1996 Pontiac Grand AM complaints

VEHICLE WON'T START DUE TO IGINTION SWITCH KEEPS LOCKING UP. ALSO, VEHICLE KEEPS STALLING AND CUTTING OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THEIR IS A TAPPING NOISE COMING FROM THE SERPENTINE BELT WHICH IS LOOSE. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHEN APPLYING ABS BRAKES, VEHICLE FELT LIKE IT WAS PULSATING & SURGING. WOULD JERK AT SLOW SPEEDS. VIBRATES VERY ROUGH. TOOK TO DEALER & HAD ROTORS TURNED UNDER WARRANTY. THE PROBLEM HAS SINCE RETURNED. HAPPENED ALSO IN MARCH 1999. *AK

WHEN DRIVING OVER 35 MPH CONSUMER COULD STEP ON THE BRAKES PEDAL AND FEEL A TREMENDOUS VIBRATION ON THE FRONT OF VEHICLE. THAT PROBLEM HAD BEEN HAPPENING FOR LONG TIME. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ABS LIGHT CAME ON, AND THEN VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

WHEN MAKING SUDDEN STOP WHILE GOING ONLY 5 MPH, FRONT PASSENGER SEAT MOVED FORWARD A FEW INCHES ON ITS TRACK WHILE OCCUPANT WAS IN IT. OCCUPANT WAS BELTED AS WELL, AND THE SEATBELT DID LOCK UP (LIKE IT SHOULD HAVE), BUT HOWEVER, THE SEAT MOVING FORWARD ON ITS TRACK CAUSED OCCUPANT IN THAT SEAT TO BE "PUSHED" AGAINST THE LOCKED UP SEATBELT (CAUSING SOME STOMACH PAIN). WORRIED THAT IN A REAL CRASH, SEAT WILL MOVE FORWARD AND CAUSE BELTED OCCUPANT TO BE INJURED MORE THAN IF THE SEAT STAYED IN POSITION LIKE IT SHOULD (TRANSLATION: OCCUPANT COULD BE KILLED IN AN OTHERWISE SURVIVABLE ACCIDENT FOR VEHICLE TYPE). NOTICED THAT FRONT RIGHT PASSENGER SEAT WAS A LITTLE WOBBLY WHEN YOU WOULD SIT IN IT WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT IT, BUT DEALER SAID IT WAS "NORMAL" FOR THIS CAR. WILL REQUEST DEALER TO REPLACE SEAT WITH NEW ONE.

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SURGES AT 60 MPH. THOUGHT THAT TRANSMISSION FAILED AT FIRST, BUT THEN NOTICED CAR WAS FINE AT LOW SPEEDS. SHUT OFF CAR AND RESTARTED, THEN TRANSMISSION WAS FINE. (NOTICED SIMILAR POSTING ON YOUR WEB SITE - ODI ID 802947) FOR THE DEFECT RELATED TO THE STEERING COLUMN, KEY WILL NOT COME OUT OF IGNITION ON OCCASION WHEN CAR IS TURNED OFF. TO FIX THIS, TURN CAR BACK ON, THEN PUT TRANSMISSION INTO DRIVE AND THEN FIRMLY INTO PARK. THIS, AND TURNING WHEEL, WILL USUALLY FIX THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH OR ABOVE THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE COMPUTER COMMAND MODULE WHICH DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED. NLM

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED UNEXPECTEDLY WITHOUT WARNING WHICH MAY HAV E RESULTED IN A CRASH. BEEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, AND REPLACE A LOOSE WIRE, BUT PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, FRONT BRAKE DISC CALIPERS ARE OUT OF ROUND, CAUSING BRAKES TO LOCK UP. *AK

VEHICLE WAS IN A SIDE IMPACT ACCIDENT THAT TURNED THE CAR OVER. VEHICLE WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE FROM THE SIDE, SPEED UNKNOWN. UPON IMPACT BOTH DRIVER'S SIDE/PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

