1999 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE Complaints

I HAD TO HAVE THE INTAKE PLENUM REPLACED ON MY 99 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE...STARTED WITH VEHICLE HESITATING ON TAKE OFF, RPM'S ACCELERATING VERY HIGH BUT MPH NOT CATCHING UP...VEHICLE THEN BACKFIRED AND LOSS ALL POWER...HAD IT TOWED TO DEALER...DEALER SAID INTAKE PLENUM WAS WARPED CAUSING COOLANT TO POSSIBLY LEAK INTO ENGINE...GM WOULD NOT COVER UNDER WARRANTY WHICH COST ME $1000 TO CORRECT...VEHICLE WAS FINE FOR A MONTH OR SO AND STARTED DOING IT AGAIN. I THINK ITS RIDICULOUS THAT GM KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BUT REFUSES TO TAKE RESPONSIBILTY FOR IT AS A FACTORY PROBLEM..I WOULD LIKE A RECALL ON THIS AND MY MONEY REIMBURSED TO ME. I ALSO THINK THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE REPAIRED CORRECTLY WITH A PART THAT WON'T BURN UP BECAUSE ITS MADE OF PLASTIC. I HAVE READ ON MANY WEBSITES COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT THEY ARE COMPLAINING TO THE WRONG PEOPLE. I WAS RECENTLY INFORMED THAT GM DOES NOT DECIDE TO PUT OUT THE RECALL, IT'S REALLY THE NHTSA THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT. MY PLAN IS TO POST THIS LINK ON THOSE WEBSITES AND HOPEFULLY ENOUGH PEOPLE WILL POST A COMPLAINT HERE TOO AND MAYBE WE COULD GET SOME REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE POORLY BUILT CARS THAT ALL OTHER CONSUMERS HAVE PURCHASED. *AK

MY 1999 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE EXPLODED WHEN THE KEY WAS TURNED IN THE IGNITION & FIRE SHOT OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WHEN THE KEY WAS TURNED OFF, THE FIRE STOPPED. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE A FUEL INJECTER & UPPER INTAKE PLENUM (WHICH WAS IN PIECES FROM THE EXPLOSION). MY BILL WAS $430.63. IN JUNE 2004, I RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER FROM GM CORPORATION SAYING THERE WAS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR DIAPHRAGMS LEAKING. THE LETTER DESCRIBED THE FOLLOWING: "A LEAK CAN ALLOW FUEL TO ENTER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD THROUGH A VACUUM LINE. IN LOW BATTERY CONDITIONS, IF THE ENGINE DOES NOT START WHEN CRANKED, THE FUEL FROM THE LEAKING REGULATOR AND A SPARK CAN CAUSE A BACK FIRE. THE BACK FIRE CAN RUPTURE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD, CAUSING A LOUD BANG. THE RUPTURE OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CAN DISPLACE A FUEL LINE, PULLING AN INJECTOR OUT OF PLACE, AND CAUSING A FUEL LEAK. IF THERE IS AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE CAN RESULT." THIS LETTER DESCRIBED EXACTLY WHAT HAD HAPPENED . THE LIGHTS HAD BEEN LEFT ON IN MY PONTIAC WHICH CAUSED A DEAD BATTERY. A BATTERY CHARGER WAS CONNECTED TO THE VEHICLE WHEN THE EXPLOSION HAPPENED. WHEN WE TRIED TO START THE CAR AGAIN, THE FIRE STARTED AGAIN WHERE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS LOCATED. I MADE A REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT TO GM. MY FILE # IS 1-260698900. I WAS ASKED TO TAKE MY CAR TO A DEALER IN SALISBURY FOR AN INSPECTION. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR IN ON SEPT. 29, 2004, THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR WAS REPLACED. ACCORDING TO THE RECALL LETTER, AN INSPECTION WILL BE MADE AND, IF NECESSARY, THE REGULATOR WILL BE REPLACED. SO THE RECALL CONDITION WAS FIXED BY THIS REPLACEMENT. GM REFUSES TO REIMBURSE ME FOR MY REPAIR SAYING I HAVE NO PROOF THE RECALL CONDITION CAUSED THE EXPLOSION. I WAS GIVEN NO RECOURSE TO DISPUTE THEIR DECISION. THE CONDITION DESCRIBED IN THE SAFETY RECALL LETTER WAS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO MY VEHICLE IN FEBRUARY. HELP.*AK

WHILE AT A STOP, THE FRONT AIR BAGS INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. THE CONSUMER DROVE HOME. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *JB

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING WHEN THE VEHICLE STARTED BACK FIRING, LOST POWER AND STOPPED. THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR DAMAGE TO ENGINE FROM A PULLED FUEL INJECTOR.*MR WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT A PULL FUEL INJECTOR FLOODED THE INJECTOR, PISTONS, CYLINDERS, CRANKCASE AND ENGINE WITH GASOLINE WHICH RESULTED IN A BLOWN ENGINE. A 1998 REPLACEMENT ENGINE WAS INSTALLED FROM ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT BECAUSE HE BELIEVED THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO A RECALL (RECALL #03054B). THE CONSUMER FILED A CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT BUT WAS DENIED. *NM

