1999 PONTIAC MONTANA Engine And Engine Coolingengine Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 PONTIAC MONTANA. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE JERKED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE MANIFOLD GASKETS SHOULD BE REPLACED. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE MANIFOLD GASKETS, WATER PUMP, THERMOSTAT, AND SEALER. TWO YEARS LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MECHANIC FLUSHED THE TRANSMISSION. APPROXIMATELY A YEAR AND A HALF LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED FOR THE THIRD TIME AND THE MECHANIC FLUSHED THE TRANSMISSION ONCE MORE. TEN MONTHS LATER, THE VEHICLE BEGAN JERKING AGAIN. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE RADIATOR CAP AND FLUSHED THE TRANSMISSION, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUES TO OCCUR. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 138,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000.

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURE FRIED THE 3.4L V6 ENGINE. REPLACEMENT ENGINE IS SHOWING THE SAME PROBLEMS. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ANTIFREEZE WAS OBSERVED ON THE GROUND BELOW THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP REPLACED THE INTAKE GASKET AND HEAD GASKET ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE PROBLEM RETURNED FOLLOWING BOTH REPAIRS. UPDATED 06/07/2006. *AK *TS

DT*: THE CONSUMER STATED SHE APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC CHECKED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THE ENGINE HAD FAILED. *JB

HEAD GASKET LEAKING ON 1999 PONTIAC MONTANA, 80,000 MILES, $700 TO REPAIR. *JB

WE HAVE A 1999 PONTIAC MONTANA THAT WE PURCHASED NEW FROM A LOCAL DEALER IN SOUTH BEND IN. I NOTICED OIL AND ANTIFREEZE GOING DOWN AND TOOK THE VAN TO A GARAGE. HE SAID THAT PONTIAC SHOULD MAKE THE REPAIRS BECAUSE THE LEAK WAS CAUSED BY A MANIFOLD GASKET PROBLEM I TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL DEALER AND TALK TO HIM ABOUT REPAIRS. AT FIRST HE SAID THE REPAIRS WOULD BE AROUND $1500.00. I TOLD HIM THAT IT WOULD BE CHEAPER TO BUY ANOTHER VEHICLE. HE SAID PROBABLY. A REAL SMART ALECK. I TOLD HIM THAT THERE WAS, AT THAT TIME, 30,0000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. HE TALKED TO THE MANAGER AND THEY CAME UP WITH A PRICE AROUND $600.00. I TOLD THEM TO DO IT. THE FINAL PRICE WAS JUST UNDER $400.00. NOW I FIND THAT IT IS LEAKING A LITTLE AGAIN AND THE WATER PUMP IS LEAKING, TOO....

VEHICLE OVERHEATED ON HIGHWAY- WITH KIDS IN CAR EN ROUTE TO FAMILY OUTING.*AK

THE LAST 4 CARS I HAVE OWNED HAVE BEEN GM VEHICLES. I HAVE TRIED HARD TO BE LOYAL, WHEN IN 1998, MY 1992 OLDS ACHIEVE BLEW IT'S HEAD GASKET AT 79,000 MILES. A DEFECT THAT WAS SO COMMON ON QUAD-4 ENGINES IN THESE VEHICLES THAT MANY WERE RECALLED TO BE FIZED, BEFORE 75,000 MILES......I DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL AFTER....BY 4,000 MILES!! THE TOTAL JOB COST ME $1700USD. I DID PURCHASE A 1999 MONTANA VAN AND ANOTHER BONNEVILLE (1995) OVER THE LAST 3 YEARS. IN DEC. OF 2002 THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS REPLACED ON MY MONTANA WITH ONLY 55,000 MILES ON IT, COST OF $388. THEN THIS PAST JANUARY, I WAS DRIVING MY 1995 BONNEVILLE AND MY HEAD GASKET BLEW. SO $1633 DOLLARS LATER, IT TURNED OUT THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY A PLASTIC UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD THAT BURNED OUT IN THE OPENING FOR THE EGR CHECK VALVE. AS I...

