Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit.
Owners have filed 158 complaints with NHTSA about the 1999 Pontiac Bonneville, and it carries 4 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and engine cooling | 50 | 32% |
| Electrical system | 18 | 11% |
| Fuel system | 16 | 10% |
| Service brakes | 9 | 6% |
| Air bags | 8 | 5% |
| Power train | 6 | 4% |
| Tires | 5 | 3% |
| Visibility | 5 | 3% |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | 3% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 3 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
' TAKATA RECALL" DRIVING AND THE CAR CUT OFF..AFTER I STOP THE CAR AND TURN THE KEY OFF. WAS ABLE TO RE START THE CAR. THIS HAS HAPPEN A FEW TIMES. THIS IS NOT A SAFE THING WHEN DRIVING ON THE FREE WAYS ....I WAS IN MOT
NHTSA complaint: Steering
UPON ACCELERATING ONTO THE HIGHWAY, AFTER REACHING HIGHWAY SPEED, VEHICLE STALLS AND WOULD NOT START. FLOODING ENGINE, GASOLINE COMING OUT OF EXHAUST, ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART. AFTER RESEARCH AND REPLACING LEAKING LOWE
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
WHILE STOPPED ON A SIDE STREET (25 MPH ZONE), THE AIR BAGS INVOLUNTARILY DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER WAS SEVERELY BRUISED AND SUFFERED SIGNIFICANT & PERMANENT HEARING LOSS. THERE ARE 7 OTHER INCIDENT REPORTS FILED WITH THE N
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
I HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY MY DAUGHTER-IN-LAW THAT HER MOTHER DOES NOT BUCKLE HER AND HER SISTER UP. SHE ALSO ALLOWS THEM TO RIDE ON THE FRONT SEAT. MIND YOU THE TWO GIRLS ARE ONLY 4 AND 5 YEARS OF AGE. I HAVE REPORTED THIS
NHTSA complaint: Seat belts
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY RECALL FOR 1999 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE RECALL ANNOUNCED: FEBRUARY 24 2004 NHTSA REFERENCE: #04V090000 NUMBER AFFECTED: 910,873 SUMMARY: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3800
NHTSA complaint: Fuel system
EXTERIOR LIGHTING RECALL FOR 1999 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE RECALL ANNOUNCED: APRIL 07 2009 NHTSA REFERENCE: #09E012000 NUMBER AFFECTED: 16,270 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY RECALL FOR 1999 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE RECALL ANNOU
NHTSA complaint: Fuel system
THE FUEL GAUGE OF THE VEHICLE GOES ALL WAY DOWN TO "E" THEN CAN SPIKE BACK UP TO "FULL" ESPECIALLY AFTER FILLING THE TANK COMPLETELY. THE GAUGE ALSO WILL RANDOMLY DROP AND STAY ON "E" WHEN THERE IS ABOUT 1/4 TANK OF GAS
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
TL*THE DRIVER OWNS A 1999 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH WHEN THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED INVOLUNTARILY. THE DRIVER SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. THE VEHICLE W
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 1999 Pontiac Bonneville. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES
Risk: DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Fix: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4T65E AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 102, "TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER SEQUENCE." A RETAINING CLIP, WHICH SECURES THE MANUAL VALVE TO THE LINKAGE OF THE TRANSMISSION DETENT LEVER, CAN BECO
Risk: IF THE LINK DISCONNECTS, THE DRIVER'S INDICATED PRNDL STATE MAY DIFFER FROM THE HYDRAULIC STATE OF THE TRANSMISSION. IF THE DRIVER SELECTS 'DRIVE' AND THE TRANSMISSION IS ACTUALLY IN 'REVERSE', A VE
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE MANUAL VALVE/LINK ASSEMBLY WITH A REPLACEMENT MANUAL VALVE/LINK KIT, FEATURING A SPRING-TYPE FASTENER.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3800 V6 (L36) ENGINES AND CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, THE REGULATORS HAVE A MUCH HIGHER THAN USUAL RATE OF FUEL LEAKS. A LEAK CAN ALLOW FUEL TO ENTER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD THROUGH A VACUUM LINE. IF THE ENGINE DOES NOT START WHEN CRANKED, THE
Risk: THE BACKFIRE CAN RUPTURE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE RUPTURE OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CAN DISPLACE A FUEL LINE, PULLING AN INJECTOR OUT OF PLACE, AND CAUSING A FUEL LEAK AND POSSIBLE FIRE.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH IMPROVED DIAPHRAGMS. THE RECALL WILL BE CONDUCTED IN PHASED MAILINGS. PHASE 1 BEGAN ON JUNE 30, 2004, AND PHASE 2 BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2004.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH CHROME PLATED ALUMINUM WHEELS. SOME OF THESE WHEELS HAVE A MOUNTING SURFACE THAT WAS NOT MACHINED CORRECTLY, CAUSING THE WHEEL STUDS TO BREAK.
Risk: THE TIRE/WHEEL ASSEMBLY COULD SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE WHEELS AND REPLACE ALL WHEELS WITH DATE CODES INDICATING THAT THEY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN MACHINED CORRECTLY. THE WHEEL MOUNTING STUDS AT ANY LOCATION WHERE A SUSPECT WHEEL WAS IN
| Reliability raw | 74 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 75 | good |
| Maintenance | 75 | good |
| Depreciation | 60 | average |
| Performance | 59 | average |
| Efficiency | 38 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 158 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and engine and engine cooling is the most reported area with 50 of them (32%). There are 4 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 74/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 75/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 1999 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: be careful, because the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit. Its overall ownership score is 67/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.