1999 Pontiac Grand Prix complaints

DT: WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES, A METAL SOUND WAS HEARD. THE DEALER SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG, WHEN THE CAR BROKE DOWN IT WAS TOWED TO MEINKE MUFFLER SHOP AND THEY SAW THE PROBLEM RIGHT AWAY. THEY SAVED THE DEFECTIVE PARTS. WHEN POINTED OUT TO DEALER THEY SAW THE PROBLEM. 2 DIFFERENT DEALERS SAID THIS NEVER HAPPENS AND THEY FELT IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE. MANUFACTURER SAID FOR THE DEALER TO CALL BUT THE DEALER WILL NOT CALL MANUFACTURER. *JB

STEERING WHEEL LOCKED ONLY WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN. DEALER STATED THE RACK AND PINION STEERING WAS DEFECTIVE. *AK *JB

VEHICLE WAS IDLING ROUGH ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE, ALL FUEL INJECTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED, ONE OF THEM TWICE. VEHICLE STILL IDLES ROUGH ON OCCASION.*AK

LEAKS ANT FREEZE INTO THE BLOCK SAID IT WAS THE UPPER AND LOWER INTAKE GASKETS. NEED A RECALL ON THAT. *JB

THERE WAS A LEAK OF RADIATOR FLUID INTO THE PISTONS. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE PLASTIC LINE IN THE ENGINE WAS DEFECTIVE, AND THEN WAS REPLACED.*AK *TC

POWER STEERING IS VERY HARD TO TURN WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN. CONSUMER STATED THAT A RECALL WAS ISSUED ON THE 1997 AND 1998 PONTIAC, GRAND PRIX. TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, WHO DETERMINED THAT CONSUMER NEEDED A RACK AND PINION, WHICH WOULD COST CONSUMER ABOUT $800.00.*AK

DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE FOR APPROX 100 MILES, ENGINE TEMPERATURE SUDDENLY OVERHEATED. SON AND WIFE IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND SHUT MOTOR OFF. THEY WAITED APPROX 30 MINUTES FOR ENGINE TO COOL OFF. THEY TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE, BUT IT DIDN'T SOUND RIGHT SO THEY STOPPED. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER IN SPRINGFIELD, VT FOR REPAIR. INFORMED ON MONDAY THAT ENGINE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED CAUSING LOSS OF COOLANT. CAR HAD APPROX 79500 MILES ON IT. VIN # IS [XXX] .*AK UPDATED 07/24/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

1999 GRAND PRIX PURCHASED USED IN 2002. IN FALL 2003, ONE POWER WINDOW FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. IN AUGUST 2004, A SECOND POWER WINDOW FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. IN SEPTEMBER 2004, A THIRD POWER WINDOW FAILED. IT IS STUCK IN THE UP POSITION AND HAS NOT YET BEEN REPLACED.*AK

THE FRONT HEADLIGHT LENS, AFTER 5 YEARS, HAS BECOME EXTREMELY CLOUDY AND LETS LESS THAN 50% LIGHT THRU IT, CAUSING THE ROAD TO BARELY BE LIT UP AT NIGHT. I HAVE TALKED TO A PONTIAC DEALER AND A CAR REPAIR COMPANY AND BOTH SAY THAT THIS IS NOW COMMON SINCE CHANGING FROM GLASS TO PLASTIC. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD AND NO ONE SEEMS TO BE ACKNOWLEDGING THE PROBLEM WITH A RECALL. WHAT COULD BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN ALL OLDER VEHICLES SUFFERING OVER 50% LOSS OF HEADLIGHT LIGHT?*AK

WHEN THE CONSUMER STARTED UP THE VEHICLE, SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD AREA. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO GET OUT AND CALLED THE FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENT. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND TOTALED OUT BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT AND COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON. THE COOLANT IN THE CONTAINER WAS BOILING. THE INTAKE VALVE WAS DEFECTIVE, AND THE COOLANT WAS GOING INTO THE OIL.*AK

