IllustrationVEHICLE WILL NOT START, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER REPLACED THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER/ CRANKSHAFT SENSOR MODULE WHICH CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
1993 Pontiac Bonneville
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Bonneville years →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: 10 of 138 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 42 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
12 crash reports10 fire reports7 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
20 reportsENGINE FAILURE.
VALVE LIFTER ROLLER CAME APART AND GROUND UP DESTROYING CAM AND ROCKER ARM
WHEN STARTING CAR LOUD POPPING NOISE IS HEARD. ESPECIALLY BAD WHEN ENGINE IS REVVED UP TO 3000 RPMS. DOES NOT HAPPEN WHEN DRIVING. ONLY IN PARK.
OIL AND FILTER WAS CHANGED EVERY 3000 MILES . I HAVE HEARD THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH GM 3.8 ENGINES. IS THIS THE SAME BLOCK AS THE 3 .0 AND IS NOT GETTING ENOUGH OIL? THIS IS TO LOW OF MILES FOR A NEW ENGINE.
WHILE DRIVING 25 TO 30 MPH THE VEHICLE MAKES A CHIME SOUND 3 TIMES. THE THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN COMPLETELY. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40-45 MPH, DRIVER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE BACK AREA OF VEHICLE. WHEN DRIVER STOPPED TO CHECK OUT CONDITIONS, THERE WAS A FIRE COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE, AND THE WHOLE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE BURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. *AK
PERFECT WORIKING CONDITION; HALF AN HOUR AFTER BEING PARKED THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. *AK CONSUMER STATES RECALL 95-C-68 WAS COMPLETED IN MAY OF 1996 REGARDING THE REPLACEMENT OF A COOLER HOSE, CONSUMER STATES THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ENGINE FIRE. *SLC
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE PRIOR TO RECALL.
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. *AW
Official recalls
196V015000 · 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.
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
1EA93018 · Fuel Leaks
Opened Jul 13, 1993 · Closed Jun 24, 1994
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available