Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2000 Pontiac Montana owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Driver side rear strut/shock mount, part of the inner wheelhouse assy., rusted at a weld and cracked in both directions, not sure when it happened but it has been like that for a long time. The crack is rusted all the way down the crack in both directions until the ripped part starts where the part finally failed. Then it ripped out driving down the road. Van has never been wrecked. Took it to the GM dealership they said it was a defective part, body shop that fixed it said the same thing. After three months and many phone calls to the dealer (s) we have finally got it to the point where they are calling it a product liability . Took a GM rep. To take the time to come and see it. Originally they did not bother since they were originally calling it a warranty issue and were blowing us off. The general manager at the dealership has been very helpful however. …
Problems with paint, gaskets, brakes and cooling system. There was a hissing noise which had come from the tire area due to misalignment, low coolant light had come on, the gaskets ,oil pump and drive o-ring were replaced, the brake pedal had gone to the floor while stopped at a light which happened more than twice and seemed as if they weren't going to work at all and had to pump the pedal to bring the pedal back enough to allow stopping. There was an incident where the consumer had to activate the emergency brake to avoid an accident. The warning light never had come on. The master cylinder was replaced, the front brake pads, resurfaced rotors, cleaned and adjusted rear brakes. Other problems are as followed: the trim on the driver side windshield had come apart, the handle on the back latch had come off, and both turn signal bulbs needed to be replaced.
There have been many problems, most notable recently when the driver's side sliding door feel off at 45000 miles. GM won't pay, it's not "under warranty". This door has had continual problems with hitting the front door upon closing. Repair was supposed to have been made but obviously ineffectual due to evidence of chipped paint at the site where dors collide. Could this have precipitated the door falling off? Supposedly their was an adjustment made, could this adjustment been made incorrectly to damage the door? I feel it is unacceptable that this door has fallen off my car at 45000 miles.
Welding at the base of the driver's seat separated in my 2000 Pontiac Montana van. The vehicle had no accident, event leading to the failure is unknown. Base of the driver's seat is moving with the seat, there is a 1/2 inch gap on the bottom of the car at the welding. Took the vehicle to Pontiac dealership where it has been inspected. While they could not give an explanation what could have caused the failure, Pontiac customer service thinks it is normal to have such a defect in a 5 year-old vehicle due to fatigue of metal...
Tl contact owns a 2000 Pontiac Montana. The contact stated that her daughter's leg became trapped on the rear sliding passenger door. The door is supposed to retract when an object is blocking the sensor. The contact also stated that the driver side door locks on its own. The dealer was notified, but would not provide a free diagnosis. The contact feels that the manufacturer should pay for the repair costs because she is making payments on the vehicle. The current mileage was 150,000 and failure mileage was 120,000.
Problems with transmission and molding strips on sliding doors. A vehicle with only 49360 miles the solenoid went out on the transmission costing $914.04 in repairs. On each sliding door, there was a long black rubber molding strip on the bottom of the door frame that kept falling down in to the door track. The consumer hoped that the dealership can resolve problems with defective vehicles, because it seemed to be a major safety concern and could result in a tragedy.
Tl contact owns a 2000 Pontiac Montana. As the passenger side sliding door was closing, a child reached into the vehicle to press the button to open the sliding door. However, the sliding door continued to close and smashed the child's right hand. The child's hand sustained cuts and bruises. The contact had to restart the vehicle and press the button to release the door. The dealer has not inspected the vehicle. The current and failure mileages were 98,751.
The power sliding door closed unexpectedly bruising the passenger. The door was unable to open immediately when the owner pressed the button. The manufacturer was contacted and is aware of the problem. The consumer stated that he pushed the button to close the door and it closed on his wifes leg. The consumer requests that the doors include a safety device that stops when contact is made.
The door comes unlatched from the Pontiac Montana Mini vans w/o power slider also. Subsequently my van door passanger side came open slamming off half on the road and then remained attached to the top but the track wheel snapped off, making it inpossible to put on with out tools and the muscles to even lift it.
After two recalls from GM over several months. Dealer avoids repairs. Right elec. Sliding door recalled for hazardous inside handle. Could brake fingers. No correction was been attempted. Dealer avoids ordering parts so replacement can't take place.
NHTSA investigations
Unexpected opening of sliding door
There is no summary currently available
Power-sliding door
Subject vehicles are available with an optional power sliding door.the interior handle is oriented in the vertical position in the door panel and lines up at the elbow level when the occupant is seated in the 2nd-row outboard position.if the occupant holds the interior handle in the thumb up position during power-assisted opening, the arm/wrist can be push back with force against the 2nd-row bucket seat or captain's…
Body complaints in other Montana years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2000 Pontiac Montana?
NHTSA has 31 complaints about the body & structure of the 2000 Pontiac Montana, 14% of the model year's 228 complaints. The component named most often is body › door (25 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2000 Pontiac Montana body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2000 Pontiac Montana, though it has 5 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 Montana body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 50,000 miles, and 8% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 0 fires and 8 injuries to body & structure 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.