VEHICLE COMES EQUIPPED WITH SIDE AIR BAGS WHICH ARE LOCATED IN THE FRONT SEAT BACKS. THE PADDING WASN'T PROPERLY DESIGNED WHEN MANUFACTURED. AS A RESULT, SEAT COVER MATERIAL IS RIPPING, WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY LEAVE THE BOX CONTAINING THE SIDE AIR BAG EXPOSED. ALSO, AT 33,000 MILES THE HEAD GASKET DEVELOPED A LEAK AND DESTROYED THE ENGINE MOTOR. *AK

I HAVE JUST TAKEN IN OUR 99 MONTANA AND HAVE LEARNED THAT I HAVE AN ENGINE GASKET LEAK. THIS WILL BE THE 2ND GASKET LEAK THE ENGINE HAS INCURRED. THE FIRST ONE WAS A HEAD GASKET AND THIS MOST RECENT GASKET IS A LOWER INTAKE. THE REASON THIS CONCERNS ME IS THAT I HAD A DEAR FRIEND HAVE AN AUTOMOBILE ISSUE WHERE HE HAD TO PULL OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. IT HAPPENED TO BE FRIDAY WITH HEAVY TRAFFIC. TOO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, WHILE HE WENT OUT FOR REPAIRS HIS VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED WHILE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HE LOST HIS FIRST SON AND HIS SECOND SON HAD BRAIN DAMAGE. THE REASON I BRING THIS UP IS BECAUSE I'VE BEEN LUCKY AS FAR AS CATCHING THESE GASKET ISSUES IN THEIR EARLY STAGES OF FAILURE. I COULD HAVE BEEN THAT GUY STUCK ON...

ON THE MORNING OF MAY 21, 2003 AT APPROXIMATELY 11:25 A.M. EST, MY PREGNANT WIFE OF NINE MONTHS, AND TWO CHILDREN AGES 3 AND 6 WERE DRIVING OUR 1999 PONTIAC MONTANA MINIVAN SOUTHBOUND ON US-131 IN THE GRAND RAPIDS, MI AREA. AT APPROXIMATELY MILE MARKER 85 THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DIED FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND WITH NO APPARENT WARNING. SHE WAS TRAVELING 60 MPH IN THE FAR LEFT LANE OF A 6 LANE STRETCH OF WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE S-CURVE IN THIS AREA. WITH NO POWER TO THE VEHICLE SHE SOMEHOW MANAGED TO SAFELY MANEUVER THE VAN ACROSS THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC AND EXIT AT FRANKLIN STREET. WITH THE HELP OF A STATE TROOPER WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE (WHICH WAS BLOCKING THE EXIT RAMP) TO A SAFE PLACE UNTIL IT COULD BE TOWED. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION BY A QUALIFIED GM DEALERSHIP TECHNICIAN THE FOLLOWING DAY, IT...

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURE. *NLM

MY 1999 PONTIAC MONTANA VAN'S INTAKE CRACKED AT BETWEEN 50,000 AND 60,000 MILES. IT COST $600.00 TO REPLACE. TWO GM MECHANICS HAVE ADMITTED THERE IS A HUGE PROBLEM WITH THESE INTAKES. WHY IS NOTHING BEING DONE ABOUT THIS?*JB

LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK AT 54000 MILES. REASON IS POOR DESIGN. I HAVE HEARD OF MANY COMPLAINTS ON THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP US. *JB

THE VEHICLES HEAD GASKET FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO BE INOPERATIVE. *NLM

I HAD THREE TRANSMISSIONS, A CRACKED HEAD BECAUSE OF OVER HEATING, WATER PUMP AND HEAT SENSOR, OIL IN ONE CYLINDER, A SHORT IN THE REAR LIGHTS WITH DEALER SAYING I (SHOULD REPLACE THE LIGHTING STRUCTURE ON BOTH SIDES) $200.00. ABS SYSTEM SENSOR FRONT RIGHT SIDE WIRE BURNED THROUGH $500.00. THE $200.00 AND $500.00 I HAVE NOT DONE YET, SHOULD I WAIT UNTIL IT'S AN EVEN $1000.00 MORE TO SPEND MORE MONEY? THERE ARE MORE PROBLEMS.*JB

