2003 Pontiac Montana problems
Owners have filed 117 complaints about the 2003 Pontiac Montana with NHTSA. Electrical system accounts for 12.8% of them — narrowly the most common, ahead of air bags at 12%.
Complaints117
Crashes19
Fires1
Injuries56
Deaths0
What owners report breaking
Electrical system 12.8% · 15
Air bags 12.0% · 14
Exterior lighting 12.0% · 14
Fuel system, gasoline 11.1% · 13
Engine and engine cooling 9.4% · 11
Structure 5.1% · 6
Visibility 4.3% · 5
Latches/locks/linkages 4.3% · 5
Severity
Of those complaints, 19 describe a crash, 1 describe a fire and 56 report an injury.
Reading the numbers
Across the 6 model years of the Pontiac Montana in this data, 2003 draws comparatively few complaints; 1999 is the outlier year.
Filings have fallen off, 5 in the last three years against 14 in the three before. That is normal as a generation leaves the road.
The median odometer reading at the time of complaint was 55,950 miles.
In owners' own words
While driving down the road, 35-40 mph, heard a pop that sounded like it came from under the hood area, smoke started coming from under hood area, pulled to side of road and exited vehicle, had smoke and fire from under hood area, tried to get back into the vehicle, had smoke inside vehicle as well, vehicle destroyed in fire, insurance company refusing to settle claim, cannot find source/location of fire. Electrical system · reported at 46,000 miles
Montana keeps cutting off without a warning and it will stop dead in traffice with out a warning. This has happen a total of 7 times. The dealership keeps telling me that there is nothing wrong and that they can not find anything wrong with the 2003 Montana. I brought this Montana brand new last year 2003. There is a safty problem with this vehical. From vls..05/05/04. Electrical system · reported at 14,898 miles
While driving my 2003 Montana stopped dead in traffice. The brakes lock and the steering wheel locked the vehical stopped dead with out any warning. It has stopped in traffic twice and a total of 7 time. Each time I took it back to the dealer they said that there was nothing wrong with the Montana. From vls 05/05/04. Electrical system · reported at 14,898 miles
Verbatim from NHTSA filings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.
Safety recalls
Checking NHTSA for open recalls…