2001 Pontiac Montana Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Montana years
- Far more complaints than other years 3rd of 12 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 9 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 156 complaints with NHTSA about the 2001 Pontiac Montana. That ranks 3rd out of 12 Montana model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (36 complaints, 23%), typically at around 66,000 miles. Complaints mention 10 crashes, 3 fires, 26 injuries. There are 9 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 156owner complaints
- 9safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 10complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2001 Pontiac Montana 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 36 | 23% | 66,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 20 | 13% | 62,621 | — | — |
| Power Train | 20 | 13% | 43,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 14 | 9% | 58,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 13 | 8% | 109,750 | — | — |
| Structure | 13 | 8% | 25,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 11 | 7% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 11 | 7% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 10 | 6% | 66,582 | — | — |
| Visibility | 10 | 6% | 68,955 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 9 | 6% | 112,438 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 6 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 5 | 3% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 5 | 3% | 44,615 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 3 | 2% | 80,002 | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 2% | 41,530 | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 1% | 100,052 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 2 | 1% | 140,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 1% | 112,438 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 1% | 46,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 1% | 29,505 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2001 Pontiac Montana recalls (9)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage
Problem: On certain vehicles, variations in the manufacturing process or exposure to high ambient temperatures may lead to fracture of the fuel tank inlet check valve (icv).
Risk: A fracture may allow fuel vapors to pass through and allow droplets of fuel to accumulate on the side of the fuel tank. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel tank. The recall will be mailed in two phases with the first phase beginning on december 4, 2007. The second phase will be mailed on december 13, 2007. Owners may contact buick at 1-866-608-8080; chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438; or pontiac at 1-800-620-7668. The vehicle population includes buick rendezvous and pontiac aztek vehicle built in may 2003; chevrolet venture and pontiac montana vehicles built from june through august 2002; and all vehicles registered in nevada, arizona, virgin islands, puerto rico, and hawaii.
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Problem: On certain minivans equipped with second-row bucket seats or captain's chairs and a power sliding door on the passenger side of the vehicle, a passenger using the interior handle to open the power sliding door could be injured.
Risk: If a passenger uses the interior handle to open the power sliding door and holds onto the handle while it is being opened by the motor, the passenger's arm may be pushed into the seat back or armrest and a wrist or lower arm injury may result.
Fix: Dealers will replace the power sliding door interior handle on the passenger-side. If the vehicle is equipped with a power or manual sliding door on the driver-side, the interior handle will also be replaced for appearance reasons. Note: before the vehicle is serviced, gm advises owners to not use the interior door handle to open the door. The driver can open and close the door from switches at the driver's position or by using the remote key fob. The driver should tell passengers to use the switch located in front of the door to open or close it. The driver should use the override switch to prevent operation of the power door by children or by others who are not familiar with its use. The owner notification letter mailing will be conducted in phases with the first phase beginning on may 31, 2005. The second phase mailing began on july 18, 2005. The recall began on may 31, 2005. Phase 2 began on july 18, 2005. Phase 3 (final phase) began on august 24, 2005, to all remaining customers. Owners should contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438; pontiac at 1-800-620-7668; or oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537.
Equipment:other:owners/service/other manual
Problem: Certain minivans, passenger and sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 225, "child restraint anchorage system." the owner's manual does not explain the meaning of the location symbols for the child restraint lower universal anchorage system.
Risk: This does not meet the requirements of the standard.
Fix: Owners will be provided with a supplement for their owner's manual. This supplement describes and shows the location symbols for the child restraint anchors that are located in the vehicle and on the child restraint or booster cushion. Owner notification began august 18, 2003. Owners should contact buick at 1-866-608-8080, cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, gmc at 1-866-996-9463, pontiac at 1-800-620-7668, or oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537.
Air bags:frontal
Problem: On certain passenger, sport utility vehicles and mini vans, some of these vehicles have a passenger air bag that was manufactured without a check valve pin. An air bag without the check valve pin could produce increased pressure at the onset of the air bag deployment and reduced pressure afterward.
Risk: This could increase the severity of injury to a person who was not properly restrained and who was close to the passenger air bag at the time of deployment. It could also reduce the ab8ility of the air bag to protect a restrained front seat passenger.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the passenger air bag. Owner notification began december 16, 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 chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, pontiac at 1-800-762-2737, oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537, or saturn at 1-800-553-6000, prompt #3.
Seats:front assembly:recliner
Problem: Vehicle description: certain mini vans built with second row 50/50 split bench seats or captain's chairs, fail to comply with the requirements of fmvss no. 225, "child restraint anchorage systems." the seat latch anchor wire diameter is greater than 6.1 mm.
