2004 Pontiac MONTANA: complaints, problems and recalls

I HATE MY MINIVAN HORN. THE ONLY PLACE ON THE STEERING WHEEL WHERE YOU CAN BE ASSURED OF SOUNDING THE HORN IS IN THE CENTER OF THE COLUMN - WHICH MEANS YOU HAVE TO TAKE ONE HAND OFF THE WHEEL TO REACH THE HORN. HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER, AND THEY SAY THE HORN IS FINE. FINE, AS IN THEIR SERVICE ATTTENDANT CAN MAKE THE HORN WORK WITHOUT HAVING TO REMOVE HIS HAND FROM THE WHEEL, BECAUSE THERE IS A SPOT AT THE TOP OF THE CENTER AREA THAT WILL SOUND THE HORN, TOO. WELL, I DON'T HAVE 300 LBS. OF THUMB PRESSURE TO BE ABLE TO HIT THAT SPOT AND KE…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10056728 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE COMES EQUIPPED WITH A SENSOR THAT ALERTS THE DRIVER WHEN REVERSING. WHEN VEHICLE IS 2 FEET AWAY FROM AN OBSTACLE THIS SENSOR IS MALFUNCTIONING AND WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN THE DEALERSHIP WAS FIRST CONTACTED ABOUT THIS ISSUE, THEY JUST INDICATED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG, BUT WHEN THE VEHICLE BACKED INTO A POLE BECAUSE OF THIS FAILURE THEY REPLACED THE SENSOR.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10087405 at NHTSA ↗

SAFETY HAZARD WITH 2004 PONTIAC MONTANA WITH SUN VISORS.*MR THE VANITY MIRROR INSTALLED ON THE SUNVISOR DOES NOT HAVE A COVER. WHEN THE VISOR IS USED ON SUNNY DAYS THE GLARE FROM THE SUN INTO THE MIRROR CAUSES REDUCED VISIBILITY. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10089591 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN DRIVING OVER ANY TYPE OF DIP OR POT HOLE IN THE ROAD VEHICLE BOTTOMS OUT. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NOT LOADED THE INCIDENT OCCURS. *TC

Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10089766 at NHTSA ↗

IT WOULD BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO OPEN/CLOSE THE SLIDING DOOR. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10097600 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE HAD MY VAN IN THE SHOP 5 TIMES FOR THE STARTER, AND 1 TIME I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED IN IT WAS STAYING IN GAUGE, AND IT STARTED TO SMOKE AND I WOULD LIKE FOR SOMEONE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT .THE DEALER WILL NOT DO A THING ABOUT IT ALL THEY DO IS CHANGE THE STARTER, AND THEY SAY THE FLYWHEEL IS OKAY. BUT IT KEEPS DOING THE SAME THING SO CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT I CAN DO ABOUT THIS VAN .AND IF YOU WOULD PLESE CALL ME.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 1,557 miles reported. Look up ODI 10098907 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE TWO COMPLAINTS THAT NO ONE SEEMS TO BE INTERESTED IN. FIRST ONE IS THE BACK UP SENSOR NOT CORRECTLY INSTALLED. PEOPLE AT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID IT WAS WORKING FINE, BUT IT ONLY WORKED OCCASIONALLY. IT FINALLY SHOWED ME THAT IT WASN'T WORKING ON A DATE THAT I BACKED INTO A PARKED CAR NOT KNOWING IT WAS SO CLOSE, AND I HAD TO MAXIMIZE ALL THE SPACE I COULD TO GET OUT OF MY PARKING SPACE. LUCKILY, THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THEIR OR MY VEHICLE, BUT IT'S THE IDEA OF A PART OF MY VEHICLE THAT I PAID EXTRA FOR NOT WORKING. ALSO, AFTER HEARI…

Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10104432 at NHTSA ↗

POWER DOOR OF A PONTIAC MONTANA SUV (ALAMO RENTAL CAR) TRAVELED BACKWARDS, PINNED MY WRIST AGAINST THE FRAME AND SEAT OF THE VEHICLE. AND MY WRIST WAS BROKEN. SAME CAR WA SUBSEQUENTLY RECALLED BECAUSE OF SIMILAR INJURIES.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10105886 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2004-04-08 (April 8, 2004)

CERTAIN MINIVANS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 213, "CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEMS." THESE VEHICLES DO NOT HAVE TEXT AND FORMATTING ON THE WARNING LABEL ATTACHED TO THE AVAILABLE SECOND-ROW INTEGRAL CHILD RESTRAINT AS SPECIFIED BY AMENDMENTS TO THE STANDARD.

Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH REPLACEMENT LABELS AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JULY 23, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.

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: 2007-08-08 (August 8, 2007)

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, VARIATIONS IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS OR EXPOSURE TO HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES MAY LEAD TO FRACTURE OF THE FUEL TANK INLET CHECK VALVE (ICV).

Consequence: A FRACTURE MAY ALLOW FUEL VAPORS TO PASS THROUGH AND ALLOW DROPLETS OF FUEL TO ACCUMULATE ON THE SIDE OF THE FUEL TANK. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK. THE RECALL WILL BE MAILED IN TWO PHASES WITH THE FIRST PHASE BEGINNING ON DECEMBER 4, 2007. THE SECOND PHASE WILL BE MAILED ON DECEMBER 13, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080; CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438; OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668. THE VEHICLE POPULATION INCLUDES BUICK RENDEZVOUS AND PONTIAC AZTEK VEHICLE BUILT IN MAY 2003; CHEVROLET VENTURE AND PONTIAC MONTANA VEHICLES BUILT FROM JUNE THROUGH AUGUST 2002; AND ALL VEHICLES REGISTERED IN NEVADA, ARIZONA, VIRGIN ISLANDS, PUERTO RICO, AND HAWAII.