WE HAVE A 1999 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX WITH A LITTLE OVER 100,000 MILES ON IT. IN THE PAST MONTH, IT BECAME MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. FINALLY, WE WERE UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY AT ALL. WE HAD THE CAR CHECKED OUT BY A LOCAL PONTIAC DEALER AND WE WERE TOLD THAT THE CAR COULD NO LONGER RECOGNIZE WHEN THE CAR WAS IN PARK. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE COMPLETE FLOOR SHIFTER WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE UNIT PARTS COULD NOT BE INDIVIDUALLY FIXED. WE ALSO WERE TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE BYPASSED, BUT THAT IT WAS REALLY A SAFETY ISSUE. I WORK WITH SOMEONE WHO ALSO OWNS A 1999 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX WITH A LITTLE OVER 100,000 MILES, AND THEY HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. MY DEALER TOLD ME THAT THEY ARE SEEING A LOT OF THIS PROBLEM ON THE 1999 VEHICLES WITH THE SAME MILEAGE. IT COST OF $377.16 TO REPAIR THIS PART.*AK

VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY. IT CAN OCCUR AT ANY SPEED WHILE DRIVING OR AT A STOP POSITION. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON AS VEHICLE STARTED TO ACCELERATE AND THEN SPUTTER AND MISFIRE, ALMOST CAUSING A MULTIPLE CAR ACCIDENT. VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. AFTER TOWING THE CAR TO THE DEALER(CLOSE TO CLOSING TIME), THEY DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE ENGINE HYDRO-STATIC LOCKED AND THEY NEEDED TO INVESTIGATE WHY IT HAPPENED. AS AN UNCANNY COINCIDENCE, ANOTHER GRAND PRIX SIMILAR TO MINE(DOWN TO THE SAME COLOR CAR AND TOWING COMPANY) WAS THERE FOR THE SAME REASON. THE NEXT MORNING THE DEALER STATED THEY COULD FIX IT FOR AROUND $1,200, BUT NOT STATING WHY IT HAPPENED OR WHAT CAUSED THE ENGINE TO LOCK UP AND THAT THEY WERE WORKING ON IT RIGHT THEN. AFTER NONE OF MY QUESTIONS WERE GETTING ANSWERED I STORMED INTO WHERE MY CAR WAS(IN THE BACK LOT... PARKED!!!!), WHILE I CALLED A TOW COMPANY, AND DEMANDED MY KEYS BACK. A MECHANIC THAT SUPPOSEDLY LOOKED AT MY CAR STATED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS THE PROBLEM CAUSING THE ENGINE TO HYDRO-STATIC LOCK AND THAT MY STARTER SHATTERED UPON RESTART TESTING. AFTER LEAVING WITHOUT REPAIRS AND TOWING MY CAR TO MY RESIDENCE, I LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND DISCOVERED THAT MY CAR WASN'T EVEN TOUCHED...NO BOLTS LOOSENED OR DUST WIPED OFF OF THEM, THE BRITTLE WIRE HOLDERS AND CLIPS WEREN'T DISTURBED...THERE WAS NO WAY TO FIND A FAULT LIKE THAT WITHOUT TAKING THE INTAKE MANIFOLD OFF. I FINALLY FIXED THE PROBLEM MYSELF BY REPLACING THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD AND GASKET AND STARTER(NO PROBLEMS SINCE THEN, WATCHING IT CLOSELY A

VEHICLE'S INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED AND ENGINE COOLANT LEAKED INTO THE ENGINE. *MR THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED AND COOLANT LEAKED INTO THE CYLINDERS AND SEIZED THE BEARINGS. ON ANOTHER OCCASION THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE WAS DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR. *SC *JB

PROBLEMS WITH CAR FAILURE ON 1999 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. *MR (STALLING PROBLEM) THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *SC *JB

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW AND LEFT REAR WINDOW "FALL" DOWN AND AND WILL NOT GO BACK UP. HAVE TO TAPE EACH WINDOW UP MAKING THEN INOPERATIVE..TECH REMOVED DOOR PANEL ON REAR DOOR AND SAYS THE PROMLEM IS NOT THE SWITCH OR MOTOR BUT A BROKEN WOODEN PULLEY(MADE IN MEXICO) THAT ALLOWS THE CABLE TO SLIP OFF AND WON'T ALLOW THE MOTOR TO DRIVE THE WINDOW BACK UP..CLEARLY A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT FROM A CHEAP WINDOW OPERATING SYSTEM ON AN EXPENSIVE CAR..GM ENGINEERS SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES FOR CHANGING TO THIS TYPE OF CHEAP DEVICE FROM THE PROVEN SPROCKET AND TEETH DRIVE MECHANISM SO TRIED AND TRUE..ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF "CHEAPER IS NOT BETTER" PHILOSOPHY..THIS WINDOW REPAIR/REPLACEMENT SHOULD REST ON GM/PONTIAC SHOULDERS,NOT MINE...JOHN N HART.*AK

