2001 PONTIAC MONTANA Power Train Problems

I BACKED UP TO THE LAUNDRY TO WASH CLOTHES AND PROCEEDED TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND GET OUT TO GET CLOTHES OUT OF THE BACK. I PUSHED THE BRAKE AND THOUGHT I HAD PUT THE CAR IN PARK BECAUSE THE KEY CAME OUT. WHEN I STARTED TO STEP OUT OF THE VAN TO GET MY CLOTHES OUT OF THE BACK AND MY FOOT CAME OFF THE BRAKE, THE CAR WAS STILL RUNNING AND BACKED INTO A BLOCK WALL. THE WALL WAS DESTROYED, BUT NO ONE WAS HURT. THE BACK DOOR OF THE VAN IS CRUSHED. AFTER A CLOSE EXAMINATION OF THE IGNITION LOCK I FOUND THAT THE KEY WILL COME OUT IN ANY POSITION, INCLUDING RUNNING. I HAD THOUGHT THE KEY WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO COME OUT EXCEPT IN THE OFF POSITION. IS THIS CORRECT? I ATTEMPTED TO FIND OUT IF IT WAS IN THE GM RECALL FROM MY LOCAL GM DEALER AND THEY CLAIMED IGNORANCE OF ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING. INCLUDING EVEN WHAT CONSTITUTES A DEFECTIVE SWITCH AND WHAT IT IS SUPPOSED TO DO AND NOT DO. IT'S LIKE PULLING TEETH TRYING TO GET THEM TO SAY ANYTHING. THEY SAY THE FACTORY SENDS THEM A LIST AFFECTED CARS AND THEY WILL NOT TOUCH ANYTHING ELSE NO MATTER WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES. THE SMELL OF GASOLINE IS STRONG AT TIMES BUT A CURSORY EXAMINATION BY A MECHANIC DOESN'T SHOW ANYTHING. AFTER VIEWING THE RECALLS CONCERNING GAS LEAKS I AM WORRIED. CAN YOU TELL ME BY THE VIN HOW MANY OF THE RECALLS SHOWN ON YOUR PAGE THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD AND WHAT IT HAS MISSED BEFORE IT BURNS ME TO DEATH? *TR

Mileage: 165,000

EVER SINCE MY HUSBAND AND I BOUGHT THE VAN IT WHEN YOU PUT IT IN A GEAR AND STEP ON THE GAS IT WOULD REV THE ENGINE AND HIT HARD IN GEAR AND CAUSING THE VAN TO JERK HARD WE TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHERE WE WERE TOLD AND HE SAID IT WAS THE DRIVE SHAFT AND REPLACED IT AND IT SHOULD NOT JERK NO MORE BUT IT SEEMS TO BE WORSE THAN IT WAS WHEN THEY FIXED IT. *TR

Mileage: 150,000

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THAT HER 2001 PONTIAC MONTERO WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE HEADLIGHTS FILLING WITH WATER WHEN IT RAINS. THIS HAPPENED FOR THREE YEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY A DEALERSHIP THREE YEARS AGO. NOW THERE IS THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE HEADLIGHTS GETTING WET WHEN IT RAINS. THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE IS GETTING WET ALSO. THE DASHBOARD AND INSTRUMENT PANEL IS GETTING WET. HAD TO PUT A TOWEL ON THE DASHBOARD TO KEEP IT DRY. THE TRANSMISSION IWASNOT WORKING, AND IN ORDER TO TAKE IT DOWN, THE MECHANIC WILL HAVE TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED. THE CONTACT DID NOT WANT TO PAY THAT HIGH PRICE TO HAVE THE VEHICLE FIXED.*AK

VEHICLE MADE A CLUNK ON SUNDAY JUNE 19,2005 WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT AND GOING INTO DRIVE. DROVE IT HOME 80 MILES WITHOUT ANY OTHER SYMPTOM. DROVE VEHICLE THE NEXT DAY 3 MILES, AND THE TRANSMISSION HAD A MAJOR INTERNAL FAILURE WHILE TAKING OFF FROM A STOP LIGHT. WIFE AND 2 SMALL CHILDREN WERE STRANDED IN AN INTERSECTION WITH A VEHICLE THAT WOULD NOT MOVE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP. NEEDS A $2800 TRANSMISSION REPAIR. DEALER IN POSSESION OF OLD PARTS.

