1995 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE Complaints

DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG SUDDENLY DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE. *LA

THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE HEADLIGHTS OFF. THE CONSUMER HAD TO REMOVE THE FUSES IN ORDER TO GET THE HEADLIGHTS TO OUT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

MY 1995 PONTIAC PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHILE MY CAR WAS PARKED, WITH NO IMPACT! IT CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE AND WHEN GM WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE ISSUE THERE REPLY WAS "TO BAD, ITS YOUR PROBLEM, THE CAR IS MORE THAN 5 YEARS OLD". IF THERE HAD BEEN A PASSENGER THERE WOULD HAVE DEFINITELY BEEN SERIOUS INJURY! *CB

THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AT ~76,000 MILES. REPLACED AT GM DEALER WITH A REMANUFACTURED GM UNIT. 06/23/2001. BRAKE FAILURE - WARNING LIGHT AT 81,728 MILES. REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER AND REAR WHEEL CYLINDERS. ANTILOCK BRAKES HAVE ALWAYS BEHAVED STRANGELY AT TIMES BUT HAVE NEVER FAILED TO STOP THE CAR IN A REASONABLE DISTANCE. 09/22/2001. ENGINE FAILURE AT 82,449 MILES. REPLACEMENT ENGINE INSTALLED AT INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR $1400.00. . REPAIR LEAKING GENUINE GM REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION. SIDE COVER LEAKS SEVERELY, DEALER ADVISES OUT OF WARRANTY PERIOD AND REPAIR COST OF $300+ FOR SIDE PAN GASKET. PROBLEM SOLVED AT LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOP (MR. TRANSMISSION) FOR $92.95. IN ADDITION THE FOLLOWING NO LONGER FUNCTION OR FUNCTION IMPROPERLY: FUEL GAUGE DOES NOT WORK, REFILL BASED ON MILEAGE DRIVEN. ALSO THE FUEL PUMP WHINES VERY NOTICEABLY, CAN BE HEARD PLAINLY IN THE VEHICLE OVER THE RADIO. COST FOR REPAIR OF BOTH AT DEALER: $600+ DEPENDING ON PARTS REQUIRED. STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS FOR THE RADIO DO NOT FUNCTION. AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHT CONTROL WILL NOT TURN HEADLIGHTS OFF AFTER TURNING THEM ON. RESULT - BATTERY REPLACEMENT. NOW LEAVE THE CONTROL IN THE OFF POSITION. SPRING LOADED CENTER CONSOLE DOOR LATCH FAILED CAUSING CONSOLE DOOR TO REMAIN OPEN. REPLACED CONSOLE DOOR AND TWO VENTS THAT HAD BROKEN FOR $124.66. CONSOLE DOOR LATCH FAILED APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR LATER (SAME FAILURE). REMOVED DOOR SPRING SO DOOR NOW STAYS CLOSED. DRIVERS SIDE DOOR LOCK JAMS WHEN USING KEY FOB, HAVE TO USE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. NO LONGER USE KEY FOB, DOOR UNLOCKS PROPERLY WHEN USING THE KEY. WITHIN THE PAST YEAR THE PAINT HAS BEGAN TO PEEL ON THE TOP OF THE REAR QUARTER PANELS AND ROOF. I HAD A FLAT TIRE AND WENT TO RETRIEVE THE JACK, WHICH IS LOCATED IN THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE TRUNK. THE JACK IS STORED IN A PLASTIC CASE THAT IS BOLTED TO A BRACKET. ONLY ONE WELD WAS MADE DURING MANUFACTURE ALLOWING THE BRACKET TO BREAK LOOSE. THE JACK CASE NOW JUST LIES IN TRUNK.

