Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1999 Pontiac Bonneville, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Engine and engine cooling59
- Electrical system22
- Fuel system, gasoline19
- Service brakes, hydraulic9
- Power train8
- Air bags8
- Visibility6
- Tires5
- Unknown or other4
- Vehicle speed control4
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 6 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 1999 Bonneville vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 5 people died inside them, and 1 of the vehicles rolled over. 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 1999 Pontiac Bonneville failed the safety check 0.56% of the time — 68% less often than the average 1999 passenger car (1.76%). Median odometer at inspection: 111,849 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 11.8–12.2 L/100 km (about 19–20 mpg US), CO₂ 271–281 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonneville · Full-size · Regular gasoline | 13.9 | 9.3 | 11.8 |
| Bonneville # · Full-size · Premium gasoline | 14.8 | 9.1 | 12.2 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
4 Transport Canada recalls for the 1999 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… |
| 1999080 6 May 1999 | Powertrain Certain vehicles do not comply with the requirements of CMVSS 102 - Transmission Shift Control Sequence. A retaining clip which secures the manual valve to t… |
| 1999066 16 Apr 1999 | Suspension On certain vehicles equipped with chrome plated aluminum wheels, the wheels may have a mounting surface that was not machined correctly. This would cause the w… |
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.
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.
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.
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 1999 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 |
| 629375 | SUBJECT REGARDING WHINE NOISE IN PARK OR NEUTRAL, SERVICE ENGINE SOON OR SERVICE VEHICLE SOON LAMP ILLUMINATION. *TT |
| 628928 | SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT ON A TRANSMISSION OIL LEAK. *TT UPDATED *EH |
| 628860 | SUBJECT REGARDING HARSH ENGAGEMENT INTO REVERSE GEAR IN COLD AMBIENT TEMPERATURE. *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 |
| 611290 | SOME OWNERS OF VEHICLES WITH A HYDRA-MATIC 4T65-E TRANSAXLE MAY COMMENT ON HARSH UPSHIFTS OR HARSH GARAGE SHIFTS, SOFT SHIFTS, SHUDDERS ON HARD ACCELERATION, OR SHIFTS ERRATIC. *TT |
| 6092333 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE BLACK PLASTIC HOUSING AROUND THE OUTSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR TURNS CHALKY OR IS DULL IN COLOR. *TT |
| 6089158 | VOLUNTARY EMISSION CAMPAIGN FOR VEHICLES WITH AN OBD-II CALIBRATION THAT CAUSES A FALSE OXYGEN SENSOR CODE, P1133, TO SET UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, RESULTING IN MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ILLUMINATION. *TT |
| 6088955 | SUBJECT REGARDING LOW POWER / STUMBLE WHEN ACCELERATING IN TURNS OR STRAIGHT LINE. *TT |
| 6088946 | SUBJECT REGARDING WIND NOISE AT DRIVER'S FRONT SIDE DOOR B-PILLAR AREA. *TT |
| 606664 | CAMPAIGN PARTS BULLETIN REGARDING 4T65E MANUAL VALVE / LINK KIT REPLACEMENT. *TT |
| 606647 | CAMPAIGN PARTS BULLETIN REGARDING VEHICLES WITH CHROME PLATED ALUMINUM WHEELS. *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 |
| 602983 | CONCERNS OF DOOR HANDLES ON WHITE PAINTED VEHICLES TRUNING YELLOW. *YC |
| 10248444 | Vehicle Recalls |
| 10246631 | Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules |
| 10232287 | This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy transportation policy. |
| 10208027 | This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving website address and step by step instructions to complete the update. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER SEQUENCE
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation