2000 Pontiac Bonneville Steering Problems

Which parts fail

• Rack and pinion
  11
• Linkages › Tie rod assembly
  7
• Gear box › Shaft sector
  4
• Steering wheel/handle bar
  3
• Rack and pinion › Rack
  3
• Hydraulic power assist system
  2

Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).

Mileage when the problem started

• Under 25k
  520%
• 25k–50k
  520%
• 50k–75k
  728%
• 75k–100k
  416%
• 100k–150k
  416%
• 150k+
  00%

Owner reports

Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2000 Pontiac Bonneville owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).

While driving the Bonneville the car will just shut down, looses all power. It has happened on the expressway and also just on local city driving. You can be going 30 MPH or 65 MPH. Car will just shut down (which is very scary going 65 MPH) and someone on your bumper. Looses power steering so its hard to move over lanes on the expressway, we have found you need to immediately put on emergency flashers, shift car into neutral and turn the key. Sometimes it will start on the first turn of the key but sometimes it takes multiple times of turning the key, all this while coasting on the expressway with people buzzing all around you. The one time it happened I was right by the garage we have been taking it to, took it over, they ran a check on the computer system and nothing came up. They are at a loss as to what to do without just start randomly changing parts they think it might pertain to? …

I feel the right steering wheel control arm is too close to the steering wheel, on my 2000 Bonneville. It is closer and longer that the turn signal arm on the left. I reported to Pontiac that any time I rapidly steer to avoid an accident, I hit this arm before the wheel. This slows my response and starts the windshield wipers. I find this is very bad at such a time, hitting the arm slows my response and the distraction from the wipers just adds to the problem. I suggest the arm be shortened about 3/4 inch, withdrawing it from the immediate area of the steering wheel. I had a minor accident a couple weeks ago, and I hit the arm. I can't say I would have avoided the accident without hitting the arm. But I distinctly feel, hitting it slow my ability to avoid the accident, and yes, my windshield wipers were going when the car stopped. …

When the vehicle is accelerating there is a substantial amount of shaking in the front end. It gets very bad between 50-60 MPH. I have had all the tires replaced because I thought it was the alignment, and I have brought the car to at least 3 different shops and all 3 have no idea what is causing the shaking. I have replaced the front rods, the front hub assemblies, the shocks and the tires all in an attempt to fix the issue. Because of the shaking it constantly destroys my front hub assemblies which I have had to replace 2 times in the past 2 years. It also makes it extremely unsafe to drive as one of the shops told me that the front assemblies were so destroyed from the shaking that I am extremely lucky that the tires did not fold under the vehicle and cause a major accident. I have tried for 3 years to fix this issue and no one has a remedy. …

When the vehicle is accelerating there is a substantial amount of shaking in the front end. It gets very bad between 50-60 MPH. I have had all the tires replaced because I thought it was the alignment, and I have brought the car to at least 3 different shops and all 3 have no idea what is causing the shaking. I have replaced the front rods, the front hub assemblies, the shocks and the tires all in an attempt to fix the issue. Because of the shaking it constantly destroys my front hub assemblies which I have had to replace 2 times in the past 2 years. It also makes it extremely unsafe to drive as one of the shops told me that the front assemblies were so destroyed from the shaking that I am extremely lucky that the tires did not fold under the vehicle and cause a major accident. I have tried for 3 years to fix this issue and no one has a remedy. …

Incident date is an estimate. I had a clunking sound in my steering and took it to the dealer to investigate. They told me it was a known problem and the noise was because of the collapsible steering column, the two pieces are clunking together. Made that was in case of a crash. They said that they could take it apart, grease it and that it might not make any difference and that I would have to pay to have it done. I told them that because they told me it was simply the two pieces clunking together and that it would not hurt anything I did not get the lubrication. Now 8-30-2004 my steering howls sometimes. I had my brother-in-law check the power steering fluid and it was low. He is a mechanic of over 25 years and states that power steering fluid does not evaporate and must be leaking and most likely indicate a greater problem. There are no visible leaks on the ground. …

I have a 2000 bonnevile which I bought new, and have had problems with popping in the steering wheel. I have taken it back several times with this complaint and all they ever do is put lubrication in the intermediate shaft. The mechanic where I get my oil changed says that the intermediate shaft is leaking lubrication and needs replacing. The last time I took my car back to the dealership here in franklin, tn back in the spring of this year, they told me there was nothing else they could do to make the popping go away and that I would just have to live with it since it was not a safety hazard. They would not continue lubricating the intermediate shaft without charging for this service. I was just wondering if there is anything else I can do to get this problem fixed without a service charge since I have had this problem all along. …

Dt*: the contact stated while starting the vehicle, there was a hesitation, an odor of fuel, and a clicking noise under the seat where the battery was located. The vehicle got harder to start, until the vehicle would no longer start in October 2005. The vehicle has not been seen by a mechanic for this problem. Also, while turning, there was a crackling noise and the vehicle did not complete turns. The vehicle was taken to the dealership and an independent repair shop, where the rack and pinion was replaced five times. The problem came back and no further repairs were attempted.

Complained to Pontiac dealership on 3 separate occasions that steering is binding while turning. Complaints were at 19,539, 29,736 and 43,686 miles. At 19,539 miles, dealership found bulletin # 99-02-32-007a and removed/replaced power steering hydraulic return outlet and pressure inlet hose. At 29,736 mile, steering shaft was lubricated. At 43,686 miles steering shaft removed and lubricated. At 50,000 the binding is happening again. I will be taking to the shop again this week. It seems the dealership/manufacturer is doing "nickle & dime" fixes under warranty, and not fixing the real problem. I'm concerned there's a real safety issue.

Bonneville with 37,000 miles. Numerous problems worst being upon attempting to make a right turn car keeps going straight then a clunk is heard from the front end of the car and the car finally goes right. This happened more than once. Dealer was also able to get the car to have the same problem. Dealer finds some type of metal lodged in between the links on the rack. Rack is replace under preferred warranty. Car has been in the shop 3 times in the past 14 days for a rear window seal leak, and is currently in the shop for a catalytic converter problem.

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.

Steering complaints in other Bonneville years