1997 PONTIAC Grand Prix

This is the worst automobile I have ever owned. It is nickel and diming me to death. Both back windows are being held up in place by sticks that I have proped under them. The front passenger window I paid $300 to have repaired. The steering locked up on me and I had to dish out $500 to get that repaired, GM recalled it a couple of weeks after that, thank GOD I got some of my money back for that repair. The passengers side head light lens cover fell off $75 to replace that. I am presently working on the Brake Transmission Shift Indicator which I just called the dealer for a price on the part and am told it will be $224.07 for the part and probably $115 for the labor. The engine leaks oil I had my wife take it to the shop for them to take a look at and they told her that no leaks were evident. Well the oil in my driveway is coming from somewhere. I will never own another GM Product in my life again. Not even if it is given to me and 10,000 to use toward the repairs of it.

THE REASON FOR COMPLAINT IS A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. THE INSURANCE COMPANY HAS SAID IT IS TOTALED. NO OFFER HAS CAME IN FOR A CLAIN AS OF TODAY. THE CAR WAS PARKED AND HAD BEEN OFF FOR APPROX. 15 MIN. WHEN SMOKE WAS NOTICED COMING FROM HOOD AREA .FIRE DEPT. WAS CALLED AND FIRE WAS EXSTINGISHED. NO INJURY OCCURRED. THIS FIRE COULD HAVE BURNED OUR HOME HAD IT BEEN IN OUR GARAGE.

The Pontiac Grand Prix and several other models have a seerious design flaw. Pontiac maintenance Bulletin # 01-06-01-007A describes the problem. The problem our car had was a combination of all three systems listed above in your form. The EGR runs through the upper manifold. The upper manifold is made of a composite material rather than metal as it should be. The EGR becomes hot enough to melt the composite material. This causes a coolant leak. The coolant can enter the engine at times. This could cause an engine lockup. That possibility along with the fact the failure can leave you stranded in an unsafe area or where you can’t get help, is a serious safety issue. The fact there is a document showing Pontiac knows about this serious design flaw, indicates to methey don’t care about my wife’s safety or my safety. They made us pay for the repair, though they know it was caused by bad engineering. All they would say was the vehicle was out of warranty. This design flaw is in several models. Our car is only driven by my wife, who wouldn’t even take it out in the rain, unless absolutely necessary. She is a gentle driver. The car was in for maintenance checks and an oil change every 3000 miles. Despite this, she was never told about the maintenance document until the failure occurred.

The manifold intake gasket warped and I started to leak coolant and thus could not run the heater in 5-20 degree weather. Luckily I took it to a shop before I warped any of my cylinders. I was told that this was a VERY COMMON problem that they fixed with a 3.1 LTR V6 Engine in GM model cars. I think a class action lawsuit should be filed for an obvious DESIGN FLAW. If GM plans to keep me as a customer, they need to act quickly to remedy this situation with me.

Sub frame broke apart where lower control arm attaches (due to improper weld at factory) causing CV axel to break and lose of steering occurred plus both front wheels were loosened. Auto was never involved in a crash nor had run over any object to have caused frame to break. Serious injury could have occurred if the frame had come apart while driving under normal speed conditions. Thankfully, it came apart while driving down driveway of home.

See failures

Paint peels off in big flakes. Window wont go up or down. Driver door handles broke off. All in same year.

Noticed several areas where the paint seems to be pealing on the car

i put a $1,000 on a car the tranmisson is defected they claim the fixed it but did not and the air do not work/ today the car cut off on me and did not start so i left it beside the road so the dealership can pick it up this is a used car

engine fire after being parked 10 minutes requiring fire department to extinguish not before entire compartment from fire wall forward destroyed. maintenance on this vehicle provided every 3000 miles.

Currently, the clearcoat is peeling off the car. Last summer, the window motors died.Reoccuring, is the air conditioner problem. -It doesn’t work.

After taking the car into a GM garage they worked on the steering gear and now I am having a problem that results in a shimmy and and something is loose in the steering gear that allows play when turning the steering wheel

Recall notice for 1997 pontiac grand prix (09047). consumer states that his vehicle fire occurred two years ago and that the dealership kept telling him the vehicle was fine. *nj recall 02v293000. *jb

Consumer took vehicle to dealer for rack and pinion gear repair. steering would not turn left. *ts after the vehicle was repaired the steering was worse and the vehicle was taken back to the dealer. the dealer had to order a new rack and pinion. *nm

Problems with power steering pump, alternator, rack and pinion, power windows, and head gaskets. *mr the power steering pump had suddenly gone out in traffic, the vehicle stopped abruptly in the middle of traffic(the alternator was replaced), the consumer discovered that the windshield wipers were inoperative upon start due to the failure of the wiper linkage under the cowl, the steering skipped as the consumer made right hand turns(the rack and pinion was replaced along with the power steering pump), the headlight lens had fallen off, the ceramic headgasket had to be replaced, the was a hesitation and alternator had to be replaced for a second time, the air bag warning light had come on due to a short in the wiring harness, the transmission grabbed along with hesitation(a tune up was performed and work was done to the transmission), the vehicle couldn't be taken out of the park position(the shifter was replaced), the power window(s) failed, the tire pressure light had illuminated, and the windshield wiper pump leaked and would not hold fluid. *scc *cb

Air bag sensor light stayed on. dealer notified, and repairs were made by installing a s i r jumper wiring. consumer think the failed product did come with vehicle. consumer was charged for the correction that should have been a manufacturer's expense. asking nhtsa to look into this matter. *ak

Due to a wire which shorted out air bag warning light stayed on. dealer has been contacted. consumer was told that the wire has rubbed throuhgh,and that was what caused this short and light to stay on. *ak

Air bag module shorted out. nlm

Air bag sensor is faulty causing warning light to go on and off intermittently.

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. after stopping at a stop sign from 20 mph, the vehicle failed to accelerate when the accelerator pedal was depressed. the vehicle accelerated without warning, but then failed. in addition, when the vehicle was in park, smoke began to emit inside and outside of the vehicle. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the vin was included in nhtsa campaign number: 09v116000 (engine and engine cooling). the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was unknown.

Tl* the contact owned a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact noticed smoke entering the vehicle from the doors and flames under the hood. the police and fire departments were called and the fire department extinguished the fire. a police report was filed and there were no injuries. the vehicle was deemed destroyed. the failure mileage was 114,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. while driving 20 mph, the accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle failed to accelerate and a strong burning odor was present inside the vehicle. the contact pulled the vehicle off the roadway and it filled up with smoke. the contact exited the vehicle and no flames were evident. the fire department arrived, but the smoke had already cleared from the vehicle. the contact stated that the fire department advised her not to drive or attempt to start the vehicle. the contact signed a form from the fire department and was unsure if a report was filed. the vehicle was towed to the contact's home. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the contact received a recall notification for nhtsa campaign number: 09v116000 (engine and engine cooling) two months after the failure occurred. the failure mileage was unknown.

Fuel gage doesnt work always reads full- shows over full when its hot out-oil and radiator leak- followed last engine recall-new radiator hoses etc 1250$-air bag? i got recall work done last year

Purchased a used 1997 pontiac grand prix for my son in 2003 when he turned 16. during a short trip home from a livestock judging contest in the spring of 2005, he had pulled away from a stop sign and immediately noticed smoke coming from the engine compartment. he pulled over and opened the hood to see his entire engine engulfed in flames. the car was in a rural area and by the time fire personnel got to the scene, the entire car had been burnt up in flames. approximately a year or two after the incident we received a recall notice from gm identifying the exact problem we had encountered. after numerous contacts with gm wanting some sort of restitution they denied our claim because we no longer had the car for them to investigate or any pictures. we did have the testimony of the tow truck and the west brooklyn il fire personnel but would not accept that. over the coarse of the years they keep sending us recall notices on the same vehicle wanting us to bring it into the dealer for repair. we just received another notice with the information on who to file a complaint with which is what has prompted this complaint letter.

Tl* the contact owned a 1997 pontiac grand prix. while driving over a bridge, smoke appeared on the interior and exterior of the vehicle without warning. the contact was able to quickly coast the vehicle over to the side of the road and exit the vehicle. a fire erupted under the hood and caused catastrophic engine failure. the fire department was able to extinguish the flames. a fire report was not filed. the vehicle was towed to a yard and destroyed. the insurance company was unable to determine the cause of the failure. the contact later received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 08v118000 (engine and engine cooling) several months after the fire. the failure mileage was not available. parts distribution disconnect.

Note: i have filed a safely complaint before with the nhtsa about this safety issue on nov 9, 2020 reference number: 11373799. and now due to safety negligence from the investigation department of the nhtsa ..excessive heat coming from the extremely hot oil that's dripping off the extremely hot exhaust manifold that's leaking from the valve cover started a fire under the hood and also leaked into the cylinder causing the piston to slit into numerous pieces then violently being shot back and forth striking the cylinder walls violently then breaking through the engine block and oil pan, then spilling hot oil on the i-105 highway at high way speed coming up on a fork, lost oil compression and stalling out with heavy thick can't see in more then 5 feet in front of you grey/black smoke coming from both ends of the vehicle. almost costed me my life

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact stated that the vehicle engine oil was leaking on top of the exhaust manifold and caused smoke to emit from under the vehicle hood. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to have a diagnostic performed that located the failure code at the valve cover and informed that the vehicle could catch on fire as a result of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted. the failure mileage was 200,000. invalid vin. *dt *dt *tr*dt*dt*jb

The engine leaks oil on the manifold which started a fire and electrical some of my sensor connectors and not working.. the fire started after i pulled in to drive way and i can feel from the inside of the car that the engine was getting real hot so i popped the hood and there was a small fire on the manifold. *tr

Tl* the contact owned a 1997 pontiac grand prix. while the vehicle was parked in a parking lot, the driver attempted to start the vehicle and heard a clicking noise. afterwards, thick smoke appeared under the hood. within seconds, the vehicle was engulfed in flames. there were no warning indicators illuminated. the fire department was called to the scene and extinguished the fire. a fire report was filed. there were no injuries. the vehicle was totaled and towed. the dealer and manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. the cause of the failure was not determined. the failure mileage was unknown.

While driving my 1997 pontiac grand prix to the tire shop it burst into flames. the fire started under the hood and totally damaged the vehicle.

Rear valve cover leaking. as in recall 09047 for front valve cover.

1997 pontiac grand prix. consumer writes in regards to vehicle catching fire. *ld *js

I have received a notice once a year about a recall on the engine and called a dealership last year and was told there was no recall for my car. i let them know i had a notice and was told they would look into it and call me back. well i never received a call back and i also did not follow through. i just received another notice and not even sure where to start to call. i would like to get this fixed and be able to get my car smoged.

Tl* the contact owned a 1997 pontiac grand prix. while driving at an unknown speed into a driveway, smoke was observed from the front end of the vehicle. the contact and her daughter quickly exited the vehicle before it erupted in flames. there were no warning indicators illuminated. the fire department extinguished the fire and filed a report. the vehicle was destroyed. there were no injuries. the remnants of the vehicle were towed to a junk yard. two years later, the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling). the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that nothing could be done right away. the failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

On the 10th of june in 2016 driving down the freeway at 65 mph with the cruise control engaged, i noticed a white colored smoke coming from the car. in the process of pulling over to the shoulder of the freeway the engine stopped and the smoke continued. popped the hood and saw a fire on the middle/ frontfront of the motor. the fore was coming from the cover on the top of motor.

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact received a recall notification for nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling) and stated that the part needed was unavailable to perform the recall repair. the manufacturer was notified of the issue. the contact had not experienced a failure. parts distribution disconnect.

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling) and stated that the part needed for the repair was not available. the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. the contact had not experienced a failure. parts distribution disconnect.

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. the contact had not experienced a failure. the vin was not available.

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic to charge the battery. when the technician started the vehicle, he heard a noise under the hood. the technician opened the hood and a big explosion occurred and smoke appeared out of the exhaust manifold. there were no injuries. the technician informed the contact that the front valve cover exploded without warning. meanwhile, the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 132,088.

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling). the part was not available within a reasonable time frame to schedule the recall repair. the dealer did not give a specific date for when the part would become available. the manufacturer was not notified of the issue. the contact was not experiencing a failure. parts distribution disconnect.

1997 pontiac grand prix. consumer requests reimbursement for engine exhaust manifold recall notice. *smd the consumer stated the vehicle caught on fire. *jb

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact received the second recall notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling) the recall part was available; however, the dealer stated that the part was on back order. the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the manufacturer was not notified of the issue. the contact had not experienced a failure. vin tool confirms parts not available.

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. the contact had not experienced a failure. parts distribution disconnect. updated 05/31/2016*lj

Tl* the contact owned a 1997 pontiac grand prix. while the vehicle was parked in a parking lot, the contact noticed melted plastic underneath the front of the vehicle. the contact opened the hood and found that the engine was on fire. the contact was able to extinguish the fire. a fire report was filed. the vehicle was towed to the contact's residence and was not repaired. the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling). the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 167,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact stated that the ignition switch failed and the vehicle would not start. the contact had to wiggle the key in the ignition in order to start the vehicle. the failure recurred when attempting to start the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the ignition switch was replaced; however, the failure recurred. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the vin was unknown. the approximate failure mileage was 155,800.

Was doing some maintenance and noticed a split in the metal of my stabilizer shaft front passenger side. still looks durable, but thought i have you take a look at my pics. is this a safety risk?

I was trying to locate all the points on my car that is leaking oil and antifreeze, and my car has always leaked more oil on the firewall side valve cover. that is the side that should have been recalled. how would you know if fire started in front or back of engine after its burnt? mass amount comes from back, it might be $700 dollars cheaper per car to say it was the front. i have to fix this to prevent a fire risk.

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed engine oil leaking from the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to a dealer and an independent mechanic who both diagnosed that the front and rear valve cover gaskets and intake gasket needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the vin was included in nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling). the failure mileage was 30,000. updated 07/14/16*lj updated 11/3/2017*js

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. the contact had not experienced a failure. parts distribution disconnect.

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. the contact had not experienced a failure. parts distribution disconnect.

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. the contact had not experienced a failure.

Tl* the contact owned a 1997 pontiac grand prix. minutes after parking the vehicle in a residential driveway, smoke started to emit from the engine compartment. after inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed that flames engulfed the entire engine compartment. the fire department was contacted and a police report was filed. the vehicle was destroyed. the contact recently received a notification for nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling). the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 170,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the part needed to perform the repair was unavailable. the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the manufacturer was notified of the issue. the contact had not experienced a failure. vin tool confirms parts not available...updated 03/16/16 *bf

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact stated that after the vehicle was started, a fuel odor emitted inside the vehicle as the check engine warning light illuminated. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the contact received notification for nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. the contact stated the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 148,052. vin tool confirms parts not available.

Tl* the contact owned a 1997 pontiac grand prix. while driving 30 mph, the contact observed smoke coming from the front of the vehicle. the engine caught fire. the contact extinguished the fire. no fire report was filed. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the plug wires, velocity belt, dip stick, and valve cover gasket failed and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the failure was persistent. the fire occurred twice. the contact stated that he felt that the vehicle was a safety hazard. the vehicle was previously repaired under nhtsa campaign number: 09v116000 (engine and engine cooling). the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 180,000. updated 02/12/16*lj

The first week in december i received a recall letter about my vehicle recall #15757 engine fire could happen as a result of oil deposited on the exhaust manifold>on 11/3/2015 driving home from fort lauderdale my engine light went on then my oil light stopped let the car cool down about an hour and read my manual that helped so i continued driving for about 20 minutes. i needed to get gas so i exited at the nearest exit. i stopped in clearwater,fl. pulled up to the pump turn off the car and got out, when i noticed a smell of burning rubber it was windy took a minute omg it was coming from my engine i opened the hood only to see that the engine was on fire!!! ran into the gas station for help > called my insurance company was towed but was 2hrs from home(fernandina beach,fl)> car is totaled . i just wanted to know if i would be entitled to some compensation since i was 2 hours from home for gas, food, etc. my email address is [xxx] thank you any assistance would be appreciated. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Tl* the contact owned a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact stated that while driving at 20 mph, smoke emitted from the engine compartment. the vehicle was driven to the contacts residence where it engulfed in flames. the vehicle was destroyed. the fire department extinguished the fire. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the mileage was not available. the vin was not available.

I recieved an recall on my car id #[xxx]. my car had an engine fire last summer, totalled my car, no fire insurance, total loss. can i get compansation? [xxx] [xxx]@gmail.com [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).” *jb

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact stated that while driving 70 mph, when the heating system was activated, the contact noticed that the head lights failed without warning. the contact also noticed that the information system in the dashboard would fail when the heat was activated. in addition, the contact stated that the abs warning light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic but was not diagnosed or repaired. the contact stated that the failure recurred. it was unknown if the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 52,300. updated 04/08/16*lj the consumer stated the brake module needs to be replaced. updated 05/16/16.*jb

Tl* the contact owned a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact stated that while driving approximately 15 mph, the vehicle caught on fire. the fire department extinguished the fire. the contact sustained injuries that did not require medical attention. the vehicle was destroyed. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling) after the fire occurred. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 200,000.

Tl* the contact owned a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact stated that the vehicle caught on fire. the vehicle was destroyed. no further details was available. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 136,000. the vin was not available.

I got a recall for my car [xxx] dec 2015,that i might get a engine fire if i dont get this upgrade done. i wish i would have gotten this news 3 months earlier because i did have a engine fire 3 months a go id#is15v701 thank you [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Tl* the contact owned a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact stated that while driving approximately 55 mph, the vehicle began to smoke from under the hood. the contact pulled the vehicle over and discovered that the engine was on fire. the fire department extinguished the fire and informed the contact that the engine was destroyed by the fire. the vehicle was towed. a police report was filed. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling). the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was unknown.

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact stated that while driving at 50 mph, the vehicle accelerated independently and the check engine warning light illuminated. the failure recurred numerous times. the vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 160,000.

Tl* the contact owned a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact stated that when the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed smoke coming from the front of the vehicle. the contact opened the hood and the vehicle engulfed into flames. the fire department extinguished the fire. the fire department informed that the battery had exploded. a police report was filed and no injuries were reported. the vehicle was towed and deemed destroyed. the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign numbers: 08v118000 (engine and engine cooling), 09v116000 (engine and engine cooling) and 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling). the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 200,000.

