1996 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE Fuel System, Gasoline Problems

NO INCIDENTS BUT THERE IS DAMAGE DONE TO THE FUEL , EMISSION AND BRAKE LINE THE FUEL AND EMISSION LINES FROM THE FUEL TANK USE A PLASTIC QUICK CONNECT COUPLING JUST UNDERNEATH NEAR THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE . THE COUPLING BECOMES LOSE AND SPRAYS THE FUEL LINES AND BRAKE HOSES WITH FUEL THIS WASHES OFF THE PROTECTIVE LAYER OF THE HOSES WHICH THEN CORRODE AND LEAK FUEL AND BRAKE FLUID , THIS HAPPENED ON MY 1996 BONNEVILLE CAN ANYONE EMAIL ME IF THERE ARE ANY RECALLS ON THIS CAR FOR THAT REASON OR IF I AM ENTITLED TO REPAIRS BY THE MANUFACTURER. *TR

I PUT GAS INTO MY 1996 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE WENT TO START IT AND IT BACKFIRED AND STARTED RUNNING RAGGED AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. *TR

Mileage: 269,400

WHEN I PURCHASED MY 1996 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE SSE USED I SEARCHED FOR ANY RECALLS ON IT I FOUND 2 ONE FOR THE INTAKE BREAKING AND ONE FOR THE ANTI THEFT SYSTEM I TOOK IT TO LOCAL DEALER THEY SAID IT WAS NOT APPLICABLE TO MY VEHICLE NOW I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH BACKFIRING CONSTANTLY AND HAVE EVEN CALLED PONTIAC HELP LINE WHERE I WAS INFORMED THAT MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT VALID AND THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE FAST FORWARD A FEW MONTHS AND MY WIFE THIS MORNING WENT TO THE STORE WHERE THE CAR BACKFIRED AND THE INTAKE EXPLODED INTO SEVERAL PIECES AND LARGE AMOUNTS OF SMOKE ISSUED FROM UNDER THE HOOD NOW THIS WILL UNDOUBTEDLY COST ME A SMALL FORTUNE TO REPAIR WHAT AM I TO DO NOW? *TR

Mileage: 166,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE BACKFIRED SEVERELY. HE OPENED THE HOOD AND NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE PLASTIC COVER WAS SHATTERED. HE REMOVED THE COVER AND FOUND THAT THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED. THE MANIFOLD WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 96V116000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM) PERTAINING TO THE SAME FAILURE. HE NOTIFIED THE DEALER, BUT THEY COULD NOT LOCATE THE RECALL. THE DEALER REFERRED HIM TO THE MANUFACTURER, BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY FAILURES BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS OLDER THAN TEN YEARS. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 93,495. UPDATED 1/26/09 *CN UPDATED 01/26/09. *JB

Mileage: 93,495

AROUND JAN 2008 WHILE DRIVING A PLASTIC WATER HOSE BURST. I REPLACED IT AND HAD NO OTHER PROBLEM UNTIL AROUND AUG 2008. THIS TIME THE WATER PUMP STARTED LEAKING. I REPLACED THAT AND THE THERMOSTAT AND RADIATOR CAP, BUT I STILL KEPT LOOSING COOLANT. THEN I FOUND A CRACK IN THE RADIATOR WHICH I REPLACE AROUND THE END OF AUG 2008. I STILL KEPT HAVING TO TOP OFF THE COOLANT RESERVOIR EVER TWO DAYS. ABOUT JUNE 2008 I STARTED HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE VEH STARTING, IT WOULD SEEM LIKE IT WASN'T GETTING ENOUGH GAS OR FLOODING. IT WOULD BE RUNNING BUT BARLEY AND IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHEN YOU PRESS THE GAS PEDAL. FINALLY IT WOULD START. IT DOESN'T DO IT ALL THE TIME BUT IT'S DOING IT MORE OFTEN NOW. I'VE FUEL SYSTEM AND INJECTION CLEANERS WITH NO CHANGE. THEN I WENT TO NHTSA AND FOUND A RECALL 96V-116 THAT SEEMS TO BE THE CAUSE OF MY PROBLEM. I WENT TO THE LOCAL PONTIAC DEALERS AND THEY SAID THAT MY VIN WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY DO. I TOLD THEM THAT I WOULD BRING BACK TO GET A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. *TR

Mileage: 170,000

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED A LEAK IN THE BRAKE LINE WAS DISCOVERED AND RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE BEING TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION IT WAS DETERMINED THE BRAKE AND FUEL LINES WERE RUSTED AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. *NM UPDATED 02/21/06. *JB

