1998 Pontiac Montana: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 1998 Pontiac Montana: 3 recalls, 49 owner complaints.
Recalls
3 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Latches & locks Vehicle recall #01V067000 · 2001 · 477,011 vehicles
What's wrong: The door closes but May not be latched. If this happens, the power sliding door can open while the vehicle is in motion, particularly when the vehicle ascends a hill, makes a turn, or travels over a rough road surface.
Why it matters: An unrestrained occupant could fall out of the van and be injured.
The fix: Dealers will install a new un-latch actuator assembly to the power sliding door. This recall has been continued under safety recall 01v-264.
Latches & locks Vehicle recall #01V264000 · 2001 · 248,737 vehicles
What's wrong: Also 2001 Chevrolet venture, Pontiac montana, and Oldsmobile silhouette MINI vans equipped with passenger side power sliding doors assembled in January through April 2001. These vehicles have inadequate front welds. If a front weld fails, the actuator can jam in the unlatched position and, when the sliding door closes, it will not be latched.
Why it matters: If this happens, the power sliding door can open while the vehicle is in motion, particularly when the vehicle ascends a hill, makes a turn, or travels over a rough road surface. An unrestrained occupant could fall out of the van and be injured.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and, if required, install a new power sliding door unlatch actuator assembly. Owner notification began on October 22, 2001.
Latches & locks Vehicle recall #04V597000 · 2004 · 717,302 vehicles
What's wrong: 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.
Why it matters: 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.
The 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.
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 1 mention a fire, 2 injuries and 0 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Engine & cooling (13): the most common themes are leaks (6), stalls / loses power (4).
- Body & structure (5): the most common themes are door / lock issues (5).
- Electrical (5): no single recurring theme in the descriptions.
- Visibility (wipers, glass) (4): no single recurring theme in the descriptions.
The 1998 Pontiac Montana has 49 owner complaints, ranking #7 of 12 Montana model years for complaints (well below the 88 average). Complaints peaked in 2002 (11 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 4 years old, at a median of 75,055 miles. Neighboring years: 1997 (18 complaints, 1 recalls), 1999 (235 complaints, 5 recalls).
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 1998 Pontiac Montana.
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FAQ
Does the 1998 Pontiac Montana have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 3 vehicle recalls for the 1998 Pontiac Montana. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 1998 Pontiac Montana problems?
Owners have filed 49 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are engine & cooling (13), body & structure (5), electrical (5).
Where can I get a 1998 Pontiac Montana repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.