Started as an engine fire and burnt the whole front of the car shattering the windshield and totalling the car. it was parked after driving around doing errands for about 30 minutes in an apartment complex.

Tl* the contact owned a 1997 pontiac grand prix. shortly after the vehicle was parked, the engine was on fire. the entire engine was burned. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 199,093.

Tl* the contact owned a 1997 pontiac grand prix. while driving at approximately 40 mph, another vehicle made an illegal left turn. as a result, the contact crashed into the vehicle. the air bags failed to deploy. the contact sustained head, neck, and back injuries that required medical attention. a police report was filed. the vehicle was destroyed. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was unknown.

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. while driving 35 mph, the exterior lighting on the front driver side caught fire from the inside. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 137,000.

Traveling approximately 30 mph down a dual lane (each way) heavily traveled road when i attempted to stop the car & the brake pedal went to the floor. after i was able to stop, i discovered brake fluid was dripping from the underside of the automobile where the brake line had apparently ruptured. rear brake lines were replaced at a cost of $700 by a professional mechanic at a local garage............ i own 2 pontiac grand prixs ( a 1997 & 1998) and only 1 month earlier ( 08/14/12), the 1998 pontiac also had a similar brake line rupture........unbelievably, 2 years later on sept 27, 2014 the 1997 pontiac again had a brake line failure, where at this time i was traveling approximately 40 mph down a dual lane highway approaching an intersection where i had a stop sign & was unable to stop, traveling thru the intersection, avoiding a collision and was able to finally stop off the side of the road after pulling into a vacant parking lot............based on my experience & 50 years experience driving, i consider these pontiac brake lines to be made of inferior material that due to their parallel placement in bracketing running along the underside of the vehicle are extremely subjected to corrosion & failure..........auto brake lines should be required by the government to be made of high quality stainless steel since they are a critical safety item in every vehicle. the brake lines on these pontiacs make them potential time-bombs on the roadway! *tr

While driving, the car stopped with no code. i was able to restart the car. the next week, the car stopped again without any code. based on other complaints, the car is unsafe to drive because you never know when the car will stop again without warning. *tr

2 adults in back seat. left rear suspension strut tore through the metal of the trunk and came up into the trunk, compromising vehicle handling and potential loss of control and rear brakes, making the vehicle unsafe to operate. *tr

The engine shuts off while driving down the road. when the engine quit running, the oil light and alternator light didn't come on just the anti-lock brake light, also the tachometer stayed at 2000 rpm. i put the car in neutral and tried, but couldn't get the engine to start. pulled over to the side of the road and tried several times before finally starting. i had to put transmission in the park position, and the key all the way off, then start the engine. i had the crankshaft sensor replaced, but made no difference. its happened 6 times in the last 5 months and 300 miles. i quit driving it until i can get another car. *tr

At 4:06 pm on nov. 04,2013, my wife parked in a local walmart parking lot. she immediately noticed smoke coming from underneath the hood. bystanders started yelling for her to exit the car. one bystander called the fire department, located 1.25 miles away. my wife exited the car called the fire department and then called me with her mobile phone by the time the fire engine arrived, the plastic parts on top of and around the engine had been destroyed. the fire department immediately extinguished the fire. i arrived from four miles away, and after surveying the damage, i considered the damage to exceed the value of the car. i called a local towing service and they towed the car to my home. the car had been well maintained and was in excellent condition before the fire. i am 77 years old and my wife is 74 and our memories are failing. i think we received a post card notification of a recall, but i think it was for a steering problem: nothing related to any danger of an engine fire. i do not understand why general motors chose to not notify us by registered mail of the imminent danger of a fire. . *tr

After leaving work on friday may 17, 2013 i went to complete several errands before driving to the nearest gym. upon my arrival i noticed a scent which i believe was coming from my car then proceeded to pull into the parking lot of the gym, park the car, turn the engine off and open the hood of the car. after doing so, i was shocked to discover that my engine was on fire along with all the other components under the hood such as my electrical wiring and spark plugs. i had a safety recall act (repair) performed on my car in february 2013 by a gm dealership, which i thought was completely safe and would give my car longevity actually did the opposite. i filed a case with gm regarding this matter but have been given the run-a-round as of may 20,2013. i'm very unhappy with their customer service thus far and need assistance in addressing this dangerous matter. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact stated that the engine rpms increased excessively once the vehicle was started. in addition, coolant was leaking from the tail pipe and the front end of the vehicle. the contact stated that engine oil was also leaking from the vehicle. the steering wheel would also seize sporadically and would often shake when driving at various speeds. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, who inspected the vehicle and advised the contact that the engine needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and advised that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number: 09v116000 (engine and engine cooling), and nhtsa campaign id number: 09e005000 (steering). the approximate failure and current mileage was 130,000. the vin was not available.

I was driving on rt 110 in amesbury and the driver side airbag deployed out of the blue. it burned my hand and was the scariest thing making me feel unconscious for a little while when i realized there was smoke in the vehicle i got out as fast as i could not knowing what happened. there was no reason for this to happen. there was no crash with other vehicles. i had the vehicle inspected and the alarm system was disconnected to stop a loud horn from blowing at chevrolet dealership. the next day on the way to work it happened again shattering the window in the front. the passenger airbag deployed on the highway . *tr

Car caught on fire while sitting at a stop light. always did regular maintenance and kept records. vehicle was well taken care of and caught fire without warning. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. while driving approximately 25 mph, the engine stalled without warning. the engine failed to restart and the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. the vehicle was previously repaired under a recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 08v118000 (engine and engine cooling); however the failure recurred two weeks after the repair. the vehicle had not been repaired a second time. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 212,177. .updated 07/13/12 *bf the consumer stated he never had any problems with the vehicle, until the dealer worked on it. the valve cover gasket and bolt gromets were replaced. updated 07/31/12

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact stated the vehicle was parked in the driveway when it exploded and caught fire. the fire was underneath the hood and in the engine. the fire department extinguished the fire and stated the origin of the fire was unknown. there were no reports available and no one was injured. the vehicle was destroyed. the insurance company was not notified of the failure. the dealer was notified and referred the contact to the manufacturer. the manufacturer stated a related recall expired and offered no assistance. the failure mileage was unknown.

My engine caught on fire, the car had a recall 2 years ago which i obeyed, the recall was to prevent fire on the engine, but even after i attended that recall 2 years ago, my engine still caught on fire. there are many cases like this one and nothing has been done. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact stated that while driving 55 mph, smoke was seen coming from the engine compartment. the temperature gauges increased as well. a small fire erupted and the contact used a fire extinguisher to extinguish the fire. the vehicle was towed to an automotive shop where the mechanic diagnosed that the fire started from a fuel leak. the vehicle was not fully diagnosed or repaired. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign id number: 09v116000 (engine and engine cooling) after the fire occurred, in which the vehicle was included in the recall campaign. the failure and the current mileage was 105,288.

My 1997 grand prix randomly started on fire in the engine. 911 was called and fire put out. i salvaged car but now i wonder if it was manufacturing fault. now i have to replace my car and feel i should be compensated for that. *tr

I pulled into my driveway, stopped my car and smoke started coming out of my interior air vents. i put the car in park, turned off the ignition and grabbed my 2 year old daughter out of her carseat. we ran from the car and watched the smoke start getting worse coming out from the hood. then flames started from under the hood. we called the fire dept. by the time the fire dept. arrived the front of the car was burnt down to metal. the fire dept. said the fire was started by oil that's why they were unable to put it out. we assumed it was fault on our behalf so we did not report it to our insurance. just today i received a recall notice #09047. stating that an underhood fire may be caused by drops of engine oil, from seepage or spillage, being deposited on exhaust manifold through hard breaking. if i had known this earlier i would not have been without my only transportation.. *tr

Tl - the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. when the contact attempted to make a left turn the vehicle malfunctioned due to the wheel bearings. the vehicle was taken to a private mechanic who confirmed that the wheel bearings failed. the contact stated prior to the failure the repairs were performed in 2003 under nhtsa campaign id number:02v286000 (steering:rack and pinion). the manufacturer was notified and the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileages were 180,000. rvk

Automatic headlights extinguish when heater fan switch selected to positions 2,3, or 4. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact stated that while adding oil to the engine, some of the oil dripped onto the manifold and caused a small fire. the contact extinguished the fire and the vehicle was towed home. the vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed or repaired. the vehicle was not operable after the failure. approximately one year later, the contact received the recall notice associated with nhtsa campaign id number 09v116000 (engine and engine cooling) which the contact believed was related to the failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but offered no assistance. the failure and current mileages were 180,000.

The driver received a (nhtsa) recall notice (02-v-286-000) power steering wheel. the dealer's mechanic replaced the bearing not the rack and pinion. one month later the driver complained that the steering wheel was hard to turn and there was a knocking noise heard coming from underneath the vehicle. the consumer took the vehicle back to the dealer for inspection. the dealer's mechanic would not replace the part. *tr

I was the owner of a 1997 pontiac grand prix, equipped with a 3.8l v6 naturally aspirated engine and prior to receiving word from gm about a recall on these particular cars for engine compartment related fires... my car was lost in a fire. prior to the loss of the vehicle there were no known issues, no lights on the dash, no strange noises,smells etc. however, after driving for 20 minutes... a route i had taken many times in this particular car, smoke appeared and after 20 minutes parked in a parking lot, the car was fully engulfed. *tr

I have a 1997 grand prix gtp super charger and it caught on fire today,with my daughter and grandson in the car! its a good thing that we all got out of the car before it totally went up. fire department came and put out the fire and stated it was from something like the wiring, and then i found out you guys have a recall on it because of this reason! im very upset! *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. while the vehicle was parked, the contact turned on the windshield wipers and noticed that the driver side and passenger side did not function. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated that the motor crank needed to be replaced. the contact referenced recall 99v348000 (visibility: windshield wiper/washer: linkages) but was informed that the vehicle was not included. the current and failure mileages were unknown.

Tl* the contact owned a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact stated that the vehicle caught on fire while parked with the engine off at a service station. the fire department was able to extinguish the fire and determined that the fire originated from the engine compartment. a fire report was available. the vehicle was destroyed. there were damages to the building of the service station where the vehicle was parked. the contact later received notification of nhtsa campaign id number: 09v116000 (engine and engine cooling) and when contacting the manufacturer she was advised that the company was undergoing liquidation and could not provide any assistance. the failure mileage was 162,844.

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact stated while the vehicle was parked with the engine shut off, the vehicle exploded into flames. the fire department arrived to extinguish the fire. the fire department ruled that the fire originated from oil on the engine. the contact called the manufacturer but no the manufacturer would provide no assistance. the vehicle was previously repaired under nhtsa campaign id number: 08v118000 (engine and engine cooling). the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 200,050.

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. while driving approximately 25 mph, the coolant light illuminated. the contact pulled over and noticed her antifreeze was low and filled the over flow tank and dxcool antifreeze. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technicians diagnosed the failure to be the upper and lower intake manifold hose which needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 61,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact was driving approximately 5 mph when the passenger side air bag deployed independently. within sixty seconds, the driver side air bag also deployed without warrant. the failure caused the front windshield to shatter and the contact sustained injuries to his arm. a police report was filed. the vehicle was towed to the contacts residence. the vehicle was not taken to a local mechanic or a dealer for the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the contact called the manufacturer and was advised that they could not assist since he did not have full insurance coverage. the failure and current mileage was approximately 190,000.

1997 grand prix gtp. consumer states driver information center module failed for the second time. *tgw the consumer stated when the system failed, other components failed as well. including the heater, front window defroster, the electric rear window defogger, air conditioner and daytime running lights. the consumer was informed by the dealer, that the parts were no longer available from gm or their alternate suppliers. *jb

We've spent far too much money trying to fix the problem with our pontiac grand prix 1997 power steering failure to turn left without extreme force. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. there was an oil leak in the intake manifold which has caused a fire in the engine. the damage was under the hood where the engine was located. he received recall notice nhtsa#08v118000, engine and engine cooling and took his vehicle to the dealer but they are refusing to repair the vehicle stating that they had to speak with the manufacturer before they could repair the damaged that was caused by the recall failure. the manufacturer was called and stated that they had to obtain approval from another division due to the fire and that it would take 30 to 60 days before he would have an answer for the dealer regarding the repair. for six months, the contact has made several attempts to speak with someone regarding the failure and approval for the repair. the dealer was called again but they have refused to repair the vehicle per the recall. the vehicle was not repaired when the complaint was filed. the failure and current mileages were 226,081.

I contacted gm about nhtsa campaign id number: 08v118000 and their corresponding gm recall no. 07035. the service rep advised me that the recall had already been performed by the previous owner. i explained to the rep that neither he or i could guarantee that it was fixed properly. my engine is seeping oil out where described in the recall and is pools up in the engine and if i did have to stop fast oil would certainly fly forward onto the exhaust. i can also see the rubber gasket pieces breaking down where it looks as if the oil is leaking from. i only noticed this when i took off the plastic engine cover to inspect a fuel line. i simply want it noted that they may have recorded it as being fixed but i don't think it was fixed properly if the condition still exists. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact stated that his vehicle caught fire under the hood while driving approximately 25 mph. he was able to drive onto the emergency lane and call the fire department. a police report is available. the vehicle was destroyed. the contact stated that recall 08v118000, engine and engine cooling may be directly related to the failure although the vehicle had not been inspected. he called the manufacturer and a representative stated that someone would contact him. he was currently awaiting a response at the time of the complaint. the current and failure mileages were approximately 190,000.

Our son was driving down the road when he noticed flames coming out of the hood and down the side of the car. he couldn't get it to stop completely but did get it slowed down enough to jump out. the fire died down a little but flared back up, the fire department had to put it out. the police were called but didn't make a report because their wasn't a accident. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. when the contact started the vehicle she noticed a loud popping sound in the front end of the vehicle and after a few minutes, she noticed smoke coming from the engine. the vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer and there were no prior warnings. the current and failure mileages were 250,000.

There is a recall of 1997 pontiac grand prix #02v286000. recall date 11-04-2002 for assembly dates 1-1-1996 through 10-31-1997 my cars assembly date is 8-30-1996. my car has the exact consequence of this recall. the recall listing is: certain passenger vehicles and mini vans have lower pinion bearings in the power rack and pinion assembly in which the retainer tabs were not crimped properly. these and some other retainers used in vehicles assembled between january 1, 1996 and october 31, 1997, could fail and permit the ball bearings to escape. consequence: if this occurs, the pinion shaft can be forced upward during left turns and back down as the steering wheel is moved back and to the right. if the pinion shaft moves further, the driver will need to exert more effort to turn the steering wheel, similar to a vehicle without power assisted steering. if the pinion shaft moves even further, the driver will require much higher effort to turn left and may not be able to turn the wheel as much as intended. with the maximum pinion shaft movement, which requires internal gear component damage, the driver can encounter high resistance to turning left, followed by unintended power assist to the right. in any of these conditions, a crash could occur. i took the car to a regular shop and the mechanic there use to be a gm machanic and he said i have the exact cause of the recall problem. and can't belive that gm will not cover this car. all the symptoms are the same. and the bearings are gone from the rack. *tr

1997 pontiac grand prix had an engine fire in october 2007 and was a total loss. *nj the consumer stated she received a recall letter after the fire occurred. the consumer stated she called pontiac on may 21, 2008 and asked if there were any recalls on her vehicle and she was told no. *jb

I was driving down the road and my car started bringing in smoke from the air vents. i went to pull over and lost all power. as i pulled to the side of the road the hood was in flames. my car was a total loss. *tr

Engine caught fire due to an oil leak, the fire spread. destroyed the engine. this happened on a day it was raining. i pulled into a rest area. that was when smoke was seen coming from under the hood. i lifted the hood and the front of the engine was on fire. *tr

1997 pontiac grand prix ignition key failure. there are many thousands of pontiacs with this same exact problem. key will not come out of ignition switch,key will not turn car on,i have to push gear shift from low to park numerous times to get key to start car ,then again to release key from ignition switch.this should be recalled since it effects pontiacs 1996,97,98,99,2000,2001,2002. many thousands of pontiac cars have this problem. *tr

1997 pontiac grand prix safety recall 09047. *nj the consumer stated while at a gas station, the vehicle caught fire. the consumer stated the vehicle is in storage. the consumer read where a recall had been issued. the dealer informed the consumer they had no responsibility to repair the extensive damage. *jb

1997 pontiac grand prix had an underhood explosion and fire - ref. recall #90046. *nj the consumer stated when she attempted to start the vehicle, there was an explosion under the hood and the vehicle caught fire. *jb the consumer is still waiting on reimbursement. updated 05/18/11

Recall notice for 1997 pontiac grand prix (09047). consumer states that his vehicle fire occurred two years ago and that the dealership kept telling him the vehicle was fine. *nj recall 02v293000. *jb

I have a 1997 pontiac grand prix and i just researched the recalls for those models. i see that there was a recall on the windshield wipers and it is for what mine have recently done. the windshield wipers have stopped working and i haven't had my car over 2 years. i just got the car in 2008 and i wanted to know if the recall was on that car and was it ever done. i don't want to get into an accident and they started to not work after we had a big snow storm here in virginia. *tr

1997 pontiac grand prix. jan. 31 2007 engine fire , vehicle burned in parking lot where i work . total loss. now gm has a recall for eng compartment fires on this vehicle . gm's esis division sent me a letter saying that ohios property damage statute of limitations is 2 years . how can this apply when the recall was just issued? *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. after the dealer performed recall repairs on the vehicle, the bolts on the air condition compressor failed. the failure occurred while driving 30 mph. the compressor was hanging from the engine and prevented the vehicle from steering. the contact believes that the dealer had something to do with the compressor falling off the engine. the dealer denies being at fault. the vehicle has not been repaired. the current and failure mileages were 200,500.

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. while driving 55 mph, the vehicle caught fire while exiting the highway. the contact parked the vehicle and attempted to extinguish the flames, but was unsuccessful and called the fire department. he received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign id number 09v116000, stating that the vehicle could ignite into flames. the vehicle was destroyed. the current and failure mileages were 162,000.

