1996 Pontiac Grand AM complaints

I WAS DRIVING DOWN NYS ROUTE 193 IN WOODVILLE, NY WHEN MY AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT HITTING ANYTHING. I RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES AND MY PASSENGERS VEHICLE DID NOT DEPLOY SO SHE WAS OK, BUT AN AIR BAG SHOULD NOT DEPLOY FOR NO REASON. *NM

I WAS DRIVING IN MY SUBDIVISION ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO, WHEN SUDDENLY THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG IN MY 1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM WENT OFF. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER, TURNED ON THE EMERGENCY LIGHTS, AND MY FIANCE AND I GOT OUT OF THE CAR. ABOUT THIRTY SECONDS LATER, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG GOES OFF. I WAS VERY FORTUNATE THAT THIS DID NOT OCCUR ON A MAIN ROAD OR ON THE FREEWAY BECAUSE SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT. MY FIANCE'S MOTHER AND I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH GENERAL MOTORS FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS NOW. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN VERY HELPFUL WITH MY SITUATION, AND AS OF RIGHT NOW, I WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS OUT OF POCKET, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT, AND I AM NOT TO BLAME FOR THIS. I HAVE READ SIMILAR CASES ON THE INTERNET, AND THIS MAY BE DUE TO A CORRODED WIRE IN THE AIR BAG SYSTEM. GM SHOULD REALLY CONSIDER CALLING A RECALL ON THESE AIRBAG SYSTEMS BEFORE THEIR CUSTOMERS GET SERIOUSLY HURT OR WORSE AS A RESULT OF GM'S NEGLIGENCE. *NM

I WENT TO A CAR SERVICE PLACE TO HAVE AN OIL CHANGE AND I HAD THEM CHECK MY COOLANT TO SEE IF IT WAS LEAKING; SURE ENOUGH IT WAS. THEY HAD TOLD ME MY CAR IS LEAKING COOLANT FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET AND IT WOULD COST ME $700.00 + TO REPAIR IN WHICH I DON'T HAVE. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH ON SLIPPERY ROADS BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WAS NO CRASH OR ROAD DEBRIS. BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE WEARING THEIR SEAT BELTS. BOTH OCCUPANTS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE DEPLOYMENT. *NM UPDATED 02/21/06. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 15 TO 20 MPH ON A DIRT ROAD BOTH FRONTAL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT CRACKED THE WINDSHIELD AND DESTROYED THE DASHBOARD. AFTER THE DEPLOYMENT THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HEAD AND LEFT HAND.*AK

DT:THE CONTACT STATED WHEN PLACING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION SMOKE POURED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE SMOKE QUICKLY ERUPTED INTO FLAMES. BOTH THE FIRE AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS RESPONDED TO THE SCENE. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE DASHBOARD PANEL AREA AND STEERING COLUMN. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SUGGESTED THIS MAY HAVE BEEN AN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WIRING FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, BUT NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. *AK

IGNITION SWITCH WORE OUT AT ONLY 148,000 MILES. CAR CAN NOT BE STARTED.

ON OCTOBER 18, 2005 WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH IN FAIR WEATHER, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG UNEXPECTEDLY DEPLOYED, THOUGH NO CONTACT WAS MADE WITH ANY OTHER VEHICLE OR STATIONARY OBJECT. THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT CAUSED EXTREME IRRITATION VIA FRICTION BURN TO RIGHT FOREARM OF DRIVER, TEMPORARY HEARING DISTRESS TO DRIVER AND PASSENGER AND NEAR LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE DUE TO SHOCK OF THIS DEPLOYMENT. INVESTIGATION OF SIMILAR INCIDENTS SHOWS THAT LIKELY CAUSE IS SHORT IN AIRBAG CONTROL MODULE UNDER PASSENGER SEAT DUE TO PRESENCE OF WATER ON THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE. WATER ON FLOOR HAS BEEN A PERENNIAL PROBLEM IN MY VEHICLE AND MANY ATTEMPTS TO ASCERTAIN THE CAUSE (ATTRIBUTE TO LEAKY MOLDING, POOR FITTING WINDOW TRIM, ETC.), WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. PERUSAL OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEBSITE SHOW A CLEAR PATTERN OF SIMILAR EVENTS ATTRIBUTABLE TO A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT (PER TECH ISSUE MEMO ISSUED BY GM IN 1998) RELATED TO INFERIOR ADHESIVE USED DURING ASSEMBLY OF TOP VENT GRILLE. EXCESSIVE RAIN TYPICALLY RESULTS IN WATER ON FLOOR OF PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND HAS CAUSED THIS SAME UNEXPECTED DEPLOYMENT OF BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS IN SEVERAL COMPLAINTS. LIKELIHOOD OF GM ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DEFECT AND REPAIRING THE PROBLEM IS APPARENTLY SLIM (PER OTHER COMPLAINANTS REPORTS) DUE TO AGE OF VEHICLE AND THE FACT THAT IT HAS TAKEN YEARS TO PRESENT ITSELF, MEANING NO RECALL WAS ISSUED BY PONTIAC. I WOULD RECOMMEND ALL OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE WHO EXPERIENCE THIS WATER PROBL

