PontiacMontana V6 AWD2005V6/pontiac/montana-v6-awd/2005/v6/

2005 Pontiac Montana V6 AWD — V6

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2005 Montana V6 AWD V6.

Body PASSENGER CAREngine V6Transmission Automatic (S4)

The 2005 Pontiac Montana V6 AWD is a passenger‑car platform powered by a V6 engine that requires 4.5 quarts of 5W‑30 API‑rated oil and is paired with an S4 automatic transmission. It delivers EPA‑rated fuel economy of 19 city/26 highway/21 combined mpg, a modest figure that reflects its all‑wheel‑drive layout. With 679 total owner complaints, the most frequent issue being steering, and six recalls, this model year sits at the lower end of the Montana’s reliability history, indicating a need for attentive maintenance but not an outright failure of the platform.

Model year20062005

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 economy19/26/21 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 Note the factory fuel filter and cabin air filter are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 34 · 600 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP225-60R17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter12731175 alt 25322835
Engine air filter19166106 alt 10354942
Fuel filter10333072 discontinued
Spark plug12681664
Battery88866305 alt 88866121
Front wiper blades15192144 alt 15192143
Serpentine belt12588408 alt 12587999
Thermostat24507563 alt 10226107
Cabin air filter10322538 discontinued

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S4)

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 / combined19 / 26 / 21 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume96 cu ft
Cargo volume14 cu ft
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, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 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 Capacity5
Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt
Power Steering FluidUSE GM PART NO. 89021184 OR EQUIVALENT

Engine torques

Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts12 ft-lbs
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 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
Front Wheel Hub118 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub192 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Cylinder Firing Order1-6-5-4-3-2
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap0.045 in
Spark Plug Torque11.0 ft-lbs
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Type41-101
Spark Plug Gap0.060 in

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Standard BCI Group Number34
Standard BCI Cranking Performance600 cca
Standard BCI Group Number78
Standard BCI Cranking Performance600 cca

Service checks

Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)52-59
Injector Primary Resistance11-14 na ohms
Injector Primary Resistance11-14 @ 50-95 degreesF ohms
Engine Compression100
Engine Compression100 Minimum psi
Engine Oil Pressure60 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM1850 rpm
Intake Valve LashHydraulic in

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 degrees95 degrees
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages
144 ft. lbs.44 ft. lbs
2140

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 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel System (inspect)
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 2005 Pontiac Montana V6 AWD dominate in one area — the steering, 363 of 679 reports (53%), 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. 26 of the reports describe a crash and 4 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.

6
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
570
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
4
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
679
Owner complaints
26 involved a crash · 4 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 679 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Steering363
Exterior Lighting33
Steering,Electrical System25
Power Train17
Fuel/Propulsion System17
Electrical System15
Service Brakes, Hydraulic13
Fuel System, Gasoline11

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 6 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 570 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 AWD. 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 2005 Montana V6 AWD V6 take?

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

Does the 2005 Montana V6 AWD have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the V6 get?

EPA figures are 19 city / 26 highway / 21 combined mpg.