Your vehicle report

2002 Pontiac Montana

The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.

NHTSA data through October 2026View original NHTSA data Change vehicle

Your vehicle at a glance

Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.

Owner complaints
126
Received Aug 2001 to Aug 2017
Official recalls listed
3
Naming this model year; check your VIN for applicability
BrakeNews flagged problems
0
Statistical signals, not official defect findings or recalls

Owner reports

Most reported problems

  1. 1
    Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline13 complaints · 10% of this vehicle’s complaints
  2. 2
    Plastic intake manifold cracks and leaks coolant11 complaints · 8.7% of this vehicle’s complaints
  3. 3
    Rear door latch fails to open or close9 complaints · 7.1% of this vehicle’s complaints
See all reported problems

Official NHTSA records

Recalls to check

  • Recall #07V349000On certain vehicles, variations in the manufacturing process or exposure to high ambient temperatures may lead to fracture of the fuel tank inlet check valve (icv).
  • Recall #04V597000On 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.
View recall details

BrakeNews signals

Flagged complaint patterns

Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.

No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.

How flags are identified

Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 3 crashes, 1 fire, 6 people injured, 0 deaths.

Explore by system

Where do owners report problems?

Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.

Schematic car with five system shortcutsGeneric side view, with the front on the left. Numbered links explore engine, brakes, steering, electrical, and body complaints. Text controls below provide the same choices.12345FRONTSCHEMATIC VIEW

Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.

View selected problems

Showing all 17 listed problems by system.

Engine & powertrain

2 more problems

Brakes

Electrical & lights

Airbags, belts & seats

Steering, suspension & tires

Body, doors & glass

Driver assistance

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Other

Complaint history

When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.

Complaints received about the 2002 Pontiac Montana
26
Show as a table
YearComplaints
20011
200211
200313
200426
200515
200618
200711
20085
20095
20104
20114
20123
20134
20140
20151
20162
20173
20180
20190
20200
20210
20220
20230
20240
20250
2026 (to Oct 2026)0
Total126

Problems owners report

Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.

ProblemComplaintsShareShare ratioStatus
Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline1310%–NHTSA recall #07V349000
Plastic intake manifold cracks and leaks coolant118.7%–
Rear door latch fails to open or close97.1%–NHTSA recall #04V597000
Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up75.6%–
Brake lights fail or stay on75.6%–
Tires blow out or tread separates64.8%–
Transmission fails or loses power while driving64.8%–
Seat belt fails to latch or retract54.0%–
Fuel gauge reads erratically or incorrectly43.2%–
Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail32.4%–
Glass shatters or cracks without impact32.4%–
Airbags fail to deploy in crashes32.4%–
Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines32.4%–
Air conditioner blows hot air or fails32.4%–
Wheel bearings fail prematurely32.4%–
Head gasket leaks coolant into engine32.4%–
Tail light sockets melt and burn32.4%–

AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.

Recalls

  • NHTSA recall #07V349000August 8, 200720,594 vehicles affected

    fuel system, gasoline: storage

    On certain vehicles, variations in the manufacturing process or exposure to high ambient temperatures may lead to fracture of the fuel tank inlet check valve (icv).

    A fracture may allow fuel vapors to pass through and allow droplets of fuel to accumulate on the side of the fuel tank. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace the fuel tank. The recall will be mailed in two phases with the first phase beginning on december 4, 2007. The second phase will be mailed on december 13, 2007. Owners may contact Buick at 1-866-608-8080; Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438; or Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668. The vehicle population includes Buick rendezvous and Pontiac aztek vehicle built in may 2003; Chevrolet venture and Pontiac Montana vehicles built from june through august 2002; and all vehicles registered in nevada, arizona, virgin islands, puerto rico, and hawaii.

  • NHTSA recall #04V597000December 22, 2004717,302 vehicles affected

    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.

    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.

    Remedy

    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. Note: before the vehicle is serviced, gm advises owners to not use the interior door handle to open the door. The driver Can open and close the door from switches at the driver's position or by using the remote key fob. The driver should tell passengers to use the switch located in front of the door to open or close it. The driver should use the override switch to prevent operation of the power door by children or by others who are not familiar with its use. The owner notification letter mailing will be conducted in phases with the first phase beginning on may 31, 2005. The second phase mailing began on july 18, 2005. The recall began on may 31, 2005. Phase 2 began on july 18, 2005. Phase 3 (final phase) began on august 24, 2005, to all remaining customers. Owners should contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438; Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668; or Oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537.

  • NHTSA recall #02V222000August 9, 2002133,221 vehicles affected

    air bags: frontal

    Certain passenger, mini vans, and sport utility vehicles have an air bag inflator on the driver's side that could fracture at a weld during a deployment.

    Pieces of the inflator could strike and injure vehicle occupants and the air bag cushion would not inflate fully, reducing the capability of the bag to protect the driver.

    Remedy

    Dealers will inspect, and replace, if necessary, the air bag module assembly on the driver's side. Owner notification began august 15, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Buick at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, Gmc at 1-800-462-8782, Oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537, or Pontiac at 1-800-762-2737.

Other model years

About this data

NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2002 Pontiac Montana.

Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.

Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN