32 of the 329 complaints about the 1999 Pontiac Montana are about the transmission — 10% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 66,500 miles.
32
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
POWER TRAIN
AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER MOVES BUT DOES NOT ENGAGE TRANSMISSION.
NHTSA complaint #10578368 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:UNIVERSAL JOINT
TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 PONTIAC MONTANA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE THE BRACKET , BIG STEEL BAR - UNIVERSAL JOINT, WHICH HOLDS THE AXLE IN PLACE BROKE RIGHT IN THE CENTER, AND THE WHEEL WENT RIGHT UNDER THE BUMPER AND ALMOST FLIPPED THE VEHICLE OVER. UNIVERSAL JOINT SHEARED OFF, LETTING THE AXLE RIP THROUGH HARNESS SENSOR HUB, STEEL BRAKE LINE, SHOCKS, MUFFLER, RUBBER INSULATORS, AND THE REAR COIL SPRINGS WERE FOUND ON THE GROUND. THE CONTACT WAS PULLING OUT OF A SCHOOL PARKING LOT DRIVING 2 MPH AND IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THE CONTACT HAS PICTURES OF THE INCIDENT. THE CONTACT FILED A CLAIM WITH THE MANUFACTURER ,AND THE MANUFACTURER DENIED ANY RESPONSIBILITY. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE BOTH 12700.
NHTSA complaint #10184519 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. WHEN CHANGING GEARS TRANSMISSION HAD A HARD SHIFT. WHEN STARTING FROM ONE GEAR TO ANOTHER THERE WAS A WINDING NOISE THAT COULD BE HEARD WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. *AK CONSUMER FELT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10110945 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
1999 PONTIAC MONTANNA MINIVAN. THE TRANSMISSION REPEATEDLY SLAMS / HAMMERS INTO GEAR. RESOLUTION IS TO STOP VAN AND RESTART VEHICLE, MOST TIMES THIS STOPS IT UNTILL IT STARTS ACTING UP AGAIN. THIS CAN HAPPEN 7 TIMES IN A 50 MILE TRIP OR ONLY ONCE. THIS IS DANGEROUS TO HAVE TO STOP IN HEAVY TRAFFIC TO DO THIS. THE POWER DOOR IS ALSO A PROBLEM. WILL NOT SHUT PROPERLY, HAVE TO CLOSE 3 TIMES BEFORE IT WILL FINALLY CLOSE.
NHTSA complaint #10098145 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
INTERMITTENTLY TRANSMISSION WILL SHIFT VERY ROUGH AND HARD, AND TRANSMISSION EMITS A WHINING NOISE. ONCE IT STARTS, IT CONTINUES UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF AND RESETS. IT APPEARS TO BE HAPPENING WHEN THE TEMPERATURE OF THE VEHICLE INCREASES TO ABOUT 210, BUT IT'S NOT CONSISTENT. ALSO HAD INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS REPLACES FOR $700.
NHTSA complaint #10088537 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY IN COLD WEATHER. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES; HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED.
NHTSA complaint #10087853 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
AT ROUGHLY 2K MILES, THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. THEN AGAIN AT 28K MILES, ANOTHER REPLACEMENT. BOTH WERE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT I TRIED TO GET THE LOCAL DEALER AND GM TO BUY IT BACK SINCE IT WAS UNTRUSTWORTHY FOR MY FAMILY. THE MOST MY THREATS COULD DO WAS GET AN EXTENDED 60K/$0 DEDUCTABLE WARRANTY OUT OF GM. THEN AT 56.5K MILES, THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET PROBLEM GOT ME. THIS ALSO RESULTED IN A WATER PUMP REPLACEMENT.
NHTSA complaint #10069425 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
HEAT & ENGINE LOW COOLANT LIGHT ON;HEATER BLOWER INOP AT SOME SPEEDS(REPLACE INTAKE GASKET AND BLOWER FAN RESISTOR PAINT PAINT BUBBLED ON HOOD TRANSMISSION HARSH SHIFTING (FAULTY PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID) WHEEL NOISE IN BEARING (REPLACE WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLY) BRAKES A.B.S LIGHT ALWAYS COMES ON(LOOSE WIRES;DISCONNECTED WIRE FAULTY SENSOR)ONGOING PROBLEM NOT FIXED(REAR WIPER MOTOR;PASSENGER MIRROR KEEPS SHIFTING;NO HEAT CONTROL IN POSITION HALF WINDOW HALF FLOOR
NHTSA complaint #10071324 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
ENGINE. POOR GASKET/COOLANT DESIGN ALLOWED COOLANT TO LEAK INTO ENGINE CAUSING CAM BEARINGS TO SIEZE CAUSING MY CAM SHAFT TO BREAK. VEHICLE IS STILL 1,500KM AWAY AT A DEALERSHIP WHO IS CURRENTLY REPLACING WITH NEW ENGINE. MY COST= ENGINE+LABOUR+EXTRA WEEK HOLIDAY FOR BEING STRANDED+PLANE TICKET TO RETURN HOME {AND TO FLY BACK TO PICK IT UP ONCE EVERYTHING IS REPAIRED} I CHECKED THE INTERNET ON A HUNCH AND WAS ABSOLUTLY AMAZED AT THE EXTREAMLY HIGH AMOUND OF PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. THE SMACKS OF A BAD DESIGN/ INSUFFICIENT TESTING/ AND COVER-UP ON GM'S PART EVEN WITH THEIR BULLITENS FOR THIS AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET.
NHTSA complaint #10071343 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSION WOULD SHIFT GEARS WITHOUT WARNING. THIS WOULD CAUSE A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #10065515 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK. NEEDED REPLACEMENT AFTER LOSS OF COOLANT INTO OIL. EVEDENTLY A COMMON DEFECT. $700. TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AT 24K MILES. DEALER FIXED. AT 79K MILES NEEDED REPLACEMENT FOR $3300.
NHTSA complaint #10062773 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VAN SHIFTS HARD AND OFTEN MAKES A LOUD "CLUNKING" NOISE. DEALER RECOMMENDS ~ $1100 IN REPAIRS TO THE TRANSMISSION, SEVERAL NON-DEALER REPAIR SHOPS RECOMMEND REBUILDING THE TRANSMISSION FOR ~ $1400. PROBLEM STARTED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO AND NOW SEEMS RELATIVELY SEVERE WITH THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT NOW ON CONSISTANTLY. PROBLEM SEEMS TO GO AWAY IF THE VAN IS SHUT OFF FOR A SMALL LENGTH OF TIME. ANOTHER TRANSMISSION PROBLEM AND YET NO RECALL. RED
NHTSA complaint #10051333 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION SHIFTS HARD, LATE AT TIMES. RADIO/CD SCREEN IS GARBLED LOOSE SRS CONNECTORS POWER LOCK PROBLEMS SLIDING DOOR PROBLEMS
NHTSA complaint #10046814 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION QUIT RUNNING WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE WITH NO WARNING.
NHTSA complaint #10031018 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I HAD THREE TRANSMISSIONS, A CRACKED HEAD BECAUSE OF OVER HEATING, WATER PUMP AND HEAT SENSOR, OIL IN ONE CYLINDER, A SHORT IN THE REAR LIGHTS WITH DEALER SAYING I (SHOULD REPLACE THE LIGHTING STRUCTURE ON BOTH SIDES) $200.00. ABS SYSTEM SENSOR FRONT RIGHT SIDE WIRE BURNED THROUGH $500.00. THE $200.00 AND $500.00 I HAVE NOT DONE YET, SHOULD I WAIT UNTIL IT'S AN EVEN $1000.00 MORE TO SPEND MORE MONEY? THERE ARE MORE PROBLEMS.
NHTSA complaint #10010629 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I HAVE A '99 PONTIAC MONTANA WITH GM'S INFAMOUS V6 3.4L ENGINE. JUST HAD THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET JOB AT 56.5K MILES. THIS IS A NOTED PROBLEM, WITH SUDDEN OVER HEATING AND THE CAR STOPPED ON MY WIFE. ALSO THE VEHICLE IS ON ITS THIRD TRANMISSION.
NHTSA complaint #10008416 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE REPLACEMENT COST $2600. THIS WAS CAUSED BY AN INTERNAL RADIATOR FAILURE, WHICH TRANSMISSION FLUID INTO THE ENGINE COOLANT, DESTROYING ENGINE GASKETS AND REQUIRING $1700 IN ENGINE REPAIRS. THAT'S $4300 IN ONE MONTH, ON A FOUR YEAR OLD VEHICLE. NOTE THE NUMBER OF TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS REPORTED ON THIS VEHICLE. WHY NO RECALL? DT
NHTSA complaint #769055 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL HESITATE TO SHIFT GEARS,AND WILL SHAKE IF SUDDENLY STOPPED.DEALER CONTACTED.
