Bulletins
Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||||
03034 | 07/01/2003 | 10003430 | Engine coolant may leak at the upper intake manifold throttle body gasket, or at the upper intake manifold to lower intake manifold to lower intake manifold gasket. this condition may result in a low engine coolant level and higher engine | 10/20/2003 | |
990603009A | 02/01/2004 | 040861001 | 10001285 | Floor pan corrosion perforation in battery compartment. *tt update *eh | 04/25/2003 |
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM | |||||
03019 | 07/18/2003 | 10006144 | Engine coolant may leak at the upper intake manifold throttle body gasket, or at the upper intake manifold to lower intake manifold to lower intake manifold gasket. this condition may result in a low engine coolant level and higher engine | 04/22/2004 | |
070803 | 07/08/2003 | 10003814 | The vme message is to provide information about a new product field action regarding a customer satisfaction program for an engine coolant leak. the engine coolant may leak at the upper intake manifold throttle body gasket or at the upper | 11/03/2003 | |
030601016 | 05/01/2003 | 10002372 | Loss of coolant, milky colored oil. *tt | 08/26/2003 | |
00602005 | 06/01/2000 | 6091425 | Some customers may comment about discolored coolant in inside the cooling system and contamination of the coolant recovery reservoir. *tt | 10/11/2000 | |
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||||
040601021 | 06/01/2004 | 10012148 | New rear main seal and special tool for installation. *tt | 02/15/2005 | |
3180 | 3180A | 10010868 | Dealers may comment on a chuggle, surge, misfire condition. *tt | 12/15/2004 | |
01353 | 01/01/2004 | 01353A | 10007937 | Engine misfire due to injector fretting corrosion. *tt | 07/16/2004 |
030604030 | 03/01/2007 | 030604030C | 10002166 | Multiple driveability symptoms of long or hard starts, chuggle, rough idle and light or intermittent misfire due to clogged fuel injectors. *tt | 08/14/2003 |
010601008A | 05/01/2002 | 010601008 | 634813 | Some owners may comment on a repeat engine oil pan leak. *tt | 10/09/2002 |
010601008 | 02/01/2001 | 619177 | Some owners may comment on a repeat engine oil pan leak. *tt | 05/17/2001 | |
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | |||||
300701 | 07/30/2001 | 625132 | Information on exhaust leak type noise when the vehicle is cold. *yh | 11/16/2001 | |
210501 | 05/21/2001 | 619757 | Some customers may comment that the vehicle will not start; it will only start intermittently. *tt | 06/28/2001 | |
010604029 | 04/01/2001 | 619361 | Some vehicles built prior to vin breakpoint 14234731 may exhibit poor hot engine idle quality. *tt | 05/24/2001 | |
990603005A | 12/01/2000 | 990603005 | 618099 | Some vehicles may exhibit a generator noise (whine / hum / moan / vibration) in passenger compartment at idle, slow speeds, decelerating or parking maneuvers. *jb | 04/04/2001 |
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | |||||
040605008 | 07/01/2004 | 10012115 | Availability of exhaust muffler for service. *tt | 02/14/2005 | |
040601017 | 06/01/2004 | 10008471 | New upper intake manifold and gasket kits. *tt | 08/02/2004 |
Investigations
NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | ||||||
EA07008 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 06/12/2007 | 05/01/2008 | ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE | 09V116000 | |
By letter dated march 12, 2008, general motors corp. (gm) has notified the agency that it will conduct a safety recall (identified by nhtsa recall number 08v-118) to address a defect in approximately 207,542 model year (my) 1997-2003 buick regal gs and pontiac grand prix gtp vehicles equipped with the l67 supercharged version of gm's 3800 series ii v6 engine.the recalled regal gs vehicles were built from august 1996 to june 2003 and the grand prix gtp from march 1996 through january 2003.according to gm, oil may escape past the valve cover gasket on the front cylinder bank (cylinders 1-3-5) and deposit onto hot exhaust system components.under certain conditions, it is possible for this oil to ignite a small pilot flame, which may spread to the adjacent plastic spark plug wire channel, the spark plug wires themselves, the plastic engine cover, and other under hood components.reports indicate this most often occurs on higher-mileage vehicles shortly after the vehicle has been driven and then parked.typically, the