1998 Pontiac Grand AM complaints

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON AND WILL NOT GO OFF. CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR AN ENGINE PROBLEM. *AK

BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AFTER 20,000 MILES. HAVE HAD TO REPLACE 5 YR BATTERIES 3 TIMES NOW AT MY OWN EXPENSE. LAST TIME RESULTED IN CAR NEEDING TO BE TOWED AND KEY NOT BEING ABLE TO BE TAKEN OUT OF IGNITION. TRIED JUMP STARTING AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OVER HEATED. MY COMPLAINT IS THIS I JUST RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL STATING THAT IF THE CAR IS HARD TO START IT COULD START ON FIRE IF JUMP STARTED MORE THEN 3 TIMES AND IF THE KEY IS ON THE ON POTION TO LONG. THEY WANT TO INSTALL A RELAY DEVICE TO PREVENT FIRES BUT WHY IS THE ELECTRICAL IGNITION PROBLEM NOT BEING FIXED. WHY DO WE HAVE TO REPLACE THE BATTERY EVERY YEAR. THE RELAY DEVICE WILL NOT FIX THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM IT WILL ONLY FIX THE FIRE THREAT. ALSO SIDE MIRROR ADJUSTMENT KNOB HAS FALLEN INSIDE CAR DOOR AND WINDOWS WILL NOT ROLL DOWN OR UP. CAR WILL NOT SHIFT INTO REVERSE AT TIMES. FRONT TIRES WORE ON THE INSIDE OUT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE. *JB

DOES NOT MATTER WHAT TIME OF DAY OR WHAT TEMP OUTSIDE, WHEN CAR IS STARTED, RPM'S RANGE FROM 2000 TO 3000. CAR WILL NOT GO TO NORMAL IDLE AT ANY TIME NO MATTER HOW LONG DRIVEN UNLESS CAR IS TURNED OFF AN THEN BACK ON. SOMETIMES IT TAKES DOING THIS SEVERAL TIMES. IF THIS IS NOT DONE AND IDLE IS LEFT AS IS, CAR IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STOP. ALMOST NECESSARY TO "STAND" ON THE BRAKES! DEALER SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG AND THAT IT IS A FACTORY PRESET. *AK

1998 GRANDAM, INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET AND FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR GASKET NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT 75,000 MILES. WHEN PRICING OUT REPAIRS I WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE GM V-6 ENGINE BY THE REPAIR SHOPS. THE INSIDE OF THE CAR WOULD SMELL LIKE GAS WHILE DRIVING ON VERY COLD DAYS. (NORTH DAKOTA) JUST SOUTH OF ALASKA.*AK

THE REGULATORS IN BOTH OF THE SIDE WINDOWS ARE NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. *AK

CAR LOOSES POWER AT RANDOM TIMES, IN TOWN, 75 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE, UPON LEAVING FROM A DEAD STOP, ETC. DEALERSHIP HAS HAD CAR MORE THAN 10 TIMES AND 45 DAYS AND IS UNABLE TO FIX PROBLEM.

CHRONIC COOLANT LEAK, CAUSED BY DEFECTIVE, PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS. ENGINE NEVER SHOWED IT WAS HOT. BASED ON MY RESEARCH THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE. GM SHOULD STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS AND FIX THIS INSTEAD OF CONTINUING TO USE THE SAME DEFECTIVE PARTS FOR OVER 5 YEARS IN A NUMBER OF GM VEHICLES. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER GM PRODUCT! *CB

THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE FUNCTION PREVENTS ME FROM BEING ABLE TO BRAKE MY CAR ON WET, SNOWY OR SLUSHY DAYS, BOTH MY DAUGHTER AND I HAVE HAD TO SHIFT DOWN AND PULL ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO PULL OVER, WE LIVE ON A LONG STEEP HILL. THIS RESETS THEABS BUT ONLY TEMPORARILY. ALSO, THE AUTO LOCKS MALFUNCTION AND THE FRONT WINDOWS DON'T ROLL UP AND DOWN, I AM AFRAID WE'LL BE TRAPPED IN AN OUT OF CONTROL CAR. ALSO THE ADJUSTMENT KNOB FOR THE EXTERIOR REAR VIEW MIRRORS FELL INTO THE DOOR SO I CAN'T ADJUST THEM WITHOUT STOPPING AS THE WINDOWS DON'T OPEN.*AK

SEEMS A FEW WEEKS AFTER I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE I STARTED NOTICING MALFUNCTIONS WRONG WITH MY PONTIAC GRAND AM. I BROUGHT IN MY CAR FOR PROBLEMS WITH THE IGNITION IN SEVERAL TIMES, KEY GETS STUCK IN IGNITION AND HARD TO RELEASE. IGNITION LOCKS AND CAN'T TURN KEY TO START ENGINE. MY CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND NEVER WAS I TOLD THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FROM THE DEALER. I WAS CHARGED AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST AFTER SEVERAL SERVICES TO MY CAR. NOW MY CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND PROBLEM STILL EXIST. I THINK I MAY HAVE PURCHASED A LEMON. *AK

BOTH FRONT POWER WINDOWS OPERATE SPORADICALLY. THEY WILL ROLL DOWN (NOT CONSISTENTLY) AND FAIL TO ROLL UP. THEY CAN BE STUCK IN THE DOWN POSITION FOR DAYS. THIS MATTER HAPPENED ON A WINDY, SNOWY JANUARY DAY ON THE HIGHWAY AFTER PAYING A TOLL. I COULD BARELY DRIVE WHILE GOING THE MINIMUM, 45 MPH, ON THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE OF THE COLD AIR AND SNOW BLOWING INTO MY FACE. I HAVE PUT UP WITH NOT USING ANY WINDOWS FOR ABOUT A YEAR, BUT FOUND OUT THAT I COULD NOT PASS THE WEST VIRGINIA SAFETY INSPECTION NOR OBTAIN A MANDATORY YEARLY SAFETY STICKER IF MY DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW WILL NOT ROLL DOWN. IT IS AGAINST THE STATE LAW TO HAVE AN INOPERABLE DRIVERS WINDOW, BECAUSE I WAS TOLD THAT IF YOU ARE PULLED OVER, THE POLICE OFFICER NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK WITH YOU THROUGH THAT WINDOW. IN ADDITION, IT JUST MAKES SENSE THAT IF YOU ARE TRAPPED FOR WHATEVER REASON, A WINDOW MAY BE YOUR ONLY ESCAPE.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. AS A RESULT, THE DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK 1998 3.1LITER ENGINE PONTIAC GRAND AM 2ND VEHICLE I OWN. *LA

WHEN TRYING TO TAKE KEY OUT OF IGNITION THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT LOCK IN PLACE AND KEYS COULD EITHER NOT BE REMOVED OR WOULD BE REMOVED BUT WHEEL STILL WOULD NOT LOCK IN PLACE. *LA

WHILE DRIVING DRIVER STARTED TO SMELL SOMETHING BURNING, PULLED OVER, POPPED HOOD, AND DRIVER NOTICED THE ALTERNATER WIRE WAS BURNING. *AK

THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR HAS FAILED THREE TIMES IN THIS VEHICLE, IN AS MANY YEARS. SUDDEN ACCELERATION OCCURS AND HAS ALMOST CAUSED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS, VERY FRIGHTENING. POTENTIALLY DEADLY. *JB

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING STEERING WHEEL VEERED LEFT TO RIGHT. *AK

