2000 Pontiac Bonneville
The Verdict
The 2000 Pontiac Bonneville has 223 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are body (110 complaints) and engine (52 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 50/100, it earns a "Proceed with Caution" rating. If you're shopping for a Pontiac Bonneville, consider the 2005 model year which has 87% fewer complaints.
Safe Bet
The 2005 has 87% fewer complaints
View the 2005 Pontiac Bonneville dashboard →
Klunk Score: Proceed with Caution
About average for complaint volume. Research the specific issues before buying.
How is this calculated?
The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.
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Under the Hood
Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.
By Category
By Severity
Worst Problems
Complaints
SMELL OF FUEL DUMPING FROM EXHAUST. AIR FILTER CHECKS OUT. MILD SMELL JUST OUTSIDE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. HEADACHE PRODUCING SMELL INSIDE CAN. WASN'T THEIR A RECALL FOR PART TOLERANCES TO CORRECT THIS? ARE ALL GM DELPHI REPLACEMENT PARTS PRESENTLY SOLD ADEQUATE TO ADDRESS THIS. PREVIOUS OWNER HAD NEW UPPER AND LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD INSTALLED. HARD COLD STARTING CAN CAUSE AND CAUSED MY FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH THE EXCESS FUEL SMELL. YESTERDAY AND TODAY DRIVING I AM GETTING THE FUEL IN THE PASSENGER CABIN SMELL. I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT THIS IS A FUEL REGULATOR ISSUE. AND I WILL PUT ON A FRESH AIR FILTER TO REDUCE ERRONEOUS ENRICHMENT. ODD HOW MY CODE READER CAN PERFORM A FUEL PRESSURE CHECK AND REMEDY THE COLD HARD START CONDITION. THESE FUMES OCCUR FROM TAILPIPE WHEN STARTING, FROM ALL OVER NOW WHEN DRIVING. AFTER PARKING THE SMELL REMAINS SOME AT THE HOOD. SOME DRIVERS FOLLOWING ME STAY EIGHT CAR LENGTHS BACK.
CAR WONT START
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER HOWEVER, AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC CAME TO REVIEW THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR FOR A YEAR AND AFTER I GOT IT THE SECURITY SYSTEM LOCKED ME DOWN SO THE CAR WILL NOT START. THE FIRST INCIDENT I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND MY SECURITY LIGHT STARTED FLASHING THEN THE CAR QUIT. I PULLED OVER AS FAST AS I COULD AND PLAYED WITH THE GEAR LEVER AND KEY AND GOT THE CAR RESTARTED. SO AFTER THAT I HAD TO GET A NEW KEY AND HAVE IT PROGRAMED TO THE CAR AND WAS TOLD THAT WILL FIX IT. WELL IT HAPPENED 4 MORE TIMES AFTER THAT BUT AFTER PLAYING WITH THE KEY IT STARTED UP. THEN THE LAST TIME I WAS AT WORK AND AFTER 4 HOURS CAME OUT TO GO HOME IT WOULD NOT START AGAIN. HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED HOME AND NOW IT IS AT THE GM DEALERSHIP BEING REPAIRED. THIS IS NOT THE ONLY CAR THAT HAS DONE THIS FROM WHAT I AM READING THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH ALL GM'S WITH THIS SECURITY SYSTEM. IT LOCKS OUT THE INJECTORS AND STARTER. GUESS WHAT THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO CAN FIX THIS ISSUE BECAUSE THEIR COMPUTERS CAN READ THE COMPUTER. THIS IS A BIG RIP-OFF FOR PRIVATE PEOPLE WHO CANT AFFORD TO HAVE THEIR CAR FIXED AT THE DEALER.
