2002 Pontiac Bonneville engine problems

ENGINE

CAR WILL RE-START ON ITS OWN AFTER KEY IS REMOVED. AFTER PARKING AND SHUTTING OFF THE CAR, THEN REMOVING THE KEY AND OPENING THE DRIVER'S DOOR TO EXIT: IF YOU ACCIDENTALLY PRESS THE UPPER PART OF THE LOCK BUTTON ON THE DOOR (THE UNLOCK FUNCTION) INSTEAD OF PRESSING THE LOWER PART OF THE LOCK BUTTON (THE LOCK FUNCTION), THE CAR WILL RE-START ITSELF. IT THEN CANNOT BE TURNED OFF BECAUSE THE IGNITION SWITCH IS ALREADY IN THE OFF POSITION. THE ONLY WAY TO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE IS TO JIGGLE THE SHIFTER.

NHTSA complaint #10864729 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD DRIVE EXTREMELY ROUGH AS IF IT COULD HAVE STALLED WHEN THERE WAS A QUARTER TANK OF FUEL OR LESS. IN ADDITION, THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V238000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA complaint #10611278 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 295 IN NJ MY VEHICLE STALLED. THE STALLED AND ALMOST CAUSED A NEAR FATAL ACCIDENT WITH A SEMI. THE VEHICLE AFTER 20 MINUTES AND NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS THE VEHICLE STARTED BACK UP AND I DECIDED TO TRY AND MAKE IT HOME BY TAKING BACK ROADS AWAY FROM THE INTERSTATE. THE VEHICLE STALLED 4 MORE TIMES BEFORE I COULD GET IT HOME. I WAS VISIBLY SHAKEN UPSET AND SCARED OUT OF MY MIND.

NHTSA complaint #10607729 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH OUT WARNINGS. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,019 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 113,119.

NHTSA complaint #10569043 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT SMELLED BURNING MOTOR OIL COMING FROM THE ENGINE. A REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY ADVISED THE CONTACT TO HAVE THE DEALER DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE. HE WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THEIR DECISION ON WHETHER OR NOT THEY WILL ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER ALSO STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V118000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,290 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 38,300.

NHTSA complaint #10265299 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. WHILE DRIVING DOWNHILL AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, OIL LEAKS ONTO THE VALVE COVER MANIFOLD. SMOKE APPEARS UNDER THE HOOD AND THE CONTACT SMELLS BURNING OIL. WHEN THE HOOD IS LIFTED, HE CAN SEE THE OIL ON THE VALVE COVER MANIFOLD. THE CONTACT MUST CHECK THE OIL LEVEL MONTHLY. HIS NEIGHBOR INFORMED HIM THAT THERE MAY BE A RECALL RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO COLANDREA PONTIAC IN NEW YORK AND THEY STATED THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER A RECALL, AND WILL COST APPROXIMATELY $300- $500 TO REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 93,895.

NHTSA complaint #10230951 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

3/13/2007 COOLANT LEAK IN LOWER AND UPPER GASKETS AT 65,600 MILES. REQUIRED REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF LOWER AND UPPER GASKETS AND UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD. EVIDENTLY A GM PROBLEM WITH GASKETS. $700 REPAIR ON CAR THAT HAS BEEN WELL TAKEN CARE OF BY ORIGINAL OWNER AND ONLY DRIVER OF VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #10200415 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

THE TIP OF A SPARK PLUG BROKE OFF INTO THE PISTON CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. GM HAS REFUSED TO REIMBURSE ME FOR MY REPLACEMENT ENGINE.

NHTSA complaint #10187127 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

COOLANT LEAKING FROM THE PLENIUM GASKET, CRACKED MANIFOLD.

NHTSA complaint #10186440 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TL*- THE CONTACT STATES THAT THE ENGINE COOLANT IS LEAKING AT THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE CONTACT STATES THAT THERE WAS A SAFETY CAMPAIGN REGARDING THE SAME ISSUE HE HAS WITH HIS VEHICLE AND THAT HE WASN'T AWARE ABOUT THE ISSUE UNTIL HE WAS DOING RESEARCH ONLINE. BY THE TIME THE CONTACT FOUND OUT ABOUT THE SAFETY CAMPAIGN THE TIME FOR THE CAMPAIGN HAD EXPIRED. THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED BECAUSE WHEN HE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WITH HIS VEHICLE IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING WITH VARIOUS 2002 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE.

