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KLUNK
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2002 Pontiac Bonneville

The Verdict

74 Solid Pick

The 2002 Pontiac Bonneville has 98 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are body (49 complaints) and engine (21 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 74/100, it earns a "Solid Pick" rating. If you're shopping for a Pontiac Bonneville, consider the 2005 model year which has 72% fewer complaints.

Safe Bet

The 2005 has 72% fewer complaints

View the 2005 Pontiac Bonneville dashboard →

74

Klunk Score: Solid Pick

Fewer complaints than most vehicles. Generally dependable, but check the top problems below.

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.

YearBodyBrakesElectricalEngineTransmission
200011013315217
2001529234415
200249319216
200321412245
2004921223
2005801252

By Category

Body
49
Engine
21
Electrical
19
Transmission
6
Brakes
3

By Severity

1
49
2
41
4
8

Worst Problems

Complaints

Electrical 4

The airbags did not deploy all the way my [XXX] is in the car as well and the driver side and passenger airbags did not deploy 100% it did cause me to end up having a cut on my face and abruzz eye I have pictures but I did not go to the ER but my [XXX] did cuz she had two cuts on her head it also shattered my windshield and something was leaking INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

9d ago
Electrical 2

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 187,000. .*BF CONSUMER OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR A YEAR AN AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON.*JB

90mo ago
Engine 1

CAR WILL RE-START ON ITS OWN AFTER KEY IS REMOVED. AFTER PARKING AND SHUTTING OFF THE CAR, THEN REMOVING THE KEY AND OPENING THE DRIVER'S DOOR TO EXIT: IF YOU ACCIDENTALLY PRESS THE UPPER PART OF THE LOCK BUTTON ON THE DOOR (THE UNLOCK FUNCTION) INSTEAD OF PRESSING THE LOWER PART OF THE LOCK BUTTON (THE LOCK FUNCTION), THE CAR WILL RE-START ITSELF. IT THEN CANNOT BE TURNED OFF BECAUSE THE IGNITION SWITCH IS ALREADY IN THE OFF POSITION. THE ONLY WAY TO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE IS TO JIGGLE THE SHIFTER.

123mo ago
Engine 4

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE GASKETS AND VALVE COVER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.

124mo ago
Electrical 1

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE STARTED, BUT IT TOOK SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH MALFUNCTIONED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,529.

134mo ago
Electrical 2

IGNITION SWITCH, ENGINE CONTROL MODULE & SECURITY/THEFT MODULE WERE ALL REPLACED BECAUSE AUTO WAS INOPERABLE DUE TO THEIR FAILURE. THE MOBILE MECHANIC CHARGED $616.22 FOR PARTS, $1215.00 FOR LABOR & $13.08 FOR A HAZARDOUS WASTE FEE, TOTAL REPAIR WAS $1844.30. PLEASE SEND EMAIL SO I CAN SCAN DETAILED INVOICE OF REPAIR.

142mo ago
Electrical 1

I HAVE HAD A AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON MY DASH FOR SOME TIME NOW (NOT SURE HOW LONG BUT A COUPLE OF YEARS OR MORE) AND WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THIS DASH INDICATOR WITH THE RECENT AIRBAG RECALLS. MY VIN DOESN'T MATCH ANY SUCH RECALL NOTICES, HOWEVER SOME NEWS WEBSITES (LIKE CBS) INITIALLY INDICTED 2002 -2003 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE'S WERE INCLUDED IN THIS AIRBAG RECALL? THEY ALSO INDICATED THAT VEHICLES NEAR HIGHER HUMIDITY AREAS WERE THE VEHICLES BEING RECALLED, SO THAT CONCERNED ME TOO, SINCE I LIVE ABOUT 8 MILES FROM THE PACIFIC OCEAN. I THINK THERE IS SOMETHING INHERENTLY WRONG WITH MY AIRBAGS AND I'D LIKE THE GM/THE DEALER TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS DEFECT REPAIR, BEFORE ANY HARMFUL INCIDENTS OCCUR IN MY VEHICLE! *TR

142mo ago
Engine 4

MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR AND O2 SENSOR FAILURE CONSTANT. 10/2013 SECURITY LIGHT COMES ON FREQUENTLY WHILE IN MOTION12/2013 LEAKS IN LOWER GASKET VALVE...ENGINE IS EXTREMELY HOT MOST OF THE TIME 04/2014 SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT REMAINS ON DUE TO O2 SENSOR FAILURE EVEN AFTER REPLACEMENT 7/2014 INTERIOR LIGHTS CAUGHT FIRE 05/2014. *TR

144mo ago
Electrical 1

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000. UPDATED 10/02/14*LJ UPDATED 3/6/2015 *JS

