1992 Pontiac Grand AM complaints

CYLINDER HEAD IS CRACKED, CAUSING THE COOLANT LOSS AND ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE. YH

A PIN WITHIN THE STEERING WHEEL MECHANISM DISENGAGED OR POPPED OUT OF THE POSITION, CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO TILT AND REMAIN TILTED WILL DRIVING WHICH COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

VEHICLE STALLS WHILE DRIVING, AT SLOW SPEED, ACCELERATING FROM STOP, WILL START AFTER A 15 MINUTE DELAY, HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO DEALER 5 TIMES AND ALL REPAIRS HAVE NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM.

ENGINE HEAD GASKET IS CRACKED, CAUSING OIL TO LEAK. CAUSE OF DEFECT IS UNKNOWN. MANUFACUTER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

HEAD IS CRACKED, AND THE VEHICLE DOES NOT RUN.THE ANT-IFREEZE AND OTHER FLUIDS HAVE LEAKED OUT OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE CRACK IN THE ENGINE. *AK

ORIGINAL PAINT IS PEELING OFF IN LARGE SECTIONS.

CONSUMER REPLACED LEAKING HEAD GASKET WHICH WAS COVERED UNDER FACTORY RECALL #T2140, HOWEVER FAILED AFTER REPAIR CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO ENGINE COMPONENTS DUE TO LEAKAGE. *YC

COOLANT LEAKAGE

WHEN I PUT ON BRAKES THE IS A CLUNKING SOUND IN THE RIGHT REAR TIRE AREA LIKE SOMETHING IS LOOSE. IT SOUNDS ALMOST CONSTANTLY WHEN I APPLY MY BRAKES. THE CAR WOULD NOT START ON COLD DATES. AFTER START AND RUNNING FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME IT STOPS. I WOULD START BACK UP LATER. THE COOLANT LEAKED OUT CONTINUOUSLY. I HAD A HOSE REPLACED BUT IT DID NOT HELP. I HAD IT PUT ON THE COMPUTER ANALYSIS BUT NOTHING SHOWED UP. THE HORN BLOWS CONTINUOUSLY WHEN IT IS VERY COLD. I HAD TO REMOVE THE FUSE TO STOP IT. THE GAS FILLER DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN AUTOMATICALLY WHEN IT IS COLD. I HAD TO PRY IT OPEN WITH A SCREWDRIVER. THE CAR PUD PUD ALONG AS IF IT WAS NOT GETTING ENOUGH GAS. THE ODOMETER SEEMS TO BE INACCURATE RECORDING THE MILEAGE. I HAVE NOT BEEN ANYWHERE BUT IN THE CITY AND SURROUNDING AREAS. MANY TIMES I HAD TO STOP THE CAR AND START IT AGAIN FOR THE BRAKE LIGHT TO GO OUT. ALTHOUGH I LIKE THE BODY OF THE CAR IT HAS BEEN A DISASTER FOR ME. NOW IT DOES NOT RUN AT ALL. I SEEM TO HAVE A LEMON CAR AND IT WAS LIKE THAT WHEN I BOUGHT IT. IT SHOULD BE AGAINST THE LAW FOR ANYONE TO SELL A CAR LIKE THIS . THIS CAR DEALER NEEDS TO BE PUT IN JAIL. I HAVE RIDDEN MY GRANDCHILDREN AROUND IN THIS UNSAFE CAR AND I AM VERY UPSET AT THIS CAR'S CONDITION AS IT DOESNT RUN AT ALL NOW. I HAVE JUST WASTED A LOT OF MONEY BUYING IT AND TRYING TO KEEP IN REPAIRED AND RUN. IF THIS CAR DEALER DID NOT KNOW THE CONDITION OF THIS CAR HE SHOULD LOOSE HIS LICENSE TO SELL CAR. HE HAS ROBBED ME OF MY HARD EARNED MONEY

WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT A SPEED OF 35 MPH AXLE CAME APART, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, HITTING OTHER CARS AND CRASHING INTO A TRUCK. *AK

MY MAIN CONCERN IS WITH THE PAINT JOB ON THIS VEHICLE, AND IF I HAVE ANY RECALL TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM CORRECTED BY GM. THANKS FOR ANY & ALL ASSISTANCE WITH THIS SITUATION.