BREAKS HAVE FAILED 3 TIMES IN THE LAST WEEK ALONE. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES HOWEVER INTERMITTENTLY. WE PURCHASED THIS CAR 2 YEARS AGO AND IT HAS BEEN IN PONTIAC SERVICE NUMEROUS TIMES. THEY HAVE PUT ON NEW BRAKES, PADS ETC. ADJUSTED THE BRAKES AND STILL THE PROBLEM IS UNRESOLVED. SOMETHING MUST BE DONE IMMEDIATELY THIS CAR IS UNSAFE AND WILL CAUSE AN INJURY OR DEATH!*AK

98 PONTIAC GRAND AM AIR BAG NOT WORKING, WATER LEAKS ON FLOOR BOARD WHEN AC IS ON, RUNS HOT, STOPS RUNNING, ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. *NLM

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN OFF MY VEHICLE THE KEY WOULD NOT GO TO THE OFF POSITION TO RELEASE MY KEY. ALL ELECTRICAL DEVICES (HEAD LIGHTS, DASH LIGHTS,ETC...) WOULD STAY ON. I DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY AND THEN BROUGHT IT TO A DEALER THE NEXT MORNING. THEY STATED THERE WAS A FAILURE IN THE SHIFT INTERLOCK SOLENOIV AND THE INGNITION LOCK CYLINDER ALSO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. MY CAR HAS 33,000 MILES AND HAS MAINTANANCE REGULARLY(OIL CHANGE,ETC...). THE DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE $520 TO FIX A FAILED PART. THEY ALSO STATED IT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN. ANY INFORMATION ON THIS WOULD BE WONDERFUL. THANK YOU.*AK

THE STEERING BECAME LOOSE WHILE DRIVING. *JB

THE BATTERY FAILED. *JB

NOTICED A COOLING LEAK IN ENGINE. MECHANIC FOUND INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKING AND SAID HE HAD REPAIRED OVER A DOZEN THIS YEAR ON GENERAL MOTORS SMALL V6 ENGINES. APPARENTLY THE PLASTIC/RUBBER COMBINATION USED FOR THE GASKET FAILS AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME. IT IS VERY COMPLICATED TO REPLACE WHICH IS WHY IT WAS SO EXPENSIVE. DT

WHILE TRAVELING AT NORMAL SPEED, CONSUMER STATES' PRESSED BRAKE PEDAL AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER HAD TO PUMP BRAKE TO GET VEHICLE TO STOP. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. MR

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE CONSUMER HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKES IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM IS UNKNOWN BUT COULD BE RELATED TO A FAULTY MASTER CYLINDER. *TS *NLM

PROBLEMS STARTING UP VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *MR

IGNITION STARTED SMOKING WHILE TRYING TO TURN KEY IN IGNITION. MR

CONTROL ARM BUSHING SEPARATED. SOUNDED FROM DEALER LIKE THEY HAD DELT WITH THIS PROBLEM IN OTHER VEHICLES, BUT SINCE IN WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, THEY MADE ME PAY. SEEMS LIKE A SAFETY ISSUE.*AK

AFTER TURNING MY VEHICLE ON, I NOTICED THAT MY VEHICLE BRAKE AND ABS LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. IT WAS DETERMINED AFTER TAKING THE CAR TO THE MECHANIC THAT THE MOTOR PACK WAS IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT. MY MECHANIC SUGGESTED THAT I FILE A REPORT SINCE THIS IS A RARE PROBLEM.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AKI

WHILE PUTTING STEERING IN DOWN POSITION STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT MOVE UP OR DOWN. *AK THE STEERING WHEEL WAS IN THE TOP POSITION AND COULD NOT BE MOVED. WHEN CONSUMER TOOK THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION THE STEERING WHEEL DID NOT LOCK IN POSITION. *JG

AFTER TAKING KEY OUT OF IGNITION SWITCH STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT LOCK IN PLACE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTCTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHEN STOPPING VEHICLE CONSUMER CANNOT GET KEY OUT OF IGNITION. WHEN KEY DOES NOT COME OUT IT IS SET ON ALTERNATOR.SHE CANNOT LEAVE KEY THERE BECAUSE IT WILL RUN THE ALTERNATOR DOWN. JUST HAD AN ALTERNATOR PUT ON. SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND PAID FOR IT TO GO ON DIANOSTIC MACHIN., YET, DEALER COULD NOT FIND OUT WHY IT WAS HARD TO REMOVE KEY FROM IGNITION SWITCH.*AK

