Total Complaints
26 filings
PONTIAC BONNEVILLE · model year
1991 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE
26 NHTSA complaints, 4 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1991PONTIACBONNEVILLE carries 26 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 4 crashes, 1 fire, 3 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 1991 BONNEVILLE is power train:automatic transmission with 3 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components (3) and vehicle speed control (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 1991 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.
26
Complaints
4
Crashes
1
Fires
3
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
4 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 |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 3 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 3 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 2 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 1 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 1 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20081203POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH IN COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINE SEPARATED AND CAUSED TRANSMISSION FLUID TO LEAK EXCESSIVELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 96V015000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES); THEREFORE, THEY WOULD NOT ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 190,000.
Mileage: 190,000
20060815FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, THE ROD BEARING FRACTURED ALONG THE ENGINE WITHOUT WARNING. THIS CAUSED OIL TO LEAK ONTO THE HOT CATALYTIC CONVERTER CAUSING A FIRE TO ERUPT WITHIN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND SPREAD THROUGH THE AIR CONDITIONING BLOWER MOTOR AND INTO THE CAB OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER EXITED THE VEHICLE WITHOUT INJURIES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED DUE TO THE EXTENSIVE FIRE DAMAGE. THE POLICE WERE ON THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE DEALER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 10/17/2006 - *NM
Mileage: 38,000
20030930SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
CONSUMER STATED THAT AFTER MARKET MASTER CYLINDER HAD TO BE REPLACED ON THREE OCCASIONS BECAUSE THE PLUNGER PIN KEPT BREAKING. THIS CAUSED BRAKE PEDAL TO GO TO THE FLOOR WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. UNABLE TO GET IN CONTACT WITH THE MANUFACTURER, FENCO / FENWICK AUTOMOTIVE PRODUCTS.*AK CONSUMER HAD THE MASTER CYLINDER REPLACED FOUR TIMES AND THEY HAVE ALL FAILED. THE FIRST FAILED 79 DAYS AFTER INSTALLATION. THE SECOND ONE FAILED IMMEDIATELY WHILE BEING BLEED. THE THIRD ON FAILED WITH LESS THAN 1 MILE AND THE FOURTH ONE FAILED 150 MILES LATER. THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THEIR POSITION IS TO TEST THE MASTER CYLINDER FIRST AND THEN THE PIN IF NECESSARY. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND IS A SAFETY HAZARD. *PH *NLM
20020205ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
I HAVE CHANGED THE DASH AND HAD ALL WIRING CHECKED AND EVERYTHING IS FINE EXCEPT THAT I HAVE NO DASH LIGHTS COULD SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE. *AK
20001219ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR WERE REPLACED DUE TO FAILURE. *MJS
20001219ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR WERE REPLACED DUE TO FAILURE. *MJS
20001219INTERIOR LIGHTING
THE INDICATOR WARNING LIGHTS ARE CONTINUALLY GOING ON AND OFF CONTINUALLY, DEALERSHIP IS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE PROBLEM WITHOUT TAKING THE UNIT OUT FOR $500 TO $600. *MJS
19991028LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
METAL HOLDING THE CATCH PIN ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE HOOD IS PRONE TO STRESS CRACKS WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE 55 MPH, THIS PROBLEM CAUSED THE HOOD TO FLY OPEN. PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP. *AK
19990310CrashSEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY I WAS STRUCK BY A DRUNK DRIVER GOING APPROX. 70-75MPH. I WAS HIT IN THE LEFT REAR OF THE CAR AND I WAS IMMEDIATELY THROWN BACK.AFTER PULLING OVER I FOUND OUT THAT THE SEAT BACK HAD BROKEN AND WAS IN THE FULLY RECLINED POSITION. I WAS UNABLE TO PULL THE SEAR BACK TO IT'S UPRIGHT POSITION, IT ONLY WENT HALF OF THAT DISTANCE.
19990219ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING 50-60 MPH VEHICLE CUTS OFF, DOES NOT MOVE. IN FIVE MINUTES IT WILL SOMETIMES START AGAIN. DEALER CONTACTED, AND CANNOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
19981029SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
WHEN DRIVING THE BRAKES ARE MAKING LOUD NOISE AND CONSUMER HAD FRONT BRAKES PUT ON TODAY, AND REAR BRAKES PUT ON LAST WEEK. HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOUR TIMES FOR REPAIRS, AND THE DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK
19980602FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
THE FUEL LINE FROM THE GAS TANK TO THE ENGINE RUSTED THROUGH, CAUSING THE GASOLINE TO LEAK. THE FUEL LINES ARE BEING REPLACED.AK
19971120ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE STALLED AND CAUSED ACCIDENT, PRIOR TO RECALL.
19970403VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CONSUMER TUNED VEHICLE AFTER FAST IDLE, FEELS LIKE VIBRATION; CAR STALLS; BUMPING NOISES UNDERNEATH. ALSO, BACKFIRING. ALL OF WHICH HAPPENS WHEN GOING UP HILL OR SITTING STILL AT RED LIGHT, VEHICLE ALWAYS STALLS. *AK
19970312SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SENSORS BECAME INOPERATIVE THROUGH NORMAL USE. *AK
19961217STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
POWER DOOR LOCKS HAD CORRORED, PASSENGERS CANNOT GET OUT OF VEHICLE, THE RELEASE BUTTON WILL NOT OPEN, HAVE TO OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. *AK
19960909LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
DOOR LOCKS STICK NOT ALLOWING DRIVER TO EXIT. *SD
19960220CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
FAILURE OF THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT, BELT DID NOT LOCK WHEN THE CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT. TT
19960220CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
FAILURE OF THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT, BELT DID NOT LOCK WHEN THE CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT. TT
19951211SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
SOMETIMES THE ABS BRAKES GET HARD AND THE AUTO DOES NOT STOP RIGHT. TT
Compare 1991PONTIACBONNEVILLE to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1991 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE have?▼
The 1991 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE has 26 NHTSA complaints, 4 crashes, 1 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1991 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE?▼
The most-complained component for the 1991 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS and VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL.
Is the 1991 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.