fire was discovered within 5 to 15 minutes after the vehicle was parked.during this time window, under hood temperatures may become elevated.such elevated temperatures combined with a lack of airflow through the engine compartment may permit a small pilot flame to propagate and ignite other fuel sources.to correct the safety defect, gm will install an improved design front valve cover gasket and spark plug wire retainer.this remedy will be suppliedfree of charge for all recalled vehicles.until sufficient parts become available to repair all of the affected vehicles, gm strongly recommends that owners observe the following important precautions: (1) they strongly recommend that owners do not park their vehicle in a garage, carport, or other structure; (2) if owners notice a burning odor, they should have their dealer inspect the vehicle - the dealer will inspect the vehicle without charge; and (3) use premium fuel (91 octane or higher) in the vehicle as recommended in the vehicle's owner manual.the action taken by gm is sufficient to resolve the issues raised by this investigation.the subject fire incident rate on the c-, g-, and h-platform subject vehicles is low.the agency will continue to monitor this issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.accordingly, this investigation is closed.see document file for additional information regarding this resume. | ||||||
EA07008 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 06/12/2007 | 05/01/2008 | ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE | 08V118000 | |
By letter dated march 12, 2008, general motors corp. (gm) has notified the agency that it will conduct a safety recall (identified by nhtsa recall number 08v-118) to address a defect in approximately 207,542 model year (my) 1997-2003 buick regal gs and pontiac grand prix gtp vehicles equipped with the l67 supercharged version of gm's 3800 series ii v6 engine.the recalled regal gs vehicles were built from august 1996 to june 2003 and the grand prix gtp from march 1996 through january 2003.according to gm, oil may escape past the valve cover gasket on the front cylinder bank (cylinders 1-3-5) and deposit onto hot exhaust system components.under certain conditions, it is possible for this oil to ignite a small pilot flame, which may spread to the adjacent plastic spark plug wire channel, the spark plug wires themselves, the plastic engine cover, and other under hood components.reports indicate this most often occurs on higher-mileage vehicles shortly after the vehicle has been driven and then parked.typically, the fire was discovered within 5 to 15 minutes after the vehicle was parked.during this time window, under hood temperatures may become elevated.such elevated temperatures combined with a lack of airflow through the engine compartment may permit a small pilot flame to propagate and ignite other fuel sources.to correct the safety defect, gm will install an improved design front valve cover gasket and spark plug wire retainer.this remedy will be suppliedfree of charge for all recalled vehicles.until sufficient parts become available to repair all of the affected vehicles, gm strongly recommends that owners observe the following important precautions: (1) they strongly recommend that owners do not park their vehicle in a garage, carport, or other structure; (2) if owners notice a burning odor, they should have their dealer inspect the vehicle - the dealer will inspect the vehicle without charge; and (3) use premium fuel (91 octane or higher) in the vehicle as recommended in the vehicle's owner manual.the action taken by gm is sufficient to resolve the issues raised by this investigation.the subject fire incident rate on the c-, g-, and h-platform subject vehicles is low.the agency will continue to monitor this issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.accordingly, this investigation is closed.see document file for additional information regarding this resume. | ||||||
PE02050 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 06/13/2002 | 10/22/2002 | ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES | ||
Alleged engine compartment fire during startup.loud pops or backfires before the fire started |
Consumer Complaints
Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
---|---|---|---|
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||
12/18/2011 | 195000 | ||
