Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||||
| 03-06-01-010 | 04/01/2008 | 030601010C | 10004768 | Engine oil or coolant leak. *tt gm reminder. *tt install new lower intake manifold gasket. updated 7/18/08 *pe | 01/06/2004 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | |||||
| 020601014 | 04/01/2002 | 634708 | Subject regarding revised lower intake manifold installation. *tt | 10/07/2002 | |
| 990604005A | 04/01/2001 | 990604005 | 619360 | Some owners may comment on driveability symptons of long or hard starts, chuggle, rough idle and light or intermittent misfire due to clogged fuel injectors. *tt | 05/24/2001 |
| 990604005 | 02/01/1999 | 776304A | 604343 | Some owners may experience a driveability symptom of long or hard starts, chuggle, rough idle and light or intermittent misfire. *tt | 04/26/1999 |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||
| 12/19/2008 | 113000 | 1 | |
| Vehicle spontaneously caught fire while stuck in snow drift. fire was all consuming - fire truck had to come out it out - just shell of van was left. we were able to get out as fire was slow to take off. fire started in engine compartment. fire chief said we would never know cause as no engine compartment remains. *tr | |||
| 11/15/2002 | 121000 | 2 | 06/15/2000 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 1999 pontiac montana. while driving approximately 40 mph, the vehicle began to overheat. there were no warning lights illuminated. the vehicle was towed to the dealer and they replaced the head gasket. the dealer stated that coolant leaked into the engine. the contact was responsible for the repairs, which totaled $1,800. one week after a routine maintenance repair, the mechanic stated that the vehicle was operating normally; however, the failure recurred. the mechanic also stated that this type of failure should not have recurred. the contact mailed a complaint to the company and has owned the vehicle for two years. the approximate failure mileage was 121,000 and current mileage was 131,000. | |||
| 07/15/2006 | 1 | ||
| Driving the van i noticed the vehicle started to over heat. i turned it off and waited 1 hour for it to cool down. started it up again after filling the radiator, with the engine running i made sure the coolant was at the correct level. within 5 min the car overheated again and this time it died before i could turn it off. i have been told it would be best to replace the engine at 4100.00 for that. i searched the internet and found out there are many other van owners with the same problem. they used a rubber seal without steel so that it coolant leaks into the engine and mixes with the oil, and dries out the camshaft and then it breaks. in canada there is already a class action lawsuit for this reason. they (manufacture) know there is a problem but wont say that it is there fault. i am also looking to find someone to take the case as i currently have a lswn ornament due to i don't have the 4100 to replace the engine. *jb | |||
| 05/01/2005 | 79595 | 1 | 12/31/2002 |
| My van showed no sign of having anything wrong with it. then on the way home from work it died at a light. it made awful noises and would not start. i towed it first to one repair shop and it was diagnosed with needing the engine replaced. then i towed it to the dealer for a second opinion and was told the same thing. i was told at the repair shop that an engine with only 79,000 miles should not go out like this and it was due to the failure of gm parts. it still has not been repaired a year later. *jb | |||
| 03/04/2004 | 75000 | 2 | 06/14/1999 |
| Coolant leak and gasket failure on a 1999 pontiac montana 3.4 l engine. i have had to replace the water intake gaskets twice on this m.v. they fail approx. every 80,000 miles. *jb | |||
| 04/07/2006 | 3 | ||
| Failure of engine in 1999 pontiac montana at 101,000 miles due to leaky head gasket causing engine to overheat. this was after repairs for gasoline leak in engine due to failure of intake manifold gasket. all maintenance was done as per manufacturer's recommendations at dealership of purchase. *jb | |||
| 08/13/2005 | 68000 | 1 | |
| First of all the drivers door panel inside comes off and gets stuck making it very hard to open the door. august 2005 i had to replace the head gaskets due to leaking antifreeze into the engine. march 2006 i have to do the same thing again. the technician said these vans are known for this . i guess that's what i get for buying america>>>?? *jb | |||
| 01/31/2005 | 1 | ||
| The intake manifold cracked causing the engine not to function. *jb | |||
| 11/01/2004 | 85 | 5 | 03/14/2004 |
| We have only had our van a year. we have had problems since we got it. one thing after another. first coolant leaking, electrial problems, intake gasket leaking. replaced 11/05. motor failed 1/05. door mailfunction.*ak | |||
| 09/19/2004 | 1 | ||
| My 1999 montana started leaking antifreeze rapidly. two different service centers stated it was a worn gasket in the lower intake. repairs came to $604. know this has been a problem for many vehicles with the 3.4 engine. i noticed the leak at 72,000 miles but have had to add coolant many times over the last 2.5 years.*ak | |||
| 05/15/2003 | 70000 | ||
| 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. | |||
| 12/15/2002 | 124000 | ||
| 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 | |||
| 05/15/2003 | 70000 | ||
| Coolant light coming on and noticed coolant always missing from coolant recovery tank. took vehicle to local gm dealer and after testing found that the intake manifold and head gaskets were leaking. after very little research on the internet i found alot of people are having the same problem. i contacted gm for assistance and was essentially told i was on my own they would pay nothing. gm acted as if i was the only one having the intake/head gasket problem. i have an uncle and a friend of mine that live in the same town i do that own a pontiac montana and both have had the same gasket problem. they both contacted gm and were told the same thing i was told. i feel like gm should acknowledge the problem with there 3.4 v6 engines, stand behind there product and pay for these repairs. i have always been an avid gm supporter but this really is begining to change my way of thinking. | |||
