1996 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE Electrical System Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE ANTI-THEFT AND AN UNKNOWN SECURITY WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE REQUIRED MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER WAS REPLACED AND A NEW KEY MADE BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE HORN AND CHIME SOUNDED UNCONTROLLABLY. IN ADDITION, THE RADIO FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE INTERIOR LIGHTING CONTROLS AND THE POWER DOOR LOCKING FEATURES FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 95V204000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

Mileage: 125,000

INTERIOR LIGHTING SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. LIGHT'S STAYING ON WHEN CAR IS RUNNING AND SENORS CHIMMING FOR DOORS. *TR

Mileage: 233,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SEVERAL ATTEMPTS HAD TO BE MADE BEFORE SUCCEEDING IN STARTING VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHERE THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND OXYGEN SENSOR. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CAP WAS MELTING AND CAUSING OIL TO SPILL. IN ADDITION, THE FAILURE WAS PRODUCING WHITE SMOKE FROM THE TAILPIPE EXHAUST. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE CONTACT WAS UNSURE AS TO THE EXACT REPAIRS MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM FAILED AND WOULD ALERT THE CONTACT THAT THE DOORS WERE OPENED, AND THE SEAT BELTS WERE NOT SECURED ERRONEOUSLY. THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM WAS ALSO DEFECTIVE AND WAS REPAIRED BY REPLACING THE FUEL INJECTOR, AND ADDING FUEL CLEANER. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS: 96V116000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM) AND 95V204000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: IGNITION: ANTI-THEFT CONTROLLER) HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN EITHER RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 158,000. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

Mileage: 140,000

THIS CAR BELONGS TO MY ELDERLY MOTHER WHICH SHE BOUGHT USED AND HAS BEEN AN ON GOING PROBLEM! OCCASIONALLY WHEN STARTING THE CAR, THE ENGINE WILL BACKFIRE, AFTER STARTING IT WOULD RUN OK. THE CAR NOW DOES NOT RUN AS THE INTAKE MANIFOLD IS BROKEN FROM THE BACKFIRING AND ALMOST CAUGHT ON FIRE THE LAST TIME IT WAS ATTEMPTED TO START THE MOTOR! ACCORDING TO PONTIAC THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS CAR BY THE VIN NUMBER!! *JS

Mileage: 55,000

96 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE.WHILE PARKED AT RESIDENCE VEHICLE WENT INTO SECURITY LOCK MODE AND WONT ALLOW VEHICLE TO START. ALL ADVICE FROM INDIVIDUALS TO "RESET" SECURITY FAILED. ONLY OPTION LEFT IS TO TOW TO LOCAL DEALER FOR SERVICE. *TR

Mileage: 43,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF AT LEAST 10 MPH OR WHILE SITTING IDLE, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING. THE POWER WINDOWS, SEATS AND FUEL PUMP WOULD BECOME INOPERABLE AS WELL. THE CONTACT WOULD RECHARGE THE BATTERY AND ONCE FULLY CHARGED, THE VEHICLE WOULD OPERATE NORMALLY FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME BEFORE STALLING AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT IT WOULD TAKE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION WHEN SHUTTING OFF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DIFFERENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE ADDITIONAL FAILURES. THE MECHANIC SUGGESTED THAT THE IGNITION ANTI-THEFT CONTROLLER WAS FAULTY AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE FAILURE, (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 95V204000: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: IGNITION: ANTI-THEFT CONTROLLER), HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000 AND THE CURRENT WAS 98,000.

Mileage: 97,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 35-40 MPH, THE VEHICLE GRADUALLY LOST POWER AND SHUT OFF. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, IT BACKFIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED AND WOULD COST $503 TO REPAIR. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 176,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000. UPDATED 04/08/08. *LJ THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED DUE TO THE VEHICLE NOT STARTING.

