IllustrationTHE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD CRACKED AND LEAKED ANTIFREEZE OVER ENGINE COMPONENTS. (RELATED INVESTIGATION EA02-030) PH THE DEALER REPLACED THE UPPER MANIFOLD PLENUM. SCC
1998 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
40–25K
1325–50K
5050–75K
2975–100K
18100–150K
3150K+
117 reports with mileage · 160 unknown
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.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 194 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 33 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports28 fire reports6 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
194 reportsWHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PH
SECOND REPLACEMENT OF THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD.
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE ENGINE WILL OVERHEAT. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT HE HAD A DIFFERENT INTAKE MANIFOLD AND IT WAS REPLACED BUT CONSUMER HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. THE SECOND TIME THE VEHICLE GOT ON FIRE. TS
CONSUMER WAS ADVISED THE ENGINE FAILED DUE TO A DESIGN PROBLEM OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE TOP OF INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS PLASTIC AND HAD A METAL TUBE THAT RAN THROUGH PLASTIC. OVER TIME THE PLASTIC ALSO DEGRADED AND CRACKED WHICH RESULTED IN THE COOLANT ENTERING THE ENGINE.*JB
MY COMPLAINT IS: I WAS DRIVING DOWN ILLINOIS INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 55 AT 70 MPH WHEN MY ENGINE DIED, BECAUSE MY MANIFOLD KEEPS CRACKING, THIS IS THE 4TH TIME!! BECAUSE MY ENGINE DIED, IT KEPT BLOWING AND FORCING ANTIFREEZE DOWN MY INTAKE AND FILLING MY CYLINDERS WITH WATER AND ANTIFREEZE, CAUSING A VAPOR LOCK!!! I TRIED T…
Read full complaint
MY COMPLAINT IS: I WAS DRIVING DOWN ILLINOIS INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 55 AT 70 MPH WHEN MY ENGINE DIED, BECAUSE MY MANIFOLD KEEPS CRACKING, THIS IS THE 4TH TIME!! BECAUSE MY ENGINE DIED, IT KEPT BLOWING AND FORCING ANTIFREEZE DOWN MY INTAKE AND FILLING MY CYLINDERS WITH WATER AND ANTIFREEZE, CAUSING A VAPOR LOCK!!! I TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR IN NEUTRAL GOING 70 MPH, WITH 20-25 CARS AROUND ME AND 3-5 SEMI TRUCKS, BUT THE ENGINE WAS LOCKED UP!!!! I LOST CONTROL OF MY CAR!!! I HAD NO POWER STEERING, NO POWER BRAKES, NO CONTROL TO BE ABLE TO AVOID A 20-25 CAR PILE UP, WITH TENS TO HUNDREDS BEING INJURED!!!!!!!!! THIS IS A "SAFETY ISSUE THAT MUST BE RESOLVED!! GM NEEDS TO DO A COMPLETE RECALL OF ALL 3.1, 3.4 & 3.8 V6 ENGINES MADE WITH PLASTIC MANIFOLDS AND PLASTIC GASKETS!!!! GM NEEDS TO REPLACE THEM WITH THE ALUMINUM MANIFOLDS AND RUBBER GASKETS THEY USED TO PLACE ON "ALL ENGINES MANUFACTURED SINCE THESE CHANGES", WHICH I BELIEVE IS 1995!!!!! ALSO, DO NOT ALLOW GM TO DENY THESE CHARGES OF DEFECTIVE MATERIAL, PARTS, WORKMANSHIP, OR MANUFACTURING, BECAUSE I WAS TOLD YESTERDAY THERE IS A "NEW TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN" CHANGING THE MANIFOLD, GASKET AND INSTALLATION!! PLEASE SEE THE ATTACHED URL - HTTP://WWW.PETITIONONLINE.COM/MOD_PERL/SIGNED.CGI?GMCNSMRS TO VIEW THE OVER 1,300 PEOPLE SO FAR THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN JUST A FEW MONTHS BY WORD OF MOUTH. THE DEALERSHIPS STOCK THESE PARTS, WHERE BEFORE THEIR DESIGN CHANGE IN 1996 FROM ALUMINUM TO PLASTIC MANIFOLDS, THE DEALERSHIPS NEVER STOCKED THESE MANIFOLDS!!! OTHER SUPPORT WEBSITES: HTTP://WWW.GEOCITIES.COM/GM_INTAKE/INDEX.HTM#UPDATES & HTTP://WWW.GM-V6LEMONS.COM
1998 PONTIAC BONNIVILLE THEY USE A PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD COVER OF SCHROWED.WITHIN THIS COVER THEY HAVE HOLE FOR THE EGR VALVE WHICH GETS VERY VERY HOT,AND TO COOL THIS THEY RUN COOLANT AROUND THIS WITHIN THE PLASTIC. DON'T THEY REALIZE THAT THE PLASTIC WILL CRACK FROM EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION AND COOLANT WILL INFILTRATE THE I…
Read full complaint
1998 PONTIAC BONNIVILLE THEY USE A PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD COVER OF SCHROWED.WITHIN THIS COVER THEY HAVE HOLE FOR THE EGR VALVE WHICH GETS VERY VERY HOT,AND TO COOL THIS THEY RUN COOLANT AROUND THIS WITHIN THE PLASTIC. DON'T THEY REALIZE THAT THE PLASTIC WILL CRACK FROM EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION AND COOLANT WILL INFILTRATE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND THE ENTIRE COMBUSTION CHAMBER,EXHAUST. THIS HAPPENED TO MY 98 BONNIVILLE AND I WANT THIS TO BE INVESTIGATED.
THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED ALLOWING COOLANT TO ENTER THE CYLINDERS AND OIL, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE EXHAUST. GAS FROM THE EGR PASSES THROUGH THE PLASTIC AND EVENTUALLY SOFTENS AND DETERIORATES IT. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE ACCORDING TO LOCAL DEALERS AND MECHANIC. WHY HASN'T A RECALL BEEN ISS…
Read full complaint
THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED ALLOWING COOLANT TO ENTER THE CYLINDERS AND OIL, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE EXHAUST. GAS FROM THE EGR PASSES THROUGH THE PLASTIC AND EVENTUALLY SOFTENS AND DETERIORATES IT. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE ACCORDING TO LOCAL DEALERS AND MECHANIC. WHY HASN'T A RECALL BEEN ISSUED SINCE IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY AND DAMAGE ISSUE. I CALLED THE MANUFACTURER---NO SATISFACTION. *****DIMS 11 IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS******770815. *AK *JB
CAR SUDDENLY BEGAN MISSING AND RUNNING VERY ROUGH. DROVE ONLY A SHORT DISTANCE & CAR STOPPED RUNNING. THE DEALER SAID THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD PLENNUIM NEEDED REPLACED, AS WELL AS THE PLUGS REMOVED & CLEANED. ALSO NEEDED OIL, FILER & COLLANT CHANGED. COST OVER $750 TO REPAIR & MANIFOLD WAS ABOUT THE ONLY ENGINE COMPONENT TO…
Read full complaint
CAR SUDDENLY BEGAN MISSING AND RUNNING VERY ROUGH. DROVE ONLY A SHORT DISTANCE & CAR STOPPED RUNNING. THE DEALER SAID THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD PLENNUIM NEEDED REPLACED, AS WELL AS THE PLUGS REMOVED & CLEANED. ALSO NEEDED OIL, FILER & COLLANT CHANGED. COST OVER $750 TO REPAIR & MANIFOLD WAS ABOUT THE ONLY ENGINE COMPONENT TO NOT BE INCLUDED UNDER THE ADD'L SERVICE CONTRACT WE HAD PURCHASED.
CONSUMER STATES THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED, CAUSING ENGINE TO HYDROLOCK AND BENDING 5 PUSH RODS. THIS ALLOWING COOLANT TO ENTER ENGINE CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE. TS
Official recalls
104V090000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery
Feb 24, 2004
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE BACKFIRE CAN RUPTURE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE RUPTURE OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CAN DISPLACE A FUEL LINE, PULLING AN INJECTOR OUT OF PLACE, AND CAUSING A FUEL LEAK AND POSSIBLE FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH IMPROVED DIAPHRAGMS. THE RECALL WILL BE CONDUCTED IN PHASED MAILINGS. PHASE 1 BEGAN ON JUNE 30, 2004, AND PHASE 2 BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537, OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.
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
2EA02030 · Engine Compartment Fires
Opened Oct 22, 2002 · Closed Mar 9, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline; Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery; Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
Additional source detail variants (3)
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
Fuel System, Gasoline
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
PE02050 · Engine Compartment Fires
Opened Jun 13, 2002 · Closed Oct 22, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
No summary supplied.