Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Pontiac Montana owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl contact owns a 2002 Pontiac Montana. The contact stated that the head gasket and the intake gasket had corroded from a cooling leak. She also experienced overheating and the only coolant that the dealer is telling her to use is dex cool. The contact stated that this type of coolant has been known to cause failures and that there should be some other type of coolant to use. She stated that the power door on the passenger side has signs of corrosion, the fuel gauge is erratic and prevents her from knowing the amount of fuel in the vehicle, the driver side front tire hub is loose, the overhead console for the temperature and compass has failed, and the air conditioning has a hole in the hose. According to the manufacturer, since the contact changed her own oil, that is the reason she is experiencing so many failures. Therefore, the manufacturer stated that they are not liable. …
We ought the van as a program with 20,000 miles on it,within the first month the power windows would not work all the time meaning sometimes they work and sometimes they dont. Same thing for the interior lights. In the summer of 2003 the air condition developed a sloe leak that progressed within weeks,we now have no air at all and the part aloe is going to cost $400.00. In October of 2003 on our way to a high school football game the transmission went out. There was no warning at all,it had not been leaking or acting up in any way it made a thud sound going down the hiway and that was it..no more transmission $4,000.00 to repair.
Engine stopped without warning while driving a low speed on three seperate times. First time was in the middle of a right turn after traffic light change to green. The same thing happend a second time as I pull into a gas station. This third time happend as I was looking for parking space in the parking lot. In all three time, the engine stopped without warning and power steering was lost. I was able to stop the car and after restart the engine after shift to park. The dealer could not find anything wrong with the car after each incident as there are no fault code.
Tl*- the contact stated she took the 2002 Pontiac Montana to a mechanic and they noticed that the intake manifold gasket was damaged. The mechanic informed the contact that coolant was leaking onto the exterior of the engine and the oil was leaking into the coolant reservoir. The mechanic informed the contact this was due to a flaw with the intake manifold gasket. The intake manifold gasket was replaced and the coolant system was flushed. The contact has not experienced the problem since the repair. The vehicle currently had 65000 miles.
Bought my car used in 2006,air bag light has come on a few years later,dealer won't fix it because I don't qualify for recall,tells me car came from Canada. Depending on where you check my VIN is also registered in the us. My car is now leaking coolant,one repair shop is sure it's the intake gasket,but I can't get this fixed either because it's not under recall yet I did my own research and found millions of people are getting the same problems. I sure wish I could qualify for at least one of the problems I'm having.
Intake valve failure causing coolant to leak in engine compartment. Could have LED to a fire. Mechanics say this is a known problem and that GM has redesigned the intake valves that are reused in the repair. Several others in this area have had the same problems with this engine, which was used in the grand am cars as well. Searches on the web also show that many, many people have had this problem.
Intake manifold gaskets failing after the warranty period, Pontiac Montana 2002, with a cost of 700.00 plus. Information was sent to all g.m dealers of this defect,with no recall to repair. Class action lawsuit was started in Canada for this defect with many failures of this gasket or manifold itself. What can I do? This has not failed yet but will, as it is leaking now. What recourse do I have ?
Catastrophic engine failure at only 104,000 miles without any warning. Probably due to dexcool but unable to participate in class action settlement because failure happened after class action deadline. This is still happening with these GM vehicles but no recall is being issued. In our case, had catastrophic engine failure in the middle of the highway, stranding us in a very dangerous position.
I also had the problem with the lower intake valve gasket but instead of one time of paying 5-700.00 to have it fixed I have had to have it done twice and my van only has 84,000 miles on it I know that there are always problems but I think that if this many people have had the same problem that they should do something about it.
Urine odor coming in through ventilation into the interior of the van. Dealer supposedly fixed it and problem has occurred for the third time. Was told it the coolant is going bad and is leaking into the vents.
Engine complaints in other Montana years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2002 Pontiac Montana?
NHTSA has 25 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2002 Pontiac Montana, 20% of the model year's 126 complaints. The component named most often is cooling system (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Pontiac Montana engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2002 Pontiac Montana, though it has 3 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 2002 Pontiac Montana engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 56,000 miles, and 11% before 25,000 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.