1997 grand prix fire in engine. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. while driving between 15-25 mph, the contact smelled something burning. she pulled the vehicle over and the driver's side of the vehicle caught fire. she called the fire department to extinguish the flames. a recall notice for nhtsa campaign id number 09v116000 was sent out after the failure to warn consumers that the vehicle could ignite into flames. a fire report was filed and no one was injured. the current and failure mileages were 153,636.

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. when proceeding to enter the vehicle, the contact noticed smoke coming from the engine compartment. the vehicle became engulfed in flames. the contact extinguished the fire with a water hose and called the fire department. the manufacturer stated that an investigator would come out and inspect the vehicle. the vehicle was inspected and the contact was offered a settlement of $11,080. he was not informed of what caused the fire and rejected the offer because the settlement was not enough to repair the vehicle. he then filed a claim with the attorney general. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure mileage was 162,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the vehicle was destroyed due to an engine fire that occurred in a driveway. the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 08v118000 because the vehicle did not have a 3.8l supercharged v6 engine. the contact received a recall notice for her vehicle on may 4, 2009. there were no warning lights or prior failures with the engine cooling system before the fire occurred. the vehicle has all original equipment and had never been to the dealer except for routine maintenance. a fire report was filed. the current and failure mileages were 163,000.

1997 pontiac grand prix recall id nhtsa: 08v118000. i had this repair done as requested. but my complaint to the dealer was that if the front one is failing, putting oil on the manifold to cause a fire. then why are they not replacing the back one? my gtp is leaking oil from the back gasket, dripping on the plugs, wires as well and is dripping on the manifold and exhaust pipe. it also is smoking and has a burning oil smell. why were they both not replaced? *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact stated that the failure he was experiencing was identical to nhtsa campaign id number 08v118000, except his vehicle does not have a 3.8l superchargeed v-6 engine. therefore, the remedy does not cover his vehicle. while driving 55 mph, the contact observed and smelled smoke under the hood. the upper intake manifold was replaced in october of 2008. the failure occurs every time the vehicle comes to a hard stop. a mechanic inspected the vehicle, but was unable to find what the contact described because no oil was leaking. the current mileage was 139,000 and failure mileage was 130,000.

I received a letter this morning from gm about a safety recall on my 1997 pontiac grand prix about an underhood fire and that i need to take my car to a pontiac dealer. i have not driven my car out of town because we have noticed a burning odor for about a month. the nearest dealer is 35-40 miles from us and gm refuses to pay the towing charges and i refuse to pay them or drive this car 35-40 miles. is gm responsible for the towing charges? *tr

First of all i love my grand prix. i have had both both head light lens fall off within a month of one another. you cant purchease the lens you need to buy the whole unit form pontiac. replaced my self each unit was about $100. gear shift locked up in garage was about $350 plus a tow. electrical issues with blower motor works on 5 only. lights will only work when blower motor is off or on 5. replaced blower resistor and did not help. 2 electrcal widow problems. alterantor problem approx $350 normal with gm. all issues under 80,000 miles. it appears most people have had the same issues. very disapointed gm does not make it right with loyal gm owners. the fire issue is very concerning i will be taking my gt to dealer soon. *tr

I have a 1997 grand prix gt n/a 3800 engine with engine oil leaking from the front rocker panel gasket however the recall only covers the s/c'd version of this vehicle there is engine oil sitting on the top of the motor, also there is oil built up all the way down the one side of the engine coming from this location i am concerned that there will be an engine fire with this leaking oil. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. while driving various speeds, the headlights would sporadically fail. the contact's visibility was greatly reduced due to the failure. the dealer replaced the wiring harness. four years later, the failure recurred. he took the vehicle back to the dealer and they replaced the wiring harness and other associated parts at the cost of $852.12. the failure mileage was 95,000 and current mileage was 156,000.

I had parked my car outside my parents' home and i was inside when it caught fire. someone came and told me that my car was on fire. it was completely burned up before the fire department arrived. my 1997 grand prix was a total loss. i had not had any trouble with it, i had it serviced regularly. it just caught fire spontaneously. i have previously reported this incident to you and i have just read on msnbc that gm is now in the process of a recall on this vehicle. *tr

When using wipers, wiper would stop working and would stop in the middle of the windshield making it difficult to see when driving in the rain, had to pull over and push wipers down manually because wipers would not go back down to normal position i had to drive with no wipers, almost causing an accident. this was happening for about 7 months now wipers don't want to work at all. called gm recall number and explained what happened and was told my 1997 grand prix was not on the recall list. *tr

My 1997 pontiac grand prix gt 3.8liter not supercharged caught fire and when we tried to get parts the junk yard had 2 they also had caught fire gm did a recall on super charged not regular 3.8 liters cars! *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact stated that when the windshield wipers are turned off they remain directly in the middle of the windshield. the wipers fail to rest at the bottom of the windshield. an independent mechanic installed a new windshield wiper motor, which only temporarily remedied the issue. the failure recurred because the defect was in the linkage, which was attached to the motor. the dealer and manufacturer stated that his vin was excluded from nhtsa campaign id number 99v348000 (visibility:windshield wiper/washer:linkages). the contact would be responsible for the repair costs. the vehicle was not been sufficiently repaired. the current mileage was approximately 158,000 and failure mileage was approximately 157,900.

I drove my car to work and parked it in a private lot. i went into work and attended to my job for about 30 minutes. after 30 minutes, a friend informed me that my car had caught on fire in the parking lot. i went outside to see for myself, and i found that the fire department had already arrived and were extinguishing the fire. there was no warning or signs of a fire before i left my car to go into work, and i still do not know how it started. as a consequence of this engine fire, the car was a total loss. the fire was contained to the engine compartment, but it totally destroyed the engine itself. i reported the incident to my insurance company and the claim is still being processed. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact stated that the coolant system failed and the vehicle continuously stalled due to overheating. the dealer stated that the manifold gasket and sensors on the radiator needed to be replaced. the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 08v118000 (engine and engine cooling). she has experienced oil leakage under the hood of the vehicle as a result of the failed gasket. the contact was informed that her model gasket was too old and there was a newer rocket cover gasket needed to remedy the failure. the mechanic at midas stated that drops of engine oil were being deposited on the exhaust manifold, which could potentially cause a fire. the failure and current mileages were 170,000.

My vehicle began to experience electrical outages a month ago which included the headlights, blower motor, and gas sensor. my headlights would shutoff by themselves as would my blower motor, periodically. i noticed that it corresponded to what level my blower was put on. level 5 would keep the system on but levels 1-4 would promote the outages. i have had the blower motor and blower switch repaired on my car not more than a year ago but yet i am experiencing this problem. i have read many other blogs where people have posted problems with their pontiac which are identical to mine. i should note that this problem has gotten progressively worse over the past month. *tr

Driving from the highway to the city as normal like every weekend in my only vehicle a 97 grand prix gtp, pull into a drive through and get to the window and place my car in park. wait for my change and order then try to put my car in drive from the park position- and it won't move! i got a first hand experience of "road rage" from other people yelling at me and calling me names to get out of the way when i can't! my shifter is stuck in park (and yes my foot is on the brake.) luckily 15 minutes later still stuck in the drive through i notice a button to the right of the gear shifter called a shift lock release so i stick a pen down it and finally i can leave. get home, put the car in park, and it won't release my key! so now the key is stuck in the ignition and won't go to the off position. try to leave again and the only way my car will shift from park is if i stick something down in the hole for the shift lock release button. seeing the key doesn't come out i'm constantly paranoid about someone seeing the key in the ignition and steeling my vehicle! every time i use my car i have to use the release button and leave my key in the ignition! i'm told by the repair shop it's going to cost almost $400 to fix the ignition lock solenoid (to be able to remove my key) and to fix the shift lock solenoid (to be able to shift with out shoving a ¿[email protected]#$% pen in a hole!) mind you- the $400 does not include labor!!!!!! the sad thing is- i researched this problem on the internet and literally hundreds of people have the same problem with this car!! why hasn't there been a recall when there are so many incidents! i don't see why i should pay for a defect that's so common- too common! i'm waiting to correct the problem to see if your able to help my situation first. *tr

It was around 7:30 pm in november of 2001 when i was driving my son to his friends home down the street from where i live. we were driving at about 25 miles per hr and were nearing the friends home when smoke appeared to be coming from under the engine hood. i immediately turned into the friends driveway and my son opened the hood to take a look and flames came out, my engine was on fire. he doused it with dirt from the ground. there was damage to the electrical parts, underhood, and engine area. the car was taken to an authorized dealership and repaired to the best of their ability, but issues continue to arise to the point where the car is now parked as more repairs are needed. i was told to expect other problems to surface by the service manager at the dealership. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. while parked in the driveway, the vehicle's hood ignited into flames. the contact observed smoke coming from the hood prior to the fire, but there were no warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. the fire department was called to the scene and a report was filed. there was minor property damage. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and has not been repaired. the failure and current mileages were 130,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact arrived home and shut off the vehicle. four minutes later, he attempted to restart the vehicle and noticed smoke underneath the hood. more smoke began to appear shortly after and then flames ignited underneath the hood. the contact grabbed the water hose located in front of his vehicle and extinguished the fire. the manufacturer stated that they would replace the rocker cover gasket as stated in nhtsa campaign id number 08v118000 (engine and engine cooling). the failure and current mileages were 236,000.

I parked my 1997 pontiac at wal-mart one day after work. when i came out of the store 30 minutes later, it was on fire, surrounded by 2 firetrucks. it was burned beyond repair. there were no warning signs. *tr

97 grand prix, 3.8l high output engine,4t65e 4 speed automatic transmission, se model 4 door. transmission was at first hesitant to go into reverse at 100,000 miles. around 125,000 miles the transmission has no reverse or neutral movement while pushing the car in reverse. in other words you cannot move the car in reverse at all, even with the engine off and in neutral. shop told me i had a broken reverse shift fork. transmission service center advised that the car's used value does not warrant the repair cost or purchase of new equipment. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact received a recall notice for the gasket and spark plugs. he called the dealer to schedule an appointment for the recall repair. while at the dealer, they claimed that the repair had previously been performed on the vehicle. the following day, the contact took the vehicle to a regular mechanic for inspection and was informed that the dealer had not made any repairs. the contact is upset that the work has not been performed on his vehicle. the manufacturer will not return his calls or help him resolve the issue. the recall number was unknown. the failure mileage was 175,000.

My car caught on fire from a recall and gm is not taking action for it. *tr

My vehicle is affected by the recall involving potential underhood fires. it is a 1997 pontiac grand prix gtp. i received the "customer advisory letter" 3-4 weeks ago stating the car would be subject to a recall when parts were available. i called the gm support line at 800-762-2737 to find out when the actual recall would commence, as i have indeed seen puffs of oil smoke from under the hood appear under heavy braking. i told this to the gm rep. the rep stated, among other things, that they did not know when parts would be available for the repair or when the actual recall letter would go out. she suggested i have the repair done and "pay for it yourself", seeking reimbursement "if there is a recall". i stated repeatedly why would i pay out of pocket for a safety recall. they then called back the next day and stated i could bring the car to a dealer and "if it indeed had the condition, they would fix it", but if it did not, "you'll have to pay a diagnostic fee". i again stated i would not pay anything out of pocket for a mandatory safety recall. gm's support people seem to have a very unconcerned, dismissive attitude toward my concerns and for this recall. i highly recommend someone from your agency get them motivated. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the vehicle caught fire under the hood after being parked for ten minutes. the vehicle was destroyed. nhtsa campaign id number 08v118000 (engine and engine cooling) was referenced. both a police and fire report were filed. the vin was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 97,000.

This engine failure took me by surprise. i can't say there was a single event that gave a glimpse of what was in store for me. luckily, for me, thank god, that i had just parked the vehicle at my job site and gone into my work building;also, my co-workers that parked their vehicles next to mine had made it safely to their jobs. within only approximately 11 minutes the "time bomb" burst into flames. *tr

I received a letter today informing me of a gm recall for my 1997 pontiac grand prix 3.8l v6 w/supercharger concerning engine fires because of a leaky gasket. i had a similar oil leak onto the exhaust manifold which caused much smoke and smell. i had to replace both rocker arm gaskets to resolve the problem. my concern is that gm is recalling my car to fix the front gasket leak and not the rear gasket leak. i can assure you that my rear gasket leak was much worse than the front leak and was dripping directly onto the exhaust manifold. i had no idea this could ever catch fire. i saw documented pictures of another burned grand prix on the internet today as i researched this issue today. i was utterly shocked. and when i heard gm is only going to fix the front gasket, i knew i had to open up a complaint. i could have easily been the next victim of gm's inaction. my problem was fixed on 4/24/07 but prior i drove the car and would put up with this smell until i saw the smoke arising while i was at a drive-thru restaurant. gm also implies it was related to heavy braking. well that may be true initially, but once it started leaking it never stopped. you must force them to fix both gaskets before someone dies in a fire because of their design flaw. i paid $44.47 for both gaskets and that wasn't with gm's volume purchasing discount. so the difference is $20 dollars. i cannot believe gm is only fixing half of the problem, but you need to get involved and force them. any of your engineers should be able to argue this point with them. if you need me to get on a conference call with the engineers and product managers, i would be happy to. this was the url with the burned grand prix: http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f33/upcoming-recall-07035-97-03-gp-regal-3800-s-c-vin-1-a-61961/index3.html the fire was horrible! *tr

I went to work february 21, 2008. within 10 minutes they was announcing my license plate over the intercom. the security office met me on my way down and said my car had caught on fire and that they tried to put it out with a fire extinguisher until the fire department came but it was a bad fire and it was nothing either one of them could do. my car had to be junked. everything underneath the hood burned beyond recognition. *tr

The car, a '97 grand prix with a v-6 engine, had just been parked in the drive way and someone came in about five minutes later and said "your car is on fire" the person was already on the phone with 911. when the fire department arrived 10 minutes later, the car along with all of my cds and other items were a total loss and i only had liability insurance so it was a total loss. the fire department took my blood pressure and it was 210 over 130 and tried to get me to go to the hospital. the car is still in the drive way covered with a tarp and the garage still has the siding hanging down where it melted from the heat. there was no police report even though a deputy sheriff was passing by and stopped as the windows and tires exploded. *tr

Engine fire. *tr

My son was driving my 1997 grand prix when it started to knock and killed on the way into the walmart parking lot. shortly after coming to a stop he noticed smoke and that the engine compartment on fire. the fire department was called and after breaking into the engine compartment, put the fire out. amount of damages unknown. *tr

My 1997 pontiac grand prix gtp over heated last month and it had an engine fire. previously, there were several occasions when it had an odd oily/electrical smell but nothing appeared to be wrong. i was stuck in some snow and while i was getting it out it apparently overheated. i made it out on to the main road and less than thirty yards later, it caught fire. it took a while for the fire department to get there, and after the fire was put out there was nothing left salvageable of my car. the engine compartment was demolished and the interior had standing water from being extinguished. basically, there was nothing i could do at that point, i had no car and the insurance did not cover what had happened. *tr

Went to turn my car on and the engine caught on fire. it had been running perfect. i just had my emission test done. i got out of the car and with the help of my brother, put it out before the fire department got there. this was a very dangerous situation. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact started the vehicle and it caught fire. the cause of the failure has not been diagnosed. the current and failure mileages were 143,000.

My 1997 pontiac grand prix gtp had an engine fire as i was pulling into parking area at work. as i swiped my car, i noticed smoke coming from under the hood. i did not pull into the parking garage as i usually do so that i could check to see what was the problem. i popped the hood and the back of the engine near the firewall was on fire. i backed away and called 911. police and fire department responded within minutes, but by that time, car from the dashboard forward was engulfed. fire was put out with foam material and car was towed. i did not have fire or theft on the vehicle. i promptly called the insurance company to inform them of incident and dropped the car from the insurance. i signed the title over to my mechanic. i purchased the car in feb of 2,000 with about 30,000 miles. it was a good car until the fire. it had the 3.8 liter supercharged engine. no other problems prior to event. at that time, the car had about 140,000 miles on it. only major work done was trans was replaced in mar of 2005 with 108,000. if you need copy of police report, please advise. *tr

Vehicle parked 10 minutes when fire detected, reported and extinguished by local fd, entire engine compartment destroyed. *tr

On the day indicated my 2yr old and i were traveling on the freeway when the car suddenly caught fire. after the fire department put out the fire it was determined the fire started with in the engine compartment. the car had no problems and i maintained all needed service to the vehicle. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. the contact stated that he was unable to turn his steering wheel while driving. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the rack and pinion failed and needed to be replaced. the contact stated that he was unaware that there was a recall for this defect, otherwise he would have taken the vehicle to an authorized dealer. the manufacturer stated that he was never notified due to an internal error on their behalf. the dealer stated that his vin was included in recall number 02v286000 (steering:rack and pinion). because the vehicle was repaired by an independent dealer/mechanic, the manufacturer will not repair or reimburse the contact, even though they admit to their internal error. the failure speed was unknown. the current mileage was 235,000 and failure mileage was 176,000.

