1997 Pontiac Grand Prix complaints

CAR WAS TAKEN TO DEALER TO HAVE OIL CHANGED AFTER WHICH BRAKES LOCKED UP ABS LIGHTS UP DEALER COULD NOT FIX AFTER INSTALING NEW EBTCM TOOK TO ANOTHER DEALER SEVERAL TIMES THEY SAID THEY INSTALLED NEW EBTCM STILL HAD PROBLEMS GOT THE FEELING I WAS GETTING THE RUN AROUND DIDNT GO BACK I FEEL THEY DONT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING BUT I DONT KNOW WHERE TO GO I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY RELATED PROBLEM THEY SAY NOW ITS NOT UNDER WARRENTY NOW I WOULD SUPPOSE IF THEY FOOL AROUND LONG ENOUGH WITH PROBLEMS THEY WILL BE OUT OF WARRENTY THANK YOU GEO ANDERSON. *AK

POWER LOCKS WOULD CONTINUALLY LOCK AND UNLOCK BY THEMSELVES WHEN DRIVING UNDER 45 MPH. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK *YH

DOME LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND REMAIN ON FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 MINUTES OR MORE WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK LOCKS, SEAT BELT INDICATOR, AND CRUISE CONTROL ACTING WEIRD, FUSE REPLACED AND AS SOON AS IT WAS STARTED, THE VEHICLE BLEW A FUSE. *YD

SEALT BELT INDICATOR LIGHT WOULD MOMENTARY BLINK FOR A FEW MINUTE OR MORE BEFORE GOING OUT. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMER ALSO STATES CRUISE CONTROL IS INOPERATIVE. *ET

WINSHIELD WIPERS CAME OFF HOUSING AND LEFT DEEP SCRATCH IN WINDSHIELD. *AK

THE DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT LENS/COVER FELL OFF IN AUGUST, LEAVING HALOGEN LIGHT UNIT EXPOSED WHICH LED TO PREMATURE FAILURE OF BULB. CONDENSATION INSIDE THAT HEADLIGHT WAS OBSERVED FOR SEVERAL MONTHS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. I DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT BECAUSE THERE WAS OFTEN CONDENSATION IN THE LENSES OF MY 1987 OLDS CUTLASS WAGON FROM 1990-2000 (WHEN I OWNED THE CAR) BUT NOTHING EVER HAPPENED TO THE HEADLIGHT LENSES OR THE BULBS. I ASKED THE DEALER ABOUT REPLACING THE LENS AS DEFECTIVE THREE TIMES. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE LENS WAS NOT AVAILABLE AS A SEPARATE PART AND OFFERED TO SELL ME A NEW HEADLIGHT "BUCKET" (LENS AND HOLDER ASSEMBLY) FOR $70. SERVICE COUNTER MAN DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO LOOK UP THE PRICE AS HE HAD "JUST SOLD ONE" THE PREVIOUS DAY. I TOLD BOTH THE SERVICE MANAGER AND PARTS MANAGER THAT I THOUGHT THIS SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. DON'T GET ME WRONG - I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THIS DEALER - THEY SEEM TO BE GOOD PEOPLE, BUT I'VE BEEN IN MANUFACTURING MOST OF MY CAREER AND THIS IS THE OLD "PRETEND WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM AND IT WILL EVENTUALLY GO AWAY" DANCE. RESEARCH AMONG OTHER GRAND PRIX OWNERS, AREA SERVICE MEN (OFF THE RECORD, OF COURSE) AND HTTP://WWW.GRANDPRIX.NET/PROBLEMS INDICATES THIS IS A VERY WIDESPREAD PROBLEM THAT PONTIAC REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE AS A DEFECT. WHAT HAPPENS IS THE GLUE THAT HOLDS THE LENS TO THE HEADLIGHT "BUCKET" DRIES, ALLOWING MORE MOISTURE TO ENTER, WHICH FURTHER DETERIORATES THE GLUE AND CAUSES THE LENS TO FALL OFF. WITHOUT

ENGINE WILL "SHUT-DOWN" FOR NO APPARENT REASON AT VARIOUS TIMES, WITHOUT WARNING; THIS OCCURS AS THOUGH THE KEY WAS MOVED TO THE "OFF" POSITION. MANUFACTURER'S DEALERS ARE UNABLE TO DETECT THE PROBLEM AND FIND NOTHING "WRONG" WITH THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURED SEVERAL TIMES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND POSES AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE RISK.*AK

NON-OPERATIONAL HEADLIGHTS DUE TO LENS COMING OFF HEADLIGHTS. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED OF NO MANUFACTURER'S RECALL ON THAT PARTS.*AKBOTH FRONT HEAD LIGHT LENS CONERS FEELL OFF, THEY FELL AT SEPARATE TIMES AND THE BULB IMMEDIATELY FAILED AS WELL LEAVING LIMITED TO NO VISIBILITY FOR NIGHT DRIVING. NLM

