2000 Pontiac Montana Extended review from North America
"The van has many little quirks about it, but my over all opinion of the vehicle is positive"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
!. Service engine light came on intermittently. The dealer could find nothing that was setting it off.
2. Service engine light finally stayed on (several occasions). The dealer started blaming the problem on the emissions monitoring system. After resetting the light and leaving the OBD II hooked up during a test drive, the problem was found to be triggered by misfires on the rear engine bank, where the spark plugs were not easily accessible. Replaced those 3 plugs and problem solved.
3. Leak in roof by rear hatch interior light. Silicone sealant placed around rubber boots that protected the wiring to the rear hatch door. Helped stop the problem, but did not completely cure it.
4. Leak in roof by windshield that allow water to enter into the overhead console that houses the Temp. sensor and trip recorder. Dealer placed more windshield sealant in top of windshield which seems to have solved the problem.
5. Headlights and electrical system flickers and pulsates. After reading reviews and changing the alternator grounding screw, problem solved.
6. Passenger side electric door sometimes sticks, as the door lock does not always unlock all the way and at other times, the electric opener does no function at all. Minor issue and can live with over-riding the door and opening it manually.
7. Engine sometimes will not start after being shut off. Engine turns over, but will not start. Never found the cause of the problem, but now the problem also happens while driving. Discovered that when this happens the fuel pump does not start when you turn the key on. Usually letting the van sit and cycling the key several times, it will start. Tried replacing the fuel pump relay, to no avail and now going to try replacing the fuel pump.
If anyone else has had this problem and it was corrected, please let me know how the problem was fixed.
8. Overhead temp. sensor display console reads inaccurately and sometimes seems to have a power surge that brightens the passenger compartment considerably at night.
If anyone else has had this problem and it was corrected, please let me know.
9. The knob to adjust the recline on the center captain's chairs, keeps breaking. Can't seem to repair them for any length of time, so just need to keep a pair of vise-grips in the glove box.
General comments?
We love the van for the most part and it is great with our 6 kids, but the reliability issue about starting and staying running, is becoming a concern.
It is very roomy and many of the added options are very handy and nice.
The interior is very comfortable and the ease of removing the seats to haul cargo is a very much appreciated option.
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| This is the worst engineered automobile I have ever driven |
|
| Electrical nightmare |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Don't Know |
| Model year | 2000 |
| Year of manufacture | 1999 |
| First year of ownership | 2005 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2005 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.4 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 4 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 5 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 68392 miles |
| Most recent distance | 99840 miles |
| Previous car | Toyota 4x4 |
| Date of Entry | 27th July, 2005 |