NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
277 reports64,260 miles · Jul 13, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
WIFE WAS DRIVING CAR WHEN SHE NOTICED THE CHECK GAUGE LIGT CAME ON. ENGINE STARTED OVERHEADING. I WENT TO LOCATION AND ADDED COLLANT BUT SOMETHING DID NOT SEEM RIGHT. CALLED TOW AND HAD TOWED TO DEALER SHIP. WAS TOLD PROBLEM WAS BETWEEN THE EGR PASSAGE AT UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD! OTHERWISE CALLED "MATERIAL DEGRADATION". …
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WIFE WAS DRIVING CAR WHEN SHE NOTICED THE CHECK GAUGE LIGT CAME ON. ENGINE STARTED OVERHEADING. I WENT TO LOCATION AND ADDED COLLANT BUT SOMETHING DID NOT SEEM RIGHT. CALLED TOW AND HAD TOWED TO DEALER SHIP. WAS TOLD PROBLEM WAS BETWEEN THE EGR PASSAGE AT UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD! OTHERWISE CALLED "MATERIAL DEGRADATION". DEALERSHIP SAID THIS WAS COMMON FOR THIS YEAR OF CAR.... COST US APPROX $700 TO HAVE FIXED. CALLED GMC CUSTOMER SATISIFACTION AND DID NOT GET ANY SATISIFACTION... SOLD CAR AND WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER GMC UNTIL THEY CAN STAND BEHIND THEIR PROBLEMS. WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS RECALLED... *AK
NHTSA ODI #10026010
88,957 miles · Jul 10, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
ON JULY 1, 1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE WITH 3800 V6 OVERHEATED. TOOK IT INTO SHOP AND HAD COOLING SYSTEM CHECKED. NO PRESSURE LEAKS WERE DETECTED. WHEN I LEFT THE SHOP, ENGINE BEGAN MISSING AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. ENGINE SMOOTHED OUT, BUT TOOK BACK TO SHOP AND THEY PUT ON MACHINE. CYLINDERS 1 AND 6 HAD BEEN MISFIRING, B…
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ON JULY 1, 1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE WITH 3800 V6 OVERHEATED. TOOK IT INTO SHOP AND HAD COOLING SYSTEM CHECKED. NO PRESSURE LEAKS WERE DETECTED. WHEN I LEFT THE SHOP, ENGINE BEGAN MISSING AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. ENGINE SMOOTHED OUT, BUT TOOK BACK TO SHOP AND THEY PUT ON MACHINE. CYLINDERS 1 AND 6 HAD BEEN MISFIRING, BUT SEEMED TO BE RUNNING FINE. THE NEXT DAY ON WAY TO WORK, THE ENGINE BEGAN MISSING BADLY AGAIN AND TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT UP TO ABOUT 240. AFTER WORK, ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER AT ALL. AFTER HAVING CAR TOWED BACK TO SHOP, I LEARNED THAT THE UPPER PLENUM FOR THE INTAKE MANIFOLD,WHICH IS MADE OF PLASTIC, HAD BECOME WARPED WHERE THE EGR VALVE CONNECTS TO THE ENGINE BLOCK. THIS ALLOWED ANTIFREEZE TO FILL UP THE ENGINE CYLINDERS. THE SMALL REPAIR SHOP WHERE MY CAR WAS REPAIRED STATED THAT THEY HAD REPLACED 10 OF THIS PARTICULAR UPPER INTAKE PLENUM FOR THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE.