FUEL GAUGE READS FULL, THEN EMPTY THEN HALF FULL AT ALL SPEEDS.*AK

HEADLIGHTS FOG UP WHICH CAUSES DIFFICULT VISIBILTY. DEALER ADVISED CONSUMER THAT DEFECT WAS DUE TO WATER BUILD UP, AND WAS A "MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT". ALSO , DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT WAS BEGINING TO FALL OFF.*AK

ENGINE SHUTS OFF WITHOUT NOTICE AT ANY AND ALL SPEEDS. ABLE TO RESTART IMMEDIATELY. 3 TIMES AT DEALERSHIP CANNOT DUPLICATE EXPERIENCE PROBLE AT LEAST A DOZEN TIMES. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40MPH ON A SLIGHT CURVE STEERING WENT OUT ON VEHICLE. DRIVER LOST CONTROL AND HIT A GUARDRAIL. RACK AND PINION HAD TO BE REPLACED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND CHANGING LANES VEHICLE SPED UP AND WAS NOT RESPONSIVE TO BRAKE APPLICATION. DRIVER HAD TO PUT VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL IN ORDER TO STOP VEHICLE. WHEN VEHICLE WAS CUT OFF AND STARTED BACK UP, PROBLEM NO LONGER EXISTED. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS, THE HEADLIGHT LENS HAS CAME OFF OF HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY OF BOTH HEADLIGHTS. FALLS OFF UNEXPECTEDLY AND IS RUN OVER, DAMAGED, OR LOST. I BELIEVE THIS IS PROBABLY A RESULT OF THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY NOT BEING WATERTIGHT, AS THERE IS ALWAYS CONDENSED MOISTURE INSIDE THE HEADLIGHT UNIT. ONE OF MY COMPLAINTS, ASIDE FROM THE FACT THAT THE LENS COVER COMES OFF, IS THAT YOU CANNOT JUST GO TO A DEALER AND BUY A NEW LENS COVER. YOU HAVE TO BUY THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY (OR AT LEAST THAT IS WHAT I WAS TOLD AT LONG PONTIAC IN CHATTANOOA, TN), WHICH IS COSTLY AT AROUND $65 A PIECE PLUS THE ADDITIONAL LABOR COST OF REMOVING DAMAGED UNIT AND REPLACING WITH NEW UNIT. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DEFECT BECAUSE BOTH HEADLIGHTS HAD THIS PROBLEM, ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS. *AK

THIS IS THE 3RD TIME I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WHAT IS WRONG????*AK

WENT TO START ENGINE IN THE MORNING AND IT MADE A LARGE BANG (WHICH I THOUGHT WAS A BACKFIRE). I TRIED TO START AGAIN AND THE ENGINE BURST INTO FLAMES, WHICH ENDED UP TOTALLING CAR, AND CAUSED SMOKE DAMAGE THROUGHOUT MY HOUSE (THE GARAGE IS LOCATED UNDER THE HOUSE). *AK

HEADLIGHT COVER FELL (FLEW) OFF AS I WAS DRIVING. MY HEADLIGHT COVER PREVIOUSLY FELL OFF, LAST YEAR, AND WE "GLUED" ON AGAIN. OBVIOUSLY THIS DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

SOMETIMES THE AIR CONDITION WOULD MAKE A CLICKING SOUND, AND THE SYSTEM WOULD NOT ACTIVATE, OTHER TIMES THE AIR CONDITION WOULD CLICK OFF AND NOT COME BACK ON, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO BATTERY CABLES CONNECTED TO A CABLE HEAD WHICH WAS NOT A GM PART, SINCE IT WAS A SEARS DIEHARD BATTERY THE WHOLE AC PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY SEARS, HOWEVER CONSUMER WAS THEN INFORMED BY SEARS THAT IT WAS NOT THEIR FAULT, BUT THEY DID REPLACE THE BOLTS AT NO CHARGE, CONSUMER BEGAN EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THE AIR CONDITION AGAIN, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY DEALER THAT THERE WAS A SHORTED RESISTOR WHICH WAS THEN REPLACED, CONSUMER HOWEVER RETURNED THE VEHICLE FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND WAS INFORMED BY DEALER THAT THERE WAS A DEFECTIVE PART IN THE AC AND THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN DEFECT, CONSUMER WAS STILL RESPONSIBILE FOR THE CHARGES, CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT SINCE GM WAS AWARE OF THE DEFECT SHE SHOLD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR REPAIRS, AS OF JUNE 11,2001 AC HAS NOT BE REPAIRED.*JB

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, AND COULDN'T BE MOVED. DEALER REPLACED STEERING WHEEL MODULE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

HEADLIGHT LENSES WILL FALL OFF WITHOUT ANY NOTICE. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER WHO FOUND BOTH HEADLIGHT COVERS WERE GONE. *SLC

A DEFECT IN SWITCH THAT REGULATES ON & OFF OF AIR CONDITIONER ONCE THE AIR CONDITIONER IS TURNED ON.