Mileage: 43,000

THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 2001 PONTIAC MONTANA MINIVAN FAILED AT 61,700 MILES. I HAD PURCHASED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR 60,000 MILES. THROUGH THE DEALERS HELP, GM WILL ABSORB HALF THE COST OF THE $2,000 REPAIR. *AK

Mileage: 61,700

AT 60,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION IS JUNK. I TOOK MY VAN TO TWO DIFFERENT TRANSMISSION SHOPS AND BOTH SAID THE SAME THING, IT NEEDS TO BE REPALCED OR REBUILT! I QUOTE "WE SEE ALOT OF THESE PONTIAC MONTANAS COME IN, THE TRANSMISSION GIVES OUT BETWEEN 50,000 AND 70,000 MILES." THE PLANETARY GEARS ARE SHOT, 4TH CLUTCH GONE, METAL DEBRIS THROUGH OUT THE TRANSMISSION!!!!*AK

Mileage: 50,000

GAS LEAKING UNDER THE DRIVER SEAT AND UNDER THE HOOD. ALSO, GAS WAS POURING OUT FROM THE MOTOR. *LA THE WINDOW FAILED TO OPEN, THE CONSUMER IS CURRENTLY WAITING ON A NEW MOTOR. THE REAR BRAKES WERE LEAKING, THE TIE RODS HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THEY WERE LOOSE, THE LEFT REAR STUCK BECAME STUCK, WHEN THE GEAR WAS TAKEN OUT OF PARK AND PLACED INTO DRIVE AND THE CONSUMER PROCEEDED TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE JERKED, THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE DEALER DETERMINED THE EMISSION SYSTEM WAS DRAGGING, THE DRIVER SIDE MIRROR VIBRATED, THE BUMPER COVER WAS LOOSE. WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, THE VEHICLE DID NOT START, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE CONSUMER'S CONCERN. THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR WAS LEAKING AND THE FUEL FILTER WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO OVER 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED AND THEN RETURNED TO NORMAL SPEED. THE PLASTIC ON THE DRIVERS SEAT WAS LOOSE. *JB

Mileage: 3,060

UPON STARTING VEHICLE, AFTER IT HAD BEEN DRIVEN AND PARKED, IT LAUNCHED FORWARD. THEN, AFTER DRIVING FOR A MILE, VEHICLE WOULDN'T GO INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE WHEN CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO PARK IN DRIVEWAY. DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THAT TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

Mileage: 41,000

2001 PONTIAC MONTANA. THIS VAN IS NOW A PAPER WEIGHT IN MY DRIVE. AFTER 53,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION IS SHOT! OF COURSE THE WARRANTY IS NULL AND VOID SO I WILL HAVE TO COUGH UP $2000.00 - $3000.00. NOT A HAPPY PONTIAC OWNER!!!!!! *JB

Mileage: 53,000

AT 64,000 THE TRANSMISSION BROKE. I WAS TOLD IT HAS DAMAGED GEARS IN IT WHICH CAUSED METAL FRAGMENTS TO DAMAGE THE TRANSMISSION AND IT WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED. AFTER LOOKING ON THIS WEBSITE AND SPEAKING TO PREVIOUS OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM.

Mileage: 64,000

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION VEHICLE ROLLS BACKWARDS DOWN INCLINES WHEN IN DRIVE. ALSO, ROLLS FORWARDS WHEN IN REVERSE. HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM SINCE WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. *JB

Mileage: 500

WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PLACED IN GEAR THERE IS A SCRAPING NOISE. THIS NOISE WAS FIRST NOTICEABLE IN REVERSE ONLY. HOWEVER IT STARTED HAPPENING IN DRIVE AS WELL. ALSO WHEN BRAKING AT INTERSECTIONS THE ENGINE COMPLETELY DISENGAGES AND FREE WHEELS. THEN WHEN ACCELERATING AGAIN IT TAKES A SECOND OR TWO FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO RE-ENGAGE. THE DEALERSHIP HEARD THE NOISE AND EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM. THEN THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY BROKE ON THEIR DRIVE DURING THIS PROBLEM'S EVALUATION. THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED AFTER ONLY 41,500 MILES. THERE WAS INTERNAL METAL DEBRIS THROUGHOUT AS WELL AS LOTS OF GEAR DAMAGE. *PH