I AM CURRENTLY FINANCING A CAR FROM RPM WHOLESALE IN FLINT, I GOT THIS CAR MARCH 29, 2005. I HAVE HAD THE CAR FIXED MORE THAN 6 TIMES. THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN WORKING FOR 2 WEEKS. THE CAR WAS OVER HEATING, AND THEN IT WOULD NOT START UP. I TOOK IT BACK TO RPM AND THEY SAID THEY FIXED IT. AGAIN THIS WEEK I TOOK IT BACK, AND THEY ARE SAYING ITS A ELECTRICAL NIGHTMARE, AND MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO BRING IT BACK, BUT I CAN DRIVE IT UNTIL THEN. *JB

A TECH ISSUE MEMO ISSUED FROM PONTIAC/GM DATED APRIL, 1998 STATED THAT OWNERS MAY CLAIM WATER LEAKING INTO THE FRONT PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF THE CAR DUE TO AN INFERIOR ADHESIVE USED DURING THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS ON THE TOP VENT GRILLE... WAS GIVEN TO ME BY MY MECHANIC, AFTER I DISVOERED WATER LEAKAGE ON MY PASSENGER AREA FLOOR FOR 2 YEARS (WHICH I ATTRIBUTED TO MY NEGLIGENCE ONLY) UNTIL THIS WATER LEAKAGE FINALLY CAUSED A SHORT IN MY AIR BAG MODULE (LOCATED UNDER THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT) WHICH CAUSED ALL OF THE OTHER CAR ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS TO SHORT OUT. SEAL TO THE TOP VENT GRILLE WAS REPLACED, SHORT REPAIRED, AIRBAG MODULE WAS DISCONNECTED AND THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED. THE AIRBAG MODULE WILL BE REPLACED AT A LATER DATE WHEN I CAN AFFORD IT. THIS TOTALS $956.99 (INCLUDING NY SALES TAX) WHICH I REQUESTED PONTIAC REIMBURSE ME FOR. THEY STEADFASTEDLY REFUSE TO REIMBURSE ME DUE TO BASICALLY 4 THINGS: (1) THE WARRANTY TIME EXPIRED ON THE CAR, (2) THE AGE OF THE CAR, (3) THE FACT THAT I DIDN'T BRING IT DIRECTLY TO PONTIAC TO FIX IT (4) THE FACT THAT IT WASN'T A RECALL... MY ARGUEMENT IS: (1) THE WARRANTY EXPIRING SHOULDN'T ABSOLVE GM/PONTIAC OF RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DEFECT, (2) THE NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR ON THIS CAR (IN SPITE OF IT'S AGE) WOULDN'T HAVE PRODUCED THIS WATER DAMAGE IF THE TOP VENT GRILLE WAS PROPERLY SEALED IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS BY PONTIAC IN THE FIRST PLACE (3) I DIDN'T KNOW THAT PONTIAC CAUSED THIS PROBLEM UNTIL AFTER THE DAMAGE WAS DONE AND MY MECHANIC TO

DT: CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. CONTACT DID NOT HIT ANYTHING IN THE ROAD, THERE WAS NO COLLISION.*AK CONSUMER STATES LAWYERS, INSURANCE COMPANY, OR GM WILL NOT HELP WITH THIS MATTER BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT OR ANY INJURIES.*SB *NM

THE CONTROL ARM (A ARM) ON THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE HAS A BUSHING WHICH CAME LOOSE AND CAUSED AN AWFUL SOUND WHEN SLOWING DOWN. THIS WAS REPLACED LAST YEAR AT MY EXPENSE. NOW A YEAR LATER, THE SAME ARM HAS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. I'M SURE THAT I AM SPEAKING FOR MANY WHEN I SAY THAT I CAN NOT AFFORD TO FIX THE SAME PROBLEM EVERY YEAR. *AK

AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE WHILE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY DRIVER'S FRONTAL AIR BAG DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED.*AK

AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

I WAS DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY AT 70 MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING, MY DRIVERSIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. I WAS IN SHOCK AND HAD TEMPORARY HEARING LOSS. BOTH OF MY LIPS WERE BLOODIED, I WAS BURNED ON MY NECK AND I STILL HAVE OCASSIONAL RINGING IN MY EARS. I DON'T KNOW HOW, BUT WHEN MY LINE OF VISION WAS CLEAR, I SAW I HAD MAINTAINED THE POSITION IN MY LANE AND CONTINUED TRAVELING. THEN, A FEW MINUTES LATER, MY PASSENGER- SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THANKFULLY, MY GIRLFRIEND WAS SLEEPING IN THE BACKSEAT. AGAIN I HAD TEMPORARY HEARING LOSS, BUT KEPT DRIVING UNTIL I GOT TO MY HOME. I CONTACTED GENERAL MOTORS DEALERSHIP, BUT THEY DID NOT FEEL THEY COULD HELP SINCE THEY HAD NOT HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM. THERE WERE A SERIES OF PHONE CALLS BETWEEN GENERAL MOTORS, MY DAD AND ME. OUT OF THE BLUE IN ONE CONVERSATION, GENERAL MOTORS ASKED IF I HAD WATER ON MY FLOORBOARD AND WHEN I SAID THAT I DID, THEY SAID THE AIRBAGS PROBABLY DEPLOYED BECAUSE OF THIS AND IT WAS MY FAULT FOR NOT GETTING THAT FIXED. WHEN MY DAD ASKED WHAT THAT HAD TO DO WITH THE AIRBAGS AND IF THEY WERE AWARE THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM, THEY SAID IT WAS A ROUTINE QUESTION. SUBSEQUENTLY, A GENERAL MOTORS DEALERSHIP HAS CONCLUDED THAT WATER UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT CAUSE THE COMPUTER MODULE TO CORRODE. THEY ARE WILLING TO REPLACE THE AIRBAGS AND THE COMPUTER, BUT NOT FIX THEY WATER PROBLEM THAT THEY INDICATED MAY HAVE CAUSED THIS. WE HAVE DISCUSSED THIS PROBLEM WITH INDEPENDENT MECHANICS AND HAVE SINCE RECEIVED TECHNICAL BULLETIN

ON WENESDAY DECEMBER 15 AT APPROXIMENTALLY 7:20 P.M. I WENT OUT TO MY BOYFRIEND, SCOTT FULLER'S CAR TO ROLL UP A WINDOW THAT WAS DOWN. AS I PLACED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, AND TURNED 1 CLICK, THE AIR BAG SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED IN MY FACE. I HAVE A CUT IN THE MIDDLE OF MY THROAT, AND I BIT THROUGH MY LIP ON THE RIGHT SIDE, I HAVE BRUISING ON THE LEFT SIDE OF MY CHEST AND I CAN BARELY HEAR IN ME LEFT EAR. HIS WINDOWS ARE ELECTRIC THAT IS WHY I NEEDED TO PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. HE HAS A 1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM GT, VIN # 2NW12M6TC813666, CAR MILEAGE:142,441AND HIS INSURANCE COMPANY IS AA&J INSURANCE COMPANY 109 E. MAIN ST. GOUVERNEUR N.Y. 13642 POLICY # 17772843-1. *AK

UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. WHILE CONSUMER WAS BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. CONTACTED THE MECHANIC. *AK *SC

DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS, WATER WAS LEAKING THROUGH THE VEHICLE FIRE WALL ONTO THE ELECTRICAL HARNESS LEADING INTO THE TAILLIGHTS. THE CONSUMER HAS A CONCERN THAT THE CONDITION MAY LEAD TO A ELECTRICAL SHORT. *JB

