1994 Pontiac Grand AM complaints

BRAKE FAILED. NLM. CONSUMER STATES PRIOR TO RECALL, A NEW STARTER WAS NEEDED AS WELL AS A NEW ENGINE AND ALSO A NEW LIGHTING SWITCH, CONSUMER HAS ALSO HAD TO GET NEW TIRES. *JB

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 00V287000/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL00079FOR ENGINE STARTER. DEALER DID NOT KNOW WHEN PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE. CONSUMER WILL HAVE TO CALL BACK IN TWO WEEKS TO SEE IF PARTS WERE AVAILABLE.*AK

THE HEAD CRACKED ON THE ENGINE AT THE MOLDING OR CASTING PULL OFF. THEIR WERE 3 OTHER VEHICALS THE SAME YEAR AND TYPE (QUAD 4) AT THE SHOP WHERE MY CAR WAS FIXED. THEY ALL HAD A CRACK AT THE SAME EXACT SPOT AS MY CAR DID ON THE HEAD. NO HELP FROM GM. SHOULD BE RECALLED BUT THEY WILL NOT DO IT. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE CRACK.*AK

THERE HAVE BEEN MANY PROBLEMS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPORTED OR TOLD BEFORE PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE MAY FALL UNDER THE OHIO "LEMON" LAW. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED. *AK

GAS TANK IS LEAKING IN SEAMS BACK OF GAS TANK, AND GAS LEAKS ONTO GROUND.*AK CONSUMER STATED THAT TANK WAS FILLED WITH GAS AND BUCKETS HAD TO BE PLACED UNDER CAR TO CATCH THE LEAKING GASOLINE. *SLC

ABS BRAKE LIGHT AND THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION IN SYSTEM, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK PRIOR TO ABS LIGHT AND ENGINE LIGHT PROBLEM, THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED. *YH

RECALL NUMBER 00V287000. CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL INFORMATION CONCERNING ENGINE STARTER. CONTACTED DEALER, NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE TO REMEDY PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

AFTER RECEIVING RECALL NOTICE 00V-287 RELATED TO HIGH CURRENT FLOW THROUGH THE IGNITION, CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER ABOUT A PROBLEM THE VEHICLE WAS HAVING WITH OVERHEATING WIRES WHICH MAKES THE STEERING COLUMN TOO WARM TO TOUCH, THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS PROBLEM IS RELATED TO THE RECALL BUT THE DEALER IS UNSURE. NLM

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 00V287000/ ENGINE STARTER. ALSO, EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH SWITCH THAT CONTROLLED EXTERIOR LIGHTS OF VEHICLE MALFUNCTIONING. EXTERIOR LIGHTS WOULD STOP OPERATING WHEN SWITCHING BETWEEN DIM AND BRIGHT. AT TIMES, THERE WAS SMELL OF BURNING WIRES. *AK PING OF TILT ON STEERING COLUMN BACKED OUT TWICE. THE REPLACEMENT NEW SWITCH FAILED. THE DASH LIGHTS WERE OUT. THE WINDOW BRACKETS WERE WEAK. THE FRONT DISC BRAKE PADS FAILED FREQUENTLY. *YH

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY RATE OF SPEED VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTSDOWN WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK ALL NECESSARY PARTS WERE REPLACED BY THE DEALER AND VEHICLE HAS NO PROBLEM AS OF NOW. *YH

WHILE DRIVING THE HOOD POPPED OPEN AND BROKE THE WINDSHIELD (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). *MJS

SOMETIMES WHEN TURNING KEY ON VEHICLE WILL NOT START, CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THAT THIS PROBLEM COULD BE RELATED TO A LETTER THAT WAS RECEIVED FROM DEALER, STATING A FIRE COULD START WHEN THIS CONDITION WAS PRESENT.*AK

HEADLIGHTS GO OFF, DIMMING WILL BRING THEM BACK ON. *AK

SINCE PURCHASED NEW THIS CAR HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT TROUBLE. NOW THERE IS A SWITCH RECALL IN 2001. WHY HASN'T SOMETHING BEEN DONE ABOUT ALL THE OTHER COMPLAINTS. LAST WEEK THE CRANKSENSOR WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING 55MPH. CAR STOPPED RUNNING

