2000 Pontiac MONTANA: complaints, problems and recalls

PONTIAC MONTANA 2000: MY CAR ONLY HAS 49,000 MILES YET HAS A MAJOR PROBLEM. I JUST GOT A REPAIR ESTIMATE FOR MY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WHICH IS LEAKING DEXCOOL OUT AND INTO MY ENGINE. REPAIR, WHICH AFTER RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET, APPEARS COMMON YET HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED BY GM. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 45,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000820 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKS CAUSING FLUID TO LEAK. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001652 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR VENTS. DEALER DETERMINED THE REAR WIRING HARNESS HAD MELTED, CAUSED BY WATER INTRUSION IN REAR QUARTER PANEL. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001706 at NHTSA ↗

TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACEMENT AFTER 55,000 MILES

Owner-reported narrative. 55,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003401 at NHTSA ↗

00 MONTANA HAS BEEN AT DEALER 3 TIMES IN 8 DAYS.THE LOW COOLANT LEVEL LIGHT CAME ON & WOULD NOT GO OFF.TOOK VEH TO DEALER ON A TUES WAS INFORMED WOULD HAVE BACK IN 2-3.AFTER REVIEW THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD BUT LEAK WAS NOT EXTERNAL SINCE NO FLUIDS WERE ON GROUND.SUPPOSED PARTS WERE REPLACED ALONG W/GASKETS.ADVISED DEALER COOLANT HAD TO BE GOING "SOMEWHERE" IF NOT EXTERNAL; SO REQUESTED FOR AN OIL CHANGE TO BE DONE SINCE BAD COOLANT MAY HAVE GOTTEN INTO OIL. DEALER REFUSED BUT SERVICE MGR APPROVED.VEH WAS RET'D TO ME ON FRI…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10005365 at NHTSA ↗

2000 PONTIAC MONTANA WITH FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET AT 42K

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10005630 at NHTSA ↗

LOW COOLANT LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATES. DEALER DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS A LEAK IN THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD. DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR SEVERAL TIMES, BUT PROBLEM STILL OCCURRING. PH

Owner-reported narrative. 33,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005893 at NHTSA ↗

THE FRONT LEFT BRAKE CALIPER OVER HEATS INTERFERING WITH POSSE TRACTION AND ABS BRAKES. PH

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10006505 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2000-08-07 (August 7, 2000)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES, LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH TRW SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLIES. THE BUCKLE BASE OF THESE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES WERE NOT PROPERLY HEAT TREATED AND THEREFORE DO NOT PASS THE LOAD BEARING REQUIREMENT OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 209, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES."

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE'S SAFETY BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY DATE CODES AND, IF NECESSARY, WILL REPLACE ANY SAFETY BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY.

Reported: 2001-03-08 (March 8, 2001)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINIVANS EQUIPPED WITH PASSENGER SIDE POWER SLIDING DOORS. THE DOOR CLOSES BUT MAY NOT BE LATCHED. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE POWER SLIDING DOOR CAN OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, PARTICULARLY WHEN THE VEHICLE ASCENDS A HILL, MAKES A TURN, OR TRAVELS OVER A ROUGH ROAD SURFACE.

Consequence: AN UNRESTRAINED OCCUPANT COULD FALL OUT OF THE VAN AND BE INJURED.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW UN-LATCH ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY TO THE POWER SLIDING DOOR. THIS RECALL HAS BEEN CONTINUED UNDER SAFETY RECALL 01V-264. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020, PONTIAC AT 1-800-762-2737, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-442-6537.

