Pontiac Bonneville

evandro · December 2006

Tirerack is your friend:

All-season
Touring

HTH

xavier64 · December 2006

Evandro,

Thanks for the link and I appreciate the help. What tires are you using on your Bonnie? May look to get some tires in January after X-mas and my main concern is with a=the age of the Firestone Affinity.

Appreciate the help,

Merry Christmas

SXB :shades:

evandro · December 2006

Xavier,

I have an SLE, therefore it sports 235/55 on 17" rims. As you can see here, it suffered from the dreaded vibration issue.

After the OEM Goodyear Eagle RS-A, I tried Continental Conti Premier Contact, but settled for Michelin MXV4+ (there aren't many manufacturer choices for this size). They are much quieter and more comfortable than the OEM tires, though don't corner or traction as well as them. But I'm happy with them.

HTH

xavier64 · December 2006

Thanks for the info Evandro. My father has the Conti Premier Contact tires on his 97 Riviera and no complaints. I may look toward the Michelin HydroEdge tires. The way winter has been in the Philly area, who knows if it will even snow!!. I have only 35,000 on the car and the tread is OK. I'll see if I can determine the age of the tire and decide how soon to replace them. Have a Merry Christmas and safe driving...the Mall parking lots are nuts this time of year ... :shades:

austink256 · January 2007

i have had this car for 4 yrs and the brakes started messing up. the pedal bleeds all the way to the floor, but if you pump the pedal it will harden back up. it doesn't do it all the time. no visible leaks. also having problems with over heating and like the brakes it doesn't have any leaks always stays full of coolant. if anyone has any advice... PLEASE HELP

skyhawk · February 2007

I received the above message on the display. I have a 2001 SLE bought new 9/00. Has anyone received this message? The security light on the dash stays lit. At 84k miles this is the first issue I have had. Thanks.

diana48854 · February 2007

My car won't start it was running fine then it just didn't want to start any more. It has plenty of gas so much that it is on the spark plugs. Put a new pressure regulator and cleaned the EGR and still too much gas. It turns over but won't do anything Please any advise will help sure can't hurt

evandro · February 2007

The gauge indicates maximum oil pressure as soon as the engine is running. When the key in inserted and twisted to the ACC position, the gauge hand does its dance between the ends of the scale as other gauges, then comes back to 0. When the engine starts, it moves to 120 and stays there.

Maybe the oil pressure sensor is hosed, maybe there's something wrong with the engine. Has anybody had this problem? Any tips?

TIA

scscars · February 2007

I had the same problem last week when the weather went below zero for several days. The problem was a shorted out oil pressure gauge sensor. My Pontiac dealer replaced the sensor and the sending unit. Total cost including parts and labor was $175. Hope this helps.

rcpilot10 · February 2007

can anyone help me with my 95 pont bonnie it just dies no matter when you drive the darn thing cold hot it doesnt make a difference dacceleration it just doesent seem to matter just when ever it gets a mind to do so it does and then starts right back up roughly 15 mechanics and 2 years later it stills baffells me and is reaking havoc on my merrage HELP PLEASE!!!!

doc68 · February 2007

I am repairing a '95 bonneville for my neice. The original motor was siezed and swapped out for a '93 3.8l. The '93 does not seem to communicate withj the '95 computer. It runs fine in reverse but spits and sputters in drive. What can I do short of finding a '95 motor ?

doc68 · February 2007

Things to check if you haven't already: clogged fuel filter, cinked fuel line, fuel pump should put out 3 to 5 psi,check electronic ignition for sufficient spark, check gap on spark plugs, replace plug wires, check dist. cap for cracks, check fuel injectors for even spray, remove and clean all grounds, a diognostic check should tell if your computer is functioning properly, check computer connection for corrosion,check catilitic converter. doc68

brumby · March 2007

I have a 2000 Bonneville SSEI and i had the same problem, I changed the oil pressure sending unit and it now reads normal.

gchecksfield · March 2007

If you know where the soft plug is on this car please tell me. I just bought a 2000 LeSabre and would like to flush the antifreeze before I put it on the road.

