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1992 Pontiac Bonneville

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 9 of 113 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 45 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

13 crash reports5 fire reports10 injury reports

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

45 reports
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Mileage unknown · Feb 4, 2002
EquipmentService Brakes, Hydraulic

FAILURE OF ABS SYSTEM CREATED A LOSS OF FATH IN ABS AS A MEANS OF STOPPING. DONOT TRUST THAT IT WILL WORK SPENT 2X'S ORIG . COST TO FIX. AIR CONDITIONER LOST FREON DUE TO LEAKS IN THE COIL BUILT IN THE DASH. THIS CAUSED OIL TO PLUG THE FINS THUS BLOCKING AIR FLOW. IT WAS STATED THAT GM USED A CRIMPING PROCESS INSTEAD OF SODERING…

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FAILURE OF ABS SYSTEM CREATED A LOSS OF FATH IN ABS AS A MEANS OF STOPPING. DONOT TRUST THAT IT WILL WORK SPENT 2X'S ORIG . COST TO FIX. AIR CONDITIONER LOST FREON DUE TO LEAKS IN THE COIL BUILT IN THE DASH. THIS CAUSED OIL TO PLUG THE FINS THUS BLOCKING AIR FLOW. IT WAS STATED THAT GM USED A CRIMPING PROCESS INSTEAD OF SODERING THE FINS WHEN THEY BUILT THIS TYPE OF RECEIVER.IF YOU DO NOT FIX , YOU WILL NOT GET FULL AIR FOR THE DEFROSTERS TO WORK. *AK

NHTSA ODI #757756

Mileage unknown · Jan 19, 2001
Power TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

USING TRACTION CONTROL ON ABS BRAKES BURNED OPEN. TRACTION CONTROL WAS TOO LIGHT FOR AREAS GETTING LOTS OF SNOW. HAD NO TRACTION CONTROL AT ALL. EXPERIENCING A TEMPORARY LOSS OF BRAKING POWER DUE TO LOST OF TRACTION CONTROL. *AK

NHTSA ODI #878620

Mileage unknown · May 16, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

I HEARD A POPPING SOUND TWICE WITH IN ONE MILE OF EACH OTHER AS I WAS APPROACHING STOP LIGHTS. THEN HEARD A GRINDING SOUND AS I DROVE ON . TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THE SPRINGS IN THE REAR DRUMS HAD BROKEN AND CAUSED OTHER DAMAGE TO THE DRUMS AND BRAKING SYSTEM. I QUESTIONED THEM ABOUT A MANFACTURE DEFECT AND WAS TO…

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I HEARD A POPPING SOUND TWICE WITH IN ONE MILE OF EACH OTHER AS I WAS APPROACHING STOP LIGHTS. THEN HEARD A GRINDING SOUND AS I DROVE ON . TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THE SPRINGS IN THE REAR DRUMS HAD BROKEN AND CAUSED OTHER DAMAGE TO THE DRUMS AND BRAKING SYSTEM. I QUESTIONED THEM ABOUT A MANFACTURE DEFECT AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY WOULD DO . I PAID $501.66 TO GET IT FIXED. TODAY 05/16/2000 I READ IN THE PAPER THAT GM HAS SETTLED A LAWSUIT IN NEW JERSY AGREEING TO PAY FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS IN OTHER GM CARS OF THIS VINTAGE BUT IT DOES NOT METION THE BONNEVILLE. EVEN THOUGH I HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH MY CAR AS THE ONES THAT WERE LISTED IN THE LAWSUIT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #722781

Mileage unknown · Jul 23, 1999
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHEN TRAVELING AND UPON MAKING A NORMAL STOP ON WET PAVEMENT, CONSUMER EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE/BRAKES FADED AWAY. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS REPLACED THE BRAKE WHEEL SENSOR. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #843183

Mileage unknown · Dec 21, 1998
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

BRAKE SPRING AND SCREW BROKE OFF.

NHTSA ODI #543082

Mileage unknown · Sep 11, 1998
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrash

CONSUMER'S WIFE WAS PULLING OUT FROM PARKING LOT INTO THE INTERSECTION WHEN BRAKES FAILED TO STOP, CAUSING VEHICLE TO CONTINUE ON, CRASHING INTO OTHER VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #827832

Mileage unknown · Apr 3, 1998
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

MASTER CYLINDER FAILED.

NHTSA ODI #533552

Mileage unknown · Mar 26, 1998
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

RETURN BRAKE SPRING ON ADJUSTING MECHANISM, CAUSED REDUCED BRAKE ACTION OF REAR BRAKES. *AK

NHTSA ODI #533346

Mileage unknown · Mar 2, 1998
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ABS SYSTEM FAILS WITHOUT WARNING. BRAKES GO INTO FULL ABS MODE CAUSING EXTREMELY HARD BRAKING AT THE SLIGHTEST TOUCH OF THE BRAKE PEDAL.

NHTSA ODI #531600

Mileage unknown · Jan 20, 1998
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ANTI-LOCK BRAKES NO LONGER FUNCTION. ABS PUMP ASSEMBLY IS HEAVILY CORRODED BUT THE DEALER INSISTS IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE FAILURE.

NHTSA ODI #529511

Official recalls

3

96V015000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:cooling Unit And Lines

Jan 23, 1996

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM AUGUST 1991 THROUGH JULY 1995. THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINE CAN SEPARATE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN LOW TEMPERATURES IN COMBINATION WITH HIGH TRANSMISSION LOADS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: VEHICLE FIRES CAN OCCUR DUE TO THE SPILLAGE OF TRANSMISSION FLUID.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINES.

91V167000 · Parking Brake:conventional:mechanical

Sep 23, 1991

WHEN APPLIED, THE PARKING BRAKE LEVER ASSEMBLY MAY RELEASE ONE OR MORE TEETH, REDUCING THE CABLE LOAD TO THE REAR BRAKES.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: DEPENDING ON THE EXTENT OF THE LEVER RELEASE AND ROADLEVEL. THE PARKING BRAKE MAY NOT HOLD THE VEHICLE, ALLOWING IT TO ROLL, WHICHCOULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. VEHICLE DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS 105.

Remedy: REPLACE PARKING BRAKE LEVER ASSEMBLY.

91V131000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission

Aug 5, 1991

TRANSAXLE SHIFT CONTROL CABLE MAY DISENGAGE FROM SHIFT CONTROL CABLE BRACKET, CAUSING LOSS OF GEAR INDICATOR REFERENCE, AND SHIFT SELECTOR OPERATION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE DISENGAGED CABLE COULD FALSELY INDICATE TRANSMISSIONGEAR POSITION, AND THE VEHICLE MIGHT BE LEFT IN REVERSE OR DRIVE WHEN THE DRIVERMOVED THE GEAR SELECTOR TO PARK OR THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. A VEHICLE LEFT ON ANINCLINE WITHOUT PARKING BRAKES WHEN THE GEAR SELECTOR IS PLACED IN PARK COULDMOVE. EITHER CASE RESULTS IN UNEXPECTED VEHICLE MOVEMENT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNINGAND COULD CAUSE A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy: INSTALL A TRANSAXLE SHIFT CONTROL CABLE RETAINING CLIP ON THE SHIFT CONTROL CABLE BRACKET ON TOP OF TRANSAXLE.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

2

EA93011 · Fuel Line Failure

Opened May 3, 1993 · Closed May 31, 1994

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

There is no summary currently available

PE92010 · Fuel Line Connector Fails

Opened Jan 27, 1992 · Closed May 22, 1992

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

There is no summary currently available