I HAVE A '99 PONTIAC MONTANA WITH GM'S INFAMOUS V6 3.4L ENGINE. JUST HAD THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET JOB AT 56.5K MILES. THIS IS A NOTED PROBLEM, WITH SUDDEN OVER HEATING AND THE CAR STOPPED ON MY WIFE. ALSO THE VEHICLE IS ON ITS THIRD TRANMISSION.*JB

VEHCILE IS LOSING COOLANT DISCOVERED A BAD IONTAKE GASKET. REPAIRS TOTALLED $800 BY LOCAL DELAERSHIP. RAMPANT PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE

PONTIAC MONTANA PRESENTED WITH A LOW COOLANT LIGHT,, FOUND TO HAVE A FAULTY INTAKE GASKET, (REPAIRED FOR APPROX $700.) WHEN ASKED ABOUT RATE OF OCCURRENCE, GM SERVICE MANAGER STATED "IT HAPPENS A LOT MORE OFTEN THAN GM WANTS TO ADMIT IN THE 3.4L AND 3.8L ENGINES". *JB

MY WIFE & I OWN A 1999 PONTIAC MONTANA. IN SEPTEMBER WITH 53,000 MILES WE NOTICED THAT THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON. WE ADDED COOLANT AND ABOUT 2 WEEKS LATER THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I THEN CONTACTED MY PERSONAL MECHANIC (SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY). HE TOLD ME THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS BAD AND THAT THIS WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS TYPE OF ENGINE. HE ALSO TOLD ME THAT GM DEALERS TOLD HIM THAT IT WAS A RESULT OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD BEING MADE OF PLASTIC AND THAT THE DEXCOOL WAS EATING UP THE GASKETS AND THE PLASTIC MANIFOLDS. THE COST OF THE REPAIR ON THE INTAKE PORTION OF THE ENGINE WAS $392.57. HE ALSO TOLD US THAT AS A RESULT OF THIS, COOLANT SPILLED INTO OUR ENGINE OIL. THIS MEANS THAT WE HAVE A GOOD CHANCE OF ENGINE FAILURE IN THE...

1999 PONTIAC MONTANA- COOLANT IN OIL- LEAKING INTAKE MAINIFOLD GASKET AND BAD WATER PUMP. 75,000 MILES AT TIME OF INCIDENT.

LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK CAUSING COOLANT/OIL MIX INTERNALLY ON A VEHICLE WITH ONLY 41K. CAUGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS 900MI TRIP. WOULD HAVE LIKELY CAUSED ENGINE TO SEIZE IF NOT CAUGHT BEFORE TRIP. OIL WAS CREAMY WHITE.

THE COOLANT LIGHT ILLUMINATES. THE INTAKE GASKET WAS LEAKING AND WAS REPLACED. *JG

CAMSHAFT BROKE WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL OUT. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

VEHICLE OVERHEATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE LOWER INTAKE GASKET NEED TO BE REPLACED. PER DEALER 30000 OF THESE PARTS ARE ON BACKORDER.*JB

I WENT TO THE DEALER COMPLAINING OF NO HEAT COMING OUT OF HEATER ALTHOUGH THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS NORMAL. THE SERVICE ADVISER SAID I PROBABLY HAD A GASKET LEAK, OPENED THE HOOD, AND IMMEDIATELY POINTED TO THE SPOT WHERE IT WAS LEAKING. IT WAS NOT LEAKING ENOUGH TO MARK THE PAVEMENT, IT WOULD JUST LEAK ONTO THE MOTOR AND EVAPORATE. OBVIOUSELY HE HAD SEEN THIS PROBLEM BEFORE. I TOOK MY VAN TO GET IT FIXED AND A GASKET COULD NOT BE FOUND IN INDIANAPOLIS. ONE DEALER HAS 15 VEHICLES DOWN WAITING FOR GASKETS AND ANOTHER HAS, I BELIEVE THE NUMBER WAS 60 GASKET SETS ON BACK-ORDER. YET GM SAYS THAT THE PROBLEM IS NOT THEIRS TO BE CONCERNED WITH. MY MECHANIC SAID THAT THERE IS A NATIONWIDE BACK ORDER LIST FOR THIS PARTICULAR GASKET, WHICH GOES ON THE PONTIAC MONTANA, CHEVY VENTURE, AND OIDS SILHOUETTE. IN ONE WEEKLY PAPER HERE...

