Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - MODULE | |||||
| 536506A | 06/01/1997 | 53-65-06 | 52567 | Driveline vibration over 37 mph (replace prom). *tw | 08/14/1997 |
| CMP/95C11P1 | 12/01/1994 | 39724 | General motors has determined that certain 1995 pontiac bonneville model vehicles equipped with 3800 series ii engine (l36) may have a deceleration stall under limited conditions. this could result in a loss a loss of power steering assis | 11/01/1995 | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING - INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | |||||
| 108150 | 01/01/1995 | 92-8-15 | 39079 | Heads up display and instrument cluster speed differences. *tw | 03/06/1995 |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | |||
| 05/01/2000 | 50000 | ||
| Front and rear windows joint welds break leak into the vehicle starts and the airbag module shorts out and can blow anytime this has not been recalled or looked into after i sent in compliant now some kid riding in raing had his blow out and caused an accident with injueirs and they wanted to buy back the car for $600 ???? are they crazy my white paint also peeled but they wont fix it. so i have a shorted out module leak in my front and rear windows and a two colored car they should go bankrupkt | |||
| 04/15/2008 | 120000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 1995 pontiac bonneville. on approximately five occasions, the contact has had to change the instrument panel switch. during the first occurrence, the tail lights stopped working and the switch was repaired. during the second occurrence, the tail lights, backup lights, fog lights, and instrument panel lights all stopped working simultaneously. the dealer stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 94v190000 (exterior lighting:headlights). the failure mileage was 120,000 and current mileage was 145,000. | |||
| 07/07/2008 | 120000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 1995 pontiac bonneville. sporadically, the head lamps fail, which increases the risk of a serious crash. the contact also noticed that the head lamps could not be turned off or would activate while the vehicle was parked, which resulted in a loss of battery power and the inability to restart the vehicle. she called the manufacturer in reference to nhtsa campaign id number 94v190000 (exterior lighting:headlights); however, her vin was excluded from the recall. the contact would be responsible for the repair costs. also, the paint is abnormally chipping on various parts of the vehicle. the failure mileage was 120,000 and current mileage was 129,000. | |||
| 03/01/2004 | |||
| I bought my car as a used vehicle and have had trouble since i bought it. i have had trouble with the motor, the air conditioner does not work, the cruise control does not work. when it was engaged it would jerk hard ( speed up then slow down) i have no dash lights when i turn on my headlights. my radio lights do not work either when i turn on my headlights. it is dangerous to drive. i need to know what to do to fix this problem. there is also a problem with the passenger door lock. you can not unlock it with the power locks. *nm | |||
| 11/18/2003 | 96000 | 1 | 03/01/1995 |
| All of the dashboard panel lights were inoperable in the vehicle. the dealer examined the vehicle and replaced the head light switch and the connectors. the manufacturer is aware of the problem. *nm *mr | |||
| 07/06/1998 | |||
| Electrical system malfunctioned, causing turn signals/interior lights to go out. also problems with transmission system which slowed down at highway speeds/passenger's door lock which won't open. please provide further information. *ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR | |||
| 06/01/2004 | 71000 | 5 | 03/26/2001 |
| I purchased this car used from a dealer in 2001 in michigan. (i don't think the air conditioning ever worked ). within a few months the traction control went out. it would be on, when the car started, but within driving 300ft. would go out and could not be turned back on from the button. a few months after that all of the dash lights went out when ever you turned on the head lights. this was due to a bad switch & a short. then the cruse control went out. a few months after that we had to replace the head gaskets due to the engine over heating by an unknown cause. 1 month after that we had to replace the engine after throwing a rod and cracking the engine block, due to the fact that there was still fluind in the engine from melted manafold.