5th Mar 2009, 18:32
I am seeing so many of the same things with my 2001 Bonneville. I bought it with 22,000 miles. I believe it was a rental car prior to that.
1. Three of the four windows stopped working. The rear passenger twice, 12 months later. I glued it shut so it would not slide down again. Replaced under warranty.
2. The transmission went out (replace under warranty)
3. Replaced the hub with a used one because of loud noise, it sounded like a truck.
4. Radio lights work intermittently.
5. There is a loud clunk on the rear side, have not found out what it is yet.
6. Passenger tie rod end replaced just recently.
7. Harmonic balancer replaced last year.
8. Some type of thing that sits under the hood, I believe it allows fuel to flow through. There was an awful gas smell.
There is much much more. I'm lucky I have a friend that can replace most of the stuff for me with used parts. So I have not spent much money.
23rd May 2009, 19:07
It is not the power window motors that go bad on these cars. It is a plastic piece in the mechanism that breaks. I have replaced 3 of these on my moms 01 SSEI The part had a sticker that said "made in korea" on it. So much for "American" cars. The dealer wants a lot of money to do this, but you can buy the part for about 250 bucks and do it yourself in about an hour. I have a 65 Pontiac that runs and drives like it did back in 65, I wouldn't trade it for a new plastic piece of junk for anything in the world.
8th Aug 2009, 19:57
I bought a 2002 Bonneville SSEi almost 4 months ago with a 30 day warranty.
It had two problems before I bought the car; it had rust under the paint around and under the gas door. The dealer fixed them before I bought it, and a little under 30 days later it came back not as bad, but it was there 20 some days after it had just been fixed, so the dealer fixed that.
Now best of all, I have a broken rod or rod knock, something pretty major and the car has 82000 miles. If it can be torn apart it's at least $1600, if not a new engine is $6000. I paid $7900 for the car and my next car will be a Honda, Toyota something that runs better!
4th Dec 2009, 15:19
I bought a 2002 Bonneville SSEi in Spring 2008. It now has 129,000 miles on it and I've only replaced one front right hub on it. The car has been an absolute champ. Fast and reliable in my eyes. I'll buy another one someday. It's got luxury and Sport. The only thing I'll complain about is that stupid traction control.
3rd Sep 2010, 20:02
Wow, now I'm afraid to start my '97 SSEI with only 78,000 miles. Bought from a trusted cousin in February 2006, I'm the second owner. He gave me all the maintenance records.
In the last 17,000 miles, (I only drive about 4,000 miles a year) I replaced a gradually getting noisier A/C compressor. $800. This year I replaced the climate control module and the heat/cool door. Required removing the dash partially. That was $1,200. This work done by a GM dealer that I trust but they are not cheap.
Sun roof leaked. Had a body shop remove the headliner and reconnect a drain hose.
The car is good for 28 to 30 mpg highway. At 73 years old, I still like to hear the supercharger wind up if I put my foot in it. Acceleration is near violent as in pushes you back in the seat.
27th Jan 2009, 17:13
I bought my Bonneville SE in 2001 with 15,000 on it in Feb of 2001. Before I bought it was used as a rental car. I must tell you that from all the horror stories I have read here I must be the luckiest Bonneville owner there is. Both my back window regulators have gone bad but I will be able to replace them for $45.00 a piece and install them myself. The left rear went out about 4 years ago and the right rear just went.
I have replaced the rear shocks, water pump and oil sending unit. Regular tire and brake work. My car has over 160,000 on it so I must have bought the very best one they made. I hope I have not jinxed myself by writing this.