10 of the
310 complaints about the 2000 Pontiac Montana are about the
lighting — 3% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
64,280 miles.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 PONTIAC MONTANA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TAIL LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE MECHANIC STATED THE CIRCUIT BOARD WIRING WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. AFTER THE REPAIR, THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000.
NHTSA complaint #10507067 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Milton, FL
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY REAR BRAKE LIGHT BULBS MELTING IN THE SOCKETS. I REPLACE THEM AND THEY WORK FOR A SHORT PERIOD UNTIL THEY MELT RESULTING IN THE BULB BURNING OUT AND MELTING AGAIN.
NHTSA complaint #10296690 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 83,560 milesEast Hartford, CT
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I OWN A 2000 PONTIAC MONTANA AND I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY BRAKE LIGHT BULBS MELTING IN THE SOCKETS. I REPLACE THEM AND THEY WORK FOR A SHORT PERIOD UNTIL THEY MELT RESULTING IN THE BULB BURNING OUT. I FEEL THAT THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO BEFORE IT RESULTS IN A FIRE OR AN ACCIDENT. ANY HELP WITH THIS PROBLEM WILL BE APPRECIATED.
NHTSA complaint #10290167 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DRY Ridge, KY
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
FUEL GAUGE READS FULL WHEN EMPTY AND EMPTY WHEN UNDER 3/4 OF A TANK. MESSAGE CENTER ALARMS TELLING ME THAT I AM OUT OF FUEL BUT WHEN I STOP AT THE GAS STATION IT WILL ONLY HOLD NO MORE THAN FIVE DALLORS. ALSO I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE BREAK LIGHTS REPLACED SEVREL TIMES. THE REAR MOTORIZED WINDOW ON THE DRIVER SIDE DOES NOT ALWAYS SHUT WHEN PRESSING THE BUTTON. AND ENGINE IS QUICK TO OVERHEAT. ALSO THE PASSANGER SLIDING DOOR DOES NOT ALWAYS LATCH PROPERLY, LOCK AND UNLOCK WHEN BUTTONS PRESSED. THE SAD THING ABOUT IT IS I HAVE ONLY HAD THE VAN FOR JUST UNDER A YEAR. THE VAN IS ONLY FIVE YEARS OLD AND I AM ALREADY HAVING THIS KIND OF PROBLEMS OUT OF IT. NEEDLESS TO SAY I WILL NEVER OWN ANOTHER PONTIAC (GM).
NHTSA complaint #10125567 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 45,000 milesWayne, NJ
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
REAR BRAKE-LIGHT SUB ASSEMBLY HOLDS BRAKE LIGHT BULBS. EVIDENTLY WHEN USED IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC IN METROPOLITAN AREAS SUCH AS NEW YORK METRO AND LOS ANGELES, BULB HEATING MELTS THE BULB HOLDING SUB- ASSEMBLY DIRECTLY RELEASING THE BULB CONTACTS AND CAUSING BRAKE LIGHT FAILURE. BULBS CONTINUE TO TEST OK!!! ISUAL INSPECTION REVEALS MELTED PLASTIC. WRONG PLASTIC FORMULA.
NHTSA complaint #10104524 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 29,885 milesCanton, MI
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL
PROBLEMS WITH PAINT, GASKETS, BRAKES AND COOLING SYSTEM. *MR THERE WAS A HISSING NOISE WHICH HAD COME FROM THE TIRE AREA DUE TO MISALIGNMENT, LOW COOLANT LIGHT HAD COME ON, THE GASKETS ,OIL PUMP AND DRIVE O-RING WERE REPLACED, THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD GONE TO THE FLOOR WHILE STOPPED AT A LIGHT WHICH HAPPENED MORE THAN TWICE AND SEEMED AS IF THEY WEREN'T GOING TO WORK AT ALL AND HAD TO PUMP THE PEDAL TO BRING THE PEDAL BACK ENOUGH TO ALLOW STOPPING. THERE WAS AN INCIDENT WHERE THE CONSUMER HAD TO ACTIVATE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. THE WARNING LIGHT NEVER HAD COME ON. THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED, THE FRONT BRAKE PADS, RESURFACED ROTORS, CLEANED AND ADJUSTED REAR BRAKES. OTHER PROBLEMS ARE AS FOLLOWED: THE TRIM ON THE DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD HAD COME APART, THE HANDLE ON THE BACK LATCH HAD COME OFF, AND BOTH TURN SIGNAL BULBS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *SCC
NHTSA complaint #10026606 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Pinehurst, GA
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:CONCEALMENT DEVICES
I BOUGHT A 200 PONTIAC MONTANA LAST YEAR. AS PART OF THE PURCHASE THE DEALER REPLACED THE RIGHT FRONT "DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT" ASSEMBLY DUE TO WATER BEING IN THE LIGHT. I NOW HAVE WATER IN THE SAME LIGHT ASSEMBLY AS WELL AS THE LEFT FRONT HEAD LIGHT WHICH HAS BLOWN DUE TO THE WATER IN THE LIGHT ASSEMBLY. AFTER SEEING THIS SAME PROBLEM IN OTHER GENERAL MOTORS VEHICLES USING THE SAME LIGHT ASSEMBLIES I SPOKE WITH TWO DIFFERENT SERVICE MANAGERS AT DIFFERENT GM DEALERS. BOTH SUGGESTED DRILLING HOLES IN THE BOTTOM OF THE LIGHT ASSEMBLIES SO THE WATER CAN DRAIN OUT. THIS SEEMS TO BE A TEMPORARY FIX TO A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. I ALSO EMAILED PONTIAC ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint #10018899 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Flint, MICrash
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:FLASHER UNIT
WE WERE IN A COLLISION (NOT AT FAULT) IN WHICH WE HIT HEAD ON AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS INFLATED. THE VEHICLE HAD MAJOR FRONT END DAMAGE AND WE ARE WAITING IF IT IS REPAIRABLE OR WILL BE TOTALED. SINCE OWNING THE VEHICLE, WE HAVE HAD THE AIRBAGS CHECKED ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE TO NOT HAVE MAJOR INJURIES, BUT DO FEEL THE INJURIES WE DID RECEIVE WOULD HAVE NOT HAPPENED IF THE AIRBAGS HAD WORKED PROPERLY. MANY OF THE EMERGENCY PERSONNEL AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT WERE SHOCKED THAT IN SUCH A COLLISION THE AIRBAGS DID NOT INFLATE. WE FEEL THERE MUST BE SOME TYPE OF DEFECT WITH THE AIR BAGS. DT
NHTSA complaint #769435 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Falling Waters, WV
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING HEADLIGHTS WILL DIM.THEN, RETURN TO NORMAL STATUS. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED; HOWEVER SEEMED NOT TO BE ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #8008424 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Newcastle, CA
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
WHEN HEADLIGHTS ARE TURNED ON AT NIGHT, LIGHTS INSIDE DASHBOARD ARE SO BRIGHT THAT THEY CAUSE DISTRACTION TO CONSUMER WHILE DRIVING. CONSUMER ATTEMPTS TO DIM THE LIGHTS, BUT LIGHTS INSIDE THE DASHBOARD WOULD BE VERY DIM, AND DIFFICULT FOR CONSUMER TO SEE DASHBOARD INFORMATION. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT RECOGNIZED THE LIGHTING AS A DEFECT, AND WILL NOT PROVIDE ANY REMEDY.
NHTSA complaint #873342 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.