This 2000 pontiac bonneville 3.8l with approximately 195k miles was operating normally over the last 72 hours. it had been driven approximately 300 miles between 12/16 and 12/18 @ 12:50 pm the date of the fire.that cold morning (8 degrees f) it was driven 10 miles rt @ 9am, 20 miles rt between 10:30 and noon, and then sat for approximately 1/2 hour before it was driven 5 miles to a local store by my son. when he arrived at the store/gas station he parked near the pumps and when he shut off engine to go into store, smelled burning smoke from the front of the car. he opened the hood and was greeted by active flames coming from the front of the engine. the fire was subsequently extinguished and the burned part of the engine was the top and front left quarter (facing the vehicle). the anti-freeze reservoir was melted through. | |||
05/07/2011 | 142000 | ||
After car was parked for 5 - 10 minutes fire in engine compartment. | |||
12/29/2010 | 54002 | ||
I smelled a burning odor in my bonneville ssei. the local gm dealer, on the incident date in this form, told me the cause was oil dripping on the exhaust manifold and that it was a fire hazard. upon further investigation, i found an existing nhtsa action number (ea07008) for the exact problem i am having for the exact 3800 series ii v6 l67 gm engine. there were 2 recalls for cars with this engine, but my pontiac model was not included (even though it has the exact same engine). the nhtsa campaign id numbers associated with the recalls are 08v118000 & 09v116000. i escalated this problem within gm and they told me to take the vehicle back to the gm dealer for another inspection. the gm dealer verified that my engine is the same as the recalled engine and that i have the same problem. gm refused to fix the problem because my vehicle's vin wasn't specifically included in the recalls. i strongly believe my vehicle should have been included in the earlier recalls and now should be considered for a new recall to eliminate this safety hazard. | |||
12/13/2010 | 74000 | ||
Fire ignited in the engine compartment while parked in a mall parking lot about 5 to 10 minutes after leaving vehicle completely destroying the front of the vehicle. | |||
02/28/2010 | 1 | ||
I have a 2000 pontiac bonneville w/ a 3.8 v6 3800 series ll engine. i have noticed oil coming from the intake dripping down onto the manifold. there is a recall on the super charged 3800 series ll for the regal and grand prix. i would like to no why there is no recall on this model. same problem, just not super charged. what happens if it catches fire like some of the others have? then will there be a recall? i have called the dealership and there is nothing they can do it is all on me. *dt | |||
07/13/2009 | 65000 | 1 | |
I've run into a dex-cool problem with my pontiac 2000. the car has 65.000 mi and the cylinder head gasket is starting to leak, eventually destroying the engine. what kind of recourse do i have after the dex-cool class action law suit is closed? the postmark and online submission deadline to submit a claim statement was october 27, 2008. i did not had any information about this class action suit and deadline. since this is clearly an oem defect involving thousands of cars and drivers gm should have reacted responsibly and issued a recall. *tr | |||
04/16/2006 | 65000 | ||
Tl*the contact owns a 2000 pontiac bonneville. after exiting the vehicle, the contact noticed a burning odor coming from the engine. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and an oil leak was discovered. the vehicle was not repaired. the contact called the manufacturer and was informed that no compensation would be provided because the vin was not included in a recall. the failure mileage was 65,000 and current mileage was 115,000. | |||
01/22/2007 | 1 | 06/12/2006 | |
I have a 1998 & a 2000 pontiac bonneville with 3.8l engines. i have replaced 2 intake manifolds on the 98 in 3 yrs and 1 on the 2k with only 30k miles. ea cost $630 every auto mechanic knows gm put a bad plastic intake manifold on this engine and refuses to recall and replace them. *nm | |||
03/22/2005 | 60000 | 1 | |
Consumer parked his vehicle in the garage, approximately 5 to 15 minutes later the vehicle caught fire. half of consumer's home was destroyed. the next door neighbor alerted the consumer that smoke was coming from the garage. the fire department was called and extinguished the fire. no injuries were reported. *jb | |||
11/20/2004 | 53001 | 1 | 11/23/2003 |