MULTIPLE PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED: (1) CIGARETTE LIGHTER FUSE BLOWS CONSTANTLY. (2) ENGINE HAS A CRACKED CYLINDER WHICH ALLOWS COOLANT INTO THE OIL SYSTEM. (3) STARTER COIL FAILED. (4) WINDOW MOTOR/SWITCH FAILED. (5) FRONT PASSENGER SEAT DOESN'T ALWAYS LOCK IN PLACE, AND ALLOWS THE SEAT TO SLIDE FORWARD AND BACKWARD. (6) IN COLD WEATHER THE PLASTIC AROUND THE HORN CONTRACTS AND CAUSES THE HORN TO SOUND CONTINUOUSLY UNTIL THE FUSE IS REMOVED. (7) FRONT BRAKES WEAR QUICKLY DURING NORMAL OPERATION. (8) ALTERNATOR FAILED AT 90,000 MILES. (9) OIL PRESSURE SENSOR FAILED AT 107,000 MILES. (10) SPARK PLUGS NEED TO BE REPLACED EVERY 18 MONTHS DUE TO A RECURRING STUMBLING PROBLEM IN THE ENGINE. ONE SPARK PLUG CANNOT BE REMOVED. (11) THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT HAS BEEN FILLED WITH CONDENSATE FROM THE A/C SYSTEM MULTIPLE TIMES, RUINING ANY PAPERWORK AND THE OWNERS' MANUAL. (12) THE SCREWS ON BOTH INTERIOR DOOR FRAMES HAVE FALLEN OUT AND MUST BE REPLACED.

STEERING WHEEL TILT ASSEMBLY BROKEN CAUSING CONSUMER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF STEERING WHEN TRYING TO MANUVER A LEFT TURN. NLM

THERE IS A LEAKAGE COMING FROM THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET IN WHICH THE OIL IS LEAKING ONTO THE ENGINE. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND APPLYING BRAKES, THE BRAKE PEDAL IS SLIDING AND GOING HALF WAY TO THE FLOORBOARD. ABS SYSTEM HASN'T BEEN WORKING PROPERLY, AND CONSUMER HAS HAD THE VEHICLE AT REPAIR SHOP THREE TO FOUR TIMES. *AK

NO SUMMARY

I WAS TOLD THAT THIS MAKE OF CAR IS NOT SAFE FOR CAR SEATS. IS THIS TRUE?

DEALER REPAIRED, THEN TESTED ENGINE. ENGINE SEIZED AT DEALERSHIP.

FRONT FLOORS STAY WET - HAD HEATING CORE REPLACED - BOLTS TIGHTENED - VERY FRUSTRATING - CANNOT USE FLOORBOARDS; HAVE TO WARN PASSENGERS NOT TO LET CLOTHES TOUCH FLOOR - WILL GET WET -

STEERING COLUMN RUSTED, CAUSING THE COLUMN TO BREAK WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#. *AK

VEHICLE HAD A COOLANT LEAKAGE. DEALER CONTACTED, AND DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS A CRACKED ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD. VEHICLE ALSO CONTINUOUSLY RAN HOT. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. REPAIRWORK WOULD BE AT OWNERS EXPENSE, EST. $1,000.00. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

WE HAVE CONTACTED THE PONTIAC DEALER AND HELP LINE BUT WITH NO HELP AT ALL, I DONOT THINK THIS IS A HAZARD, BUT I THINK THAT THE PAINT PEELING OFF OF A CAR THAT IS ONLY 7 YRS. OLD MAY BE A HEALTH HAZARD IF SOME GETS INTO OUR WATER IT WILL BE. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. *AK

EXT PAINT IS CHIPPING AWAY ON HOOD & DOOR MOLDINGS - CAR IS ONLY A 92 W/ LESS THAN 100,000 MILES! NO SAFETY DWFECT. *AK

PONTIAC PRIDES ITSELF ON DRIVING EXCITEMENT, IT SHOULD ACTUALLY BE THAT IT IS A DRIVING NIGHTMARE. THIS CAR HAS HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS. THIS IS THE LIST OF CURRENT AND PAST PROBLEMS WHICH INCLUDES: THE TRUNK LEAKS/ INCORRECT SPEEDOMETER THAT CAUSED TWO SPEEDING TICKETS/DRIVER'S FLOOR AND UNDER THE FRONT RIGHT SEAT ARE ALWAYS WET. ALSO,REPLACED BATTERY TWICE/ALTERNATOR/STARTER/ RADIATOR AND ALL HOSES AFTER A SUDDEN "EXPLOSION." IN ADDITION, THERMOSTAT HAD BEEN REPLACED AT LEAST 4 TIMES AND MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR ONCE. THE REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER NO LONGER WORKS, RIGHT SIDE POWER WINDOW DOES NOT GO BACK UP/THE TAPE DECK IS BROKEN, FRONT LUMBAR I SEAT BROKE AROUND 40,000 MILES. THE FRONT RIGHT AND LEFT WHEEL BEARINGS HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES/TIE RODS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONCE ON THE RIGHT AND TWICE ON THE LEFT/ ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED AND FRONT BRAKES WORE OUT WITH IN 15,000 (TYPICAL OF MOST PONTIACS JUST GOING BY THE COMMENTS OF OTHER PONTIAC OWNERS THAT I KNOW. THIS LIST IS QUITE LONG AND EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTING, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE CAR IS NOT PAID FOR YET AND ONLY HAS 125,000 MILES ON IT AND IS A 1992 MODEL. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 205/55/R16 )