BOTH HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES FELL APART, ONE WHILE DRIVING IN A RAIN STORM, AND ONE THE NEXT DAY UPON INSPECTION AT THE DEALERSHIP.*AK

RADIO FAILURE DISPLAY RANDOMLY CHANGES, CD WILL NOT EJECT WTY REPLACED; WATER PUMP FAILED AT 39000 MILES COST TO REPAIR NOT COVERED UNDER WTY, GM COMP $200 OF $350 REPAIR BILL;BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR FAILED NO INDICATION OF FAILURE UNTIL BATTERY WAS DEAD AND ALTERNATOR NOT CHARGEING THEN THE BATTERY LIGHT AND ABS LIGHT STAYED ON AND AS THE BATTERY BECAME WEAKER THE OTHER IDIOT LIGHTS ON THE DASH CAME ON UNTIL THE CAR EVENTUALLY QUIT RUNNING.

CONSUMER'S STOPPED VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM BEHIND BY ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING ABOUT 45 MPH, AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND CONSUMER GOT KNOCKED OUT FROM INHALING AN IRRITANT THAT IS IN THE AIR BAG, CONSUMER CONTINUES TO HAVE BREATHING PROBLEMS. *SLC

THE HEADLAMP LENSE FALLING OFF NOT ONLY HAPPENED ON OUR CAR, BUT IT ALSO HAPPENED TO MY COUSINS CAR OF THE SAME YEAR. SINCE THIS INCIDENT, I'VE NOTICED 3-4 OTHER GRAND PRIXS JUST IN OUR ARE THAT ARE ALSO MISSING THE LENSE ON THEIR HEADLAMPS. *AK

THE CONSUMER IS HAVING A HARD TIME WITH THE DEALER TO HAVE RECALL 99V-348 COMPLETED DUE TO LACK OF PARTS OR TIME CONSTRAINTS, THE CONSUMER HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ON 6 OCCASIONS. NLM

CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER IN REFERENCE TO RECALL NUMBER 99V348000, DEALER REPAIRED VEHICLE, AND CHARGED CONSUMER FOR REPAIRS. PLEASER PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON. THE DEALER STATES THEY HAVE HAD 7 OR 8 OTHERS IN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THE COST TO REPAIR IS $250.00. THEY STATE IT IS SOME TYPE OF CLIP ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SYSTEM. THEY ALSO STATE THE SYSTEM WILL NOT DEPLOY WHILE THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT IS ON. MY CONCERN IS THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH A SAFETY SYSTEM THAT WAS NOT RECALLED. ANY ASSISTANCE OR GUIDANCE WOULD BE APPRECIATED. THANKS. *AK

THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS FAILED. NLM

TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO TRANSMISSION, BEARINGS. *AK

ELECTRICAL HARNESS CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK

HEADLAMP LENSES FALL OFF, HALOGEN LAMP THEN BURNS OUT. *AK

RIGHT HEADLAMP COVER HAS DISCONNECTED FROM VEHICLE THREE TIMES IN PAST YEAR. MECHANIC STATED THAT THIS CONTINUES TO OCCUR BECAUSE COVER IS BEING GLUED BACK ON. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILS ON A REGULAR BASIS. THIS DEFECT RESULTS IN FAILURE OF ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS, AND CAUSES ENGINE TO STALL WHILE VEHICLE IS IN OPERATION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

GLASS COVER FOR PASS. SIDE HEADLIGHT FELL OFF. WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO SEVERAL OTHER PONTIACS IN MY AREA.I ONLY LIVE IN A SMALL COMMUNITY OF ABOUT 5,000 PEOPLE SO I CAN JUST IMAGINE HOW OFTEN THIS HAS HAPPENED AROUND THE WHOLE UNITED STATES.IF NOTHING ELSE, MAYBE THIS WOULD FALL UNDER SOME TYPE OF LEMON LAW FOR FAULTY PARTS. *AK

WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED ON MOIST PAVEMENT PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, AND RESULTING IN A COLLISION. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. DEALER IS INSPECTING VEHICLE.*AK THE CONSUMER POINTS OUT THAT BRAKES ON THIS VEHICLE WERE VERY BAD AND DESERVE INVESTIGATION. *YH

