PontiacMontana V62006V6/pontiac/montana-v6/2006/v6/

2006 Pontiac Montana V6 — V6

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2006 Montana V6 V6.

Body PASSENGER CAREngine V6Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2006 Pontiac Montana V6 is a passenger‑car platform that pairs a naturally aspirated V6 engine with a 4‑speed automatic transmission, delivering EPA‑rated fuel economy of 15 mpg city, 21 mpg highway, and 17 mpg combined. Its most notable feature is the robust V6 powertrain that balances torque and drivability, while the automatic gearbox offers smooth shifting for everyday use. In terms of ownership experience, the model has amassed 1,909 owner complaints—primarily centered on steering issues—and received seven recalls, placing it toward the lower end of Pontiac’s reliability profile for that year, a factor that researchers should consider when assessing long‑term durability.

Model year20062005

Quick specs

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

Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy15/21/17 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 34 · 600 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731175. Note the factory cabin air filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 34 · 600 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP225-60R17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter12731175 alt 12731179
Engine air filter10354942
Spark plug12681662 alt 12681664
Battery88865491 alt 88866304
Front wiper blades15192144 alt 15192143
Serpentine belt12578274 alt 12571918
Thermostat12591881 alt 24507563
Cabin air filter10322538 discontinued

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length205.5 in
Overall width71.7 in
Overall height72 in
Wheelbase121.3 in
Curb weight4575 lb
Track (front / rear)62.6 / 63 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)56/44

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined15 / 21 / 17 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 DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 19.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-6-5-4-3-2. 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

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity7.4
Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity7.8
Brake FluidDOT 3
Power Steering FluidUSE GM PART NO. 89021184 OR EQUIVALENT

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts118 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine BoltsUpper: 18 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts12 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts15 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug19.0 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
Front Wheel Hub118 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub192 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-6-5-4-3-2
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Type41-101
Spark Plug Gap0.060 in
Spark Plug Torque11.0 ft-lbs
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Type41-100
Spark Plug Gap0.040 in

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Standard BCI Group Number34
Standard BCI Cranking Performance600 cca
Standard BCI Group Number34
Standard BCI Cranking Performance600 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature188-206 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)50-60
Injector Primary Resistance11-14 @ 50-95 degreesF ohms
Engine Compression100
Engine Compression100 Minimum psi

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket40 ft-lbs / 25 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle137 ft-lbs / 96 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.001 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.27 in / 0.472 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.27 in / 0.472 in
Rotor Minimum Machining1.223 in / 0.425 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
152 ft. lbs., step 2: 7252 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages
144 ft. lbs.44 ft. lbs
2140
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages
144 ft. lbs.44 ft. lbs
2140 degrees; Do not re-use old bolts.140 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 25,000 miExhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel System (inspect)
Every 50,000 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 2006 Pontiac Montana V6 dominate in one area — the steering, 987 of 1,909 reports (52%), well ahead of the next concern. That matters, because the steering are also the target of recall 14V-153 on this vehicle — so the single most useful check before buying or servicing one is confirming it was actually performed. 90 of the reports describe a crash and 11 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the steering 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
755
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
4
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
1,909
Owner complaints
90 involved a crash · 11 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 1,909 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Steering987
Exterior Lighting96
Fuel/Propulsion System65
Air Bags60
Electrical System51
Steering,Electrical System41
Power Train32
Service Brakes26

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 7 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

14V252000Electrical System:WiringReported 14/05/2014

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured May 16, 2003, through October 11, 2012, 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured June 25, 2003, through April… Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will attach the wiring harness to the BCM with a spacer, apply dielectric lubricant to both the BCM and harness connector and the BAS and…

14V153000Steering:Electric Power Assist SystemReported 31/03/2014

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2006 Malibu Maxx, 2009-2010 HHR (non-turbo), 2010 Cobalt, 2008-2009 Saturn Aura and 2004-2007 Ion, and 2005-2009… Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will perform one of four bulletins. Parts are not currently available. GM expects to send an interim notification around May 28, 2014. When…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 755 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PIP5601C2025-07-18Unknown Or OtherThis PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic…
PIT5074R2025-05-30Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIT5074R2025-05-30Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIT5074R2025-05-30Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIP5358D2025-02-19Unknown 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 V6. 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

Does the 2006 Montana V6 have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the V6 get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 21 highway / 17 combined mpg.