STARTING IN 1996 APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR AFTER THE PURCHASE OF THE CAR A LEAK DEVELOPED IN THE FUEL TANK, THE TANK WAS REPLACED. APPROXIMATELY 8 MONTHS LATER ANOTHER LEAK DEVELOPED; THE TANK WAS PATCHED THEN EVENTUALLY REPLACED. TWO ADDITIONAL TANKS WERE REMOVED AND REPLACED WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR. THE DEALER PROVIDING SERVICE NOTED IN EACH CASE THAT THE TANK HAD BEEN STRUCK BY AN OBJECT, CAR LIFTS HAD PRESSED UP ON THE TANK FROM BELOW OR THAT THE GAS CAP WAS DEFECTIVE. IT HAS BEEN MY OPINION THAT STRESSES THE FUEL TANK CAUSED THE LEAK TO OCCUR DUE TO TANK DEFECTS, POOR INSTALLATION OR BY THE FACT THAT AT EACH DEVELOPMENT OF A LEAK THE FUEL TANK HAD JUST BEEN FILLED.

CYLINDER HEAD GASKET FAILED CAUSING THE ENGINE TO STOP AFTER RELEASING A PUFF OF SMOKE.

BRAKES APPLIED AT PARKING LOT SPEED AND LOCKED UP 3 TIMES IN SAME APPLICATION - ONLY HAPPENS IN COLD SNOWY OR WET WEATHER

HORN WOULD NOT SHUT OFF - PULLED FUSE TO TURN OFF - LOW-NOTE HORN WENT OUT BEFORE FUSE PULLED -

WATER PUMP REPLACED WHILE VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY - BUT DEALER STILL CHARGED $50 DEDUCTIBLE WHICH SUGGESTS THEY DON'T STAND BEHIND THERE CARS!

DOOR LATCHES DO NOT CATCH WHEN SHUTTING THE FRONT DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE DOORS. THIS CAUSES THE DOORS TO FLY OPEN WHILE DRIVING. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON FOUR OCCASIONS.

ENGINE CONTINUALLY EXPERIENCES ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS CAUSING FUSES TO BLOW AND ENGINE TO CUT OFF.

ON 12/17/1998, THE FRONT AXLE OF MY 1992 PONTIAC GRAND AM BROKE. FORTUNATELY, I HAD JUST PULLED INTO THE HIGHWAY WHEN IT HAPPENED AND WAS NOT GOING OVER 5 MPH. THE TRAFFIC ON THIS FOUR-LANE ROAD WAS HEAVY, AND I WAS VERY CONCERNED THAT THE CAR MIGHT BE HIT AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT BEFORE IT COULD BE TOWED. I DID NOT HIT A POTHOLE OR ANY OBJECT IN THE ROAD. THERE WAS NO WARNING. IF I HAD BEEN GOING ANY FASTER, IT WOULD HAVE LIKELY BEEN A FATAL ACCIDENT. THIS IS NOT NORMAL WEAR & TEAR, AND WE FEEL IT WAS A DEFECT IN THE CAR. *AK

WHEN PURCHASED VEHICLE TRANSMISSION DID NOT SHIFT RIGHT. AT STOP SIGN IT WOULD DIE. THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT DISENGAGING. SPECIALIST AT NAPPA AUTO STATED A SOLENOID IN TRANSMISSION FAILED. NEEDED A MODIFICATION KIT TO REMEDY. DEALER CONTACTED AND HAS NOT RETURNED CALL TO REMEDY PROBLEM. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED; COOLANT MIXED WITH OIL IN CYLINDER #1; DEALERSHIP REMARKED THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM IN 1992 AND GASKETS WERE REPLACED UNDER THE WARRANTY. SINCE THAT TIME CRACKED HEADS ONLY ARE REPLACED AT NO COST TO THE CUSTOMER (WHERE WARRANTY NO LONGER APPLIES). KNOWN GASKET PROBLEM SHOULD BE ADDRESSED; HAD I DRIVEN VEHICLE LONGER I COULD HAVE CRACKED HEAD; MY QUICK TURNAROUND TO FIX COST $893. HAD THE HEAD CRACKED IT WOULD BE PAID IN FULL BY PONTIAC. I FEEL THE HEAD GASKET IS A COMPONENT OF THE HEADS AND SHOULD ALSO BE COVERED.