| 07/15/2003 | 53316 | ||
| There is a defective intake gasket on 3.4l engines that are installed in many of the gm models. i have been told by numerous repair shops and a service manager at a chevrolet dealership that he replaces about 1 or 2 a day and can't believe that gm hasn't been forced into a recall. there has been 2 to 3 updates since 1999 in an attempt to correct problem. the new part # that was installed in my engine is 89017279. is there any recourse against gm in this matter?? i have been getting the royal runaround between gm customer service and the dealership i bought the van from in april 2003. | |||
| 05/15/2003 | 72000 | ||
| As appears to be common with the engine in this vehicle, the intake gasket failed causing dexcool to leak into the engine and thus contaminating not only engine oil, but causing failure of critical internal components due to the fact that dexcool deteriorates/weakens certain metals, etc. in our case, the vehicle's engine completely failed while driving 60 mph on a 6 lane expressway with no prior indication of problems. gm is aware of the problem but refuses to take any responsibility for its inferior design! a recall should be begun immediately. without quick, calm reaction my preganant wife and two children could have been rear-ended and severly injured or killed. how would gm deal with the publicity of that lawsuit! | |||
| 01/15/2003 | 54530 | ||
| Engine-low coolant light evaluated and found to have faulty intake gasket-repaired, would like gm to cover under recall, service manager stated "it happens alot more often than gm wants to admit in the 3.4 and 3.8l engines in searching recalls, noted several petitions with same complaint. steering--hard left turns at low speeds, evaluated and service dept (gm) stated no current recalls for the '99 montana, the recall ended with the '98 transports. the same problem seems to have continued, would like gm to extend the recall to cover the '99 montana's november 1, 2003 update:low coolant light came on and i had it inspected at harry's pontiac, 819 patton ave. asheville, nc 28806 on jan 07,2003. they recommended replacing the lower intake gaskets and did so on the 8th. the cost was $442.00, gasket ki $49.46, coolant $30.00, cleaner $4.67, sealant-r $11.79, seal $3.68, oil filter $5.31, oil $9.00, and gasket $47.40. there was also tax and a 10% charge for shop supplies/waste disposal for $15.00. milage was 54,530. we purchased the van in sept 1999. we traded the van in june, feeling the montana didn't have a good track record after all of the repairs we'd made. (transmission problems while still under warranty, air bag light came on intermittently, identified as an open circuit in the passenger seat belt pretensioner difficulty making left hand turns at low speeds.) | |||
| 09/15/2002 | 53000 | ||
| My wife and i own a 1999 pontiac montana. in september of 2002 (~53000 miles)we noticed that the low coolant light came on. so we added coolant. then again in november the light came on again so we contacted our personal mechanic since the vehicle was no longer under warranty. he told us that the plastic upper intake manifold and the gasket was bad. he told us that this was a common problem with this type of engine. he said that gm dealers in the area told him that it was due to the manifold being made of plastic and the fact that gm uses dexcool coolant, which eats up the plastic and the gaskets. he also told us that because of this some of the coolant spilled into the engine oil. the cost of the repairs were $392.57. we now will have a good chance of spending $2000 - $2500 on a new engine because of the coolant in the engine oil. we did call the dealer who sold us the van and they told us to call pontiac. we did call the pontiac customer service center in michigan and filed a complaint. they told us that they have never heard of such a problem. we feel that gm should stand behind these problems. please respond. thanks | |||
| 12/15/2002 | 70000 | ||
| I had a local gm dealer repair the intake manifold gasket on our 1999 pontiac montana in dec. 2002. we had to have the water pump replaced also and have the cooling system flushed at the same time. the cost of those repairs was in the range of $1,000 and was done in a very satisfactory manner by the dealer. the service manager knew exactly what was wrong as soon as i described the symptoms. he seemed to have seen a lot of the same problems from other owners. our car began to lose coolant and then the oil began to look orange and finally the coolant was dripping on the ground. these problems began about 70,000 miles. we are the second owners of this van and bought it from the repairing dealership as a program, used vehicle with 20,000 miles on the odometer. i have saved all our receipts for the aforementioned repairs in hope that gm might have a recall for these problems. in my opinion, the fault lies with texaco and others who made and manufactured the dexcool coolant used by gm. judging from the information on the internet, it seems other manufacturers have run into problems with this coolant (catapillar, cummings diesel.) | |||
| 06/15/2001 | 38000 | ||
| Leaking lower intake manifold gasket. hard to say how much to date has been internal, but has never dripped on garage floor until this week. i list milage failure at 38,000 miles because that is when i first noticed coolant level dropping with no visable leaks. current mileage is aprox 60800 miles. i have had to add coolant since june of 2001. 3.4l v6 | |||
| 07/15/2003 | 70030 | ||