NHTSA complaint #8016767 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #755866 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WE HAVE OCCASIONALLY HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTING HARD, WHINING & BANGING INTO GEAR-THIS GOES AWAY IF YOU TURN THE VEHICLE OFF & THEN BACK ON . IT OCCURRS AT SLOWER SPEEDS NOT HIGHWAY SPEEDS & SEEMS TO HAPPEN ONLY ON SHORT TRIPS OR LONGER TRIPS WITH SEVERAL STOPS. RECENTLY THERE WAS A COOLANT LEAK IN THE SYSTEM , WHICH A LOCAL SHOP "REPAIRED" FOR $67 THE FIRST WEEK OF OCTOBER. ALMOST TWO WEEKS LATER THE VEHICLE BEGAN RUNNING HOT AGAIN & WE WERE THEN TOLD IT NEEDED A NEW HEAD GASKET. WE HAD THE VEHICLE BACK FOR A WEEK WHEN AFTER GETTING OFF THE HIGHWAY & STOPPING FOR A RED LIGHT THE VEHICLE STARTED TO STALL & THE LOW OIL PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER PARKING THE CAR & RESTARTING IT -IT STARTED MAKING A HORRIBLE SOUND & WE HAD IT TOWED IN TO THE NEAREST PONTIAC DEALER. THERE WE WERE TOLD THAT THE HEAD GASKET SHOULDNT HAVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED THAT THOSE ENGINES ALMOST NEVER LEAK FROM THE HEAD GASKET BUT APPARANTLY THEY COMMONLY LEAK FROM THE INTAKE VALVES. IN ADDITION, THEY SAID THAT THE GARAGE THAT DID THE HEAD GASKET DID SOMETHING WRONG WHICH CAUSED A BLOCKAGE IN THE ENGINE & PREVENTED OIL FROM GETTING INTO THE TOP OF THE ENGINE. THEY SAID THERE WERE TWO BOLTS THAT WERE LOOSE & EVENTUALLY FOUND TO BE SHEARED OFF & THAT ONE OF THE OUTER HEADES-NOT THE CYLINDER HEADS - WERE CRACKED. I HAVE NO WAY OF FINDING OUT WHAT ACTUALLY CAUSED THE ENGINE FAILURE. I FOUND NO TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS ON THE HEAD GASKETS OR THE INTAKE VALVES. RIF THE ENGINE HAD TO HEADS A ARDIASTIOTNETRSTARTING CCOR.
NHTSA complaint #754280 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
PURCHAUSED USED (6 MONTHS OLD) HAVE NOW OWNED AUTO FOR 2 YEARS. AT 38000 MILES TRANSMISSION STARTING SHIFTING HARSH AT TIMES, HAD TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION. ENGINE HAS STARTED ACTING AS IF IT IS GOING TO STALL FOR NO APPARENT REASON. RADIO HAS BEEN REPLACED 3-4 TIME, DUE TO GARBBLED DISPLAY. MOST RECENTLY HOWEVER, I HAD DOOR LOCKS REPAIRED, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE WIRES TO THE LOCKS WERE DAMAGED DUE TO THE WATER INTRUSION CAUSED BY THE AIR CONDITIONING LEAK INTO THE AUTO INSTEAD OF OUTSIDE THE AUTO.
NHTSA complaint #751373 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
THE TRANSMISSION BECAME INOPERATIVE AND THE PUMP WAS NOISY. NLM
NHTSA complaint #561032 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WILL COME ON, AND TRANSMISSION ROUGHLY WILL SHIFT GEAR. VEHICLE AT DEALER, THEY WILL FLUSH FUEL INJECTORS.*AK *SLC
NHTSA complaint #888433 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN DEALER'S REPAIR SHOP OVER 6 TIMES FOR TRANSMISSION. DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION, AND VEHICLE JUMPS AND JERKS.
NHTSA complaint #886609 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE WILL DRIFT BACKWARD WHEN STOPPED ON HILL IN DRIVE GEAR(FORWARD)AND WITHOUT BRAKE BEING DEPRESSED. SAME SITUATION WILL HAPPEN WHEN IN REVERSE GEAR POINTING DOWNHILL WHEN BRAKE IS LET OFF (THE VEHICLE WILL COAST IN FORWARD DIRECTION). I FEEL THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD CATCH AND PREVENT THIS MOTION. ALL OTHER AUTOMATICS THAT I HAVE DRIVEN HAVE NOT EXHIBITTED THIS PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #740676 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE VAN HAS STALL/HESISTATED IN TRAFFICE WHILE TRAVELING 60MPH. THERE HAVE BEEN 8 VISITS TO TRY AND CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. SPARK PLUG REPLACED, PISTONS REPLACED, MOTOR REPLACED AND TRANSMISSION REPLACED AND TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN WORKED ON FOR A SECOND TIME.
NHTSA complaint #738127 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRAANSMISSION SHIFTS HARD IN ALL GEARS, INTERMITENTLY AFTER DRIVING AROUND TOWN AT SLOW TO MODERATE SPEEDS.
NHTSA complaint #732663 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. YH
NHTSA complaint #552217 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
INTERMITTENTLY, TRANSMISSION WILL SHIFT VERY ROUGH AND HARD, AND TRANSMISSION EMITS A WHINING NOISE. ONCE IT STARTS, IT CONTINUES UNTIL THE VEHICLE RESTS. ALSO, AFTER DRIVING A DISTANCE CONTINUOUSLY OF 200 MILES OR MORE, THE VEHICLE WILL CONSISTENTLY STALL AT RED LIGHTS OR STOPSIGNS UNTIL IT HAS RESTED AT LEAST A FEW HOURS.
NHTSA complaint #719903 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING CAR SOMETIMES JERKS AND WILL CUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.
NHTSA complaint #850623 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.