One nut and bolt on each side of inner panel under the hood in engine compartment were loose. i tightened about 4 to 5 turns on nut (used 18mm open end wrench). after this took it to dealer-ship to know what this two bolt does ? dealer-ship technician said those are the bolts for front motor mount and rear transmission mount. my concern is that those bolts might be started to damage in 4 year of vehicle life(possible shear at the inner panel in engine compartment). dealer agreed to order this part but waiting for answer from pontiac. there might be more consumer out there who might have same problem, because it is not visible until you check real close. i called pontiac consumer center but they said that they are not responsible for this and i have to paid for the parts. why consumer responsible for the defect left from manufacturer.*ak | |||
11/02/2003 | 24000 | 4 | |
Vehicle experienced ongoing stalling problem at any speed. vehicle was taken to dealer on four separate occasions, and they were unable to determine the cause of the problem. *ak | |||
05/13/2003 | 56000 | 1 | 08/31/2002 |
In may 2003, plastic intake cracked, allowing coolant to leak into oil system of car. intake plenum was replaced, as well as catalytic converter. this happened at approx 56,300 miles. repair cost approx. $970. now covered under recall for screws in plenum cover, however pontiac only refunded $710 of expenses.*ak | |||
05/17/2004 | 97000 | 1 | 05/27/2001 |
I have had my 2000 bonneville in the shop several times for various reasons. my radio had to be replaced, my drivers side window stopped working and they replaced the motor, now my passenger side window does not work and needs to be repaired. my trunk leaked and was told the extended warrenty did not cover it and the expense was on me. my air conditioner would blow cold air and then hot air or not blow cold air at all, it was in the shop 2-3 times for that. now my car hesitates when speeding up and you can feel it jerking into gear when it shifts between 1st and 2nd gear or 2nd and 3rd. for this reason i had my transmission fluid replaced and an additive put in and was told this should take care of the problem. it has not!! my next step is to take it back to the dealership to find the problem. is there anything i should know about concerning the transmission jerking, recalls,etc..? *ak | |||
12/15/2002 | 0 | ||
Leaking coolant at the plenum and intake manifold gaskets. replaced the upper plenum and the lower intake manifold gaskets. | |||
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM | |||
03/28/2006 | 56454 | 2 | 06/30/2000 |
2000 pontiac bonneville se with 56000 miles. coolant leak due to defective plenum, pontiac had replaced throttle body nuts 3 each p/n 011517293, 4 each cooling s, p/n012378254 and 58 each cooling e, p/n012377963, at dealership 10/27/03 with 35499 miles on car under customer satisfaction recall, now at 56000 miles plenum is bad and repair at dealership is estimated at several hundred dollars which the dealer claims that the above repair done 10/27/03 covered the plenum problems and state that current problem not covered. after some research found that a lot of other owners are having the same problems and that the service done 2003 was not a proper repair because some of the parts used to repair the leaking coolant was to add stop leak pellets to the cooling system to patch parts that are clearly defective and should have been replaced. *nm | |||
06/16/2000 | 3 | 06/10/2000 | |
Upon purchasing vehicle in the year of 2000 rack and pinion has been replaced three times. coolant leaks, also starter and fuel pump have been replaced. *ak transmission was leaking fluid due to torque converter seal failure. consumer states vehicle has a noise coming from steering column on turns. transmission does not shift correctly due to shift solenoid failure. vehicle makes a popping noise from front end due to steering gear failure. *yh | |||
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - FAN | |||
08/28/2003 | 01/31/2001 | ||
Blower motor makes a loud noise when turned on | |||
09/15/2003 | 20200 | 1 | |
While driving on the highway cooling fan malfunctioned, sending shards embedding into the radiator and slicing through the fuel line, causing a fire that consumed the front end of the vehicle.*ak | |||
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||
08/14/2008 | 110000 | ||
