The 2000 Pontiac Montana has no open NHTSA recalls. Owners report 8 recurring issue clusters, led by “Intake manifold gasket coolant leak.” Every Pontiac is now 15+ years old, which changes the maintenance question from 'what mileage?' to 'how old is it?' — hoses, belts, coolant, and brake fluid age out even on low-mile cars. The G6 uses GM's Oil Life System (change oil when the message appears, at most every 12 months) with Dex-Cool coolant and either the 2.4L Ecotec four or the 3.5/3.9L pushrod V6. Parts remain cheap and plentiful through GM's shared platforms — these cars are inexpensive to keep healthy if the age-based items aren't ignored.
No open recalls on file. NHTSA lists no unrepaired safety recalls for this year, make and model. A recall can be issued at any time, and a specific car can still have one open — check yours by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2000 Pontiac Montana.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
44 NHTSA complaints · 2002-12 → 2011-01
“MY 2000 PONTIAC MONTANA HAS COOLANT LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE THROUGH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. I NOTICED THE PROBLEM TODAY WHEN I CHANGED THE OIL”
“MY 2000 PONTIAC MONTANA WITH A 3.4 LITRE ENGINE WAS LEAKING FLUID ON THE GARAGE FLOOR. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND THE TECHNICIAN SAID THAT THE INTAKE GASKET WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM”
“LOWER INTAKE MANAFOLD LEAKING COOLANT INTO ENGIN OIL”
STRUCTURE
14 NHTSA complaints · 2001-09 → 2008-04
“SLIDING DOOR DID NOT STOP FROM CLOSING, CAUSING THE CHILD'S LEFT RING FINGER TO BE CUT OFF”
“POWER SLIDING DOOR WILL NOT LATCH - OPENS WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION”
“AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOOR HAS SENSOR THAT FAILED TO RESPOND IF OCCUPANT WAS NOT CLEAR OF CLOSING”
POWER TRAIN
7 NHTSA complaints · 2003-01 → 2008-04
“HIGH PITCHED WHINE, THEN TRANSMISSION FAILURE”
“THE TRANSMISSION SUN GEAR WENT OUT. THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT”
“THE TRANSMISSION AND THE VEHICLE LOST COMPLETE POWER. THE DEALER STATED THE SECOND CLUTCH DRUM WAS CRACKED WHICH CAUSED THE PROBLEM IN THE TRANSMISSION”
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
5 NHTSA complaints · 2001-12 → 2005-08
“NOW AT 55000 MILE THE VAN SUDDENLY STALLED DRIVING AT 65 MILES AN HOUR MAKING STEERING AND BRAKING DIFFICULT. DEALERSHIP FOUND FUEL PUMP OUT”
“VEHICLES STALLED AT ANY SPEED WITHOUT WARNING. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND DEALER SAID THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL PUMP”
“THEN HAD TO HAVE THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. ALL OF THE PROBLEM STARTED THE SAME WAY -STALL WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND WOULD NOT RESTART”
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
6 NHTSA complaints · 2002-06 → 2011-04
“THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER DRIVING AND PARKING THE VEHICLE FOR 10 MINUTES SHE NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE DASHBOARD”
“ON MARCH 12,2007 IT BUSTED INTO FLAMES BETWEEN THE BATTERY AND FUSE BOX”
“CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR VENTS. DEALER DETERMINED THE REAR WIRING HARNESS HAD MELTED, CAUSED BY WATER INTRUSION IN REAR QUARTER PANEL”
AIR BAGS
6 NHTSA complaints · 2002-05 → 2015-12
“AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON EVERY FEW MILES”
“AIRBAG LIGHT COMING ON. REPLACE SENSOR AND IT GOES OFF. THEN ABOUT 3MONTHS LATER IT COMES BACK ON”
“AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. THIS INDICATES THAT AIR BAGS WILL BE INOPERATIVE IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT”
AIR BAGS
8 NHTSA complaints · 2003-10 → 2011-06
“THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY WITH THE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT”
“DRIVING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION AND WAS BROADSIDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY”
“WENT ACROSS LANE, HIT AT MODERATE SPEED A HYDRO POLE SEVERED AND MOVED 4 FEET BY IMPACT. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY”
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
5 NHTSA complaints · 2004-01 → 2012-05
“WHEN I STARTED THE CAR THIS MORNING AND STEPPED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, IT WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. UPON INSPECTION, THERE WAS A PUDDLE OF BRAKE FLUID ON THE DRIVEWAY UNDER THE PASSENGER DOOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE”
“SEVERE CORROSION OF BRAKE LINES. THERE IS A SHORT SECTION OF THE REAR BRAKE LINES JUST FORWARD OF THE REAR CONTROL ARM THAT RUSTS OUT”
“ON JUNE 17, 2003 WHILE DRIVING NEAR MY HOME MY BRAKES FAILED, TOTALLY, I HAD TO APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO AVOID BOTH MY HUSBAND AND I FROM GOING INTO THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION”
Issues on other model years
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 20, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 20, 2026.
We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.
Critical for safety and preventing major damage
Change when the Oil Life System calls it, and at least every 12 months. On engines this age, many mechanics suggest a practical 5,000-mile ceiling — aging seals and PCV systems contaminate oil faster.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$120–$160
Shop
~$85–$115
DIY
~$25–$55
Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.
Rotate every 7,500 miles. Check tire date codes too — sidewall age (6+ years) retires tires on old cars before tread wear does.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.
Inspect pads, rotors, and especially brake hoses and hard lines at every service — line corrosion is a real failure mode on 15-year-old northern cars.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.
Replace every 2 years. Decade-old fluid is the hidden cause of soft pedals and seized calipers on aging GM sedans.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$180–$200
Shop
~$125–$140
DIY
~$10–$25
DOT 3 or 4 — match the cap. Vacuum bleeders make this a one-person DIY.
Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently
Drain-and-fill every 45,000 miles with Dexron VI. On high-mile units that have never been serviced, prefer repeated drain-and-fills over a pressure flush.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$330–$500
Shop
~$235–$355
DIY
~$60–$180
Some sealed transmissions have no dipstick — fill is precise and best left to a shop. Many drivers can still DIY drain-and-fill.
Iridium plugs at 100,000 miles on the G6's engines. Replace wires/boots on the pushrod V6 at the same time — they're brittle at this age.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$390
Shop
~$200–$275
DIY
~$25–$100
Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.
At this age, replace the belt AND tensioner as a pair on any evidence of cracking or noise — a weak tensioner eats new belts.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$195–$235
Shop
~$135–$165
DIY
~$20–$50
DIY-friendly if you can reach the tensioner. Inspect for cracks rather than swap on a strict mileage interval.
Replace every 30,000 miles — a cheap, 5-minute job on the G6.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.
Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort
Dex-Cool is rated 5 years / 150,000 miles — but on cars this old the interval is effectively 'every 5 years.' Check for intake and water-pump seepage while it's drained; use Dex-Cool only, never mixed with green coolant.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$330
Shop
~$200–$235
DIY
~$25–$60
Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.
Test the battery and alternator annually. Parasitic drains from aging body modules are common on this era of GM — a healthy battery masks them until it doesn't.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$225–$390
Shop
~$160–$280
DIY
~$130–$250
Most auto-parts stores test and install batteries free with purchase. Skip the dealer markup.
Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.
How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.
This maintenance schedule for the 2000 Pontiac Montana reflects Pontiac's published service intervals and the GM Oil Life System system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.