FaultScore

1999 Pontiac Bonneville electrical problems

23 of the 176 complaints about the 1999 Pontiac Bonneville are about the electrical system — 13% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 130,000 miles.

C

23

Complaints

1

Crashes

1

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Ignition 6 26.1%
Alternator/Generator/Regulator 4 17.4%
Horn 3 13.0%
Electrical System 3 13.0%
12V/24V/48V Battery 2 8.7%
Module 2 8.7%
Front Underhood 1 4.3%
Wiring 1 4.3%
Interior/Under Dash 1 4.3%

Electrical System across every Pontiac Bonneville year

1992 20 6.8%
1993 23 7.8%
1994 22 7.5%
1995 44 14.9%
1996 21 7.1%
1997 30 10.2%
1998 32 10.8%
1999 23 7.8%
2000 32 10.8%
2001 16 5.4%
2002 11 3.7%
2003 10 3.4%
2004 11 3.7%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 136,589 miles Clearmont, FL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

' TAKATA RECALL" DRIVING AND THE CAR CUT OFF..AFTER I STOP THE CAR AND TURN THE KEY OFF. WAS ABLE TO RE START THE CAR. THIS HAS HAPPEN A FEW TIMES. THIS IS NOT A SAFE THING WHEN DRIVING ON THE FREE WAYS ....I WAS IN MOTION AND ON THE STREET. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS BUT WAS NOT WERE OF IT THIS WAS IN 2009 NOW IT 2016 AND THE PART IN MY CAR IS NOT WORKING?

NHTSA complaint #10903615 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 130,000 miles Longmeadow, MA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

UPON ACCELERATING ONTO THE HIGHWAY, AFTER REACHING HIGHWAY SPEED, VEHICLE STALLS AND WOULD NOT START. FLOODING ENGINE, GASOLINE COMING OUT OF EXHAUST, ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART. AFTER RESEARCH AND REPLACING LEAKING LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD, THIS WAS NOT MY PROBLEM THERE WAS NO LEAK. AFTER MORE RESEARCH I REPLACED MORE SENSORS AND EVENTUALLY CYLINDER GASKETS AND LOWER INTAKE GASKET AGAIN. STILL ENGINE WOULD NOT START. AFTER 2 YEARS OF CAR SITTING I UNPLUGGED MAF SENSOR AND THEN IT STARTED FINALLY. FAULTY MAF SENSOR BUT NO WAY TO FIND OUT UNLESS IT IS UNPLUGGED BECAUSE SENSOR DID NOT GIVE OFF ANY PERTAINING FAULT CODE POINTING TO THE PROBLEM SPECIFICALLY.

NHTSA complaint #10604668 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 218,657 miles Rochester, MI

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

CAR STALLED WHILE DRIVING HOME AT NIGHT. NO ELECTRICAL POWER WHAT SO EVER INCLUDING EMERGENCY FLASHERS. NEARLY HAD AN ACCIDENT AND HAD NO WAY OF INDICATING TO OTHER VEHICLES THAT I HAD A PROBLEM. NO LIGHTS, NO POWER STEERING, NO BRAKES, NO BRAKE LIGHTS, NO EMERGENCY FLASHERS. AFTER SLOWING DOWN TO APPX. 25 MPH, POWER CAME BACK ON. I SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL AND WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR AND DRIVE IT HOME.

NHTSA complaint #10258626 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 127,000 miles Freehold, NJ

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS THE ENGINE STALLED, NO WARNING LIGHTS ILUMINATE IN THE DASH BOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO DETERMINED NO PROBLEMS IN THE ENGINE OR ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS. THE CONTACT CONTINUES TO DEAL WITH THE STALLING ENGINE.

NHTSA complaint #10161104 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 22,000 miles EWA Beach, HI

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL CORRODED OUT OF BATTERY. PREVIOUSLY HAD PROBLEMS WITH POSITIVE TERMINAL CABLES(REPLACED IN 2001).

NHTSA complaint #10047657 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bethal Park, PA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

VEHICLE IS SUBJECT TO MISS/STALL WHILE IN MOTION AT ANY SPEED DUE TO WIRING HARNESS BURNING FROM SPARK PLUGS FAILING. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.