NHTSA ODI #10025847
75,347 miles · Jul 7, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
A PLASTIC COMPONENT IN THE ENGINE OF THE 1998 BONNEVILLE MELTED ALLOWING ANTIFREEZE TO ENTER THE ENGINE AND CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE. THERE WAS ONLY 70,000 MILES ON THE CAR. ALL REPLACEMENT ENGINES HAVE THE SAME PLASTIC COMPONENTS AND CAN HAVE THE SAME POTENTIAL FOR ENGINE FAILURE OR FIRE.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10025519
Mileage unknown · Jun 28, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
I OWN A 1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE MANIFOLD COVERS ARE MADE OF PLASTIC AND EVENTUALLY CRACK CAUSING ANTIFREEZE TO ENTER THE ENGINE CAUSING VAPOR LOCK. THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF LEAVING THE DRIVER WITH NO POWER STEERING OR START UP CAPABILITIES BECAUSE THE STARTER CONE ON THIS INCIDENT WAS BLOWN OFF DUE TO INTENSE PRESSURE. MY 17 YE…
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I OWN A 1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE MANIFOLD COVERS ARE MADE OF PLASTIC AND EVENTUALLY CRACK CAUSING ANTIFREEZE TO ENTER THE ENGINE CAUSING VAPOR LOCK. THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF LEAVING THE DRIVER WITH NO POWER STEERING OR START UP CAPABILITIES BECAUSE THE STARTER CONE ON THIS INCIDENT WAS BLOWN OFF DUE TO INTENSE PRESSURE. MY 17 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AT THE TIME AND I'M THANKFUL THAT SHE WAS IN TOWN TRAVELING ONLY AROUND 25 MPH. I DREAD THE THOUGHT WHAT MAY HAVE HAPPENED ON THE EXPRESSWAY. I HAVE HEARD OF AND READ OF SEVERAL CASES THAT ARE EXACTLY LIKE THIS ONE. GENERAL MOTORS IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM YET REFUSES TO RECALL THIS MANIFOLD COVER PROBLEM. MY VEHICLE IS WELL MAINTAINED AND HAS ONLY 83000 MILES ON IT. THERE IS NO WAY THIS SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. IT IS VERY COSTLY TO MYSELF AS A CONSUMER. IT RAN ME NEARLY $900 DOLLARS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. HOPEFULLY THERE ISN'T ANY LONG TERM DAMAGE (WHICH I UNDERSTAND THERE WILL BE) TO MY ENGINE FROM THIS PROBLEM. *NLM
NHTSA ODI #10023922
Mileage unknown · Jun 24, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER SINCE THE ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. DEALER STATED NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. FOUR DAYS LATER, ENGINE BLEW OUT.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10024829
Mileage unknown · Jun 11, 2003
Engine And Engine CoolingFire
CONSUMER TRIED TO START UP VEHICLE, AN UNDER HOOD FIRE OCCURRED. *MR THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T CRANK. THE CONSUMER THOUGHT THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T START BECAUSE IT WAS COLD. THE VEHICLE SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING EXPLODED UNDER THE HOOD AS THE CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE. *SCC *JB
NHTSA ODI #10021981
Mileage unknown · May 30, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
WHILE DRIVING AT 35MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING THE ENGINE BLEWOUT, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO PULLOVER. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10021931
Mileage unknown · May 28, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
THE INTAKE MANIFOLD IS MADE OF PLASTIC AND BECAUSE IT IS COOLED BY THE ENGINE COOLANT IT REGULARLY FAILS. PH
NHTSA ODI #10022371
78,000 miles · May 28, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
I HAVE A 1998 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE (GM 3800 LITER V-6). THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED ALLOWING COOLANT TO FLOOD THE CYLINDERS AND RESUKTING IN A $675 REPAIR BILL. LUCKILY THIS HAPPENED IN MY GARAGE AND NOT ON THE HIGHWAY. NO MAJOR ENGINE DAMAGE. NO FIRE; JUST A COSTLY REPAIR BILL THAT I THINK GM SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR.
NHTSA ODI #10020625
96,000 miles · May 23, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
MY 1998 BONNEVILLE HAD BEEN LOOSING ANTIFREEZE, THE DEALER REPLACED THE THERMISTAT, THEN THE WATER PUMP WENT OUT. IT STILL LOST ANTIFREEZE....A COUPLE WEEKS LATER WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD IT JUST DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. MY INTAKE MANFOLD ALOUD MY ENGINE TO FILL WITH ANTIFREEZE, GM HAS A KIT FOR THIS PROBLEM.....SO TH…
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MY 1998 BONNEVILLE HAD BEEN LOOSING ANTIFREEZE, THE DEALER REPLACED THE THERMISTAT, THEN THE WATER PUMP WENT OUT. IT STILL LOST ANTIFREEZE....A COUPLE WEEKS LATER WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD IT JUST DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. MY INTAKE MANFOLD ALOUD MY ENGINE TO FILL WITH ANTIFREEZE, GM HAS A KIT FOR THIS PROBLEM.....SO THEY KNOW IT IS A PROBLEM.
NHTSA ODI #10019188
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.
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