10 of the
67 complaints about the 2003 Pontiac Bonneville are about the
electrical system — 15% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
81,000 miles.
C
10
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
Exactly what failed
Electrical System
770.0%
Ignition
220.0%
Interior/Under Dash
110.0%
Electrical System across every Pontiac Bonneville year
Look at the car the car is located [XXX] first of all you start off as a passcode 2 system and then it says passcode 3 system on the thing and I just don't want to deal with this because you have the cut off switch you have the fuel cut off switch but you still have current going through the switch or the fuel they fuel I'll probably leaking into the tank it doesn't start but still sending fuel the oil has excessive amount of liquid in it so does transmission I bought it used the guy goes you know I lost the key go in and remove it I started without the key you know or something like that and I said well here's I got the chamber and I will get it anyway I don't want to deal with this take your car around it took that he sold a mindful but it took the Kelly converter around he didn't tell me about it he asked who did it well he was the city I guess a city bought this car now they're trying to sell it I work clean the electrical Transit system to get a car doesn't work just take it just get it out of it I'm going to be blunt with you just get this XXX car off the property please thank you the XXX had no gas now it shows a full tank of gas just trying to blow me up at this XXX or what just get the XXX out my property man thank you INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11750406 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 81,000 milesOAK Creek, WI
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY CAR SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. I NOTICE IT BECAUSE POWER STEERING IS HARD TO USE AND RPM'S GO DOWN TO ZERO AND CAR HAS SHUT OFF. IT STARTED UP AGAIN. THIS HAS BEEN A REAL PROBLEM. DEALER TESTED CAR AND SAID IT WAS A CRANKSHAFT SENSOR. I REPLACED THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR AND THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. CAM SENSOR REPLACED TOO. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. NO ONE KNOWS WHY THE CAR SHUTS OFF WHEN IT WANTS TO. NOW THE CAR STILL SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING, BUT ALSO IT TAKES 2 TO 3 TIMES TO RESTART. STILL TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT. IT IS AUGUST 2015 AND I NEED THIS CAR. IS THIS A RECALL ISSUE?
NHTSA complaint #10748603 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Pennsauken, NJ
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
PONTIAC BONNEVILLE 2003, CAR WOULD JUST TURN OFF WHILE WE WERE DRIVING. WE DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS TURNING OFF AT FIRST, WE JUST THOUGHT THE STEERING AND BRAKES WERE BECOMING HARD TO WORK. WE WOULD HAVE TO PULL OVER AND TURN THE CAR BACK ON. *JS
NHTSA complaint #10649164 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 97,000 milesRome, GA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FUEL FUMES EMITTED INTO THE VEHICLE AND ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL INJECTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUNROOF FAILED TO OPERATE, BOTH SIDE MIRRORS WOULD OPERATE INDEPENDENTLY AND WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED A WHISTLING NOISE ACTIVATED THAT WOULD LAST FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPLACED UNKNOWN PARTS. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000.
NHTSA complaint #10643528 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 143,875 milesJackson, MI
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION LOCKED AND PREVENTED THE KEY FROM TURNING TO START THE VEHICLE. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE KEY WAS UNABLE TO BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. THE DEALER REPLACED THE KEY, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE SECURITY SENSOR ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS IN SECURITY MODE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 143,875.
