YearToAvoid

2006 Pontiac Montana Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

67/100

#2 most-complained of 4 Montana years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2006 Pontiac Montana has 37 owner complaints and 2 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 67 out of 100 — #2 highest of 4 Montana model years (verdict: Caution). The most reported problem area is electrical system (9 complaints, 24% of the total). Complaints report 2 crashes and 3 injuries.

Complaints
37
Recalls
2
Crashes / fires
2 / 0
Injuries / deaths
3 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
19
16 city / 23 hwy

Top 2006 Pontiac Montana problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Electrical System9 (24%)
  2. Suspension, Wheels & Tires9 (24%)
  3. Brakes7 (19%)
  4. Engine7 (19%)
  5. Structure & Body6 (16%)
  6. Fuel System4 (11%)
  7. Transmission & Powertrain4 (11%)
  8. Steering3 (8%)
  9. Airbags1 (3%)
  10. Other1 (3%)
2006 Pontiac Montana complaints: complaints filed per month6Aug 2006Nov 2007Oct 2008Jul 2010Oct 2011Oct 2013Jul 2015Feb 2019
53 complaints filed with NHTSA from Aug 2006 to Oct 2020; peak Jul 2015 (6).

2006 Pontiac Montana recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 10V110000Mar 19, 2010Suspension, Wheels & Tires5,375 vehicles

    Suspension:rear

    The braun corporation has notified NHTSA about a defect in certain model year 2005-2008 general motors mobility conversion, handicapped accessible low floor minivans. During conversion, the driver or passenger side trailing arm modification may not have been adequately welded.

    Risk: A squeaking or clunking noise may develop. The trailing arm bushings may prematurely wear and the trailing arm may fracture or separate, allowing the rear axle to become partially separated from the chassis increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and will have a supply of retrofit parts available to remedy the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall began on june 4, 2010. Owners may contact braun at 1-800-488-0359.

  2. NHTSA 05V552000Dec 7, 2005Other32,068 vehicles

    Equipment:other:labels

    Certain trucks and sport utility vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were shipped with tire and loading information labels listing an inacccurate vehicle capacity weight.

    Risk: A misprinted label could lead to improper vehicle loading specifications or tire inflation which could result in a tire failure, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Owners will be provided with corrected labels and installation instructions. At the customer's option, a dealer can install the label for them. The recall began on march 31, 2006. Owners may contact buick at 1-866-608-8080, cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, gmc at 1-866-996-9463, hummer at 1-800-732-5493, pontiac at 1-800-620-7668, saturn at 1-800-972-8876, or isuzu at 1-800-255-6727.

2006 Pontiac Montana fuel economy and fuel cost

City
16 MPG
Highway
23 MPG
Combined
19 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,400
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2006 compared with other Montana years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002005200620072008
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2005Avoid10081517.5
2006Caution6737219
2007No verdict001—
2008No verdict3311—

All Pontiac Montana years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2006 Pontiac Montana a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2006 Pontiac Montana ranks #2 of 4 among Montana model years (Complaint Index 67/100, verdict: Caution). It has 37 complaints and 2 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Pontiac Montana?
The most reported problem areas are electrical system (9 complaints), suspension, wheels & tires (9 complaints), and brakes (7 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 81,102 miles.
Does the 2006 Pontiac Montana have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2006 Pontiac Montana, most recently reported 2010, covering suspension, wheels & tires and other.
What is the fuel economy of the 2006 Pontiac Montana?
EPA rates the 2006 Pontiac Montana at 19 MPG combined (16 city / 23 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,400. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.