IllustrationWHEN DRIVING UNDER 15MPH BRAKES LOCKED UP, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE.*AK
1994 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: 11 of 88 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.
- Electrical System. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
11 crash reports9 fire reports6 injury reports
What owners actually said
88 reportsENGINE STALLED ON THREE OCCASION WHILE TRAVELING. VEHICLE BEEN IN DEALER SHOP ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
3-POINT SEAT BELT TWISTS AND JAMS, RENDERING THE BELT SYSTEM USELESS. FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED THE DEALER REPLACED THE BELT SYSTEM UNDER WARRANTY AS A SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER AGAIN AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE SAME EQUIPMENT WOULD BE USED IN NEXT REPLACEMENT, WHICH WOULD NOT PROHIBIT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN AN…
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3-POINT SEAT BELT TWISTS AND JAMS, RENDERING THE BELT SYSTEM USELESS. FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED THE DEALER REPLACED THE BELT SYSTEM UNDER WARRANTY AS A SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER AGAIN AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE SAME EQUIPMENT WOULD BE USED IN NEXT REPLACEMENT, WHICH WOULD NOT PROHIBIT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN AND AGAIN. NOTE THAT THE REAR SEAT IN THIS VAHICLE HAS BEEN USED VERY LITTLE! I FOUND A SIMILAR PROBLEM ON NHTSA SITE FOR 1997-99 BUICK PARK AVENUE--I WILL CONTACT LOCAL BUICK DEALER TO DETERMINE WHETHER THOSE REPLACEMENT PARTS WOULD FIT MY VEHICLE AS BONNEVILLE AND PARK AVENUE ARE SAME BASIC CAR. HAS NHTSA RECEIVED ANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM IN MY VEHICLE? *AK
ABS SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT PRESSURE MODULATOR VALVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT CONSUMER'S COST. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
CONSUMER PURCHASED VEHICLE ON FEB. 14, 2000 FROM USED CAR DEALER. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC WHO FOUND OUT THAT ENGINE WAS MESSED UP BECAUSE THE RODS WERE SHOT, 3-7-2000 LESS THAN 30 DAYS AFTER PURCHASE. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT IT WAS BOUGHT IN THE SHAPE IT WAS, AND IT WAS CONSUMERS P…
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CONSUMER PURCHASED VEHICLE ON FEB. 14, 2000 FROM USED CAR DEALER. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC WHO FOUND OUT THAT ENGINE WAS MESSED UP BECAUSE THE RODS WERE SHOT, 3-7-2000 LESS THAN 30 DAYS AFTER PURCHASE. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT IT WAS BOUGHT IN THE SHAPE IT WAS, AND IT WAS CONSUMERS PORBLEM. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
CONSUMER HAS BEEN TRYING TO GET HER AIR BAGS REPAIRED BECAUSE IT WAS BEGINNING TO SPLIT. SHE WAS AFRAID IT WAS GOING TO DEPLOY WITHOUT A CAUSE. *AK
ACCORDING TO TRANSMISSION SHOP DEFECTIVE SEAL DESIGN CAUSES TRANSMISSION TO NOT ENGAGE WHEN COLD. *AK
ON SEP 1ST L997 I WAS DRIVING WITH MY WIFE AT NIGHT AT ABOUT 65MPH. I FLICKED THE HI BEAM LEVER AND HAD A TOTAL BLACKOUT. I SWITCHED BACK TO LO BEAM AND THE LO BEAM CAME ON. I TRIED TWICE MORE AND EACH TIME TOTAL DARKNESS. THE DEALER REPLACED SWITCH # 1995405 ($130.75). ON MARCH 2ND 1999 I HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM.. HOWEV…
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ON SEP 1ST L997 I WAS DRIVING WITH MY WIFE AT NIGHT AT ABOUT 65MPH. I FLICKED THE HI BEAM LEVER AND HAD A TOTAL BLACKOUT. I SWITCHED BACK TO LO BEAM AND THE LO BEAM CAME ON. I TRIED TWICE MORE AND EACH TIME TOTAL DARKNESS. THE DEALER REPLACED SWITCH # 1995405 ($130.75). ON MARCH 2ND 1999 I HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM.. HOWEVER, LATER ON THAT TRIP THE HI BEAMS DID GO ON, BUT AFTER A SHORT IME FLICKERED AND AGAIN TOTAL DARKNESS. I SWITCHED TO LO BEAM AND THE LIGHTS CAME ON. THIS TIME THE DEALER REPLACED 2 SWITCHES #L995405 ($152.00) AND #26005936($110.46) (TOTAL BILL ($339.63) A FEW NIGHTS LATER WE EXPERIENCED THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM - TOTAL DARKNESS WHEN I SWITCHED TO HI BEAMS. THE DEALER HAD THE CAR FOR SEVERAL DAYS BUT COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. HE FINALLY GAVE UP. I REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO PONTIAC WITH A PHONE # GIVEN ME BY THE DEALER. THEY TOOK DOWN THE INFORMATION, BUT I HAVE NEVER HEARD FROM THEM. *AK
PAINT ON REAR TRUNK AREA OF CAR HAS FADED
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.