1999 Pontiac Bonneville: problems, recalls and reliability
4 recalls and 143 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is engine and engine cooling (39% of complaints).
Data updated weekly · latest recall Apr 2009
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 143 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“' takata recall" driving and the car cut off..after I stop the car and turn the key off. Was able to re start the car. This has happen a few times. This is not a safe thing when driving on the free ways ....I was in motion and on the street. There was a recall on this but was not were of it this was in 2009 now it 2016 and the part in my car is not working?”Owner report · Fuel/Propulsion System · Sep 2016
“While stopped on a side street (25 mph zone), the air bags involuntarily deployed. The driver was severely bruised and suffered significant & permanent hearing loss. There are 7 other incident reports filed with the NHTSA for the same event involving a 1999 pontiac bonneville. What does it take for a recall? *tr”Owner report · Air Bags · Apr 2014
“I have been informed by my daughter-in-law that her mother does not buckle her and her sister up. She also allows them to ride on the front seat. Mind you the two girls are only 4 and 5 years of age. I have reported this to social services on numerous occasions . Also the mother drives without a license and no insurance. She lives in milwaukee wisconsin and it seems that no one cares about kids there. Also the she bought it at has been trying to get it back since she hasn't paid on the note since april. The grandmother has called social services about this as well and again we feel no one cares. She has done this on numerous occasions and I'm really concerned for her safety! *js”Owner report · Seats · Mar 2013
Show 7 more owner reports
“Tl*the driver owns a 1999 pontiac bonneville. The contact stated the driver was traveling approximately 65 mph when the front drivers side air bag deployed involuntarily. The driver suffered minor injuries. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed water was found within one of the air bag modules. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified, but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 96,000. Updated 06/24/11 *bf”Owner report · Air Bags · May 2011
“Upon accelerating onto the highway, after reaching highway speed, vehicle stalls and would not start. Flooding engine, gasoline coming out of exhaust, engine would not restart. After research and replacing leaking lower intake manifold, this was not my problem there was no leak. After more research I replaced more sensors and eventually cylinder gaskets and lower intake gasket again. Still engine would not start. After 2 years of car sitting I unplugged maf sensor and then it started finally. Faulty maf sensor but no way to find out unless it is unplugged because sensor did not give off any pertaining fault code pointing to the problem specifically. *tr”Owner report · Fuel/Propulsion System · Jan 2011
“The fuel gauge of the vehicle goes all way down to "e" then can spike back up to "full" especially after filling the tank completely. The gauge also will randomly drop and stay on "e" when there is about 1/4 tank of gas left.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Jan 2010
“A dear friend of mine had an accident a few days ago deploying the passenger side airbag resulting in the windshield being busted to an extent that it not being able to see through .. Shouldn't this be a recall .... She owns a 99 pontiac bonneville srs. *tr”Owner report · Air Bags · Dec 2009
“Tl* the contact owns a 1999 pontiac bonneville. While driving 40 mph she attempted to decelerate, but the brakes failed. She coasted the vehicle up-hill to stop. The vehicle was towed to a repair facility and a mechanic concluded that the brake line failed. While the vehicle was being towed brake fluid leaked from the vehicle. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 190,000. The vehicle identification number was unavailable.”Owner report · Service Brakes, Hydraulic · Oct 2009
“Car stalled while driving home at night. No electrical power what so ever including emergency flashers. Nearly had an accident and had no way of indicating to other vehicles that I had a problem. No lights, no power steering, no brakes, no brake lights, no emergency flashers. After slowing down to appx. 25 mph, power came back on. I shifted to neutral and was able to start the car and drive it home. *tr”Owner report · Electrical System · Feb 2009
“G.m recall # 040v09000 was performed on my 1999 pontiac bonneville on july 2004. Fuel pressure regulator was replaced, the part has failed again and had to be replaced again. I contacted pontiac and asked to be reimbursed for the cost of the part. Pontiac has informed me they will not cover the cost of the part as the car is out of warranty. The car was not under warranty when the part was recalled and replaced in 2004. Is gm only required to replace the part one time? *tr”Owner report · Fuel System, Gasoline · Sep 2008
When filing, owners marked a crash in 5 of these complaints and injuries in 6 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 4 campaigns
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3800 V6 (L36) ENGINES AND CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, THE REGULATORS HAVE A MUCH HIGHER THAN USUAL RATE OF FUEL LEAKS. A LEAK CAN ALLOW FUEL TO ENTER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD THROUGH A VACUUM LINE. IF THE ENGINE DOES NOT START WHEN CRANKED, THE FUEL FROM THE LEAKING REGULATOR AND A MISTIMED SPARK CAN CAUSE A BACKFIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH IMPROVED DIAPHRAGMS. THE RECALL WILL BE CONDUCTED IN PHASED MAILINGS. PHASE 1 BEGAN ON JUNE 30, 2004, AND PHASE 2 BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537, OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
Remedy: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH CHROME PLATED ALUMINUM WHEELS. SOME OF THESE WHEELS HAVE A MOUNTING SURFACE THAT WAS NOT MACHINED CORRECTLY, CAUSING THE WHEEL STUDS TO BREAK.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE WHEELS AND REPLACE ALL WHEELS WITH DATE CODES INDICATING THAT THEY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN MACHINED CORRECTLY. THE WHEEL MOUNTING STUDS AT ANY LOCATION WHERE A SUSPECT WHEEL WAS INSTALLED WILL ALSO BE REPLACED.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4T65E AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 102, "TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER SEQUENCE." A RETAINING CLIP, WHICH SECURES THE MANUAL VALVE TO THE LINKAGE OF THE TRANSMISSION DETENT LEVER, CAN BECOME LOOSE UNDER A COMBINATION OF POSSIBLE DRIVER SHIFTING MANEUVERS AND ALLOW THE LINK TO BECOME DISCONNECTED FROM THE MANUAL VALVE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE MANUAL VALVE/LINK ASSEMBLY WITH A REPLACEMENT MANUAL VALVE/LINK KIT, FEATURING A SPRING-TYPE FASTENER.
How other years compare
Check your exact Bonneville by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 1999 Pontiac Bonneville reliable?
NHTSA has 143 owner complaints and 4 recall campaigns on record for the 1999 Pontiac Bonneville. The most complained-about area is engine and engine cooling (39% of complaints).
At what mileage do 1999 Pontiac Bonneville problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 70,048 miles or less.
Does the 1999 Pontiac Bonneville have open recalls?
4 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning fuel system, gasoline:delivery. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.