5th Sep 2006, 09:41

5 September, 2006. Oh my goodness gracious alive. I, too, have had the coolant, intake, ABS, brake light failure, right front hub bearing shenanigans on my 1999 Pontiac Montana. Wish I'd been able to read something like this before diving in to the purchase. I've no choice at the moment, but to drive the thing until I'm able to save $$ for another vehicle. I'm thinking about a Jeep Wrangler. What says y'all?

13th Sep 2006, 22:39

After going through the comments here I became convinced we are qualified to join the class action suite too. Here are the problems with our 1997 Pontiac Trans Sport:

1. A few months after acquiring it in 1997, both headlights accumulated moisture inside. The moisture stayed for days even through long rain-free period. To make the story short on this problem, after the first trip to the dealership who drilled holes in the lenses, but did not fix the problem, they replace both headlight lenses. That fixed it.

2. Both rear side window motors were replaced in warranty. Less than a year after the replacement, either one or both started to work intermittently.

3. Driver side outer tie rod end wore out (prematurely?) around 45K mile, causing severe vibration at highway speed.

4. Last straw: A few days ago (early September 2006), at 63,000 miles on the odometer, without warning the van died on a local road a few miles from home. After two days, and two hours worth of diagnostics, the mechanic told us the camshaft broke. And the repair bill ranges from $3000.00 up, depending on whether we want an old (~90K miles) engine or a newer one. With a blue book value of about $5000, and trade in value about $3500, we are not sure if it is worth getting repaired, particularly in view of other problems that other members reported.

Count me in on the camshaft class action suite!

14th Sep 2006, 08:49

Take your van to a good mechanic as soon as you can. The next time it stops, a broken camshaft may be the problem, JUST LIKE WHAT HAPPENED TO US a few days ago.

Comments from one of the members listed earlier here explained to me what happened to our 1997 Trans Sport: Failed lower intake manifold gasket sprayed coolant on to camshaft and bearing, effectively removing oil (lubricant) and causing seizure of the camshaft. If you wait long enough (DO NOT CRANK!) oil will seep back in and the engine runs again. If you try to restart immediately, the camshaft WILL break!

15th Sep 2006, 08:59

I purschased a Pontiac Transport with 60,000 KM after owning it for 3 months the camshaft split in half for no apparent reason. The engine oil level was fine. We contacted GM, but were not willing to do any thing about it.

16th Sep 2006, 15:10

2001 Pontiac Montana 3400 engine.

My first and last, horrible vehicle. Enough said.

25th Sep 2006, 10:44

We purchased our 2002 Pont. Montana new. We started having problems with it within the first year. First the ABS breaks went and we had to replace. Next the air condition broke and we had to replace. Just recently the ABS breaks went out again. We can't afford to replace again. The gas gauge is broken, so we keep track of mileage as to when to fill up. The biggest expense so far has been replacement of the intake manifold gasket - over $800.00. We didn't have heat because the car was leaking coolant. That was four months ago. Now, we once again, do not have heat and we were told the head gasket is leaking and we need to replace it. This could cost anywhere from $900 - $1500. We still have one year left of payments. Frankly, we can't afford to fix it right now. They put a sealant on the leak as a temporary fix. I wonder if this could last for at least through the winter. They couldn't tell me. Needless to say, I will never buy another GM! This vehicle has been a money pit!

28th Sep 2006, 04:20

Sorry to anyone who bought a Transport. We bought our 97 a few years ago from a dealer in town. 3 days after getting the van the van would not start. After 4 trips to the dealer and 2 new alternators later the van was great. We had a few minor problems, but nothing my husband could not fix. Then last summer while he was in Iraq, I was on the interstate doing 70 with 5 kids, the camshaft broke. When he got back home we took it into a machine shop who rebuilt the engine for 1800. Now the brake lights don't work, the radio lights on the steering wheel are out, and the cruise doesn't work. Find out that it is the turn signal switch (turn signals still work fine). So all of my electrical problems are from one switch. To replace that switch it is 250.00. I love the van, but not all the work that has gone into it.

21st Oct 2006, 20:25

I am trying to find a solution to a hard shifting problem on a 2000 Pontiac Montana. It too is intermittent. It seems like it is electrical and could be the Iginition Control Module per 2 other comments. Is this true?

Have 82,000 miles on it and it seems to be using a little bit of coolant, however it is not in the engine. It too uses a little oil.. Now I am concerned with the manifold gaskets causing the cam shaft to fail..

7th Nov 2006, 14:24

Glad/sad to see I'm not alone! I've got a 2000 Montana.

Just got done with major front end and brake overhaul ($1200), where the mechanic pointed out the manifold leak. The mechanic told me this problem was very common with this motor, but once fixed, it stays fixed.

Took it into another shop a month ago, they said water pump (belt was making noise too... so it could have been), but still leaking antifreeze pretty bad.

Now I'm biting on the gasket replacement. I haven't been told of contaminated oil or antifreeze... so I HOPE TO GOD I'm not up for imminent cam failure!

$4k for a new motor? I'm thinking $4k for a down payment on a Honda! (they were hard to come by, and commanded a premium back in 2000)

Most of my other complaints are same as been posted... ABS/trac light on.. blah blah.

Here's a new one though... anyone ever have the front fender interfere with the door (and hence creased the fender) because "the wind whipped the door open and bent the hinge"?

That happened about 1 month after the dealer repaired the very same fender after an accident. Coincidence or no? But they wouldn't budge on it. It was an insurance claim, so I couldn't dispute the charge, and the insurance company wouldn't step in because the dealer wasn't their recommendation.

A buddy of mine had a Trailblazer and had something similar happen... and was given the same "wind" story.