Mileage: 105,000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEM. WINDOWS QUIT WORKING, DIRECTLY RELATED TO ENGINE NOT FIRING UP. ALSO AFFECTS DOOR CHIMES, SECURITY, SEAT CONTROLS, INTERIOR LIGHTING. MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS OF TRYING TO FIX PROBLEM, BATTERY CABLES, BATTERY, REPLACING IGNITION WIRES TO NO AVAIL. PROBLEM CONTINUES TO WORSEN. HAD TO HAVE TOWED TO DEALER, SINCE LOCAL MECHANICS COULD NOT FIND INITIAL PROBLEMS. CAR DOES NOT RUN AT THIS TIME. I EVEN PUT ON A FUEL PUMP(WHICH DIDN'T NEED REPLACING) DUE TO SHUT OFF OF MOTOR. WHEN WINDOWS QUIT WORKING IT ALSO AFFECTS THE FUEL AND SPARK. WE THINK ITS IN THE COMPUTER AND/OR SECURITY SYSTEM. *NM

Mileage: 158,000

MY 1996 BONNEVILLE STARTED ACTING UP, ROUGHLY IDLING, AND HESITATING WHEN TAKING OFF. THERE WAS LOSS OF POWER, POOR GAS MILEAGE, CAR WOULD SHUT IT SELF OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY.CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND STARTED FLASHING. TOOK IT TO AUTO ZONE TO GET IT CHECKED. SCANNER IDICATED THAT IT HAD MULTIPLE MISFIRES, AND THAT MY MAP SENSOR WAS BAD. REPLACED MAP SENSOR. STILL DIDNT CHANGE ON HOW THE VEHICLE OPERATED. REPLACED ONE OF COIL PACKS, STILL NOTHING. PUT NEW PLUG WIRES AND NOTHING CAHNED. NEW OXYGEN SENSOR INSTALLED, AND STILL NOTHING. CHANGES. OVER ALL I JUST GOT DONE SPENDING $150.00 ON THIS CAR AND I CANT EVEN AFFORD THAT, AND STILL HAVE NOT RESOLVED THE PROBLEM. I REPLACED BASICALLY EVERYTHING THAT THE COMPUTER CAME UP WITH. WHAT CAN I DO HERE TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM WITHOUT ME HURTING MY FINANCIAL STATUS, AND ME BLOWING THE CAR UP.*AK

Mileage: 121,200

WHILE IN PARK POSITION IGNITION KEY TURNED ON AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITH CAUSE. WINDSHIELD HAD TO BE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY. GENERAL MOTORS HAS NOW HAD THE CAR IN TESTING FOR TWO DAYS WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO CONDUCT THE ACTUAL TEST. THEY HAVE TRANSFERRED OUT FILE TO THEIR LEGAL DEPARTMENT. COST OF THE AIR BAG IS APPROXIMATELY $850.00. CONTROLS $870.00 PLUS DAMAGE TO THE DASHBOARD. COST TO EMERGENCY REPLACEMENT THE WINDSHIELD WAS APPROXIMATELY $400.00. WE APPARENTLY SHOULD HEAR FROM THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT IN TWO DAYS. TIME TO ORDER THE AIRBAG IS 3-5 DAYS. NO ESTABLISHED TIME TO ACTUALLY DO THE REPAIRS.*AK

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD TO BE REPLACED AND THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. *SC THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS THE CONSUMER HAD WERE WITH THE DOORS, THE BATTERY, SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT AND THE INTERIOR LIGHTS AND THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR WAS BAD. *JB

LAST WEEKEND WHEN I WAS DRIVING MY PONTIAC BONNEVILLE REGISTRATION TAG [XXX], NJ LICENSE PLATE HAS A [XXX] BACK DOOR POPS OPEN ACCIDENTALLY. SURPRISINGLY I CALL THE GM DEALER AND FOUND THIS VEHICLE IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH DOOR OPEN WARNING. THIS FEATURE IS VERY COMMON IN VERY CHEAP BASIC CARS, WHERE AS LARGE BIG CAR IS MISSING. BEING A FULL SIZE FAMILY SEDAN, I WAS EXPECTING TO SEE THIS TYPE OF BASIC SAFETY WARNING SYSTEM WHEN THIS CAR HAS SUNROOF, ANTILOCK BRAKES, LEATHER SEATS, TRACTION CONTROL AND CLIMATE CONTROL ETC. IT WAS GOOD THAT MY ELEVEN-YEAR KID HAD A SAFETY BELT ON AT TIME IT HAD OCCURRED. I DO NOT WANT TO SAME THING HAPPEN TO OTHER DRIVERS AND LIVE IN FEAR WEATHER OR NOT CAR IS REALLY LOCKED OR NOT. I AM REALLY NOT FEELING COMFORTABLE TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE WITH WHOLE FAMILY. I APPRECIATE YOUR IMMEDIATE HELP. THANKS, [XXX] UPDATED 07/27/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