WHILE TURNING ON THE HEATER THERE IS SOME STRONG SMELL THAT COMES FROM THE VENTS, IT WILL FOG UP WINDSHIELD. *AK *JB

CONSUMER STATES SEATBELTS DO NOT LOCK UP WHEN BRAKE IS APPLIED IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. DEALER STATED THAT SEATBELTS WERE WORKING AS DESIGNED.*AK *SCC

VEHCLE WAS LEAKING WATER. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT WATER PUMP NEEDED REPLACING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

POWER WINDOWS ON BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDES HAVE FAILED. THE MOTOR STILL WORKS, BUT IF YOU ROLL WINDOW DOWN YOU MUST MANUALLY KEEP WINDOW STRAIGHT WHEN ROLLING UP. I HAVE CHECKED REPAIR COSTS AND IT'S ABOUT $500/WINDOW. MY CAR WAS LESS THAN 3 YEARS OLD WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURRED, SO UNLESS PONTIAC MAKES AN IMPROVEMENT TO THE WINDOW SYSTEM IT WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THE PART THAT IS MALFUNTIONING IS CALLED A REGULATOR. I HAVE TAKEN MY DOOR PANEL OFF TO LOOK AT IT AND IT IS JUST NOT MADE STRONG ENOUGH FOR THE WEIGHT OF THE WINDOWS.*AK

NO COOLANT LIGHT WILL COME ON AND STAY ON VEHICLE . ALSO, LEAKING ANTI FREEZE.*AK *SLC

WHILE DRIVING ABS LIGHT WILL POP UP. CONSUMER HAS TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE, AND LIGHT WILL GO OFF. THEN, WILL POP UP AGAIN. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *AK

THIS COOLANT SYSTEM HAS FLUID THAT DOES NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED FOR OVER 100,000 MILES. HOWEVER, THE WATER PUMP MAY HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT ONLY 50,000. PONTIAC CALLED THIS NORMAL. IT SEEMS A LITTLE DECEPTIVE TO ADVERTISE A FLUID THAT LASTS SO LONG WHEN THE MECHNICAL PARTS MAY NOT. PONTIAC AND GM WOULD NOT OFFER REPAIR ASSISTANCE. THE REPAIR COST OVER $800.00. MANY LOCAL MECHANICS, SOME PONTIAC, SAID THIS WAS NOT NORMAL FOR THIS PART, BUT GM AND PONTIAC STILL REFUSED TO OFFER ANY WARRANTY ASSISTANCE.*AK

BOTH DRIVER & PASSENGER WINDOW COMPONENTS...LEVERS THAT RAISE & LOWER THE WINDOWS HAVE FAILED....THE LEVER, CA;;ED THE "WINDOW REGULATORS" HAVE BASICALLY RIPPED APART...ON BOTH DOORS.... THIS SEEMS RATHER DIFFICULT TO BELIVE THAT SUCH A THING COULD TAKE PLACE ON A THREE YEAR OLD CAR...I CAN FIND NO PRIOR REPORTS..I ASSUME OWNERS JUST HAVE THEM REPAIRED, WHEN IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THERE IS AN OBVIOUS "DEFECT" IN THE MANUFACTURING OF THESE COMPONENTS. THESE COMPONENETS APPEAR TO BE TOO WEAKLY CONSTRCUTED TO STAND UP TO THE STRESS INVOLVED IN THESE ELECTRIC WINDOWS.

CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO START VEHICLE DUE TO FROZEN IGNITION WHICH WOULD NOT ALLOW THE KEY TO TURN, DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION CYLINDER, CONSUMER ASKED IF THIS WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY SINCE VEHICLE WAS ONLY 3 AND 1/2 YEARS OLD AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD NOT BE. *SLC

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, EARLY MORNING START AND VEHICLE FAILED TO START. CONSUMER MADE A SECOND ATTEMPT TO START AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, FIRE STARTED IN THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED ,AND EXTINGUISHED FIRE BEFORE ANYMORE DAMAGE WAS DONE TO VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. *AK

CONSUMER STATES WHEN TAKING FOOT OFF ACCELERATOR, VEHICLE STARTS TO PULSATE AND WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED IT TAKES APPROXIMATELY 3 TO 4 FEET TO STOP, WHILE VEHICLE IS BUCKING AS IF THE ABS ARE ENGAGING, RPM NEEDLE GOES CRAZY. *SLC

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. SECOND TIME. REQUEST INFORMATION WHETHER THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE PROBLEM. GARAGE STATES THAT IT IS. IS MANUFACTURER EXTENDING WARANTY FOR THIS FAILURE PAST WARANTY PERIOD. *AK

DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT DISC BRAKE SEPARATED AND FELL OFF WHILE BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY. *AK

BRAKES HAVE NEVER WORKED PROPERLY. REPLACED TWICE AND ROTORS HAVE BEEN TURNED ONCE. SPOUSE NOTICED THAT THE FRONT OR REAR BRAKES DID NOT SHOW ANY WEAR.-WE ALSO HAVE HAD A PROBELM WITH THE BATTERY THAT I THINK WAS CAUSED BY THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.*AK

I FEEL AS THOUGH THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH MY 1998 PONTIAC GRANDAM. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP (BOOMERSHINE PONTIAC) TWICE IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS. ON NOVE 28, 2000 ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS IN MY VEHICLE CAME ON AND THEN MY CAR LOCKED UP WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE BYPASS AT ABOUT 50 MPH. I COULD NOT STEER OR BRAKE MY CAR. IT WAS LOCKED UP, SO THREW ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKES AND SLID UNTIL THE CAR CAME TO A STOP. I REPORTED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT MY ABS, ETS, CHECK ENGINE, AND AIRBAG LIGHTS KEPT FLASHING ON AND OFF. ON FEB 20, 2001 I TOOK MY CAR BACK TO BOOMERSHINE PONTIAC AND REPORTED THAT MY CHECK ENGINE, ABS, AND AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ONCE AGAIN COMING ON. MY CAR WAS SUPPOSELY REPAIRED WHEN I PICKED IT UP ON FEB 22, 2001. ON MARCH 1. 2001 AT 9:05AM I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND MY ABS, ETS, AND AIRBAG LIGHTS WERE ONCE AGAIN FLASHING . I WENT TO PONTIAC BOOMERSHINE TO REPORT THIS. AND I TOOK THE SALES CONSULTANT JASON BRESNOCK FOR A RIDE IN THE CAR. MY AIRBAG LIGHT DID FLASH WHILE JASON BRESNOCK WAS RIDING WITH ME. I HAVE MADE AND APPOINTMENT FOR TUESDAY MARCH 6, 2001 AND 7:45AM TO HAVE THEM WORK ON MY CAR ONCE AGAIN. I FEEL THAT THERE IS SOMETHING SERIOUSLY WRONG WITH THIS CAR AND THE TECHNICIANS CAN'T FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM CAN BE. I FEEL THAT I AM DRIVING AN UNSAFE VEHICLE AT THIS POINT.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING 45MPH VEHICLE STALLED. HAS BEEN TAKEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES*AK

FRONT BRAKES AND ROTORS HAD TO REPLACED AT 24,000 MILES WITHIN 1 YEARR OF OWNERSHIP. THEN 1 1/2 YEARS ,ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AT SAME TIME. DEALER HAD TO HAVE MOTOR PACT KIT PUT WHICH RUNS REAR HYDRAULIC FOR BRAKES AT 50,000 MILES. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK