PontiacMontana EXT2003Overview/pontiac/montana-ext/2003/base/

2003 Pontiac Montana EXT

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2003 Montana EXT.

Body VANTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2003 Pontiac Montana EXT is a van backed by a four-speed automatic transmission and an engine requiring 4.5 quarts of 5W-30 API oil, delivering EPA-rated fuel economy of 16 city, 22 highway, and 18 combined mpg. Owner-reported data tallies 97 complaints, with the gasoline fuel system ranking as the top problem area, alongside seven recalls for the model year. Those figures place this EXT among the more complaint-prone iterations of the Montana lineup, suggesting that fuel-system integrity and recall completion deserve priority attention during any pre-purchase inspection.

Model year200420032002200120001999

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy16/22/18 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 78 · 600 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731175. Note the factory front wiper blades and cabin air filter are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 78 · 600 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP225-60R16OEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter12731175 alt 25322835
Engine air filter19166106
Fuel filter10290491 alt 10333072
Spark plug12681664
Front wiper blades10329207 discontinued · alt 10329206
Serpentine belt12576454 alt 12588408
Thermostat24507563 alt 10226107
Cabin air filter10322538 discontinued

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length201.2 in
Overall width72.8 in
Overall height68.1 in
Wheelbase120.1 in
Curb weight3942 lb
Track (front / rear)61.4 / 63.4 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)58/42

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined16 / 22 / 18 mpg
Drivetrain4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine BoltsUpper: 18 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts12 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts7.4 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug24.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug21.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap0.060 in
Spark Plug Torque11.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Standard BCI Group Number78
Standard BCI Cranking Performance600 cca

Service checks

Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)52-59
Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum59.0 psi
RPM42-56 @ Idle rpm
Injector Primary Resistance11-14 na ohms
Engine Compression100
Engine Compression100 Minimum psi
Engine Oil Pressure60 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM1850 rpm

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC
Torque Caliper to Bracket32 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle92 ft-lbs
Brake ApplicationWITH STANDARD
Torque to Knuckle137 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket40 ft-lbs
Brake ApplicationWITH STANDARD
Torque to Knuckle137 ft-lbs

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages
144 ft. lbs.44 ft. lbs
295 degrees.95 degrees

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miTire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 100,000 miSpark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)
At 150,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 2003 Pontiac Montana EXT top in one area — the fuel system, gasoline, 12 of 97 reports (12%), well ahead of the next concern. That matters, because the fuel system, gasoline are also the target of recall 07V-349 on this vehicle — so the single most useful check before buying or servicing one is confirming it was actually performed. 9 of the reports describe a crash and 2 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the fuel system, gasoline pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

7
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
470
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
97
Owner complaints
9 involved a crash · 2 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 97 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Fuel System, Gasoline12
Engine & Engine Cooling12
Air Bags8
Exterior Lighting7
Electrical System7
Structure4
Electrical System,Exterior Lighting3
Visibility3

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 7 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

09E005000SteeringReported 17/02/2009

DORMAN IS RECALLING 979 STEERING KNUCKLES, DORMAN P/NOS. 697-902 AND 697-903, SOLD UNDER DORMAN'S "OE SOLUTIONS<SUP>TM</SUP>" BRAND NAME, AND NAPA P/NOS. 7-8502 AND 7-8503 WHICH WERE SOLD FOR REPLACEMENT USE ON THE… Remedy: DORMAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE STEERING KNUCKLES FREE OF CHARGE AND REIMBURSE THE REPAIR FACILITY OR OWNER FOR LABOR. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 23, 2009…

07V349000Fuel System, Gasoline:StorageReported 08/08/2007

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…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 470 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PIP5601C2025-07-18Unknown Or OtherThis PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic…
PIP5358D2025-02-19Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIP4723J2024-10-25Electrical SystemThis Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
PIT5099H2024-09-12Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIT5099H2024-09-12Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Montana EXT. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2003 Montana EXT take?

4.5 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2003 Montana EXT have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 7 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Montana EXT get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 22 highway / 18 combined mpg.