NHTSA complaint #10617157 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 7,300 milesGilbert, AZ
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ON 8/1/11 WHILE DRIVING I HEARD A LOUD NOISE LIKE I HAD BEEN HIT BY SOMETHING SO I PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY AND NOTICED THAT MY LEFT REAR WINDOW HAD DROPPED DOWN BY ITSELF AND I COULD NOT RAISE IT BY ACTIVATING THE SWITCH. GM REPLACED THE OPERATOR. ON 12/13/13 MY RIGHT FRONT WINDOW OPERATOR FAILED AND I SHARED THE COST OF THE REPAIR WITH GM. NOW ON 1/19/14 MY RIGHT REAR WINDOW OPERATOR HAS FAILED. I SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND HAVE FOUND THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM. THIS VEHICLE HAS ONLY 7300 MILES ON IT AND IN MY ESTIMATION SHOULD NOT HAVE THESE PROBLEMS. GM SHOULD HAVE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10560775 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 57,420 milesCulloden, WV
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2003 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE SSEI ACDELCO BATTERY LEAKING ACID ONTO FLOOR PAN, EATING THROUGH THE FLOOR OF VEHICLE. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED ON 8/7/2009. LOOKED FOR THE BATTERY ON 8/12/2009 AND NOTICED A SMELL IN THE BACK SEAT. THE BATTERY IS UNDER THE REAR SEAT. THE BATTERY WAS LEAKING ACID ALL OVER THE FLOORS, SHEET METAL AND SEAT CUSHION. THE ACID OPENED A 4" DIA HOLE SO FAR WHILE THE RUST AND ACID ARE CONSUMING THE ENTIRE WIDTH OF THE BATTERY. I HAVE READ OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN FOR A FEW REASONS. 1) ACID EATS THE FLOOR AND ALLOWS THE BACK, SEAT PASSENGER VULNERABLE TO ROAD DEBRIS, POTENTIALLY FALLING THROUGH THE FLOOR, ETC. 2) THE ACID EATS THE FLOOR CAUSING THE BATTERY TO FALL THROUGH THE VEHICLE, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT TO ANOTHER VEHICLE FROM BEHIND, INCLUDING DAMAGE TO THE CURRENT VEHICLE. 3) AS THE BATTERY FALLS THROUGH THE FLOOR, DANGLING FROM THE CAR, SCRAPPING ON THE ROAD COULD POTENTIALLY BE A FIRE RISK TO FUEL TANK, PASSENGER AND/OR VEHICLE ITSELF. A RECALL IS NEEDED BEFORE SERIOUS INJURIES HAPPEN.
NHTSA complaint #10281287 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Channelview, TX
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I HAVE A 2003 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE BLOWER MOTOR HAD INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS BEFORE GOING OUT. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTED TO THE BLOWER MOTOR FOR THE HEAT/AC HAD MELTED AND REQUIRED REPLACING. I WAS LUCKY THE CAR DIDN'T CATCH ON FIRE! THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR. A VERY QUICK SEARCH ON THE INTERNET REVEALED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM NOT ONLY WITH PONTIAC BUT MANY GM CARS AND TRUCKS. SOUNDS LIKE GM HAS INSTALLED INADEQUATE WIRING AND ALL VEHICLES WITH THIS SUBSTANDARD WIRING SHOULD BE RECALLED AND WIRING REPLACED. THOSE WHO HAVE SUFFERED LOSS DUE TO THIS SUBSTANDARD WIRING SHOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR GM'S FAILURE TO INSTALL WIRE OF SUFFICIENT GAUGE TO HANDLE THE LOAD OF THE BLOWER MOTOR. I AM GOING TO ASK FOR THE OLD WIRING HARNESS.
NHTSA complaint #10272564 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Brooklyn, NYFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
VEHICLE SPEAKER LOCATED ON THE REAR DECK CAUGHT ON FIRE. *MR SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING OPERATED, THE SPEAKER ON THE REAR DECK CAUGHT FIRE. THE SERVICE DEALER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND SUGGESTED THE REMOVAL OF ALL NON-ESSENTIAL FUSES AND ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS IMMEDIATELY. (WHICH WAS COMPLETED BY THE SERVICE DEALER) THE SERVICE DEALER THEN SUGGESTED THE VEHICLE HAD A DEFECT AND TO RETURN IT TO THE SELLING DEALER. THE SELLING DEALER REFUSED TO AFFIRMATIVELY IDENTIFY THE SPECIFIC CAUSE OF THE FIRE AND INSISTED THAT THE CONSUMER CONTINUE TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED THE DEALER TO GIVE AN EXPLANATION OF THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE, COPIES OF THEIR NTSB, AND A REPLACEMENT VEHICLE. THE SERVICE DEALER REFUSED TO PROVIDE. *SCC
NHTSA complaint #10033928 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Raleigh, NC
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
DASH GUAGES ARE HARD TO READ IN SUNLIGHT DUE TO THEIR BACKLIGHT DESIGN AND LACK OF CONTRAST WITH THE GUAGE BACKGROUND. IN SUNLIGHT WITH SUNGLASSES ON THE BECOME NEARLY IMPOSIBLE TO READ. ALSO, THE SENSOR THAT TURNS ON THE HEADLIGHTS AND IN THE PROCESS DIMS THE LIGHTS FURTHER (MAKING THE DASH APPEAR BLACK WHEN WEARING SUNGLASSES) IS POORLY PLACED AND OFTEN IS ACTIVATED ON SUNNY DAYS IF THE SUN IS ON THE DRIVE SIDE OF THE CAR.
NHTSA complaint #764477 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.