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICE DCOOLANT INDICATOR FLASHED. CONSUMER ADDED ANTI FREEZE, BUT COOLANT KEPT FLOWING. THEN, VEHICLE ENGINE STALLED. DEALERSHIP SERVICED VEHICLE AND REPLACED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. *AK

CONSUMER HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE, AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE SWAY BAR BROKE IN HALF. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN, RESULTING IN A REAR END COLLISION. *AK

MY CAR STARTED OUT RUNNING HOT ON A REGULAR BASIS. MY REPAIRMAN ASKED ME TO CHECK WITH THE DEALERSHIP FOR RECALLS ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND THERE WERENT ANY. NOW THE DEALERSHIP IS PLANNING ON CHARGING ME OVER 700.00 FOR THE REPAIR IN QUESTION. AND I DONT BELIVE THIS PART IS WARRANTED. I'M GOING TO CHECK THIS OUT WITH A LAWYER, I READ TO MANY COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE.*AK

TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 65,000 MILES. TRANNMISSION COOLER APPARENTLY BLEW A LINE PUTTIN ANTI FREEZE THROUGH THE THE TRANSMISSION. ACCORDING TO MY SERVICE MAN A RECURRING PROBLEM WTH PONTIAC GRAND PRIXS OF THE 1999 BODY STYLE.

IN SEPTEMBER 2003, INTAKE PLENIUM FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE NOT TO RUN; THERE IS NO PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE TO KEEP THIS SITUATION FROM HAPPENING; I WAS INFORMED THAT SINCE A PONTIAC DEALERSHIP DID NOT INSPECT/REPAIR THE DAMAGE THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ASSIST IN THIS SITUATION EVEN THOUGH DURING MY INITIAL TELELPHONE CONVERSATION WITH PONTIAC THEY COULD NOT EVEN GIVE ME ANY IDEA OF THE POTENTIAL FOR THIS TO BE COVERED; (FYI THE MECHANIC WHO DID THE REPAIRS IS ACE CERTIFIED) THE DEALERSHIP HAS INDICATED THEY ARE KEEPING THESE PARTS IN STOCK BECAUSE THEY ARE DOING ABOUT 5 OF THESE TYPES OF REPAIRS PER WEEK (THAT'S ONE DEALERSHIP IN ONE COUNTY IN ONE STATE) WHEN AN APPEAL LETTER WAS SENT TO PONTIAC, IT WAS ROUTED TO THE SAME CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE WHO ALL BUT STATED THERE WAS NOTHING GOING TO BE DONE; I WAS INFORMED THAT I SHOULD EXPECT PROBLEMS WITH MY VEHICLE BECAUSE IT HAS WHAT SOME CONSIDER HIGH MILEAGE; MOST RECENTLY ON APRIL 7, 2004 I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, MY ENGINE BLEW UP--THE VEHICLE HAS 82K MILES IF PONTIAC VEHICLES ARE ONLY GOOD FOR 70K MILES, PONTIAC SHOULD DISCLOSE THIS FACT SO THAT I CAN MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION BEFORE I PURCHASE IF THE INTAKE PLENIUM ASSEMBLY IS BEING KEPT IN STOCK AT A DEALERSHIP, THERE IS A TRUE ISSUE. DEALERSHIPS GENERALLY ONLY KEEP PARTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE USED REGULARLY NORMALLY DEALERSHIPS DO NOT WANT TO KEEP THE HIGHER PRICED/NOT SO COMMONLY USED PARTS IN STOCK SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT EXPENSIVE OVERHEAD NOR HAVE A

WHILE DRIVING DOWN 20-MPH CONSUMER HEARD LOUD NOISE COMING THROUGH THE ENGINE, SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING VEHICLE STALLED AND DIED. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO INDEPENDENT SHOP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT INTAKE MANIFOLD. FAILED. *AK

1999 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX RACK AND PINION PROBLEMS. STEERING LOCKING UP IN BOTH DIRECTIONS DURING SLOWER SPEEDS AND SHARP STEERING. THE GM RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXTENDED UNTIL ALL YEAR MODELS AFFECTED ARE IDENTIFIED. *JB

