2002 Pontiac Bonneville Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Bonneville years
- Fewer complaints than other years 8th of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 89 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Pontiac Bonneville. That ranks 8th out of 11 Bonneville model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is steering (19 complaints, 21%), typically at around 21,205 miles. Complaints mention 5 crashes, 3 fires, 4 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
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- 89owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 5complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2002 Pontiac Bonneville problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 19 | 21% | 21,205 | — | — |
| Visibility | 13 | 15% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 10 | 11% | 89,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 10 | 11% | 62,800 | — | — |
| Power Train | 7 | 8% | 49,352 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 6 | 7% | 160,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 6 | 7% | 26,957 | — | — |
| Seats | 5 | 6% | 54,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 5 | 6% | 29,250 | — | — |
| Engine | 4 | 4% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 3% | 215,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 3% | 43,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 3% | 43,500 | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 3% | 17,969 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 2% | 188,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control | 1 | 1% | 64,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 1% | 25,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 1% | 85,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2002 Pontiac Bonneville recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly
Problem: On certain cadillac deville and seville passenger vehicles, funeral coaches, and limousines equipped with a v8 (4.6l) engine, oldsmobile aurora passenger vehicles equipped with a v8 (4.0l ) engine, and pontiac bonneville ssei passenger vehicles equipped with a supercharged v6 (3.8l) engine, the fuel tank pressure sensors are unusually susceptible to malfunctions. If the sensor malfunctions, excessive vacuum can be applied during self-diagnostic testing.
Risk: Fuel system components can be damaged and fuel can leak from the vehicle when it is refueled. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source can result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel tank pressure sensor. Owner notification began on october 17, 2003. Owners should contact cadillac at 1-866-982-2339; oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537; or pontiac at 1-800-620-7668.
Air bags:frontal
Problem: Certain passenger, mini vans, and sport utility vehicles have an air bag inflator on the driver's side that could fracture at a weld during a deployment.
Risk: Pieces of the inflator could strike and injure vehicle occupants and the air bag cushion would not inflate fully, reducing the capability of the bag to protect the driver.
Fix: Dealers will inspect, and replace, if necessary, the air bag module assembly on the driver's side. Owner notification began august 15, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact buick at 1-800-521-7300, cadillac at 1-800-458-8006, chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, gmc at 1-800-462-8782, oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537, or pontiac at 1-800-762-2737.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Engine compartment fire (EA07008) — opened Jun 12, 2007, closed May 1, 2008, led to recall 08V118000.
- Engine compartment fires (EA02030) — opened Oct 22, 2002, closed Mar 9, 2004, led to recall 04V090000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The airbags did not deploy all the way my [XXX] is in the car as well and the driver side and passenger airbags did not deploy 100% it did cause me to end up having a cut on my face and abruzz eye I have pictures but I did not go to the ER but my [XXX] did cuz she had two cuts on her head it also…
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 pontiac bonneville. When the vehicle was started, the air bag indicator illuminated. The dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 187,000. .*bf consumer owned the vehicle for a year an…
Car will re-start on its own after key is removed. After parking and shutting off the car, then removing the key and opening the driver's door to exit: if you accidentally press the upper part of the lock button on the door (the unlock function) instead of pressing the lower part of the lock button…
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 pontiac bonneville. While driving at various speeds, the vehicle began to smoke under the hood. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the gaskets and valve cover failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The…
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 pontiac bonneville. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start without warning. The vehicle was able to be started, but it took several attempts. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the ignition switch malfunctioned and…
Other Pontiac Bonneville years
← 2001 Bonneville · 2003 Bonneville →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 Bonneville | 27 | 0 |
| 2004 Bonneville | 28 | 0 |
| 2003 Bonneville | 54 | 2 |
| 2002 | 89 | 2 |
| 2001 Bonneville | 129 | 0 |
| 2000 Bonneville | 214 | 2 |
| 1999 Bonneville | 143 | 3 |
| 1998 Bonneville | 277 | 1 |
| 1997 Bonneville | 147 | 1 |
| 1996 Bonneville | 150 | 2 |
| 1995 Bonneville | 244 | 1 |
See all Pontiac Bonneville problems by year, every Pontiac model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Pontiac models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Pontiac Bonneville?
Owners most often report steering, visibility, electrical system problems. The top one, steering, accounts for 19 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Pontiac Bonneville?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2002 Pontiac Bonneville a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Bonneville model years, the 2002 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.