PontiacMontana1999Overview/pontiac/montana/1999/base/

1999 Pontiac Montana

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1999 Montana.

Body VANTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1999 Pontiac Montana, a VAN built on a straightforward platform, comes equipped with a 4.5‑qt oil capacity using 5W‑30 API oil and an automatic 4‑speed transmission, delivering EPA fuel economy ratings of 16 city, 23 highway and 18 combined mpg. Its mechanical layout is complemented by a record of seven recalls and 262 total owner complaints, with engine and engine cooling emerging as the most frequently cited problem area. Within the model’s complaint history from 1997 to 2008, the 1999 model year stands as the peak of reported issues, a level that drops to just one complaint by 2008, reflecting a clear shift toward improved reliability in later years.

Model year20092005200420032002200120001999

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 economy16/23/18 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 Note the factory front wiper blades, serpentine belt and cabin air filter are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 sizeP215-70R15OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6-J inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter12731175
Engine air filter19166106
Fuel filter10290491
Spark plug19301813
Front wiper blades10329207 discontinued · alt 10329206
Serpentine belt19172683 discontinued
Thermostat24507563 alt 10226107
Cabin air filter19238408 discontinued

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined16 / 23 / 18 mpg
DrivetrainFront-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

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance5000-7000 ohms
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap0.060 in
Spark Plug Torque11.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity8.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number78
Standard BCI Cranking Performance600 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test20 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature188-206 °F
Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum47.0 psi
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)40-47
RPM31-44 @ Idle rpm
Injector Primary Resistance11.4-12.6 na ohms
Engine Compression100

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Torque Caliper to Bracket33 ft-lbs / 63 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle92 ft-lbs / 137 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.001 in / 0.0005 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.003 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.433 in / 1.27 in

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 engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant every 7,500 mi. The big-interval services (every 7,500 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 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate)
Every 15,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect)
Every 100,000 miSpark Plug Wires (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

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

The 1999 Pontiac Montana sits at the peak of a sharp spike in federal complaints, with 262 complaints and 7 recalls, compared to 18 complaints in 1997 and 53 in 1998, and only 250 complaints in 2000. The recall count rises from 1 in 1997 to a high of 11 in 2001, then declines to 2 by 2006, indicating a volatile but improving trend after 1999. Engine and engine cooling issues dominate the 1999 complaint profile, accounting for 80 of the 262 complaints, followed by airbags (21), power train (19), and structure (17). Crash complaints total 17 and fire complaints are low at 2, but the overall volume suggests many unresolved problems during that model year. Given the sharp peak in complaints and recalls, 1999 is a less attractive year to buy a used Montana; a later model with fewer complaints would be a safer choice.

7
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
86
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
7
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
262
Owner complaints
17 involved a crash · 2 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 262 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling80
Air Bags21
Power Train19
Structure17
Service Brakes, Hydraulic17
Latches/Locks/Linkages10
Visibility10
Electrical System9

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…

01V264000Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:LatchReported 21/08/2001

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: 1997-2001 CHEVROLET VENTURE, PONTIAC MONTANA/TRANSPORT, AND OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH PASSENGER SIDE POWER SLIDING DOORS THAT WERE SERVICED IN CAMPAIGN 01013 (01V-067) FROM APRIL… Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF REQUIRED, INSTALL A NEW POWER SLIDING DOOR UNLATCH ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON OCTOBER 22, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 86 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
17-NA-0732023-02-21EquipmentThis warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action…
PIP4723F2022-01-14Service Brakes, HydraulicThis Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
PIP4723D2020-01-31Electrical SystemThis Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
PIC4696E2019-11-22EquipmentThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
17NA0732019-09-18EquipmentThis warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action…

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

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VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Montana. 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 1999 Montana take?

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

Does the 1999 Montana 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 get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 23 highway / 18 combined mpg.