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2001 Pontiac Bonneville

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2001 Bonneville.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2001 Pontiac Bonneville is a passenger car paired with a 4-speed automatic transmission, lubricated by 4.5 quarts of 5W-30 API oil, and rated by the EPA at 17 city, 27 highway, and 20 combined mpg. Owner-reported reliability for this model year tallies 145 complaints and zero recalls, with steering emerging as the dominant problem area — a concentration that, while not severe enough to trigger a campaign, is the single most useful warning sign for a researcher to investigate. Plotted against the Bonneville's broader 1990–2005 complaint history, the 2001 sits well below the line's 1998 peak of 299, marking it as a comparatively settled year in a model whose main chronic issue is well-defined rather than pervasive.

Model year2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997

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 economy17/27/20 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 79 · 840 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731175. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 79 · 840 CCAOEM · verified

Tire sizeP225-60R16OEM · verified

Wheel / rim7-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	12731175 alt 25322835
Engine air filter	19259030
Fuel filter	25121293 discontinued
Spark plug	12681664
Front wiper blades	15214346
Serpentine belt	12588414 alt 19355282
Thermostat	24505924 alt 24506985
Cabin air filter	15811562

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	202.8 in
Overall width	74.4 in
Overall height	55.9 in
Wheelbase	112.2 in
Curb weight	3640 lb
Track (front / rear)	62.6 / 62.2 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	61/39

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	17 / 27 / 20 mpg
Drivetrain	Front-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume	104 cu ft
Cargo volume	18 cu ft
Recommended fuel	Regular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Bonneville of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

6.9–7.9 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 6.90 sec — 2004 GXP Sedan

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
2000	SSEi Sedan 3.8L Supercharger V6	7.50 sec	15.80 sec	240 hp	FWD
2000	SSEi Sedan 3.8L Supercharger V6	7.50 sec	15.80 sec	240 hp	FWD
2000	SSEi Sedan 3.8L Supercharger V6	7.90 sec	16.40 sec	240 hp	FWD
2004	GXP Sedan 4.6L V8	6.90 sec	15.40 sec	275 hp	FWD
2004	GXP Sedan 4.6L V8	7.80 sec	16.00 sec	275 hp	FWD

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. 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 Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.5 qt

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	Lower: 11 ft-lbs; Upper: 7.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	22 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts	7.4 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts	100 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	118 ft-lbs

Ignition

Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance	5,000-8,000 ohms
Spark Plug Manufacturer	AC Delco
Spark Plug Type	41-921
Spark Plug Gap	0.060 in
Spark Plug Torque	11.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	2.20 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46
Oil Capacity	9.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	79
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	840 cca
Optional BCI Group Number	79

Service checks

Pressure Test	15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	188-206 °F
Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum	54.0 psi
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)	48-54
RPM	38-51 @ Idle rpm
Injector Primary Resistance	11-14 na ohms
Engine Compression	100

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket	137 ft-lbs / 20 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	100 ft-lbs / 94 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.001 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	1.267 in / 0.433 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To	1.267 in / 0.433 in
Rotor Minimum Machining	1.224 in / 0.404 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

110 ft. lbs., step 2: 76

110 ft. lbs

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages

1	37 ft. lbs.	37 ft. lbs
2	120 degrees.	120 degrees

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages

1	37 ft. lbs.	37 ft. lbs
2	120 degrees.	120 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 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 mi	Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 mi	Cabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Supercharger Assembly (inspect fluid level)
Every 60,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 100,000 mi	Spark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)
At 150,000 mi	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.

The 2001 Bonneville sits near the peak of the generation’s Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) activity, with 392 TSBs—well above the 283 reported in 2000 and far exceeding the 28‑44 TSBs of the early‑1990s. Complaints dropped to 145 in 2001 after a high of 299 in 1998 and 226 in 2000, indicating a modest improvement in owner‑reported issues. Recall activity reached a low point in 2001 with zero recalls, sandwiched between 2 recalls in 2000 and 2 in 2002, suggesting no major safety‑related defects were identified for that model year. However, the year still generated 20 fire‑related complaints and 6 crash‑related complaints, and the top problem areas remained steering (25 reports), engine cooling (17) and power‑train (12). Compared with surrounding years, 2001 shows fewer complaints and no recalls but the highest TSB count, implying many non‑safety fixes were required. **Takeaway:** While the lack of recalls is encouraging, the heavy TSB load and persistent fire‑related complaints suggest caution; 2001 is not the strongest year to buy without a thorough inspection.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

392

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

145

Owner complaints

6 involved a crash · 20 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00’01’02 ’03 ’04 ’05

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 145 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Steering25

Engine & Engine Cooling17

Power Train12

Electrical System10

Visibility10

Air Bags9

Engine6

Fuel System, Gasoline6

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 392 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
PIP5601C	2025-07-18	Unknown Or Other	This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic…
23-NA-001	2025-03-28	Electrical System	This service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on OnStar Module 2G…
PIP5358D	2025-02-19	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIP4723J	2024-10-25	Electrical System	This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
PIT5099H	2024-09-12	Unknown Or Other	This 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 Bonneville. 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.

Group 79 battery Vehicles taking 4.5 qt Engine oil filter 12731175 Engine air filter 19259030 Fuel filter 25121293 Spark plug 12681664

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2001 Bonneville take?

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

Does the 2001 Bonneville have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Bonneville get?

EPA figures are 17 city / 27 highway / 20 combined mpg.