Illustration2004 MONTANA AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *TS THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. THE CONSUMER SUSTAINED CHEST, LEG, AND CHEST INJURIES. *NM
2004 Pontiac Montana
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2004 Pontiac Montana do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 65.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Montana 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
130–25K
725–50K
450–75K
075–100K
4100–150K
3150K+
31 reports with mileage · 8 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.
- Electrical System. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Latches/locks/linkages. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
8 crash reports1 fire reports8 injury reports
What owners actually said
39 reportsI WAS STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AND A TRUCK CAME FLYING AROUND THE CORNER AND HIT ME HEAD ON . MY AIR BAGS FAILED TO OPEN AND THE VAN WAS DEMOLISHED. *NM
I WAS STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AND SOME YOUNG MAN CAME FLYING AROUND THE CORNER AND HIT ME HEAD ON AS I WAS STOPPED, AND MY AIR BAGS NEVER WENT OFF , THE BODY SHOP MAN SAID THE SENSORS WERE SHEARED RIGHT OFF, THE PONTIAC 2004 VAN IS NOW TOTALED AND I STILL HURT. *NM
AUTOMATIC SLIDING PASSENGER DOOR WILL CLOSE ON ANYTHING IN IT'S PATH. IT TAKES WAY TOO MUCH PRESSURE TO FORCE THE DOOR BACK WHEN IT IS CLOSING ON SOMETHING. I'VE HAD IT CLOSE ON MY HAND (VERY PAINFUL) AND MY 5 YR OLD GOT HER ARM CAUGHT IN IT, SHE HAD A VERY BAD BRUISE ACROSS THE UPPER PART OF HER ARM. JUST GRATEFUL IT WASN'T BRO…
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AUTOMATIC SLIDING PASSENGER DOOR WILL CLOSE ON ANYTHING IN IT'S PATH. IT TAKES WAY TOO MUCH PRESSURE TO FORCE THE DOOR BACK WHEN IT IS CLOSING ON SOMETHING. I'VE HAD IT CLOSE ON MY HAND (VERY PAINFUL) AND MY 5 YR OLD GOT HER ARM CAUGHT IN IT, SHE HAD A VERY BAD BRUISE ACROSS THE UPPER PART OF HER ARM. JUST GRATEFUL IT WASN'T BROKEN. I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS HAS NOT BEEN PART OF A RECALL. SEEMS TO BE A WHOLE LOT MORE DANGEROUS THAN PREVIOUS RECALLS. DEALERSHIP REALLY HAS NO COMMENT OR SOLUTION WHEN THIS PROBLEM IS MENTIONED TO THEM. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN NEUTRAL, THE THROTTLE ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT SHIFTED THE GEAR INTO REVERSE AND BACKED INTO A TREE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP. THE VEHICLE DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY DAMAGE AND THE INCIDENT HAPPENED ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, AND THEREFORE NO POLICE WERE ALERTED. T…
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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN NEUTRAL, THE THROTTLE ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT SHIFTED THE GEAR INTO REVERSE AND BACKED INTO A TREE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP. THE VEHICLE DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY DAMAGE AND THE INCIDENT HAPPENED ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, AND THEREFORE NO POLICE WERE ALERTED. THE VEHICLE IS AT THE DEALERSHIP UNDER GOING INSPECTION.