145mo ago
Engine 1

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD DRIVE EXTREMELY ROUGH AS IF IT COULD HAVE STALLED WHEN THERE WAS A QUARTER TANK OF FUEL OR LESS. IN ADDITION, THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V238000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

146mo ago
Engine 1

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 295 IN NJ MY VEHICLE STALLED. THE STALLED AND ALMOST CAUSED A NEAR FATAL ACCIDENT WITH A SEMI. THE VEHICLE AFTER 20 MINUTES AND NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS THE VEHICLE STARTED BACK UP AND I DECIDED TO TRY AND MAKE IT HOME BY TAKING BACK ROADS AWAY FROM THE INTERSTATE. THE VEHICLE STALLED 4 MORE TIMES BEFORE I COULD GET IT HOME. I WAS VISIBLY SHAKEN UPSET AND SCARED OUT OF MY MIND. *TR

146mo ago
Transmission 1

I PUT MY CAR INTO PARK AND MY KEY WOULD NOT GO TO OFF OR START. IT WAS STUCK ON ACC AND ON. *TR

147mo ago
Engine 2

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH OUT WARNINGS. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,019 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 113,119.

150mo ago
Electrical 1

AS I WAS DRIVING, SMELLED WIRE BURNING AND SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER AT THE HEADLINER THEN THE INTERIOR LIGHTS SHUT OFF, TRUNK RELEASE SWITCH INOP. I PULLED OVER ON THE HIGHWAY AND TURNED KEY OFF. THEN NOTICED TWO WEEKS AGO THAT THERE IS NO POWER TO THE OBD-II. HAVE ABLE TO REPAIR THE DAMAGES. *TR

159mo ago
Body 1

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 40 MPH WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN MAKING A CLUNKING SOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING SHAFT WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 109,000.

178mo ago
Engine 2

2002 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE SE 2 DEFECTS 1) "CLUNKING" OF STEERING SHAFT - HAS BEEN REPLACED MORE THAN ONCE 2) GAS GAUGE STOP WORKING AFTER 4 YEAR (2006). *TR

185mo ago
Body 1

I HAVE TWO GM VEHICLES THAT EXHIBIT THE SAME DANGEROUS CONDITION OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THIS CONDITION OCCURS EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE IS STARTED AFTER BEING TURNED OFF. UPON RE-START OF THE VEHICLE, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL (AND /OR THROTTLE ASSEMBLY) IS STUCK AND IT REQUIRES A LARGE AMOUNT OF FORCE TO DEPRESS THE PEDAL, CAUSING A RAPID CHANGE IN VEHICLE SPEED FROM A STOPPED CONDITION TO A VERY QUICKLY ACCELERATING VEHICLE. AFTER YOU "BREAK THROUGH" THIS FIRST "STICKING" OF THE PEDAL, THE THROTTLE ASSEMBLY FUNCTIONS FINE, UNTIL YOU TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTART AGAIN. VEHICLES AFFECTED ARE 1999 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN AND 2002 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. *TR

194mo ago
Body 2

BOUGHT A 2002 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE 3 MONTHS AGO. WITHIN THE MONTH HAD TO REPLACE THE LEFT & RIGHT REAR TRAILING ARMS AT 700.00. CAR SEEMS TO HAVE A FUEL PUMP PROBLEM BECAUSE IT DOESN'T ALWAYS START-UP FEELS LIKE IT IS CHOCKING. LASTLY THIS PAST WEEK AS I TURN LEFT AND SOMETIMES RIGHT THERE IS A POPPING NOISE LIKE FRONT BEARINGS OR TIE RODS. IS THERE A RECALL ON ANY INFORMATION STATED ABOVE I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW. *TR

197mo ago
Body 1

STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT NOISE. LOCATED ON STEERING COLUMN. THIS PROBLEM HAS NOT BE ADDRESSED. IT A FAILURE ON MORE THAN ONE MODEL OF GM CARS. ITS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE 2001 UP TO THIS DATE. SEEMS NHTSA HAS NOT NOTICED OR DONE ANYTHING TO MAKE GM CORRECT PROBLEM. GM HAS GONE ON ITS MERRY WAY COLLECTING HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS PROBABLY MILLIONS IN REPAIR FEES. LOOKS AS IF GM OR NHTSA TURN AWAY FROM HELPING THE CUSTOMERS WHO FOOT THE BILL. *TR

199mo ago
Body 2

MY 2002 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE HAS A BANGING NOISE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE CAR. I AM TOLD THERE IS A SAFETY DEFECT BULLETIN ON THIS ISSUE BUT I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH THIS. *TR

205mo ago

98 total

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