| My 99 montana (70,030 miles but never a problem) failed on us about 15 miles east of hagerstown md while returning to pittsburgh from ocean city on 7/13/2003. the short story is that the engine failed with little prior warning and had to be replaced. there was a catastrophic failure of the intake manifold gasket, i have it as well as photos. the leaking coolant mixed with the engine oil and the resulting emulsified combination resulted in a ruined engine in a very short time. the engine had new oil because i changed it on 7/5 at 69,000 miles as specified in owner's manual prior to leaving pittsburgh. i still have the old oil in my garage and it is in good condition. i had the van towed 180 miles to my dealer, the power of bowser, so that they could tell me that there's nothing they or gm can do for me. the local gm service rep looked at it on 7/17 and said no goodwill warranty as did the people at pontiac customer relations. (1-800-pmcares should be 1-800-wesayno). the people gm "empowers" to make these decisions are not technically trained such that they can even understand what happened and yet they make the decision that it's tough luck. i wouldn't be so upset about this situation if i had done something that contributed to the failure of the engine. but, i'm a fanatic, i change my oil every 3k and do all the other stuff that's recommended in the owner's manual. there is no way that a competently designed and manufactured engine should experience the type of failure that the engine in my montana had. i've had no choice but to have the engine replaced at a cost of $4,100. i just paid it off in may. the fact that gm has internally recognized a problem with the gasket via internal service bulletins and didn't give their customers this information is malpractice as far as i'm concerned. i'd be in jail if i did this in my work. we pursued action with the bbb auto line but, were turned down for an arbitration hearing based on the mileage. | |||
| 07/15/2003 | 44982 | ||
| Intake manifold leaking coolant into the engine oil on my 3.4 liter engine. after complaining to pontiac & the bbb, gm offered to pay 50% of the repair cost. faulty oxygen sensor & leaking fuel pressure regulator oh december 16, 2003. since original complaint, keyless remote failed on 7/15/03 & seat belt pretensioner failed causing airbag light to go on, july 28, 2003 | |||
| 12/15/2002 | 35000 | ||
| Engine: intake manifold gasket leaking. i followed thru with a complaint to the bbb and to pontiac's 800 number. i was told i needed to have the van diagnosed at a gm dealer before anything could be done by pontiac. my dealer quality pontiac in cocoa, florida looked at the van and agreed the intake manifold gasket was leaking (november 2002). quality informed me it would be about $500 to repair. a phone call to pontiac's 800 # put pressure on the dealer and they performed the work for $100 plus extra for a coolant flush. the total was around $180. supposedly the work came with a 12 month 12000 mile warranty. i think the van had 58000 miles on it when this work was performed. looking back i have a feeling it started leaking earlier. today we have 70500 miles on the van and the check engine light is coming on. the codes indicate that engine cylinder 5 is misfiring. we had new spark plugs put in and will now try new spark plug wires. if that doesn't fix it then we may need to put in new fuel injectors. my complaints to date with this vehicles are: 1. original tires wore out at 24000 miles $500 2. battery died in the first two years. $0 3. drivers side seat belt retractor failed $ 156 - airbag light came on. 4. intake manifold gasket failed $180 5. sliding power door module failed 4 times. $0 6. front brakes drums warped at ~35000 miles $250. front rotors cut and pads replaced. 7. windshield buzzed from the day we bought it (2 years) and took us threatening the lemon law to get it fixed. | |||
| 02/15/2003 | 56500 | ||
| 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. | |||
| 04/15/2003 | 0 | ||
| Cracked intake valve | |||
| 09/03/2003 | 53000 | 1 | 06/20/1999 |
| At 54k miles the intake gasket required replacement on a 1999 pontiac montana with a 3.4l engine. had been told that it had been leaking coolant outside the engine block for some time. local certified mechanic performed gasket repair stating that he has replace many gaskets on the general motors 3.4l engines. more than he could count. the bolts holding the two pieces of the engine together with the gasket between are finger tight in most cases. i have obtained a presentation from gm powertrain explaining why gaskets leak on the 3.4l engine. presentation suggests modifications to the gasket and to bolt torque settings. i was told by the above mentioned mechanic that there is a more robust gasket for the repair along revised torque settings for the bolts and suggested application of loctite to the engine bolts to prevent them from backing out. | |||
| 09/21/2003 | 59000 | 1 | 08/02/2003 |
| Complete engine failure and radiator slude on 1999 pontiac montana as a result of dex-cool coolant | |||
| 01/20/2003 | 52000 | 03/20/1999 | |
| I own a 1999 pontiac montana and at 54,000 miles began experiencing loss of oil and coolant. i took to a repair shop and was told that my intake manifold upper and lower gaskets need to be replaced, as well as my thermostat and gasket. quote $900 for repairs. | |||
| 06/10/1998 | 1 | 04/10/1998 | |
| Temperature gauge failed. *yc | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM | |||
| 01/01/2011 | 160000 | ||
| 1. events unknown 2. cooling system failure, all the time, undriveable 3. unable to correct failure | |||
| 08/08/2008 | 81718 | 1 | |
| Two separate gasket problems on my 1999 pontiac montana mini van. the most recent was today in aug. of 2008 the local garage told me that my vans lower intake manifold gasket needed replaced for about $700. the problem was noticed when my temperature light came on and after filling radiator i saw water leaking underneath vehicle. *tr | |||
| 03/15/2006 | 99000 | 2 | 12/01/1998 |
| My 1999 pontiac montana has had persistent problems with a faulty intake manifold gasket where antifreeze is required to be added every few weeks. the manifold gasket was replaced by a gm dealership at 65,000 miles, but shortly after began to leak again. the vehicle has now at 99,000 miles has had a catastrophic engine failure, and an estimated $5,000 repair. i believe the engine has ceased as a result of the faulty intake manifold gasket. *nm | |||
| 02/03/2005 | 54500 | 02/03/2004 | |
