AI Damage2005 Pontiac Montana: common problems
Owners of the 2005 Pontiac Montana filed 81 complaints with NHTSA, most often about structure and latches, locks, linkages. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 81
- involving a crash
- 7
What fails most often
- 1 Structure 26% of all complaints
- 2 Latches, locks, linkages 23% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 21% of all complaints
- 4 Air bags 9% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 9% of all complaints
- 6 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
- 7 Engine 5% of all complaints
- 8 Seats 5% of all complaints
- Structure: 21 complaints (26% of all).
- Latches, locks, linkages: 19 complaints (23% of all).
- Electrical system: 17 complaints (21% of all).
- Air bags: 7 complaints (9% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 7 complaints (9% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.5 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: FWD, AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 81 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structure | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 7 | 3 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 7 | 4 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 3 | 1 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 pontiac montana. The contact stated that the ignition was turned to the on position and shifted into the park position. The contact exited the vehicle and left the vehicle unattended for four minutes. When the contact returned, the vehicle had crashed into a wall.
The contact was a passenger in the vehicle and stated that the seat belt did not restrain her and the passenger seat fractured. In addition, the air bags did not deploy. Both the driver and the contact sustained injuries to the upper part of the body and both were transported to the emergency room for observation.
The air bags did not deploy and there was damage to the hood, head lights, fender and passenger side door. The contact sustained a bruised eye and injuries to the lips. The passenger sustained a broken finger and wrist and the rear passenger sustained a puncture wound to the forehead.
The attached date is the latest of the failures. I already had a complaint submitted regarding a crash due to abs failure on december 31, 2005. Since the damage was fixed from the accident and the abs was supposedly fixed, we have had many more abs failures.
My daughter had un-buckled her seat belt because it had locked up, so I went to make a quick stop so I could buckle her back up. I stepped on the brakes moderately hard and the anti-locks activated for about 1 second, then suddenly the wheels completely locked up and the van went into an uncontrollable skid.
Bystanders stated that there was a grinding noise coming from the vehicle when this was happening. The contact stated she could not control the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a body shop, the body shop declared the vehicle was totaled.
I know there is a gas leak and I want others to be notified before my family or someone else's family catch fire and burn to death! If I have to run the heater then it takes power from the engine/transmission and I can only go 10mph. When I am in on on the highway the van will shut off.
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, nothing unordinary going on under the hood that could cause this. No signs of operator error so forth.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 4,047 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 11% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Montana has 88 complaints (12 years in the data). This year has 81, about average.
What to check before buying
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Latches, locks, linkages. Door, hood and tailgate latches, especially near the impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Pontiac Montana?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: structure, latches, locks, linkages, electrical system. Total complaints: 81. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: door locks, latches, handles (10%), warning lights, check engine (9%), windows, sunroof (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2005 Pontiac Montana?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2005 Pontiac Montana from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2005 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.