THE PROBLEM WITH MY CAR IS THE PAINT. I OWN A WHITE 1995 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE, WHICH I BOUGHT NEW ON NOV23,1994. I'VE TAKEN THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE PURCHASED AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE UNDERCOATING PROCESS AND THAT MY CAR WAS GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS KNOWN AS DELAMINATION OF THE PAINT OR BETTER KNOWN AS PEELING OF THE PAINT. THE BODY SHOP MANAGER SAID THAT MY CAR WAS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE AND WAS A CAR THAT WAS WELL TAKEN CARE OF. I'VE WRITTEN TO THE PONTIAC CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AND RECEIVED A REPLY BACK FROM A MICHAEL GOONAN. SPOKE TO A REP. AT THE PONTIAC CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AND WAS GIVEN A SERVICE REQUEST NUMBER: 1-41426281. I EVEN WROTE (AND SENT PICTURES) A LETTER TO JOHN F SMITH JR. CHAIRMAN/CEO AND RECEIVED A PHONE CALL ON NOV.27 FROM ANDREW DRUCKS WHO SAYS HE IS AN EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT FROM GM IN DETROIT. ALL THREE (3) PEOPLE TOLD ME THE SAME RESPONSE: SORRY. YOUR WARRANTY IS UP AND THAT THERE IS NOTHING THAT THEY CAN DO FOR ME...THAT THE CAR IS ALMOST 8 YEARS OLD AND HAS 63,000 PLUS MILES ON IT. THEY CLAIM THAT THE WARRANTY IS UP FOR PAINT AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO FOOT THE BILL TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. MY QUESTION IS: WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY FOR REPAIRS WHEN GM KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM YEARS AGO? HOW WAS I TO FORESEE WHEN THE PAINT WAS GOING TO START TO PEEL. NO ONE COULD HAVE PREDICTED WHEN THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. THE PAINT IS PEELING ON THE ROOF OF MY CAR AND HAS VISIBLE SIGNS THAT IT WILL HAPPEN ON THE HOOD,TRUNK, AND SPOILER. THESE ARE THE COMMON AREAS FOR THIS TO HAPPEN. PAINT DOES NOT JUST PEEL THE WAY THIS PAINT IS PEELING. THIS CAR IS WELL MAINTAINED. GENERAL MOTORS SHOULD STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS NO MATTER HOW LONG IT TAKES BEFORE THE PAINT STARTS TO PEEL!!!!! THANK YOU JOSEPH TODARO, 169 KEEGANS LANE, STATEN ISLAND N.Y. 10308 (718) 966-7685, [email protected]

GM TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 01-06-01-007A IDENTIFIES AN INHERENT DESIGN FLAW ON THE 3.8 L ENGINE (VIN K - RPO L36) AVAILABLE IN THE FOLLOWING VEHICLES: 1995-1997 BUICK RIVIERA 1995-1998 BUICK LESABRE, PARK AVENUE 1996-1998 BUICK REGAL 1998 CHEVROLET LUMINA, MONTE CARLO 1995-1996 OLDSMOBILE NINETY-EIGHT 1995-1998 OLDSMOBILE EIGHTY-EIGHT 1998 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE 1995-1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE 1997-1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GM MINIMIZES THE IMPACT OF THE PROBLEM BY IDENTIFYING ONE OF THE SYMPTOMS AS OWNER COMPLAINING OF A SMALL COOLANT LEAK. THE FACT IS THAT IN MOST CASES THE LEAK IS NOT VISIBLE. THE COOLANT TYPICALLY LEAKS INTERNALLY BY THE EGR STOVE PIPE INTO THE ENGINE'S INTAKE MANIFOLD WHERE IT BUILDS UP. EVENTUALLY THE COOLANT LEVEL IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD RISES TO THE POINT WHERE THE COOLANT WILL GET SUCKED INTO ONE OF THE CYLINDERS. IN LESS SEVERE CASES, WHEN IT HAPPENS AT IDLE OR LOW RPM, THIS CAUSES THE ENGINE TO SEIZE AND STALL. IN THE MOST SEVERE CASES, WHEN IT HAPPENS AT HIGH RPM, THE HAMMERING EFFECT OF THE ENGINE TRYING TO COMPRESS A LIQUID, CAUSES THE AFFECTED PISTON TO SHATTER (MY CASE). THIS IS A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE CAUSED BY A DESIGN FLAW. WHEN THIS HAPPENS ON A HIGHWAY AT 75 MPH (MY CASE) THERE IS GREAT POTENTIAL FOR AN ACCIDENT AND INJURY TO PASSENGERS. I WAS LUCKY, BUT I STILL HAD TO REPLACE MY ENGINE WITH A REMANUFACTURED ONE AT MY EXPENSE. I COULD NOT AFFORD WHAT GM CHARGED FOR A NEW ENGINE. GM IS FULLY AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. GM REPAIR CENTERS ARE ATTRIBUTING THE FAILURE TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR AND ARE CHARGING OWNERS TO REPLACE THE FLAWED PARTS WITH THE NEW DESIGN. I SPOKE WITH A SERVICE MANAGER AT A LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND HE STATED THAT HE HAS SEEN A LOT OF VEHICLES COMING IN WITH THE SAME FAILURE, THE LESS SEVERE CASE BEING THE MOST COMMON.. I BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM CALLS FOR A RECALL OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLE TO REPLACE THE FLAWED PARTS. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT GM SHOULD PARTIALLY REIMBURSE ME FOR MY EXPENSES RELATED TO THE ENGINE REPLACEMENT.

