NHTSA Complaint #10210140 — 2001 PONTIAC MONTANA

WHILE I WAS ON A BUSINESS TRIP IN OCTOBER, 2007, MY WIFE CALLED ME AND ADVISED ME THAT SHE WAS UNABLE TO CLOSE THE MANUAL SLIDING DOOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF OUR PONTIAC MONTANA MINIVAN AFTER RETURNING HOME FROM RUNNING MY CHILDREN AROUND. SHE WAS FINALLY ABLE TO CLOSE IT AFTER SEVERAL FRUSTRATING ATTEMPTS. UPON RETURNING FROM MY TRIP THE FOLLOWING WEEK, I EXAMINED THE DOOR AND NOTICED THAT IT DID NOT CLOSE PROPERLY DUE TO THE MISALIGNMENT OF THE LATCH. IT SEEMS THAT THE DOOR MAY HAVE DRIFTED SLIGHTLY FROM ITS TRACK. I LOOKED CLOSELY AT THE LATCH MECHANISM AND NOTICED THAT THE BLACK PAINT HAD CAME OFF WHERE THE LATCH WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE HOOKED ON. OBVIOUSLY, THE CONCERN THAT I HAVE IS THAT THE DOOR WILL UNLATCH WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION POTENTIALLY CAUSING HARM TO MY CHILDREN. THE MINIVAN IS ALMOST 7 YEARS OLD AND I CAN'T AFFORD TO INVEST A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY TO FIX WHAT SEEMS TO BE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT OR DESIGN FLAW. *TR