( this all took place between nov. 2001 & jan. 2002) after that the ignition had to be replaced because one of the wires was severed due to the wheel tilt. (we would tilt the wheel & could not start the car). in nov. 2002 the transmission started to slip, we had it replaced. then all at one time (2003) the battery went dead, the timing chain had jumped a tooth, the cam sensor, and the spark plugs which had been changed a few weeks before. a few weeks after that the engine overheated again due to a leak in the coolant resovoir bottel, this caused the head gaskets to blow again. it is now 2004 we have an ongoing electrical problem. since mid 2003 we have gone through 3 pcm & 3 proms due to the fact the they kept frying ( a result of a bad ground that still can not be found), an altanator due to the fact that it had spikes. the check enging light would constantly come on & when the codes were pulled the egr vlave was listed, we replaced it and still the check engine light came on due to a still bad pcm. now whenever we turn on the blinker the voltage gage moves in time with it due to a short. the rpm's surge at times while car is in motion or at idle, causing the car to satll or backfire. the cause is still unknown. *ak | |||
| 07/01/1999 | 4 | 06/01/1999 | |
| I purchased tis car in june 1999. i ask the dealer before i drove it out of the yard if this car had been serviced, they stated it had. i drove the car on tues. the 15, and it stopped. and had to be towed, i was told it was the battery. i was out on sat. the 4th of july and it shut off in the middle of b'way. it had to be towed, i was told it was the altenator, i was leaving the mall in paramus n.j. in aug.1999 and it shut off i called for a tow and got boosted to get home. it shut off on me again in later sept. each time i was told it was a wiring problem. on november the 22, they picked it up again andi was again told it was a wiring problem. on jan, the 25 i was enroute to work and it shut off and had to be towed, at this time i would not pick it up because i told them i was going to court, because i had been sold a beautiful lemon. the swore i wold not hav e another problem ands i brought it home. only to find the front defogger was not working and i has told them about it before. on march the 21, i tried to start the car and nothing. they said the battery had corrosion on it . they also said the oil pan needed to be replaced. i found after i purchased the car had been in an accident in the front. i was not told this. now the saleman that sold it to me is trying to offer me some kind of deal. i truly need some legal advise as soon as possible. thank you. *ak | |||
| 09/15/1998 | 1 | 01/01/1995 | |
| The alternator whines loudly at any speed. it functions, but service manager at owings mills pontiac advised me to keep an eye on it. *ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - BATTERY | |||
| 04/12/2004 | 7 | 02/17/2003 | |
| I have had this car for just over 1 year, i have had to replace the front breaks 3 times and the rotors 2 times and the calipers 2 times, also the passenger rear wheel cylinder has had to be replaced 4 times and needs to be replaced again, also the drivers side wheel cylinder is in need of repair, all 4 doors will not unlock with the remote and the drivers door will not lock with remote, on third battery for this car and there is still a short somewhere causing a fluxation in the volt meter if the blinker is on, antilock break light will come on and off and breaks have failed several times and make a loud niose if slipping, also have had to replace spark plugs almost every other month and heater blower will come on and off at will. *ak | |||
| 10/24/2000 | 2 | 10/17/1995 | |
| Headlights go out while driving. sometimes when the lights are on consumer can't turn them off. also, vehicle is on its third battery. *ak *tt | |||
| 08/15/1998 | 1 | 12/01/1995 | |
| Battery leaked acid inside the engine compartment. battery needed to be replaced and the acid cleaned.*ak | |||
| 07/01/1999 | 4 | 06/01/1999 | |
