Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2000 Pontiac Bonneville owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I have owned this car for a year and after I got it the security system locked me down so the car will not start. The first incident I was driving down the road and my security light started flashing then the car quit. I pulled over as fast as I could and played with the gear lever and key and got the car restarted. So after that I had to get a new key and have it programed to the car and was told that will fix it. Well it happened 4 more times after that but after playing with the key it started up. Then the last time I was at work and after 4 hours came out to go home it would not start again. Had to have the car towed home and now it is at the GM dealership being repaired. This is not the only car that has done this from what I am reading this is a common issue with all GM's with this security system. It locks out the injectors and starter. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 Pontiac Bonneville. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH, the engine suddenly caught on fire without warning. The driver and passengers all were able to exit the vehicle without any injuries. The police and fire department were notified, but a report was unavailable. The fire department informed the contact that the fire was caused by an electrical failure. The vehicle was later towed to an independent mechanic and pending an investigation. The vehicle was deemed destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was approximately 90,500.
Was going to dinner with my husband and daughter.after traveling about 1 mile saw smoke coming out of passenger side hood area.due to rush hour traffic husband did a u-turn in the street and quickly stopped car. Before stopping husband lost everything brakes, electrical system. We ran from car tried to open hood engine completly engulfed in flames.fire department called.during the seeing of smoke there was no indication of any problems according to gauges,everything was running normally. This engine had only 20,990 miles on it.insurance company totaled the car.
My car recently failed to start. After a jump start from aaa I managed to drive the vehicle home. The car again failed to start. I diagnosed the problem as a bad battery and after locating the battery under the rear seat I was horrified to find that there was already corrosion under and around the battery area. I found a hole in the bottom of the car. This is a dangerous situation since I had no previous indication of the problem and the leaking battery had obviously existed for some time. The aaa representative who replaced the battery, made by ac delco, suggested it is not uncommon for the battery to fail around the + connection. I think I was lucky not to experience acidic vapors inside the car. I was surprised to find that there is no drip tray under the battery which would have averted the corrosion to the vehicle under the seat area. …
On June 17, 2006 the rear drivers side window on my 2000 Pontiac Bonneville dropped and would not go back up unless pulled up by hand. Even then it does not stay up when it rains, the wetness seems to make it slip. Just purchased from basil resale in feb. 2006 with 45,000 miles. Took it back to them and was told it was not a warranty covered problem and would cost about $400 to repair. From what I have been finding online I think GM should check into this problem as it looks like a manufacturers defect. I have not had it repaired as of yet because I cannot afford too.
Trunk area leaks and water builds up in the spare tire storage. Clanking noise in steering column while turning either direction during colder weather. Front drivers seat heater worked then quit for no reason, push button on & light comes on but doesn't stay on. Wipers while in intermittent will stop during a sweep across windshield, when turned on or off also turns on/off the dash lights at the same time, and while in intermittent if blinker is used the wiper will stop during a sweep across windshield.
Since I owned the car I have had these things fixed: 1 window regulator, 1 power steering pump replaced, power steering work (after the power steering pump was replaced) hood repainted and ignition switch replaced. Now I need to have 2 window regulators replaced at $400 a piece. I'm having some load humming noise when using brakes but I had the brakes replaced and it did not fix the problem. The trunk leaks so I can not use it because everything gets wet.
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 Pontiac Bonneville. While driving 20 MPH, the vehicle jerked and hesitated to accelerate. The contact stated that the air bag warning indicator illuminated. In addition, the traction control and the driver side door electrical switch for the locks and windows failed. The failures occurred on numerous occasions. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 171,000.
Variably the engine stalls without warning,rendering the ps brakes to become inoperable, extremely dangerous for me as I am 78 years old.there have been times when this has occurred there was no shoulder of the road to pull off,leaving the car in whatever lane it stalled in! It takes anywhere from 5 min to 1/2 hour to restart very very frustrating and dangerous to other travelers and to me! Something desperately needs to be done about this!
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 Pontiac Bonneville. The contact stated that whenever there was a slight bump to the ignition switch while driving, the vehicle would stall. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 167,850 and the current mileage was 169,100.
Electrical complaints in other Bonneville years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2000 Pontiac Bonneville?
NHTSA has 32 complaints about the electrical system of the 2000 Pontiac Bonneville, 15% of the model year's 214 complaints. The component named most often is ignition (5 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2000 Pontiac Bonneville electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2000 Pontiac Bonneville, though it has 2 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2000 Pontiac Bonneville electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 80,000 miles, and 7% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 7 fires and 3 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.