AS MY HUSBAND WAS PUTTING GAS INTO MY 1996 GRAND AM HE NOTICED ORANGE COOLENT ( DEX COOL) LEAKING FROM THE CAR. THE NEXT MORNING ON HIS WAY TO WORK THE CAR MOTOR TEMPERATURE INCREASED TO A POINT WERE HE HAD TO PULL OVER AND LET THE CAR COOL DOWN. AFTER WORK HE TOOK THE CAR TO GATEWAY TIRE AND SERVICE FOR THE PROBLEM. GATEWAY SERVICE STATED THAT THE FOLLOWING FAILURES OCCURED -THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET AND TIMING COVER GASKET FAILED. WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM? -REPLACE MANIFOLD GASKET (B) -REPLACE UPPER AND LOWER MANIFOLD GASKET -REPLACE SEAL KIT LUBE OIL AND FILTER -REPLACE TIMING COVER GASKET -REPLACE COVER GASKET -REPLACE TIMING COVER GASKET IF DONE WITH LOWER INTAKE CURRENTLY CAR AT GATEWAY TIRE SERVICE (10-18-04). *AK

DRIVER'S SIDE FLOOR GETS A PUDDLE WHEN IT RAINS. *AK

WHILE CONSUMER WAS PARKING THE VEHICLE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. CONSUMER CLAIMED THAT THE VEHICLE NEVER COLLIDED WITH ANYTHING NOR RAN OVER ANYTHING. THE NEXT DAY CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR THE FIRST AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT WHEN DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE CONSUMER SUFFERED A SPLIT LIP AND ABRASIONS ON THE ARMS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING, THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE BLEW OUT WHICH CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO HIT THE MEDIAN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE OWNER JUST BOUGHT THE TIRES APPROXIMATELY TWO MONTHS AGO. PLEASE PROVIDE INFO ON TIRE DEALER. *JB

AIR BAG WENT OFF BY STARTING MY CAR IN THE DRIVE WAY.GM SAID THEY CAN NOT HELP BECAUSE THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. *LA

WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT AN UNDETERMINED SPEED CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO ROLL THE WINDOW DOWN. HOWEVER, NONE OF THE FOUR WINDOWS WOULD ROLL DOWN. CONSUMER STATED THATTHIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THAT THE POWER WINDOWS FAILED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. NO INJURIES REPORTED. *AK

TRANSMISSION LOCKS WITHOUT WARNING. AS RESULT, VEHICLE SURGES UNCONTROLLABLY. *AK

AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE. I LEANED IN TO START MY 96 PONTIAC GRAND AM AND WHEN I TURNED THE IGNITION THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED INJURING MY CHEST AND NECK. GM TAKES NO RESPONSIBILITY AS THEY SAY IT IS A MAINTENANCE ISSUE DUE TO STANDING WATER AROUND THE DEPLOYMENT MODULE. *JB *SC *JB

TO AVOID HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE HEAD ON DRIVER VEERED OFF THE ROAD AND RAN INTO A TELEPHONE POLE. UPON IMPACT, FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER'S HEAD CRACKED THE WINDSHIELD, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO BE UNCONSCIOUS FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES. ALSO, DRIVER'S TEETH HIT THE STEERING WHEEL AND CRACKED. IN ADDITION, DRIVER'S RIGHT ARM, RIGHT KNEE, AND NECK WERE INJURED. ONCE DRIVER REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS HE DROVE TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM BECAUSE NO ONE STOPPED TO HELP. *AK

WHILE SITTING AT A RED LIGHT PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. ALSO, WHILE TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. VEHICLE WAS FILLED WITH CO2. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. THE CAUSE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. *NM THERE WAS A 15 SECOND DELAY BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR ABRASIONS FROM THE AIR BAGS. *NM

VEHICLE LEAKING COOLANT FROM LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. LEAK WAS BOTH INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR. *JB

WHILE DRIVING AND AT ANY BRAKING CONDITIONS WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKES PEDAL WAS DELAYED WHICH RESULTED IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK

MY MAIN PROBLEM IS THE STEERING COLUMN. WHEN IT IS TIME TO TAKE THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION IT GETS STUCKS. YOUR UNABLE TO TAKE THE KEY OUT UNTIL THE CAR WANTS TO LET IT GO. SOMETIMES THIS ENDS UP TO BE A 45 MINUTE TO AN HOUR WAIT. THE PLACE I BOUGHT IT FROM SAID THEY FIXED IT. OF COURSE, AFTR THE WARRANTY WAS UP SO WASN'T THE KEY ONCE AGAIN GETTING STUCK. HAD THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN REPLACED FOR ABOUT $500.00 NO PROBLEMS FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS AND NOW ONCE AGAIN KEY IS GETTING STUCK.