INTAKE MANIFOLD KEEPS CRACKING. RD TIME I HAVE BEEN LEFT STRANDED. *JB

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO GASKET BLOWING OUT. *AK

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A POWER WINDOW PROBLEM. THE MOTOR REGULATOR WAS REPLACED ONCE. HOWEVER, IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. WARRANTY EXPIRED. *AK

MY CAR HAS AN INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAK. I FOUND ORANGE CRUD IN MY RADIATOR. MY HEATER KEEPS BLOWING COLD AIR OUT. IT KEEPS LOSSING ANTIFREEZE FROM INTAKE MANIFOLD. MY TEMPRATURE GAGE FLUXES BETWEEN DRIVING AND STOPING. THEY NEED TO MAKE A RECALL ON THIS THERE'S TO MANY PEOPLE GETTING BURNED ON IT. OR MAYBE A CLASS ACTION SUIT!!!

RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY CAME APART AT 60,000 MILES. COULD NOT TURN LEFT. SAME PROBLEM AS OTHER RECALLED GM CARS (97 LUMINA).

I HAVE A VERY HARD TIME SEEING AT NIGHT DUE TO THE CONDENSATION BUILD UP INSIDE BOTH OF MY HEADLIGHTS. WHEN ASKING THE DEALER TO HAVE THEM REPLACED, I WAS INFORMED THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER MY WARRANTY AND THAT IT WOULD COST NEARLY $300 DOLLARS PER LIGHT. THEY ALSO SAID THAT REPLACING THEM WOULD MOST LIKELY RESULT IN THE CONDENSATION OCCURRING AGAIN, BECAUSE IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THESE HEAD LIGHTS. *JB

CONSUMER LOST POWER STEERING WHEN MAKING LEFT TURNS. *PH VEHICLE'S RACK AND PINION IS FAILING CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING.*MR

1999 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX- HAVING TO REPLACE RACK AND PINION AND POWER STEERING PUMP. COST.....1500 DOLLARS. GM HAS ISSUED RECALLS FOR 1997 AND 1998 MODELS, BUT NOT 1999. PARTS ARE THE SAME. *JB

AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE FOR TEN MINUTES, A FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD ON THE DRIVER SIDE. *JB

MY 1999 PONTIAC GRAN PRIX GT LOOSES THE POWER STEERING WHEN TURNING LEFT, RIGHT IS OK. AT A STANDSTILL, IT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN LEFT SO THE CAR HAS TO BE IN MOTION TO TURN. IT IS NOT SMOOTH, BUT JERKY AND THE FORCE VARIES THRU THE TURN. IT IS DEFINETLY A HANDFUL ON A WINDY DAY, WHEN MORE EFFORT IS REQUIRED IN ONE DIRECTION THAN THE OTHER. I HAVEN'T BEEN TO A DEALER YET, BECAUSE THEY CAN'T SQUEEZE ME IN ON A DAY I'M NOT TRAVELING.

MY 1999 PONTIAC HAS A VERY WEAK RETRACT SPRING ON THE LEFT SIDE FRONT SEAT BELT, I MUST BE VERY CAREFUL TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SEAT BELT IS INSIDE THE CAR WHEN I CLOSE THE DOOR. THE SEAT BELT CAN GET CAUGHT IN THE DOOR PREVENTING THE DOOR FROM PROPERLY CLOSING AND LOCKING WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED, DAMAGE AND SOIL OF THE BELT COULD MAKE THE BELT USLESS. I QUESTION THE ABILLIY OF THE BELT TO OPERATE PROPERLY IN THE CASE OF A CRASH IF THE RETURN SPRING IS OR HAS BECOME WEAK.*AK

WAS UNABLE TO TURN LEFT AT LOW SPEEDS ALMOST CAUSING ACCIDENT WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC AS I TURNED INTO MY STREET. THOUGHT IT WAS TEMPORARY, BUT FOUND I HAD TO MUSCLE THE CAR JUST TO TURN LEFT EXCEPT OVER 35 OR SO MPH. I BECAME SCARED TO DRIVE THE CAR AND BROUGHT IT TO THE DEAL. THEY SAID IT WAS THE RESULT OF 'SALT DAMAGE' TO MY CAR FROM ROAD SALT THAT DETERIORATED THE RACK AND PINION. I TOLD THEM THEY WERE WRONG. (I AM IN THE MILITARY AND LIVE IN MISSISSIPPI, BUT HAVE ILLINOIS PLATES. THEY ASSUMED I LIVED UP THERE, BUT THE TRUTH IS, I HAVE NEVER LIVED IN ILLINOIS SINCE PURCHASING THE CAR!!! ITS BEEN ON A SALTED ROAD MAYBE TWICE!) I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED. *CB