REGULATOR FAILURE ON VEHICLE HAS CAUSED THE INTAKE GASKETS TO BLOW OUT.*MR THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER TWICE TO HAVE THE PLENUM REPLACED DUE TO FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR MALFUNCTION. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT BOTH TIMES THE REGULATOR FAILED CAUSING A BACKFIRE, BLOWING THE INTAKE GASKETS. THIS IN TURNS CAUSED THE EXHAUST TUBE IN THE PLENUM TO GET TOO HOT THEREFORE BURNING A HOLE IN THE PLENUM. THE CONSUMER FINALLY ECEIVED A RECALL NOT RELATED TO THE PROBLEM AND SUBMITTED PAPERWORK FOR REIMBURSEMENT. THE MANUFACTURER ONLY REIMBURSED THE CONSUMER A PORTION OF WHAT WAS ACTUALLY PAID IN REPAIRS. *NM

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THIS CAUSED THE DRIVER TO DRIFT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE OWNER THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD CRACKED WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO FAIL. *JB THE INTAKE MANIFOLD MELTED AND ALLOWED COOLANT INTO THE CYLINDER. *SC *JB

ON THE MORNING OF 7/15/04 WHILE DRIVING ON LOOP 1604,SAN ANTONIO TX, AT APPROXIMATLY 60 MPH THE ENGINE STOPPED FORCING ME TO TRY AND GET OFF THE HIGHWAY, MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND I ONLY MADE IT PARTWAY OFF THE HIGHWAY. MY CAR ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART AND I WAS STUCK HALFWAY INTO THE FAST LANE. PRIOR THIS THIS THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ANY PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE, NO LIGHTS CAME ON EXCEPT JUST AS THE ENGINE WAS STOPPING TELLING ME TO CHECK ENGINE. THERE WERE NO INDICATORS SAYING THE ENGINE WAS OVER HEATING. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO CAR PRO, IN SAN ANTONIO. THE EXTENDED WARRANTY IS COVERED BY HERITAGE POLICY #HBB 313037, HOWEVER, THE POLICY STATES THEY DO NOT COVER EMMISSION CONTROLS. HERITAGE INSISTED THAT OTHER ITEMS BE PULLED FROM THE VEHICLE BEFORE AN ADJUSTER WOULD EVEN BE SENT OUT. THE ADJUSTER TOLD CAR PRO HE DID NOT KNOW WHY HE WAS EVEN SENT OUT AS THEY KNOW THEY ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE EMMISSION CONTROL OVER HEATING AND CAUSING THE PLASTIC MANIFOLD TO MELT. WHICH OF COURSE LEADS TO THE FLUIDS DRAINING OUT AND LOCKING UP THE ENGINE. SO OF COURSE THE REPAIRS ARE NOT GOING TO BE COVERED AND I HAVE TO FOOT THE BILL FOR EVEN THE EXTRA HERITAGE WANTED DONE. NOW CAR PRO TELLS ME THAT THEY HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH OTHER VEHICLES WITH MELTED MANIFOLDS DUE TO THE EMMISSION CONTROLS OVER HEATING AND CAUSING THEM TO MELT. THE NEW REPLACEMENT MANIFOLD HAS BEEN UPGRADED AND NOW HAS A METAL AREA THAT SITS OVER THE EMMISSIONS CONTROL SO WHEN IT GETS HOT IT WONT MELT THE MANIFOLD. THIS IS A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM, THEY KNOW THAT AND CHANGED THE MANIFOLD BUT DID NOT RECALL IT. THUS COSTING ME OVER $1200.00 IN DAMAGES AND IT COULD HAVE BEEN MY LIFE SINCE MY VEHICLE DIED ON THE HIGHWAY IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. *LA

I'VE HAD MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH MY 99 BONNEVILLE, COSTING ME OVER $2,400. IT STARTED AT 64,000 MILES (6/26/02) WITH A BACKFIRE CAUSED BY A FAULTY FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR, WHICH NOW HAS A SERVICE RECALL (A LITTLE TOO LATE); THAT COST ME $300. A WEEK LATER, THE UPPER MANIFOLD PLENUM LEAKED CAUSING THE ENGINE TO FLOOD AND DIE; I SPENT OVER $500 ON THAT LITTLE PROJECT (REPLACING THE MANIFOLD AND CLEANING THE ENGINE). IT NEVER RAN RIGHT AFTER THAT; I HAD EXTREMELY LOW GAS MILEAGE AND LACK OF POWER, AND THE ENGINE LIGHT KEPT COMING ON AND OFF AND IT STALLED ON MANY OCCASIONS. AFTER ABOUT SIX MONTHS OF THIS, IT DIED AGAIN ON 3/22/03. THIS TIME, IT SPUN THE MAIN BEARING AND THE LOWER HALF WAS RUINED. I WENT TO THREE DIFFERENT MECHANICS BEFORE I COULD FIND SOMEONE WILLING TO TOUCH IT, BUT I FOUND A GOOD MECHANIC THAT REBUILT THE LOWER HALF (VERSUS REPLACING THE ENGINE) FOR $1,600. I STILL HAVE THE CAR AND IT SEEMS TO BE PERFORMING WELL, BUT YOU NEVER KNOW. IM GOING TO INCLUDE ALL OF MY REPAIR COSTS FOR REIMBURSEMENT (THROUGH THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR RECALL NOTICE) AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. MY MECHANIC SAYS THAT ALL OF THIS IS RELATED TO THE BACKFIRE AND THE PLENUM LEAK. *JB

CRACKED PLENEM ALLOWING FLUID TO LEAK INTO ENGINE TO THE POINT OF WATER LOCKING IT. CAUSED $1200 IN PARTS AND LABOR. 70,096 MILES ON VEHICLE. *AK