Risk: If the connector for a latch-type child restraint is not attached correctly to the anchorage points, the restraint will not properly protect a child in the event of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the latch anchor wires and repair those with an improper diameter. Owner notification began april 10, 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 chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537, or pontiac at 1-800-762-2737.
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Problem: Vehicle description: 1997-2001 chevrolet venture, pontiac montana/transport, and oldsmobile silhouette mini vans equipped with passenger side power sliding doors that were serviced in campaign 01013 (01v-067) from april to august 2001. Also 2001 chevrolet venture, pontiac montana, and oldsmobile silhouette mini vans equipped with passenger side power sliding doors assembled in january through april 2001. These vehicles have inadequate front welds. If a front weld fails, the actuator can jam in the unlatched position and, when the sliding door closes, it will not be latched.
Risk: If this happens, the power sliding door can open while the vehicle is in motion, particularly when the vehicle ascends a hill, makes a turn, or travels over a rough road surface. An unrestrained occupant could fall out of the van and be injured.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and, if required, install a new power sliding door unlatch actuator assembly. Owner notification began on october 22, 2001. 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 chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, pontiac at 1-800-762-2737, or oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537.
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Problem: Vehicle description: minivans equipped with passenger side power sliding doors. The door closes but may not be latched. If this happens, the power sliding door can open while the vehicle is in motion, particularly when the vehicle ascends a hill, makes a turn, or travels over a rough road surface.
Risk: An unrestrained occupant could fall out of the van and be injured.
Fix: Dealers will install a new un-latch actuator assembly to the power sliding door. This recall has been continued under safety recall 01v-264. 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 chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, pontiac at 1-800-762-2737, or oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537.
Air bags:frontal
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger, sport utility vehicles and minivans. The passenger air bag inflator modules were built without the correct amount of generant, which produces the gas that fills the air bag. Some were built with a double load of generant and some were built without generant.
Risk: In the event of a crash that would trigger a passenger air bag deployment, a double load of generant can cause the inflator module to explode. If the air bag module explodes, metal and plastic debris could cause severe injury to vehicle occupant. A module with no generant would not inflate the air bag, and the occupants could receive more severe injuries.
Fix: Dealers will replace the passenger air bag module. Telephone calls were made to owners on january 29, 2001. Follow up owner mailing began on april 17, 2001. 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 chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, pontiac at 1-800-762-2737, or saturn at 1-800-553-6000.
Seat belts
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles, light duty trucks, sport utility vehicles, and mini vans equipped with trw seat belt buckle assemblies. The buckle base of these seat belt assemblies were not properly heat treated and therefore do not pass the load bearing requirement of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 209, "seat belt assemblies."
Risk: In the event of a vehicle crash, the occupant may not be properly restrained.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the vehicle's safety belt buckle assembly date codes and, if necessary, will replace any safety belt buckle assembly.
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
- Power-sliding door (PE04064) — opened Sep 17, 2004, closed Dec 22, 2004, led to recall 04V597000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
My gearshift broke,fuel gage don't work,my car bounce up and down when driving sliding doors won't click open.when start car up and put in gear drive or revearse won't move just rive up.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 pontiac montana. The contact stated that the power sliding door would not latch when closing, causing the door to open when driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the latch failed. After contacting the dealer, the contact was…
In left turn lane in the intersection..oncoming vehicle hit head on. Airbag failed to inflate on drivers side. Driver airlifted to trauma hosp.
The van when in park will revive the engine and jump, when stopping with new brakes and all that fun stuff when the van is doing this reviving state it takes longer to stop and like the van is fighting it. It sometimes over shifts when in this state when taking off from a light (does the reviving…
The tank leaks fuel at the inlet on the tank. Customer is able to put no more than enough gas in the tank where is below the level on the inlet on the tank. *tr
Other Pontiac Montana years
← 2000 Montana · 2002 Montana →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 Montana | 1 | 1 |
| 2007 Montana | 0 | 1 |
| 2006 Montana | 37 | 2 |
| 2005 Montana | 81 | 5 |
| 2004 Montana | 39 | 3 |
| 2003 Montana | 84 | 5 |
| 2002 Montana | 126 | 3 |
| 2001 | 156 | 9 |
| 2000 Montana | 228 | 5 |
| 1999 Montana | 235 | 5 |
| 1998 Montana | 49 | 3 |
| 1997 Montana | 18 | 1 |
See all Pontiac Montana problems by year, every Pontiac model, or the VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2001 Pontiac Montana?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, electrical system, power train problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 36 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2001 Pontiac Montana?
Yes, 9 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2001 Pontiac Montana a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Montana model years, the 2001 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.