2005 Pontiac Montana Recalls, Complaints & Specs
5 safety recalls list the 2005 Pontiac Montana, and owners have filed 81 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
5 safety recalls for the 2005 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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Suspension: rear
The braun corporation has notified NHTSA about a defect in certain model year 2005-2008 general motors mobility conversion, handicapped accessible low floor minivans. During conversion, the driver or passenger side trailing arm modification may not have been adequately welded.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and will have a supply of retrofit parts available to remedy the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall began on june 4, 2010. Owners may contact braun at 1-800-488-0359.
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Air bags: frontal
Certain vehicles originally built with cloth seats that were equipped with an automatic air bag passenger sensing system and later reupholstered with aftermarket leather seat cover kits are involved. Testing has indicated that the aftermarket leather seat covers can cause the passenger sensing system to malfunction.
Remedy: Because a replacement leather seat cover that is compatible with the passenger sensing system is not available, general motors (GM) will repurchase these vehicles in accordance with the terms stated in GM's letter to…
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Parking brake
Certain sport utility vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 135, 'passenger car brake systems.' to meet the standard, the vehicle must not move for five minutes when stopped on a steep hill with the parking brake applied and the vehicle in neutral (n). Some of these vehicles failed…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect for parking brake lever slippage at each rear brake caliper and replace the caliper if lever slippage is identified. The recall began on november 14, 2005. Owners may contact buick at…
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Mid/rear assembly (seats)
On certain minivans, the outboard release handle on the impact-side second-row bucket seat may be actuated and the rear latches may unlatch early in a side impact crash. This was discovered in a side impact test run by GM, under conditions similar to NHTSA's new car assessment program (ncap) side impact test.
Remedy: Dealers will remove the seat latch release handle and install a black plastic cap over the exposed metal stud to eliminate the side impact safety concern free of charge. The recall began on april 5, 2005. Owners may…
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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…
81 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2005 Pontiac Montana have filed 81 complaints with NHTSA; 7 describe a crash and 3 describe a fire. Reports cite 16 injuries and 1 death. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 48,226 miles. Complaints peaked in 2006 with 17 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“When I start the engine & try to put in another it it nearly impossible. With engine on, it smells of gasoline! I'm afraid I will die from the fumes. Transmission only goes up to 20 mph. I know there”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, April 19, 2023 · Fuel/propulsion system
“Vehicle has been properly maintained under hood components for years. One day i started it up and was smoking heavily. No evidence has been shown to be a failure to maintain. No loose or bare wires, n”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, April 8, 2020 · Engine
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2005 Pontiac Montana (Montana SVX AWD, Montana SVX FWD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 17–18 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 15–16 / 21–23 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Minivan - 2WD, Minivan - 4WD |
| Engine | 6 cyl, 3.5 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 2005 Pontiac Montana
How do I know if my 2005 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 2005 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 04V597000).
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.