2003 Pontiac Montana Recalls, Complaints & Specs
5 safety recalls list the 2003 Pontiac Montana, and owners have filed 84 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
5 safety recalls for the 2003 Pontiac Montana
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Storage (fuel system)
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).
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…
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Latch (latches/locks/linkages)
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.
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…
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Owners/service/other manual (equipment)
Certain minivans, passenger and sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 225, "child restraint anchorage system." the owner's manual does not explain the meaning of the location symbols for the child restraint lower universal anchorage system.
Remedy: Owners will be provided with a supplement for their owner's manual. This supplement describes and shows the location symbols for the child restraint anchors that are located in the vehicle and on the child restraint or…
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Inflator module (air bags)
On certain MINI vans, passenger and sport utility vehicles, some of these vehicles have a driver's side air bag that may not deploy as designed. In addition, the air bag inflator could rupture.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, install a new driver's air bag. Owner notification began on march 11, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not…
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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.
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…
84 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2003 Pontiac Montana have filed 84 complaints with NHTSA; 8 describe a crash and 1 describe a fire. Reports cite 20 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 63,639 miles. Complaints peaked in 2004 with 13 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Van crashed with damage to the front when it ran off the road and went into a culvert/ditch and air bags did not deploy resulting in paralyzation of the wife of the owner after van had been apparently”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, May 20, 2022 · Air bags
“I was in a accident and hit a truck broadside. I ended up hitting the steering wheel with my chest. Not only was my seatbelt ineffective, but the AIRBAG did not open. I did sustain chest injury. Iran”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, November 11, 2018 · Air bags
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2003 Pontiac Montana (Montana AWD, Montana FWD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 18–20 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 16–17 / 22–24 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Minivan - 2WD, Minivan - 4WD |
| Engine | 6 cyl, 3.4 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 4-spd |
Compare Pontiac Montana model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Pontiac Montana model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 Pontiac Montana | 1 | 18 |
| 1998 Pontiac Montana | 3 | 49 |
| 1999 Pontiac Montana | 5 | 235 |
| 2000 Pontiac Montana | 5 | 228 |
| 2001 Pontiac Montana | 9 | 156 |
| 2002 Pontiac Montana | 3 | 126 |
| 2003 Pontiac Montana | 5 | 84 |
| 2004 Pontiac Montana | 3 | 39 |
| 2005 Pontiac Montana | 5 | 81 |
| 2006 Pontiac Montana | 2 | 37 |
| 2007 Pontiac Montana | 1 | 0 |
| 2008 Pontiac Montana | 1 | 1 |
Checking a specific 2003 Pontiac Montana
How do I know if my 2003 Pontiac Montana has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 5 campaigns currently list the 2003 Pontiac Montana; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Pontiac dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 02V222000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Pontiac models
- G65,889 complaints
- Grand AM5,580 complaints
- Grand Prix5,426 complaints
- Bonneville1,979 complaints
- Vibe1,865 complaints
- Sunfire1,144 complaints
- Trans Sport973 complaints
- Solstice728 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.