THE STARTER FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE RESULTING IN ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE, IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIX THIS PROBLEM THE IGNITION SWITCH AND BATTERY WERE ALSO REPLACED, CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. NLM

STARTER FAILED AND WAS REPLACED PRIOR TO RECALL 00V287, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

CONSUMER IS HAVING PROBLEMS STARTING THE VEHICLE, THERE IS A RECALL REGARDING THE STARTER (00V287). *SLC

DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOOR WINDOWS COME OFF TRACKS, WINDOWS WILL NOT ROLL UP OR DOWN. HAVE BEEN REPAIRED SEVERAL TIMES, EVEN A NEW MOTOR ON DRIVER WINDOW. THE CONTROL ARMS ARE TOO FRAGILE AND KEEP BENDING COSTING HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS FOR A (TEMPORARY)FIX. I THINK THIS SHOULD BE CORRECTED BY THE MANUFACTURER, FREE OF CHARGE AS I SEE THIS QUITE REGULAR ON OTHER GRAND AM'S ALL OVER TOWN.

ON DIFFERENT OCCASIONS VEHICLE WOULD NOT START, SOMETIMES IT WOULD ACT STRANGE, WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE NEAR THE FIREWALL AND BURNED, THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED, FIRE MAY HAVE BEEN RELATED TO RECALL (00V-287). CJ

WHILE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY IT STARTED TO RAIN, CONSUMER TURNED ON WINDSHIELD WIPERS, AND AFTER A LITTLE WHILE , PASSENGER'S WINDSHIELD WIPER STARTED TO RUN INTO OTHER WIPER. CONSUMER HAD TO TIE IT DOWN. FEW DAYS LATER, DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STARTED TO ACT THE SAME, AND THEN PASSENGER'S WINDSHIELD WIPER WAS WORKING OKAY. HAS NOT CONTACTED THE DEALER YET.*AK

00 V 287 000/ENGINE STARTER: VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A FIRE BEFORE RECEIVING RECALL NOTICE. BEEN WAITING ON JAMES WOOD AUTO MOTORS, IN DENTON, TX; PHONE# 540/591-9663 FOR A REPAIR DATE. CAN NHTSA HELP IN THIS MATTER. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

WITH QUAD 4 ENIGNE , POOR DESIGN OF HEAD GASKET CAUSED PREMATURE CRACKING.*AK

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SEEMD TO HAVE SHORTED OUT. DOOR LOCKS AND HEADLIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED. ONE DOOR WILL BE LOCKED WHILE THE REST WAS LOCKED. SOME OF WIRES WERE BURNT OUT UNDER STEERING. A RELAY SWITCH NEEDED TO BE PUT ON . STARTER & ALTERNATOR HAVE BEEN AFFECTED. DEALER WAS TRYING TO REMEDY PROBLEM.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT CONSUMER HAD ON HIGH BEAMS, AND WHEN SWITCHING TO LOW BEAMS ALL LIGHTS WENT OUT, CONSUMER HAD TO SWITCH BACK AND FORTH, AND THEN LIGHTS CAME BACK ON.*AK

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKED COOLANT. NLM

WHILE TRAVELING 35-40 MPH VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN AND STOPPED WITHOUT WARNING. *AK

TOWED TO PONTIAC DEALER (ADAMS PONTIAC IN ANNAPOLIS, MD) THEY SAY WILL COST ME ABOUT $400 "NEEDS NEW HOUSING". I FEEL MANUFACURING DEFECT, IE A STEERING WHEEL SHOULD NOT LOCK UP..COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED.*AK

I STARTED MY CAR AND IT DIDN'T START. IT THEN SMELLED LIKE IT WAS ON FIRE. IT THEN STARTED AFTER THAT, BUT EVER SINCE IT DID NOT WORK WELL. A FEW DAYS LATER I RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE ABOUT FIRES IN THE STEERING COLUMN. ABOUT 3 WEEKS AFTER THE FIRE, MY CAR WOULD START THEN DIE A FEW MINUTES LATER. I HAD TO KEEP JUMPING IT TO GET IT TO THE DEALER TO BE FIXED. THEY REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND SERPENTINE BELT. I HAD THE ALTERNATOR REPLACED JUST A YEAR AGO BECAUSE OF A SIMILAR PROBLEM BUT WAS UNAWARE OF THE RECALL THEN. I CALLED GM AND THEY TOLD ME "TOUGH LUCK" IT WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO PAY. I DON'T THINK IT IS A COINCIDENCE THAT AFTER THE FIRE EVERYTHING WENT WRONG. I DON'T THINK I SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE TO PAY, AND I FEEL GM SHOULD REIMBURSE ME. ALSO, SINCE WE CAN'T GET THIS RECALL FIXED UNTIL MARCH, I AM WORRIED THIS MAY HAPPEN AGAIN. SOMEONE TOLD ME THAT THE FIRE COULD HAVE AFFECTED THESE OTHER AREAS, AND SINCE IT IS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT, I DON'T THINK I OR OTHER PEOPLE SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE TO PAY.