1997 pontiac grand prix engine compartment caught on fire approximately 10 minutes after parking. called fire department which stated cause was electrical. engine compartment total loss. hood damaged by fire departtment. to gain entry., paint melted. car is available for inspection. no repairs or changes made.*ak

Brought car to dealer for regular oil change and was told the oil was full of coolant. was told by mechanic that this was a common" problem ,and he had changed several upper intake manifold gaskets on pontiac grand prix 3.8 v6 engines severe cases, included changing upper as well as lower gaskets ,and head gaskets due to coolant leaks. on a few of the cars the damage was beyond repair, and needed new engines due to severe coolant leaks. the upper intake plenum had melted, resulting in a coolant leak, coolant in the oil, and vice versa. had to have another oil change a week later to get the rest of the gunk out, and will have to bring it in again next week to check for anymore traces of coolant in the oil. if found will have to possibly change the lower intake gasket, and possibly head gaskets. if damage was really bad, new engine. if this is such a "common" problem gm putting a plastic part would be installed. why was there no recall on it? i have checked message board after message board and this problem was wide spread.. lots of complaints, but the consumer was stuck fitting the bill for their defective part. *ak

I parked my 97 grand prix gtp at the ottawa area intermediate school district on the morning of april 27, 2007 and went into the building. about 5 minutes later i heard someone yell my name and that my car was smoking. when i got to the front of the building there was a tremendous amount of smoke coming from the engine and fire around the tires and bottom of the engine. three of my co-workers tried putting out the fire with a fire extinguisher but could not get the hood open. the fire department arrived and was able to pry open the hood with a bar. the engine smoked and burned for approximately 2 hours. the fire fighters cut off the battery in case of further fire igniting. the fire did not spread to any other vehicles because the car was parked in the back of the lot. also fire did not spread to the rest of the car due to the quick action of fire and rescue. the car is a total loss. *tr

Air bag problem light has been on for years and now i find there has been a recall for my car but only for newer cars like 2006 if i remember what i was told a few years ago. *jb

Tl* - the contact called regarding a 1997 oldsmobile cutlass. the contact stated on february 3, 2007 when she attempted to put the vehicle in reverse she noticed there was no power steering, there were no warning indicators. the current and failure mileage were 99,000. the contact put power steering fluid in the vehicle, and it all leaked out. the vehicle was towed to a mechanic. the contact did not understand what the mechanic said needed to be replaced. the blower for the heater only blew cold air. this has been happening since february2006. she had it repaired. however, in may 2006 it failed again. *ak

Tl* - the contact stated vehicle exploded while attempting to start the engine. it was a cold morning ,and on the third attempt the engine compartment exploded. the contact stated that she had no problems prior to starting the vehicle. *ak

While driving my car, the light on dash began to flash as i slowed to read it, the car shut off. i was just going to try to restart it when i noticed smoke coming out from under hood. i got out of the car and was going to go get my husband who was a little over a half mile away. i reached inside the drivers door to put on the flashers as i did this i heard a sizzling noise and the flashers did not engage. i started running to get help and when i looked back i saw embers drop from the front of the engine by the plug wires. i got to a phone and the fire department was called just as visible flames could be seen from the engine compartment. *jb updated 3/20/08

I own a pontiac grand prix 97, 3.8. i have come to have a problem with my car overheating due to my manifold intake gaskets. i recently went to the shop to have them fixed and the shop owner told me this is the defect from the dealer which is costing me a lot of money to be fixed. the owner says he gets a lot of the pontiac gm cars that also have the same issue. i would like if someone can look into this. i also was on your website and noticed that you had this also on your defect investigations. i would very much appreciate if you can look into this for me and the other owners of these cars. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle was scheduled for the recall repair # 02v286000, for the steering: rack and pinion, at the service dealer. the bearing was replaced, but due to an unavailable tool, the rack and pinion was not replaced as the contact had been informed by the service dealer. the rack and pinion problem had become a problem since the bearing was replaced. the manufacturer was notified.

I had problems with my steering on my grand prix. i didn't receive any recalls. i took it to the shop in march 2006. i was told the rack and pinion would need replaced. a few months later, i received notification from my insurance company that there were recalls on the grand prix. i called pontiac and told them i never received a recall but had the same problem and i had it fixed. i was told that my car was not affected by the problem and it was just a coincidence. my car was manufactured during the time frame the problem occurred. there were many times when i had to come to a complete stop because i could not get the car to turn. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated that while driving at 15 mph and lower, the steering was difficult. there was also a popping noise in the steering column while turning either right or left. the vehicle was taken to a private repair shop, where it was determined that the rack and pinion needed replacing. there is a nhtsa recall # 02v286000. the vehicle was not included due to the vin.

1997 pontiac grand prix experiencing same consequences as nhtsa campaign # 02v286000 or gm recall # 02049. loss of power steering when steering left that is getting progressively worse. took car to dealer, states vin# does not show recall. called pontiac, they too state no recall. page 3 of recall parts bulletin on this website plainly lists 1997 pontiac grand prix's manufactured in fairfax between the following vin break points vf200001-vf359118. the last digits in our vin# falls within that range. vf305818 please help. this is a major safety hazard. *nm

Another motorist waved me to pull over; the engine caught on fire. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving at 55 mph when turning left the vehicle veers to the right due to the lower pinion bearings. there is a nhtsa recall #02v286000 concerning the steering rack and pinion however the recall did not correct the problem. the vehicle is having the same problems again. the dealership has been alerted however no additional repairs have been made.

Steering:rack and pinion-this is an ongoing problem. i bought my 97 grand prix gtp in march 2003. the recall for the steering issued supposedly was done prior to me driving it off the lot. in september of 2004 i began to have problems turning left. i took the car into the local gm dealership to find out what was causing the problem in march 2005. the dealership said that the recall issue had been taken care of and that i would have to pay $1,000 to get it fixed. i asked them if a failed part could have been used to fulfill the recall earlier and the dealer said it didn't matter. the dealer said that they only had to fix the recall once and that it had a 12 month warranty. my husband called gm and they also told us that we would have to pay for the recall to be fixed for the same reasons as stated by the dealer. this is a recall that needs to be reinstated. many people are encountering failures and are in need of proper care. i have been in many near-misses due to not being able to turn left. i have aggravated a back and neck injury due to the difficulty in turning left. i have been unable to properly park my car due to not being able to turn left. i have been unable to get my car fixed due to the extraordinary cost. i am unable to get a new car as it is not financial feasible.*jb

Consumer took vehicle to dealer for rack and pinion gear repair. steering would not turn left. *ts after the vehicle was repaired the steering was worse and the vehicle was taken back to the dealer. the dealer had to order a new rack and pinion. *nm

Dt: the contact states vehicle caught on fire. the vehicle had been sitting for 30 minutes before the fire. the fire department was called to extinguish the fire. the fire marshal inspected the vehicle and concluded the fire was electrical. it started in the dashboard and spread to the engine. there were no prior problems reported on the vehicle. no one sustained any injury due to the fire. the fire department told the contact the police department would not respond since the fire was on her property. the vehicle was a complete loss.*ak

Dt: the contact stated while driving on the freeway at 55 mph the vehicle stalled. he managed to pull off to the side of the road, and turned the vehicle off, then back on and proceeded to drive the vehicle home. he took the vehicle to an independent repair shop. they found the intake manifold was leaking. no repairs were made. *ak

Dt: the contact stated the loop that attaches the hood latch broke off ,and hit the windshield on the contact's son's vehicle. the manufacturer was contacted and they offered no free remedy.*ak updated. 01/19/06. *jb

Recall 02049,02v286000-steering rack-n-pinion was performed by larry stovesand's pontiac,gmc inc3100 irvin cobb drive paducah ky 42003,on my 97 pontiac grand prix on 04/29/05. the car had none of the describe problems at or before this time. on 09/17/05 the car started having the problems described in the recall letter hard to( impossible) to turn left at low speed. returned the car to the before mentioned dealership. after inspecting the car they contacted general motors and told me they had done the work requested of the recall and that gm said in order for this to get fixed we would have to pay for it. on 09/26/05 my husband called gm and they confirmed what the dealership had already stated. the dealership replaced bearing k 6.835 on the invoice lower pinion bearing. the car was purchased at courtesy autoplex 3100 irvin cobb drive paducah ky 42003 on or around 06/15/00. *nm

Positive battery terminal has failed 3 times on my 1997 pontiac grand prix. the first time was still under warranty in 1999. the dealer replaced with another delco battery. the second time was june, 2004, delco would not replace the battery under warranty so i replaced with wal*mart everstart battery. then, in august, 2005, the battery positive terminal broke again. this time, battery acid destroyed a vacuum that controls the inside heater vents rendering hvac adjustments inoperative. i have read other accounts of this being some type of defect in the battery cable. i have asked gm and my gm dealer and have repeatedly been told there is nothing wrong with the battery cable. gm claims no awareness of this being an issue. *nm

Dt: consumer's wife was making a left hand turn and lost all power steering. no previous problems. there was a recall 02v286000 repairs performed on the vehicl. the recall involves steering within rack and pinion. did not receive recall letter but due to another service being performed on the vehicle. dealer ran vin and determined the recall repairs were performed. the service. this was in march 2003. no repairs have been made at this time, but dealer had the vehicle towed off a gm dealership because it was a safety issue. contacted gm, and consumer filed a complaint with them. *ak

I pulled into a car wash stall and shut my car off to wash it. after washing it i got back in my car and tried to put it in gear, but the shifter would not move. thank god i had my cell phone, i had to call my husband out of work to come check out the car. he concluded that i have to stick a ink pen in the shift release hole to put it in gear. i had our three month old with me and it was cold that day, it would not have been nice if i would have had to walk with the baby. anyway i have put it in the shop to get it checked and they do not know the problem. i was told it may cost me a lot of money to get it fixed by the time they find the problem. this is a severe safety problem to me. what if this happens to someone else with small children and they do have to walk. i also know from calling around to part stores that this has happened to at least 6 others just in the muskegon area, that should call for a recall in itself. *jb

Engine coolant leaking from intake manifold. repair shop says" if its any consolation it is a design defect by the manufacturur" well its not any consolation ,it cost me $600 to fix a design flaw?

First my key would not release out of the ignition. i have to have something stuck up in the release button thingy to get it to release the key. now the shifter will not move unless you depress the shift lock release button. thank god i knew about the button because i would have been stuck over 100 miles away from home without any help in site. i have had other problems with this car but fortunately for me that was while the car was still under warranty. i'm sure my 1997 pontiac grand prix se isn't the only one with this problem.

While driving down the road at night, the headlamps seem to shake. upon further inspection, it was discovered that the right headlamp lens was loose and the left headlamp lens was loose as well. the reason the shake was noticeable is because both lenses are marred by sun damage and probably age. i was able to glue the lens back in place, but that is just a temporary repair.

The ebcm (electronic brake control module) has gone out. this effect the power steering and the anti-lock brakes. the problem is that a new cost $700.00. our gtp doesn't have traction control and we are unable to find a used or reman. ebcm w/o traction control. the nose cone on the supercharger is also bad. it has a rattle in it that won't go away. it was that way when we bought the car with 68,000 miles on it, now has 102,000.

Rocker panel is completely rusted out. contacted pontiac and they won't do anything about it. my car is a '97 and i have older cars that did not rust as bad as this. *ak

Contact states: has a 1997 grand prix, the headlights would flash on/off intermittently; the blower fans would almost always go off, and had no heat or defroster. had electrical problem fixed. stated that it turned out it was the ignition switch. *ak

While sitting at a traffic light driver's side air bag deployed inadvertently. vehicle did not hit or run over any debris. today, the passenger's side air bag deployed inadvertently without running over or hitting any debris. *ak

I have a 1997 grand prix with a 3.8 liter v6 that has a leaking intake manifold which i have been told is a common problem. the car leaks about a quart of coolant a month and i have been told that it is going to get worse quickly if i don't have it repaired. it is my understanding that loss of coolant could lead to complete engine failure. doing some research, i see there are numerous complaints on this issue. it is a very expensive repair that is required due to a design flaw rather than what i would consider wear.

I have a 1997 pontaic grand prix. the headlight lens (glass) comes off while traveling down the road. this creates an unsafe condition being that there is a projectile that could hit another vehicle or a pedestrian and cause serious injury. in calling around to find a replacement lens, i found that this happens a lot and the salavage yards sell them as fast as they get them in. that is a lot of lens covers flying around on the highways. it is even taking a dealership a while to order one, since they also can not keep them in stock. i have no way of knowing it mine hit another vehicle, as it was there when i left and gone when i got to my destination. i heard a noise like a stone or something hitting the car, but was not aware of what it really was. if pontaic knows there is a problem they should be recalled and they should fix the problem.*ak

This is a safety issue, because the vehicle engine could overheat due to loss of coolant or leave your family stranded in the middle of no where. general motors pontiac division bulletin 01-06-01-007a issued 07/18/2001, provides limited information on the problem. on many of the gm cars from 1995 through 1998, that use the 3.8l engine there is a design flaw. the egr passage melts the upper intake plenum, so the composite material degrades around the egr stovepipe and could (and does in many cases) result in the internal or external loss of coolant. my car is a 1997 grand prix. they charged me $1283.47 to repair the damage caused by their design flaw, instead of recalling the vehicle. there are probably thousands of cars like this. if the coolant leaks into the upper plenum, it could result in "hydro-lock" of the cylinders. that could also be a safety problem. the cars having this design should be recalled and those people that have had theirs repaired already should be reimbursed. the problem was caused by bad engineering and materials used by pontiac. *nm

A clanking noise was coming from the front of the vehicle. steering wheel would be hard to turn. consumer took vehicle to the dealer, and mechanic determined that the steering wheel needed to be replaced due to the rack and pinion solenoid switch. *ak

When the consumer attempted to start the engine, it exploded. as a result, the vehicle caught fire. no injuries reported. the vehicle is considered a total loss. please provide additional information. *jb...*ak

Mid way making a left hand turn, the steering wheel temporarily locked up. this caused the consumer's vehicle to hit a curb. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak the consumer believed there was a direct correlation between the recall that was performed on the vehicle and the steering failing. *jb

Kumho tire on my 97 pontiac grand prix blew out, resulting in accident

Consumer had problems starting the vehicle . they took it to be serviced, and dealer found that the steering wheel broke. there was no reported injuries. *ak

Service engine light is on most of the time. goes off occasionally, then comes back on. problem started a few months ago. had computer diagnostics done several times on this car, but they can find nothing wrong. oil changes are made every 3,000 miles, radiator fluid is changed when needed, sensors are checked and replaced when needed. engine is kept in excellant condition. any ideas would be appreciated. *ak

Right after the vehicle was parked and ignition turned off. a underhood fire occurred, causing substantial damage. all electrical wiring, plastic and rubber parts were totaled. the fire department put out the fire. and after their investigations, they could not fine the cause of the fire. i do not see a recall for this situation on your website. do i have an recourses?. *ak

The steering temporarily goes out, vehicle lost steering. replaced power steering pump, problem recurred. *bf recall# 02v286000. the rack was damaged. *sc

My daughter used an excuse that she came home late because the car would not turn left and she hit a mailbox. i did check her story and yes. it would not turn left. i searched the internet and found many of these incidents. not only with this car, but many gm models. the steering rack will need to get replaced at my expense. if there was a postal worked at the mail box, or some one getting their mail, it could have been a lot worst. is general motors waiting for a death to occur?? maybe they should take a look at the goodyear tire incident. *ak

Dealership was refusing to perform the power steering assembly recall 01v286000 repairs because the vehicle had a rebuilt title. *ak *sc

The passenger headlight lens fell off during normal driving, i pulled up to a stop sign and stopped right then the headlight lens fell off. the part was replaced at my expense.*ak

While making a right turn steering wheel failed. this caused vehicle to hit the curb, and the passenger side tire blew. consumer received a recall notice 02049 for replacement of steering lower pinion bearings. the problem recurred since the repair problem was not resolved. *ak

Wiper motor crank arm failed. the dealer informed the consumer the vehicle was not covered under the recall. *bf the consumer learned of a recall notice regarding the windshield wipers, but was never informed. the consumer requested reimbursement after paying for the failed windshield wipers which stopped while driving in heavy rain. *jb the consumer received reimbursement october 13,2004. *nm *tc

Recall 00v286000 concerning rack and pinion. steering locked when making a turn, then vehicle rolled over. vehicle was towed to dealer. however, it was not inspected. consumer stated that the wheels locked. *ak

Hitting a patch of water, losing control of the vehicle, it spun and hit a tree. recall 02v286000 was received for lower pinion bearing in the power steering that may separate. *ak

Unable to remove the key from the ignition, would have to use the release under the steering wheel. also can not get out of park, need to use the release to get into rev, or drive. brought it to mechanice, was told need cylinder- $500.00 ro replace.

In regards to nhtsa campaign #02v286000, gm recall #02049, for a defective rack and pinion unit in my 1997 pontiac grand prix. the recall repair work was performed on 03-06-03 at community pontiac motors of iowa city, iowa (phone # 319-351-1424), after picking up the car from community motors, the steering was pulling to the right and was off center. community motors then performed an alignment on 03-24-03. the steering was better but still pulled to the right some. also, the car was hard to steer at times while making left turns and while the vehicle was stopped while before the recall repair was performed my car's steering was normal. on 11-13-03 community motors determined that the rack and pinion unit was bad and replaced it using an aftermarket napa brand rack and pinion at my expense of $737. currently the car's steering is determined to be faulty again by community motors with the replacement rack and pinion that was installed at the dealership last 11-13-03. i had contacted gm and they had stated they will not cover any repair cost that i incurred on my car's rack and pinion so far as the installation of the napa rack and pinion that was installed by community motors last 11-13-03. so, for a remedy, i would like gm to pay for the installation of the gm replacement rack and pinion used in the recall campaign currently. regards, joe underwood. *jb

While driving, the consumer smelled smoke coming from the vents. the consumer pulled over, lifted up the hood and discovered the engine was on fire. the consumer extinguished the fire. the consumer had the vehicle towed to the dealer for inspection. the mechanic informed the driver that the cause could not be determined. please fill in additional information. *jb

1997 pontiac grand prix issue: the key does disengange from steering column. dealer quotes $550 for cylinder, but claims it could be something else. i realize that steering for this vehicle is already an issue.*ak

When driving in a rain storm windshield wipers failed. *ak

While turning the vehicle on consumer heard a loud knocking noise coming from the front. consumer turned the vehicle off and noticed that smoke was coming from underneath the hood. the fire was extinguished by the consumer. *ak the fire department was contacted after the fire was extinguished because the vehicle was still smoldering. *nm

When attempting to put the vehicle in drive consumer was unable to move the floor model console into gear. consumer would have to press the brake release on the floor console to disengage the gear shift. consumer will make contact with the dealer about this issue.*ak

Power windows were replaced on several occasions, and they still fell down. the regulators were replaced. they fell down inside the door. manufacturer was contacted, there was nothing they could do.

Transmission exploded for the second time and gm says they can't help me. i have done some research on this and it seems to be a common problem in these vehicles.*ak

Passenger side headlight lens fell off, resulting in bulb failure. no accident or anything to cause this, headlight just fell off, happened while driving did not notice until i got home. *ak

When driving at night consumer noticed that the left headlight lens fell off. *ak

My 97 pont grand prix was recalled in jan 2003 for the rack and pinion sterring,it was repaired . in july i lost controll of the car because of the steerring ,no injuries.i had to get it fix at the local garage.when i made the complaint to pontiac they told me so sorry but they would not honor any repairs on thier poor fix. *ak

On april 26, 2004 consumer noticed that right rear tire was rubbing due to cracked right rear coil spring. *ak

The paint on the rear wheel wells as well as the pain on the running boards all the way back to the rear quarter pannels is rusting out. i found your website and thought that i migh be covered, but apparently i am not and gm said they have changed their plant to oshawa, canada. they also said that they have changed their paint. when i asked what i should do they said that it is pretty much tough luck. and that is about it. also the coolent return hose in the engine goes every 2 yrs. and at canadian tire it costs. about 375$ to replace.

While driving rack and pinion steering failed. this failure resembled the one described in power steering recall 02v286000o. however, this vehicle was not included in recall due to vin. *ak the steering wheel would stick while turning left. *sc

Noticed several areas where the paint seems to be pealing on the car

I put a $1,000 on a car the tranmisson is defected they claim the fixed it but did not and the air do not work/ today the car cut off on me and did not start so i left it beside the road so the dealership can pick it up this is a used car

Currently, the clearcoat is peeling off the car. last summer, the window motors died. reoccuring, is the air conditioner problem. -it doesn't work.

This is the worst automobile i have ever owned. it is nickel and diming me to death. both back windows are being held up in place by sticks that i have proped under them. the front passenger window i paid $300 to have repaired. the steering locked up on me and i had to dish out $500 to get that repaired, gm recalled it a couple of weeks after that, thank god i got some of my money back for that repair. the passengers side head light lens cover fell off $75 to replace that. i am presently working on the brake transmission shift indicator which i just called the dealer for a price on the part and am told it will be $224.07 for the part and probably $115 for the labor. the engine leaks oil i had my wife take it to the shop for them to take a look at and they told her that no leaks were evident. well the oil in my driveway is coming from somewhere. i will never own another gm product in my life again. not even if it is given to me and 10,000 to use toward the repairs of it.

The reason for complaint is a fire under the hood. the insurance company has said it is totaled. no offer has came in for a clain as of today. the car was parked and had been off for approx. 15 min. when smoke was noticed coming from hood area .fire dept. was called and fire was exstingished. no injury occurred. this fire could have burned our home had it been in our garage.

Sub frame broke apart where lower control arm attaches (due to improper weld at factory) causing cv axel to break and lose of steering occurred plus both front wheels were loosened. auto was never involved in a crash nor had run over any object to have caused frame to break. serious injury could have occurred if the frame had come apart while driving under normal speed conditions. thankfully, it came apart while driving down driveway of home.

Recall no.#02v286000, power steering assembly: the recall was done and the lower pinion bearing was replaced. two weeks later the power steering went out on the vehicle again, making it hard to turn corners. two other dealers have checked the vehicle and found that the lower pinion bearing was defective and another one was needed. also the dealers will not repair the problem free of charge.*mr

While driving in a rainstorm on the interstate at 70 mph driver side headlight lens blew off. this resulted in the headlight bulb blowing out when the rain came in contact with the bulb. passenger side lens fell off the day after. the lens could not be replaced without replacing the entire headlight assembly. the lens fell off because the sealant around the lens dried out. it cost s87.00 to replace each headlight lens. *ak

Car will stop running unexpectedly. it occurs sometimes while turning but most of the time it can be at anytime while driving down the road. i have a long commute and it died 4 times this morning alone. it may not quit again for 3 or 4 months. also, the abs light and check tire pressure light sometimes come on with no apparent reason.*ak

While starting up the vehicle a loud bang noise was heard coming from underneath. consumer lifted up hood and noticed smoke coming from the engine. vehicle caught on fire. consumer extinguished the fire. consumer did not notify the dealer about the fire. *ak

After significant hours of reading and talking with people, i found that my problem affects thousands of gm customers with similar engines. this is a well documented (on the interenet) complaint about the plastic intake manifold failure which causes a sizable leak of coolant which can utimately cause catostrophic engine failure as well as water pump failure due to lack of coolant lubrication. although not listed as a safety issue, the failure of an engine in traffic could, and maybe has, a driver to inadvertently have an accident, even fatal one, due to the engine failure and lack of steering w/o use of power steering pump. just another avenue to look into when gm says this is not a safety issue. however, thousands of people appear to have this same issue and have spent large amount of monies repairing and lots of frustration attempting to get gm to resolve this flaw that has existed, to their knowledge, for many years. this is a design flaw in gm's engineering that gm says "too bad". it is interesting to note that when people have taken them to court, gm tends to pony and pay for repairs.

Consumer complained about a power steering pump leaking, and causing vehicle to lose power when turning in either direction. *ak

Took vehicle in for steering recall notice and was told that my sway bar would also need replaced. this was causing my power steering to drag. *jb

Front headlight cover keeps falling off. there have been multiple complaints for this very same issue, yet nothing has been done to fix it. this causes lights to burn out and safety and visibility issues as well as the possibility of getting pulled over for having no headlight since it keeps burning out! *jb

While making a left turn steering wheel locked up. consumer was unable to maintain control of the vehicle and hit a curb. consumer drove the vehicle to dealer for analysis, and mechanic was unable to resolve the problem. *ak

While making a left hand turn, the vehicle temporarily lost power steering. *jb *la

While driving 25 mph another vehicle t-boned the consumer's vehicle on the driver's side and then a second time the vehicle was hit head on by the same motorist. upon impact, both air bags did not deploy. the driver sustained back and neck injuries. the vehicle was totaled. *ak *jb

Most recent complaint is, heated driver seat gets too hot and makes it hard to stay seated. heater blower quit working. have had to replace the alternator every 3rd year (3 times). have had oil pan gasket and valve cover leakage. power steering failed to make left hand turns. headlights continue to have poor range and visibility even with bulb replacement. car lurches forward when starting up engine. outside temperature display keeps wrong temperature. a.m. radio would not work. water pump had to be replaced. abs light stayed on. air bag light came on when going over bumps in road. *la

The driver received a (nhtsa) recall notice (02-v-286-000) power steering wheel. the dealer's mechanic replaced the bearing not the rack and pinion. one month later the driver complained that the steering wheel was hard to turn and there was a knocking noise heard coming from underneath the vehicle. the consumer took the vehicle back to the dealer for inspection. the dealer's mechanic would not replace the part due to a warranty issue with the consumer (jim- service manager). *nm

When making a left hand turn vehicle temporarily lost power steering. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem.*ak

I have a 1997 pontiac grand prix. recently i lost my power steering while making any left turn. i took it to a dealership and they ran my vin # and said i have a recall on my steering rack and it would be fixed at no cost to me. they replaced a bearing in the rack and said that was all they can do for free. so i took the car home and two days later my steering rack is leaking like crazy and my power steering goes out all the time. it is worse now then it was before i brought it into the dealership. i called the dealership and they said they fixed what the recall said, when all they did was replace a bearing that made my steering rack leak and has screwed up my powersteering. what should i do? i have heard that many pontiac grand prix's have had their power steering rack replaced for free under this same recall. please let me know what i should do?? dealership name is hargrave-mceleney that is in iowa city iowa their # is 319-354-1011. *ak thanks, craig wells

I own a 1997 pontiac grand prix, have been having trouble with the windshield wiper blade getting stuck and also the gear shifter not coming out of park.*ak

About 5 months ago on my 1997 pontiac grand prix the passenger side headlight lens cover just fell off of my car. just the lens cover, that piece of plastic that is directly over the headlight. where did it fall off? i have know idea. at first i thought somone stole it. when i went to the junk yard to buy just the headlight cover. it cost me $132. i had to buy new because the guy said "there are no used covers because the always fall off". now just yesturday the headlight cover fell off of my drivers side while i was driving of the highway. of course i ran it over and then it hit the car behind me. this is going to cost me another hundred dollars. if the wiper blades can be recalled i think the headlights should be too.*ak

Low coolant indicator light illuminated. dealer replaced the lower intake manifold gasket. *ak

Window regulator on all windows of the 1997 pontiac grand prix i have 3 windows with the window regulators out right now. i replaced the rear driver side, and it went out again less than 3 months later. also i have a board in the driver side door to hold the window up until it's fixed, when i took the door paneling off to put the board in, i discovered that the driver side window front window regulator had been previously replaced also. i contacted pontiac, they did nothing, but told me my vehicle was used. i explained to them that to my knowledge the window regulator on this car has gone out 5 times, which is not a coincidence, it looks to be to be a defective part. please investigate, thanks, marisa crouch. *ak

I had to have my rack&pinon replaced on by 1997 pontiac grand prix

Power window regulators on all doors failed. this has happened within the 36000 warranty and continues after warranty expired. car has only one window that's working a this time. drivers window still working. car was brought back 3 to 4 times to the dealer to have window regulators replaced. we live in florida and we need windows working due to the extreme heat. manufacturer refused to cover the repairs after warranty due to , too many miles on car. this has been an on going defect since the car was new and i feel the problem has not been solved. the plastic pulley in the motor causes the cable to frey and jump track ruining the cable. the whole regulator has to be replaced even if the motor is still good. someone could die in the car which is a safety issue in florida due to heat.

I have owned two 1997 pontiac grand prix's. both vehicles developed the same problem with the gear shift locking up in the park position. i have to insert a key or other object into a slot by the gear shift in order for my shift lever to disengage and then engage into the drive position. then once i engage the gearshift into the park position, i have to insert the key or other object into another slot located by the ignition on the steering column in order to remove my keys from the ignition.*ak

I had the power steering recall done on my 1997 pontiac grand prix gtp when the recall first came out. prior to the recall i had zero problems with my power steering. after the recall, not even days later, my power steering rack now leaks and is "jerky" when turning. the dealer will not cooperate in fixing it and thinks the recall has nothing to do with my new problems right after the recall work. *la

While traveling at 30 mph going across a bridge, driver lost control of vehicle. it fishtailed, and rear bumper hit the guard rail. finally, coming to a stop by hitting the guard rail. upon impact, none of the air bags deployed.*ak

While driving intake manifold leaked coolant fluid. dealerships mechanic had been notified, but the mechanic did not resolve the problem.*ak

While driving at 30 mph consumer heard a loud noise, making itdifficult to steer, and the steering wheel became stiff. vehicle was towed to the dealer, and technician replaced the tensioner, two belts, and pipe assembly at owner's expense of $465.00. *ak *mr

Intake manifold gasket failed. as a result a coolant leak occured and an engine failure was almost a result. the heater failed in 5-20 degree weather. my mechanic informed me that this was a common problem that should be classified as a design flaw.*ak

While vehicle was checked for dashboard lights mechanic found that engine head cracked. vehicle was leaking oil, and oil sensor light was on all the time. *ak

Dash board airbag light stays on. this happened once under warranty and was fixed by the dealer at no charge, but then failed again approximately 8 months after the warranty expired. dealer says the wiring is faulty and will cost a few hundred to fix. i have noticed a lot of complaints about the airbag light. is there going to be a recall regarding this issue. *la

I own a 1997 pontiac grand prix gtp. this car was in perfect condition under the hood and throughout the vehicle. after driving approx. 1 1/2 hours the car was shut off..., security system set and after approx. the car alarm went off only to find my car in flames! this had started under the hood. the car is a total loss. it was lost in a matter of 5 minutes. air bag from passenger side went off sending it thru the back window and shattering it. gm had an investigator look at my vehicle to determin if it was the fault of a gm. of course gm said that there was not enough proof that it was a faulty part or anything else. i had this vehicle serviced and inspected less than 2 weeks prior to loss and nothing was visibly wrong. i can't understant what caused this nor am i satisified with was i was told by gm. i would like to know if there as been anyother case like this. please any information you can provide me with would be very helpful.*ak

While driving at 30 mph and without any warning smoke and flames came under the hood. there was fire department report. dealer notified. *ak

Very large and quick spreading fire in engine compartment while driving. car was totaled. *la

Stabilizer bar on rear passenger tire snapped in half. *la

Problems with windshield wipers and steering.*mr (nar) the vehicle was taken to the dealer for steering noisel. the dealer attempted to repair the vehicle but was unable to alleviate the noise. *nm

The headlight 'glass' assembly glue fails and the glass falls off. this has occurred twice on my vehicle with a cost of $182.00 each occurrence. the dealer told me to inquire on this as they have been having trouble with this part failing. i would like to get reimbursed, if possible. *la

Speakers in driver's side are blown. this has happened more than once. both driver's side speakers were replaced while the car was still under warranty. this didn't fix the problem. speakers begin to make noise after a heavy rain and eventually go out. possibly a bad seal is allowing water to get in the speakers or amplifier. sometimes the speakers would begin to work again, but they have not worked in several months. *la

Vehicle stalls intermittently when slowing down, at a stop or at 30-40 mph. vehicle had been examined by dealer numerous times, unable to find the cause of problem.*ak

The headlights of 1997 pontiac grand prix has collected moisture with in the unit, reducing the visibility of the driver. *la

#1) shift lock affected; march 2003: at first it occurred only on occasion, but as of now i have not been able to pull the shifter out of park in months without using the shift lock release. daily i must stick a key into the release in order to remove my car from park into reverse, neutral, drive, etc.. the indication light for park and neutral no longer comes on. #2)ignition switch affected; march 2003: the key will not release from the ignition switch. which i believe has something to do with the shifter not coming out of park. i have not removed my key since the end of march. ivy been told several solutions none of witch has worked. i've spent $100+ replacing parts that have not resolved anything.*ak #3) headlight covers affected; january 2003: not even two days after i bought this car the left headlight cover fell off. of course it was raining the headlight instantly busted. the dealers solution was to glue it back on. to ensure that the other one doesn't fall off they glued it . from the headlight cover falling off and bulb busting i have black specks in the silver/ crome inner lining of the headlight. it makes the car look bad!! moisture now builds in my headlights. there are 124 complaints on this website alone when will something be done!!!!! #4) rearview mirror affected; september 2003: my mirror is now full of blure. the mirror first started oozing water bubbles floating to the top eventually creating a huge bubble. now just a completely fogged mirror. is a mirror usefull when you cant see an image through it???? no! i have a cousin who has faced problems 1,2,and 3 all with in the last year or two also. why make a car and have the buyer hate it? i would not recommend the grand prix or even pontiac to anyone! my suggestions to buyers has been anything and everything but these cars!*ak

1997 pontiac grand prix shakes badly when accelerating during a left turn. the pontiac grand prix was not a listed car in your news release monday about steering problems in gm cars made between jan. 1996 and oct. 1997. however, it too has the problem.

06/10/02 pontiac grand prix vin# [xxx] was taken to mitchell pontiac in san angelo, texas re# action # pe01038, recall# 02v286 & gm recall # 02049. this recall involves the total replacement of the rack and pinion steering assembly. mitchell pontiac replaced a bearing and returned the vehicle. subsequently, loud knocks from the affected area, total loss of head lights, air conditioning failure and other problems arose. the vehicle was then returned on 09/08/03 for repair of these problems. mitchell pontiac refused to rectify the situation. gm was contacted and stated that there was nothing that they could do.*ak information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Vehicle was taken to the dealer for recall 02v286000 repairs concerning power steering assembly. after repairing the defective parts, dealer told the consumer that vehicle had to be aligned, and charged $139.99. *ak

Egr valve made of cheap plastic. headlight lens falling off car. faulty hydraulic modulator and exhaust system. *ph

Vehicle loses power steering when making left turns. *mr there was an intermittent loss of power steering assist when a left turn was made, usually at low speeds due to the steering gear assembly. the power assist was normal on right turns. recall#02v286000 would only replace the rack and pinion but the dealer stated that the steering gear assembly needed to be replaced in order to fix the problem and was not covered under the recall. *scc

Problems with power steering pump, alternator, rack and pinion, power windows, and head gaskets. *mr the power steering pump had suddenly gone out in traffic, the vehicle stopped abruptly in the middle of traffic(the alternator was replaced), the consumer discovered that the windshield wipers were inoperative upon start due to the failure of the wiper linkage under the cowl, the steering skipped as the consumer made right hand turns(the rack and pinion was replaced along with the power steering pump), the headlight lens had fallen off, the ceramic headgasket had to be replaced, the was a hesitation and alternator had to be replaced for a second time, the air bag warning light had come on due to a short in the wiring harness, the transmission grabbed along with hesitation(a tune up was performed and work was done to the transmission), the vehicle couldn't be taken out of the park position(the shifter was replaced), the power window(s) failed, the tire pressure light had illuminated, and the windshield wiper pump leaked and would not hold fluid. *scc *cb

Power steering - turning to the left - recall?. *ak

Consumer stated that while his daughter was driving she smelled gas. she got out, popped the hood ,and saw fuel leaking all over engine. it was a wonder that the engine did not catch on fire. consumer bought the part, and would repair it himself, but wondered why there was no recall on this problem.*ak

Consumer noticed while driving vehicle overheated. technician diagnosed the intake plastic manifold being cracked. dealer notified. *ak

After the engine was turned off, the consumer was unable to remove the key from the ignition. *ak the consumer was unable to remove the key without pushing the button in the steering column, and could not shift from park without pushing the shift release button. the dealer did not find what was exactly wrong but said it was an electrical problem. (poor connection at splicer in the middle of the dash) *scc *jb

Consumer states that while driving in the rain windshield wipers would work intermittently.*ak

Consumer states that while driving and with no warning headlight lens will fall off, causing a distracting to consumer's view. dealer notified. *ak

Intermittently the windshield wipers become operable ,obstructing the driver's view a recall has been issued on similar makes and models, however this vehicle was not include due to the vin. *ak

The vehicle loss power steering while turning into a parking lot.*mr. the power steering rack was defective and needed to be replaced.*ts. the consumer took the vehicle to a gas for repairs. the consumer later received a recall notice regarding the steering rack and pinion, and when she contacted the dealer for reimbursement she was told to bring the vehicle in to make sure the repairs were done correctly and to bring in the old part in which the vehicle was repaired 6 months ago, the dealer finally stated they would not reimburse the consumer, because the repair was not done a gmc dealer. *jb

Intermittently, since 2000, automobile headlights and blower have shut of for a period of 5-10 seconds. this summer, when conditions are extremely hot, the headlight function, and the ac will not work unless i set the fan speed to 5, and the a/c selector to maximum when temperatures cool, functions return to normal.*ak

While turning vehicle right there is a knocking noise and steering wheel is hard to turn due to rack and malfunctioning. *ak

Front head light lenses have come off twice. the first time vehicle was taken to the dealer who replaced the headlight assembly. the second time consumer found a lens and replaced it himself. *ak

General motors voluntary recall of 1996/1997 and 1998 pontiac sunfire and transport, and 1997/1998 pontiac grand prix vehicles concerning possible separation of lower pinion bearing in power steering which could cause loss of power steering. the consumer would like an appointment to get recall repairs performed on the vehicle.*ak *jb

I have had to change the rear brakes on my vehicle numerous times before the life of the brake should actually be up. this has been a problem that has been caused by the caliper (particularly on the driver side rear), getting stuck and eating through the brake rotor. this has happened at least three times in the past year. *tt

The original steering rack had to be replaced with 50% reimbursement from general motors. after receiving a recall notice 01-03, we contacted general motors again and received the other 50% reimbursement for the original replacement after getting the lower pinion bearing inspected and replaced. on 06-06-03, the entire rack and pinion had to be replaced again with full cost to us this time. general motors stated that the car was out of warranty and the original replacement was more than 1 yr old. (we only got 18,000 miles out of the 2nd rack.). *tt

The air bag light illuminated on the vehicle. the failure was caused by a wiring malfunction in the passenger side air bag. *jb the consumer requested a refund. *scc *jb

While driving down the road in the rain my driver's side headlight cover flew off and the bulb exploded. i have noticed moisture in the other headlight and can assume it will do the samething.*ak

The driver side head light lens fell off which caused the bulb to blow out. *nlm ph *jb

About 1 out of 50 times applying brakes, the abs system activates the abs motors on the master brake cylinder, causing a brief (1/2 to 1 second) loss of brakes. additional brake pedalis not effective during this time. clicking noise from abs motors and brake master cylinder. able to reproduce the abs motors activating for 1/2 to 1 second by: with key off, apply brake, start engine, release brake. when brake lights turn off, abs motors run for 1/2 to 1 second. unable to depress brake pedal during this time.removing abs fuse prevents problem from occurring, but the abs light is on.*ak

1997 grand prix has short in passenger side air bag wiring, warning light stays on, service bulletin 98839010 issued june 01, 1998. cost to repair over $700. should this be a recall item ?*jb

Both headlamp lens have popped off. one 08/02 (rh) and the second 05/03 (lh). as a result of the lens loss, the halogen bulbs are exposed to water and explode. further, the lens is not available as a replacement part. the replacement assemblies cost $190.00 each. *nlm

I don't know if anyone else has had this problem or not. i can't believe it is a one time thing. the headlights on my 1997 pontiac grand prix have moisture that forms on the inside of the headlight making the entire inside of the headlight turn black. makes it very hard to see at night! the only solution i see is an expensive replacement of the entire headlight assembly with no guarantee that it will not do it again. this is a low mile car (less than 30,000 miles) and spends nights inside the garage! this started when the car was probably only a year & a half old on the one lens but now both are that way. *jb

Headlight lens keeps falling off! and you can't buy just the lens - you have to purchase the whole assembly. why? when it's a know fact that there is a problem - is this just a money maker scam for pontiac dealers? i've already replace it 2 times on my 1997 pontiac grand prix that i haven't even had for a year. why isn't something done about this as i'm not the only one that this is happening to. *nlm

While driving 35 mph the vehicle was involved i an accident. the drivers side seat belt did not lock. the dealer was notified. *nlm

While driving 35 mph the vehicle was in a t-bone accident with another vehicle. neither frontal air bag deployed. the dealer was notified. *nlm

The consumer received a recall notice and a bearing in the rack and pinion was replaced. immediately after, the consumer heard and felt a noise coming through the steering wheel, the consumer was informed the rack and pinion had failed, and the previous problem was not related to the rack and pinion. mr scc *jb

The vehicle experienced the same problem as stated in the recall regarding the steering rack and pinion, however the vehicle identification number was not included in the recall. recall #02v286000 *jb

The vehicle was involved in a frontal collision, and the air bags failed to deploy. *jb

When the consumer steered the vehicle to the left, the power steering failed, which caused the vehicle not to move. *jb

The engine exploded when the driver attempted to start the vehicle. the top of the engine and the intake manifold were replaced. *nlm

Headlight cover came off and light bulb exploded while driving. *ak

Left front wheel bearing is showing signs that it is about to fail.*jb

Rear bushings make excessive noise. replaced once by dealer. continue to make some noise.*jb

The alternator failed.*jb

Power steering module failed at 5-10 mph while turning around in a parking lot.*jb

Clear plastic portion of head lamp assembly fell off after condensation caused glue to fail. this happened once with each head lamp. *jb

The steering wheel failed to turn to the left, however it turned completely around. the dealer stated the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. *jb

Warning lights, abs, check tire pressure, trac off. *jb

The key became stuck in the ignition switch. *nlm the key became stuck in the ignition switch. consumer could not move the gear shift from park. *mr

Manufacturing recall p020449-s issued on january 23, 2003, however the consumer received the recall the first week of february. the repairs were made by an independent mechanic regarding the steering rack and pinion and also the power steering pump, the consumer requested reimbursement. *ak *jb *ts

Consumer was not satisfied with recall 02049 repairs of rack and pinion steering on his 1997, pontiac, grand prix. had the same steering problem. *ak

Rack and pinion recall work didn't remedy the problem. *ts

The steering wheel failed to turn to the left, instead it turned completely around. *jb. also the vehicle experienced problems with the alternator, rack and pinion, brakes, seats, windows, battery, bulbs, steering pump, and the sun roof leaked. ph *jb

The vehicle still experienced a problem with the rack and pinion after the recall was performed. *jb

After the recall for the steering 02 v 286 000 was completed , the vehicle constantly pulled to the left. the dealership didn't align the vehicle. *jb

Transmission slipping. mr the transmission was first replaced at 22,748 miles. 8,000 miles the transmission had to be replaced again. the third transmission is now having problems. *jb

The consumer had the power steering rack replaced prior to receiving a recall notice for the rack and pinion steering gear assembly. the customer service management informed the consumer his vehicle didn't qualify and did not have symptoms of the recall. the consumer was refused reimbursement and still wishes to receive. other problems are as followed: oil pan leaked-replaced gasket assembly, and the end seals of the rack and pinion leaked, which were replaced. mr scc *jb

I bought this car brand new. in january of 2003 the car started dying while driving it at slow speeds. this usually happens when i am slowing down for a stop sign or red light. it also has twice stopped when i am going slow on a large looping entrance ramp to the interstate. each time the car will start right up again and run fine. there is no prior warning the car is going to die. i first noticed it died when i wa no longer able to steer the car, because the power steering is gone. in february 2003 i took the car to the dealer i bought it from to have the problem checked out. i was charged $36.25 for a diagnostic on the vehicle and was told they could find nothing wrong with it. i asked what i should do since the car keeps stalling and i believe it is very dangerous to drive. i was told to trade it in. *jb

I experienced a failure of the power steering where it is very hard to steer to the left and i almost had an accident. since the car was out of warranty i had the rack and pinion replaced. i received a campaign letter from pontiac stating that there was a recall for this problem. i went to ewing pontiac and they confirmed the part was indeed replaced and i gave them the original receipts for the parts and labor but they refused to reimburse me because the receipt did not state there was a problem with the hard steering. i explained that the mechanic was a vietnamese who could not write in technical english. contacted pontiac adn opened ticket 1-89071665 and after a week was basically told the same thing. pontiac will lose a loyal customer because of this! *jb

Nhtsa#02-v-286-000 the vehicle only turned to the right when driving. recall work performed, but now the problem is worse.

The vehicle was taken to the dealership for a recall regarding the rack and pinion, however when the recall was finished, consumer stated the vehicle began to experience problems with the steering. *nlm

I have very recently had to purchase two very expensive "headlight capsules" as the plastic cover of the headlight fell off the vehicle without any outside force being applied. both headlight covers fell off the car within weeks of each other. i believe the part - and more specifically the glue holding the cover on - is defective. i would llike my $226.09 reimbursed for the parts and labor required to fix the car. i could understand if one cover fell off, i might then be able to attribute this to a defect (1 in 10,000 or 1 in 100,000), but for both to fall off in a matter of weeks - that is unacceptable. again, the car was not in an accident, no force was applied to the headlights - the covers simply "popped" off the car.

The vehicle still experienced steering problems after the recall was performed, recall #02v286000.*jb

I received a recall notice on my 1997 pontiac grand prix (campaign id 02v286000) regarding the rack and pinion steering. at the end of december, 2002, i started experiencing the problem described in the recall notice. however, prior to my receiving the recall notice, i took my car into the pontiac dealer because i was having difficulty making left turns. at that time, i was told the gear box assembly needed to be replaced. i opted to get a second opinion, and in the meantime i went to the nhtsa website and discovered the recall. i received my recall notice mid-february but had to wait several weeks to get into the dealer due to the number of people already scheduled with this recall problem. my car is at the dealer's right now (3-25-03) and i'm being told that since the bearing is not damaged, they can't replace the gear box assembly under the recall. i was told that early on, they were replacing gear box assemblies to correct the steering problem even though the bearing wasn't bad, but when they sent them to the manufacturer for reimbursement, they were told that since the bearing wasn't bad they should not have replaced the gear box, and therefore weren't reimbursed. needless to say, all they are doing now is replacing the bearing, whether or not it's damaged which they have done to my car. bottom line, i still have the same problem with difficulty making left turns, but because my bearing wasn't damaged, if i want it fixed, it will be at my expense. i'm extremely unhappy that the manufacturer so obviously has figured in a loop hole to limit their exposure under this recall, since from what my dealer told me there have been others who have been forced to pay to correct the situation for the same reason. i believe this recall needs further investigation and amendment to the policy.

1) i have had a problem with my headlights (plastic part that covers the white light) and bulb have completely fallen off. my vehicle has not been hit or vandalized. they have just fallen off. i have co-workers who also own the same vehicle, same year though some are newer models that have had the same problem. i also see many vehicles on the road with no covers or burned out bulbs. 2) also my fog lights have been replaced twice this year they both have burned out on two occasions. 3) i also never received any recall letters about my vehicle there are two recalls as of today. i only heard of these recalls through co-workers. 4) when i start my vehicle it will automatically lock. it would normally unlock when you start it and then lock when you switch gears to reverse or drive. some days it will work properly and others it will not. 5) my light for my seat belt flickers on and off. i always where my seat belt. i assume that the light would go off when i buckle my belt, but it doesn't.*jb

The dealer did not have the tools to perform the recall regarding the rack and pinion.*jb

Consumer stated that in 11/02 the rack and pinion failed on vehicle. consumer had it replaced with a reputable private mechanic because he could not afford the dealers price for the repair. on 02/01/02, consumer received recall notice for rack and pinion. he applied for and received reimbursement from the manufacturer. now consumer wants mfr to install authentic gm replacement rack and pinion because he wants to be covered if any future defects exist. the manufacturer refuses. *nlm

While driving and without warning the driving belt snapped and caused the steering wheel to lock up. dealer notified. *nlm

The vehicle continued to experience problems after the recall work was performed on the lower pinion ball joints. recall number unknown. please provide the dealer name, address and number. *nlm

Srs air bag light stays on. i assume that is the passenger side harness failure which i see so much investigations on. i have seen many other investigations, with the same problem, so i am reporting this in an attempt to get a recall campaign started. *jb

While driving the rear of the vehicle swayed from left to right. *nlm

I purchased my vehicle, 1997 pontiac grand prix on 5/5/01 with 50,768 miles. i took my car to the dealer for a recall on the front steering pinion. i had asked them to replace the coolant since the manual called to replace at 5 years or 150,000 miles. i was informed that the intake manifold was leaking and was turning my antifreeze into mud. i asked the service manager what caused the manifold to leak. he told me that it was warped and would have to be replaced. the cost to replace it would be $400.00. my car has approximately 13,000 miles on it since i bought it. it is mainly used locally with the longest round trip driven to date at approximately 100 miles. i have my oil changed at regular intervals with the dealer, and maintain all other fluids, wipers etc. i asked the manager how long it would tatle to replace it. he said that they have replaced 12 of these just in january of 2003. i asked him how many he replaced last year, and he said more than he could count. he said it would probably take longer to find one, get it ordered, than it will to replace it. he said this part is a common failure on the 3.8 liter engine. if you don't replace it, water builds up in the manifold, and runs down into the engine. this will take the bearings out of the motor. why would the manufacturer continue to make this piece knowing that it could cause a major engine failure. i can only guess to replace the engine in my car would be at least $5000.00 or more. why hasn't this part been recalled or corrected? is there a potential for me to have an engine compartment fire? please email me with confirmation that you have received my complaint. where do i go from here?

The headlamp covers popped off.

When trying to turn them off, wiper blades will rotate to the down position, then rotate back to the up position obstructing view through windshield. ph *ts

When the fuel gauge reaches 1/4 tank, the fuel gauge rises to full to indicate it has a full tank.

Pass key/ ignition failure, unable to remove key from ignition and unable to shift from park. operation is intermitent

A load back fired when cranking the car following that was a large cloud of thick white smoke out from under the hood. a fire was almost started. ts

The rack and pinion in my 1997 pontiac grand prix is not allowing me to turn left with the assistance of power steering. there was a recall on a lower pinion bearing, which i had replaced. the problem still exists after all of the recall repairs were finished. i believe that when the lower pinion bearing went out it caused more damage to the steering rack.

My 1997 pontiac grand prix has had numerous false air bar warnig lights and just recxently the rear window difroster relay wiring burnt up the dealer says this hapens and my only remedy is to chang the harness.

Horn does not operate unless you push center of steering wheel with open hand.this has been occuring since vehicle was new. dealer said there was no problem. i have had similar problem with horn on other gm vehicles.another problem is the dashboard reflects outside light, making good forward vision bad.

I purchased my vehicle, 1997 pontiac grand prix on 5/5/01 with 50,768 miles. i took my car to the local dealer for a recall on the front steering pinion. i had asked them to replace the coolant since the manual called to replace at 5 years or 150,000 mile. i was informed that the intake manifold was leaking and was turning my antifreeze into mud. i asked the service manager what caused the manifold to leak. he told me that it was warped and would have to be replaced. the cost to replace it would be $400.00. my car has approximately 13,000 miles on it since i bought it. it is mainly used locally with the longest round trip driven to date at approximately 100 miles. i have my oil changed at regular intervals with the dealer, and maintain all other fluids, wipers etc. i asked the manager how long it would take to replace the intake manifold. he said it would take longer to find one than replace it. he said that they have replaced a lot of these on this engine, and they are in short supply. i have checked your web site for any type of recall and have found none. i did find one complaint report that a fire had occured because of a cracked intake manifold. do i run the risk of a fire with my vehicle before they replace the manifold? also, if this piece is so prone to failure, what is causing it? could someone please respond back to me with some answers?

Reference recall 02v286000-pontiac grand prix-1997-rack and pinion problem-my son matt was driving in snowy weather and was making a slow left turn into an apartment complex. the car veered to the right on him and he hit a utility pole. he just assumed that he hit ice, etc and it went off the road. the next day matt received a recall notice for the steering problem in the mail. i filed a report with pontiac - claim number 1-72613849. they just notified me that they have rejected the claim because the ball bearings were not visibly broken. my contention is that the problem could be intermitent causing the same problem to occurr that resulted in the recall. however the gears / assembly may not appear to have any damage that is recognizable by human inspection. that's all they are doing now is having a mechanic perform an inspection. so if there are more events that happen such as these, that the car exibits these symptons during a slow left turn and gm rejects the failure because a mechanic did not see any obvious damage, then maybe the probem is a lot more complex than gm now knows. as i told gm you may think that you know all about this problem, but please just keep an open mind.

Head lights keep falling off the vehicle. dealer notified. ph

Wipers work intermittently. i contacted pontiac gmc after seeing this issue was under recall. however, i am told that my car is not covered by the recall. the only recall i qualify for is one involving the rack and pinion steering mechanism. i was informed the repair is 100% my responsibility. however, if it has been recalled why am i not eligible?

(1) headlight lens falls off exposing bulb. (2) headlight allows water inside, resulting in fogging and limited lighting. the lens on my car have both fogged up and fallen off. the light assembles have both been replaced. one is now fogging up again.

The headlight separated from the base on 2 occasions.*jb *ts

The lens on the headlights falling off.

While attempting to make a left hand turn. the vehicle steering wheel locked up, steering wheel became very stiff. took to a mechanic and they stated that the rack and pinion failed. had vehicle repaired & corrected before receiving a recall notice.

Consumer stated that they have the same problem as recall#02v286000 power steering. dealer will not repair because vin# was not included. ts

Consumer has taken vehicle in for repair for a fallen head light lens for the left side twice. consumer then realized the right headlight lens had fallen off also. *jg *jb *nlm

Headlight lenses fell out, while driving, due to moisture inside which got in due to poor glue. glovebox leaks water when it rains or snows. windshield wipers stopped working while driving in rain. this car is a money pit.

Nhtsa#02-v-286-000 rack and pinion bearing in the power and pinion assembly in which the retainer tabs where not crimped properly, the pinion shaft can be forced upward during left turn and back down as the steering wheel is moved back. consumer stated experienced the same problem with his vehicle. manufacturer was notified and stated they had no knowledge of recall. please provide further information.*jb

A defect in switch that regulates on & off of air conditioner once the air conditioner is turned on.

Engine has shut down while driving at various speeds while on a straightaway or turns. very hazardous situation as all power assist is lost. engine will restart immediately but never know when power loss will occur. have noticed many other similar complaints on this web site. ts

I am driving my father-in-law's grand prix (he is in a nursing home). the power steering on my 97 grand prix gtp failed completely. had the car not been on a side street (as opposed to an expressway), it could have caused a serious accident. i've contacted several pontiace dealers and gm/pontiac and was told they no nothing of a recall and that i should pay to have it fixed and they might reimburse me if they find out about a recall and if it meets their specs. even after i gave them the nhtsa campaign id they still said they had no knowledge of this. how could they not??? i heard about it months ago on the news.

Experiencing several steering problem, defective rack and pinion.