| On feb. 3 of 2004 we purchased a used 1999 montana. the low coolant light was coming on so we took it back to the dealer. they couldn't find anything wrong but it was low on coolant. i checked this web site and found many complaints about manifold gasket failure around 60,000 miles. our van had less than this so we kept our eyes open to why this light kept coming on and even asked the dealer to make sure it wasn't leaking antifreeze into the engine. they said it was low but there was no leak. then in feb of 05 we had to replace the water pump and one week later a new noise started, so we took it back to a mechanic who found antifreeze leaking into the engine, $800 later it seems to be working fine. why can't pontiac be made to fix this obvious problem. we no longer have dex-cool for antifreeze!! the low coolant light had come on intermittently for the whole year we owned it and finally we found a good mechanic who knew exactly what the problem was, the dealership--lithia ford of boise--had no idea. it would have been under warranty if they had fixed it last year. leaking intake manifold gasket caused engine problems. *nm | |||
| 01/12/2005 | 70000 | 1 | |
| The consumer states the intake manifold has malfunctioned. as a result the coolant leaks into the oil and the consumer is now concerned that the engine could fail. the cause has yet to be determined. please provide additional information. *nm | |||
| 01/06/2004 | 78000 | 1 | 08/03/1999 |
| 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. *ak | |||
| 03/19/2004 | 53000 | 1 | 07/24/1999 |
| I have noticed my coolant level is down very often with the low coolant light coming on, as well. according to my gm dealer the lower intake manifold is leaking coolant from my 99 montana with about 60k miles. dealer has indicated the repair of this gasket to be over $700 which is outrageous. i have owned about 12 cars in my lifetime and not one has had a problem leaking coolant out around the intake manifold gasket. after reviewing other complaints on the nhtsa website, it is obviously a defect in this model engine and consumers should be reimbursed, if not fully, then partially for the repairs. a $700+ repair bill is way too much to expect the consumer to pay out for this defect. *ak | |||
| 12/18/2003 | 49000 | 0 | 08/09/2002 |
| 1999 pontiac montana experienced no heating. garage stated coolant had sludge and was flushed and recharged. after driving 10 miles to home, coolant light came on and steam rolled out under hood. found air intake manifold gasket leaking in numerous places. garage said they have seen many of these. coolant cap states coolant good for 150,000 miles. only 49,000 miles on van. | |||
| 05/01/2003 | 70000 | 1 | 12/15/1999 |
| I have a 1999 pontiac montana that the coolant light came on and noticed water missing from coolant recovery tank. this had happened before so i took the vehicle to a local gm dealer. after they tested it i was told that the intake manifold and head gaskets were leaking and would need to be replaced at a cost of $1540.39. after doing a small amount of research on the internet i found hundreds of websites of people having the same problem with this vehicle. i contacted gm for assistance and i was told that my vehicle was out of warranty and they were not aware of this type of problem from anyone else. i know two other people that own pontiac montana's in the town i live in that have had the same problem. they both called gm and were given the same story i was told. with as many people having this problem with the same type engine/vehicle i feel like gm should stand behind there product and pay for this repair.*ak | |||
| 08/01/2003 | 76005 | 1 | 05/24/1999 |
| My 1999 pontiac montana overheated. there were no signs other than my wife mentioning a funny smell. had to replace both intake manifold gaskets and have the cooling system flushed. he claimed dex-cool causes this problem. *ak | |||
| 03/21/2003 | 75000 | 1 | |
| I've experienced the well known (thousands affected) intake gasket leak on gm's 3.4l engine. at 75k miles, experienced low coolant, topped off, but no puddles. at next oil change, found oil to be milky-brown and reek of coolant. dealer service confirmed intake gasket leak and repaired at cost of $700 including fouled oxygen sensor. pontiac customer service was no help and was somewhat evasive when i asked if she had been involved with any other intake gasket problems. when i asked why gm would redesign the gasket, change coolant manufacturers, and have a nationwide shortage of the new gaskets, she said she was not aware of these issues and i should question my information as it was not from gm. her final advise, save your receipt, you never know. i am so consoled. there must be pressure applied to force gm to make this right. *nlm | |||
| 03/19/2003 | 1 | ||
| Our 1999 pontiac montana has just been worked on by the dealership for a leak in the lower intake manifold gasket. they charged me $795.00 to fix this last week and now it is back in the shop to fix the coolant sensor which will cost another $175.00. last night i found out there is a petition online with over 2,500 signatures on it for these same problems with their gm car. why isn't there a recall on this! *nlm | |||
| 01/28/2003 | |||
| Low coolant light came on intermittently. dealer stated water pump and intake gasket were leaking coolant. had to replace water pump and reseal intake at 40k miles. $1100 repair | |||
| 10/20/2002 | 46000 | 09/14/1999 | |
| 1999 pontiac monata vehicle is similar to the 1915 others online http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?gmcnsmrs&1 cost $800 to repair. | |||
| 01/22/2003 | 38000 | 1 | |
| Failure of lower intake manifold gasket on my 1999 pontiac montana. internet search provided evidence that thousands of these are failing and there has been no recall notice to date. | |||
| 12/04/2002 | 41050 | 1 | 08/01/2000 |
| Lower intake manifold gasket leak causing coolant/oil mix internally on a vehicle with only 41k. caught before christmas 900mi trip. would have likely caused engine to seize if not caught before trip. oil was creamy white. | |||
| 03/03/2002 | 06/01/2099 | ||
| The manufacturer does not have parts available for a 1999 production vehicle. been told by my selling dealer that the part is on national back-order with no expected date of arrivial. was also told that the manufacturer stopped making the part due to a supplier failure. was also told that the dealeraship itself was had six vehicles waiting the same repair. i thought that the manufacturer had to have a supply of parts available for all car for at least ten years past production ending? this is a three year old car.*ak | |||
