Problems · NHTSA complaints
2004 Pontiac Bonneville problems
Owners filed 28 complaints about the 2004 Pontiac Bonneville with NHTSA between Dec 2004 and Jul 2015. The most-cited component is electrical system (11).
Complaints
28
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Electrical system11
- Steering8
- Power train3
- Air bags2
- Wheels2
- Service brakes, hydraulic2
- Engine and engine cooling2
- Service brakes1
- Latches/locks/linkages1
- Equipment1
- Seat belts1
- Fuel system, other1
- Structure1
- Suspension1
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
1
1
4
3
6
1
2
2
2
1
4
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 4 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 6 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 1 |
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
Electrical system
11 reports1 fire
“DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, WE (WIDE AND I) NOTICED A SMELL OF SOMETHING BURNING. SINCE WE WERE IN A FARMING AREA WE DIDN'T THINK TOO MUCH OF IT. ABOUT 20 MILES LATER THE SMELL LINGERED AND WE NOTICED SMOKE BEGAN FILLING CAR. PULLED OVER TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON AND MY WIFE NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT FROM BACK SEAT. I TOOK THE SEAT OFF AND DISCOVERED THERE WAS A FIRE GOING ON IN THERE. PULLED BACK SEAT OUT ONTO GROUND AND PUT THAT FIRE OUT. UPON INSPECTION WE FOUND THE FUSE BOX TO BE BURNED AND MELTED. OBVIOUSLY THE CARE DOESN'T RUN ANY LONGER. *TR”
Steering
8 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD INTERMITTENTLY EXHIBIT A CLUNKING SOUND. ADDITIONALLY, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SEIZE FOR A FEW MOMENTS BEFORE INDEPENDENTLY RESUMING NORMAL FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DUPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 72,550.”
Power train
3 reports
“IN JAN 2009 @ 72K MILES ON THE CAR SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND SHORTLY AFTER THE TRANS. WOULD BANG INTO GEAR. PER GM DEALER IT HAD CODES P0756 AND P2763 CALLING FOR REPLACEMENT OF SHIFT SOLENOID. IN SEPT. 2010 @ 108K MILES THE EXACT SAME ISSUE AND CODE, REPLACED THE SAME PART. NOW IN FEB 2012 @137K MILES AGAIN THE SAME EXACT ISSUE AND CODES, BUT THIS TIME THEY ARE SAYING TO REPLACE THE TRANS. THE FIRST 2 TIMES I WENT TO THE SAME DEALER, THIS TIME I WENT TO ANOTHER. ISSUE I HAVE IS IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED AT 72K WHILE UNDER AN EXTENDED 5 YEAR, 100K MILE WARRANTY. GM IS UNWILLING TO ADMIT ANY FAULT OR DEFECT. I FEEL THAT THIS PART FAILING 3X WITHIN 65K MILES IS AN ISSUE AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. ALSO LOOKING THRU SOME OF THE HISTORY I SEE THIS SAME TYPE OF ISSUE IN THE 2003 CARS. *TR”
Air bags
2 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED NUMEROUS OF TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,000.”
Wheels
2 reports
“I PURCHASED A 2004 PONTIAC BONNEVILE USED. I WAS THE 2ND OWNER OF THE CAR AND THE PREVIOUS OWNER KEPT THE CAR IN TOP NOTCH SHAPE! I PURCHASED THE CAR IN MAY 2007. AUGUST OF 2008 I STARTED NOTICING MY CHROME PLATED WHEELS PEELING, MEANING THE FINISH ON THE WHEELS ARE COMING OFF IN CHUNKS. THE WHEELS IN WHICH THE CHROME PLATE IS PEELING OFF ARE BECOMING RUSTY NOW. NOT ONLY ARE MY WHEELS RUSTY, THE PIECES PEELING OFF ARE ACCUMULATING NEAR MY BRAKES AND BECOMING LODGED. *TR”
Service brakes, hydraulic
2 reports
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AT 5 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR AND DANGLED WHEN IT WAS DEPRESSED. THERE WAS NO RESISTANCE IN THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED MOVING, JUMPED A CURB, AND LANDED IN HER NEIGHBOR'S YARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS A FAILED PEDAL ASSEMBLY RETAINER CLIP, WHICH WAS REPLACED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 40,078 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,023. UPDATED 11/29/07.”
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.