2001 Pontiac Bonneville SSEi from North America - Comments

Courtesy lights do not always illuminate at night when left front door is opened.

Automatic headlamps sometimes cannot be switched to parking lights at night.

Cassette tape will not eject.

Steering groans during low engine-speed turns (idle/off-idle).

Popping felt in steering wheel when front suspension is worked lightly.

Outside mirrors sometimes vibrate on moderately rough road surfaces.

HUD sometimes vibrates on moderately rough road surfaces.

Primer visible through the thin layer of paint on hood.

Paint chips and oxidizes easily.

Steering angle sensor had to be replaced.

Driver Information Center intermittently displays 'Service Stability System' and 'Service Theft System.'

Power locks sometimes (VERY rarely) lock on their own.

Was advised by dealership that Powertrain Control Module was missing some code (fixed).

Due to faulty filler panel (also known as applique or rear reflector) seal, water poured into trunk whenever trunklid was opened.

Due to faulty exterior temperature sensor, temperature display read extremely high and sometimes did not work. Climate controls were also affected.

The dealership I got the car from did some shoddy work on it and didn't repair damage it received on the lot. The salesman got the whole order mixed up a couple of times and I ended up with another Bonneville (in worse shape) first.

However, the Bonneville is an *awesome* car and accelerates very quickly despite its size and weight.

Handling is tight, but body roll and support in seats should be addressed more if the Bonneville is being marketed as a sports luxury car.

Magnasteer, while nice to have at higher speeds, causes the driver to work to keep the car driving in a straight line when roads are crowned (road is slanted to allow for water runoff).

Interior is comfortable for trips, no matter how long, and is organized so that everything is right at the driver's fingertips. Seatbelts are the most comfortable I have ever worn. Auto-dimming rearview mirror and blue-tinted sideview mirrors are very nice.

Personalization options for 2 different drivers is incredibly convenient. Also, if your mirrors get bumped while the car is parked, they will reset themselves when the car is turned on. The tilting right sideview mirror option (for parallel parking) is amazing.

The interior is spacious, and the trunk is cavernous! It will hold a LOT. Automatic load leveling allows the car to handle almost exactly the same when the trunk is full. A split-folding rear seatback would be much more useful than the pass-through rear seatback.

Bonnevilles have a 5-star safety rating, with dual front airbags, as well as side airbags. StabiliTrak and all-speed Traction Control work very well. Pontiac should consider utilizing the rear brakes in their StabiliTrak system as well (Cadillac already does).

All-in-all, an amazing and absolutely beautiful car that gets looks from young and old alike. It has plenty of power at all speeds, and with its imperceptible shifts and smooth ride it is a pleasure to drive in any condition.

I also own a 2001 Bonneville. I purchased it used about a month ago. I agree with everything that you said about it. I am willing to work through any problems that may occur with the car because it is just that great of a vehicle to drive. I am wondering what you had to do to get the rear reflector leak fixed. You are right... the water pours into the trunk.

Sorry, it's been a while since I've visited this page. The dealer had a kit in stock that was made specifically to fix the leak into the trunk. It is basically just a seal kit. Sorry, I don't have the part number. You might try referring the dealer to Technical Service Bulletin number 010857005 released November 01, 2001 (hopefully that's right... I found it at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov). Good luck ;-)

I recently purchased one and have been mostly pleased as the rest of you. However, I did have a problem with the trunk leaking badly when closed. The dealership took care of that. I have also had a problem with my brakes squealing horribly. I have been told there is nothing wrong with the brakes, but it is very annoying to me and people I drive by. If anyone knows of any solutions to this I would greatly appreciate any help I could get.

The brakes squealing are typical of all GM cars now. I have had an Alero, Grand Am and Chev Silverado and they all have had the same problems. What it is, are the rotors at night or after a rain and not driven for a while will create rust on the outside walls. When we first put on the brakes you will notice a grinding or a squeal. THis will go away after driving for a bit, but there always seems to be a slight sound coming from the brakes.

Another typical problem is if the pads wear down too much or if NEW pads are installed, they may rub on the most outer rim of the rotor. THis can easily fixed by litghtly removing the buildup on the outer rotor with a pick hammer.

I hope this helps. I learned a lot from my Alero (what a lemon) went through 2 engines and numerous trips to the dealer. THe best thing was getting rid of it.

Just traded in my silverado for a Bonnie. Love the look and the ride. I have heard nothing, but good things about the 3.8L engine.

Take care all.

Tim from Canada.

I had a 2001 Bonneville ssei. It was a gorgeous car, but I only had it a month because it caught on fire while going down the road and burned completely up. I had to warning of what was to come and luckily I got out alright. If anyone has had anything like this happen please let me know. Thanks,

Catherine.

What the most likely cause of your brakes squealing is that the rotors are glazed. That comes from when you do a lot of braking. To have this fixed is too lightly use sandpaper and sand off the glaze.

First never take sandpaper to any part of your car, the glaze can be taken away by braking very hard from high speeds. Second my Trailblazer had the squealing brake problem and it was because of the organic brakes or something like that.