1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE Engine And Engine Coolingenginegasoline Problems

THE 3800 ENGINE IN MY PONTIAC HAS IN THE PAST TWO YEARS FOR SOME REASON HAS HAD TO HAVE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD REPLACED TWICE BECAUSE IT HAS CRACKED. I AM TRYING TO OUT IF THERE IS A RECALL OR SOME SORT OF REIMBURSEMENT FOR THIS PROBLEM ON THE 1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE OR OTHER 3800 SERIES ENGINES? *NM

IT IS VERY OBVIOUS THAT GMC IS REFUSING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE APPARENT DEFECTS WITH THE PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. MY ENGINE LOCKED UP IN JULY 2001 WITH NO PRIOR WARNING. THE MECHANIC THAT REPAIRED THE CAR TOLD ME THAT WATER AND RADIATOR FLUID WAS COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE AND THE CHEAP PLASTIC PLENTUM HAD TO BE REPLACED. NOW,THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED ONCE AGAIN ON 11/07/2005. THE CAR WAS ONLY GOING 35 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE OVER-HEATED AND THIS TIME IT IS COSTING ME 2,321.00! I FEEL SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE BY GMC OR RESEARCH SHOULD BE DONE TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM. IT IS EXTREMELY APPARENT THAT THIS IS A DEFECT IN ALL 1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLES AND SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. I HAVE 3 CHILDREN AND CANNOT AFFORD A NEW CAR NOR CAN I AFFORD TO RE-BUILD OR RE-PLACE MY ENGINE EVERY 3-4 YEARS. *JB

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET (PLENUM) FAILED COSTING ME $2000 IN REPAIRS. THE GASKET HAD BEEN MADE OF A FAULTY PLASTIC BY GM IN TRYING TO CUT MANUFACTURING COSTS. THE CAR IS A 1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. I PURCHASE IT WITH 49,000 MILES IN 2003 AND IT CUREENTLY HAS 62,000 MILES.

FOR THE SECOND TIME IN ABOUT 2 YEARS MY 98 BONNEVILLE HAD THE PLENUM CRACK WHILE SIMPLY DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEEDS. THIS ALLOWS WATER TO ENTER TOP OF MOTOR WHICH REQUIRES VEHICLE TO BE SHUT OFF IMMEDIATELY OR MOTOR WILL OVERHEAT UNTIL IT IS RUINED. THE CAR HAD ABOUT 50,000 MILES AT FIRST OCCURRENCE AND HAS 72,108 MILES ON IT WHEN IT OCCURRED AGAIN LAST FRIDAY. CAR IS UNDRIVABLE UNTIL PARTS CAN BE BOUGHT AND INSTALLED, MAKING THIS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IF YOU ARE ON HIGHWAY WHEN THAT OCCURS. IT HAS COST MORE THAN $ 800.00 EACH TIME TO GET VEHICLE FIXED AND I NOW HAVE NO TRUST IN THIS PART OF MOTOR WHAT SO EVER AS THERE IS NO REAL REASON WHY IT OCCURS OTHER THAN PLENUM BEING PLASTIC SO IT CAN'T STAND UP TO NORMAL PRESSURES OR TEMPERATURE CHANGES. VEHICLE MANUFACTURER HAS ADMITTED THEY MADE A FIX...

THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR LEAKED GASOLINE; ALLOWING FUEL TO ENTER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD THROUGH A VACUUM LINE. A SPARK IGNITED THE EXCESS FUEL CAUSING AN EXPLOSION AND RUPTURING THE MANIFOLD. THE BLAST HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME SO HARD THEY THOUGHT THEY HAD BEEN REAR-ENDED. SMOKE BELLOWED OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD, BUT LUCKILY IT DIDN'T BURN. IT HAPPENED AS I WAS ENTERING AN INTERSECTION AND WE NEARLY MISSED BEING BROADSIDED. THE CAR LOST BOTH POWER STEERING AND BRAKES WHEN IT EXPLODED AND WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. ABOUT 2 WEEKS BEFORE THIS IT HAD BEEN TAKEN IN FOR REPAIRS BECAUSE IT WAS STALLING OUT, DIFFICULT TO START AND THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES HAD BEEN FAILING. A NEW VACUUM HOSE WAS INSTALLED. IT HAD BEEN REPAIRED THE YEAR BEFORE BECAUSE IT LEAKED ANTIFREEZE INTO THE ENGINE, DAMAGING IT EXTENSIVELY. IT IS THE SECOND BONNEVILLE I OWN THAT...