Karen_S · April 2007

A reporter is hoping to talk with current Pontiac owners who are long-time Pontiac enthusiasts. Please reply to ctalati@edmunds.com no later than Thursday, May 10, 2007 with your daytime contact info and a few words about your experience.

alena323 · June 2007

in order to change my left break light so i don't get pulled over twice in one week...i have to pop the trunk.
w/ the car it was a option to have a trunk release button and unfortuneately mine didn't come with one. For 3 yrs now i can't figure out how to pop the trunk. i've read something about a valet thing? and i know i can pop it open from the inside i just don't know where to pop it open on the inside of the trunk???
also it takes me 11 times to turn the key and start the freekin' engine what could cause that i been told it's not the starter, and i do have a brand new battery??? OK...anyone out there please help this single young female w/ no idea about mechanics LOL (thanks)

azu · June 2007

Trunk I can't help with that. Cranking 11 times before it starts sounds like camshaft sensor problem but could be many other problems also.

pkgguy · June 2007

I just bought a 2001 Bonneville SLE and was wondering if it is possible to turn off the horn noise when activating and deactivating the alarm. Thanks!

evandro · June 2007

Yes, it is. Try navigating the menus in the control center.

HTH

bmf512 · July 2007

I have a 1998 Bonneville with 140K miles.

Most of the time my AC and Fan do not work. On its own sometimes, it will come on and work fine. Nice cool air. When working, directional controls dont work and most of the time blows out of the defroster. If the control is pointing at your face, it may start blowing there in 5-10 minutes or maybe never. Very strange..

Possibly a related issue. My windshield wipers are intermittent in cold weather. When first starting car in the winter, I try and clean the windshield with fluid or wipe off frost and the wipers do not work. After the car heats up a bit, the wipers and windshield washer work fine until the next morning.

Is there a common control or circuit that handles both the air/fan and wipers?

Thank you for any insight you can provide.

kevinistic · July 2007

Hello all. A friend of mine has a 2002 bonneville that has been to about 5 dealers and 2 outside mechanics for a vibration problem that is still Undiagnosed. GM even got involved with little help - of course.
new tires with all kinds of new balancing techniques were installed. The tire and wheel set have been removed from other bonnevilles and installed on this problem car to see if that cured the problem.... nope.
One dealership rebuilt the transmission because of some valve and this did not cure the vibration.
One dealership installed new half shafts. nope.
They say the torque converter is fine.
They also say that even though the car is under warranty still, they can't fix it because they can't find it.

So, here's exactly how the vibration happens....
Once in a while (not all the time) when driving on a smooth road, you can feel the steering wheel start to shake and then go away. Also, sometime, you can feel a shake start to happen when taking off from a stop light and then it goes away. Once in a while a very faint clunk along with the vibration near slow speeds at stop lights. But, nobody can diagnose this! I'm STUMPED and NEED YOUR EXPERTISE!!!

Any ideas???

Sincerely,
Kevinistic

evandro · August 2007

See this post for an explanation of my saga similar to yours.

HTH

simon374 · November 2007

I was thinking about buying a 1976 bonneville from a family friend. He is the orginal owner and it has 61,000 original miles on it. It looks like it just came off the show room floor. He siad to just make him a fair offer on it. I have no idea what a fair price for it would be. I have been searching all over the internet looking for some sort of idea on what to give him for it. Even on here the used car search thing only goes back to 1980. So if anyone out there could give me and Idea on how much to offer him for his bonneville I would be one happy lady. Oh and its a four door, but i can't remeber if its a hardtop or the other model. Didn't know if that would change the price or not.

dadspearl · December 2007

My temperature gauge seems to have twisted in the dash. It will not go back to zero and it goes to the far right when the car is running. As it is not overheating, is it possible that there may be a loose connection somewhere? I just had the front end alignment done and this started on the way home from the dealer. Thanks.

chiefbob · January 2008

Yes, Its the sender. It is located just above the oil filter. I used some channel locks and unscrewed it. Pipe thread tape for install. $25 at Autozone.
Good luck

sse1 · March 2008

This car had been setting for over a year. Fuel filter was almost completely restricted.New one installed but very little fuel going to the engine. Car has 3/4 of fuel in the tank.Could the fuel have varnished the pump so bad that it might be ruined? it was sitting on a downward incline with the car facing forward.You can hear the pump relay clicking but not much noise from the pump.You can hear a slight whine in the trunk area.{trunk open} Car will fire with ether but no fuel delivery.How loud should the fuel pump be when working properly? :sick:

evandro · May 2008

Has anyone ever replaced the heater element in the front seats by oneself?