Consumer stated having the same problems as recall#02v286000 rack and pinion. dealer will not repair because vin number is not included. ts

The vehicle hesitate while starting up and back fired. please furnish additional information dealer is aware of the problem. mr

Consumer stated having the same problems as recall#02v286000 rack and pinion. dealer will not repair because vin number is not included. ts

Consumer states that while driving and without warning water is leaking inside the headlight compartment causing the fuse to blow out. dealer notified. mr

Received a recall notice on steering after she paid to have the repair done.

Winshield wipers failed on two different occasions immediately after a routine car wash, got a windshield recall letter, wiper control board was damaged shorted out by excessive water.

I was doing some research on campaign number 02v286000. i am being told by the manufacturer that my vehicle is not affected by this recall. my vin is [xxx]. i am concerned because my vehicle is having the same symptoms that the campaign describes. it is of my opinion that the safety of my vehicle has degraded greatly do to the fact that i am unable to steer the vehicle accurately when in operation. i would ask that you would research my problem and give any assistance possible. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Consumer noticed an oil leak coming from under vehicle. took to dealer and parts are not available. please provide any further information. ts

Consumer states that the dashboard warning lights came on and stayed on resulting in vehicle continuously stalling out. contacted dealer. *mr

Consumer states that the air bag indicator light came on and stayed on. contacted dealer. the wiring harness that supports the driver and passenger side air bag is defective. mr

Rear view mirror is oozing some sort of liquid that has melted on mirror. the unknown liquid has burned a hole in the plastic (console). they have never seen this before, and would have to replace entire console. please describe details.

Consumer states while driving steering wheel became tight, then w/o warning the steering wheel snapped and turned sharply to the left. consumer lost control and ran off the road. *ts *nlm *dt

While driving at 3 mph consumer experienced premature air bag deployment. contacted dealer. *mr

Consumer states while driving the head light cover fell off, which result in the bulb blowing, from the exposure.dealer contacted. nlm

Consumer states they were unable to remove keys from ignition, as a result of being unable to move the shifter lever into the park gear. dealer contacted. nlm

While driving the consumer noticed that the steering wheel would not turn. when the vehicle was serviced the technician noticed that the rack and pinion need to be replaced. *nlm *jg *nlm

Headlight covers keep falling off. right one fell off once, then left headlight cover has fallen off 3 times.*ak

While driving and applying brakes, and when the vehicle hit a bump in road right headlight module fell out, causing damage to vehicle. dealer notified.*ak

Steering wheel will lock up, binding as if system is stuck intermittently. owner acknowledges that all the fluid is full. please describe details. *ak

While making a left turn steering wheel lock up on highway. dealership is aware of problem.*ak

While driving at 40mph on a flat surface and witn no warning, the consumer temporarily lost steering control, which could have caused an accident. dealer notified. *ak *scc

Recall 99v348000 repairs on windshield wipers were done in july of 2000, vehicle has been taken back to dealer numerous times. windshield wipers stopped working intermittently.*ak map lamp assembly, door lights, rear door lens, gasket lamp and headlamp assembly were all replaced, abs light illuminated, dealer adjusted brake light switch. both outer tie rods were replaced. windshield cowl panel leaked and was replaced. steering column was replaced. serpentine belt has been replaced 3 times, valve cover gasket has been replaced 2 times, vehicle has experienced 3 oil leaks, oil pan and water pump were replaced, a belt snapped and has not yet been repaired. alternator has been replaced 3 times. the supercharger gasket was replaced. the automatic shift mechanism was replaced. the radio skips and the radio module to the steering column broke. 2 front wheel speed sensor jumper wiring was replaced. *slc

When making left turns steering would momentaryily stick. dealer contacted. feel free to provide any further information.*ak

Srs light stays illuminated while driving due to a wire defect. please provide further information.*ak

Vehicle cuts off, leaving no steering or brakes. electric fuel pump fails, cutting off some oxygen and gas flow to engine. dealer was notified. *ak consumer adds that his supercharged gtp model equipped with two-stage electric fuel pump has a ceramic mounted resistor which (blew out) failed causing the fuel pump to shut off during normal operating conditions. however, consumer was able to pull over to shoulder safely. *tt

While vehicle was parked, heard a loud noise. vehicle caught on fire. it was caused by electrical wiring. *ak

Pe 01 038/steering rack and pinion: rack and pinion failed for second time within 80,000 miles of wear. dealer contacted. feel free to provide any further inormation. *ak

While driving noticed smoke coming from under the hood. consumer parked vehicle, got out and smoke was pouring out of hood. consumer called 911, and vehicle exploded. please provide any further information.*ak

Consumer states that while driving at 35 mph the right rear coil spring broke. contacted dealer and the dealer is not willing to do anything.

When exiting driveway, steering wheel locked up, preventing owner from maneuvering vehicle. owner towed vehicle to covington tire and service. they found that due to rear bearings being chewed up and destroyed, steering was incapacitated. *ak consumer took vehicle to the dealer for repairs to the pump/hose seal. returned the next week because the problem with the steering was still present. the vehicle was test driven and consumer was told the vehicle could never lose steering. on the date indicated, the vehicle was not functioning. the vehicle was towed to an independent garage and the rack and pinion replaced. upon calling gm, consumer was told nothing could be done since the repairs weren't done by pontiac. *jg

Windshield wipers come on intermittently. also wipers will fall off onto the sideview mirror. *akwipers have intermittently failed since the time of purchase. pontiac fixed the wipers because of an original recall. the defective part of the wiper is now failing because of the recall performed. pontiac explained to consumer that they would reimburse, but as of yet have not. *jg

When making a left turn the steering wheel becomes difficult to turn. the vehicle has not been taken to a dealership.*jb

While parking vehicle and turning to the right, steering felt tight as if the power steering had failed, however when turning to left steering felt normal. dealer determined the rack and pinion had broken.*jb *mj

Lense fell off headlight. this caused bulp to blowout. took vehicle to dealer and they wanted to replaced whole headlight assembly. consumer just wants only the bulb. please provide any further information.*ak

Serpentine belt had to be replaced at dealer. please provide more information.*ak

While driving transmission was shifting. had taken vehicle to dealer to be fixed. please provide more information.*ak

Consumer was making a turn and had some trouble with steering. had taken vehicle to dealer, and they found out that rack and pinion was defective. please provide more information.*ak

While making a left turn at an intersection and without prior warning steering froze up. onsumer was able to manage steering wheel manually. dealership was aware of problem.*ak

While driving windshield wiper on driver's side lifted off and landed on driver exterior mirror. dealer was notified, and made repairs at consumer's cost. feel free to provide any further information.*ak

When making a left turn vehicle locks up and then shutsdown. was caused by filter being clogged. replaced part, problem still occurring.*ak

While attempting to shift transmission vehicle won't move intermittently. dealership is aware of problem.*ak

Hile driving and without warning headlight lamp came off, causing glass to brake and shatter on highway.*ak

Was driving 40-45 mph when the steering wheel locked up. driver lost control of vehicle. then, vehicle flipped over. driver and front passenger suffered injuries. had emergency room treatment.*ak *tt

While driving 40 mph rack and pinion steering broke, causing loss of steering control. dealer and manufacturer were notified. feel free to provide any further information.*ak

Recall 99v348000 repairs for the windshield wipers was done, but problem still occurs. consumer cannot see when driving. contacted dealer. *ak

Power steering pump went out and had it repaired. power steering pump has gone out again. took vehicle to dealer and, dealer replaced pump valves/hoses, and seals. power steering pump wa sfailing continously. please add vin. *ak

Consumer states that the headlights are incased in a no vented system. system builds up pressure. while driving, he heard a bang and saw the headlight cover fly off of vehicle about 15 feet. took to dealer and they are aware of this problem. nlm second incident happened on the drivers side. *jg

The head light covers have popped off twice resulting in the bulbs burning out quickly. the vehicle has taken to the dealer. nlm

While driving headlight covers fell off front end of vehicle. this was a reoccurring problem, causing traffic violations and safety hazards. *ak

While driving vehicle in wet weather windshield wipers malfunctioned. wipers get stuck at a straight up position. please provide any further information.*ak

While driving in rainy weather conditions windshield wipers became inoperable, causing poor visibility, cause unknown. please give any further details.*ak

Steering is stiff and loose to right, and it is not related to power steering pump. there is no noise present when driving vehicle.*ak

While driving, steering locked up and wheel would not turn left. dealer inspected vehicle, and replaced rack and pinion.*ak

Consumer is afraid that rack and pinion steering will lock up. consumer has not yet had a problem, but is afraid it will lock up while she is driving along. *ak

Vehicle is very hard to steer in either direction. vehicle not taken to dealer yet.*ak consumer states there is also a winding sound when steering right or left, this has been occurring for approximately 6 months. *jb

After replacing both head light lenses six month ag right side was missing. dealer notified. feel free to provide any further information concerning this matter.*ak

When making a left turn power steering wheel becomes extremely hard to maneuver due to a malfunction within rack and pinion sttering .*ak consumer stated the fuel pump and alternator was also replaced.*slc

Steering wheel became difficult to steer due to loss of power steering fluid. dealer has replaced rack and pinion. *ak the steering wheel would lock up all of a sudden and become very difficult to steer, especially when turning the wheels. *yh

Consumer stated it was difficult to steer vehicle, after inspection of vehicle by the dealer, it was determined that the steering unit needed to be replaced. *ak *yd

While turning vehicle, the steering wheel locked up, consumer had the vehicle towed to dealership, mechanic determined rack and pinion caused the problem.*ak consumer stated the vehicle would only go foward.*slc

While driving, consumer lost complete steering ability, steering would not turn left or right. completely locked up. *ak dealer installed remanufactured rack and pinion, replaced power steering hose, and a four wheel alignment was also performed. *tt

While driving at any speed, steering will unexpectedly lock up, cause is unknown. *ak consumer states that steering has been binding for the past 1 and a half years, on the last date of service, the power steering gear was replaced. *jb

Pe-01038; steering wheel becomes difficult to steer. power assist fells like it's missing. problem is intermittent. *ak the consumer stated that the power steering was difficult especially in low speed and cold morning. the engine makes a rattling noise. *yh

Difficulty starting and restarting vehicle in cold weather. vehicle will sometimes cut off 5-10 minutes after it was started. vehicle has been at dealer's shop several times for repairs. consumer has been told that oil pump cover may cause high oil pressure and engine to misfire.*ak

Rack and pinion steering started leaking to where fluid was running out of vehicle. had rack and pinion replaced. contacted dealer, and they had no records of premature failures. please add vin . *ak

Dt*: the contact stated due to the last 8 characters of the vin, the vehicle was not included in recall 02v286000 regarding steering:rack and pinion. the steering operated normally when turned to the left, but the power assist failed for right turns. the failure was more pronounced at 3 mph, when backing out of a driveway or parking space, although it was a constant problem for all right turns. the service dealer and manufacturer were notified.

I was on my way home from work. the battery light came on then the car just cut off at the turning light before i got to my house. it started to smoke under the hood. i thought it maybe over heating. so i popped the hood open thinking it would stop smoking but it got worse. so i got out of the car and opened the hood. the engine was on fire. so i ran and got what i can out of my car while i was on the phone talking to 911. while i was doing that, a man was driving by stopped and gave me a fire extinguisher so i put out the fire. the fire truck came a min later. please help me with this problem what can i do about this. *tr

012703 recall p02049-s indicating that there was a problem with the lower pinion bearing in the power steering which may separate. 062703 took 1997 pontiac to cunningham of bayside had repairs done invoice#pncs37064. 050705 enroute to visit family, slowing down at the intersection, i felt the steering tighten and release. i then attempted to make a left and the steering tightens, the turning ratio was reduced and i was headed to the oncoming traffic. i stopped in traffic in order to keep control. i was able to continue. i was making another left turn and not expecting that the car would react the same. i began to steer left across oncoming traffic when the steering failed again exposing us to possible serious injuries. i took car to a mechanic in the area. the mechanics checked the steering and said, it’s the rack and pinion bearings and the shaft cover is missing. i told him a recall had being issued for the bearing; and part of the problem was unable to turn. i told the mechanic, i'll call gm to see if they would cover the repair. 050705 i call gm and spoke to duane,(d') explained what happened and what i had to do. d' stated that in order to cover cost the dealer would have to make the determination that the mechanical failure was related to the recall. i then asked d' if gm would towed the car from the shop to the dealer in order to perform the inspection. d' said no, and that i should drive the car to the dealer. i told him that it was unsafe to drive, because it would not allow me to make a safe left turn and that i could crash. d' state that would be the only way that they could be sure that the failure was due to the recall. i told d' i see what i can do, but that i was not driving the car. i plan to have the repairs done a the garage as i feel that the car is unsafe to drive. and gm would not pay for the tow to the dealer. this is why i’m writing this letter. new american of valley stream 227 n central ave valleystream ny11580 tel.5168259562

Cover for head light assembly has fallen off three times. front-right cover had fallen off two times, and front-left cover had fallen off once. dealership examined vehicle and made repairs. please provide any additional information / attachments.*ak

Pe 01 038/steering rack and pinion: while traveling approximately 35 mph or less, steering had locked up. vehicle taken to independent shop, and learned of a rack and pinion failure. *ak *jb

While traveling at about 35-40 mph, consumer ran into another vehicle head-on. upon impact, driver and passenger air bags did not deploy. contacted dealer and they are not willing to do anything. *ak consumer stated there was an injury in the accident. two weeks after purchase, water pump failed. alternator failed. windows quit going up and down. *slc

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

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

Power locks would continually lock and unlock by themselves when driving under 45 mph. dealer was not notified at this time. *ak *yh

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

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

Headlight lenses will fall off without any notice. consumer contacted dealer who found both headlight covers were gone. *slc

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

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

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

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

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

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

Airbag light came on. took vehicle to dealer, who stated that a faulty wiring harness had disabled both airbags. *ak

Torque converter failed while vehicle was in operation and caused damage to transmission, bearings. *ak

Consumer contacted dealer in reference to recall number 99v348000, dealer repaired vehicle, and charged consumer for repairs. pleaser provide any further details. *ak

Electrical harness caught on fire. *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

Headlight cover on passenger's side fell off due to humidity/fogg and low quality glue that held cover on headlight. consumer has to buy entire headlight system. &ak

Problem with headlight lens falling off. dealer notified, and informed consumer that vehicle was out of its warranty. feel free to provide any further details on this matter. *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

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

Headlight lens easily comes unglued and falls off of headlight assembly. please give any further details. *ak

While driving 35-40 mph abs/traction control light came on, slowed down vehicle to 10 mph. at that time vehicle sped up, wheels screeching. with foot on brake, and vehicle spun around and landed in ditch. consumer tried to get out of ditch, vehicle accelerated again opposite way. consumer realized he had a flat tire, drove 100-150 feet to find a flat spot to change tire. vehicle lurched forward, and landed in ditch, had to be towed. reported this to pontiac, no response. *ak

Theres a winding noise coming from front wheel bearings.*ak both front wheel bearing units failed. consumer belives the bearings were defective. *yh

Airbag warning light comes on intermittently and dealer refuses to fix. *ak

Both headlight lenses cover came off within month apart. dealer notified, and informed consumer that part was not recalled, and out of its warranty. *ak the dealer can not keep head lights in stock due to many failures that occur. the consumer cites a website where numerous incidents of head light failure were reported. *yh

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

While his wife was driving vehicle at approximately 15 mph, there was a noise, sounded as if vehicle went over a pothole in the road. she went to make a turn, and steering wheel locked up and would not turn. dealership informed consumer that a cap fell off in steering tube, allowing ball bearings to fall out, resulting in loss of steering control.*ak consumer stated that he had more steering ability while in reverse, dealer replaced power steering rack. *slc

Driver's side headlamp shield fell off without warning. also passenger's side fog light fell apart that disconnected wiring and bulb from vehicle. dealer advised consumer that this was a "common defect.'*ak

Loss of steering while driving. vehicle taken to dealer, and informed of a rack and pinion failure. manufacturer notified, and agreed to allow dealer to repair at half cost to consumer. please provide any further details on this matter. *ak

Glue seal around headlights separated causing cover to fall off.*ak

When turning windshield wipers on post on motor moves, but wipers don't. this is second time that windshield wipers have stopped. first time dealer replacef a crank shaft. currently, problem appeared again. consumer was having same problem as mentioned in manufacturer's recall 99091. *ak

While driving about 5 mph lost all power, steering rack and pinion needs to be replaced

When driving gas gauge failed to register correct fuel. this even happened after filling fuel tank.*ak

An inadvertent air bag deployment while driving out of driveway. dealer / manufacturer notified. please provide any further information.*ak

Consumer's wife was told that light on air bag sensor was okay. but when consumer took automobile to dealer he was told that air bag light needed to repaired.*ak

While using windshield wipers they would stay up and then malfunctioned. had taken vehicle to dealer. but, dealer stated that vehicle was not under recall.*ak windshield wiper motor crank failed. wiper arm piviot failed. *yh

While driving in rain passenger's side windshield wiper made a loud sound. then, passenger's side windshield wiper stopped functioning. consumer felt if it had been on driver's side it would had been a real problem.*ak

Throttle body blewout while starting vehicle; dealer/manufacturer were not notified at this time. feel free to provide any further details on this matter. *ak

Intake manifold gasket failure, causing coolant leakage. dealer / manufacturer notified, and informed that vehicle was out of warranty, and not covered under recall. *ak

Lens on headlights would randomly fall off. prior to this happening, lens would fog up. adhesive seems to be coming off lens cover. within a week headlight lens cover fell off. took vehicle to dealer & mechanic indicated entire head lamp would be replaced due to headlights were a sealed unit.*ak first the right lens, then the left lens of the head light fell off due to broken adhesive. *yh

Head lamp covers had fallen out, causing headlights to blowout. dealer has been notified. *ak both left and right head lamp covers fell off, one after the other. *yh

Female portion of the rear passenger's side seat belt buckle is broken. there is no way to fasten belt. vehicle will be repaired by the dealership at owner's expense.*ak

Consumer has multiple problems with the vehicle. no coverage from warranty over 36,000 miles. consumer chose to take vehicle to a mechanic. there were problems with the sensors. abs light stayed on. also, changed the brakes with hopes it would rectify the problem. mechanic found that there was a problem with the abs power pack(the brain of the system) in the left rear wheel. the dash was removed & the electrical wiring was burnt out. there was a faulty relay system that wiped out the wiring module. the consumer has to wait becuase ther is a shortage of gm parts. *ak