MY MOST RECENT PROBLEM INCLUDED TRANSMISSION FAILURE, AND ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC THIS HAD BEEN HAPPENING FOR A VERY LONG TIME. THE FOURTH GEAR OF THE TRANSMISSION AND THE CLUTCH WERE BURNED OUT. I'VE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE A WATER PUMP ON THE VEHICLE. IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASE, I NOTICED ANTI-FREEZE LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE WOULD JUST DIE WHILE DRIVING ALONG. I ATTEMPTED TO GET THE DEALER TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AND DID GET HIS VERBAL AGREEMENT HOWEVER, HE LIED AND WOULDN'T FOLLOW THROUGH. I SUPPOSE BECAUSE HE KNEW HE'D SOLD ME A LEMON AND WAS MORE THAN EAGER TO STATE HIS CASE, THAT HAD NO LEMON LAW. THERE ARE VARIOUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ESPECIALLY WITH THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND I SUPPOSE IT MAY BE SOMETHING ELECTRICAL THAT CAUSES MY VEHICLE TO DIE WHILE DRIVING ALONG. THERE IS NO WARNING, THE VEHICLE JUST GOES DEAD. DURING STOPS IT SEEMS THAT AT TIMES THE REAR END JUST HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN; ALMOST AS IF IT WANTS TO KEEP GOING WHILE THE FRONT END HAS STOPPED - IT'S SORT OF LIKE A SKIPPING EFFECT. OTHER ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS INCLUDE THE PASSENGER DOOR LOCK NOT OPERATING WITH THE POWER DOOR LOCK, THE RADIO DISPLAY IS LIT AT TIMES AND SOMETIMES IT'S NOT, SINCE I'VE HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPAIRED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND ETS LIGHTS WHICH HAVE BEEN ON SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, ARE NO LONGER LIT. DURING THE WATER PUMP FAILURE THE DEALERSHIPS REMEDY FOR IT WAS TO DISCONNECT THE ELECTRICAL WIRING WHICH PROMPTED ME THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THIS SYSTEM. THE ELEC

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ONE FOR A DAY AND GO OFF DID THIS 3 TIMES BEFORE TOTAL FAILURE OF ALTERNATER & BATTERY/FRONT END/STEERING/BRAKES(ABS) ABD SHOCKS. CAR WILL PULL HARD TO THE LEFT WHILE BRAKING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. HAVE TO FIGHT STEERING WHEEL TO KEEP CAR IN LANE. HAD BRAKES CHECKED AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. ( FRONT BRAKES WERE VERY HOT) HIT SMALL BUMP OR POTHOLE OR TAKING TURN OR GOING DOWN THE STREET/HIGHWAY AND CAR WILL WANDER LEFT AND RIGTH WHILE YOU ARE HOLDING THE WHEEL. SOMETIMES IT IS BAD ENOUGH TO HAVE TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION TO KEEP GOING STRAIGHT. NHTSA RECALL #96V249000 MY CAR DOES NOT FALL IN THE MANFACTURED DATE OF JULY 96 CAN I STILL HAVE CHECKED NO CHARGE? I WAS TAKING WAX OF MY CAR WITH KEYS IN THE IGNITION CAR OFF, THE POWER DOOR LOOKS LOCKED CAR. I HAVE SEEN MORE COMPLAINTS IN YOUR CONSUMER COMPLAINT SECTION OF THESE ISSUES I HAVE JUST REPORTED. *AK

AT ANY SPEED LIGHTS ON CONTROL PANEL WOULD ILLUMINATE, AND CAR WOULD SUDDENLY DIE OUT. INCIDENT OCCURRED FOUR TIMES. DEALER CONTACTED AND ATTEMPTED TO REMEDY PROBLEM BY INSTALLING NEW COMPUTER. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND GOING OVER ANY TYPE OF BUMP OR HOLE IN THE STREET VEHICLE GRINDS DUE TO LOWER CONTROL ARM MALFUNCTIONING. CONSUMER HAD LOWER CONTROL ARM ON THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDES REPLACED. *AK,

