FaultScore

1997 Pontiac Bonneville brake problems

14 of the 188 complaints about the 1997 Pontiac Bonneville are about the braking system — 7% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 41,500 miles.

B

14

Complaints

0

Crashes

1

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip 4 28.6%
Disc 3 21.4%
Master Cylinder 2 14.3%
Foundation Components 1 7.1%
Rotor 1 7.1%
Hoses, Lines/Piping, AND Fittings 1 7.1%
Mechanical 1 7.1%
Service Brakes, Hydraulic 1 7.1%

Brakes across every Pontiac Bonneville year

1990 17 7.9%
1992 54 25.1%
1993 51 23.7%
1994 13 6.0%
1995 28 13.0%
1997 14 6.5%
1999 11 5.1%
2000 16 7.4%
2001 11 5.1%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 44,000 miles Kingston, NY

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE LINES WERE CORRODED AT EVERY CONNECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO DETERMINED THE BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING DUE TO THE CORROSION. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONTACT THERE WERE 10-15 OTHER VEHICLES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. UPDATED 9/5/2006 -

NHTSA complaint #10165772 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 39,000 miles Mount Pleasant, SC

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT 25 MPH SUDDENLY ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS DIED. NO BRAKES/ NO POWER STEERING. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, DEALER POPPED HOOD, AND NOTICED BATTERY ACID ALL OVER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, AND BATTERY CABLES WERE LOOSE. DEALER REPLACED CABLES, AND PUT JELLY AROUND THEM. FIVE DAYS LATER, CABLES WERE LOOSE AGAIN. CAUSE UNKNOWN. THE CABLE HAS LOOSEN AGAIN AND VEHICLE STALLED AND LOST ALL POWER. CONSUMER WAS LEFT STRANDED.

NHTSA complaint #10033603 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Highland Hgts., OH

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS VEHICLE AND STEERING WHEEL VIBRATE, CAUSING DRIVER TO HAVE MINIMAL CONTROL OVER VEHICLE. DEALER HAS SEEN 4 OR 5 TIMES VEHICLE, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.

NHTSA complaint #8008574 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Detroit, MI

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS

BRAKES MAKE NOISE WHEN APPLYING THEM. ALSO, THERE IS EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #8000729 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Linden, MI

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #740071 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Holyoke, MA Fire

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WHEN WORK WHEN MY CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE. MY BRAKES STOPPED WORKING AND I WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE CAR. THE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES IN THE MATTER OF A FEW MINUTES.

NHTSA complaint #736443 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Detroit, MI

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR

AFTER INSPECTING THE BRAKES, NOTICED UNUSUAL WEAR ON THE SIDE OF THE BRAKE ROTORS, THEY COULD DETERIORATE.

NHTSA complaint #864406 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Detroit, MI

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

AFTER INSPECTING THE BRAKES, NOTICED UNUSUAL WEAR ON THE SIDE OF THE BRAKE ROTORS, THEY COULD DETERIORATE.

NHTSA complaint #864406 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Rapid City, SD

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #719595 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Rapid City, SD

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

THE PROBLEM STARTED WITH A THUMPING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT/BRAKE AREA OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO PULL OUT OF THE SHOPPING CENTER I REALIZED MY BRAKES WERE GONE. MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO RAPID MOTORS THE NEXT DAY AND WE WERE TOLD THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. JUST OVER 1 YEAR LATER THE SAME PROBLEMS STARTED AGAIN AND AGAIN THE BRAKES WENT OUT AND WE WERE TOLD AGAIN A NEW MASTER CYLINDER WOULD NEED REPLACING. EACH REPLACEMENT HAS COST US A LITTLE OVER $300.00. I UNDERSTAND IT MAY BE TIME TO REPLACE BRAKE PADS BUT I DON'T THAT IS THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH THE MASTER CYLINDER NOT BEING ABLE TO LAST MORE THAN 1 YEAR. THE INVOICE FOR REPAIR OF THE LAST MASTER CYLINDER STATES: "FOUND BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO FLOOR, CHECKED FOR LEAKS, NON FOUND, CHECKED VACUUM - OK. MASTER CYLINDER LEAKING INTERNAL. REMOVED MASTER CYLINDER AND INSTALLED NEW ONE. BLED BRAKES SYTEM, TEST DROVE, WORKING TO FACTORY SPECS." TO SUMMARIZE, THE ORIGINAL MASTER CYLINDER AND A SECOND MASTER CYLINDER HAVE BEEN REPLACE WITHIN THE 2 1/2 YEARS THAT I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU NEED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #718770 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Rapid City, SD

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC

THE PROBLEM STARTED WITH A THUMPING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT/BRAKE AREA OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO PULL OUT OF THE SHOPPING CENTER I REALIZED MY BRAKES WERE GONE. MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO RAPID MOTORS THE NEXT DAY AND WE WERE TOLD THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. JUST OVER 1 YEAR LATER THE SAME PROBLEMS STARTED AGAIN AND AGAIN THE BRAKES WENT OUT AND WE WERE TOLD AGAIN A NEW MASTER CYLINDER WOULD NEED REPLACING. EACH REPLACEMENT HAS COST US A LITTLE OVER $300.00. I UNDERSTAND IT MAY BE TIME TO REPLACE BRAKE PADS BUT I DON'T THAT IS THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH THE MASTER CYLINDER NOT BEING ABLE TO LAST MORE THAN 1 YEAR. THE INVOICE FOR REPAIR OF THE LAST MASTER CYLINDER STATES: "FOUND BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO FLOOR, CHECKED FOR LEAKS, NON FOUND, CHECKED VACUUM - OK. MASTER CYLINDER LEAKING INTERNAL. REMOVED MASTER CYLINDER AND INSTALLED NEW ONE. BLED BRAKES SYTEM, TEST DROVE, WORKING TO FACTORY SPECS." TO SUMMARIZE, THE ORIGINAL MASTER CYLINDER AND A SECOND MASTER CYLINDER HAVE BEEN REPLACE WITHIN THE 2 1/2 YEARS THAT I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU NEED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #718770 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

RIO Rancho, NM

PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:MECHANICAL

EMERGENCY BRAKE LEVER UNDER DASH HAD BROKEN CAUSING EMERGENCY BREAK TO BE INOPERATIVE. NLM

NHTSA complaint #547320 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Clinton, AR

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

ABS: BRAKE PEDAL VERY HARD. NOT STOPPING VEHICLE. PEDAL AT TIMES GOES TO FLOOR. TOOK TO DEALER. NOT ABLE TO FIND BRAKE PROBLEM, OR UNABLE TO DUPLICATE.

NHTSA complaint #828066 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Craig, CO

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC

CONSUMER HEARD A METAL TO METAL GRINDING NOISE. WENT TO DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED ROTORS/PADS TO FRONT WHEELS. *AK DEALER STATED THE BRAKE ROTORS ON THE OUTSIDE SURFACE WERE BLACKENED FROM HEAT AND THE BRAKE PADS WERE GLAZED. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #819695 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1997 Pontiac Bonneville problems

← Full 1997 Pontiac Bonneville report