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Pontiac Montana Latches/locks/linkages Doors Latch Safety Report | May 15, 2007



Reported on May 15, 2007


I HAVE A 2004 PONTIAC MONTANA VAN WITH A PASSENGER SIDE POWER SLIDING DOOR. MY GRANDSON PUSHED THE POWER BUTTON WHILE I WAS IN THE DOORWAY AND THE DOOR SQUASHED ME PRETTY HARD, NO BRUISES OR INJURIES THOUGH. IT CONCERNED ME BECAUSE I HAVE YOUNG GRANDCHILDREN. I PLAYED WITH THE DOOR TO SEE HOW MUCH FORCE IT TAKES TO STOP IT WITH MY HAND. I HAD TO PUSH HARD AND IT PUSHED ME BACKWARDS A WAYS BEFORE I COULD STOP IT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPROGRAMMED THE DOOR, WHICH DID NOTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE NEXT DAY AFTER READING THE MANUAL THAT SAID IT TAKES MORE FORCE TO STOP IT THE MORE CLOSED THE DOOR IS, I PLAYED WITH IT SOME MORE BUT THIS TIME I COULDN'T REVERSE THE DOOR AT ALL WITH MY HAND PUSHING AGAINST IT WITH ALL MY WEIGHT, STARTING WHEN THE DOOR WAS FULLY OPEN. I THEN STUCK A PENCIL IN THE OPENING, WHICH THE DAY BEFORE WAS ABLE TO REVERSE THE DOOR THOUGH IT DID PUT A GOOD DENT IN THE WOOD. THIS TIME IT SNAPPED THE PENCIL IN TWO AND HALF WAS COMPLETELY SHUT INTO THE DOOR. I SHUDDER TO THINK WHAT THIS WOULD DO TO MY LITTLE 18 MONTH OLD GRANDDAUGHTHER'S FINGERS. THE SERVICE CENTER WAS VERY NICE BUT THEIR HANDS ARE TIED BECAUSE SUPPOSEDLY, THIS IS HOW THIS DOOR WORKS. THE SERVICE CENTER TRIED OTHER DOORS OF THE SAME MODEL AS MINE AND THEY ALL WORKED LIKE MINE. I EXPERIMENTED WITH A FRIEND'S HONDA ODYSSEY POWER DOOR AND IT STOPPED MUCH EASIER. THIS IS NOT SAFE! I DISABLED THE DOOR WITH THE OVERHEAD BUTTON FOR THE SAKE OF MY GRANDCHILDREN SO BASICALLY I PAID FOR A FEATURE THAT I DON'T DARE USE.
Make: Pontiac
Model: Montana
Manufactured by: GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Year: 2004
Was a crash reported? N
Was an injury reported? 0 person(s) were injured.
Was a death reported? 0 person(s) died.
Was a fire reported? N
Location: DIMONDALE MI
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): 1GMDX03E54D
Mileage: 42221 miles.
Speed: 0 MPH
Number of cylinders:
Vehicle type: FWD
Vehicle fuel: GAS Fuel injection.
Was a police report filed? N
Tire size:
Dealer name and location: SAWYER PONTIAC EAST LANSING MI 48823
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