Model year record

1992 Pontiac Bonneville recalls & problems

The 1992 Pontiac Bonneville has 3 safety recalls and 113 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (53 complaints).

Recalls3safety recalls

Complaints113filed by owners

Crashes · fires13 · 5reported in complaints

Injuries · deaths12 · 0reported in complaints

Safety recalls

Power trainJan 23, 1996

Automatic transmission › Cooling unit and lines

Recall 96V015000585,182 vehiclesopened after NHTSA action (ODI)

Problem: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM AUGUST 1991 THROUGH JULY 1995. THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINE CAN SEPARATE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN LOW TEMPERATURES IN COMBINATION WITH HIGH TRANSMISSION LOADS.
Risk: VEHICLE FIRES CAN OCCUR DUE TO THE SPILLAGE OF TRANSMISSION FLUID.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINES.

Parking brakeSep 23, 1991

Conventional › Mechanical

Recall 91V16700020,765 vehicles

Problem: WHEN APPLIED, THE PARKING BRAKE LEVER ASSEMBLY MAY RELEASE ONE OR MORE TEETH, REDUCING THE CABLE LOAD TO THE REAR BRAKES.
Risk: DEPENDING ON THE EXTENT OF THE LEVER RELEASE AND ROADLEVEL. THE PARKING BRAKE MAY NOT HOLD THE VEHICLE, ALLOWING IT TO ROLL, WHICHCOULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. VEHICLE DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS 105.
Fix: REPLACE PARKING BRAKE LEVER ASSEMBLY.

Power trainAug 5, 1991

Automatic transmission

Recall 91V1310001,570 vehicles

Problem: TRANSAXLE SHIFT CONTROL CABLE MAY DISENGAGE FROM SHIFT CONTROL CABLE BRACKET, CAUSING LOSS OF GEAR INDICATOR REFERENCE, AND SHIFT SELECTOR OPERATION.
Risk: THE DISENGAGED CABLE COULD FALSELY INDICATE TRANSMISSIONGEAR POSITION, AND THE VEHICLE MIGHT BE LEFT IN REVERSE OR DRIVE WHEN THE DRIVERMOVED THE GEAR SELECTOR TO PARK OR THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. A VEHICLE LEFT ON ANINCLINE WITHOUT PARKING BRAKES WHEN THE GEAR SELECTOR IS PLACED IN PARK COULDMOVE. EITHER CASE RESULTS IN UNEXPECTED VEHICLE MOVEMENT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNINGAND COULD CAUSE A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Fix: INSTALL A TRANSAXLE SHIFT CONTROL CABLE RETAINING CLIP ON THE SHIFT CONTROL CABLE BRACKET ON TOP OF TRANSAXLE.

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

Crash test ratings

1992 Pontiac Bonneville SSE 4-DR.

OverallNot Rated

Frontal crash	Not Rated
Side crash	Not Rated
Rollover	Not Rated

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.

Fuel economy

Bonneville

19mpg combined

City / highway	16 / 26 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

3.8 L · 6 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $3,550/year to fuel

Bonneville

17mpg combined

City / highway	15 / 23 mpg
Fuel	Premium Gasoline

3.8 L · 6 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $4,850/year to fuel

EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.

What owners report

Problem area	Complaints	Crashes	Fires	Injuries	Typical mileage*
Service brakes, hydraulicAntilock/traction control/electronic limited slip; Foundation components	53	7	0	2	—
Electrical systemWiring › Interior/under dash; Alternator/generator/regulator	20	0	1	1	152,900 mi
Engine and engine coolingEngine › Gasoline; Engine	11	0	1	0	—
Power trainAutomatic transmission; Automatic transmission › Cooling unit and lines	10	0	2	0	—
Air bagsFrontal	8	6	0	8	—
Seat beltsFront › Retractor; Rear/other	5	1	0	2	—
Fuel system, gasolineStorage › Tank assembly	5	0	1	0	—
SuspensionFront › Macpherson strut; Front › Control arm	4	0	0	0	—
StructureBody › Door; Body	4	0	0	1	—
WheelsLugs/nuts/bolts/studs; Hub	4	1	0	0	—
SeatsFront assembly › Power adjust; Front assembly › Recliner	3	0	0	2	—
SteeringLinkages › Tie rod assembly; Column	3	2	0	0	—