I HAD A SCARY MORNING! THE DRIVER'S SEAT IN MY CAR CAUGHT FIRE THIS MORNING. I DROPPED THE KIDS OFF AT THE BABYSITTERS HOUSE AND I LEFT MY CAR RUNNING. I GO BACK OUT AND THOUGHT I SMELLED SMOKE. I THOUGHT WELL MAYBE MY SEAT HAD SOME PAPER OR SOME TRASH ON IT SO I TURNED IT OFF. I DROVE ABOUT 4 BLOCKS AND I FELT LIKE MY LEG WAS…
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I HAD A SCARY MORNING! THE DRIVER'S SEAT IN MY CAR CAUGHT FIRE THIS MORNING. I DROPPED THE KIDS OFF AT THE BABYSITTERS HOUSE AND I LEFT MY CAR RUNNING. I GO BACK OUT AND THOUGHT I SMELLED SMOKE. I THOUGHT WELL MAYBE MY SEAT HAD SOME PAPER OR SOME TRASH ON IT SO I TURNED IT OFF. I DROVE ABOUT 4 BLOCKS AND I FELT LIKE MY LEG WAS ON FIRE. SO I PULLED OVER AND I SAW THIS SMOKE COMING OUT OF MY SEAT AND ABOUT A 1-1 1/2" INCH SLIT WHERE MY SEAT HAD BEEN BURNT! SO I DROVE TO THE CAR DEALERSHIP DRIVING IN AN AWKWARD POSITION. APPARENTLY THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME? OR FREQUENTLY ENOUGH THAT THE SERVICE CENTER WASN'T SURPRISED WHEN I TOLD THEM MY SEAT WAS ON FIRE. I DREAD WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED HAD IT BEEN MY PASSENGER SEAT AND HAD BEEN ACCIDENTALLY TURNED ON BECAUSE I HAD A STACK FULL OF PAPERS AND MAGAZINES ON IT. I HAD NOTICED THAT MY SEAT WARMER WAS GETTING EXTREMELY HOT LATELY BUT DIDN'T ATTRIBUTE IT TO A DEFECT BUT MORE TO A SENSITIVITY WITH HEAT DUE TO MY PREGNANCY. *JB
DT: CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PONTIAC MONTANA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH POWER SLIDING DOORS TOOK A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF STRENGTH TO KEEP THEM OPEN. IF SOMEONE WAS ENTERING THROUGH THE DOOR THEY COULD BE BADLY INJURED BY THE DOOR CLOSING ON HIM. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MANUFACTURER, THEY STATED THAT THE PO…
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DT: CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PONTIAC MONTANA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH POWER SLIDING DOORS TOOK A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF STRENGTH TO KEEP THEM OPEN. IF SOMEONE WAS ENTERING THROUGH THE DOOR THEY COULD BE BADLY INJURED BY THE DOOR CLOSING ON HIM. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MANUFACTURER, THEY STATED THAT THE POWER OF THE MOTOR IN THE CABLE CAUSED THE DOOR TO SHUT. THEREFORE, THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT HE DID NOTICED THIS DEFECT FROM THE TIME OF PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE.*AK *JB
MY WIFE WAS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY 401 IN CANADA WHEN SHE LOST CONTROL OF OUR 2004 GM MONTANA AND WENT STRAIGHT INTO THE CENTER CONCRETE MEDIUM THE FRONT OF THE VAN WAS PUSHED IN 3 INCHES, BUT NO AIRBAGS WERE DEPLOYED . THE DAMAGE TO THE VAN WAS 22000. MY WIFE WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WITH SEVERE INJURIES BECAUSE SHE HIT THE ST…
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MY WIFE WAS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY 401 IN CANADA WHEN SHE LOST CONTROL OF OUR 2004 GM MONTANA AND WENT STRAIGHT INTO THE CENTER CONCRETE MEDIUM THE FRONT OF THE VAN WAS PUSHED IN 3 INCHES, BUT NO AIRBAGS WERE DEPLOYED . THE DAMAGE TO THE VAN WAS 22000. MY WIFE WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WITH SEVERE INJURIES BECAUSE SHE HIT THE STEERING WHEEL SO HARD, NOW WHEN I WENT TO GM TO ASK WHY MY 2004 MONTANAS AIRBAGS DIDN' T DEPLOY THEY WANTED NOTHING TO DO WITH ME, SINCE THEN MY WIFE IS AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE ,AND I FEEL THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE FOR MY CHILDREN.*AK TO BE IN
SHOULDER CLIPS ON INTEGRATED CHILD SAFETY SEAT PULL APART WITH VERY LITTLE FORCE, WITHOUT DEPRESSING RELEASE TABS. DEALER REPLACE PART, HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. DEALER STATES THAT THIS IS "NORMAL" AND THAT ALL VEHICLES THEY CHECKED DO THE SAME THING. SIMILAR CLIPS ON OTHER CHILD SAFETY SEATS (NON-INTEGRATED) THAT I CHEC…