NHTSA complaint #8014947 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ST. Cloud, FL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

I PURCHASED A 1999 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE FROM MANAMARA PONTIAC IN ORLANDO FL., USED OUR 3 ED ONE. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING IT TO HER GRANDS AND IT STARTED SHAKING AND LUNGED THEN QUIT ALL OF A SUDDEN. THE CAR GAVE NO WARNING AND AFTER A BIT IT CRANKED BUT RAN ROUGH. I TOWED IT HOME AND CHANGED THE IGNITION COILS, SPARK PLUGS AND A FEW OTHER THINGS AND IT NEVER WOULD RUN. SO I TOOK IT TO STARLING PONTIAC AND THEY SAID THAT THE PLENUM THAT WAS ON THE CAR WAS BAD IN FACT IT HAD A DEFECT. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME (ROY) THAT THEY HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THEM. GM CALLED ME AND SAID THEY WERE CLOSING MY CASE FROM THE BBB BECAUSE IT WASN'T A NEW CAR FROM THE DEALER. I EXPLAINED THAT I SENT IT TO YOU THEM AND OTHERS TO GET IT NOTED. THIS IS A SAFTEY HAZZARD IF IT HAPPENS ON THE INTERSTATE OR IN HEAVEY DOWN TOWN TRAFFIC. I WENT TO MICHAGAN AND WAS TOLD THERE BY GM WORKERS THAT THEY HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN TO THEIR NEW CAR AND THE DEALER FIXED IT FREE AND IT WASN'T WNDER WARRANTY. IT JUST SEEMS STRANGE THAT THEY DON'T ADMIT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM.M

NHTSA complaint #750554 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ST. Cloud, FL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

THE CAR STARTED STALLING AND I REPLACED THE PLUGS, IGNITION COILS (3EA), FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR, TOOK TO DEALER AND THEIR IS A SEAL IN THE INTAKE THAT HAVE HAD PROBLEMS AND IT LEAKED WATER INTO THE CYLINDERS A LITTLE AT A TIME AND THEN LET GO. THEY KNEW THEY HAD PROBLEMS WITH IT, THEY SAID SO. EST COST $1000.00, THEN THEY WILL SEE IF THE ENGINE IS STILL GOOD. SO IT COULD NEED A NEW ENGINE.

NHTSA complaint #748395 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Welleetka, OK Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

CONSUMER WENT TO START VEHICLE ,AND AS SOON AS VEHICLE STARTED , IT BACKFIRED, AND MADE LOUD SOUND. THEN, ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE, CAUSING SMOKE DAMAGE. SHATTERED WINDSHIELD/BURNED FRONT END, AND ALMOST MELTED TIRES. VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. ALSO , THERE WAS A HOLE BETWEEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND BRAKE PEDAL.

NHTSA complaint #879030 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Huston, TX Crash

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

BRAKES DO NOT WORK CORRECTLY. CONSUMER HAS TO STOP AT A GOOD DISTANT TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. ALSO, DRUMS HAVE BEEN CHECKED. LAST MONTH DEALER REPLACED BRAKE CYLINDER. BRAKE PROBLEMS HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *AK BRAKES FAILED FREQUENTLY SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE. THE RIM CRACKED DURING THE ACCIDENT. THE ALTERNATOR AND REAR WHEEL CYLINDER FAILED. OIL PAN GASKET FAILED CAUSING OIL LEAK. A/C FAILED FOUR TIMES.

NHTSA complaint #879031 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

DE Motte, IN

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

VEHICLE WOULD STALL WHEN EITHER TURNING CORNER OR TAKING FOOT OFF ACCELERATOR PEDAL. TOOK TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. HAD ALTERNATOR REPLACED. BUT, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.

NHTSA complaint #878519 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

DE Motte, IN

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

VEHICLE WOULD STALL WHEN EITHER TURNING CORNER OR TAKING FOOT OFF ACCELERATOR PEDAL. TOOK TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. HAD ALTERNATOR REPLACED. BUT, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.

NHTSA complaint #878519 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Livingston, NJ

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

CAR STALLS WHILE DRIVING. NO POWER BRAKES, NO POWER STEERING. CAR STALLED AT 3,889 MILE, 4,372, 6,108, 8,9127, 11,023, 11,772. CLAIRMONT HAS REPAIRED THE A NUMBER OF TIMES.

NHTSA complaint #738645 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Quincy, MA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN

HORN NEVER WORKS PROPERLY.

NHTSA complaint #738648 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

East Wenatchee, WA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

DASHBOARD HAS SIGNAL TO SHOW THAT WINDSHIELD FLUID CHECKED, BUT THERE IS NO A SIGNAL TO SHOW THAT DOORS ARE OPEN. BOOK WHERE IT SHOWS A DOOR CHECKED IS PAGE 2-76 IN PONTIAC BOOK, AND CONSUMER IS CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY MATTER.*AK THE VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE A DOOR AJAR SIGNAL ON THE DASHBOARD. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE LACK OF THIS SIGNAL WAS A SAFETY PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #877662 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Brawley, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE

WHILE DRIVING AT 50 ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUT OFF, LEAVING ONLY DASH BOARD LIGHTS. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID THAT MECHANISM IN THE BRAIN SHUTS OFF CAR IF GOING 95 MPH. SECOND TIME, DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. PUT A MONITOR ON CAR WHICH STILL DID NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, ON JUNE 3, 2000, DEALER FOUND THAT CRANK SENSOR WA S DEFECTIVE, AND THAT IT WOULD KILL ENGINE. THEY REPLACED IT. CONSUMER HAD THE SAME PROBLEM ON 11 OF NOV 2000, SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN.