EARLY 2002 PAINT STARTED PEELING OFF MY REAR QUARTER PANELS OF MY 1996 BLACK GRAND AM. NOT LONG AFTER THE FRONT QUARTER PANELS STARTED DOING THE SAME THING. AT THE TIME, THE AREAS WHERE THE PAINT WERE STARTING TO PEEL WERE SMALL BUT AS TIME WENT BY THE AREA STARTED PEELING MORE. NOW, I BOUGHT THE CAR USED IN 1998 WITH ONLY 26,000 KM ON IT AND THE PAINT WAS FINE (ORIGINAL PAINT). I HAVE ALWAYS HAD MY CAR RUST PROOFED EVERY YEAR AS WELL IN THE SPRING AND FALL I GET A COMPLETE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR SHAMPOO AND WAX DONE ( I TAKE CARE OF IT). THE PAINT DID NOT RUST FIRST....IT JUST STARTING PEELING. AT THE PRESENT TIME SEPTEMBER 2003 IT ONLY AS 93,000KM ON IT. BECAUSE THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED, BEING THAT I BOUGHT IT USED AND DID NOT HAVE THE EXTRA MONEY TO BUY BEYOND THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY THAT WAS LEFT ON THE CAR, I COULD NOT AFFORD TO TAKE IT TO GET REPAINTED. ALSO I HAD JUST BEEN PROMOTED TO A NEW JOB WITHIN MY COMPANY AND MY HOURS WERE CRAZY. LATE FALL OF 2002 I BECAME VERY ILL AND FROM JANUARY TILL MARCH 2003 I WAS HOSPITALIZED AND WAS NOT SURE IF I WAS GOING TO PULL THROUGH...I DID. BUT IN JUNE OF 2003 I WAS BACK IN HOSPITAL HAVING MAJOR SURGERY AND AM NOW AT HOME STILL RECOVERING FROM IT. THE REASON I AM TELLING YOU THIS IS BECAUSE THAT IS WHY I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO PROCEED WITH THE PEELING PAINT ON MY CAR. I RECENTLY FOUND OUT ABOUT THE PAINT DELAMINATING ON THE GM CARS, WHICH INCLUDES THE YEAR OF MY CAR. I CALLED GM AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL. I FOUND OUT ON THE IN

WHILE DRIVING AND TURNING TO THE LEFT THERE WAS NO STEERING. ALSO, BRAKE FAILED, AND VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLED. *AK

WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AT 25 MPH TO MAKE A TURN, THE DRIVER'S FRONTAL AIR BAG INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. PLEASE DESCRIBE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *NLM

REAR BRAKES LOCKED UP WHICH MADE THE VEHICLE IMMOBILE. EVERY 15,000 MILES, THE ROTORS AND PADS HAD TO BE REPLACED. SINCE LAST REPORTED, THE CONSUMER CHANGED THE ROTORS, SENSORS AND BRAKE DRUM'S. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED. *PH *JB

THE CHECK OIL LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD INTERMITTENTLY. VEHICLE STALLED AND SHUT DOWN. DEALER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE DRIVER REQUESTED THE DEALERSHIP MECHANIC TO LOOK AT VEHICLE BECAUSE IT WAS ON RECALL A YEAR AGO. *AK

NHTSA RECALL 02-V-070-000: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE ENGINE FAILED TO START AND THE DRIVER HELD THE KEY IN THE "START" POSITION FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD, HIGH CURRENT FLEW THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH, AND SOMETIMES PRODUCED ENOUGH HEAT TO MELT INTERNAL SWITCH PARTS. THIS RECALL FAILED AND THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE.*AK CONSUMER HAD BACKED UP APPROX. FIVE FEET IN AN PARKING LOT WHEN THE ENGINE DIED AND SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. AT FIRST THE CONSUMER COULDN'T GET THE KEYS OUT AND THE VEHICLE WAS IN "PARK". AFTER WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEYS THE SMOKE STOPPED. WHEN THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER ARRIVED, HE COULDN'T GET THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE "PARK" POSITION. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER HAD TO DISCONNECT THE LINKAGES. *PH *JB

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT A RECALL PERFORMED ON IGNITION WIRING HARNESS. STATED THAT AFTER THE RECALL WAS DONE THE BATTERY DRAINED INTO THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF RECALL REPAIRS DONE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND STATED THAT THE ONLY THING THAT WAS WRONG WAS THAT THE BATTERY DRAINED, AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO.*AK

