Body complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The consumer lost steering control while driving at 45 MPH. The consumer was able to bring the vehicle under control without being involved in a vehicle crash. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who informed the consumer that the high pressure hose for the power steering assist erupted. The consumer was concerned since a similar incident occurred before. The intermediate steering shaft was replaced, both front window lift motors were replaced, water leaked in the front passenger door, there was an extreme amount of engine noise as well as heat and exhaust entering the passenger compartment, there was two inches of play in the steering wheel, the steering locked up, there was a lack of power steering fluid in the reservoir, high pressure hose fluid leaked all over the underside of the vehicle and throughout the engine, the upper nut and the bolt that held the intermediate steering …
2002 Bonneville: all 4 doors/windows have been re-sealed multiple times because rain water flows down the outside of the windows, then flows inside the door, and then flows into the car at the bottom of the car door, causing soaked carpeting (puddles) and mold. Sun-roof mechanical linkage has cracked and broken off in places. I bet I used the sun-roof only 10 times before this happened. Sunroof now closes crooked. Dealer cost estimate to fix = $1200. All 4 power window units have been replaced and now doors rattle; right passenger door trim falls off routinely. Wiper fluid motor would not shut off. Crunching sound when I turn the steering wheel. All of these issues started occurring shortly after warranty expired.
I have had repeated trouble with my 2001 Bonneville,,have had 3 window motors go out,,,3 batteries go bad,,,air compressor go bak,,,moon roof worked on 3 times,,,3rd time,,,had 3 inches of water in floor,,,,,the problem now is the steering,,,you turn wheel,,it makes popping, clucking noise,,& feels like the front end is going to fall off.. The dealer said all it needed was grease,,which they did last year,,,now its doing it again,,& now they say its a steering shaft problem...I have been waiting for over 3 weeks for the part to come in,,,repeated calls,,& I am told they have no idea when the part will come in,,,they said drive it,,,it won't fall out????? They also said the reason for the delay is its a country wide back log???? What does that mead,,,,I am afraid to drive this car...& GM service does not know either...
When the rear window motor of 2001 Bonneville fails, it causes the window to lower even though it is in the fully raised position. The window position was not being changed at the time. It was just a sudden clunk sound from the back seat and the window went down. This happened when driving at night in very heavy rain, on the interstate with infant in the rear seat. This May seem like a minor item, but if we had been in a north dakota snow storm, temp. Of 5 degrees and wind chills even worse.. The situation would have been life threatening. The window should be designed remain in it's selected position in the event of motor failure. The second rear window failed in the exact same manner about 4 months after the first..no baby on board this time.
2000 Pontiac Bonneville with 32,000 miles. The drivers side rear door window dropped out of track while driving. I do not use the rear windows and it was in the up position and not in use. So far I have taken it to a body shop and had them prop the window up temporarily. They advised me to get it fixed because of fear the side air bag May be affected by disconnecting the power to the window. I called the dealer in our town and asked if there have been others with this problem and they said not that they were aware of. I was told they don't sell the track separately from the whole assembly including the motor and the cost of parts would be at least $350.00. I know of another owner with the same year and model as mine and both of their rear windows did this in a matter of days of each other. He lives in my town and this makes me think it must be a widespread 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.
When driving with rear windows down, there is a very loud wind noise. The service manager wrote in our service report that it sounds like a helicopter has landed on the car. Both GM and the dealer acnowledge "my" problem but each feels it is the others responsibility. When the service manager and I took other bonniville sle cars out some where louder than others. Our car the loudest. Having small children, the rear windows are lowered by them and the noise is unbearable. It takes a few seconds for us to raise them up. I have a two year old and a child we recently found has had a hearing loss. I do not mean to imply it is from this situation , but I have tried to lower the levels of noise for him. I asked both GM and Pontiac dealer to drive the car and see if they feel it is a problem. No response. …
Rf door would not open due to fender interfering with door jamb. At the same time, the engine tended to stall and sputter. Car stalled on railroad tracks and passenger was unable to open door. Car was restarted and no accident occured, however, this couls have been a serious problem. Generator was replaced, but hesitation in engine performance persists. Dealer has had car 44 days during past three months. Sun roof replaced. Door / fender problems repaired twoce. Fenders removed so that insulation (sound, heat) could be properly installed. Headliner in interior was incorrect size and was replaced. Dealer states it cannot ascertain problem with engine but acknowledges problem.
Frequently asked questions
Which Pontiac Bonneville years have body problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1995 (16), 1996 (10), 2000 (10), 2001 (8) and 2002 (5) model years. Body complaints make up 7% of all complaints for the 1995.
Is there a recall for Pontiac Bonneville body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for any Pontiac Bonneville model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Pontiac Bonneville body problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 67,000 miles; 37% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the body (12 mentions), followed by the body › door (11).
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.