TIA

kinder420 · May 2008

My 94 bonneville's break light is on and will not stop chimming even when i drive. i took it into the shop and they said there was a tail light out and other than that my breaks seemed to be fine. the technician told me it may be an electrical problem and i was just wondering what i could do about it or can do anything myself

gyromite7 · June 2008

My 2000 Bonneville had a spring fail on the E-brake, so you have to actually pull up on the emergency brake pedal (after disengaging the brake first) to get the brake light to go out.

crankkkkkk · June 2008

My 2000 SSEi has the same thing, I think the steering gear has play in it, My car also makes a moan turning the wheel right in parking. Also clunking in the steering shaft, That has been replaced 2 times.

coblur · June 2008

Hey Guys, I just found an awesome 97 SSEI. 76,000 miles, nicely loaded , leather. I got the car after it sat abandoned for 5 years. A battery, tires and condenser and it's a sweet ride!
The problems I have are minor, I can't figure out how to switch the heads up to MPH instead on KPH. When I open the sun roof, I have to give it a shove or it makes a "rat a tat noise" and stays shut, the shove gets it moving and it opens and closes fine. I also can't get the lights to go off any sooner than 3 minutes. I have turned the "twilight sentinel" to min, but it makes no difference.
I'm also trying find ways to get the correct fobs for the factory car starter and doors, all I got with the car was a single ignition key. I've seen the programmable fobs on e-bay for the door. Any help would be GREAT!

arthur1031 · August 2008

Hi - you probably had this fixed long ago and have an answer but just in case; there are two main reasons why the emergency brake light comes on and does not go out. If the brake is not released all the way naturally is one issue. If the pedal is all the way out then there is potentially an issue with the emergency brake indicator switch. However, this switch identifies when the emergency brake pedal is depressed - if this switch is broken, it will not show the emergency brake is on so a defective switch most likely is not the answer. The other reason is from a leak in the master cylinder which may not be as noticeable. If the system detects a leak, the emergency brake light will stay on and chime. Sorry I could not respond earlier as I just now joined this site. Hope all is running well now.

debbiec1 · September 2008

We have one of each, a 2002 Bonneville SSEI and a 2003 Buick LeSabre LTD
and like the Bonneville best. It gets 30 highway mpg instead of the 27 I get in the LeSabre. BUT the chrome wheels on the Bonnevilles sometimes are a problem. Our old Bonn. (98) had some leaky wheels even though we had the rims redone and rebalanced... the alum and chrome sometimes get eaten up by salt, etc. and you get tires that have a slow leak.
The engines on both these cars are the same, I'm not sure why the superchgd
Bonne gets better mileage. The LeS. does have more gauging, I can see instantly
what my mileage is under various conditions. But as for comfort, the Bonneville is unsurpassed, roomy cushy seats. Make sure you get a sunroof, though, because it adds so much light to the interior, makes the car a joy winter and summer.
I have 85000 miles on the LeSabre, we just bought the 02 Bonne with 94000 miles on it but mint condition knock on wood (a kid car purchase for us) and our old Bonne was totalled, still ran beautifully winter and summer with 167000 miles on it. We would have fixed it but all the airbags went off, so not possible or feasible. I almost cried. I loved that car better than some dogs I have had.

arehm · August 2009

I have a 2001 SSEi after changing the oil the dash still tells me it needs a change. I push the reset button but it still says needs change after restarting the car. Any one know how to reset the dash?

pkgguy · August 2009

Press and hold reset for about 10 seconds. Same for any other reset.

evandro · November 2009

After 7 years of service, I bid goodbye to my 02 Bonneville SLE.

Unfortunately, in the last couple of years, the repair bills have been increasing steadily. At first, I thought that although big-ticket items had broken down, having new ones meant that the car could be in service for a few good years. I was slow to recognize that it was just the beginning of a series of increasingly more expensive break-downs, and eventually I had to draw the line. After the last major repair - involving yet again the intake manifold, though fixed "for free" if I did a tune-up (I smell a shadow recall by GM, since it's been replaced as part of a recall some 3 or 4 years ago) - I traded it in before something else would break on me.