NHTSA complaint #875337 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Quincy, MA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN

THE HORN DOESN'T WORK WHEN PRESSED AS DESCRIBED IN OWNER'S MANUAL. YOU MUST HIT A CERTAIN SPOT ON THE WHEEL TO HONK HORN. DEALER SAYS HE CANNOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT (3 TIMES) BECAUSE IT'S HOW THE VEHICLE IS MADE. HAPPENS ON ALL 1999 BONNEVILLES I TRIED.

NHTSA complaint #736406 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Clifton Park, NY

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

WHEN THOROUGHLY WARMED UP, FROM A STOP, USUALLY MAKING A TURN, THE CAR DOES NOT ACCELERATE NORMALLY. HESITATES AND ACTS JUST AS THOUGH STARVING FROM FUEL. HAPPENS A THIRD OF THE TIME. ANTI-KNOCK SENSOR IS RETARDING ENGINE TIMING TO A NEGATIVE READING WHEN IT SHOULD BE A POSITIVE 20 DEGREES DURING ACCELERATION. DEALER HAS REPLACED TWO SENSORS AND THE SAME SITUATION STILL EXISTS. DANGEROUS WHEN MERGING WITH OR CROSSING TRAFFIC.

NHTSA complaint #736024 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Godley, TX

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

POSITIVE POST BROKE OFF OF BATTERY LEAVING ACID INSIDE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.

NHTSA complaint #732722 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

MT Pleasant, IA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

VEHCILE JUST STALLED FOR NO REASON. DEALER REPLACED ALTERNATOR TWICE TO BELIEVE IT WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM WASN'T SOLVED. THE 2ND TIME ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED BECAUSE THEY FELT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A DEFECT OF ALTERNATORS. DEALER REALLY DOESN'T HAVE A REMEDY FOR THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #865206 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Boulder, CO

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

RF DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN DUE TO FENDER INTERFERING WITH DOOR JAMB. AT THE SAME TIME, THE ENGINE TENDED TO STALL AND SPUTTER. CAR STALLED ON RAILROAD TRACKS AND PASSENGER WAS UNABLE TO OPEN DOOR. CAR WAS RESTARTED AND NO ACCIDENT OCCURED, HOWEVER, THIS COULS HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS PROBLEM. GENERATOR WAS REPLACED, BUT HESITATION IN ENGINE PERFORMANCE PERSISTS. DEALER HAS HAD CAR 44 DAYS DURING PAST THREE MONTHS. SUN ROOF REPLACED. DOOR / FENDER PROBLEMS REPAIRED TWOCE. FENDERS REMOVED SO THAT INSULATION (SOUND, HEAT) COULD BE PROPERLY INSTALLED. HEADLINER IN INTERIOR WAS INCORRECT SIZE AND WAS REPLACED. DEALER STATES IT CANNOT ASCERTAIN PROBLEM WITH ENGINE BUT ACKNOWLEDGES PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #712088 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Sulphur, LA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN

I BELIEVE THE HORN "BUTTON" ON THESE CARS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. THE MANUAL STATES THAT YOU CAN PRESS ANYWHERE ON THE STEERING WHEEL PAD TO BLOW THE HORN. THIS IS NOT TRUE. IT CAN ONLY BE BLOWN AT THE TWO TOP CORNERS OF THE PAD, AND IT TAKES AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF FORCE TO SOUND. FOR SOME REASON, THE LEFT SIDE IS HARDER THAN THE RIGHT SIDE. I CHECKED THIS ON ANOTHER CAR (OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL) ON THE DEALER'S LOT, AND IT WAS THE SAME. IN AN EMERGENCY REQUIRING THE HORN TO BE SOUNDED, IT MORE THAN LIKELY WOULD NEVER BE SOUNDED; ESPECIALLY BY A WOMAN OR OLDER, WEAKER PERSON. SOME SORT OF REVISION IS NEEDED HERE.

NHTSA complaint #710857 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Centereach, NY

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE

ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE COASTING OR STARTING OFF FROM STOP - 3 TIMES. DEALER HAD A COMPUTER PROGRAM UPGRADE WHICH HE INSTALLED AFTER THE FIRST TWO FAILURES. VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT DEALER - WHO, AS OF THIS AFTERNOON, HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPRODUCE THE FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #704253 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1999 Pontiac Bonneville problems

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