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT A CURB PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FORCE EXPLODED THE FRONT WINDSHIELD, AND RIPPED THE DASHBOARD ON THAT SIDE. TEN MINUTES EARLIER A CHILD WAS SITTING IN THAT PARTICULAR SEAT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED, CAUSING SMOKE TO COME FROM THE AIR BAG AND SHATTERED THE FRONT WINDSHIELD AND DAMAGED THE DASH. THE CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER TO AIR THE VEHICLE OUT AND THEN CONTINUED TO THEIR DESTINATION. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN NOTIFIED AND THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED. *PH THE DEALER WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIR COST DUE TO THE VEHICLE BEING OUT OF WARRANTY. THE SERVICE TECH'S COULD NOT CHECK THE DRIVER'S SIDE WITHOUT INSTALLING A PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. *SC *JB

AUTO ENGINE CUTS OUT WHEN GOING DOWN HILL. SHIFT TO NEUTRAL AND RESTARTS WITH NO PROBLEM. HOWEVER, LOSS OF POWER CUTS OUT POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES, ETC. *LA

I HAVE A 1995 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE WHICH I PURCHASED USED FROM JIM CULLIGAN GM PONTIAC IN 1996. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE ONLY ONE MONTH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED AS THERE WAS A BULLETIN ON IT. IT IS OBVIOUS THE DEALER KNEW OF THIS WHEN IT WAS SOLD. THIS GASKET ALSO HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 39000 AND 43000 MILES AND A HISTORY NOTE OF IT WAS MADE. GM HAS NOW REFUSED TO REPLACE THIS CHRONICALLY DEFECT PROBLEM AT THE 65000 MILE AND 84000 MILE LEVELS. THE CURRENT GASKET NEEDED REPLACING WITH ONLY 22000 MILES ON IT. THIS TYPE OF PART SHOULD NOT GO THIS FREQUENTLY AND PREVENTS A SAFETY HAZARD SHOULD THE OIL LEAK OUT AND CAUSE ENGINE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. GM IS TRYING TO SAY THAT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAS 84000 MILES ON IT THEY WILL NOT PAY. HOWEVER THIS PART SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED AFTER ONLY 22000 MILES ON IT. IT IS CLEAR THAT GM IS ACTING IN BAD FAITH AND MS DESIREE RICHARDSON AT GM CUSTOMER SERVICE AND MOIZ AHMAD THE AREA SERVICE MANAGER REFUSED TO ACCEPT THIS PROBLEM. MR AHMAD WILL NOT EVEN GIVE ME THE COURTESY OF A CALL TO SHOW HIM THE DOCUMENTATION I HAVE AND EXPLAIN HIS DECISION. I HAVE SPOKEN TO SEVERAL MECHANICS WHO HAVE ALL ADVISED ME GM IS WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND THEY REPLACED THE DEFECTIVE PART WITH EVEN MORE DEFECTIVE PARTS. I HAVE ALREADY TO PAY APPROXIMATELY $300 OUT OF POCKET TO REPLACE THIS INTAKE MANIFOLD ONCE AND AM NOW LOOKING AT HAVING TO DO IT AGAIN. THIS IS A FINANCIAL BURDEN ON MY FAMILY AND VERY UNETHICAL ON GM'S PART TO NOT OWN UP TO THIS WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM AND BE RESPONSIBLE. YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION TO THIS PROBLEM WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.J.PIERINO. *LA