Tl*the contact owns a 2000 pontiac bonneville. while driving at any speed, oil leaked onto the intake exhaust manifold. the contact referenced nhtsa campaign id number 07035, which states that drops of engine oil being deposited on the exhaust manifold through hard braking causes smoke that can ignite into small flames. once the heat or air conditioning is activated, a burnt oil smell enters the passenger compartment. the failure mileage was 110,000. | |||
08/11/2008 | 110000 | 1 | |
When i drive my car most of the times, my engine oil leaks onto the exhaust manifold which causes smoke and a burned oil smell. i noticed that gm has had a recall for 1997-2003 buick regal gs and 1997-2003 pontiac grand prix gtp with 3.8 l v6 supercharged engine (vin1 ? rpo l67). i have the same engine (3.8 l v6 l67 supercharged engine) on my 2000 pontiac bonneville ssei and have the exact same problem. i cannot wait any longer without repaired the unsafe damage. i will be repairing it myself and expect pontiac to reimburse me with the money. this has happened to my car many times. *tr | |||
04/11/2007 | 84700 | 25 | 06/01/2000 |
Tl*the contact owns a 2000 pontiac bonneville. while driving 60 mph, the vehicle shut off without warning. the contact stated that occasionally the vehicle would start immediately after it was shut off. the failure has occurred approximately twenty five times. the dealer stated that the cause of failure was the manifold. the manifold was replaced, but the failure continued. the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. the current mileage is 85,000 and failure mileage was 84,700. the consumer stated the car shut off again on 05/30/07 had to be taken to another dealer on 05/31/07 to be repaired. the consumer provided pictures of the vehicle. updated 06/29/07 *tr | |||
07/22/2002 | 18000 | 20 | 06/14/2000 |
During summer, after driving car and stopping for 10 minutes to 1-1/2 hours, when you restart the car it will spit, sputter, stumble, and vibrate for 10 seconds or so before the engine will smooth out and run normally. *nm | |||
03/06/2006 | 87388 | 1 | 04/01/2001 |
Dt*: the contact stated while starting the vehicle, there was a hesitation, an odor of fuel, and a clicking noise under the seat where the battery was located. the vehicle got harder to start, until the vehicle would no longer start in october 2005. the vehicle has not been seen by a mechanic for this problem. also, while turning, there was a crackling noise and the vehicle did not complete turns. the vehicle was taken to the dealership and an independent repair shop, where the rack and pinion was replaced five times. the problem came back and no further repairs were attempted. | |||
08/20/2005 | 50330 | 1 | 04/25/2005 |
Allow me to state my case. i purchased a highly touted 2000 bonneville vin#1g2hz5418y4203512. this car was a gm master ase certified mechanics inspected vehicle. it was advertised as gm quality certified trouble free, no worry vehicle. i drove 400 miles to pick it up and was looking forward to a long pleasant ownership experience. the gm 3800 engine has been called bulletproof, one of the best engines of the 21st century. after approximately 4000 miles of use, the engine sustained a catastrophic internal engine failure. the pontiac dealer inspected my vehicle and i was informed it was going to need a new crankshaft! the main #3 journal bearing had spun and it was going to need a new crankshaft at a cost of $3500. my other option was to install a new gm 3800 engine, with a 100,000 mile warranty, for $5500. this breakdown had to be an inherent defect in the crankshaft or bearing for this to have happened. if you are willing to guaranty your engine for 100,000 miles, why is it unreasonable for me to expect at least that much service out of my engine?? i have owned a bonneville before and it was fine, my father owns a montana, my brother owns a grand prix. we have always considered gm to be the name to beat!! i truly believe that the right thing for gm to do would be to, at least, absorb part of this expense. this vehicle should never have sustained this type of failure in it's young life. even hyundai and kia, korean manufactured cheap vehicles, carry a 100,000 mile engine guaranty! chrysler has a 70,000 mile engine guaranty. why must the biggest us manufacturer not be willing to standby it's product? | |||
03/05/2004 | 20990 | 1 | |