| I purchased tis car in june 1999. i ask the dealer before i drove it out of the yard if this car had been serviced, they stated it had. i drove the car on tues. the 15, and it stopped. and had to be towed, i was told it was the battery. i was out on sat. the 4th of july and it shut off in the middle of b'way. it had to be towed, i was told it was the altenator, i was leaving the mall in paramus n.j. in aug.1999 and it shut off i called for a tow and got boosted to get home. it shut off on me again in later sept. each time i was told it was a wiring problem. on november the 22, they picked it up again andi was again told it was a wiring problem. on jan, the 25 i was enroute to work and it shut off and had to be towed, at this time i would not pick it up because i told them i was going to court, because i had been sold a beautiful lemon. the swore i wold not hav e another problem ands i brought it home. only to find the front defogger was not working and i has told them about it before. on march the 21, i tried to start the car and nothing. they said the battery had corrosion on it . they also said the oil pan needed to be replaced. i found after i purchased the car had been in an accident in the front. i was not told this. now the saleman that sold it to me is trying to offer me some kind of deal. i truly need some legal advise as soon as possible. thank you. *ak | |||
| 11/08/1997 | 1 | 08/27/1995 | |
| 2 positive electrical battery terminal connectors were held by an unseen bolt. when wiggled the terminals all power was lost. | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - BATTERY - CABLES | |||
| 09/29/2003 | 2 | 06/17/2000 | |
| Problem description: - car dies in traffic at speeds between 5-65 miles/hour. - car will not start- random occurrence. - electrical surges on dash board (momentary lost of electrical power) when car is in motion. - electrical surge accompanies vehicle hesitation while in motion - speed typically 20 mph and above. - cause seems to be related to battery cable on positive pole. replacing battery, but the battery issue still exists. - car hesitation, or dewing in traffic is a great hazard. this has happened about 12 times in past three months - five attempts to remedy and all were unsuccessful. the repair shop reported that a cable issue is a common problem for cable configuration. incident date reported is the last date this problem encountered. *la | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS | |||
| 1 | |||
| The exterior lighting did not go off at various times. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who took the fuses out to get the lights off. *nlm *ts *jb | |||
| 11/01/2001 | 2 | 10/01/1996 | |
| While driving headlights shut off. checked headlight switch and it had melted. *ak | |||
| 03/25/2001 | 0 | ||
| While driving headlights/ interior parking, and tail lights went out intermittently.. mechanic took panel off to look at wires, and noticed wires were all melted down.*ak | |||
| 05/17/2001 | 0 | ||
| Recall 94v190000/ head lights had not been working, and electrical wiring had burned.also, dashboard lights did not work. *ak | |||
| 05/11/2001 | |||
| 94 v 190 000/general or unknown component: head lights. vehicle head lights/ tail lights and instrument lights were going out intermittently. dealer was notified, and informed consumer vehicle was out of it warranty, and not covered under recall due to vin. feel free to provide us with any further information on this matter. *ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION | |||
| 08/05/2002 | 12 | 10/01/2098 | |
| Loss of complete power on road at turning and speeds above 35 to 40 and at acceleration : passing, etc...computer code reads possible problem with neutral switch at my mechanics. *ak | |||
| While traveling at any speed vehicle would stall. please provide further information.*ak | |||
| 09/18/1999 | 5 | 08/01/1998 | |
| Vehicle has been in shop of dealer where purchased, in independent garage, and in local chevrolet dealer's shop. many parts have been replaced, but problems return. this is very expensive and frustrating!. | |||
| 07/04/1999 | 8 | 07/01/1995 | |
| My car has developed a cronic problem that has made it unsafe to drive. car stalls suddenly and without any warning, in any driving condition. i loose all electrical and hydraulic power when this happens, leaving me exposed to a major rear-end collision. i have brought it to dealership, even though i am now out of warranty. but even a pontiac dealer can not determine the problem. they have turned the car back to me saying that they can't find problem and that it did not stall for them, only to drive off dealer property and have car stall a mile down road. until this problem is resolved i can not use this car for fear of serious situation. i note that there are a number of instances in nhtsa website of complaints and manufactures service bulliten describing same type of situation. *ak | |||
| 03/30/1998 | 4 | 09/30/1995 | |
| Abs brake failure. also, replaced spark plugs wires. | |||
| While driving, experienced intermittent engine stalling 25-35mph, when turning/crossing intersection, causing power steering, brakes and generator to fail. *ak | |||
| While driving under any weather or road conditions, vehicle stalls w/dealers not able to duplicate failure with no clue for remedy. please describe details. *ak | |||