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

IN JULY OF 2000, I WAS AT RESTAURANT'S DRIVE-THRU WINDOW. WHEN I TURNED TO EXIT I HEARD A LOUD POP AND THE STEERING WENT OUT ON MY CAR. THE CAR WAS STILL DRIVEABLE, BUT THERE WAS NO STEERING. I STRUGGLED TO STEER IT TO A PARKING SPOT, WHICH I COULD NOT DO. LUCKILY, A CONSTRUCTION WORKER SAW ME AND OFFERED TO HELP. HE GOT IN THE CAR, AND WITH GREAT EFFORT, MANAGED TO STEER THE CAR TO A PARKING SPOT. HE OPENED THE HOOD AND WE SAW THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT HAD COME OFF. I HAD IT TOWED TO PONTIAC IN BURLINGTON, KY, WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR. *AK

LOSS OF POWER STEERING, HARD TO TURN TO THE LEFT - DEALER REPLACED RACK AND PINION UNDER 50-50 WARRANTY PROGRAM

AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, WHO STATED THAT A FAULTY WIRING HARNESS HAD DISABLED BOTH AIRBAGS. *AK

WIRING HARNESS THAT PROVIDES ELECTRICITY TO BOTH THE DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS WITHIN THE DASHBOARD HAD FAILED AS A RESULT OF A HIGH RESISTANCE CONNECTION FAILURE. THE PROBLEM WAS UNCOVERED BY THE DEALER AFTER THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. THE DEALER'S MECHANIC STATED THIS DISABLED BOTH AIRBAGS AND THAT HE HAD PERSONALLY REPLACED AT LEAST 20 OF THESE HARNESSES FOR SAME PROBLEM. ANOTHER PERSONAL CONTACT AT ANOTHER PONTIAC DEALER STATED THAT "DOZENS" OF THESE HARNESSES HAVE BEEN REPLACED IN THEIR SHOP. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR OF $400.00 TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM IF NOT UNDER WARRANTY TIMEFRAME. PART HAS SINCE BEEN RE-DESIGNED TO CORRECT HIGH RESISTANCE CONNECTION PROBLEM.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

MOISTURE BECOMES TRAPPED IN BOTH HEADLIGHTS, CAUSING THE PLASTIC LENS COVER TO FALL OFF AT 15000 MILES. DURING FIRST WEEK OF APRIL 2001, MOISTURE BECAME TRAPPED IN DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY, WHICH CAUSED PLASTIC COVER TO FALL OFF AGAIN. CONSUMER FILED A COMPLAINT WITH PONTIAC DIRECTLY, AND THEY GAVE HIM FILE NUMBER C03790349. *AK *SLC

THERES A WINDING NOISE COMING FROM FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS.*AK BOTH FRONT WHEEL BEARING UNITS FAILED. CONSUMER BELIVES THE BEARINGS WERE DEFECTIVE. *YH

FOUR OCCURRENCES OF WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE. RESPONDED TO RECALL OF WIPER CRANK ARM. 3 OTHER OCCURANCES OF WIPER WON'T PARK, WIPER ARM OFF CRANK ARM AND WIPER OUT OF POSITION OFF WINDSHIELD. DEALER INSISTS THAT IT IS A ICE MAINTENANCE ISSUE. VERY POOR SERVICE AND NOTHING BUT A HASSEL. DEALER SPILL CUP OF COKE IN PASSENGER SEAT AND DIDN'T CLEAN UP. I HAVE CONTACTED THE PONTIAC CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY HAVE DECLINED FINANCIAL HELP WITH WIPERS SO FAR. I WILL PUSH UP TO THE REGIONAL REP. TO APPLY MORE HEAT. CAN YOU HELP??*AK

DEALER CLAIMED MOISTURE/CONDENSATION IN LENS WAS 'NORMAL' AND TO BE EXPECTED

HEADLIGHT LENS COVER KEEPS COMING OFF. HAD TO REPLACE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT SYSTEM TWICE. ALSO, RECEIVED CITATION DUE TO A LACK OF LENS COVER OVER LIGHTS. MANUFACTURER KNEW OF PROBLEM, BUT COULD NOT RESOLVE SITUATION. ALSO, TOLD NOT ENOUGH COMPLAINTS WERE RECEIVED TO DO A RECALL.*AK

GLUE SEAL AROUND HEADLIGHTS SEPARATED CAUSING COVER TO FALL OFF.*AK

RIGHT & LEFT LENS COVERS FELL OFF FOR NO APPARENT REASON. DEALER INDICATED THAT IT WAS BECAUSE OF MILEAGE..THIS IS IN FACT A DESIGN FLAW. *AK

COVER ON LEFT HEADLIGHT FELL OFF AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. ON MARCH 13, 2001, COVER FOR RIGHT HEADLIGHT FELL OFF. CONDENSATION IN HEADLIGHTS COULD POSSIBLY AFFECT SEALER USED TO HOLD COVER TO VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK