NHTSA Complaint #10137249 — 1994 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE ENGINE FELL OUT OF THE VEHICLE IN JUNE OF 2005 WHILE SLOWLY PULLING OUT FROM A STOP LIGHT. HE HEARD A LOUD CLUNK AND LOST STEERING CONTROL AND THE CAR DRIFTED TO THE CURB AND STOPPED. THE GM MANUFACTURER WANTED TO KNOW HOW THE VEHICLE WAS MAINTAINED. WHEN THE MANUFACTURER FOUND OUT THAT THEY DONE ALMOST ALL THE MAINTENANCE THEY TOLD HER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TEN YEARS OLD. SHE UNDERSTOOD THIS, BUT SHE STILL FELT THAT AN ENGINE SHOULD NOT JUST FALL OUT OF A VEHICLE. HER PRIMARY CONCERN WAS TO MAKE NHTSA AND THE MANUFACTURER AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE IF DRIVING AT A HIGH SPEED AND THIS HAPPENED THEN YOU WOULD LOSE ALL STEERING CAPABILITIES . THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT A REPAIR SHOP AND THE REPAIR SHOP TOLD HER THAT THEY HAD A FORD TAURUS THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. ALSO, ANOTHER DEALERSHIP TOLD HER THAT THEY HAD A DODGE INTREPID WITH THE SAME PROBLEM . THERE IS A FRAME THAT HOLDS THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION TO THE BODY OF THE CAR. THERE IS A LARGE THREE INCH DIAMETER WASHER THAT IS UNDER A METRIC .5 INCH DIAMETER BOLT. THE BOLT DID NOT FAIL, BUT THE WASHER DID FAIL. THERE ARE FOUR BOLTS IN THE REAR AND TWO BOLTS IN THE FRONT, AND THE TWO IN THE FRONT WERE OKAY, BUT THE FOUR IN THE REAR BROKE AWAY AND FAILED. THE GM BUSHING PART NUMBER IS 25536051 FOR THE FRONT TWO BOLTS.*AK UPDATED 01/19/06. *JB