MY AIRCONDITIONER FAN SWITCH HAS NOW GONE ONCE AGAIN AND IS IN NEED OF "ANOTHER NEW ONE, THIS WILL BE 3. THE PAINT ON MY HOOD IS STARTING TO CRACK A BIT AND WILL BE PEELING SHORTLY. THIS CAR WAS VERY WELL MAINTAINED AND GARAGED AND THERE WAS NO REASON FOR THIS! THE POWER WINDOWS WENT ABOUT 3 DIFERANT TIMES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE AND THE SWITCHES HAD TO BE FULLY REPLACED. THE RADIO HAS A SHORT IN IT IN THE BACK SOMEWHERE AND THE DISPLAY GOES CRAZY AT TIMES. LASTLY AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, I HAVE HAD A WATER LEAK ON THIS CAR SINCE 1999. IT HAS BEEN INTO THE DEALERSHIP TOO MANY TIMES TO COUNT. THEY CHANGED OUT THE WINDSHIELD AT LEAST 5 MAYBE MORE TIMES, CHECKED ALL THE SEALS ON THE SIDE MIRRORS AND THE SUNROOF, CLEANED OUT THE DRAINS ON THE SUNROOF A FEW TIMES AND AFTER THE CAR WAS IN THE LAST TIME 8 MONTHS AGO, THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS THE LAST TIME THEY WOULD DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. IT WAS FIND W/NO WATER UNTIL LAST WEEK WHEN WE HAD POURING RAIN AND IN FLOODED MY INTERIOR ONCE AGAIN. PONTIAC'S SOLUTION WAS TO GIVE ME $1,000 FOR THE PURCHASE OF ANOTHER CAR, THANKS FOR NOTHING! IN DOING MY RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND OUT A LOT OF INFO THAT I AM ONCE AGAIN GOING TO PONTIAC/GM ABOUT. ON MY PARTICULAR CAR WHEN THEY MADE THE DRAINS FOR THE SUNROOF, THEY MADE THEM TOO SMALL, SO WHEN IT POURS OUT, THE DRAINS CANNOT HANDLE ALL OF THE WATER AND IT IS FORCED INTO MY CAR. I WORK FOR AN INSURANCE COMPANY AND HAVE SPOKEN TO "MANY, MANY" PEOPLE REGARDING MY CAR. FUNNY THING IS, I HAVE

INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE'S LOST POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING. WHEN THIS OCCURRED STEERING WHEEL BECAME TIGHT, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STEER. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THIS WAS DUE TO AN INTERNAL GEAR BOX LEAK, AND THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. THE CAUSE OF THE LEAK WAS UNDETERMINED.*AK

MULTIPLE REPAIR PROBLEMS--AIR PLATE WAS REPAIRED--NEW ENGINE INSTALLED AFTER HAVING ONLY 54,000 MILES WITH REGULAR OIL CHANGES--ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH RADIO DISPLAY--NOW BACK PASSENGER TIRE/POSSIBLE AXLE, STRUT; SOUNDS LIKE BACK TIRE IS ABOUT TO FALL OFF UPON HITTING BUMPS IN THE ROAD/DRIVEWAYS OR TURNING. I HAVE NOT HAD THIS CHECKED OUT-AM NOW UNABLE TO DRIVE VEHICLE . *AK

CONSUMER INDICATED WHILE DRIVING SHE WENT TO TURN VEHICLE AROUND AND HEARD A POP. TIE ROD DISENGAGED, CAUSING A TIRE TO SEPARATE FROM VEHICLE. *AK

1999 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX HAS SAME STEERING PROBLEM RECALLED IN THE 1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX.*AK

UPON STARTING VEHICLE ENGINE BACK FIRED INTO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD, AND BLEW IT APART. THIS RESULTED IN AN ENGINE FIRE. CONSUMER SUSTAINED BURNS UPON PUTTING THE FIRE OUT. *AK