THE DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION MALFUCTIONED. VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE. HAD 4 REBUILT TRANSMISSIONS FROM PONTIAC PUT IN, BUT ALL BROKE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK

CRACKED HEAD, CRACKED BLOCK. SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE QUAD FOUR ENGINE

NO SUMMARY PROVIDED BY CONSUMER

ENGINE HEAD/HEAD GASKET DEFECTIVE CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK INTO OIL. CALLED GM THE TOLD ME THEY HAVE A "SPECIAL POLICY" # 57-61-26 TO COVER THE SINGLE CAM QUAD 4 ENGINES BECAUSE OF DEFECT. HOWEVER MY QUAD 4 ENGINE HAS A DUAL CAM THEREFORE THE PROBLEM WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE POLICY FOR FREE REPAIR EVEN THOUGH THE FAILURE IS THE SAME AS THE SINGLE CAM ENGINES.

ENGINE COOLANT IS MIXING WITH THE OIL. FOR THREE YERARS THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN HAPPENING. IN 1996 CONSUMER'S HEAT WAS NOT HEATING AND THE MECHANIC CHECKED THE OIL. HE FOUND COOLANT MIXED IN THE OIL. MECHANIC CHANGED THE OIL. 6 MONTHS LATER THE COOLANT WAS MIXED IN THE OIL AGAIN. *AK

ENGINE HEAD CRACKED AT 82,000 AND WAS REPLACED, CRACKED AGAIN AT 102,000...

I HAVE HAD 2 TIMES WHERE I HAVE HAD WATER IN MY OIL. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS IN 12/97. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD COST ME $1,800.00 DOLLARS TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET AND BOLTS IN MY VEHICLE. I REPLACED THE ENTIRE MOTOR BECAUSE IT WAS CHEAPER TO DO IT THIS WAY. IT IS NOW 11/98, AND I HAVE TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET AGAIN. I CANNOT GO BACK ON THE PERSON WHO REPAIRED MY CAR, BECAUSE I TOOK HIM TO COURT TO REPAIR IT RIGHT, AND ENDED UP TAKING IT TO SOMEONE ELSE. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO REPLACE THIS AGAIN. IT IS A COSTLY AND TIME CONSUMING JOB, AND I OBJECT. I AM NOT THE FIRST PERSON TO HAVE TO DO THIS WITH A GRAND AM QUAD 4 ENGINE. THEY ARE JUNK AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED AND I WILL NEVER OWN ANOTHER GM PRODUCT.

WHEN THE WEATHER IS REALLY COLD THE RUBBER ENCLOSURE AROUND THE HORN CONTRACTS, CAUSING THE HORN TO SOUND UNITL IT SHORTS A CIRCUIT OR THE HORN BURNS OUT. DEALER IS AWARE OF THIS SITUATION. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK

COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR. HAD WHOLE TRANSMISSION REBUILT

ABS TAKES OVER HYDRAULIC BRAKES SYSTEM AT WRONG TIME. THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO TRAVEL AN EXTRA 5-10FT BEFORE STOPPING. DEALER CANNOT LOCATE PROBLEM. MECHANIC TEST DROVE VEHICLE & VERIFIED PROBLEM EXISTS. *AK

THE QUAD 4 ENGINE IN THIS CAR IS DEFECTIVE. THE BLOCK CRACKED AND COOLANT LEAKED OUT. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER PEOPLE THAT I HAVE TALKED TO. PONTIAC SHOULD REIMBURSE THE OWNERS OF THE CARS THE COST TO FIX THE PROBLEM.

ALTERNATOR FAILED.

AIR CONDITIONER DOES NOT WORK. NOTHING HAPPENS WHEN IT'S TURNED ON. NO HEAT OR COLD AIR. MOVED & HAD DEALER IN OTHER STATE CHECK PROBLEM. SERVICE BULLETIN FOUND. WAS TOLD BEYOND MILEAGE & NOT REPAIRING. COMPLAINT STARTED IN '93 WHEN MILEAGE WAS 30. *AK

THE FRONT 4-WHEEL DRIVE LOCKING HUBS HAVE FAILED TWICE ON EACH SIDE IN LESS THAN A YEAR. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

WHILE DRIVER WAS BACKING UP ON A SLIGHT INCLINE, WITH THE IGNITION RUNNING, CAR IN THE REVERSE GEAR, WENT TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK. WAS NO INDICATION OF A BRAKE PROBLEM. THE PEDAL WAS HARD, WENT TO THE NORMAL POSITION BUT NO BRAKING POWER. VEHICLE JUST ROLLED DOWN THE INCLINE. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO STEER CAR INTO BUSHES TO KEEP VEHICLE FROM GOING INTO THE STREET. VEHICLE IS BEING CHECKED BY A MECHANIC. *AK