ENGINE/COOLING SYSTEM. *AK

A PLASTIC COMPONENT IN THE ENGINE OF THE 1998 BONNEVILLE MELTED ALLOWING ANTIFREEZE TO ENTER THE ENGINE AND CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE. THERE WAS ONLY 70,000 MILES ON THE CAR. ALL REPLACEMENT ENGINES HAVE THE SAME PLASTIC COMPONENTS AND CAN HAVE THE SAME POTENTIAL FOR ENGINE FAILURE OR FIRE.*AK

ENGINE FAILED WHILE TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE STRANDING MY SON AND THREE FRIENDS FOR OVER 3 HOURS. THE DIAGNOSIS IS HEAD GASKET FAILURE AND WILL COST APPROX. $1300 TO REPAIR IN ADDITION TO THE $300 SPENT IN TOWING FEES. THIS IS THE 5TH ONE OF THIS MAKE AND MODEL THAT WE HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE THAT HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM. DOES GM DELIBERATELY MAKE ENGINES TO SELF-DESTRUCT? *NLM

NO SUMMARY. DT

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STARTED TO MAKE A WIERD NOISE, VEHICLE STARTED TO LOOSE POWER AND ENGINE DIED. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. NLM

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING, ENGINE STALLED, RESULTING IN VEHICLE BECOMING INOPERABLE.*AK CONSUMERS WIFE WAS COMING TO A STOP WHEN THE ENGINE FROZE. THE VEHICLE LOST ALL COOLANT AND RADIATOR WATER DUE TO THE PLENUM MELTING FROM THE EGB TUBE. THE POOR DESIGN HAS BEEN CORRECTED BY GM, BUT AS A REPAIR BULLETIN AND NOT A SAFETY RECALL. *JG

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND SMELLED A ROTTEN SMELL COMING FROM VENTS AREA., AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, VEHICLE SHUTDOWN INSIDE OF PARKING LOT.*AK

CONSUMER STATES THE ENGINE BLEW WHILE DRIVING.*JB

THE CONSUMER HEARD EXPLOSION UNDER THE HOOD WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. FLAMES WERE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. CLAIM NUMBER 25-5472-210. *YH

CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO START VEHICLE, IT BACK FIRED AND CAUGHT FIRE IN THE ENGINE AREA, CONSUMER STATES HE HEARD AN EXPLOSION UNDER THE HOOD WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, FLAMES WERE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE, CLAIM 25-5472-210. *SLC

WHEN THE CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE THERE WAS A LOUD POP AND VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CLAIM NUMBER 13-7560-177. *YH

VEHICLE WAS BEING JUMPED STARTED WITH AN EXTERNAL BATTERY PACK, WHEN CRANKED THERE WAS AN INTERNAL ENGINE EXPLOSION, BLEW MANIFOLD COVER OFF AND INJECTORS OUT. CLAIM NUMBER 35-W429-786. *YH

INTAKE MANIFOLD BLEW UP AND FIRE STARTED IN ENGINE. CLAIM NUMBER 40-2468-798. *YH

THE VEHICLE BROKE DOWN AND CAUGHT ON FIRE AT THE DEALERSHIP, WHEN THEY ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE INTAKE VALAVE. CLAIM#13-9723-630

CONSUMER WENT TO START VEHICLE, THERE WAS A LOUD POP NOISE AND VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING, FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 13-7560-177. *SLC

VEHICLE WAS BEING JUMP STARTED WITH AN EXTERNAL BATTERY PACK, AND WHEN CRANKED THERE WAS AN INTERNAL ENGINE EXPLOSION, THE MANIFOLD COVER BLEW OFF AND INJECTOR OUT, CLAIM 35-W429-786. *SLC