Mileage: 115,856

RECALL ON FUEL INJECTION-INTAKE MANIFOLD PONTIAC COULD NOT TELL ME IF AND WHEN THIS REPAIR WAS EVER DONE AS THEIR SYSTEM DOESN'T GO BACK THAT FAR- I HAD THIS REPAIR DONE LAST YEAR AND TOLD THEM THAT THERE IS NO WAY THAT 2 MANIFOLDS WOULD BE DEFECTIVE IN ONE CAR- THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO AS WE BOUGHT THIS CAR USED- ALL I WANTED TO KNOW IF THIS RECALL WAS USED ON MY CAR WHEN AND WERE THE REPAIRS WERE DONE- THEY COULDN'T TELL ME THIS INFO-- CAN YOU GET THIS INFO ?? THANKS. *JB

DT: CONSUMER OWNS A 1996 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. HE STATES THAT THERE WAS RECALL 96V116000 CONCERNING INTAKE MANIFOLD. HE SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY STATED HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. HE BROUGHT IT TO DEALER FOR SERVICE ON JUNE 28, 2005, AND HAD THE UPPER MANIFOLD INTAKE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER HAS A PRINT OUT FROM THE REPAIR SHOP THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO MAIL IN.*AK JB

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

THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED IN JUN OF 1996 AND RECALL WAS ISSUED JUN 1996. SO WHY WEREN'T WE TOLD OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE THE PURCHASE. DEALERSHIP GREED . WHEN STARTING MY 1996 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE, 3.8L V6, IT BACKFIRED AND LOTS OF WHITE SMOKE CAME FROM THE MUFFLER. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK TO PICK UP THE CAR AND TAKE IT TO THE PONTIAC DEALER WHERE THEY PROCEEDED TO INFORM ME A FEW HOURS LATER THAT IT HAD A CRACKED INTAKE MANIFOLD WHICH ALLOWED WATER TO GET INTO THE MOTOR. I WAS TOLD THAT WE HAD ALREADY TAKEN THE CAR IN FOR THE RECALL, BUT I DIDN'T RECALL DOING THAT. AND DEALERSHIP HAS NOT PROVIDED ME WITH PROOF THAT THE RECALL WAS DONE AND DONE WITH THE REDESIGNED PARTS RECOMMENDED BY GM. GM KNEW OF THIS ON GOING PROBLEM, THEY INSTALLED THE SAME FAULTY PARTS AGAIN AND THE PROBLEM REARED ITS UGLY HEAD AGAIN. THE DEALERSHIP ADVISED US THAT WE WOULD NEED TO SPEND $1000.00 TO REPAIR THE CAR. BUT THEY COULD NOT GARANTEE THAT THE CAR WOULD NOT BLOW THE MOTOR OR CRACK ANOTHER INTAKE MANIFOLD. THERE ARE 275,811 BONNEVILLES WITH THIS PROBLEM AND GM STILL DOES NOTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. MAYBE MAKING THE PART OUT OF SOMETHING ELSE OTHER THAN PLASTIC MIGHT HELP. MEANWHILE PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF AND OTHER MIDDLE CLASS AMERCIANS ARE PAYING THROUGH THE NOSE TO FIX THEIR CARS WITH THE PROBLEM ONLY GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN. I CAN'T SEE WHY THERE ISN'T A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAIST GM IT HAS BEEN 8 YEARS AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. I HAVE SEEN WHERE THEY HAVE REPLACED SOME MOTORS FOR SOME CUSTOMERS, SO WHY NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND REPLACE THE MANIFOLD OR MOTOR WHERE IT IS WARRENTED FOR ALL PEOPLE THAT ARE HAVING PROBLEMS. THIS EXPENSE SHOULD BE ON GM. AND FOR THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN RAILROADED INTO PAYING FOR THE REPAIRS, REFUND THEM THE MONEY THEY HAVE SPENT TO FIX THE CAR. I HAVE BEEN QUOTED A PRICE OF $5000.00 FOR A NEW MOTOR UNTOP OF THE $1000.00 REPAIR TO SEE IF THAT WILL WORK. *AK