WHILE DRIVING AT APRX 40MPH THE CAR LOST ALL POWER, AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. THIS HAPPENED TWICE WITHIN 3 WEEKS. THE BRAKES STILL WORKED ,AND IT WAS A STRAIGHT ROAD SO WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR WITHOUT CAUSING ANY ACCIDENTS OR INJURY.*AK STEARING WHEEL AND PEDALS SHAKE BETWEEN 65 AND 75MPH. MECHANIC FOUND THAT SMALLER BRACKET OF THE DRIVE WHEEL HAS BECOME LOOSE. REPLACED THE BRACKET. WORKED FINE FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS...THEN SHAKING STARTED TO COME BACK...WILL BE TAKING IT TO THE MECHANIC AGAIN..

Mileage: 85,000

CAR WAS AT APROXIMATELY 87000. TURNED THE CAR ON, THERE WAS A LOUD EXPLOSION AND SMOKE CAME OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD, DIDNT SEE ANY FLAMES, POPPED OPEN THE HOOD, AND SMOKE JUST CONTINUED TO PILE OUT. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE MECHANIC FOUND THE ENGINE WAS ON ITS LAST BREATH. HAD ENGINE RELACED FOR A USED ENGINE WITH 4500 MILES ON IT FOR $1500. SOON AFTER THE ENGINE THE ALTERNATOR STARTED TO DIE, WHERE JUST BY STANDING NEXT TO THE CAR YOU CAN HEAR METAL TO METAL GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM IT. PAID $100 TO GET NEW ALTERNATOR. RIGHT AFTER ALTERNATOR THE EG R VALVE DIED, HAD IT REPLACED, ANOTHER $300 SPENT. NOW COME SPEDOMETER SAYING 99000 BUT THE SECOND ENGINE ONLY HAVING 60000 THE SERPENTINE BELT CRACKED AND WORN OUT BEYONG BELIEVE. ANOTHER $75 SPEND. WHILE HAVING THAT REPLACED THE MECHANIC POINTED OUT PUDDLES OF OIL ON THE ENGINE, THUS THE MANIFOLDS/GASKET ON ENGINE#2 WILL SOON NEED TO HAVE WORK DONE.SHOULD I CONTACT THE LOCAL DEALER ABOUT THE GASKETS LEAKING...DOES IT RELATE TO THE RECALL THAT WAS MADE ON THE MANIFOLDS. *AK

Mileage: 87,000

WHEN THE KEY WAS PLACED IN THE IGNITION, IT DID NOT TURN OVER. *JB

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING, VEHICLE ALL OF A SUDDEN LOST ALL POWER, CONSUMER COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND STOPPED, HOWEVER CONSUMER COULD NOT GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE, THE DOORS WOULD NOT OPEN, SHE COULD SLIDE THE DOOR LATCH, BUT THE LOCK WOULD RELEASE, NONE OF THE POWER WINDOWS WORKED, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE DOORS WERE REPROGRAMMED SO THEY ALL OPEN MANUALLY FROM THE INSIDE. DEALER FOUND BATTERY CABLES DIRTY AND CORRODED. *JB

BATTERY LEAKED ACID, AND POSITIVE TERMINAL FELL OFF FROM SIDE OF BATTERY, BATTERY ACID COVERED BATTERY CASE, COVERED DISTRIBUTOR AND POSSIBLE BRAKE LINES. OPENED FILE WITH PONTIAC #00775631*AK

THE SECURITY SYSTEM WHICH CAME WITH VEHICLE PREVENTED DRIVER FROM STARTING OR RESTARTING VEHICLE AFTER BEING PARKED FOR SOME TIME. WOULD FINALLY START VEHICLE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP TWICE FOR SECURITY PROBLEMS. MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCES ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. SOMETIMES WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD ALL THE INTERIOR LIGHTS COME ON AND STAY ON. ALSO RADIO OPERATES ERRATICALLY. *MJS

THE HORN IS VERY DIFFICULT TO OPERATE. EXCESSIVE EFFORT IS NEEDED TO GET THE HORN TO WORK. *AK

WHEN DEPRESSING THE CENTER HORN PAD, THE PAD BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS AND ALSO LOCATE. CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE VOLUME IS TOO LOW. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK THERE IS NO SOUND WHEN DEPRESSED AT HORN SYMBOLS. *YD