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Comments
This weekend I have replaced all 4 tires for the new Michelin destiny.
Now the minivan rides as a dream. I could not believe that tires can make so big difference.
I started to like this minivan.
It has excellent traction in these Canadian winters. I also have experienced the occasional smell of anti-freeze/coolant in the winter but have learned to ignore it. Seems to come from the heater core.
There is nothing I don't like about this vehicle.
I will buy another
One thing bother me , the rear washer, that nozzle spray not even above the wiper blade, it is virtually impossible for me to wash my rear window with it, it is the same with you ?
I waste lots of windshield washer fluid if I want to have the window really clean, if I can !
Has anyone else had this problem, and if so, how was it solved.
Thanks in advance,
Bob
DD
Just though may be somebody had something similar.
Is that possible that it happened because of cold?
loud hum/buzz noise coming from the back of the van.
It been getting increasingly louder ... anybody
else experience this ?
THANKS IN ADVANCE!
Steve, Host
thanks.
I don't have the notice since we had to give it
to dealer but it had to do with turning left and
losing power .. I really think you should find out if this is symptoms of the recall .. we got
ours in the mail approx. 1 month ago.
I remember reading that symptoms are when turning left you lose power thus the recall .. Call Pontiac to confirm the recall ...
Friday November 15 9:15 AM EST
Detroit, Michigan - General Motors is recalling about 1.5 million model year 1996-00 Chevrolet Cavalier and Pontiac Sunfire cars, Chevrolet Lumina/Venture, Oldsmobile Silhouette, and Pontiac Transport minivans, and Pontiac Grand Prix cars to repair a lower pinion bearing condition in the power steering gear assembly. Of the total, about 240,000 are in Canada and 1.2 million of them are in the U.S. The vehicles were built between January 1, 1996 and October 31,
In some of these vehicles, the lower pinion bearing in the power steering gear may separate, permitting movement of the pinion shaft. Most reports indicate the driver experienced an intermittent loss of power steering assist when making left turns, usually at low speeds. If the pinion shaft moves too far, some drivers could experience higher resistance when turning left followed by unintended power assist to the right. There have been 15 reports of crashes and three injuries that may be related to the condition, but no fatal injuries.
Beginning in January, GM will notify owners of the affected vehicles, instructing them to bring them into their Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac dealers. Dealers will install a new lower pinion bearing or, if necessary, replace the steering gear assembly. These repairs will be performed at no cost to the customers.
If you could get any more info on the recall, I would appreciate it, they are still telling me my vehicle is not affected. Obviously it is. Again, thanks for the great help.
http://media.gm.com/news/releases/021114_recall.html so pmk63366's Montana is not covered.
First, you have to wait until monday to have the cause figured out. It may not even be simular to the recall.
My brother's 1997 is involved in the recall, so we have some info. Before the recall came out, the steering racks would have to be replaced if the bearing failed. For the recall GM came up with replacement parts, new tools, and a service procedure to replace the bearing. So, if your problem IS the same, the cost will be much less then it would have been a couple months ago. My brothers repair order showed something like $7 for parts and around 2+ hours labor.
So you will have to wait and see, and then see if the dealer can get any assistance in the repair cost from Pontiac. And whatever happens save the orig copy of the RO, proof of payment, and copy of your reg to prove ownership. These are the things that would be required for reimbursement if a recall ever happens that includes your year. Post back and keep the board updated.
Thanks in advance.
Denny
Has this happened to anyone else? It I tilt the steering wheel up before shutting off the ignition, the key will often be impossible to pull out. This only seems to happen if the tilt is anywhere but fully down. I need to start the car again, sometimes move the gear shift and move the tilt down in order to get the key out - sometimes having to do this several times. Very frustrating. I don't think this is isolated to Montana as this happened when I drove my mother's LeSabre. I find if I leave the tilt down I can get the key out without a problem but once it happens, I have to do lots of shenanigans to retrieve my key. The dealer couldn't figure it out and just lubricated the ignition.
priced accordingly .. When you buy a GM - you
are basically getting for what you paid for ...
You probably purchased this minivan because it
was inexpensive for the model year compared to
a Foreign competitor ..
I know alot of you will dispute this but folks
YOU GET FOR WHAT YOU PAY FOR.
I own a Montana and its a cheaply made vehicle ...
and all Montana owners have problems as you
can witness .. you have two options pay the piper
or trade it in for a better quality vehicle ...
I had a hard time coming to peace with this but
I now truely believe it .. Hope this helps ..
Thanks for the reply. I couldn't locate the additional coolant pump you were referring to but today my wife got roasted out when I ran the heater during some errands. I may be too sensitive to the condition. I tend to run on the cold side and wish for 75º even in the dead of winter! Ask me why I live in Michigan?!!??! I've left the same question with The Car Show which airs on WJR in Detroit. I'll post their reply.
Thanks again.
Denny
That's a pretty bold statement that all Montana owners have problems. You must assume every owner posts here and has problems. I would argue that.
I have a 2001 Montana with 30,000 miles on it and have had only a few issues addressed and both were related to rattles that the dealer fixed. Other than that it has been a good vehicle for our family.
Thank you for contacting the Customer Assistance Center regarding your newly purchased 2000 Pontiac Montana. We are sorry that you are experiencing concerns with your vehicles cooling system.
We have contacted the service manager at Jim Waldron on your behalf. The dealer states that some variation in the temperature is normal upon coming to a stop. We may suggest that you check the coolant levels in your vehicle to ensure that the coolant is not low. If you are still experiencing a concern, you should refer to your dealership to have your vehicle inspected. We apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause you.
If you should need to contact us in the future, simply reply to this message or call our Pontiac Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-762-2737. Customer Relationship Managers are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., Eastern Time.
I guess it's normal and I may be too sensitive to the change in temperature.
Thanks for listening.
Denny
But I also knew from reading these boards that this van was going to be reliable, get great fuel milage, fit full sized american type bodies comfortably, and have adequate AC/Heat - something that imports are typically lacking.
My research proved to be 100% accurate in my case, our van has been a workhorse and gets 23 mpg even in heavy traffic driving.
Hondas have had a lot of transmission problems, are not as comfortable, pull to the right, are loud, etc. DC/Ford each have their own reliability problems. Toyota v6's get hot and sludge the oil up, causing engine failure. None of the makes are flawless. I'll take a coolant leak that can be fixed for <$1000 than getting stranded and needing a tow for a $2000 transmission job that is only temporary fix.
You make an educated bet with vehicles and sometimes you get a winner and sometimes you get a bit of a lemon.
Yea, GM interiors are weak in terms of refinement compared to competition, but overall these are decent vans.
The new v6 coming out 2004 models is supposed to be world class, although we've heard that from GM before, but it will be interesting to watch.
DD
Does somebody has some info about this?
Dd
Phil
4 bikes is lot of wind load and what not, I would not use the stock rack, I doubt it would hold that many. If you took off the pedals and put some padding down, you could lay them flat if the bikes are not really good ones you care about.
Yakima (spelling?) also makes a great rack.
another option if you bike a lot is to get a 2" square trailer hitch installed and use a swing-away bike hitch rack. This is the easiest to load and most aero, but you can't use it for canoes cargo boxes and other stuff like you can with the thule or Yakama.
see those two brands websites for more info, or performance bike, nashbar, etc.
DD
$1100.00 to fix a car with 47xxx miles on it. I find this sickening. Anyone have any ideas here on how to get GM to help me fix this. It is ironic that is "does not fit any recalls" yet it is the same symptoms as a recall for 96-98 models. Any ideas welcome before I have to pick up this vehicle.
Thanks,
Dave
Someone thinking about safety , may be interested in the annual "Injury, Collison, & Theft Losses" study done by the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI)(Available at http://www.iihs.org under the publications listing). US Federal law requires a summary of the results to be available at all dealers. The HLDI is closely associated with and funded through the IIHS. They rate compare the real world losses for vehicles in relative terms, most recently for 1999-2001 models. For "Injury" they rate the Montana "substantially better then average" (15% better then group average) and second best for mini-vans behind its sister the Oldsmobile Silhouette. As an comparison, the 2WD Isuzu Rodeo is second to last of the 18 mid-size utility vehicles 22% worse then the group average. Of 25 mid-size 4WD utility vehicles, 5 scored worse then the Rodeo which was 19% worse then the group average.
I am sorry your had bad service experiences with your Montana. Enjoy the Rodeo and the coming spring time.