FAILURE OF HEAD GASKET IS CAUSING ANTIFREEZE TO LEAK INTO ENGINE OIL, POSSIBLY ALSO CAUSING OTHER RELATED DAMAGE . *AK

CAR BECAME SHAKY, WHEEL SNAPPED OFF AT WHEEL AXLE. CAUSED CAR TO SWERVE, CRASH AND ROLL OVER. *AK

WENT TO TURN THE CAR ON AND IT DIDN'T START, SAT FOR 20 MINUTES GIGGLED THE IGNITION SWITCH TO GET IT TO START, NOTHING HAPPENED, KEPT TRYING FOR 20 MINUTES THEN IT JUST STARTED.*AK

TILT ADJUSTER ON THIS 1994 GRAND AM AS WELL AS MY WIFE'S1995 GRAND AM VIN# [XXX] HAVE BROKEN WITHIN 5 MONTHS OF EACH OTHER. WHEN DRIVING YOU ARE ABLE TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL UP AND DOWN. I TOOK ONE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS QUOTED A PRICE OF $275.00 FOR THE REPAIR. I FEEL THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM, BEING THAT IT HAS HAPPENED TO BOTH GRAND AM'S.*AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, LANDING ON THE FRONT OF THE CAR AND THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG NEVER DEPLOYED.*AK

CONSUMER EXPERIENCING VARIOUS DIFFERENT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH LOW BEAMS NOT WORKING. ALSO, HAZARD LIGHTS STAY ON, AND HIGH BEAMS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER NOTED PROBLEM MAY BE LINKED TO PONTIAC'S MOST RECENT RECALL. *AK

WHILE ENGINE WAS RUNNING, AND VEHICLE WAS IN NUETRAL POSITION WITH EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE ON, EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE CABLE BROKE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ROLL AWAY. IT HIT A PERSON THAT WAS BEHIND VEHICLE, AND CAUSED INJURIES. PONTIAC CLAIMED THERE WAS NO PROBLEM CONCERNING THIS ISSUE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 55MPH VEHICLE LIFTED INTO AIR AND CAME DOWN ON FRONT END, AND DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN SEEN. *AK

A COMPONENT OF PONTIAC'S PASSENGER-SIDE, EASY-ENTRY MANUAL SEAT IS BROKEN. WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS THAT THE INERTIAL SEAT BACK, WHICH NORMALLY MOVES FORWARD ONLY A CERTAIN AMOUNT DURING BRAKING, NOW MOVES SO FAR FORWARD THAT IT RELEASES THE EASY-ENTRY MECHANISM, ALLOWING THE WHOLE SEAT TO SLIDE FORWARD UP TO THE IP. THE SEAT WAS UNOCCUPIED AT THE TIME THIS FIRST OCCURED. AS BRAKING WAS IN PROGRESS, VEHICLE SPEED IS ESTIMATED.

