA02-030
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10003909 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10004480 · 2003-01-23 (January 23, 2003)
WHILE RUNNING, VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A BACK FIRE CAUSING THE MANIFOLD TO CRACK WHICH CAUSED A FIRE. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS WHEN BACKFIRE OCCURRED ENGINE DIED AND THERE WAS SMOKE FROM UNDER THE HOOD. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE FIRE WITH SNOW. *TT REFERENCED IN EA02-030
Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10004480 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10006877 · 2003-02-10 (February 10, 2003)
THE FUEL SENSOR WAS FAULTY, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LEAK GAS.*JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10006877 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10014183 · 2003-04-09 (April 9, 2003)
I HAVE A 1999 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CAR WOULD NOT START AND I HAD IT TOWED TO DOBBS. DOBBS INVESTIGATED AND FOUND THAT THE UPPER PLENUM HAD WARPED. THEREBY CAUSING THE STARTER TO FAIL AND ANTIFREEZE TO GET INTO THE ENGINE. PONTIAC KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND CORRECTED IT ON THE YEAR 2000 MODEL. HOWEVER, THEY DID NOT DO A RECALL AND LEFT US POOR SAPS TO HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS OURSELVES. SINCE MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY, THEY HAVE SAID THAT IT IS MY OWN PROBLEM. I AM OUT OF POCKET $1,046.96 PLUS $40 TOWING FEE FOR A PROBLEM THEY KNEW…
Owner-reported narrative. 56,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10014183 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10018569 · 2003-05-12 (May 12, 2003)
IN NORMAL DRIVING, THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED AND CAUSED THE COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THIS HAS CAUSED EXTENSIVE REPAIRS AND THE PROBLEMS CONTINUE. *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. 47,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10018569 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10019005 · 2003-05-20 (May 20, 2003)
THE UPPER PLENUM DEVELOPED A HOLE THAT ALLOWED COOLANT TO FLOW INTO THE EGR. WAS TOLD THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM BY THE DEALER AND COULD HAVE LOCKED UP THE ENGINE. *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. 50,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10019005 at NHTSA ↗
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 ↗
Recall history
3 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
04V090000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery
Reported: 2004-02-24 (February 24, 2004)
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3800 V6 (L36) ENGINES AND CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, THE REGULATORS HAVE A MUCH HIGHER THAN USUAL RATE OF FUEL LEAKS. A LEAK CAN ALLOW FUEL TO ENTER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD THROUGH A VACUUM LINE. IF THE ENGINE DOES NOT START WHEN CRANKED, THE FUEL FROM THE LEAKING REGULATOR AND A MISTIMED SPARK CAN CAUSE A BACKFIRE.
Consequence: THE BACKFIRE CAN RUPTURE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE RUPTURE OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CAN DISPLACE A FUEL LINE, PULLING AN INJECTOR OUT OF PLACE, AND CAUSING A FUEL LEAK AND POSSIBLE FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH IMPROVED DIAPHRAGMS. THE RECALL WILL BE CONDUCTED IN PHASED MAILINGS. PHASE 1 BEGAN ON JUNE 30, 2004, AND PHASE 2 BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537, OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.
NHTSA campaign record ↗99V072000 · Wheels
Reported: 1999-04-12 (April 12, 1999)
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH CHROME PLATED ALUMINUM WHEELS. SOME OF THESE WHEELS HAVE A MOUNTING SURFACE THAT WAS NOT MACHINED CORRECTLY, CAUSING THE WHEEL STUDS TO BREAK.
Consequence: THE TIRE/WHEEL ASSEMBLY COULD SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE WHEELS AND REPLACE ALL WHEELS WITH DATE CODES INDICATING THAT THEY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN MACHINED CORRECTLY. THE WHEEL MOUNTING STUDS AT ANY LOCATION WHERE A SUSPECT WHEEL WAS INSTALLED WILL ALSO BE REPLACED.
NHTSA campaign record ↗99V089000 · Power Train:Automatic Transmission
Reported: 1999-04-26 (April 26, 1999)
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4T65E AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 102, "TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER SEQUENCE." A RETAINING CLIP, WHICH SECURES THE MANUAL VALVE TO THE LINKAGE OF THE TRANSMISSION DETENT LEVER, CAN BECOME LOOSE UNDER A COMBINATION OF POSSIBLE DRIVER SHIFTING MANEUVERS AND ALLOW THE LINK TO BECOME DISCONNECTED FROM THE MANUAL VALVE.
Consequence: IF THE LINK DISCONNECTS, THE DRIVER'S INDICATED PRNDL STATE MAY DIFFER FROM THE HYDRAULIC STATE OF THE TRANSMISSION. IF THE DRIVER SELECTS 'DRIVE' AND THE TRANSMISSION IS ACTUALLY IN 'REVERSE', A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE MANUAL VALVE/LINK ASSEMBLY WITH A REPLACEMENT MANUAL VALVE/LINK KIT, FEATURING A SPRING-TYPE FASTENER.
NHTSA campaign record ↗