INTAKE MANIFOLD BLEW UP AND A FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE, CLAIM 40-2468-798. *SLC

THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE INTAKE VALVE, VEHICLE BROKE DOWN AND CAUGHT ON FIRE WHEN THEY ATTEMPTED TO START VEHICLE, CLAIM 13-9723-630. *SLC

WHEN THE CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE THERE WAS A LOUD POP AND VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CLAIM NUMBER 13-7560-177. *YH

THE CONSUMER HEARD EXPLOSION UNDER THE HOOD WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. FLAMES WERE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. CLAIM NUMBER 25-5472-210. *YH

VEHICLE WAS BEING JUMPED STARTED WITH AN EXTERNAL BATTERY PACK, WHEN CRANKED THERE WAS AN INTERNAL ENGINE EXPLOSION, BLEW MANIFOLD COVER OFF AND INJECTORS OUT. CLAIM NUMBER 35-W429-786. *YH

INTAKE MANIFOLD BLEW UP AND FIRE STARTED IN ENGINE. CLAIM NUMBER 40-2468-798. *YH

THE VEHICLE BROKE DOWN AND CAUGHT ON FIRE AT THE DEALERSHIP, WHEN THEY ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE INTAKE VALAVE. CLAIM#13-9723-630

HAVE REPLACED PLENUM, HEAD GASKETS AND IS CURRENTLY IN REPAIR FOR RODS. RECOMMENDED NEW ENGINE. WITH NEW ENGINE, REPAIRS TOTAL $6000.00. NLM

CONSUMER WENT TO START VEHICLE, THERE WAS A LOUD POP NOISE AND VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING, FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 13-7560-177. *SLC

CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO START VEHICLE, IT BACK FIRED AND CAUGHT FIRE IN THE ENGINE AREA, CONSUMER STATES HE HEARD AN EXPLOSION UNDER THE HOOD WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, FLAMES WERE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE, CLAIM 25-5472-210. *SLC

VEHICLE WAS BEING JUMP STARTED WITH AN EXTERNAL BATTERY PACK, AND WHEN CRANKED THERE WAS AN INTERNAL ENGINE EXPLOSION, THE MANIFOLD COVER BLEW OFF AND INJECTOR OUT, CLAIM 35-W429-786. *SLC

INTAKE MANIFOLD BLEW UP AND A FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE, CLAIM 40-2468-798. *SLC

THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE INTAKE VALVE, VEHICLE BROKE DOWN AND CAUGHT ON FIRE WHEN THEY ATTEMPTED TO START VEHICLE, CLAIM 13-9723-630. *SLC

VEHICLE HAS BEEN STALLING, FIRST AT SLOW SPEEDS, AND WHEN MAKING SLOW TURNS. LATELY AT SPEEDS OF 55-60 MPH. TAKEN TO DEALER 3 TIMES, CANNOT FIND A PROBLEM.*AK

VEHICLE STALLED WHILE IN OPERATION TRAVELING AT EITHER LOW SPEEDS/COLD WEATHER,/SPEEDS ABOVE 65 MPH, AND STOP ANDGO TRAFFIC. CONSUMER HAS AVOIDED 6 ACCIDENTS DUE TO THIS DEFECT. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE AND COULD NOTDETERMINE CAUSE OF ENGINE STALLING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK

TRAVELING @65 MPH ENGINE JUST SHUT OFF. WOULD NOT START UNTIL 3 HOURS LATER THEN IT WAS HARD TO START. PROBLEM WAS DETERMINED TO BE GROUND UNDER PASSENGER SEAT. CAR STILL WAS HARD TO START NOW THE DEAL CLAIMS IT IS THE FUEL PUMP REGULATOR. VERY UPSET WITH THIS EXPERIENCE. OTHER PROBLEMS SEEM TO HAVE CROPPED UP DUE TO THIS GROUND PROBLEM SUCH AS ALTERNATOR FAILURE, HEADLIGHTS FAILING TO THE ON POSITON, POWER WINDOWS WOULD NOT WORK AND OF COURSE THE FAILURE OF THE FUEL REGULATOR. THIS GROUND SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM AND I AM SURPRISED THERE HAS NOT YET BEEN A RECALL. THE COMMON THREAD CAN BE SEEN IN THE COMPLAINTS LODGED ON YOUR INTERNET SITE.*AK

