Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1998 Pontiac Bonneville, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Engine and engine cooling194
- Fuel system, gasoline33
- Electrical system28
- Power train13
- Vehicle speed control8
- Visibility8
- Unknown or other8
- Steering7
- Engine6
- Service brakes, hydraulic4
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 7 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 6 1998 Bonneville vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 3 people died inside them. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1998 Pontiac Bonneville failed the safety check 2.26% of the time — 32% more often than the average 1998 passenger car (1.71%). Median odometer at inspection: 119,130 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 12.3–12.7 L/100 km (about 19 mpg US), CO₂ 283–292 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonneville · Full-size · Regular gasoline | 14.6 | 9.5 | 12.3 |
| Bonneville # · Full-size · Premium gasoline | 15.1 | 9.7 | 12.7 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
3 Transport Canada recalls for the 1998 Pontiac Bonneville.
| 2003283 12 Nov 2003 | Engine On certain vehicles, a combination of a low battery condition and fuel in the upper intake manifold while the ignition key is activated at engine start could ca… |
| 1999128 28 Jun 1999 | Emissions Certain vehicles do not comply with the requirements of CMVSS 1101 - Emission Device. Vehicles were built with incorrect emission control labels. The emission… |
| 1998034 20 Feb 1998 | Emissions THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH C.M.V.S.S. 1101 - EMISSION DEVICE. IMPROPER CALIBRATION OF THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) CAN RESULT IN UNCONTROLLED SPA… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Pontiac told its dealers about the 1998 Pontiac Bonneville: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 635006 | INFORMATION ON SERVICING 4T65-E TRANSAXLE SPACER PLATE AND GASKETS FOR VARIOUS MODELS FROM 1997 THROUGH 2002. *TT |
| 634997 | INFORMATION ON SERVICING 4T65E TRANSAXLE SPACER PLATE AND GASKETS. *TT |
| 634985 | CONCERNS WITH SLIPS, HARSH UPSHIFT OR GARAGE SHIFTS, LAUNCH SHUDDERS, FLARES, ERRATIC SHIFTS AND INTERMITTENT CONCERNS, DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P1811 OR P0748 SET. *TT |
| 634813 | SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT ON A REPEAT ENGINE OIL PAN LEAK. *TT |
| 628928 | SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT ON A TRANSMISSION OIL LEAK. *TT UPDATED *EH |
| 620835 | EXPERIENCING EXCESSIVE ENGINE COOLANT CONSUMPTION, OR AN ENGINE COOLANT LEAK NEAR OR UNDER THE THROTTLE BODY AREA OF THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD. *TT |
| 619370 | OWNERS OF SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDRA-MATIC 3T40, 4T60, 4T60-E OR 4T65-E TRANSAXLES MAY COMMENT ON A GRINDING AND / OR GROWLING NOISE THAT IS NOTICEABLE WHEN STANDING IN PARK ON A HILL OR SLOPE WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING AND THE PARKING BRAKE NOT APPLIED. *TT |
| 619177 | SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT ON A REPEAT ENGINE OIL PAN LEAK. *TT |
| 619176 | ENGINE COOLANT CONSUMPTION OR COOLANT LEAK (INSPECT FOR MATERIAL DEGRADATION/REPLACE INTAKE MANIFOLDS) *TT UPDATED 11/02/07 *NJ |
| 6092333 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE BLACK PLASTIC HOUSING AROUND THE OUTSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR TURNS CHALKY OR IS DULL IN COLOR. *TT |
| 6088955 | SUBJECT REGARDING LOW POWER / STUMBLE WHEN ACCELERATING IN TURNS OR STRAIGHT LINE. *TT |
| 608390 | SUBJECT ON ON-BOARD DIAGNOSTIC (OBD) SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS. *MJS |
| 607351 | VEHICLES WITH HYDRA-MATIC TRANSAXLE MAY EXHIBIT VEHICLE SHUDDER WHEN REAPPLYING THROTTLE (GREATER THAN 50%) AFTER STOPPING. *TT |
| 606218 | CERTAIN VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH INCORRECT VEHICLE EMISSION CONTROL LABELS. THE EMISSION CONTROL (TUNE-UP) LABELS HAVE AN INCORRECT EMISSION VACUUM HOSE ROUTING SCHEMATIC. *TT |
| 606063 | PRODUCT EMISSION CAMPAIGN REGARDING VEHICLES WITH AN INCORRECT VEHICLE EMISSION CONTROL LABEL. *TT |
| 606010 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE FRONT AND / OR REAR DOOR TRIM PANEL WILL COME LOOSE OR SEPARATES FROM THE TOP OF THE DOOR AT THE INNER SEALING STRIP. *TT |
| 603831 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE VEHICLE THFT DETERRENT SYSTME ACTIVATES WHEN UNLOCKING THE DOOR WITH A KEY. *YC |
| 602983 | CONCERNS OF DOOR HANDLES ON WHITE PAINTED VEHICLES TRUNING YELLOW. *YC |
| 602759 | REAR COMPARTMENT LID DIFFICULT TO CLOSE. *YC |
| 602751 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE VEHICLE |
| 601905 | COMMENT THAT THE VEHICLE'S COMPASS DISPLAY IS TOO DIM, HAS AN UNEVEN DISPLAY OR NO DISPLAY. *YC |
| 601121 | CONDITION REGARDING THE ENGINE INTERMITTENTLY STALLS DURING A CLOSED THROTTLE DECELERATION FROM ABOUT 35 MPH. *YC |
| 600214 | COMMENTS THAT THE ENGINE RUNS ROUGH, HAS LACK OF POWER, HAS A KNOCK NOISE, AND/OR THE MIL (MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT) IS ILLUMINATED. *YC |
| 600193 | INFORMATION ON SPARK PLUG TIP EROSION CALIBRATION PCM REFLASH. *YC |
| 10248444 | Vehicle Recalls |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation