IllustrationHORN IS UNDER THE AIR BAG SYSTEM WHICH MAKES IT HARD FOR CONSUMER WHEN TRYING TO USE HORN. SOMETIMES HORN WILL WORK AND SOMETIMES IT MIGHT NOT WORK. *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
What owners actually said
138 reportsVALVE LIFTER ROLLER CAME APART AND GROUND UP DESTROYING CAM AND ROCKER ARM
I PURCHASED CAR USED. AS I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN MY HEADLIGHTS WERE SHUT OFF BY THE SENTINEL. ANOTHER CAR COMING OUT OF A STORE PARKING LOT NEARLY BROADSIDED ME BECAUSE HE NEVER SAW ME . THIS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS IF SOMEONE USES MY CAR OR WHEN I SELL THE CAR. I THINK THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD FIX IT FREE REGARDLESS OF FREQUENCY…
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I PURCHASED CAR USED. AS I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN MY HEADLIGHTS WERE SHUT OFF BY THE SENTINEL. ANOTHER CAR COMING OUT OF A STORE PARKING LOT NEARLY BROADSIDED ME BECAUSE HE NEVER SAW ME . THIS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS IF SOMEONE USES MY CAR OR WHEN I SELL THE CAR. I THINK THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD FIX IT FREE REGARDLESS OF FREQUENCY. *AK
THE SERVICE TECHNITION TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH GM'S ABS SYSTEM. HE SAID I SHOULD CHECK INTO WHETHER THERE MIGHT BE A SILENT RECALL ON THE AFOREMENTIONED ABS SYSTEM THAT WOULD BE FIXED ONLY IF A CONSUMER HAD A PROBLEM. I DID NOT SEE ONE LISTED IN YOUR DATA BASE, BUT THOUGHT YOU MIGHT HAVE ACCESS TO MORE INFORMA…
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THE SERVICE TECHNITION TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH GM'S ABS SYSTEM. HE SAID I SHOULD CHECK INTO WHETHER THERE MIGHT BE A SILENT RECALL ON THE AFOREMENTIONED ABS SYSTEM THAT WOULD BE FIXED ONLY IF A CONSUMER HAD A PROBLEM. I DID NOT SEE ONE LISTED IN YOUR DATA BASE, BUT THOUGHT YOU MIGHT HAVE ACCESS TO MORE INFORMATION. THE TECH SAID IT WAS A FLAW IN THE ABS SYSTEM, NOT BECAUSE OF ANY LACK OF MAINTAINENCE OF NEGLECT. IF YOU CAN GIVE ME ANY RECALL INFO IT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED AS THE REPAIR IS VERY COSTLY FOR A PROBLEM NOT ASSOCIATED WITH NORMAL WEAR AND USAGE. THANK YOU, RANDY J. ANDERSEN
FUEL PUMP BURNED OUT. HIGH RESISTANCE ON PUMP MELTED WIRING ON SENDING UNIT AND CONNECTOR. DEALER CONTACTED.
ABS BRAKE WARNING REMAINS ILLUMINATED, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE SYSTEM, CAUSE UNKNOWN. WATER PUMP AND MASTER CYLINDER REPLACED AND SYSTEM FLUSHED THEN LIGHT WENT OUT AND REMAINED OUT. HAS SINCE BEGUN ILLUMINATING INTERMITTENTLY UPON STARTUP AND WHILE DRIVING. *AK
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.
WHEN COMING TO A STOP,IF BRAKING LIGHTLY TRANSMISSION WANTS TO KEEP GOING AND NOT STOP. EXTREMELY BAD GRINDING NOISE IS HEARD. WHEN BRAKING HARD THOUGH DOESN'T HAPPEN AT ALL. AFTER COMING TO COMPLETE STOP, IF ACCELERATING LIGHTLY SAME TERRIBLE GRINDING NOISE IS HEARD AND CAR JERKS REPEATEDLY UNTIL I START TO ACCELERATE …
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WHEN COMING TO A STOP,IF BRAKING LIGHTLY TRANSMISSION WANTS TO KEEP GOING AND NOT STOP. EXTREMELY BAD GRINDING NOISE IS HEARD. WHEN BRAKING HARD THOUGH DOESN'T HAPPEN AT ALL. AFTER COMING TO COMPLETE STOP, IF ACCELERATING LIGHTLY SAME TERRIBLE GRINDING NOISE IS HEARD AND CAR JERKS REPEATEDLY UNTIL I START TO ACCELERATE HARD. ONLY HAPPENS IN THESE 2 INSTANCES. OTHERWISE, WORKS FINE.
WHILE DRIVING DOWN HILL ABOUT 20 MPH, THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON ,AND THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE INTO A CHURCH PARKING LOT SAFELY. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP, WHERE MASTER CYCLINDER WAS REPLACED. *AK
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.
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