FROM LOOKING AT THE PARTS, IT APPEARS THAT A ROD CAP BOLT FAILED ALLOWING THE ROD TO COME LOOSE AND BREAKING THE ROD. THE DEALER DESCRIBED IT AS A GRENADE GOING OFF IN THE ENGINE. THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING. A NOISE SUDDENLY RAPIDLY DEVELOPED AND THE CAR WAS IMMEDIATLY STOPPED, BUT THE ENGINE WAS RUINED COSTING $3000 TO REPLACE. I AM THANKFUL NO ONE WAS INJURED. I SENT INFORMATION TO PONTIAC, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN SILENT ABOUT IT.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

ENGINE FAILURE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL ON HIGHWAY, AND IS UNSAFE. YH

WHILE DRIVING AUTOMOBILE SUDDENLY CUT OFF AND HAD NO POWER- ENGINE SHUT DOWN, AND CONSUMER HAD NO USE OF THE BRAKES, AUTOMOBILE DRIFTED ABOUT 100 FEET AND CAME TO A STOP.AFTER SITTING FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES, THE AUTOMOBILE RESTARTED. *AK

ON FOUR OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE ENGINE QUIT RUNNING WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN COLLISION. HOWEVER, ON ONE OCCASION THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR,BUT NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. *YC

INTERMITTENTLY THE VEHICLE STALL OUT AND DIES RESULTING IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WILL START UP IMMEDIATELY AFTER . THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE OR CORRECT. MJS

ENGINE STALLLS NORMALLY AT LOW SPEED BUT HAS STALLED AT APPROXIMATELY 35MPH. SOMETIMES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. SOMETIMES THE CHECK GAUGE4 LIGHT COMES ON. THE CHIMES SOUND WHEN EVER IT STALLS. IT HAS STALLED APPROXIMATELY 15 TIMES SINCE THE PROBLEM 1ST OCCURRED. I AM AFFRAID THAT I WILL BE REAR ENDED. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM AND WILL BE GOING BACK IN TOMORROW 6/3/1999 FOR THE 4TH TIME. COMPUTER HAS BEEN REPROGRAMMED AND EXCHANGED. DEALER SAID HE CHECKED ALL ASSOCIATED WIRING BUT TO DATE HAS NOT FOUND THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. ABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE AFTER IT STALLED. BEEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

ENGINE STALLS NORMALLY WHEN DECELERATING WITH LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. DEALER IS UNABLE TO LOCATE PROBLEM. THIS IS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WHEN MAKING TURNS ACROSS ON COMING TRAFFIC AS IT HAS STALLED ON SEVERAL OCCASSIONS. VEHICLE HAS TO BE SHUT OFF AND PUT IN NUETRAL BEFORE IT CAN BE RESTARTED AND ON TWO OCCASIONS STALLED AGAIN AFTER RESTARTING. THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO BE ON PUBLIC ROADS AND GM SAYS THERE IS NOTHING MORE THAT CAN BE DONE TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT COURTESY PONTIAC THREE TIMES FOR A TOTAL OF 17 DAYS OF THE LAST 36 DAYS AND STILL HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED.

CONSUMER EXPERIENCING ONGOING PROBLEM WITH ENGINE INTERMITTENTLY STALLING. VEHICLE BEEN IN/OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON THREE OCCASIONS. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THE PROBLEMS CAN NOT BE FOUND OR THE PROBLEM CANNOT BE DUPLICATED. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF, LOSING POWER BRAKES, POWER STEERING, ETC. THE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE COMPUTER WAS REPROGRAMMED IN FEBRUARY OF 98. THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE STALLLS. TO RESTART THE CAR, HAS TO SHIFT THE GEAR INTO NEUTRAL AND TURN THE KEY. THE DEALER IS NOT ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK

ENGINE FAILED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS