2003 PONTIAC MONTANA Complaints

THERE HAS BEEN A NOTICEABLE ACCUMULATION OF WATER IN THE HEADLIGHTS OF MY 2003 PONTIAC MONTANA. ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE BULB SHORTS OUT. THERE HAS BEEN SOME DETERIORATION OF ILLUMINATION ABILITY DUE TO THE WATER, PARTICULARLY IN THE LAST YEAR. *TR

FRONT HEADLIGHT HAD LOTS OF MOISTURE ON THE INTERIOR, WHICH CAUSED THE BULB TO BURN OUT. I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT UNIT, A $240 PART. *TR

HEAD LIGHTS FILL UP WITH MOISTURE AND BLOWS HEADLIGHT BULBS OUT WHILE DRIVING. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC MONTANA. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. IN ADDITION, HE NOTICED FUEL LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE WHEN PLACING GASOLINE IN THE TANK. HE CONCLUDED THAT THE FUEL TANK INLET CHECK VALVE (ICV) FRACTURED, WHICH ALLOWED FUEL VAPORS TO PASS THROUGH AND DROPLETS OF FUEL TO ACCUMULATE ON THE SIDE OF THE FUEL TANK. A FIRE COULD OCCUR IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V349000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE). A TECHNICIAN STATED THAT BECAUSE HIS VEHICLE HAS A LONG WHEEL BASE INSTEAD OF THE REGULAR WHEEL BASE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY $900 FOR THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 99,000. UPDATED 07/01/09 *BF UPDATED 07/06/09.*JB

THE VALVE PULLED OUT OF ROCKER ARM MID 2008 ON #2 CAL COSTING APPROX 600.00 REPAIR AGAIN IN 2009 THE #3 CYL VALVE PULLED OUT EFFECTING ANOTHER REPAIR. THEN A WEEK LATER THE #5 CYL HAS QUIT FIRING. THIS IS THE 3400 OR 3.4 LITER ENGINE. MY MECHANIC EXPLAINED THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MOTOR IN THE GRAND AM OR GRAND PRIX. *TR

WAS TOLD INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILED. OVER A THOUSAND DOLLAR FIX WITH RELIGIOUS OIL CHANGES AND COOLANT FLUSHES, SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. I HAVE TALKED WITH MANY MONTANA OWNERS OF DIFFERENT YEARS AND ALL HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS CANNOT BE A SURPRISE! THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG HERE... EVEN TWO DIFFERENT REPAIR SHOPS SAID THIS IS A "COMMON" ISSUE OF THE PONTIAC MONTANA. I WAS TOLD THEY WERE SURPRISED IT DIDN'T HAPPEN SOONER AND THERE WERE SIGNS IT WAS IN THE MAKING FOR AWHILE. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS! ITS NOT A CHEAP FIX! *TR

I FILLED MY TANK WITH GAS AND NOTICED THE GAS ODOR INSIDE THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY. WITHIN THE NEXT TWO TO THREE DAYS THE SMELL INCREASED AND I NOTICED IT WHILE WALKING AROUND THE VEHICLE OUTSIDE. I TOOK IT FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND THEY CHECKED AND FOUND THAT THERE IS A LEAK IN THE GAS TANK. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT OR INJURY PRECEDING THIS LEAK. *TR

PROBLEM WITH LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD THAT HAS TO BE REPLACED DUE TO BAD DEXCOOL. DEALERSHIP WILL NOT COVER REPAIR FOR VEHICLE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC MONTANA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE, THE CONTACT SMELLED FUEL THROUGHOUT HER HOME. SHE DISCOVERED A POOL OF GASOLINE UNDERNEATH THE REAR OF HER VEHICLE. THE FUEL TANK WAS INVESTIGATED BY A RELATIVE AND THEY FOUND A FRACTURE IN THE FUEL TANK. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V349000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE). THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 100,000. UPDATED 12/30/08 *CN UPDATED 01/02/09. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC MONTANA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5-10 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND LOST ALL POWER. ALL OF THE POWER DOORS LOCKED, WHICH PREVENTED THE CONTACT FROM EXITING THE VEHICLE. SHE MOVED INTO THE BACK SEAT AND WAS ABLE TO OPEN THE SLIDING DOOR TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE BATTERY WAS DEAD. AFTER FURTHER DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, THE DEALER REALIZED THAT THE THEFT MODULE WAS DEFECTIVE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE STARTED. THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED THAT THE FAILURE COULD OCCUR WHILE DRIVING WITH CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE OR A FIRE OR CRASH COULD OCCUR. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER AND THEY ARE REPLACING THE BATTERY AND THEFT MODULE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 32,000.