NHTSA complaint #10176733 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

I RECEIVED A RECALL REPAIR FOR MY 2002 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE-CAMPAIGN #03034. IF I HAD REPLACED THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, THROTTLE BODY NUTS, OR THROTTLE BODY GASKET BEFORE AUGUST 8, 2003, I WOULD HAVE BEEN ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT. SINCE I ONLY HAD OWNED THE CAR FOR 1 YEAR AT THAT TIME AND HAD NOT REPLACED THESE ITEMS, I HAD A RECALL REPAIR DONE ON 11-10-03. I MENTIONED AT THE TIME THAT WHEN I COME INTO MY GARAGE, I COULD SMELL HOT COOLANT. THE SHOP FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE RECALL REPAIR TO REPLACE THE THROTTLE BODY NUTS AND ADDED SOMETHING SIMILAR TO A "STOP LEAK". WE TRIED AT THAT TIME TO GET A BETTER "FIX" TO PROPERLY REPAIR POSSIBLE PROBLEM, BUT THIS IS ALL SHOP WOULD DO. NOW, AFTER MY WARRANTY IS OVER, I WAS TOLD THAT I NEED TO REPLACE MY UPPER INTAKE GASKET KIT SINCE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET IS LEAKING COOLANT EXTERNALLY.

NHTSA complaint #10142329 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

THE CONSUMER LOST STEERING CONTROL WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO BRING THE VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL WITHOUT BEING INVOLVED IN A VEHICLE CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE HIGH PRESSURE HOSE FOR THE POWER STEERING ASSIST ERUPTED. THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED SINCE A SIMILAR INCIDENT OCCURRED BEFORE. *AK THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT WAS REPLACED, BOTH FRONT WINDOW LIFT MOTORS WERE REPLACED, WATER LEAKED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR, THERE WAS AN EXTREME AMOUNT OF ENGINE NOISE AS WELL AS HEAT AND EXHAUST ENTERING THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, THERE WAS TWO INCHES OF PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL, THE STEERING LOCKED UP, THERE WAS A LACK OF POWER STEERING FLUID IN THE RESERVOIR, HIGH PRESSURE HOSE FLUID LEAKED ALL OVER THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND THROUGHOUT THE ENGINE, THE UPPER NUT AND THE BOLT THAT HELD THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT TO THE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY WAS EXTREMELY LOOSE.

NHTSA complaint #10103751 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

CAR WAS BROUGHT INTO OTTO OLDSMOBILE DEALERSHIP WITH 64K FOR A WARRANTY REPLACEMENT OF A WATERPUMP AND FOR A SQUEALING NOISE. WAS TOLD THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS LEAKING AND THE ESTIMATED REPAIR WAS 600, WITH THE SERPENTINE BELT AND THE WATERPUMP LABOR TOTAL REPAIR WAS 1100. CAR WAS DRIVEN TWICE AFTER REPAIR, LESS THAN 200 MILES WHEN SQUEALING RETURNED AND ENGINE SEIZED FROM COOLANT ENTERING CYLINDER NUMBER FOUR AS A RESULT OF THE MANIFOLD LEAK. CAR SAT IN DEALERSHIP FOR THREE MONTHS WHILE WE HAGGLED WITH THEM AND GM FOR REPLACEMENT COSTS. GM DENIES RESPONSIBILITY AND CAR HAD AN ENGINE INSTALLED FROM A JUNKYARD AT A TOTAL COST OF 350. CAR IS CURRENTLY STILL SQUEALING.

NHTSA complaint #10069787 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

CAR WAS BROUGHT INTO OTTO OLDSMOBILE DEALERSHIP WITH 64K FOR A WARRANTY REPLACEMENT OF A WATERPUMP AND FOR A SQUEALING NOISE. WAS TOLD THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS LEAKING AND THE ESTIMATED REPAIR WAS 600, WITH THE SERPENTINE BELT AND THE WATERPUMP LABOR TOTAL REPAIR WAS 1100. CAR WAS DRIVEN TWICE AFTER REPAIR, LESS THAN 200 MILES WHEN SQUEALING RETURNED AND ENGINE SEIZED FROM COOLANT ENTERING CYLINDER NUMBER FOUR AS A RESULT OF THE MANIFOLD LEAK. CAR SAT IN DEALERSHIP FOR THREE MONTHS WHILE WE HAGGLED WITH THEM AND GM FOR REPLACEMENT COSTS. GM DENIES RESPONSIBILITY AND CAR HAD AN ENGINE INSTALLED FROM A JUNKYARD AT A TOTAL COST OF 350. CAR IS CURRENTLY STILL SQUEALING.

NHTSA complaint #10069787 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.