Mileage: 41,547

WHILE DRIVING, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE VIBRATED. *JB THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATED WHEN ACCELERATED AFTER A COMPLETE STOP OR WHEN SLOWING. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED A REFUND FOR THE VEHICLE. OTHER PROBLEMS ARE AS FOLLOWED: THE VEHICLE FELT AS IF IT WAS GOING TO STALL WHEN IDLED DUE TO DIRTY INJECTOR(S), THERE WAS NOISE ON DRIVER SIDE OF THE ENGINE, THE HORN WOULD GO OFF BY ITSELF/DEALER UNABLE TO DUPLICATE, THE COVER IN THE REAR HATCH ON THE LEFT SIDE DID NOT STAY IN PLACE AND REINSTALLED THE PANEL DOOR, THE TRANSMISSION HAD NO REVERSE AND GRINDS WHEN PLACED IN FORWARD GEARS/REMOVED TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY AND DISASSEMBLED, THERE WAS CLUNKING WHEN IN GEAR, THE PLANETARY GEARS WERE ROUNDED, THE TRANSMISSION ACTED AS IF IT WANTED TO TAKE OFF, FOUND A LOOSE MOTOR MOUNT ON THE DRIVER SIDE AND WAS TIGHTENED, THE STEERING WAS STIFF, AND WAS NOISY WHEN TURNING RIGHT. *SCC

Mileage: 13,305

TRANSAXLE SLIPS IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC AS ENGINE TEMPERATURE REACHES 200 DEGREES. SLIPPAGE INCREACES AS TEMPERATURE INCREASES OVER 200 DEGREES. DEALER CANNOT REPRODUCE DURING SHORT TEST DRIVES. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 35,000 MILES ON TRANSAXLE.

Mileage: 33,000

SUN GEARS SEPERATED. CONTAMINATED TRANSAXLE INTERNALLY. DT

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND WITHOUT WARNING VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO JERK REALLY HARD. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION.*AK THERE IS A CLUNKING/CRUNCHING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE WHEN PUTTING VEHICLE INTO GEAR, SHUTTER UNDER ACCELERATION, DEALER FOUND THAT THE FUEL SENDER O-RING WAS LEAKING, ALSO THE TRANSMISSION PAN WAS FULL OF METAL.

TRANSMISSION SLAMS INTO GEAR ,TRANMISSION SURGES AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. *AK

VAN SLIDES BACKWARDS WHILE STOPPED ON AN INCLINE IF THE FOOT IS OFF THE BRAKE. THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING AND THE TRANSMISSION IS IN DRIVE,IF I STOP ON AN INCLINE AND THEN RELEASE THE FOOT BRAKE TO RESUME DRIVING , THE VAN ROLLS BACKWARDS. WE SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THE KOONS OF MANASSAS. WE WERE TOLD THAT THIS IS A NORMAL FEATURE FOR THIS TYPE OF ENGINE AND NOTHING CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS. WE REQUEST.YOU TO LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM, THANK YOU

CONSUMER STATES WHILE STOPPED AT AN INCLINE AND FOOT OFF THE BRAKE, VEHICLE WILL BEGIN TO MOVE BACKWARD, CONSUMER FEELS THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN WITH A VEHICLE THAT IS EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. *SLC

CONSUMER STATES WHILE STOPPED AT AN INCLINE AND FOOT OFF THE BRAKE, VEHICLE WILL BEGIN TO MOVE BACKWARD, CONSUMER FEELS THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN WITH A VEHICLE THAT IS EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. *SLC

JUNE 16, 2001 WHILE DRIVING IN PARKING LOT VEHICLE SHUTOFF AND DID NOT RESTART. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER WROTE ON INVOICE WIRING STARTING RELAY TO PCM/AND FUSES WERE BAD. ON JULY 3 SAME DEFECT OCCURRED IN PARKING LOT, VEHICLE SHUT OFF. TOWED TO DEALER . *AK *SLC