CONSUMER STATED ANTIFREEZE WAS LEAKING INTO THE MOTOR OF VEHICLE DUE TO THE GASKET MATERIAL FALLING ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. NLM DEALER FOUND AND REPLACED LEAKING INTAKE GASKETS. *TT

WE WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS OUR EXTREME DISSATISFACTION WITH THIS VEHICLE AND WITH THE MANUFACURER. WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW 2.5 YEARS AGO AND HAVE HAD TO RETURN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP ON 17 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS TO HAVE VARIOUS PROBLEMS FIXED: TRANSMISSION REPLACED WITH 16,000 MILES, AIRBAG PROBLEMS, CD PLAYER PROBLEMS, INTAKE GASKET LEAKING, TIRES WEARING, NUMEROUS PROBLEMS! WE HAVE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THE FIRST TIME A YEAR AGO THAT NOTHING WOULD BE DONE AND NOW ALL THEY WILL OFFER US IS EXTENDED WARRANTY! WE CAN'T AFFORD TO KEEP TAKING OUR VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND JUST WANT OUT FROM UNDER THIS BURDEN, BIG MISTAKE WE MADE!*AK

I WRITING TO EXPRESS DISSATISFACTION 2 MAJOR COMPONENT FAILURES OCCURRED ON A VEHICLE WITH LESS THAN 50,000 MILES. THE INTAKE LEAK APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN PROBLEM - BUYER BEWARE. I CAN UNDERSTAND DISC PAD WEAR, BUT NOT MAJOR BRAKE SYSTEM REPLACEMENT/REPAIR. THE MECHANIC ALSO NOTED EXCESSIVE LIFTER NOISE; I FEAR THIS OBSERVATION WILL LEAD TO MORE MAJOR REPAIR WORK. THE DEALER HAS BEEN RESPONSIVE. MY COMPLAINT IS INTENDED FOR THE MANUFACTURERE AND OTHER CONSUMERS. I WILL NOT BE A GOOD REFERRAL FOR PROSPECTIVE MINIVAN OWNERS - ESSENTIALLY MY ENTIRE SOCIAL BASE FITS THE DEMOGRAPHIC FOR MINIVAN BUYERS. *AK

WE HAVE OCCASIONALLY HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTING HARD, WHINING & BANGING INTO GEAR-THIS GOES AWAY IF YOU TURN THE VEHICLE OFF & THEN BACK ON . IT OCCURRS AT SLOWER SPEEDS NOT HIGHWAY SPEEDS & SEEMS TO HAPPEN ONLY ON SHORT TRIPS OR LONGER TRIPS WITH SEVERAL STOPS. RECENTLY THERE WAS A COOLANT LEAK IN THE SYSTEM , WHICH A LOCAL SHOP "REPAIRED" FOR $67 THE FIRST WEEK OF OCTOBER. ALMOST TWO WEEKS LATER THE VEHICLE BEGAN RUNNING HOT AGAIN & WE WERE THEN TOLD IT NEEDED A NEW HEAD GASKET. WE HAD THE VEHICLE BACK FOR A WEEK WHEN AFTER GETTING OFF THE HIGHWAY & STOPPING FOR A RED LIGHT THE VEHICLE STARTED TO STALL & THE LOW OIL PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER PARKING THE CAR & RESTARTING IT -IT STARTED MAKING A HORRIBLE SOUND & WE HAD IT TOWED IN TO THE NEAREST PONTIAC DEALER....

OIL PAN HAS HEAVY OIL RESIDUE FILM WHICH GM CLAIMS TO BE NORMAL DUE TO ALUMINUM CASTING OIL PAN DESIGN THAT ALLOWS OIL TO SEAP THROUGH THE OIL PAN. A HEAVY OIL RESIDUE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE OIL PAN DOES NOT SEEM NORMAL AND APPEARS TO BE A LEAK. BURNING OIL CAN BE SMELLED INSIDE THE VEHICLE WHILE STOPPED. A FILE # HAS BEEN OPENED BY GM CUSTOMER SERVICE TO RECORD MY COMPLAINTS. RIGHT HAND DOOR POWERED MIRROR IS LOOSE AND LOSES SETTING WHEN DOOR SHUT. *AK