A HOLE FORMED INSIDE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD ALLOWING ANTIFREEZE TO BE CONSUMED BY THE ENGINE, RESULTING IN POOR RUNNING AND A $456.62 REPAIR BILL.*AK

PASSENGER'S WINDOW WORKS INTERMITTENTLY, NOT ROLLING UP OR DOWN. *AK

WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 65 - 70 MPH ENGINE STARTED MISSING, THEN VEHICLE STALLED. THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD BURNING THROUGH WHICH ALLOWED ANTI FREEZE TO FLOW INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. AS A RESULT THE ENGINE , STARTER AND SPARK PLUGS WERE DAMAGED. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE DAMAGED PARTS.*AK

LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET CRACKED RESULTING IN COOLANT LEAK INTO ENGINE. REPAIR COST OVER $700. CAR ONLY HAS 40,000 MILES. MECHANIC STATED THAT THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT IN THIS ENGINE AND DOESN'T UNDERSTAND WHY GM HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL. *AK

MY 1999 GRAND PRIX GT STARTED TO RUN ROUGH THE QUIT RUNNING. HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD MELTED. THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. GM CAME OUT WITH A THICKER PLASTIC PART AS A REPLACEMENT, WHY HAVE THEY NOT MAKE A RECALL TO REFLECT THEIR DEFECTIVE PART? *LA

ENGINE RUNS ROUGH, LOSS OF POWER, ENGINE SEIZES UP - THIS OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY SEPT 2002. INITIAL DIAGNOSIS: BLOWN HEAD GASKET OR HEADERS. INITIAL ESTIMATES TO FIX: APPROXIMATELY $4000-4500. INITIAL CALLS TO PONTIAC/GM WERE FRUITLESS. RESULT: REPLACED ENGINE OCT 2003 (APPROXIMATELY $3500 W/WARRANTY). INCIDENT OCCURS A SECOND TIME APPROXIMATELY 3 WEEKS AFTER NEW ENGINE INSTALLED. DIAGNOSIS: INTAKE MANIFOLD COOLANT LEAK, BROKEN PISTON ROD. CALLS TO PONTIAC/GM FRUITLESS ONCE AGAIN. RESULT: AWAITING ANOTHER ENGINE AND MANIFOLD REPAIRS. TO MAKE A LONG AND ARDUOUS 14 MONTHS SHORT - AFTER A CONSIDERATE NUMBER OF CALLS TO PONTIAC, I WAS EVENTUALLY ABLE TO SPEAK WITH A PONTIAC ENGINEER (PE) WHO SPECIALIZES IN FUEL AND EXHAUST SYSTEMS. PE EXPLAINED THE CAUSE OF MY PROBLEM, WORSE CASE SCENARIO AND THE SOLUTION: THE PROBLEM LIES WITHIN THE LOWER (ALUMINUM) INTAKE MANIFOLD. WITHIN IS A TUBE THAT HOUSES THE EGR VALVE AND CARRIES EXHAUST GASES. THIS TUBE WAS MADE RELATIVELY LARGE AND RUNS EITHER THROUGH OR CLOSE TO THE UPPER (PLASTIC) INTAKE MANIFOLD. OVER TIME, THE EXTREMELY HIGH TEMPERATURES OF THESE EXHAUST GASES CAUSES THE UPPER MANIFOLD TO MELT AND CREATES A COOLANT LEAK INTO THE FUEL SYSTEM. AS THIS LEAK INCREASES IN SIZE, INCREASED AMOUNTS OF COOLANT MAKE ITS WAY INTO THE PISTON CHAMBERS. EVENTUALLY, COMPRESSION IS LOST AND THE PISTON RODS CAN EITHER BEND OR BREAK. BOTH THE LOWER AND UPPER MANIFOLDS NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE LOWER HAS BEEN REDESIGNED WITH A SMALLER TUBE THAT HOUSES

FAULTY INTAKE AND/OR INTAKE GASKET CAUSED ANTI-FREEZE TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE RESULTING IN ENGINE FAILURE. REPAIR BILL WAS $1600. GM HAS ISSUED RECALLS ON 2000 AND 2001 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX MODELS WITH THE SAME ISSUE, BUT WILL NOT ADMIT TO SAME PROBLEM WITH 1999 MODEL. *LA