| 07/16/1995 | 6 | ||
| Vehicle stalls when foot is removed from gas pedal. *aw | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - ANTI-THEFT CONTROLLER | |||
| 04/24/2003 | 1 | ||
| The vehicle experienced the same problem as stated in recall #95 v 204 000, however the vehicle identification number was not included in the recall, and consequently the vehicle caught on fire. *jb *scc | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - MODULE | |||
| 03/12/2006 | 4 | 08/21/2004 | |
| I have 2 complaints. first one would be the ignition itself. i had to have the ignition with microchip key replaced due to broken cylinder and have talked to many people with pontiac who say they also have had that problem. i paid $350.00 to have this replaced so i could operate my vehicle. second my tail lights, parking lights and dash lights all went out together 3 nights ago while i was driving home. i almost got hit by someone who did not see me and i hadn't noticed my exterior lights out because i was driving but did notice the dash lights go out. my grandfather, father and myself checked the fuses and its not those. we think it may be the dimmer switch that operates the headlights. i will contact pontiac tomorrow to find out if there is some kind of problem with these. please let me know if there is something so i can have this fixed since i can not drive my car at night for the time being and i have 3 children. thank you so much!*jb | |||
| 09/01/1999 | 01/01/1998 | ||
| The body control module that works the door locks and windows. the clutch on the air conditioner. replaced that then the compressor went out. the radio quit . its had a roar in the rear end ever since we got it. they cannot find the problem. the gauges for heat , speed, rpms,oil, etc. go back and forth when you start the engine then when they stop they don't read correctly. speed doesn't read right. master cyclinder went out 2 times. | |||
| 06/03/1999 | 9 | ||
| Engine continually shutting down while driving, replacement of the ecm on final inspection. mjs | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING | |||
| 01/01/2002 | 75000 | 3 | 05/07/2000 |
| Air bag and power door lock modules short out with puddle of water under front seats caused by leaks in windshield seals. *tr | |||
| 03/12/2006 | 4 | 08/21/2004 | |
| I have 2 complaints. first one would be the ignition itself. i had to have the ignition with microchip key replaced due to broken cylinder and have talked to many people with pontiac who say they also have had that problem. i paid $350.00 to have this replaced so i could operate my vehicle. second my tail lights, parking lights and dash lights all went out together 3 nights ago while i was driving home. i almost got hit by someone who did not see me and i hadn't noticed my exterior lights out because i was driving but did notice the dash lights go out. my grandfather, father and myself checked the fuses and its not those. we think it may be the dimmer switch that operates the headlights. i will contact pontiac tomorrow to find out if there is some kind of problem with these. please let me know if there is something so i can have this fixed since i can not drive my car at night for the time being and i have 3 children. thank you so much!*jb | |||
| 03/27/2003 | 104000 | 1 | 04/11/2001 |
| The wiring harness caught fire. *jb the fire was due to a faulty wire harness behind the steering wheel from the light control switch. the entire switch was melted, especially the wire harness plug hat connected to the wiring harness directly to the switch. *sc | |||
| 05/17/2001 | 0 | ||
| Recall 94v190000/ head lights had not been working, and electrical wiring had burned.also, dashboard lights did not work. *ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING - INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | |||
| 05/21/2007 | 187799 | 6 | 05/21/2007 |
| Tail lights, backup lights, fog lights, and dash lights did not work. the fault wa s the lighting control module which had a recall issued. pontiac was not willing to repair the vehicle under the recall 94v190000 concerning headlight failure. these vehicles were assembled with lighting control modules which can experience excessive current leakage due to damaged surface mounting capacitors. this can cause loss of head lamps and parking lamps. consequence: sudden loss of headlamps can cause reduced driver visibility which can result in a vehicle accident. also, the head lamps cannot be turned off, or they may turn on while the vehicle is parked, resulting in loss of battery charge and inability to restart the car. remedy: dealers will replace the headlamp module. notes: system: lighting; head lights. vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with twilight sentinel lights. note: if your vehicle is presented to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and the remedy is not provided free of charge within a reasonable time or the remedy does not correct the defect, please contact pontiac at 1-800-762-2737, or oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537. also, contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-800-424-9393. *ak | |||
