Model year record

1997 Pontiac Montana recalls & problems

The 1997 Pontiac Montana has 1 safety recall and 18 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (8 complaints).

Recalls1safety recalls

Complaints18filed by owners

Crashes · fires1 · 1reported in complaints

Injuries · deaths2 · 0reported in complaints

Safety recalls

Latches/locks/linkagesDec 22, 2004

Doors › Latch

Recall 04V597000717,302 vehiclesopened after NHTSA action (ODI)

Problem: ON CERTAIN MINIVANS EQUIPPED WITH SECOND-ROW BUCKET SEATS OR CAPTAIN'S CHAIRS AND A POWER SLIDING DOOR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, A PASSENGER USING THE INTERIOR HANDLE TO OPEN THE POWER SLIDING DOOR COULD BE INJURED.
Risk: IF A PASSENGER USES THE INTERIOR HANDLE TO OPEN THE POWER SLIDING DOOR AND HOLDS ONTO THE HANDLE WHILE IT IS BEING OPENED BY THE MOTOR, THE PASSENGER'S ARM MAY BE PUSHED INTO THE SEAT BACK OR ARMREST AND A WRIST OR LOWER ARM INJURY MAY RESULT.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE POWER SLIDING DOOR INTERIOR HANDLE ON THE PASSENGER-SIDE. IF THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH A POWER OR MANUAL SLIDING DOOR ON THE DRIVER-SIDE, THE INTERIOR HANDLE WILL ALSO BE REPLACED FOR APPEARANCE REASONS. NOTE: BEFORE THE VEHICLE IS SERVICED, GM ADVISES OWNERS TO NOT USE THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE TO OPEN THE DOOR. THE DRIVER CAN OPEN AND CLOSE THE DOOR FROM SWITCHES AT THE DRIVER'S POSITION OR BY USING THE REMOTE KEY FOB. THE DRIVER SHOULD TELL PASSENGERS TO USE THE SWITCH LOCATED IN FRONT OF THE DOOR TO OPEN OR CLOSE IT. THE DRIVER SHOULD USE THE OVERRIDE SWITCH TO PREVENT OPERATION OF THE POWER DOOR BY CHILDREN OR BY OTHERS WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH ITS USE. THE OWNER NOTIFICATION LETTER MAILING WILL BE CONDUCTED IN PHASES WITH THE FIRST PHASE BEGINNING ON MAY 31, 2005. THE SECOND PHASE MAILING BEGAN ON JULY 18, 2005. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 31, 2005. PHASE 2 BEGAN ON JULY 18, 2005. PHASE 3 (FINAL PHASE) BEGAN ON AUGUST 24, 2005, TO ALL REMAINING CUSTOMERS. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438; PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668; OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537.

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.

What owners report

Problem area	Complaints	Crashes	Fires	Injuries	Typical mileage*
Engine and engine coolingExhaust system › Manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe; Cooling system	8	0	0	0	55,000 mi
Exterior lightingHeadlights	3	0	0	0	80,000 mi
VisibilityGlass, side/rear; Power window devices and controls	2	0	0	0	—
Structure	2	0	0	0	—
Suspension	2	0	0	0	—
Seat belts	2	1	0	2	—
Unknown or other	1	0	0	0	—
Equipment	1	0	0	0	—
Power train	1	0	0	0	—
Air bags	1	1	0	2	—
Electrical systemWiring › Front underhood	1	0	1	0	—
TiresTemporary/emergency spare tire	1	0	0	0	—

