Pontiac Montana Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 267 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the Pontiac Montana across 10 model years. The 1999 model year has the most (99). The words owners use most often: “intake manifold” (38% of reports).
- 267engine and engine cooling complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $1,550typical repair cost reported by owners
- 39%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 102 of 267 complaints (38%)
- Low coolant: mentioned in 20 of 267 complaints (7%)
- Gasket leaking: mentioned in 19 of 267 complaints (7%)
- Water pump: mentioned in 14 of 267 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 Montana at $1,550, and half of them between $1,250 and $2,300.
Based on 54 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2003–2011), 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 177 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 267 complaints, 2 a fire, 1 an injury.
Pontiac Montana engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 Montana | 2 | 5% | 50,630 |
| 2005 Montana | 3 | 4% | 28,000 |
| 2004 Montana | 3 | 8% | 60,200 |
| 2003 Montana | 10 | 12% | 73,000 |
| 2002 Montana | 24 | 19% | 55,000 |
| 2001 Montana | 36 | 23% | 66,000 |
| 2000 Montana | 69 | 30% | 58,000 |
| 1999 Montana | 99 | 42% | 60,570 |
| 1998 Montana | 13 | 27% | 74,905 |
| 1997 Montana | 8 | 44% | 55,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine and engine cooling for the Pontiac Montana. 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.
I have replaced the head gasket on my 2004 pontiac montana every year at the same time this is the 3rd time i will have to have the gasket replaced i do believe this is a recall issue that should be corrected by the manufacturer since i have replaced it 2 times prior to this. *tr
It seems that the this particular make and model has known problems with the cooling system. On a family trip to virginia the car started to overheat and i stopped the vehicle. When parked red fluid was visible under the car and upon testing was found out to be coolant leak. Car was towed to pa and…
Repeated driving within 1/4 mile of the indianapolis regional air traffic control radar antenna causes some of the instrument panel failure indicators to turn on for several seconds. The "battery" and "airbag" indicators turn on and clicking noise is heard from the instrument panel. The lamp…
Was driving on freeway when got a message on dic saying "engine power reduced" seconds later vehicle dropped to 10 mph and would not go any faster. Rpm dropped to 300. Almost got rear ended.dealer said it was an app sensor, replaced and happened again. Said it was a mass air flow sensor, replaced…
Intake manifold needed to be replaced at 84,000 miles. Very costly repair $1,500.00. *tr
Frequently asked questions
Do all Pontiac Montanas have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 267 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the Pontiac Montana. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Pontiac Montana 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 Montana?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,550 (half paid between $1,250 and $2,300), from 54 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the Pontiac Montana?
The most frequent phrase is “intake manifold”, in 102 of 267 complaints, followed by “low coolant” (20).
Other Pontiac Montana problems
- Structure problems (118)
- Electrical System problems (116)
- Power Train problems (100)
See all Pontiac Montana problems.