| 04/12/2000 | 1 | 11/01/1998 | |
| At 28,000 miles, the general tires that came w/the vehicle were completely bald & had to be replaced. they were supposed to be 80,000 mile tires & had been rotated numerous times, the cooling system: while on vacation, the cooling system overheated. told by dealer out of town that radiator cap loose & was tightened. 3 weeks later low coolant light kept coming on & took to dealer on 8/12/00. told coolant system dirty & needed to be flushed; $100.00. also told battery that came w/vehicle was leaking acid which also ruined battery positive cable. both needed to be replaced. said out of goodwill would not charge for battery cable but charged $98 for battery. brakes started to fail @ 11,000 miles, rotors cut @ 28,000 & told rotors not under warranty because not considered safety problem. rotors still warped & need cutting. brake light socket was melted to light & was fixed by dealer early on.( dot number: acm3kmi368 tire size: p215-70r15 ) | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | |||
| 11/16/2007 | 4 | 10/25/2003 | |
| Every year, a week or two after turning on the heat in the van, the heater stops blowing warm air. while sitting at idle the temp gauge rises extremely high. every year the dealer has fixed the problem. this year they are telling me that i need a new engine! after researching online, here and at respected sites such as edmonds.com it seems to me like these problems should have been addressed long before i even bought my van so many years ago!!!! *tr | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||
| 08/01/2002 | 63000 | 4 | 06/01/2000 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 1999 pontiac montana. while driving 35 mph, the vehicle jerked and the check engine light illuminated. the mechanic stated that the manifold gaskets should be replaced. the mechanic replaced the manifold gaskets, water pump, thermostat, and sealer. two years later, the failure recurred. the mechanic flushed the transmission. approximately a year and a half later, the failure recurred for the third time and the mechanic flushed the transmission once more. ten months later, the vehicle began jerking again. the mechanic replaced the radiator cap and flushed the transmission, but the failure continues to occur. the current mileage is 138,000 and failure mileage was 63,000. | |||
| 02/16/2007 | 125000 | 1 | 03/31/1999 |
| Intake manifold gasket failure fried the 3.4l v6 engine. replacement engine is showing the same problems. *jb | |||
| 08/25/2005 | 143458 | 2 | 01/23/2004 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while the vehicle was parked antifreeze was observed on the ground below the front end of the vehicle. an independent repair shop replaced the intake gasket and head gasket on two separate occasions. the problem returned following both repairs. updated 06/07/2006. *ak *ts | |||
| 01/12/2006 | 55400 | 1 | 04/01/2005 |
| Dt*: the consumer stated she applied the accelerator, the vehicle would not accelerate. the vehicle was towed to an independent repair shop. the mechanic checked the vehicle and determined the engine had failed. *jb | |||
| 01/01/2005 | 1 | 10/01/1998 | |
| Head gasket leaking on 1999 pontiac montana, 80,000 miles, $700 to repair. *jb | |||
| 06/09/2003 | 1 | ||
| We have a 1999 pontiac montana that we purchased new from a local dealer in south bend in. i noticed oil and antifreeze going down and took the van to a garage. he said that pontiac should make the repairs because the leak was caused by a manifold gasket problem i took it to the local dealer and talk to him about repairs. at first he said the repairs would be around $1500.00. i told him that it would be cheaper to buy another vehicle. he said probably. a real smart aleck. i told him that there was, at that time, 30,0000 miles on the vehicle. he talked to the manager and they came up with a price around $600.00. i told them to do it. the final price was just under $400.00. now i find that it is leaking a little again and the water pump is leaking, too. i had a private garage change the water pump and probably won't get the manifold gasket replaced at this time. i also had the brakes checked and found that the rear wheel cylinders were leaking. that is another cost on this 1999 pontiac montana van. the drivers door needs a repair to some of the mechanism in the window and it will cost around $500. i have heard that this window problem is common with these vehicles. i have reached the point of getting rid of the van and going to something besides a gm product. the van has 32,000 miles on it now and i shouldn't be seeing all of this high dollar repairs on it. *ak | |||
| 08/13/2004 | 131998 | 10 | 05/01/1999 |
| Vehicle overheated on highway- with kids in car en route to family outing.*ak | |||
| 02/01/2004 | 79129 | 3 | 11/15/2001 |
| The last 4 cars i have owned have been gm vehicles. i have tried hard to be loyal, when in 1998, my 1992 olds achieve blew it's head gasket at 79,000 miles. a defect that was so common on quad-4 engines in these vehicles that many were recalled to be fized, before 75,000 miles......i didn't know until after....by 4,000 miles!! the total job cost me $1700usd. i did purchase a 1999 montana van and another bonneville (1995) over the last 3 years. in dec. of 2002 the lower intake manifold gasket was replaced on my montana with only 55,000 miles on it, cost of $388. then this past january, i was driving my 1995 bonneville and my head gasket blew. so $1633 dollars later, it turned out the problem was caused by a plastic upper intake manifold that burned out in the opening for the egr check valve. as i have found out on multiple web sites, it seems that on the 3.8l series ii engines, that their have been many problems when gm changed from a die cast aluminum part to this plastic plenum tub. the plastic tub burns 1-2 holes around the egr check valve, where the water jackets are, thus failing and causing coolant to fill in the upper intake and then be sucked into the engine. it seems that gm is well aware of this problem, but has not recalled any parts. again, this was my 2nd blown head gasket, but since the car was a 1995 i was upset, but figured that nothing could be done. not 10 days later the 1999 montana, with only 79,000 miles on it, blew the head gasket (this a 3.4 liter engine) another $1400 later, and i determined enough was enough. 3 different engines in 3 different cars, was no fluke. that is when i found out on the internet, that there were all these different issues people were having with gm engines. i have spend approximately $5200 fixing this issues over the last couple of years. i want retribution!! gm either needs to own up to their mistakes and make good, or lose yet another life long customer, his wife and their 3 kids!!!! *ak | |||