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

Recent owner complaints

Structure
I RECENTLY SAW THAT TOYOTA VOLUNTARILY RECALLED SOME OF THEIR VEHICLES DUE TO FAILURES OF THE CABLE THAT HOLDS THEIR SPARE TIRES IN PLACE. I HAD THIS EXACT SAME FAILURE OCCUR TO ME ON A 1997 PONTIAC MONTANA VAN. THE ACTUAL FAILURE OCCURRED ON 1/21/08. I WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT WHEN THE SPARE TIRE SUDDENLY SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE AND FELL ONTO THE GROUND. THE METAL CABLE ON THE SPARE TIRE WINCH HAD FAILED DUE TO CORROSION AND ALLOWED THE TIRE TO FALL. HAD THIS HAPPENED EVEN 20 MINUTES EARLIER, WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY, THE TIRE WOULD HAVE BEEN BOUNCING AROUND ON THE HIGHWAY, IN MOVING TRAFFIC. I WAS CONCERNED THAT THIS WAS LIKELY A GENERIC GM PROBLEM AND THE CHANCE OF…
Jan 21, 2008 · 120,000 miles
Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system
ANTIFREEZE LEAK; LEAD TO REPLACEMENT OF LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET (VERY COSTLY) ABOUT 4 YEARS AGO. NEEDS REPLACING AGAIN. DEALERSHIP WARNS OF EXCESSIVE ENGINE DAMAGE DUE TO ANTIFREEZE IN THE MOTOR OIL. *NM
Mar 15, 2006 · 115,000 miles
Electrical system › Wiring › Front underhoodFire
PONTIAC TRANSPORT MONTANA WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT FOR 1/2 HOUR OR SO AND BECAME INGULFED IN FLAMES. FIRE MARSHALL THINKS IT WAS FROM BATTERY/ ELECTRIC. DESTROYED OUR CAR AND 5 OTHERS. NO HUMANS HURT...THANK GOD IT WAS PARKED AND MY SON WAS NOT DRIVING IT.
Jul 11, 2005 · 100,000 miles
Seat belts
DT CONTACT STATES HIS PASSENGER SAFETY BELT IN HIS VEHICLE IS LOCKED, ORIGINALLY DESIGNED A CHILD SAFETY FEATURE. THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE IN THE MIDDLE ROW, CENTER AND RIGHT SIDE SEAT IS COMING APART. *NM
May 12, 2005
Air bagsCrash2 injuries
DRIVING DOWN A TWO LANE FREEWAY, VEARING TO THE RIGHT AND I REARENDED A CAR. THE SEATBELTS DID NOT LOCK AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT WORK..THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND EVERYTHING WAS SAID TO BE WORKING FINE..THE VAN IS FULLY LOADED AND ALL THE ELCTRONICS ARE WORKING PERFECTLY, AS FAR AS I KNEW.*AK
Feb 13, 2005
Suspension
INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE HAD DIFFICULTY MAKING A LEFT TURN, OR WAS UNABLE TO MAKE A LEFT TURN WHILE IN MOTION . CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM BACK IN OCTOBER 23, 2003. BUT WAS NOT ABLE LOCATE THAT INFORMATION IN NHTSA DATA BASE. *AK
Jun 15, 2004 · 106,000 miles
Exterior lighting › Headlights
THE HEADLIGHT ON DRIVERS SIDE FELL OUT WHILE DRIVING. THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT FELL OUT AFTER THE TRUNK WAS CLOSED. *AK
Feb 1, 2003 · 109,000 miles
Suspension
LENS COVER OVER THE HEADLIGHTS FELL OUT OF BOTH HEADLIGHTS ON SEPERATE OCCCASIONS. I HAD TO BUY THE WHOLE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND THEY JUST FELL OUT AND BROKE ON THE ROAD. WE CURRENTLY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT OVERHEATING HAVE REPLACE THERMOSTAT AND WATER PUMP STILL HAVING SAME PROBLEM. NOT FIXED YET. THE POWER SLIDING DOOR ALARMS THAT IT IS OPEN FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THE DOOR HAS NOT OPENED AND CLOSED BY THE POWER FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. IT HAS TO BE MANNAULLY OPENED. WE HAVE ALSO REPLACED THE BOTH AIR SHOCKS IN THE REAR OF THE VAN. CAN'T GET THE RADIATOR CAP FROM RADIATOR HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO REMOVE SINCE IT WAS BOUGHT.
May 15, 2003 · 80,000 miles

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

REAR AXLE TRAILING ARM FAILUREClosed
ON NOVEMBER 18, 2002, ODI OPENED A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION (PE02-086) TO EVALUATE ALLEGATIONS OF REAR AXLE TRAILING ARM FAILURES IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES (U-VAN) WHICH INCLUDED TWO REPORTING CRASHES.ON APRIL 9, 2003, ODI UPGRADED PE02-086 TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA03-005) TO CONTINUE ITS EXAMINATION OF THE ISSUE. THE TRAILING ARM DESIGN IN THESE VEHICLES HAS BEEN USED IN THE U-VAN FROM MY 1997 THROUGH THE PRESENT.THE GM ANALYSIS CONCLUDED THAT THE SUBJECT TRAILING ARMS COULD CRACK OR BUCKLE IF THEY WERE DAMAGED DURING ASSEMBLY, PRE-DELIVERY HANDLING, OR SUBJECTED TO CERTAIN SERVICE RELATED ABUSE CONDITIONS SUCH AS IMPROPER TOWING OR JACKING.ANALYSIS OF ODI AND GM DATA HAS IDENTIFIED 19 INCIDENTS OF REAR AXLE TRAILING ARM FAILURES IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.THERE HAVE BEEN NO NEW REPORTS TO ODI OR GM IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS AND ONLY ONE NEW COMPLAINT IN THE LAST 21 MONTHS. DUE TO THE LOW…
EA03005 · opened Apr 23, 2003 · closed Jan 12, 2004
SAFETY BELT ASSEMBLY FAILUREClosed
ODI IDENTIFIED 59 REPORTS WITH THE ALLEGED DEFECT.ODI WAS ABLE TO CONTACT 44 OF THE 59 CONSUMERS IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE SPECIFIC CAUSE OF THE LATCH PROBLEMS.OF THE 44 OWNERS CONTACTED, ODI DETERMINED THAT FOUR FAILURES WERE DUE TO AN OUT-OF-TOLERANCE LATCH PLATE, AND THAT 23 FAILURES WERE DUE TO A DISPLACED BUCKLE HOUSING COVER.THE REMAINING 17 FAILURES HAD INDETERMINABLE CAUSES.OF THE 59 REPORTS, THERE WERE THREE ALLEGED MINOR INJURIES.NO LEGAL CLAIMS OR LAWSUITS HAVE BEEN FILED WITH REGARD TO THIS ALLEGED DEFECT.BASED ON THE LIMITED NUMBER OF REPORTS, AND A DECLINING REPORT TREND, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEARED TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT…
EA02032 · opened Nov 18, 2002 · closed Nov 21, 2003