I now drive an used 06 Acura TL. It's not as roomy wide-wise, but comparably roomy length-wise. It's much more powerful and poised and quite more richly finished and trimmed. As a matter of fact, it's the first non-American car I've ever had. Ever since GM and Chrysler don't have to make products anymore, just give the White House a ring, I refuse to support this automotive Kabuki theater.

And I have to say that as far as first impressions go, the TL is in another league. Truly, the Bonneville seems antediluvian in comparison. It had a good chassis, but its contents were cheapened as much as possible, from the wheezing V6 to the lackadaisical assembly. In hindsight I think that I should've checked the competition sooner.

Yet, it was a good drive while it lasted. May its next owner enjoy it for many years.

imidazol97 · November 2009

>Ever since GM and Chrysler don't have to make products anymore, just give the White House a ring, I refuse to support this automotive Kabuki theater.

That sounds like your own personal political opinion. I have one that differs. Such as the car brand you're driving is partly responsible for the demise of the US auto market by being allowed favored treatment through the decades.

I don't keep track of models, but Hondas that are gussied up are given an Acura name although they are basically an Accord or Civic with extras. Yes, I know. The fellow and wife across the road have had several from a Integra(?), Legend, 3.5RLs (two), and a newer RL with Super drive or something like that which is his newest. He currently owns three out of the above list.

Then there's the VCM problems on Accords and the transmission problems on the Odysseys (as well as other Honda models through the recent years).

Speaking of cheapened I shopped the Honda dealer sitting in Accords of the previous era a couple winters back. The Civic SI had a nicer interior feel than the Accords. Plus I was reading recently about people having lint problems with it sticking badly to the seat surface (same type of quality lack I had noticed).

As for wheezing V6, my two give 31-38 mpg rolling on the interstate or normal glacial plain open highways. That is sans the warmup mileage. That V6 gives lots of torque through a well-calibrated 4-speed transmission. I do not road race although I would win some drag races from stoplights with the motor but I don't drive my car that way. :sick:

>lackadaisical assembly.

"adj. Lacking spirit, liveliness, or interest; languid:" (dictionary.com)
I don't know how you can tell the mood of the workers while assembling your car.

If quality of assembly (rather than quality of materials assembled) is your meaning, I find my two leSabres to suit me just fine. They were well-assembled machines when delivered new to order.

Please just go enjoy your TL (good luck with the automatic transmission, if you have one) and then tell those folks your complaints about your TL. :shades:

sprofancik · March 2010

my dad gave me a 1966 bonneville when he past. i was told that there are only 3 ever maid from the factory with a 4 speed on the floor. i believe that it is a Muntzy Rock Crusher. I know dont really know anything about the car. he had it special ordered. the VIN is 262376p244962. can ANYONE tell me ANYTHING about it.

imidazol97 · March 2010

You might do better fishing for some info on some fan oriented Pontiac websites. I remember the big deal about having the Muncie 4-speed transmissions. I believe the gears were closer together in the transmissions--were they made by Warner in Muncie IN and hence the name?

I don't know what area of the country you're in, but some cruise-ins may have people attending who know how to find what you're after. Corvette club members may also be aware of the type of info about older cars.

Good luck with the car.

scscars · March 2010

Look for a classic Pontiac, Firebird/GTO or Camaro/Chevelle SS/Olds 442 club in your area for more info on this transmission. The Muncie "Rock Crusher" tranny could be had in many different GM cars back in the day. However, you may be right about your Bonneville with this tranny being very rare. Most of the cars that I remember having this set-up were GM's "pony" cars or their mid-size muscle cars. Of the large GM cars that may have had this transmission, you might find it in some Impala SS models, Buick Wildcats, and perhaps a few Bonneville 2+2s as well. Good luck!

arehm · April 2010

I have a 2001 Bonneville SSEi and my radiator fans do not kick in they work fine when i turn on the AC but under normal conditions they do not appear to be kicking in. My car runs at 200 degrees even with the fans off and 185 with the AC on i replaced the theromstat with a 180 an it didnt change anything. How and where are the radiator fans controlled? Is there a sensor that could be malfunctioning?

fpadalino · May 2010

When I start my 96 Bonneville there is quite the amount of smoke that emits from the tailpipe. The car runs pretty good and does not seem to smoke when running. Any ideas on what might be happening??

imidazol97 · May 2010

>96 Bonneville there is quite the amount of smoke

Is this smoke white? Is there a lot more of it after shutting the car down when it's thoroughly warmed up after a longer drive and less when starting up after a short trip or 1 mile or less and a shutdown?

