Problems · NHTSA complaints
1998 Pontiac Bonneville problems
Owners filed 284 complaints about the 1998 Pontiac Bonneville with NHTSA between Nov 1997 and Sep 2015. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (196).
Complaints
284
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
11
Reported by owners
Fires
30
Reported by owners
Injuries
10
People reported injured
Deaths
2
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Engine and engine cooling196
- Fuel system, gasoline33
- Electrical system28
- Power train13
- Steering8
- Vehicle speed control8
- Visibility8
- Engine6
- Equipment5
- Air bags5
- Fuel system, other5
- Exterior lighting5
- Structure4
- Service brakes, hydraulic4
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
2
10
17
15
17
45
64
65
19
6
4
5
1
1
3
0
3
5
2
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 2 |
| 1998 | 10 |
| 1999 | 17 |
| 2000 | 15 |
| 2001 | 17 |
| 2002 | 45 |
| 2003 | 64 |
| 2004 | 65 |
| 2005 | 19 |
| 2006 | 6 |
| 2007 | 4 |
| 2008 | 5 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 5 |
| 2015 | 2 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Engine and engine cooling
196 reports1 crash17 fires
“THE BACK TWO CRADLE MOUNTS ON BOTH SIDES RUSTED OUT AND MOUNTS PULLED THROUGH THE CRADLE CAUSING THE STEERING TO BECOME LOOSE FILLING AND CAUSING STEERING TO BE OUT OF ALIGNMENT AND WHEN HIT BRAKES FRONT WOULD DART ONE WAY OR THE OTHER AND LOTS OF NOISE COMING FROM UNDER VEHICLE FROM CRADLE BOUNCING WHEN HITTING BUMPS TRIED THE FIND ONE IN JUNK YARDS AND ALL ARE THAT WAY. *TR”
Fuel system, gasoline
33 reports1 crash4 fires1 related recall
“ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS I HAVE PULLED TO A DEAD STOP AT A LIGHT AND DURING THE IDLING TIME THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF AND IT WILL NOT START AGAIN. VERY EMBARRASSING SET OF TRIPS TO NEARBY GROCER. .. *TR”
Electrical system
28 reports1 crash7 fires
“ABOUT A WEEK PRIOR TO INCIDENT, I GOT A WHIFF OF A BURNING SMELL, 2 DAYS IN A ROW, SHORT QUICK SCENT. NEXT 4 DAYS, SMELLED NOTHING (EVEN DROVE CAR 80 MILES ONE WAY AND BACK). DAY OF INCIDENT, I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 10 MPH WHEN WHITE SMOKE CAME FROM THE HEATER VENT. I INCREASED SPEED TO ABOUT 30 MPH TO GET TO A SAFE SPOT, AND BLACK SMOKE BILLOWED OUT OF HEAT VENT ON TOP OF DASHBOARD, AND FRONT OF DASHBOARD. TURNED CORNER TO GET OUT OF TRAFFIC, CAME TO A STOP AND FLAMES SHOT OUT OF CIGARETTE LIGHTER, AND AIR VENT IN FRONT OF DASH. HEATER WAS OFF, RADIO WAS OFF, AND CIGARETTE LIGHTER WAS NOT BEING USED. CAR FULLY ENGULFED IN APPROXIMATELY 2-3 MINUTES. CAR TOTALED. *TR”
Power train
13 reports1 crash
“TRANSAXLE: AFTER STARTING COLD ENGINE AND DRIVING 20-30 MILES TRANSMISSION STARTS SHIFTING HARD INTO 2ND, 3RD, AND 4TH GEAR. DOES NOT SHIFT HARD WHEN LOCK-UP CONVERTER ENGAGES. TOOK IT TO PONTIAC DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE PCS (PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID) AND IT WAS GOING TO BE $700 TO REPAIR. CALLED SEVERAL TRANSMISSION SHOPS AND THEY SAID IT COULD BE THE PCS OR THE VALVE BODY AND MOST ALL 4T60 AND 4T65-E TRANSAXLES HAVE THIS PROBLEM?? IF THERE ARE SO MANY PROBLEMS, WHY DOESN'T GM DO SOMETHING TO AT LEAST CUT THE COST OF REPAIRS??*AK”
Steering
8 reports3 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY FAILED CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A CONCRETE ROAD DIVIDER. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A BACK INJURY THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 164,000. DR”
Vehicle speed control
8 reports2 crashes
“I WAS DRIVING ON THE NEW YORK THRUWAY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, MY CAR SHUT OFF. I HAD TO POWER STEER, NO POWER BRAKES, THE FUEL GAUGE READ NO FUEL AND THE BELLS WENT OFF. I HAD TO TRY TO GET TO A SAFE PLACE AND RESTART MY CAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY MORE TIMES. I CAN BE GOING 25MPH OR 70MPH; I CAN HAVE THE CRUISE ON OR OFF; I CAN HAVE THE HEAT OR A/C ON OR OFF, IT DOES NOT MATTER; IN ALL CASES, THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHEN I AM NOT EXPECTING IT. *JS”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.