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SHOULDER CLIPS ON INTEGRATED CHILD SAFETY SEAT PULL APART WITH VERY LITTLE FORCE, WITHOUT DEPRESSING RELEASE TABS. DEALER REPLACE PART, HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. DEALER STATES THAT THIS IS "NORMAL" AND THAT ALL VEHICLES THEY CHECKED DO THE SAME THING. SIMILAR CLIPS ON OTHER CHILD SAFETY SEATS (NON-INTEGRATED) THAT I CHECKED DO NOT PULL APART WITHOUT DEPRESSING RELEASE TABS. THIS IS MY SECOND COMPLAINT FILED. I WAS TOLD WITH THE FIRST COMPLAINT THAT SOMEONE WOULD FOLLOW-UP. I HAVE HEARD NOTHING IN ALMOST 1 YEAR. I AM UNABLE TO USE SEAT DUE TO FEAR OF FAILURE IF I WERE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER, AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Official recalls
307V349000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage
Aug 8, 2007
ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, VARIATIONS IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS OR EXPOSURE TO HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES MAY LEAD TO FRACTURE OF THE FUEL TANK INLET CHECK VALVE (ICV).
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A FRACTURE MAY ALLOW FUEL VAPORS TO PASS THROUGH AND ALLOW DROPLETS OF FUEL TO ACCUMULATE ON THE SIDE OF THE FUEL TANK. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK. THE RECALL WILL BE MAILED IN TWO PHASES WITH THE FIRST PHASE BEGINNING ON DECEMBER 4, 2007. THE SECOND PHASE WILL BE MAILED ON DECEMBER 13, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080; CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438; OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668. THE VEHICLE POPULATION INCLUDES BUICK RENDEZVOUS AND PONTIAC AZTEK VEHICLE BUILT IN MAY 2003; CHEVROLET VENTURE AND PONTIAC MONTANA VEHICLES BUILT FROM JUNE THROUGH AUGUST 2002; AND ALL VEHICLES REGISTERED IN NEVADA, ARIZONA, VIRGIN ISLANDS, PUERTO RICO, AND HAWAII.
04V597000 · Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Dec 22, 2004
ON CERTAIN MINIVANS EQUIPPED WITH SECOND-ROW BUCKET SEATS OR CAPTAIN'S CHAIRS AND A POWER SLIDING DOOR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, A PASSENGER USING THE INTERIOR HANDLE TO OPEN THE POWER SLIDING DOOR COULD BE INJURED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF A PASSENGER USES THE INTERIOR HANDLE TO OPEN THE POWER SLIDING DOOR AND HOLDS ONTO THE HANDLE WHILE IT IS BEING OPENED BY THE MOTOR, THE PASSENGER'S ARM MAY BE PUSHED INTO THE SEAT BACK OR ARMREST AND A WRIST OR LOWER ARM INJURY MAY RESULT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE POWER SLIDING DOOR INTERIOR HANDLE ON THE PASSENGER-SIDE. IF THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH A POWER OR MANUAL SLIDING DOOR ON THE DRIVER-SIDE, THE INTERIOR HANDLE WILL ALSO BE REPLACED FOR APPEARANCE REASONS. NOTE: BEFORE THE VEHICLE IS SERVICED, GM ADVISES OWNERS TO NOT USE THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE TO OPEN THE DOOR. THE DRIVER CAN OPEN AND CLOSE THE DOOR FROM SWITCHES AT THE DRIVER'S POSITION OR BY USING THE REMOTE KEY FOB. THE DRIVER SHOULD TELL PASSENGERS TO USE THE SWITCH LOCATED IN FRONT OF THE DOOR TO OPEN OR CLOSE IT. THE DRIVER SHOULD USE THE OVERRIDE SWITCH TO PREVENT OPERATION OF THE POWER DOOR BY CHILDREN OR BY OTHERS WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH ITS USE. THE OWNER NOTIFICATION LETTER MAILING WILL BE CONDUCTED IN PHASES WITH THE FIRST PHASE BEGINNING ON MAY 31, 2005. THE SECOND PHASE MAILING BEGAN ON JULY 18, 2005. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 31, 2005. PHASE 2 BEGAN ON JULY 18, 2005. PHASE 3 (FINAL PHASE) BEGAN ON AUGUST 24, 2005, TO ALL REMAINING CUSTOMERS. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438; PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668; OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537.