Reported: 2001-08-21 (August 21, 2001)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: 1997-2001 CHEVROLET VENTURE, PONTIAC MONTANA/TRANSPORT, AND OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH PASSENGER SIDE POWER SLIDING DOORS THAT WERE SERVICED IN CAMPAIGN 01013 (01V-067) FROM APRIL TO AUGUST 2001. ALSO 2001 CHEVROLET VENTURE, PONTIAC MONTANA, AND OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH PASSENGER SIDE POWER SLIDING DOORS ASSEMBLED IN JANUARY THROUGH APRIL 2001. THESE VEHICLES HAVE INADEQUATE FRONT WELDS. IF A FRONT WELD FAILS, THE ACTUATOR CAN JAM IN THE UNLATCHED POSITION AND, WHEN THE SLIDING DOOR CLOSES, IT WILL NOT BE LATCHED.

Consequence: IF THIS HAPPENS, THE POWER SLIDING DOOR CAN OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, PARTICULARLY WHEN THE VEHICLE ASCENDS A HILL, MAKES A TURN, OR TRAVELS OVER A ROUGH ROAD SURFACE. AN UNRESTRAINED OCCUPANT COULD FALL OUT OF THE VAN AND BE INJURED.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF REQUIRED, INSTALL A NEW POWER SLIDING DOOR UNLATCH ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON OCTOBER 22, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020, PONTIAC AT 1-800-762-2737, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-442-6537.

Reported: 2004-12-22 (December 22, 2004)

ON CERTAIN MINIVANS EQUIPPED WITH SECOND-ROW BUCKET SEATS OR CAPTAIN'S CHAIRS AND A POWER SLIDING DOOR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, A PASSENGER USING THE INTERIOR HANDLE TO OPEN THE POWER SLIDING DOOR COULD BE INJURED.

Consequence: IF A PASSENGER USES THE INTERIOR HANDLE TO OPEN THE POWER SLIDING DOOR AND HOLDS ONTO THE HANDLE WHILE IT IS BEING OPENED BY THE MOTOR, THE PASSENGER'S ARM MAY BE PUSHED INTO THE SEAT BACK OR ARMREST AND A WRIST OR LOWER ARM INJURY MAY RESULT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE POWER SLIDING DOOR INTERIOR HANDLE ON THE PASSENGER-SIDE. IF THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH A POWER OR MANUAL SLIDING DOOR ON THE DRIVER-SIDE, THE INTERIOR HANDLE WILL ALSO BE REPLACED FOR APPEARANCE REASONS. NOTE: BEFORE THE VEHICLE IS SERVICED, GM ADVISES OWNERS TO NOT USE THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE TO OPEN THE DOOR. THE DRIVER CAN OPEN AND CLOSE THE DOOR FROM SWITCHES AT THE DRIVER'S POSITION OR BY USING THE REMOTE KEY FOB. THE DRIVER SHOULD TELL PASSENGERS TO USE THE SWITCH LOCATED IN FRONT OF THE DOOR TO OPEN OR CLOSE IT. THE DRIVER SHOULD USE THE OVERRIDE SWITCH TO PREVENT OPERATION OF THE POWER DOOR BY CHILDREN OR BY OTHERS WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH ITS USE. THE OWNER NOTIFICATION LETTER MAILING WILL BE CONDUCTED IN PHASES WITH THE FIRST PHASE BEGINNING ON MAY 31, 2005. THE SECOND PHASE MAILING BEGAN ON JULY 18, 2005. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 31, 2005. PHASE 2 BEGAN ON JULY 18, 2005. PHASE 3 (FINAL PHASE) BEGAN ON AUGUST 24, 2005, TO ALL REMAINING CUSTOMERS. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438; PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668; OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537.

Reported: 1999-09-29 (September 29, 1999)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS WITH EXTENDED WHEELBASE. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE INOPERATIVE FUEL TANK ROLLOVER VALVES AND FUEL LEAKAGE WOULD EXCEED THE PERMISSIBLE AMOUNT IN A ROLLOVER TEST. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 301, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY."

Consequence: IN A VEHICLE ROLLOVER ACCIDENT, IF AN IGNITION SOURCE IS PRESENT, A FIRE COULD RESULT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLES TO LOCATE AND REPLACE THOSE FUEL TANKS THAT COULD HAVE INOPERATIVE ROLLOVER VALVES.