My guess would be coolant? Is the level dropping in the reserve tank AND/OR in the radiator? Take the cap off and check when the car has sat for a while to cool down the pressure.

Stand behind and smell the smoke. If it's coolant it will be heavy and sweet smelling.

daveyboy209 · June 2010

I just bought a 95 SE. I've had one before and I love these cars. Dependable and comfortable. I am having an issue with this one however.
First, flashing check engine light. Not all the time, but about every third time I drive it. It does sound like it's missing when the light is flashing. Runs perfect otherwise. I checked the codes on the car and am getting the following: P1630-System voltage too high or too low, P1361-Ignition control Cylinder 1 not toggling after enable or low voltage, P0342-Camshaft Position Sensor "A" circuit low input (Bank 1 or single sensor). I've done a little research and read about intake issues, plugs & wires, maybe coil packs. Does anyone have any input since all three of these codes are present along with the flashing check engine light? One other thing. The voltmeter does ride just at the top of the red section during driving. The altenator was replaced just before I bought the car, about 400 miles ago.

imidazol97 · June 2010

Defective alternator?
Defective battery?
Bad connections at battery or grounds?

I recall some people on some years had to wire a connection to the alternator to get proper charging.

First move would be to have Advance Auto, Walmart, someone, run a test to see if the alternator is producing the right voltage.

bunny18 · June 2010

I am trying to find out what the value of a 1976 Pontiac Bonneville would be. This car has only 5.000 to 6.000 original miles on it.It has only seen rain once,and never seen winter. It is cream puff. Still smells like brand new inside...It has been maintained to the highest level. Original belts etc.were stored,and not used. It is black with black interior. I would like to find out the value of this car,but I have no idea where to look

imidazol97 · June 2010

I would suggest looking in Hemmings magazine. You can watch auctions on Ebay for similar cars but it's difficult to see them for real value comparison and the bidding can be really flakey and fake on some of them, in my opinion.

bunny18 · June 2010

Thank you for the info. I will check it out.

cbleavins · July 2010

In the heat of the day my car will runs for about 10 miles and than it will start to sputter and act like it is running out of gas than it will eventually die. If I let it set for about 5-10 minutes it will run fine for about 5 minutes and than it will start acting up again. Again this only happens in the heat of the day!!! I have replaced the MAF senor, O2 sensor, catilac converter, spark plugs and wire, fuel filter and tested the ignition module all is good.

imidazol97 · July 2010

Your description sounds like it could be a fuel pump heating up the longer it runs and losing pressure. Low pressure might be causing the sputtering.

Buy or loan a fuel gauge set and tape it to the windshield while you're driving. When the car sputters check the fuel pressure. I do not know the correct pressure for your year car.

To see if you lose spark, take an old spark plug and pull off the plug wire from a front plug and put in the old spark plug and lay it on the engine metal. Have someone crank while you watch the spark. If no spark then your got an ignition control module or connection going out or you've got a crankshaft position sensor losing magnetic contact with the heating.

Some people say you can splash cold water on the crankshaft position sensor and if that helps it make magnetic contact and start sending again, that would indicate replacing it.

Also when the engine sputters does the tachometer go crazy or drop to zero indicating no sensing of the engine's rotations? That would point to electrical problems.

You can disconnect the MAF when it won't start. It should start and run without it, but not the same as normal.

Diagnosis is needed. You may have replaced parts that don't need be. Oxygen sensors are tricky. Some think that after market sensors cause more trouble than people think.

A third guess is when it sputters and slows and dies do you get a smell of a hot catalytic converter? I don't know that this would keep the engine from restarting, but you might pull the vacuum hose off the fuel pressure regulator on the fuel line. See if there's liquid gasoline in it right after the car's been running. That would indicate it's leaking through the diaphragm.

Pontiac Bonneville

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