Total Complaints
24 filings
PONTIAC BONNEVILLE · model year
1987 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE
24 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1987PONTIACBONNEVILLE carries 24 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 1 fire, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1987 BONNEVILLE is steering:rack and pinion with 4 filings, followed by electrical system:ignition:module (2) and power train:automatic transmission (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 1987 BONNEVILLE. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
24
Complaints
1
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION | 4 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| STEERING:LINKAGES | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| STEERING | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20030507ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE CAR WILL MOMENTARILY HESITATE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOPPED POSITION. IT IS PERIODIC AND NOT CONSISTENT, THEREFORE, HARD TO DUPLICATE ACCORDING TO THE DEALER. I ASKED GM TO E-MAIL SOME OF THEIR NATIONWIDE PONTIAC DEALERSHIPS AND ASK FOR THEIR INPUT ON THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM BUT THEY REFUSED. THIS CAN BE A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEN ENTERING MOVING TRAFFIC. SO MUCH FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE. I WILL REMEMBER THAT WHEN I PURCHASE MY NEXT VEHICLE. *JB
20010509SEATS
WHILE SITTING IN SEAT AND LEANING BACK PASSENGER'S AND DRIVER'S SEATS FELL BACK, CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PUT SEAT BACK UP, BUT IF CONTINUING TO LEAN IT WOULD COME BACK DOWN. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS VERY UNSAFE IN AN ANCIDENT.*AK *JB
20010509SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
WHILE SITTING IN SEAT AND LEANING BACK PASSENGER'S AND DRIVER'S SEATS FELL BACK, CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PUT SEAT BACK UP, BUT IF CONTINUING TO LEAN IT WOULD COME BACK DOWN. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS VERY UNSAFE IN AN ANCIDENT.*AK *JB
20000911FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
WHILE DRIVING, DOORS LOCKED DOWN AND INTERIOR LIGHTS CAME ON. WHEN TRYING TO TURN OFF INERIOR LIGHTS, CONTROL SWITCH SUNK/MELTED INTO DASH. DASH ABLAZE WITHIN 2 TO 3 MINUTES, ENTIRE VEHICLE ENGULFED 3 TO 4 MINUTES LATER. ESCAPED THROUGH OPEN WINDOW. VERY UNSAFE.
20000410POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHENEVER IN DRIVE AND SLOWING DOWN VEHICLE WOULD CUT OFF. IF ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS BEHIND CONSUMER'S VEHICLE IT WOULD REAR ENDED IT. *AK
19990330UNKNOWN OR OTHER
PAINT ON CAR IS PEELING TERRIBLY. NO SAFETY DEFECT. *AK
19990217ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ENGINE DIES OUT, CAUSING NO BRAKE POWER ALSO NO STEERING. ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE HAS BEEN REPLACED WHICH TEMPORARY CORRECTED THE PROBELM. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK
19971107STEERING:RACK AND PINION
COLD STEERING. POWER STEERING DIES, DOES NOT WORK UNTIL ENGINE WARMS UP WHENEVER OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE IS BELLOW 40 DEGREES. *AK
19971028STEERING:RACK AND PINION
STEERING RACK FAILED.MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO REPAIR IT.
19971003STEERING:RACK AND PINION
COLD POWER STEERING.
19970201ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY (SINCE NEW) AND DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE OR RESOLVE PROBLEM.
19970121SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN MAKING AN EMERGENCY STOP, VEHICLE WILL STOP. THIS IS A INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WHICH CAN RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK
19961029ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
BATTERY LEAKS, CAUSING CORROSION.
19951010STEERING:RACK AND PINION
PURCHASE CAR USED THE RACK AND PINION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED . TT CONSUMER STATES THE STEERING IS COLD IN THE AM AND PM EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE WARMS UP THE WHEEL IS HARD TO STEER UNTIL IT LOOSENS UP, AND THEN WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED LEFT OR RIGHT IT LOCKS MOMENTARILY.*JB
19951010STEERING
PURCHASE CAR USED THE RACK AND PINION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED . TT CONSUMER STATES THE STEERING IS COLD IN THE AM AND PM EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE WARMS UP THE WHEEL IS HARD TO STEER UNTIL IT LOOSENS UP, AND THEN WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED LEFT OR RIGHT IT LOCKS MOMENTARILY.*JB
19950908SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE MALFUNCTIONS. TT
19950721SUSPENSION:FRONT
FRONT END PROBLEMS.
19950721EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
AIR CONDITIONER PROBLEMS.
19950721POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *AW
19950721ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE PROBLEMS.
Compare 1987PONTIACBONNEVILLE to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1987 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE have?▼
The 1987 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE has 24 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1987 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE?▼
The most-complained component for the 1987 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE is STEERING:RACK AND PINION with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE and POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.
Is the 1987 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.