NHTSA RECALL 02V070000, IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE RAN HOT AND SHUT DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE OWNER DID RECEIVE NOTIFICATION OF THE RECALL. PONTIAC CUSTOMER RELATIONS DECLINED ANY SERVICE TO ASSIST THE CONSUMER, INCLUDING TOWING AND RECALL PART EXPENSES. THE KEY HAD BECAME STUCK IN THE IGNITION PRIOR TO RECEIVING THE RECALL NOTICE. *AK *CB *JB

PERIODICALLY THE KEY GETS STUCK IN THE "ON" POSITION. THIS HAS CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE SENDING UNIT TO THE CRANKCASE. *AK

I HAVE A 1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM WITH A QUAD 4 ENGINE IN IT. THE ENGINE HAS 100,050 MILES ON IT, I TOOK VERY GOOD CARE OF IT, OIL CHANGES ON TIME DID ALL OF THE MAINTENANCE ON IT REQUIRED IN THE BOOK, ETC, ETC. I STARTED THE CAR THE OTHER DAY AND THE WHOLE THING JERKED FORWARD, MADE A LOUD BANG THEN WOULD NOT DO ANY THING BUT TURN OVER REALLY FAST. I HAD IT TOWED IN TO MY MECHANIC AND FOUND OUT THAT MY ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE EXHAUST VALVES SMASHED INTO THE PISTONS AND DID A LOT OF DAMAGE. FROM WHAT I WAS TOLD BY THREE DIFFERENT MECHANICS IS THAT THE QUAD 4 ENGINE MADE BY GM IS THE WORST ENGINE EVER DESIGNED AND SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PUT OUT ON THE MARKET. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT ON THIS TYPE OF CAR OVER 100,000 MILES WAS LUCKY AND THAT KIND OF MILES ON THIS ENGINE IS CONSIDERED HIGH MILEAGE. I WAS TOLD ONE OF TWO THINGS COULD HAVE CAUSED THIS AND THAT BOTH PROBLEMS ARE COMMON IN THIS CAR. THE FIRST CAUSE COULD HAVE BEEN THE HYDRAULIC FLUID THAT CAUSES THE MANIFOLD GASKET TO OPEN WHEN THE CAR IS SHUT OFF SLUDGED UP AND THIS CAUSED THE TIMING TO MIS ALIGN AT START UP AND CAUSED THE VALVES AND PISTONS TO SMASH TOGETHER. THE SECOND COMMON CAUSE FOR THIS IN THIS TYPE OF ENGINE IS THE PIN IN THE CAM SHAFT SNAPPED OFF AT START UP AND CAUSED THE TIMING TO JUMP AND CRASH THE PISTONS AND VALVES TOGETHER. BOTH PROBLEMS ARE KNOWN BY GM, YET THE CONSUMER IS NOT ALERTED SO THEY CAN GO IN AND GET THE CAM PIN CHECKED OR HAVE THE FLUID CHECKED FOR SLUDGING. *JB

MY DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WHILE I WAS DRIVING EASTBOUND ON RT. 251 WITHOUT CAUSE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS BY MYSELF AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. LUCKILY, I SUSTAINED MINOR ABRASIONS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF MY FACE. MY INSURANCE COMPANY WOULD NOT PAY FOR REPAIRS, DUE TO ELECTRICAL SHORT.*JB

CAR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING, DAYLIGHTS, ALL DASH GAUGES ETC. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT TROUBLE. MY TROUBLE APPEARS MAINLY WHEN HEADLIGHTS ARE ON WITH THE HEATER BLOWING ON DEFOGGER. IT COMES AND GOES EVERY SO OFTEN ESPECIALLY WHILE DRIVING AT 5:00 A.M. WHEN ITS COLD AND HEADLIGHTS ARE ON AND DEFOGGER IS NEEDED. ALTERNATOR WAS RECENTLY REPLACED BUT THE CAR IS STILL EXPERIENCING A CHRISTINE HAUNTED CAR SYNDROME WITH THE ELECTRICAL AND ITS GETTING DANGEROUS. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE CAR, AND SINCE IT IS INTERMITTENT, WHEN IT HAPPENS THE CAR'S TROUBLE CANT BE LOCATED. *JB

THE FRONT AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT IMPACT. *JB

THE FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT IMPACT. *JB

WHEN A TURN WAS MADE, THE FRONT AIR BAG INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. *JB

THE REAR WINDOW SHATTERED, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. *JB

THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT IMPACT. *JB THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WHEN THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. THE DEALER HAD GIVEN THE CONSUMER THE RUN-AROUND, WHILE THE AIR BAG(S) STILL HASN'T BEEN REPLACED. SCC