1994 Pontiac Bonneville: problems, recalls and reliability
0 recalls and 88 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is electrical system (20% of complaints).
Data updated weekly
0
recalls
88
owner complaints
9
fire reports
127,000
typical failure mileage, mi
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
No recall campaignsProblems tend to appear late (median 127,000 mi)Weak spot: electrical system (20%)9 fire reports
Common problems
Computed from 88 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
Electrical System (battery, wiring, electronics)20% · 17 complaints
Air Bags (airbags and crash sensors)13% · 11 complaints
Engine And Engine Cooling (engine, radiator, overheating)13% · 11 complaints
Service Brakes, Hydraulic (brakes)11% · 9 complaints
Power Train (transmission, axles, driveline)10% · 8 complaints
Seat Belts8% · 7 complaints
“1994 pontiac bonneville. Due to corrosion the engine cradle bolts / mounting failed and engine fell out of car. Luckily it was while turning around in the driveway, if it had happened on / at road speeds there could easily have been loss of steering control, multi car involvement, injuries, or loss of life. Gm service offered zero help on recall or service bulletin information and denied any responsibility for defect or repair. *tr”Owner report · Power Train · Aug 2008
“Dt*: the contact stated while driving at 25 mph, the rear engine cradle bolt and retainer pulled through the cradle. The rear cradle dropped to the ground and the steering separated. This resulted in a loss of control of the vehicle. It was pushed out of the road, and towed to the residence. The contact verbally spoke with an independent repair mechanic about the problem who suggested the vehicle be brought in for inspection. *jb”Owner report · Structure · Jan 2006
“Dt: the contact stated while stopping at a red light he detected the odor of something burning. He saw gray smoke coming from the heating and air conditioning vents, and a yellow flame close to the cigarette lighter area. He immediately pulled over and called 911. The fire department arrived and distinguished the fire. The fire department determined the fire was electrical in nature. The vehicle was towed to a salvage yard. No repairs could be made due to the fire damage. *ak”Owner report · Electrical System · Nov 2005
Show 7 more owner reports
“Turning into street when the engine cradle fell out in the rear. Loss of all steering. Had a cutlass supreme that did that also except there was a recall. Huge safety hazard, a vehicle going down the road no steering??? What would have happened if I was not familiar with this in the first place. Gm needs a recall on this. *jb”Owner report · Structure · Sep 2005
“Dt: contact states: the cradle fell off the vehicle which held the suspension up in the front. There were four bolts holding it up, and the washers rusted, causing this failure. Dealer said they had not seen that happen. They have agreed to fix it all at consumer's cost. Contact complained to gm, and was told the car was too old.*ak”Owner report · Structure · Jun 2005
“1. Noise from front end of vehicle 2. Bolts holding motor to k frame snapped dropping motor to the ground - lost control of steering - car has never had serious problems.*ak 3. Towed for service - course of action pending.”Owner report · Structure · Aug 2004
“I was exiting off route 82 and heading east on rt. 422 going about 30 mph. Est. When I heard a loud bang sound. The steering and the brakes went out and the car was out of control. The car came to rest about 50 ft. After the car hit a concrete barrier. Ohio highway state patrol made a crash report and the car was towed to greenwood autobody dealership. They said the engine cradle bolts broke out the frame. Allowing the engine and drive train to drop on the road. Damage is being estimated by the autobody shop and insurance company. Car has not been repaired yet.”Owner report · Structure · May 2004
“Dt: while the consumer was driving the vehicle it will completely shut down. This occurred because of it overheated. Before this occurred the battery light came on. The problem happened multiple times. There almost hast been an accident. The consumer took vehicle to the dealership multiple times before they finally discovered the problem. The have done other things to the vehicle trying to fix the problem, but it did not work. They have found it to be an electrical problem. *ak”Owner report · Electrical System · Jul 2003
“Consumer states while driving the vehicle at any speed and with no warning vehicle got shut off, causing consumer to pull off the road. Dealer has inspected vehicle several times, and could not duplicate or correct the problem. *ak”Owner report · Engine And Engine Cooling · Jun 2003
“Consumer states while the vehicle was parking at home the passeger air bag deploy. Dealer has been notified. Please provide further infromation:: mr”Owner report · Air Bags · Nov 2002
When filing, owners marked a crash in 11 of these complaints and injuries in 7 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
How other years compare
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Is the 1994 Pontiac Bonneville reliable?
NHTSA has 88 owner complaints and 0 recall campaigns on record for the 1994 Pontiac Bonneville. The most complained-about area is electrical system (20% of complaints).
At what mileage do 1994 Pontiac Bonneville problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 127,000 miles or less.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.