WHILE DRIVING THE BONNEVILLE THE CAR WILL JUST SHUT DOWN, LOOSES ALL POWER. IT HAS HAPPENED ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND ALSO JUST ON LOCAL CITY DRIVING. YOU CAN BE GOING 30 MPH OR 65 MPH. CAR WILL JUST SHUT DOWN (WHICH IS VERY SCARY GOING 65 MPH) AND SOMEONE ON YOUR BUMPER. LOOSES POWER STEERING SO ITS HARD TO MOVE OVER LANES ON THE EXPRESSWAY, WE HAVE FOUND YOU NEED TO IMMEDIATELY PUT ON EMERGENCY FLASHERS, SHIFT CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND TURN THE KEY. SOMETIMES IT WILL START ON THE FIRST TURN OF THE KEY BUT SOMETIMES IT TAKES MULTIPLE TIMES OF TURNING THE KEY, ALL THIS WHILE COASTING ON THE EXPRESSWAY WITH PEOPLE BUZZING ALL AROUND YOU. THE ONE TIME IT HAPPENED I WAS RIGHT BY THE GARAGE WE HAVE BEEN TAKING IT TO, TOOK IT OVER, THEY RAN A CHECK ON THE COMPUTER SYSTEM AND NOTHING CAME UP. THEY ARE AT A LOSS AS TO WHAT TO DO WITHOUT JUST START RANDOMLY CHANGING PARTS THEY THINK IT MIGHT PERTAIN TO? ANY SUGGESTIONS, THIS ISN'T SAFE TO DRIVE WHEN IT DOES THIS, AND ITS JUST RANDOM WHEN IT DOES DO IT, NO WARNING. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE JERKED AND HESITATED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE TRACTION CONTROL AND THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR ELECTRICAL SWITCH FOR THE LOCKS AND WINDOWS FAILED. THE FAILURES OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 171,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. WHEN THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. THE CONTACT NOTICED A FUEL ODOR OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
2000 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO IGNITION SWITCH RECALL. *SMD THE CONSUMER PAID $352.14 TO HAVE TO IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED. *JB
VARIABLY THE ENGINE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING,RENDERING THE PS BRAKES TO BECOME INOPERABLE, EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FOR ME AS I AM 78 YEARS OLD.THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN THIS HAS OCCURRED THERE WAS NO SHOULDER OF THE ROAD TO PULL OFF,LEAVING THE CAR IN WHATEVER LANE IT STALLED IN! IT TAKES ANYWHERE FROM 5 MIN TO 1/2 HOUR TO RESTART VERY VERY FRUSTRATING AND DANGEROUS TO OTHER TRAVELERS AND TO ME! SOMETHING DESPERATELY NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER THERE WAS A SLIGHT BUMP TO THE IGNITION SWITCH WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 167,850 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 169,100.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2000 PONTAIC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING OVER A TWO YEAR PERIOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
WHEN THE VEHICLE IS ACCELERATING THERE IS A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF SHAKING IN THE FRONT END. IT GETS VERY BAD BETWEEN 50-60 MPH. I HAVE HAD ALL THE TIRES REPLACED BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS THE ALIGNMENT, AND I HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR TO AT LEAST 3 DIFFERENT SHOPS AND ALL 3 HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS CAUSING THE SHAKING. I HAVE REPLACED THE FRONT RODS, THE FRONT HUB ASSEMBLIES, THE SHOCKS AND THE TIRES ALL IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIX THE ISSUE. BECAUSE OF THE SHAKING IT CONSTANTLY DESTROYS MY FRONT HUB ASSEMBLIES WHICH I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE 2 TIMES IN THE PAST 2 YEARS. IT ALSO MAKES IT EXTREMELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE AS ONE OF THE SHOPS TOLD ME THAT THE FRONT ASSEMBLIES WERE SO DESTROYED FROM THE SHAKING THAT I AM EXTREMELY LUCKY THAT THE TIRES DID NOT FOLD UNDER THE VEHICLE AND CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT. I HAVE TRIED FOR 3 YEARS TO FIX THIS ISSUE AND NO ONE HAS A REMEDY. I HAVE ALSO READ ON CONSUMER REVIEW THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE WITH THEIR BONNEVILLE IN THE SAME YEAR (2000) AND AGAIN, NO SHOPS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIND THE REASON BEHIND THE SHAKING. I DO NOT THINK THAT THIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED WITH THIS ISSUE AND I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THERE IS NO RECALL IN PLACE TO FIX THIS LIFE THREATENING DEFECT. *TR
WHEN THE VEHICLE IS ACCELERATING THERE IS A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF SHAKING IN THE FRONT END. IT GETS VERY BAD BETWEEN 50-60 MPH. I HAVE HAD ALL THE TIRES REPLACED BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS THE ALIGNMENT, AND I HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR TO AT LEAST 3 DIFFERENT SHOPS AND ALL 3 HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS CAUSING THE SHAKING. I HAVE REPLACED THE FRONT RODS, THE FRONT HUB ASSEMBLIES, THE SHOCKS AND THE TIRES ALL IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIX THE ISSUE. BECAUSE OF THE SHAKING IT CONSTANTLY DESTROYS MY FRONT HUB ASSEMBLIES WHICH I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE 2 TIMES IN THE PAST 2 YEARS. IT ALSO MAKES IT EXTREMELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE AS ONE OF THE SHOPS TOLD ME THAT THE FRONT ASSEMBLIES WERE SO DESTROYED FROM THE SHAKING THAT I AM EXTREMELY LUCKY THAT THE TIRES DID NOT FOLD UNDER THE VEHICLE AND CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT. I HAVE TRIED FOR 3 YEARS TO FIX THIS ISSUE AND NO ONE HAS A REMEDY. I HAVE ALSO READ ON CONSUMER REVIEW THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE WITH THEIR BONNEVILLE IN THE SAME YEAR (2000) AND AGAIN, NO SHOPS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIND THE REASON BEHIND THE SHAKING. I DO NOT THINK THAT THIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED WITH THIS ISSUE AND I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THERE IS NO RECALL IN PLACE TO FIX THIS LIFE THREATENING DEFECT. *TR
WAS GOING TO START MY CAR I TURNED THE KEY TO THE ON POSITION AND HEARD A VERY LOUD EXPLOSION AND THE MOTOR BROKE OUT IN FLAMES. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY CAUGHT ON FIRE WITHOUT WARNING. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS ALL WERE ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE WITHOUT ANY INJURIES. THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE NOTIFIED, BUT A REPORT WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND PENDING AN INVESTIGATION. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,500.