MY KEY CAN BE REMOVED FROM IGNITION WHILE THE CAR IS RUNNING AND BEING DRIVEN. I CAN CONTINUE DRIVING. THIS FIRST OCCURRED WHEN I HIT MY KEY BY ACCIDENT WHILE ON THE FREEWAY AND IT WENT FLYING ONTO THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR. I WAS SHOCKED TO FIND I STILL HAD THE ABILITY TO DRIVE. THE KEY IS NOT WORN. IT HAPPENS WITH A NEW KEY ALSO. THE ISSUE IS IN DIRECT VIOLATION OF FMVSS 114, WHICH STATES: EACH VEHICLE SHALL HAVE A KEY-LOCKING SYSTEM WHICH, WHENEVER THE KEY IS REMOVED, PREVENTS: (A) THE NORMAL ACTIVATION OF THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE OR MOTOR; AND (B) EITHER STEERING OR FORWARD SELF-MOBILITY OF THE VEHICLE OR BOTH. MY VEHICLE IS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. DEALER WANTS ME TO PAY FOR REPAIR, SAYING IT IS A DURABILITY ISSUE. I SAY ACCORDING TO FMVSS 114, THIS IS NOT CONSIDERED A WORN ITEM AND IT IS NOT A DURABILITY ISSUE, BUT RATHER A DIRECT VIOLATION AND THE PROPER ITEMS SHOULD BE REPLACED PROMPTLY, FREE OF CHARGE.

PONTIAC HAS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH 1992 AND19 93 QUAD 4 ENGINES. WE CONTACTED PONTIAC CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE AND THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES ONLY TO GET THE SAME RESPONSE THAT THEY ARE NOT OBLIGATED TO ASSIS US DUE TO THE AGE AND MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE. WE PURCHASED A 6-YEAR EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THIS VEHICLE AND IT JUST EXPIRED IN MAY 2000. THIS DOES NOT MATTER TO THE DEALER OR TO PONTIAC. THE DEALER DID NOT EVEN OFFER TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE AFTER I TOLD THEM ABOUT THE CRACKED HEAD. I FEEL THAT PONTIAC KNOWS OF THIS PROBLEM AND JUST WANTS TO AVOID IT. I SEE MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH CRACKED HEADS ON 94 GRAND AMS BY REVIEWING THE CASES ON YOUR SITE. ANY ASSISTANCE YOU CAN PROVIDE WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. *AK

CAR HAD TOUGH TIME TO ACCELERATE, AFTER THREE VISITS TO REPAIR SHOP, PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE TERMINALS FROM THE MAIN COMPUTER TO THE 02 SENSOR WERE BAD. HAD TO REPLACE COMPUTER AND SENSOR. HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING, TAKEN IN TO BE REPAIRED AND FOUND OUT THAT THE ENGINE HEAD ITSELF WAS CRACK WHERE #2 CYLINDER IS LOCATED. REPAIR SHOP STATED IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH QUAD FOUR GRAND AMS. HAD TO PAY APPROX. $2,500 IN REPAIRS

NON-POWER WINDOWS. WAS TOUGH TO ROLL DOWN, THEN ONE DAY WOULDN'T ROLL UP. REPAIR SHOP LOOKED AT IT, STATED THAT THE WINDOW REGULATOR WAS BROKEN BENT WHICH WAS MAKING WINDOW TRY TO ROLL OFF-TRACK. *AK

WHILE DRIVING WITH LIGHTS ON DASHBOARD, HEADLIGHTS WOULD CONSTANTLY GO OUT, AND AT THIS TIME, WERE NOT WORKING. ALSO, TAIL LIGHTS WORKED ERRATICALLY. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE WITHOUT LIGHTS. IN ADDITION, STARTER AND BATTERY HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK

TIRE TREAD CAME UNDONE IN A TIRE WITH ONLY 31,000 MILES. DAMGAE WAS DONE. *AK (DOT NUMBER: P1857514 TIRESIZE: P18575R14)

BUBBLE IN BRAKE CASING CAUSED BRAKE PADS TO PREMATURELY WEAR. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

EA00007; A FIRE STARTED IN STEERING COLUMN. THERE SEEMED TO BE AN EXPLOSION. TOTAL LOSS. *AK

ENGINE HEAD CRACKED, CAUSING THE WATER TO LEAK, AND A ROUGH RIDE IN VEHICLE. DEAELR HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTETLY, THEN STOPPED ALL TOGETHER. *AK

THE HEAD CRACKED ON THE ENGINE. AFTER TALKING WITH SEVERAL DEALERS THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE AMONG GRAND AM'S. PLEASE INQUIRE SILENT RECALL.*AK

POWER WINDOWS STOPPED WORKING AND HEATER COIL WENT OUT, AND RADIATER BROKE AND STEERING WILL AND PUT SOMETHING IN THE STEERING COLUMN HAD WHEEL CYLINDER REPLACED HEAD GASKET , AND CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING. *AK