| 34000 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle comes equipped with side air bags which are located in the front seat backs. the padding wasn't properly designed when manufactured. as a result, seat cover material is ripping, which will eventually leave the box containing the side air bag exposed. also, at 33,000 miles the head gasket developed a leak and destroyed the engine motor. *ak | |||
| 07/27/2003 | 52000 | 2 | 03/15/1999 |
| I have just taken in our 99 montana and have learned that i have an engine gasket leak. this will be the 2nd gasket leak the engine has incurred. the first one was a head gasket and this most recent gasket is a lower intake. the reason this concerns me is that i had a dear friend have an automobile issue where he had to pull over on the side of the highway. it happened to be friday with heavy traffic. too make a long story short, while he went out for repairs his vehicle was rear ended while on the side of the road and he lost his first son and his second son had brain damage. the reason i bring this up is because i've been lucky as far as catching these gasket issues in their early stages of failure. i could have been that guy stuck on the highway with a gasket that has failed, not once but maybe twice. it seems obvious that gm has a serious gasket issue with this particular engine and are not concerned about their customer's families safety. *jb | |||
| 05/21/2003 | 72500 | 1 | 01/06/2002 |
| On the morning of may 21, 2003 at approximately 11:25 a.m. est, my pregnant wife of nine months, and two children ages 3 and 6 were driving our 1999 pontiac montana minivan southbound on us-131 in the grand rapids, mi area. at approximately mile marker 85 the vehicle suddenly died for no apparent reason and with no apparent warning. she was traveling 60 mph in the far left lane of a 6 lane stretch of what is known as the s-curve in this area. with no power to the vehicle she somehow managed to safely maneuver the van across three lanes of traffic and exit at franklin street. with the help of a state trooper we were able to move the vehicle (which was blocking the exit ramp) to a safe place until it could be towed. upon further inspection by a qualified gm dealership technician the following day, it was determined that the engine completely failed due to a problem with a faulty intake gasket which allowed dexcool coolant to seep into the engine and destroy critical components. this is apparently a problem that is more than common on vehicles with the same engine as ours. gm has been aware of for sometime, but has failed to correct via recall or other measures. had my wife not been swift and calm in her control of the vehicle there is little doubt that a serious and possibly fatal accident would have occurred given the location of the incident. vehicles traveling at 60+ mph come out of a blind curve just before this location and would have been unlikely to stop in time. i would like to reiterate that a state trooper was on the scene and documented the incident as well. *nlm | |||
| 04/14/2003 | 53900 | 1 | 05/15/2000 |
| Intake manifold gasket failure. *nlm | |||
| 08/17/2002 | 50000 | 1 | 10/01/2000 |
| My 1999 pontiac montana van's intake cracked at between 50,000 and 60,000 miles. it cost $600.00 to replace. two gm mechanics have admitted there is a huge problem with these intakes. why is nothing being done about this?*jb | |||
| 03/27/1999 | 53000 | 1 | 01/31/1999 |
| Lower intake manifold gasket leak at 54000 miles. reason is poor design. i have heard of many complaints on this problem. please help us. *jb | |||
| 03/22/2003 | 1 | ||
| The vehicles head gasket failed which caused the engine to be inoperative. *nlm | |||
| 10/14/2000 | 5 | 12/21/1999 | |
| 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.*jb | |||
| 02/27/2003 | 56500 | 1 | 05/31/1999 |
| 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.*jb | |||
| 02/04/2003 | 60000 | 07/09/1999 | |
| Vehcile is losing coolant discovered a bad iontake gasket. repairs totalled $800 by local delaership. rampant problem with this engine | |||
| 12/26/2002 | 53000 | 1 | 09/03/1999 |
| Pontiac montana presented with a low coolant light,, found to have a faulty intake gasket, (repaired for approx $700.) when asked about rate of occurrence, gm service manager stated it happens a lot more often than gm wants to admit in the 3.4l and 3.8l engines. *jb | |||
| 11/15/2002 | 77100 | 1 | 05/20/2000 |
| 1999 pontiac montana- coolant in oil- leaking intake mainifold gasket and bad water pump. 75,000 miles at time of incident. | |||
| 09/09/2002 | 53000 | 1 | |
| My wife & i own a 1999 pontiac montana. in september with 53,000 miles we noticed that the low coolant light came on. we added coolant and about 2 weeks later the light came on again. i then contacted my personal mechanic (since the vehicle was no longer under warranty). he told me that the intake manifold was bad and that this was a very common problem with this type of engine. he also told me that gm dealers told him that it was a result of the intake manifold being made of plastic and that the dexcool was eating up the gaskets and the plastic manifolds. the cost of the repair on the intake portion of the engine was $392.57. he also told us that as a result of this, coolant spilled into our engine oil. this means that we have a good chance of engine failure in the near future and would have to replace the engine. replacing the engine would cost $2000 -$2500. we did contact the dealer where we bought the vehicle and posted a complaint. they told us to contact pontiac. we did call the pontiac customer service center in michigan an filed a complaint over the phone. they claimed that they have never heard of such a thing. please respond. thanks | |||
