Most common 2001 Pontiac Montana problems
Share of the 156 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Pontiac Montana complaints by model year
Best Montana years: 1997, 2006, 2004. Years to avoid: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002. Compare all years →
2001 Pontiac Montana recalls (9)
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage
On certain vehicles, variations in the manufacturing process or exposure to high ambient temperatures May lead to fracture of the fuel tank inlet check valve (icv).
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel tank. The recall will be mailed in two phases with the first phase beginning on December 4, 2007. The second phase will be mailed on December 13, 2007.
Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
On certain minivans equipped with second-row bucket seats or captain's chairs and a power sliding door on the passenger side of the vehicle, a passenger using the interior handle to open the power sliding door could be injured.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the power sliding door interior handle on the passenger-side. If the vehicle is equipped with a power or manual sliding door on the driver-side, the interior handle will also be replaced for…
Equipment › Other › Owners/service/other manual
Certain minivans, passenger and sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 225, "child restraint anchorage system." the owner's manual does not explain the meaning of the location symbols for the child restraint lower universal anchorage system.
Remedy: Owners will be provided with a supplement for their owner's manual. This supplement describes and shows the location symbols for the child restraint anchors that are located in the vehicle and on the child restraint or…
Air bags › Frontal
On certain passenger, sport utility vehicles and Mini vans, some of these vehicles have a passenger air bag that was manufactured without a check valve pin. An air bag without the check valve pin could produce increased pressure at the onset of the air bag deployment and reduced pressure afterward.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the passenger air bag. Owner notification began December 16, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive…
Seats › Front assembly › Recliner
Vehicle description: certain Mini vans built with second row 50/50 split bench seats or captain's chairs, fail to comply with the requirements of FMVSS no. 225, "child restraint anchorage systems." the seat latch anchor wire diameter is greater than 6.1 mm.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the latch anchor wires and repair those with an improper diameter. Owner notification began April 10, 2002.
Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
Vehicle description: 1997-2001 Chevrolet venture, Pontiac montana/transport, and Oldsmobile silhouette Mini vans equipped with passenger side power sliding doors that were serviced in campaign 01013 (01v-067) from April to August 2001.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and, if required, install a new power sliding door unlatch actuator assembly. Owner notification began on October 22, 2001.
Show 3 more recalls
Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
Vehicle description: minivans equipped with passenger side power sliding doors. The door closes but May not be latched. If this happens, the power sliding door can open while the vehicle is in motion, particularly when the vehicle ascends a hill, makes a turn, or travels over a rough road surface.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new un-latch actuator assembly to the power sliding door. This recall has been continued under safety recall 01v-264.
Air bags › Frontal
Vehicle description: passenger, sport utility vehicles and minivans. The passenger air bag inflator modules were built without the correct amount of generant, which produces the gas that fills the air bag. Some were built with a double load of generant and some were built without generant.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the passenger air bag module. Telephone calls were made to owners on January 29, 2001. Follow up owner mailing began on April 17, 2001.
Seat belts
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles, light duty trucks, sport utility vehicles, and Mini vans equipped with trw seat belt buckle assemblies. The buckle base of these seat belt assemblies were not properly heat treated and therefore do not pass the load bearing requirement of federal motor vehicle safety standard no.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the vehicle's safety belt buckle assembly date codes and, if necessary, will replace any safety belt buckle assembly.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2001 Pontiac Montana:
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…
What 2001 Pontiac Montana owners say
Engine & cooling all 38 →
The van when in park will revive the engine and jump, when stopping with new brakes and all that fun stuff when the van is doing this reviving state it takes longer to stop and like the van is fighting it. It sometimes over shifts when in this state when taking off from a light (does the reviving thing when moving. I am afraid one day it is going to jump and hit something or some one or not stop.
Gas leaking under the driver seat and under the hood. Also, gas was pouring out from the motor. The window failed to open, the consumer is currently waiting on a new motor. The rear brakes were leaking, the tie rods had to be replaced because they were loose, the left rear stuck became stuck, when the gear was taken out of park and placed into drive and the consumer proceeded to accelerate the vehicle jerked, the engine light illuminated, the dealer determined the emission system was dragging, the driver side mirror vibrated, the bumper cover was loose. When the consumer attempted to turn the key in the ignition, the vehicle did not start, the dealer was unable to duplicate the consumer's concern. The fuel pressure regulator was leaking and the fuel filter was replaced. The vehicle would not go over 10 MPH, the vehicle shifted and then returned to normal speed. …
Electrical system all 20 →
I backed up to the laundry to wash clothes and proceeded to put the car in park and get out to get clothes out of the back. I pushed the brake and thought I had put the car in park because the key came out. When I started to step out of the van to get my clothes out of the back and my foot came off the brake, the car was still running and backed into a block wall. The wall was destroyed, but no one was hurt. The back door of the van is crushed. After a close examination of the ignition lock I found that the key will come out in any position, including running. I had thought the key was not supposed to come out except in the off position. Is this correct? I attempted to find out if it was in the GM recall from my local GM dealer and they claimed ignorance of anything and everything. Including even what constitutes a defective switch and what it is supposed to do and not do. …
The vehicle had an electrical system failure and burst into flames. The vehicle was parked at 7:30 am on March 31, 2008. At 12:50 am on April 1,2008 the horn started blaring and there were flames coming from the dash. The police and fire department said they think that a relay in the dash shorted out and caught fire. This could have happened with people in the vehicle....
Transmission & drivetrain all 20 →
I backed up to the laundry to wash clothes and proceeded to put the car in park and get out to get clothes out of the back. I pushed the brake and thought I had put the car in park because the key came out. When I started to step out of the van to get my clothes out of the back and my foot came off the brake, the car was still running and backed into a block wall. The wall was destroyed, but no one was hurt. The back door of the van is crushed. After a close examination of the ignition lock I found that the key will come out in any position, including running. I had thought the key was not supposed to come out except in the off position. Is this correct? I attempted to find out if it was in the GM recall from my local GM dealer and they claimed ignorance of anything and everything. Including even what constitutes a defective switch and what it is supposed to do and not do. …
Gas leaking under the driver seat and under the hood. Also, gas was pouring out from the motor. The window failed to open, the consumer is currently waiting on a new motor. The rear brakes were leaking, the tie rods had to be replaced because they were loose, the left rear stuck became stuck, when the gear was taken out of park and placed into drive and the consumer proceeded to accelerate the vehicle jerked, the engine light illuminated, the dealer determined the emission system was dragging, the driver side mirror vibrated, the bumper cover was loose. When the consumer attempted to turn the key in the ignition, the vehicle did not start, the dealer was unable to duplicate the consumer's concern. The fuel pressure regulator was leaking and the fuel filter was replaced. The vehicle would not go over 10 MPH, the vehicle shifted and then returned to normal speed. …
2001 Pontiac Montana engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.4L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 24 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: Minivan.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2001 Pontiac Montana a good car?
Based on 156 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2001 Montana rates use caution: 1.9× as many complaints as a typical year of the Montana at the same age. It is one of the Montana years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2001 Pontiac Montana?
The engine & cooling — 38 complaints, 24% of all complaints for this model year, most often about cooling system. Next are the electrical system (20) and transmission & drivetrain (20).
How many recalls does the 2001 Pontiac Montana have?
There are 9 recalls for the 2001 Pontiac Montana, the most recent from August 8, 2007 (storage). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Pontiac Montana?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 1997, 2006 and 2004. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002. See the full Pontiac Montana years comparison.
At what mileage do 2001 Pontiac Montana problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 62,000 miles; 36% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.