FRONT RIGHT DISC BRAKE CALIPER HANGS UP AND DOES NOT RETURN PROPERLY AND TEARS THE ROTOR UP SEVERELY. BRAKE PULSATION OCCURS. DEALER CONTACTED AND IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT CANNOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A 40 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH NO PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE STARTED TO LOSE POWER. CONSUMER PRESSED ON THE ACCELERATOR, AND VEHICLE FELT LIKE IT WANTED TO CUT OFF. BUT, VEHICLE DIDN'T CUT OFF, AND CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO GET VEHICLE TO DEALER. DEALER CHECKED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICEDTRANSMISSION FLUID SHOULD HAVE BEEN PINK, BUT THE FLUID WAS BLACK, AND SOME METAL OBJECTS CAME FROM TRANSMISSION WHICH CAUSED PROBLEMS FOR CONSUMER.

FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS PIVOT IN AWAY TO FORCE OUT BUSHINGS. *AK

THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE AND THE AIR CONDITIONER DON'T WORK AND THE VEHICLE IS OVERHEATING, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HAVE PROBLEMS SEEING OUT THE WINDOW. DEALER HAS WORKED ON THE VEHICLE FOUR TIMES, AND STILL CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. ALSO, WATER PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN OR STALLS, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

CHECK ENGINE HAS BEEN RESET, BUT CONTINUES TO COME (3 TIMES) CODE READS P1870, BUT NO TRANSMISSION SLIPPING.

CRUISE CONTROL & ETS INOPERATIVE DURING CHECK ENGINE OPERATIVE PERIOD.

IGNITION COIL FAILED CAUSING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, AND EXHAUST COMPONENTS TO BECOME HOT ENOUGH TO MELT AND CATCH SURROUNDINGS ON FIRE

LEFT MIRROR PLASTIC RETAINING CLIP BROKE TWICE SINCE CAR WAS PURCHASE, UNABLE TO ADJUST DRIVER SIDE BECAUSE CONTROL FELL INSIDE DOOR.

THE TIRE ON VEHICLE WENT FLAT. REPLACED WITH SPARE TIRE. THE SPARE TIRE WAS DRY ROTTED & DECAYED. ALSO HAD LARGE HOLE IN IT. TIRE HAS NEVER BEEN USED SINCE VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT. TOOK TO DEALER FOR REPLACEMENT, BUT DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE DRY ROTTED, DECAYED TIRE. *AK

ABS BRAKE PADS WENT OUT AT 19,000, AND 20,000, NEW PADS WERE PUT ON AND NOW THE BRAKES MAKE NOISE. DEALER HAS THE VEHICLE FOR REPAIRS, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

MY CAR HAS STALLED FOUR TIMES WHILE DRIVING. I LOSE ALL POWER AND THE CAR WILL NOT RESTART FOR FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR. TWO TIMES THE SITUATION WAS VERY DANGEROUS AND I WAS NEARLY IN AN ACCIDENT. ONE TIME IT STALLED ON A BLIND TURN ON A BACK ROAD AND PEOPLE HAS TO SWERVE TO AVOID ME. THE OTHER TIME THE LOSE OF POWER STEERING MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO AVOID OTHER CARS AS I TRIED TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I'VE HAD THE CAR FOR A YEAR AND I AM SO SCARED THAT I'M GOING TO BE IN AN ACCIDENT. I'VE HAD THE CAR ON A FLATBED FOUR TIMES AND BROUGHT TO THE DEALER. EACH TIME THE CAR STARTS FOR THE DEALER AND THEY CAN FIND NO PROBLEMS. THEY SAY IT COULD BE TO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS AND CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. THE CAR HAS ALSO FAILED TO START ON SIX OCCASIONS AND THE DEALER CANNOT FIGURE OUT THIS PROBLEM EITHER.

DRIVING DOWN GRAVEL ROAD AT 15-20 MPH, BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, RESULTING IN AN INJURY. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO STOP VEHICLE WITHOUT ANY ACCIDENT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY CUTS OFF WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. *AK

TIRES SIDEWALL CRACKED AND FAILED.(GOODYEAR 205/55R16).

STEERING COLUMN FAILED CAUSING THE IGNITION KEY TO STICK INTERMITTENTLY.