Mileage: 130,000

REF: NHTSA RECALL #96V116000, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. PREVIOUSLY I ATTEMPTED TO CRANK THE 1996 BONNEVILLE AND IT MADE A LOUD NOISE LIKE A SHOTGUN BEING FIRED. MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER CAME OUT OF THE HOUSE AND ASKED WHAT MADE THAT SOUND. TODAY I WAS INFORMED THAT THE CAR HAD A CRACKED PLENUM,INTAKE AND IT WAS GOING TO COST OVER $600 TO REPAIR IT. THE CAR IS AT EASLEY PONTIAC IN EASLEY, SC. I ASKED THEM WASN'T THIS A TYPICAL PROBLEM WITH THE 3.8L V-6 ENGINE AND THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID YES. I ASKED HIM ABOUT ANY RECALLS AND HE SAID NO. I THEN WENT TO THE INTERNET AND CHECKED YOUR WEB PAGE AND FOUND THERE WAS A RECALL, AS REFERENCED ABOVE. I THEN CALLED GM PONTIAC SERVICE AND SPOKE WITH MS. TONYA BRISTLE AND INQUIRED ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC RECALL. SHE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP WHILE I STAYED ON THE TELEPHONE. SHE CAME BACK AND STATED THAT GM WOULD NOT COVER THIS REPAIR BECAUSE THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE 1996 BONNEVILLE. SHE ALSO SAID THEY WOULD NOT COVER IT THE REPAIRS BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE MAINTENANCE RECORDS ON THE CAR AND IT WAS ALMOST 7 YEARS OLD. I DO NOT AGREE WITH GM AND THINK THEY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS DUE TO THE HISTORY OF THE SAME PROBLEM WITH NEARLY ALL OF THEIR 3.8L V-6 ENGINES. ALSO, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO I CARRIED THE SAME CAR TO THE SAME DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD CUT OFF GOING DOWN THE INTERSTATE FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I CALLED PONTIAC SERVICE AND ASKED THEM ABOUT THIS. NEITHER ONE OF THEM HAD A CLUE WHY THIS WAS HAPPENING. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID HE WOULD REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP BUT HE WOULD NOT GUARANTEE THE CAR WOULD NOT CUT OFF AGAIN. I WONDER IF THESE TWO INCIDENTS ARE RELATED. *NLM

Mileage: 45,000

THE VEHICLE FUEL LINE SPLIT WHICH CAUSED FUEL TO LEAK. *NLM

THIS IS A FUEL LEAK DIRECTLY ONTO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM FROM ATOP. THE GAS TANK RUSTED THROUGH LINES FROM FUEL PUMP TO GAS LINES TO THE ENGINE. GAS LEAKS DIRECTLY ONTO THE TOP OF EXHAUST. FIRE HAZARD. -----DIMS 11 IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS----------------769751. *AK

Mileage: 124,000

WHILE STARTING VEHICLE, IT EXPLODED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. HAD A RECALL DONE ON JAN 1998 FOR ENGINE BACKFIRE, DEALER CONTACTED . *AK ORIGINAL RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN #96V116000. KENTUCKY BASIC FIRE INCIDENT REPORT STATED THAT FIRE POSSIBLY STARTED AROUND THE INJECTOR AREA OF THE ENGINE. CONSUMER STATES THAT GM WOULD NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR FIRE AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. *TT

WHEN STARTING VEHICLE IT BACKFIRED AND CAUGHT FIRE IN ENGINE. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA RECALL 96V116000/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 97C02. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AKCONSUMERS CAR BACKFIRED, CAUSING THE MANIFOLD TO FRACTURE ALLOWING WATER INTO THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE HAS BEEN REPLACED AND WARRANTIED. *JG

CONSUMER STATES THAT DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD, IT IS CONSTANTLY COMING INTO CONTACT WITH THE HEAT OF THE ENGINE CAUSING THE SEAL TO WARP, AND CAUSE A COOLANT LEAK, CONSUMER REPLACED WATER PUMP, UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD, AND THE HEATER HOSE FITTING AT ENGINE BLOCK. *TT

CONSUMER STATES THAT DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD, IT IS CONSTANTLY COMING INTO CONTACT WITH THE HEAT OF THE ENGINE CAUSING THE SEAL TO WARP, AND CAUSE A COOLANT LEAK, CONSUMER REPLACED WATER PUMP, UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD, AND THE HEATER HOSE FITTING AT ENGINE BLOCK. *TT

VEHICLE FAILED TO START, AND WOULD BLOW WHITE SMOKE OUT OF TAIL PIPE. A PRIVATE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED VEHICLE AS HAVING A CRACKED MANIFOLD. DEALERSHIP INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER RECALL 96V116000 IN AUGUST OF 1996, PRIOR TO HER OWNERSHIP. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / ATTACHMENTS.*AK REFERENCED IN EA02-030

IMPROPERLY INSTALLED VACUUM HOSE TO THE FUEL TANK LEAD TO FLEXING OF THE FUEL TANK. OVER TIME THE FLEXING WEAKED THE METAL AND CAUSE THE TANK TO CRACK WHEREIN IT DEVELOPED A FUEL LEAK.

WHEN STARTING THE ENGINE, THE FUEL LINE LEAKS FUEL WITHOUT A REASON, AND CONSUMER IS CONCERNED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN CONTACTED. *AK