Pontiac Bonneville Problems by Year
NHTSA has 1,502 owner complaints and 10 safety recalls on file for the Pontiac Bonneville, across 11 model years (1995–2005). The 1998 model year has the most complaints (277). The most reported problem area overall is engine and engine cooling.
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Pontiac Bonneville years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Bonneville year: 1998. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 1998 Bonneville: 277 complaints, 1 recall
- 1995 Bonneville: 244 complaints, 1 recall
- 2000 Bonneville: 214 complaints, 2 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2005 Bonneville: 27 complaints, 0 recalls
- 2004 Bonneville: 28 complaints, 0 recalls
- 2003 Bonneville: 54 complaints, 2 recalls
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Pontiac Bonneville problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 479 | 11 | 4 |
| Electrical System problems | 226 | 11 | 2 |
| Steering problems | 178 | 11 | 4 |
| Visibility problems | 118 | 9 | 0 |
| Air Bags problems | 117 | 11 | 26 |
| Power Train problems | 116 | 11 | 5 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline problems | 113 | 9 | 2 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 82 | 10 | 6 |
| Structure | 58 | 9 | 1 |
| Exterior Lighting | 46 | 8 | 0 |
| Engine | 41 | 10 | 2 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 38 | 9 | 4 |
| Suspension | 34 | 10 | 0 |
| Tires | 25 | 10 | 1 |
| Equipment | 24 | 8 | 1 |
| Seats | 22 | 8 | 5 |
| Fuel System, Other | 18 | 9 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 14 | 6 | 0 |
| Wheels | 13 | 5 | 0 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 12 | 7 | 0 |
| Seat Belts | 12 | 8 | 3 |
| Interior Lighting | 11 | 3 | 0 |
| Service Brakes | 6 | 4 | 1 |
| Electronic Stability Control | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Child Seat | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Pontiac Bonneville problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2000: visibility (58)
- 1999: engine and engine cooling (59)
- 1998: engine and engine cooling (194)
- 1997: engine and engine cooling (50)
- 1995: engine and engine cooling (55)
All Pontiac Bonneville model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 Bonneville | 27 | 0 | — | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2004 Bonneville | 28 | 0 | — | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2003 Bonneville | 54 | 2 | — | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2002 Bonneville | 89 | 2 | — | Steering | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2001 Bonneville | 129 | 0 | — | Steering | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2000 Bonneville | 214 | 2 | — | Visibility | More complaints than other years |
| 1999 Bonneville | 143 | 3 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | About as many complaints as other years |
| 1998 Bonneville | 277 | 1 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1997 Bonneville | 147 | 1 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | About as many complaints as other years |
| 1996 Bonneville | 150 | 2 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | About as many complaints as other years |
| 1995 Bonneville | 244 | 1 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | More complaints than other years |
More from Pontiac: all Pontiac models · VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Pontiac Bonneville years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 1998 (277) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Bonneville year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Pontiac Bonneville?
Engine and Engine Cooling, with 479 complaints across 11 model years.
How many recalls does the Pontiac Bonneville have?
10 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.