ENGINE FAILED DUE TO INTERNAL LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURE ON REAR ENGINE CYLINDER BANK, CAUSING INTERNAL LEAKAGE OF ENGINE COOLANT INTO INTERNAL ENGINE PARTS.

RIGHT SIDE HORN AREA PRESSED AND HORN STAYED ON FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 MINUTES BEFORE IT FINNALY SHUT OFF.

TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM FAILED. ALSO, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON.

ALTERNATOR FAILED DUE TO THE CHARGING SYSTEM.

WATER FAILED DUE TO LEAKING.

TRANSMISSION LEAKS FLUID DUE TO A FAILED TRANS-AXLE SEAL.

BRAKE SWITCH OUT OF ADJUSTMENT, REAR WHEEL CYLINDERS LEAKING, AND BRAKE SHOES AND DRUMS CONTAMINATED WITH FLUID. ALL RELATED PARTS HAD TO BE REPLACED.

NUTS ON WHEELS BREAK INTERMITTENTLY.

BRAKES MALFUNCTION.

THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP INTO NEUTRAL WHEN PULLING INTO TRAFFIC ALSO I NOTICED IT, SOMETIMES ON THE HIGHWAY, TOTAL LOSE OF POWER. WE TOOK THE CAR IN 4 TIMES BEFORE THE DEALER DIOGNOSED THE PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. WE HAVE EXTENDED WARRENTY SO WE PAID $100.00. NOW THE CAR SEEMS NOT TO HAVE THE ACCELERATION POWER FROM A STOP THAT IT ONCE HAD. ALSO, THE ENGINE SOUNDS LOUD WHEN ACCERATING. AND I HAVE LOST FUEL ECONOMEY.

ELECTRICAL WIRING MALFUNCTION IS CAUSING THE BATTERY CHECK LIGHT TO CONTINUALLY FLASH.

WHEN CONSUMER SHUTS OFF THE ENGINE, THE IGNITION SWITCH DOES NOT GO ALL THE WAY TO WHERE HE COULD TAKE THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION, AND THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED. MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE CONTACTED. *AK

IGNITION KEY CANNOT BE MOVED FROM THE IGNITION WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF. IT TAKES ABOUT 10 MINUTES UP TO ONE HOUR BEFORE THE KEY CAN BE REMOVED. THE DEALER HAS TRIED TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM 3 TIMES. VEHICLE IS AT DEALERSHIP FOR THE 4TH TIME FOR THIS PROBLEM. *AK

STARTED ENGINE & HEARD A TICKING NOISE IN FRONT OF VEHICLE. AFTER VEHICLE WAS WARMED NOISE DISAPPEARED. TOOK TO DEALER. KEPT OVERNIGHT TO COOL DOWN. PRINT OUT SHOWED NOISE MIGHT BE IN TRANSAXLE. NO WAY OF REPAIRING AFTER COLD START. *AK

I WAS DOING 30 MPH ON THE EXPRESSWAY DURING RUSH HOUR. THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME SLAMMED ON HIS BRAKES, AS I SLAMMED ON MY BRAKES I REALIZED I WAS NOT STOPPING. I SWEARVED TO THE LEFT LAND AND HIT THE MEDIAN WALL THAT DIVIDES NORTH AND SOUTH BOUND TRAFFIC. MY AIR BAG DID NOT INFLATE, I HIT THE WALL DIRECTLY ON THE LEFT HIGHLIGHT AND MY BRAKES FAILED. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN THE PAST YEAR MY BRAKES HAVE FAILED. WHENEVER THEY ARE LOOKED AT AFTERWARDS, NOTHING IS FOUND. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS SOMETHING I CAN DO ABOUT THE BRAKES AND THE AIR BAG. THANK YOUR.

WHILE DRIVING SEAT BELT COMES LOOSE WITHOUT WARNING. CONSUMER HAD CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, BUT THEY STATED THAT THEY ARE UNABLE TO REPAIR THE DEFFECT WITHOUT ANY COST TO THE CONSUMER. *AK *SLC

COONSUMER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65MPH WHEN SHE SMELLED SMOKE. PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND THERE WAS SMOKE AT DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S FRONT BRAKES.