| 12/04/2002 | 41050 | 1 | 08/01/2000 |
| Lower intake manifold gasket leak causing coolant/oil mix internally on a vehicle with only 41k. caught before christmas 900mi trip. would have likely caused engine to seize if not caught before trip. oil was creamy white. | |||
| 01/29/2002 | 1 | ||
| The coolant light illuminates. the intake gasket was leaking and was replaced. *jg | |||
| 06/10/2002 | |||
| Camshaft broke while consumer was driving, causing vehicle to stall out. contacted dealer. *ak | |||
| 05/21/2002 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle overheated while driving 30 mph. the dealer determined that the lower intake gasket need to be replaced. per dealer 30000 of these parts are on backorder.*jb | |||
| 11/01/2001 | 1 | 04/01/2000 | |
| I went to the dealer complaining of no heat coming out of heater although the temperature gauge was normal. the service adviser said i probably had a gasket leak, opened the hood, and immediately pointed to the spot where it was leaking. it was not leaking enough to mark the pavement, it would just leak onto the motor and evaporate. obviousely he had seen this problem before. i took my van to get it fixed and a gasket could not be found in indianapolis. one dealer has 15 vehicles down waiting for gaskets and another has, i believe the number was 60 gasket sets on back-order. yet gm says that the problem is not theirs to be concerned with. my mechanic said that there is a nationwide back order list for this particular gasket, which goes on the pontiac montana, chevy venture, and oids silhouette. in one weekly paper here in central in, there are 33 montanas and silhouettes, from 1998 to 2001 listed for sale. this is a big problem. can you help?*ak | |||
| 01/29/2002 | 1 | ||
| Consumer stated antifreeze was leaking into the motor of vehicle due to the gasket material falling on the intake manifold. nlm dealer found and replaced leaking intake gaskets. *tt | |||
| 17 | 07/01/1999 | ||
| We would like to express our extreme dissatisfaction with this vehicle and with the manufacurer. we purchased this vehicle new 2.5 years ago and have had to return it to the dealership on 17 different occasions to have various problems fixed: transmission replaced with 16,000 miles, airbag problems, cd player problems, intake gasket leaking, tires wearing, numerous problems! we have contacted the manufacturer and was told the first time a year ago that nothing would be done and now all they will offer us is extended warranty! we can't afford to keep taking our vehicle to the dealer and just want out from under this burden, big mistake we made!*ak | |||
| 12/26/2001 | 1 | ||
| I writing to express dissatisfaction 2 major component failures occurred on a vehicle with less than 50,000 miles. the intake leak appears to be a known problem - buyer beware. i can understand disc pad wear, but not major brake system replacement/repair. the mechanic also noted excessive lifter noise; i fear this observation will lead to more major repair work. the dealer has been responsive. my complaint is intended for the manufacturere and other consumers. i will not be a good referral for prospective minivan owners - essentially my entire social base fits the demographic for minivan buyers. *ak | |||
| 11/03/2001 | 1 | 11/01/1998 | |
| 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. *ak | |||
| 10/15/1999 | 5 | 06/01/1999 | |
| Oil pan has heavy oil residue film which gm claims to be normal due to aluminum casting oil pan design that allows oil to seap through the oil pan. a heavy oil residue on the outside of the oil pan does not seem normal and appears to be a leak. burning oil can be smelled inside the vehicle while stopped. a file # has been opened by gm customer service to record my complaints. right hand door powered mirror is loose and loses setting when door shut. *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | |||
| 07/01/2005 | 83356 | 1 | 02/02/2002 |
| During a regular oil change my mechanic discovered oil in the anti-freeze. head gaskets went out. my mechanic states they have seen in almost every 3.4 pontiac montana mini van that around 80,000 miles there is oil in the antifreeze which indicates a head gasket malfunction. took mechanic 3 days to fix my van to a cost of $1212.83 plus i was without a vehicle for 3 days. at about 79,000 miles the wheel bearing went out. now the slider passenger door won't open or won't close at times. *jb | |||
| 11/01/2002 | 54000 | 0 | 02/10/1999 |
| I had to have the engine replaced on my 1999 pontiac montana. there were only 53,000 miles on it at the time. the reason for replacing it was because of a problem with the cooling system that caused gunk to build up and eventually ruin the engine. | |||
| 07/28/2003 | 95000 | 1 | |
| Gmc knew of a problem with leaking manifold intake gaskets. i recently had the problem, paid over $600 to have it repaired, and a few weeks later, the engine blew...costing me close to an additional $3500. i contacted gm before the repairs were done, and they refused to help me.*ak | |||
| 2 | 12/24/1998 | ||
| Consumer states there is a knocking noise in the engine compartment. dealer advised that the noise was normal, however, problem still exists. *tt | |||
| 10/01/1999 | |||
| 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.*ak | |||
| 10/18/1999 | 7 | 04/01/1999 | |
| The engine failed. yh | |||
| 03/13/2000 | |||
| The van stalls or hesitates without any kind of warning. this happens while driving or taking off after a stop. the van has stalled four times since october of 1999. van is at the dealership. dealer is not able to remedy this probelm. please provide any further information. *ak | |||
| 03/03/2000 | |||
| While driving on highway/stopping or pulling off or taking foot off gas pedal, vehicle stalls. has to drive with both feet in order to keep the rpms up. contacted the dealer, and vehicle is still at the dealer. but, dealer can't duplicate the problem. *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM | |||
| 07/15/2003 | 44982 | ||
| Intake manifold leaking coolant into the engine oil on my 3.4 liter engine. after complaining to pontiac & the bbb, gm offered to pay 50% of the repair cost. faulty oxygen sensor & leaking fuel pressure regulator oh december 16, 2003. since original complaint, keyless remote failed on 7/15/03 & seat belt pretensioner failed causing airbag light to go on, july 28, 2003 | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL | |||
| 01/30/2005 | 57000 | 1 | 07/02/1999 |
| We have 1999 montana with appox. 57,000 miles and the intake gasket has failed. i have been a di-hard pontiac/gmc buyer all my life, but after my last two vans we decided to purchase a ford. i had nothing but trouble with my 1996 transport and traded it for our 1999 montana. i love my montana, but the carbon knocking in embarrassing and now we are being charged over $600.00 for a problem that gm knows exists. i was about to purchase another vehicle in the gm family until this week. they are offering $1500 in loyalty cash we have been loyal! where is gm's loyalty!!! my next car will most like be a non-gm model thanks to gm's loyalty!!!!!*ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | |||
| 11/16/2007 | 4 | 10/25/2003 | |
| Every year, a week or two after turning on the heat in the van, the heater stops blowing warm air. while sitting at idle the temp gauge rises extremely high. every year the dealer has fixed the problem. this year they are telling me that i need a new engine! after researching online, here and at respected sites such as edmonds.com it seems to me like these problems should have been addressed long before i even bought my van so many years ago!!!! *tr | |||
| 08/25/2005 | 143458 | 2 | 01/23/2004 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while the vehicle was parked antifreeze was observed on the ground below the front end of the vehicle. an independent repair shop replaced the intake gasket and head gasket on two separate occasions. the problem returned following both repairs. updated 06/07/2006. *ak *ts | |||
| 04/17/2006 | 77035 | 1 | 02/01/1999 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while an independent mechanic was performing a routine oil check, it was determined the intake manifold was bad and needed to be replaced. the mechanic informed the contact this was the fourth vehicle within one week with the same engine size that had a bad intake manifold. | |||
| 10/10/1999 | 15000 | 2 | 06/07/1999 |
| Low coolant icon lit up on dash at 15000 miles.dealer said intake manifold gasket failed and it was replaced under warranty. at 51500 miles low coolant icon lit up on dash. dealer said intake manifold gasket failed and it was replaced at a cost of 503.00 dollars to myself. *la | |||
| 02/10/2003 | 35888 | 1 | 08/01/1999 |
| Intake manifold failed at 35,888 miles. dealer advised they were not aware of this problem. veh out of warranty due to age. *ak | |||
| 11/10/2003 | 94000 | 5 | 07/28/1999 |
| Lower intake manifold gasket and water pump leaking dexcool coolant. dealer reports oil pressure switch, oil pump drive o-ring, and both valve covers leaking oil. don't know if these oil leaks are due to gasket & seal damage from dexcool coolant. *la | |||
| 08/12/2003 | 61139 | 1 | 07/06/1999 |
| I took my 1999 pontiac montana in for an oil change and was told that i have an intake manifold gasket that is leaking. i was told that if it was not repaired serious engine damage could result. i have 63,000 miles on the vehicle and believe that this is not normal wear and tear but rather a factory assembly defect or poor design. *ak | |||
| 08/01/2003 | 76005 | 1 | 05/24/1999 |
| My 1999 pontiac montana overheated. there were no signs other than my wife mentioning a funny smell. had to replace both intake manifold gaskets and have the cooling system flushed. he claimed dex-cool causes this problem. *ak | |||
| 07/17/2003 | 70030 | 1 | 05/11/1999 |
| While driving 65 mph the intake manifold gasket failed and allowed coolant to mix with the engine oil. this caused the engine to overheat and shut down. the consumer found out that the manufacturer was aware of the problem and redesigned the gasket. chevrolet owners with 3.8l engines were notified of the potential failure, but owner of gm vehicles with 3.1l and 3.4l engines were not contacted. *ak *ph *nlm | |||
| 06/05/2003 | 44000 | 1 | 08/07/1999 |
| Leaking intake manifold gasget at 44,000 miles. was found by dealer when in for normal service. told they look for this problem. this is out of warranty service even though this is a common problem on the 3.4l engine. *ak | |||
| 05/14/2003 | 58000 | 1 | 06/19/1999 |
| 1999 potiac montana - manifold failure, coolant leak. a costly and apprantly frequent problem. *ak | |||
| 12/24/2002 | |||
| Consumer states that while driving and without warning the intake manifold crack causing coolant fluid to leak onto the engine. dealer notified. ts | |||
| 04/05/2002 | 1 | 12/24/1998 | |
| Consumer states the engine is losing coolant and there was a loud valve train noise when started cold. dealer found leaks of the gaskets under the intake manifold. *tt | |||
| 11/20/2001 | 05/01/2000 | ||
| We have been plaged with coolant leakage for some time. our intake gasket has been pegged as the cause. why should the consumer be forced to foot the bill for something that in my mind is an assembly or defect problem. noone should be having to fool with the engine on such a new vehicle. this is above and beyond any wear and tear issue.*ak | |||
| 02/08/2002 | 04/01/2001 | ||
| Intake manifold assembly cracked where pipe is pressure fitted into manifold, causing engine coolant to leak rapidly, coolant light came on after coolant container was over 1/2 empty. *ak | |||
| 04/01/2001 | 1 | 02/01/1999 | |
| Consumer was traveling 55mph on highway and went to pass another vehicle, and accelerator pedal was stuck down to the floor. he was able to put vehicle in neutral, pull over to side of road, and shutdown. dealership was aware of problem. vehicle was towed to dealership. *ak while having oil changed, consumer requested to have the air filter replaced, in order to replace air filter, the throttle cable clamp was loosened to gain access to the air filter housing, it was not lined back up properly causing the sudden acceleration. *slc | |||