THIS 2000 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE 3.8L WITH APPROXIMATELY 195K MILES WAS OPERATING NORMALLY OVER THE LAST 72 HOURS. IT HAD BEEN DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 300 MILES BETWEEN 12/16 AND 12/18 @ 12:50 PM THE DATE OF THE FIRE.THAT COLD MORNING (8 DEGREES F) IT WAS DRIVEN 10 MILES RT @ 9AM, 20 MILES RT BETWEEN 10:30 AND NOON, AND THEN SAT FOR APPROXIMATELY 1/2 HOUR BEFORE IT WAS DRIVEN 5 MILES TO A LOCAL STORE BY MY SON. WHEN HE ARRIVED AT THE STORE/GAS STATION HE PARKED NEAR THE PUMPS AND WHEN HE SHUT OFF ENGINE TO GO INTO STORE, SMELLED BURNING SMOKE FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR. HE OPENED THE HOOD AND WAS GREETED BY ACTIVE FLAMES COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE. THE FIRE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY EXTINGUISHED AND THE BURNED PART OF THE ENGINE WAS THE TOP AND FRONT LEFT QUARTER (FACING THE VEHICLE). THE ANTI-FREEZE RESERVOIR WAS MELTED THROUGH. *TR
AFTER CAR WAS PARKED FOR 5 - 10 MINUTES FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *TR
I SMELLED A BURNING ODOR IN MY BONNEVILLE SSEI. THE LOCAL GM DEALER, ON THE INCIDENT DATE IN THIS FORM, TOLD ME THE CAUSE WAS OIL DRIPPING ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND THAT IT WAS A FIRE HAZARD. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I FOUND AN EXISTING NHTSA ACTION NUMBER (EA07008) FOR THE EXACT PROBLEM I AM HAVING FOR THE EXACT 3800 SERIES II V6 L67 GM ENGINE. THERE WERE 2 RECALLS FOR CARS WITH THIS ENGINE, BUT MY PONTIAC MODEL WAS NOT INCLUDED (EVEN THOUGH IT HAS THE EXACT SAME ENGINE). THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECALLS ARE 08V118000 & 09V116000. I ESCALATED THIS PROBLEM WITHIN GM AND THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE GM DEALER FOR ANOTHER INSPECTION. THE GM DEALER VERIFIED THAT MY ENGINE IS THE SAME AS THE RECALLED ENGINE AND THAT I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. GM REFUSED TO FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE MY VEHICLE'S VIN WASN'T SPECIFICALLY INCLUDED IN THE RECALLS. I STRONGLY BELIEVE MY VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE EARLIER RECALLS AND NOW SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR A NEW RECALL TO ELIMINATE THIS SAFETY HAZARD.
FIRE IGNITED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHILE PARKED IN A MALL PARKING LOT ABOUT 5 TO 10 MINUTES AFTER LEAVING VEHICLE COMPLETELY DESTROYING THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE.
I HAVE A 2000 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE W/ A 3.8 V6 3800 SERIES LL ENGINE. I HAVE NOTICED OIL COMING FROM THE INTAKE DRIPPING DOWN ONTO THE MANIFOLD. THERE IS A RECALL ON THE SUPER CHARGED 3800 SERIES LL FOR THE REGAL AND GRAND PRIX. I WOULD LIKE TO NO WHY THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS MODEL. SAME PROBLEM, JUST NOT SUPER CHARGED. WHAT HAPPENS IF IT CATCHES FIRE LIKE SOME OF THE OTHERS HAVE? THEN WILL THERE BE A RECALL? I HAVE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO IT IS ALL ON ME. *DT
223 total