1999 PONTIAC MONTANA Complaints

THE OUTSIDE EDGE OF THE SEAT FRAME ON DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE HAD A PROTRUDING EDGE MADE OF METAL THAT STICKS OUT ABOUT 7 INCHES AND IS VERY SHARP. THE METAL HAS TORE THROUGH THE MATERIAL OF THE SEAT. THE CONSUMER FEELS THIS COULD BE DEADLY IN A SIDE COLLISION. *NLM

COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE AND RADIATOR SLUDE ON 1999 PONTIAC MONTANA AS A RESULT OF DEX-COOL COOLANT

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

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

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING SUBFRAME FELL TO GROUND, CAUSING AND ACCIDENT. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

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

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

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

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

THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE AND ALL WE CAN SAY IS THAT 3 WEEKS PRIOR TO THAT, THE CAR WAS WORKED ON BY THE DEALER TO FIX A COLANT LEAK BETWEEN THE INTAKE MANIFUL AND THE CYLINDER HEAD. WE DROVE THE CAR UP ON A STEEP HILL, THE CAR WAS PARKED AND 2 OR 3 MINUTES LATER WE WERE INFORMED THAT OUR CAR'S ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. ABD THE CAR WSA TOTALLED.*AK