Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 1998 Pontiac Bonneville
NHTSA data on file today
The 1998 Pontiac Bonneville has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 276 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #09E012000 FMVSS 108/AFTERMARKET COMBINATION LAMPS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #04V090000 GM/FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Engine and Engine Cooling 193 complaints
- Fuel System, Gasoline 33 complaints
- Electrical System 27 complaints
- Power Train 13 complaints
- Unknown or Other 8 complaints
- Vehicle Speed Control 8 complaints
Of the 276 complaints on file, 9 report a crash and 28 a fire; across all 276 complaints, owners report 7 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Poor
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $5,000–$12,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 1998 Pontiac Bonneville has significant reliability issues related to the engine and fuel system, with frequent complaints and a significant recall. These issues contribute to high repair costs over time.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 80,000–120,000 miles | $1,500–$2,500 | very common |
| Fuel pressure regulator | 70,000–100,000 miles | $200–$600 | common |
| Electrical system | 60,000–90,000 miles | $100–$500 | common |
| Transmission | 100,000–150,000 miles | $1,800–$3,500 | occasional |
| Brake pads and rotors | 50,000–70,000 miles | $300–$600 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter changes every 5,000 miles
- Brake fluid replacement every 2 years
- Transmission fluid flush every 30,000 miles
- Coolant replacement every 5 years
- Fuel system cleaning every 30,000 miles
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Engine misfiring or rough idle
- Strong gasoline smell from engine bay
- Frequent stalling or hesitation
- Unusual electrical issues
- Loss of acceleration or power
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 1998 Pontiac Bonneville at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.