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#BS-1998-PONMON-1721

1998 Pontiac Montana

Based on reports from 62 owners and 3 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
62
Crashes
3
Fires
1
Recalls
3
TSBs
28
🟢

Preliminary Verdict

Proceed with Caution

Based on 62 complaints, 3 crashes, 1 fires, and 3 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

leaking coolant intake manifold gasket failure

4 complaints • Severity 9/10

$X,XXX
2

overheats

2 complaints • Severity 9/10

$X,XXX
3

low coolant light flashes

1 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the EngineHIGH

6 owners reported engine issues — failures commonly reported around 75K miles.

!Inspect the Structure:body:doorMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

4
0–30K
3
30–60K
6
60–90K
6
90–120K
1
120–150K
3
150K+

Peak failure range: 60–90K miles (6 reports) • Median: 75K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Engine (6 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Engine6 (10%)
Structure:body:door4 (6%)
Exterior Lighting:headlights4 (6%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:cooling System3 (5%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:manifold/header/muffler/tail Pipe3 (5%)
Air Bags:frontal2 (3%)
Electrical System:wiring:front Underhood2 (3%)
Wheels & Tires2 (3%)

1998 Pontiac Montana: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 10% of all reports filed for the 1998 Pontiac Montana, with 6 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 75,110 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 75K-mile mark.

Structure:body:door Issues

Structure:body:door complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 1998 Pontiac Montana, with 4 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to structure:body:door-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Exterior Lighting:headlights Issues

Exterior Lighting:headlights complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 1998 Pontiac Montana, with 4 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to exterior lighting:headlights-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Engine And Engine Cooling:cooling System Issues

Engine And Engine Cooling:cooling System complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 1998 Pontiac Montana, with 3 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine and engine cooling:cooling system-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

11
00
4
01
11
02
6
03
13
04
3
09
1
10
2
12
1
13
5
14

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1998 Pontiac Montana. Recent trend: increasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (3 recalls)

01V067000Apr 2001

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINIVANS EQUIPPED WITH PASSENGER SIDE POWER SLIDING DOORS. 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.

01V264000Oct 2001

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: 1997-2001 CHEVROLET VENTURE, PONTIAC MONTANA/TRANSPORT, AND OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH PASSENGER SIDE POWER SLIDING DOORS THAT WERE SERVICED IN CAMPAIGN 01013 (01V-067) FROM APRIL TO AUGUST 2001. 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.

04V597000May 2005

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

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.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Pontiac Montana is the 2001 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 62 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 3 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Pontiac Montana Model Years

200820072006200520042003200220012000199919981997
View all Pontiac Montana years →

1998 Pontiac Montana: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1998 Pontiac Montana?
The most commonly reported issue with the 1998 Pontiac Montana is related to the engine, with 6 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 1998 Pontiac Montana reliable?
The 1998 Pontiac Montana has 62 complaints, 3 crash reports, and 1 fire reports filed with NHTSA. The full report analyzes whether these numbers indicate real risk or are proportional to the vehicle’s popularity.
How much does it cost to fix 1998 Pontiac Montana problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 1998 Pontiac Montana have any recalls?
Yes, the 1998 Pontiac Montana has 3 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Pontiac Montana problems start?
Based on 23 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 75,110 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 60–90K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 62 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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