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

Service brakes
THERE R NO BRAKES PUT BRAKES ON WILL GO ALL THE WAY TOO FLOOR U GOT TO USE EMERGENCY BRAKE VERY DANGERS HEARD THERE IS A RECALL ON BRAKE BOOSTER
Nov 14, 2016 · 288,000 miles
Electrical system
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND FUNCTIONED PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPRODUCE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. *TR
Mar 18, 1998 · 100,000 miles
Electrical system1 injury
WHILE WORKING IN THE DRIVERS SIDE FLOOR AREA OF THE VEHICLE MY SHIRT/BELT ACTIVATED THE DRIVERS SIDE POWER SEAT CONTROL. THE SEAT ADVANCED FORWARD TO THE END OF THE SEATS TRAVEL AND PINNING ME UNDER THE DRIVERS SIDE UNDER DASHBOARD AREA OF THE CAR. MY LEFT UPPER ARM AND LEFT WRIST WERE ENTRAPPED IN AROUND THE BRAKE PEDAL, MY RIGHT ARM WAS ENTRAPPED BY IN THE GAS PEDAL AREA, THE THROTTLE PUNCTURED MY RIGHT WRIST. I WAS UNABLE TO SUMMONS HELP, AND AFTER ABOUT 2 HOURS WAS NEAR EXHAUSTION, AND TO FREE MYSELF I WAS FORCED TO SELF CAUSE INJURES TO MY LEFT ELBOW, LEFT UPPER ARM, AND RIGHT ARM TO FREE MYSELF FROM UNDER THE DRIVERS SIDE UNDER DASH AREA OF THE CAR. I SUSTAIN SEVERAL CUTS ON MY ARMS,…
Feb 18, 2011 · 152,800 miles
Engine and engine cooling › Engine
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP WHEN THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE MOTOR CARRIAGE HAD FRACTURED FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED AND THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS OF THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 128,000.
Jul 27, 2010 · 128,000 miles
Tires
TIRE FAILURE. *TR
Jun 21, 2008 · 177,445 miles
Tires
BELT SEPARATION. *TR
Mar 28, 2008 · 170,000 miles
Steering › Column
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE, THE KEY WOULD NOT FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN. AFTER THE REPAIR, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. CURRENTLY, THE VEHICLE IS BACK AT THE DEALER. THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THIS FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 190,000.
Jun 25, 2008 · 190,000 miles
Wheels › Lugs/nuts/bolts/studs
1992 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. CONSUMER WAS DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE LEFT SIDE TIRE BLEW OFF. *MC ACCORDING TO THE POLICE OFFICERS EXAMINATION OF THE LEFT FRONT BRAKE ROTOR ASSEMBLY, IT SHOWED 1 STUD REMAINING WITH THE OTHER 4 SHEARED OFF AT THE ROTOR. THE THREADS ON THE REMAINING STUD APPEARED TO BE INTACT INDICATING THE LUG NUT BACKED OFF OR WAS MISSING. THE THREADS SHOWED NO DAMAGE TO INDICATE THE WHEEL HAD BEEN LOOSE FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT)*JB A VEHICLE QUESTIONAIRE WAS MAILED TO CUSTOMER TO OBTAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE COMPLAINT. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT) *TR
Feb 1, 2007

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

FUEL LINE FAILUREClosed
There is no summary currently available
EA93011 · opened May 3, 1993 · closed May 31, 1994
FUEL LINE CONNECTOR FAILSClosed
There is no summary currently available
PE92010 · opened Jan 27, 1992 · closed May 22, 1992