Pontiac Bonneville Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 479 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the Pontiac Bonneville across 11 model years. The 1998 model year has the most (194). The words owners use most often: “intake manifold” (32% of reports).
- 479engine and engine cooling complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 4mention a crash
- 5mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $1,950typical repair cost reported by owners
- 41%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Intake manifold: mentioned in 151 of 479 complaints (32%)
- Coolant leak: mentioned in 26 of 479 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine and engine cooling repair on the Pontiac Bonneville at $1,950, and half of them between $1,250 and $3,450.
Based on 48 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2000–2011), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 234 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 479 complaints, 4 mention a crash, 59 a fire, 5 an injury.
Pontiac Bonneville engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 Bonneville | 1 | 4% | 63,635 |
| 2004 Bonneville | 2 | 7% | 22,000 |
| 2003 Bonneville | 6 | 11% | 82,500 |
| 2002 Bonneville | 10 | 11% | 62,800 |
| 2001 Bonneville | 22 | 17% | 93,767 |
| 2000 Bonneville | 37 | 17% | 63,500 |
| 1999 Bonneville | 59 | 41% | 64,008 |
| 1998 Bonneville | 194 | 70% | 70,741 |
| 1997 Bonneville | 50 | 34% | 98,000 |
| 1996 Bonneville | 43 | 29% | 105,000 |
| 1995 Bonneville | 55 | 23% | 109,644 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine and engine cooling for the Pontiac Bonneville. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 pontiac bonneville. The contact stated that while moving the vehicle from its parked location, the contact noticed engine oil leaking on the ground under the vehicle. The contact also stated that the vehicle had been experiencing diminished engine power. The vehicle was…
The back two cradle mounts on both sides rusted out and mounts pulled through the cradle causing the steering to become loose filling and causing steering to be out of alignment and when hit brakes front would dart one way or the other and lots of noise coming from under vehicle from cradle…
While traveling on the interstate highway 295 in nj my vehicle stalled. The stalled and almost caused a near fatal accident with a semi. The vehicle after 20 minutes and numerous attempts the vehicle started back up and i decided to try and make it home by taking back roads away from the…
We had a lot of snow and i live on a slight hill. Went to start the car that was covered in snow to move the car on the other side of the street facing down hill. I turned the key to start the car and heard it pop or backfire which it had never done before. I tried again to start the car and now it…
When i drive my car it shuts down on me while driving and i have to wait at least 20 mins before it starts back up and sometimes it smells like something is burning. *tr
Frequently asked questions
Do all Pontiac Bonnevilles have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 479 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the Pontiac Bonneville. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Pontiac Bonneville engine and engine cooling?
No recall currently lists engine and engine cooling for this vehicle.
How much does it cost to fix engine and engine cooling problems on the Pontiac Bonneville?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,950 (half paid between $1,250 and $3,450), from 48 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the Pontiac Bonneville?
The most frequent phrase is “intake manifold”, in 151 of 479 complaints, followed by “coolant leak” (26).
Other Pontiac Bonneville problems
- Electrical System problems (226)
- Steering problems (178)
- Visibility problems (118)
- Air Bags problems (117)
- Power Train problems (116)
- Fuel System, Gasoline problems (113)
See all Pontiac Bonneville problems.