04V177000 · Equipment:other:labels
Apr 8, 2004
CERTAIN MINIVANS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 213, "CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEMS." THESE VEHICLES DO NOT HAVE TEXT AND FORMATTING ON THE WARNING LABEL ATTACHED TO THE AVAILABLE SECOND-ROW INTEGRAL CHILD RESTRAINT AS SPECIFIED BY AMENDMENTS TO THE STANDARD.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Not supplied
Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH REPLACEMENT LABELS AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JULY 23, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 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
1PE04064 · POWER-SLIDING Door
Opened Sep 17, 2004 · Closed Dec 22, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure:body:door
SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE AVAILABLE WITH AN OPTIONAL POWER SLIDING DOOR.THE INTERIOR HANDLE IS ORIENTED IN THE VERTICAL POSITION IN THE DOOR PANEL AND LINES UP AT THE ELBOW LEVEL WHEN THE OCCUPANT IS SEATED IN THE 2ND-ROW OUTBOARD POSITION.IF THE OCCUPANT HOLDS THE INTERIOR HANDLE IN THE THUMB UP POSITION DURING POWER-ASSISTED OPENING, THE ARM/WRIST CAN BE PUSH BACK WITH FORCE AGAINST THE 2ND-ROW BUCKET SEAT OR CAPTAIN'S CHAIR SEAT BACK CREATING A RISK OF INJURY (OTHER SEATING CONFIGURATIONS HAVE AMPLE SEAT TO DOOR CLEARANCE TO AVOID ENTRAPMENT OF THE LOWER ARM).AMONG THE 103 TOTAL REPORTS, THERE WERE 102 ALLEGED INJURIES INCLUDING ARM/WRIST, THUMB AND SHOULDER INJURIES.A COUNT OF INJURIES REVEALS THAT 76 INJURIES WERE A FRACTURED OR A BROKEN ARM/WRIST REQUIRING AN IMMOBILIZING CAST FOR FOUR-TO-SIX WEEKS.ALL INJURIES INVOLVE THE RIGHT SIDE POWER SLIDING DOOR.THE LEFT SIDE POWER SLIDING DOOR IS ON FAR FEWER VEHICLES, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT PRODUCES LESS FORCE.GM NOTIFIED THE AGENCY BY LETTER DATED DECEMBER 21, 2004, THAT IT WILL RECALL MODEL YEAR 1997 THOUGH EARLY 2005 GM U-VAN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A RIGHT SIDE POWER SLIDING DOOR AND WITH 2ND-ROW BUCKET SEATS OR CAPTAIN CHAIRS (NHTSA RECALL #04V597).AS PART OF THE RECALL REMEDY, GM WILL REPLACE THE DOOR HANDLE WITH A FLUSH MOUNTED HANDLE THAT WILL PREVENT AN OCCUPANT FROM GRASPING THE HANDLE WITH THE PALM BETWEEN THE HANDLE AND DOOR PANEL (THUMB UP ORIENTATION) AND THUS ELIMINATE THE POTENTIAL FOR ARM/WRIST ENTRAPMENT.THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.