| 06/01/2004 | 71000 | 5 | 03/26/2001 |
| I purchased this car used from a dealer in 2001 in michigan. (i don't think the air conditioning ever worked ). within a few months the traction control went out. it would be on, when the car started, but within driving 300ft. would go out and could not be turned back on from the button. a few months after that all of the dash lights went out when ever you turned on the head lights. this was due to a bad switch & a short. then the cruse control went out. a few months after that we had to replace the head gaskets due to the engine over heating by an unknown cause. 1 month after that we had to replace the engine after throwing a rod and cracking the engine block, due to the fact that there was still fluind in the engine from melted manafold.( this all took place between nov. 2001 & jan. 2002) after that the ignition had to be replaced because one of the wires was severed due to the wheel tilt. (we would tilt the wheel & could not start the car). in nov. 2002 the transmission started to slip, we had it replaced. then all at one time (2003) the battery went dead, the timing chain had jumped a tooth, the cam sensor, and the spark plugs which had been changed a few weeks before. a few weeks after that the engine overheated again due to a leak in the coolant resovoir bottel, this caused the head gaskets to blow again. it is now 2004 we have an ongoing electrical problem. since mid 2003 we have gone through 3 pcm & 3 proms due to the fact the they kept frying ( a result of a bad ground that still can not be found), an altanator due to the fact that it had spikes. the check enging light would constantly come on & when the codes were pulled the egr vlave was listed, we replaced it and still the check engine light came on due to a still bad pcm. now whenever we turn on the blinker the voltage gage moves in time with it due to a short. the rpm's surge at times while car is in motion or at idle, causing the car to satll or backfire. the cause is still unknown. *ak | |||
| 02/15/2004 | 100000 | 2 | 01/14/1999 |
| We have replaced one lighting switch. the wire harness was melted. we asked about a recall on this 2 years ago when it happened. when it goes out we have no tail lights and no dash board lights. by the looks of other complaints we are not alone. with this many complaints about an electrical wiring default where is melts down like ours did or the cause of a fire why is there not a recall on such a dangerous thing. would they rather be sued and be liable for deaths if a person is caught in their vehicle when it catches on fire. this is definitely an item that needs to be on the recall list.*ak | |||
| 111000 | 1 | ||
| Consumer states that dashlights are not working. consumer is not able to drive at night. cause unknown. *ak | |||
| 01/12/2001 | 03/01/1995 | ||
| Headlight dimmer switch defective causing dash board lights and tail lights not too function. in addtion, the malfunction switch caused an electrical meltdown of the pig tail connector into defective switch. i had to replace at my own expense the switch and pig tail conncector. i my opinion, this is a vehicle safety hazard that should prompt a vehcile recall. i have also notice a few other complaints about such defects. my warranty has expired and i had to pay for the repair of the defecitve part and its components. there should be a manatory recall on this vehcile for defective headlight switches. this defect part is a safety hazard, which could cause and electical fire, motorist safety hazard and in addtion to not be able to pass the massachuestts manadorty safety inspection. | |||
| 10/30/2000 | 3 | 08/01/1995 | |
| I have now replaced the wiring harness (very hard to find!) and had 2 new switches installed for the lighting. i keep losing interior and rear exterior lighting! this is getting expensive to track the problem and repair. help! the car is in otherwise fairly sound condition. needs new left front axle. right front axle replaced under warranty. | |||