Engine fire experienced by consumer on 2000 pontiac bonneville. *la while driving the consumer's vehicle caught on fire under the hood. the consumer stated that the government investigated the 3.8 liter engines because 44 owners complained of engine fires due to a faulty intake manifold. *nm | |||
03/05/2004 | 20990 | 1 | |
Vehicle unexpectedly caught fire. *ph the consumer stated in 2002 there was an investigation by the government relating to the 3.8 liter engines plastic intake manifold. *jb | |||
8 | |||
The serpentine belt was replaced twice due to erratic operation. the belt was making an awkward sound and both times the belt was about to break before the dealer inquiry. mr per invoice, the squealing from the engine area-cracked, and drive belt noise-excessive wear-replaced. the consumer states that the brakes shimmey and the pedal is soft-rear rotor were found out of round, and refaced the front rotors. the pulsation in brakes were checked, and had been cut three times due to the front rotors-replaced. *scc | |||
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - DIESEL | |||
01/03/2003 | 62000 | ||
The low track system malfunctioned, and vehicle caught fire. as a result the vehicle was a total loss. dealer notified. please provide additional information. ph | |||
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | |||
12/07/2002 | 70000 | 1 | |
While driving the vehicle for half an hour, consumer parked the vehicle in the front of the house and ten minutes later it caught on fire. flames came from under the hood. dealer has been notified. ph *jg | |||
03/13/2002 | 1 | 06/01/2000 | |
The consumer states that the vehicle caught fire while parked, with the engine off. the vehicle was totalled, smoke and soot damaged the house. gm investigator stated the cause of the fire could not be determined. *nlm *yd | |||
07/25/2000 | |||
Ongoning problem with engine stalling. vehicle been in dealer's shop on five occasions, and the problem still reoccurring. feel free to provide any further information on this matter. *ak | |||
07/12/2000 | |||
Stalling and smoke problem related to engine failure. *cj | |||
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE - BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | |||
8 | |||
The serpentine belt was replaced twice due to erratic operation. the belt was making an awkward sound and both times the belt was about to break before the dealer inquiry. mr per invoice, the squealing from the engine area-cracked, and drive belt noise-excessive wear-replaced. the consumer states that the brakes shimmey and the pedal is soft-rear rotor were found out of round, and refaced the front rotors. the pulsation in brakes were checked, and had been cut three times due to the front rotors-replaced. *scc | |||
3 | |||
The brake rotors were replaced three times for excessive warping which caused vibrations and a soft brake pedal. each time the pads were replaced the rotors had to be replaced. the engine belt cracked once and was glazed once, both failures caused noise. the steering wheel makes noise when turning, the dealer replaced the steering shaft. the right rear brake light bulb was blown. *mr *nlm | |||
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | |||
01/19/2008 | 84000 | 1 | |
We are trying to find out if anyone knows of problems with gm pontiac bonneville's plastic upper exhaust manifold. we own a 2000 bonneville with 83k mileage. the plastic manifold exploded while trying to start the car. we are trying to resolve this with gm at this time. we learned that this has occurred before with other year bonnevilles. *tr | |||
02/14/2003 | 3 | 01/21/2003 | |
Dt: the contact stated he took the vehicle to a dealership to have it serviced on february 14, 2003. at that time they had to replace the intake manifold and flushed the motor. on october 7, 2004 the contact took the vehicle to another dealership to have the vehicle serviced. they found anti-freeze was leaking into the engine. the intake manifold needed to be replaced. on december 22, 2005 he took the vehicle back to the dealership to be serviced. again the intake manifold gaskets needed to be replaced and the repairs were made.*ak the window motor and regulator were replaced. updated 02/07/06. *jb | |||
09/22/2004 | 136000 | 1 | |
During a routine inspection, the mechanic informed the consumer that the upper intake manifold had cracks. please provide more information. *jb | |||
03/18/2004 | 47000 | 1 | 10/13/2000 |
Leaking intake manifold on 3.8 engine. plastic intake cover poor design, not holding up beyond forty thousand miles. *ak |