1997 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE Complaints

WHEN THE CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE THE ENGINE AREA CAUGHT ON FIRE, THIS FIRE STARTED BACK BY THE FIRE WALL AND MELTED THE CENTER OF THE DASH. CLAIM NUMBER 23-1435-647. *YH

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE AND CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CLAIM NUMBER 17-9174-792. *YH

THE INSURED STATED THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE WHEN IT BROKE DOWN. CLAIM#13-7503-708 *YH

CONSUMER STARTED VEHICLE, IT WENT PUFF AND THE ENGINE AREA CAUGHT FIRE, FIRE STARTED BACK BY THE FIREWALL AND MELTED THE CENTER OF THE DASH, CLAIM 23-1435-647. *SLC

BRAKES MAKE NOISE WHEN APPLYING THEM. ALSO, THERE IS EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *AK

VEHICLE HESITATING BETWEEN 35 AND 55 MPH. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WOULD NOT GO OFF. TURNED OUT TO BE 1 FAILED IGNITION COIL AND IGNITION WIRES BAD. *AK

HORN BUTTON ON STEERING WHEEL TAKES EXCESSIVE EFFORT AND MANY ATTEMPTS TO SOUND. SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T GET HORN TO WORK AT ALL. DIFFICULT TO IMPOSSIBLE TO USE IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. *AK

WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME WITH OUR CHILDREN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. MY WIFE WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY AND CONTACTED ME. WHEN I ARRIVED I FOUND THE POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL FELL OFF THE DELCO BATTERY, CAUSING ACID TO LEAK INTO THE BATTERY TRAY AND FRONT FRAME SECTION. I REPLACED BATTERY AND HAD TO REPAIR THE CABLE END BECAUSE THE END WAS SEIZED.*AK

THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL OR SIMILARLY CONFIGURED BATTERY CABLE SYSTEM. THE POST BREAKS OFF INSIDE THE BATTERY AS A RESULT OF VIBRATIONS AND THE WEIGHT OF THE CABLE. THE CONSUMER MUST BUY A NEW BATTERY AS A RESULT. FURTHERMORE, THE BATTERY BOLT FREEZES INSIDE THE CABLE REQUIRING IT TO BE CUT OUT DUE TO THE EXCESSIVE HEAT GENERATED ATHTHE CONNECTION. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE ACCORDING TO THE TECHNICIAN I SPOKE WITH AT BENTLEY PONTIAC AT THE TIME I TOOK IT IN. I HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO GET IT REPAIRED. WHEN I PICKED MY VEHICLE UP, I NOTICED ANOTHER BONNEVILLE GETTING IT'S BATTERY REPLACED FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM - THE POSITIVE TERMINAL POST HAD BROKEN OFF AND THE BOLT WAS FROZEN TO THE POSITIVE CABLE CONNECTION. I BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE A FIX TO THIS PROBLEM AND THAT GM SHOULD REIMBURSE OWNER'S FOR ANY COST ASSOCIATED WITH THIS DESIGN FLAW. IT PRESENTS A DANGER TO VEHICLES DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE IT COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN SUDDEN POWER LOSS AND COULD BE CATASTROPHIC. I WAS LUCKY MY INCIDENT OCCURRED IN MY GARAGE. I SHOULOD HAVE REPORTED THIS EARLIER. HOWEVER, WHILE CLEANING UP MY COMPUTER FILES, I RECALLED THAT I HAD NOT REPORTED THIS INCIDENT. I HAVE OWNED A NUMBER OF VEHICLES FOR MANY YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS TYPE PROBLEM WITH THE BATTERY/BATTEY CABLE ON ANY OF THEM. HAVE OTHER SUCH INCIDENTS BEEN REPORTED OR DOES GM HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF THIS PROBLEM FROM MAINTENANCE ACTIONS AT THEIR DEALERS?

WHILE LEAVING A PARKING LOT VEHICLE FAILS TO TURN TO LEFT. VEHICLE CAN TURN TO RIGHT, BUT STEERING WHEEL IS VERY HARD. OWNER BELIEVES THAT FAILURE WAS DUE TO RACK AND PINION. *AK *YD