2005 PONTIAC MONTANA Complaints

TRIM STRIPS ON BOTH SIDES OF VAN WERE RUSTING EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE PLASTIC. WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM, THERE SHOULD BE SERVICE BULLETIN ON IT, AND THAT THE PAINT SURFACE WAS NOT CLEANED PROPERLY BEFORE PAINTING IT, THEREFORE IRON/RUST WAS BLEEDING THROUGH. THIS HAPPENED ONLY ON THE TRIM STRIPS ON THE FRONT DOORS, NO WHERE ELSE ON VAN. STRIPS WERE REPLACED SINCE STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND NO PROBLEMS YET AFTER 2 MONTHS. *JB

THE ATTACHED DATE IS THE LATEST OF THE FAILURES. I ALREADY HAD A COMPLAINT SUBMITTED REGARDING A CRASH DUE TO ABS FAILURE ON DECEMBER 31, 2005. SINCE THE DAMAGE WAS FIXED FROM THE ACCIDENT AND THE ABS WAS SUPPOSEDLY FIXED, WE HAVE HAD MANY MORE ABS FAILURES. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES (THIS TIME BEING THE 3RD) AFTER THE INITIAL PROBLEM AND EACH TIME THEY SUPPOSEDLY FIX IT (BETWEEN THE WIRING HARNESS, THE EBCM, AND THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING IT NOW). THEY KEEP TELLING US IT IS A NON-CRITICAL SYSTEM, BUT IT CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. WITH THE OTHER FAILURES AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE ABS WOULD KICK IN FOR NO REASON, I REACT WITH MORE PRESSURE (SINCE I'M NOT EXPECTING THE ABS TO COME IN TO PLAY DURING A NORMAL BRAKING SITUATION), THEN FAIL IN THE MIDDLE OF A NORMAL STOP CAUSING A NEAR WHEEL LOCK-UP. I BELIEVE THIS IS A BIG SAFETY PROBLEM AND WARRANTS A GOOD LOOK. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED. THE FIRE WAS LOCALIZED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS CONSIDERED A TOTAL LOSS, AND A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE, AND THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS NOT DETERMINED.*AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE SLIDING DOOR TO THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SHUTTING PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES. BOTH THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER DETERMINED THAT THEY COULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM WITH THE SLIDING DOOR. THERE WERE NO ACCIDENTS WHICH BEFORE THE PROBLEMS WITH THE SLIDING DOOR, BUT THE CONTACT EXPRESSED THAT THE VEHICLE IS TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. ONE DOES NOT KNOW WHEN THE DOOR WILL OPEN. THE DOOR COMES OFF OF THE TRACK AT TIMES.

WHISTLE NOISE FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE AROUND 60 MPH. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE FRONT WINDSHIELD SEAL, DOOR SEAL, AND A GASKET UNDER THE HOOD BUT THIS HAS NOT HELPED. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THEY DIDN'T HEAR THE WHISTLE UNLESS THEY DROVE IT 90 MPH!!! I WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH PONTIAC'S DESIGN AND IT CAN NOT BE FIXED. PASSENGER SIDE SLIDING DOOR DOESN'T STAY SHUT AND DOESN'T OPEN WHEN OUTSIDE HANDLE IS PULLED AND MOTOR RUNNING TOO LONG AND GRINDING AFTER DOOR HAS CLOSED. THE DOOR MOTOR HAS BEEN REPLACED YET THERE IS STILL A GRINDING NOISE WHEN THE DOOR SHUTS. HEADLIGHTS SURGING CAUSING ME TO CONSTANTLY BE BRIGHT LIGHTED BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THIS IS NORMAL!*JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE HEADLIGHTS AND DASHBOARD LIGHTS PULSATE, BRIGHTER TO DARKER. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THIS WAS HOW THE VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED.

WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT THE HEADLIGHTS, DASH LIGHTS AND RADIO DIM, LIKE THEY ARE HAVING SURGES OF POWER. THE VOLUME ON THE RADIO ALSO GOES UP AND DOWN. I HAVE BEEN "SPOTLIGHTED" AT NIGHT BY ON COMING CARS BECAUSE THEY THINK I HAVE MY BRIGHT LIGHTS ON BUT THAT IS WHEN THEY ARE "SURGING". I HAVE BEEN TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS. ONE SAID IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRIC POLLUTION PUMP AND THE OTHER SAID IT WAS RELATED TO THE CHARGING SYSTEM. BOTH HAVE STATED THAT GM HAS CONSIDERED THIS A NORMAL CONDITION. IN MY OPINION THIS IS DANGEROUS. *NM

GETTING READY TO LEAVE FROM A SHOPPING CENTER DURING THE MIDDLE OF A SNOW STORM, MY WIFE AND I LOADED BOTH KIDS IN THE BACK OF THE VAN (1 AND 3 YEARS) AND TRIED TO CLOSE THE DOORS. THE AUTOMATIC DOORS WOULD NOT CLOSE. WE TRIED THE KEY FOB, THE UPPER ROOF CONSOLE BUTTONS AND THE BUTTONS ON THE B-POSTS. NOTHING WORKED. WE THEN TRIED MANUALLY TO CLOSE THE DOORS BUT THEY WOULD NOT LATCH. WE TURNED THE IGNITION KEY ON AND OFF THE 3 TIMES AND TRIED TO USE BUTTONS AFTER EACH RESTART. FINALLY AFTER TEN MINUTES OF TRYING WE GOT THEM TO CLOSE AND LATCH BY USING THE KEY FOB. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE REPAIR SHEET INDICATES THEY REPLACED THE MODULE AND THE FOBS. IT HAS ONLY HAPPENED ONCE SINCE THEN, BUT I AM NOT SURE IF THE REPAIR THAT WAS DONE IS ADEQUATE SINCE IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN SINCE THE REPAIR. *NM

SINCE VEHICLE INCEPTION, ALL TIRES NEED AIR EVERY 2-3 WEEKS. AT 5000 MILES HIT A POTHOLE AND BENT RH FRONT RIM OUTSIDE BEAD (AIR PRESSURE GOOD). TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY ROTATED THE TIRES IN A X PATTERN RH FRONT TO LH REAR, LH FRONT TO RH REAR, ETC. LH REAR BECAME RH FRONT, WHICH AT 7200 MILES WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY THE RH FRONT RIM BEAD BREAKS AND THE BEAD PUNCTURES TIRE CAUSING MOMENTARY LOSS OF CONTROL. THERE WAS NO ONE IN THE AREA AT THE TIME AND VEHICLE WAS PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. *NM

WHISTLING NOISE FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VAN. THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED SINCE WE PURCHASED THE VAN. THE WINDSHIELD SEAL, DOOR SEAL, AND PASSENGER SIDE MIRROR HAVE BEEN REPLACED BUT THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. *JB