Consumer was traveling about25mph on a highway and another vehicle had jumped in front of her. consumer went to apply brakes, four dash light came on the dashboard. consumer turned vehicle off. these are four lights that were showing on the dashboard. airbag light/abs brakes system/ checked tire pressure/ .low tire. dealership mechanic told consumer that brake pads needed to be replaced. also, srs light needed to be replaced. *ak

Headlight dimmer switch assembly has failed while driving, causing poor visibility. also in 6-24-98 , #6 fuel injector had to be replaced at only 15118 miles. *ak

Right side entire head light lens popped out of the housing while driving down the road without warning. to replace the lens, consumer had to buy the complete set, with lens and bulb. this was stated by the dealer .*ak

Passenger's door slid forward/frame shifted. presently, the door will not open, and not flush with fender. when opening door the body caved in. she has contacted the dealership. *ak

Malfunction occurred within the rack and pinion steering, causing steering wheel to lock up while vehicle was being driven. please give any further details.*ak

Moisture has developed behind right and left sides headlight assembly, cause unknown. *ak

Seal around the headlights separated, causing the headlight to fall out. dealer and manufacturer have been notified.*ak

While driving on route 5, exiting off into a parking lot brakes failed and went straight to the floor, vehicle ran into a pole, and neither airbag deployed. contacted manufacturer.*ak

Recall # 99v348000; gmc/windshield wipers. no parts were available to correct campaign. dealer stated that parts should be available in a couple of days, and the owner would be notified. when contacting dealership about recall, owner was put on hold for long for a long period of time. no information was given when part would be available. *ak

Recall # 99v348000 gmc/windshield wipers; dealer replaced the wiper arm, and did not complete the main work for the recall. dealer charged consumer for replacing the wiper arm, and stated that completed work was unrelated to the recall. *ak *ml

Air bag sensor light stayed on. dealer notified, and repairs were made by installing a s i r jumper wiring. consumer think the failed product did come with vehicle. consumer was charged for the correction that should have been a manufacturer's expense. asking nhtsa to look into this matter. *ak

Design of the headlight unit allowed moisture to get trapped behind the piece of plastic which covered the headlights, causing the lens to fall off. vehicle was taken to the dealership. owner had the problem corrected at his expense. a used replacement unit was ordered from a garage. please provide any further information. *ak

Headlamp cover flew off while driving which may have caused a crash on the passenger's side. please provide further information.*ak

While driving at any speed driver's headlight fell off, and had been replaced. currently, passenger's side headlight has the same problem. *ak

Consumer has received an recall letter for windshield wipers. recall was repaired. however, problem occurred once again after recall repairs were performed. pontiac took responsibility and fixed vehicle again. currently, problem is back. dealer has not been contacted.*ak

Headlight lenses were falling apart due to lack of adhesive which was causing water to get into the headlights and resulting in a short. dealer/manufacturer notified, and informed consumer that vehicle was not covered under manufacturer's recall due to vin. *ak *ml

Braking system malfunctioned, causing extended stopping distance which may result in a crash. *ak the driver experienced loss of steering due to broken steering rack. *yh

Headlight covers fell off, causing headlights to be inoperable, and resulting in poor visibility. manufacturer has been notified. *ak

Headlight lens cover comes off, causing headlights to become inoperable. vehicle has been repaired. *ak

Headlight lens keeps falling off while driving vehicle on highway when it was raining. headlights went out due to a lack of lens cover. took vehicle to dealership & consumer was informed it was a problem, but nothing could be done for repairs to correct it. the lens cover is plastic & comes in one whole piece. *ak

Vehicle experiencing problem with engine stalling from a stop postion at highway speed of 50 mph or more or while making turn. vehicle been in dealer shop and condition still reoccurring. *ak

Consumer noticed water condensation buildup on the inside of the headlights. there were no visible cracks. it really affected the performance of the headlights when driving at night. contacted the dealer. dealer said that was normal, and couldn't do anything about it. condensation is not going away, only getting worse. *ak *ml

Windshield wipers froze and stuck on the window. dealership told consumer that windshield wipers were not properly cared for, and that was why the windshield wipers stuck. wiper motor has already been replaced 2 previous times. consumer believes it to be a manufacturing defect. *ak *ml

Windshield wiper arms separated from the wipers, resulting in poor visibility.*ak

While stopping at stop sign driver's side headlight fell off without a warning. a year ago, the same thing had happened on the passenger's side. *ak *ml

While driving on the highway, taking an exit at 35 mph, serpentine belt just fell off, causing a loss of power steering. dealer has been contacted. *ak

Headlight lens fell off while driving. if raining it would burn the bulb out, and the headlights would be inoperative which may result in visual difficulty and a crash. dealer replaces the lens twice, but problem is reoccurring. please provide further information. *ak

Ongoing problem with air bag sensor light coming on and staying on. vehicle been in / out of dealer shop on three occasions, and problem keeps reoccurring. can nhtsa help in this matter. *ak

Engine's main rear seal leaked oil. also, oil pan was leaking. took vehicle to dealer & the mechanic repaired the problem. each time it would fail to work. has happened 3 different times around 8 months later. each time the mechanic indicated the problem has been corrected. *ak

Was pulling out of parking lot and power steering fell out of vehicle. vehicle was not controllable & was not operative. vehicle was towed to dealer. mechanic had to replace the power steering parts. gave no indication as tothe cause of problem.*ak

Due to a wire which shorted out air bag warning light stayed on. dealer has been contacted. consumer was told that the wire has rubbed throuhgh,and that was what caused this short and light to stay on. *ak

While driving on highway at 60mph steering wheel was hard to turn. drove into the driveway the steering wheel piston rod/pump broke . tried to backout of driveway and the wheel went into a different direction, applied brakes, but behicle went straight through a wall. *ak

Headlight plastic lens had fallen off both lights, whenever the bugs hit either light. this causes them to blow out. have been to dealer & was informed to contact manufacturer. need headlight replacement. *ak

Headlight lenses keep falling off, causing the bulb to explode. moisture gets inside the lens. manufacturer had them replaced the first time 11/98. currently, manufacturer will not repair them due to expired warranty. this causes a distortion of the head lights when they are in use. the moisture is not drying out. *ak *ml

Vehicle parked. noticed headlight cover was loose & wobbly. touched cover & it fell off in consumers hand. will be taking vehicle to dealer to check & replace cover. *ak *yc

Intermittentley windshield wipers stopped working, causing poor visibility when needed. dealer notified,and repairs made at consumer's cost. consumer believed this condition should be at manufacturer's expense. can nhtsa help in this matter. *ak

Was driving approximately 40mph, when the headlights had exploded. had no warning. had the first one done at approximately 33,000 miles while under warranty. the 2nd time headlights blew a out at approximately 50,000 on jauary 9, 1999. *ak

Headlight lens pops out of the assembly due to moisture that has developed inside the bulb housing, headlights go out when lens pops off. entire headlight unit must be replaced. *ak.et.

When making turns defective rack and pinion steering is causing steering to lock up without warning, but eventually will regain steering. *ak

At normal braking/at any speed or going forward/turning or on uneven pavement, abs will activate without making a panic stop. dealer claims this is normal action. speed sensor in the rear and front has been replaced, but defect still occurs.cannot determine what is causing the defect. *ak

Consumer was involved in 55 mph frontal collision in which driver's and passenger's air bags did not deploy. please give any further details. *ak

The air bag warning light came back on two weeks after being serviced for the second time. owner not sure if the air bag system is working. problem repaired by dealer the third time. *ak.et.

While driving the windshield wipers just stopped. dealer contacted and repaired the wiper crank in the motor. incident occurred again on 12-24-97. repairwork done. also, headlights go out while driving. dealer contacted and stated headlight switch overheated and headlamp switch was replaced. et.

While in use the windshield wipers failed which could cause visibility difficulties and an accident. dealer will replace windshield wiper motor and arm. also, neighbor has a 1998 grand prix with the same problem, but dealer will fixed their windshield wiper motor. please provide further information. *ak

Consumer has been experiencing problems with horn. when applying the horn, it's hard to make it sound. the manufacturer has been contacted. *ak *ml

The consumer has been experiencing problems with lighting systems. interior and exterior lights work intermittently. the manufacturer has been contacted. *ak

Main fuel line clip failed, causing a fuel leak in the engine compartment which resultedin a fire. please provide further information and vin#. *ak

Could be driving vehicle about any mph when the vehicle started accelerating by itself without the consumer stepping on the gas pedal, consumer will has to step on brakes pedal to stop vehicle or to avoid an accident. dealer was contacted. *ak

Consumer was involed in a 30 mph frontal collison in which the driver's or passenger's air bags did not deploy. please give any further details. *ak

The abs brakes, on left started cycling and grabbed, causing the vehicle to go out of control. dealer contacted, and states malfunctioned. another dealer stated abs working properly. vehicle defect is under investigation. *ak

Driving at approxmately 65 mph ,was changing lanes, experienced loss of engine power/complete shut down which caused loss brakes and steering, almost resulting in an accident. dealer replaced transmission control module. defect is still occurring. dealer cannot determine problem. *ak

While driving approximately 40 mph, the vehicle was run off the road into a revine then hit several trees head-on , and the vehicle swung around and hit trees on the side. neither air bag deployed. *ak

Consumer has been experiencing problems with power steering pump. since the car was purchased brand new in 1997, 3 power steering pumps have been replaced. during one of the power steering failures, the consumer lost control of the vehicle. the manufacturer has been contacted. *ak

Rear brakes lock up when applying brakes, possible cause low alternator voltage output to abs brake unit which causes problem. *ak

Windshield wipers are inoperable. cause unknown, which makes driving in rainy conditions dangerous. please give any further details. *ak

Steering wheel separated from the steering column while driving. the dealer is repairing the vehicle. owner will contact the manufacturer. *ak

Abs brakes feel like they don't release while driving. stepping on the brakes results in extended stopping distance, incident occurs at any speed. dealer contacted and could not duplicate the problem. *ak

Vehicle was pulled over in park with the a/c on. consumer went to speak with another driver that was pulled over in front of her. driver was standing in front of her vehicle when the vehicle started rolling forward, it slipped out of gear. consumer was injured in the incident, her leg was pinned between two cars. the dealer cannot duplicate the problem. they stated defect in design. *ak

While the key is out of the ignition and was about to add oil to the vehicle,and a drop fell onto the engine and caused a fire. cause unknown. please provide details. *ak

The engine/power steering turned off simultaneously while driving at 65-70 mph. *ak

The airbags deployed when vehicle ran over gravel/ bumping roads, and passenger's side window exploded, causing minor injuries to the driver. *ak

While driving, any speed, rear of vehicle rattles, severely vibrates, could cause crash. according to dealer, rear stabilizar bar is loose, no parts to correct problem, waiting for gm to reconstruct part. *ak

Steering: steering handling problems . vehicle difficult oto handle in breezy conditions when traveling at 50- 60mph. vehicle wanders to left and right, creating straight line stability problems, must constantly counter steer to keep vehicle on highway. *ak

Consumer's children were riding in the back seat when they heard the seat pop, consumer then lifted the bottom of back seat up and noticed the plastic anchors were not in place. he tried to latch them back and they would not relatch. *ak

Steering felt loose, and when turning left or right a squealing noise was heard coming from steering column due to a faulty rack and pinion. the steering rack and pinion is being replaced. *ak *jb

Abs brakes got very hot, causing them to lock up. dealer is repairing vehicle now. *ak *slc

Vehicle pulls to the right and they have to remove metal in order to adjust the camber. *ak

Engine stalls in traffic without warning, various speeds, cause unknown, dealer has not duplicated problem, nearly caused crash. *ak

Bucket seats. inertia system does not hold seats stationary. could result in serious injuries in a vehicle accident. *ak

The vehicle loses power and dies while in motion. *ak

Abs lost all pressure during braking, occurred at 35 mph--impact at 12:00, driver's side air bag did not deploy. *ak

Vehicle's windshield wipers system freezes up then becomes inoperative due to below freezing weather .has been replaced 5 times with in 1 week less than 1,ooo miles. *ak

While entering oncoming traffic vehicle stalls intermittently. *ak

Automatic lap/shoulder belt buckles on the passenger's and driver's side become twisted when reaching up and pulling down from the guide loop. *ak

While driving experienced intermittent windshield wipers malfunctioning, upon switching off windshield wipers, wipers stuck straight up and down on windshield instead of down flat across windshield, dealer/manufacturer have not fixed problem. *ak

Cruise control will not properly disengage, causing the vehicle to suddenly accelerate and then slow down. *ak

Consumer was driving under normal operation with the cruise control engaged and the consumer was unable to release the cruise control due to a pitched cable on the wiring harness, dealer has repaired the harness. *ak

Consumer stated that rack and pinion gear assembly and hoses failed causing the steering to lock up while making a left turn, manufacturer notified. *tt

The two brackets holding the front seatback to the bottom part of the seat are exposed and have sharp edges.

The power steering failed as i attempted a left hand turn. the dealer has corrected the problem but at a cost of $1200 to me. this cost included the replacement of the water pump and 60,000 mile inspection. although i was not injured or caused property damage, the failure of the power steering is incredibly dangerous. dt

Power steering fails while backing out of home driveway. full power assist while turning to the right, but no power assist turning left. no warning lamps indicated on dashboard. steering seems harder to turn than if no assist at all. not safe for driving will have to be towed or followed by another car to dealership for repair. dt

I have located the vehicle in question. i hadn't reported anything because their was no recall until 11/06/02. dt

Attempting to make left turn, lost atleast 1/2 of turn capability. dt

No summary. dt

3 steering racks, 2 power steering pumps out of pocket expense $1594.98. prior to fixing by king motors. dt

Drivers side headlamp cover fell off and within 2 months the passenger side headlamp cover fell off. i did not witness either actually take place. upon taking the vehicle to a repair facility i was informed that this model year of vehicle had a problem with the sealant used and that it was not an uncommon problem. however, no recall was done for the defective components which caused me to have no lights for driving at night. i was out of pocket $275 to replace the two "capsules" as they are called.*ak

For several months felt the steering of vehicle getting very stiff. had it checked out several times and nothing wrong. made a sharp turn on 8/7/02 into working parking lot and had almost no power steering. vehicle was having problems the rest of the day and time until i got it into a automotive shop to find out what was wrong.*ak

Steering fails when making left turns, have had a problem with the serpentine belt, which i have just learned was a result of my rack going bad. can not turn to the left now, and steering wheel stays "cock-eyed" when driving, instead of in the middle. very difficult for me to handle, and i am scared too being 4 mths pregnant and also having a 2 yr old in the back seat. am curious if gm is addressing this problem, because i read numerous complaints about the same thing on your web site! to top it off i can't even find a replacement part nearby!! please inform me if there is anything further i can do to possibly get this recalled! it is not safe! dt

Making left hand turns, vehicle makes a grinding noise from front end. feels like there is no power steering then it comes back happens all of the time*ak

No summary. dt

Almost impossible to turn left. turns to right with no problem. power steering pump replaced with new one. problem still exists. steering wheel is off center, tilted to left. mr

Front lens covering falls off and headlight burns out. three failures to date. two dealers said that it was a design fault. mr

Mr

Steering rack has yet to actually go out. while driving i have been noticing very slight lockups while turning left.*ak

I was going to volleyball, doing 70mph when the steering locked up. luck me i was close to the tee intersection of hwy e and i was able to slow down and turn to the right and stop on the shoulder. i got out and looked around, but nothing when i started it again no problem all weekend. but it happened again sunday night and ever since. almost impossiable to steer the wheel left but no problem steering right. my shop guy said it was the rack, he said he's seen about 5 of these in the past 2 years. *ak

The fire started from as far as we can tell, the alternator. we popped the hood and the engine was engulfed in flames so they sprayed a fire extinguisher under the hood and put the fire out. there was already 6,000 dollars worth of engine/electrical damage done and 2.5 months of me not having a car. my insurance covered the fire.*ak

Vehicles steering locks while driving. *ak

Rack and pinion steering failed almost causing a crash. it seems that a piece of the steering rack is missing. *ak

Vehicle exhibits increasing frequency of hard steering and noise from right and left front of car. local pontiac dealer cannot determine source of noise or hard steering problem. problem has existed prior to warranty expiration. a rubbing sound is getting progressively worse. this may be the onset of another example of your rack and pinion steering safety issue with 1997 grand prix.*ak

The lens on the headlight assembly fell off. in turn, the bulb failed/broke as it was directly exposed. for approximately two years preceeding this failure, both headlight assemblies showed condensation on the inside of the lens. upon contacting the dealer, both the parts and service departments indicated that the glue that holds the headlight lens to the assembly has been failing. they indicated that they are aware of this situation but that gm is not covering the replacement of this known failure.

The lens on the headlight assembly fell off. in turn, the bulb failed/broke as it was directly exposed. for approximately two years preceeding this failure, both headlight assemblies showed condensation on the inside of the lens. upon contacting the dealer, both the parts and service departments indicated that the glue that holds the headlight lens to the assembly has been failing. they indicated that they are aware of this situation but that gm is not covering the replacement of this known failure.*ak

Rapid coolant loss resulted in trip to dealer for repairs. dealer said both upper and lower intake gaskets on my 3.8l engine were bad. repair advisor said so much coolant was in intake manifold that i was lucky the engine did not seize up. total cost for repairs were $1,051. this car has only 47,723 miles. called gm assistance line. they said, "sorry, out of warranty". intake gaskets should last the life of the engine. this will be a safety issue when an engine overheats from no coolant and catches on fire. i understand that the replacement gasket is the same defective design as the original. gm should come up with a better gasket design and notify owners of problem and provide free replacement up to 100,000 miles like ford did with their defective 3.8l engine head gaskets.

We found the head of the bolt and the washer under the car when it was parked. the head of the bolt had cracked off right where it joins the shaft of bolt. my father bought a new bolt and replaced it. it seemed very unusual the way the bolt head had broken off. the entire face of the shaft and the head where the shaft was were rusted so it appears that this had been broken for some time. we have both pieces of the bolt if you need to have it and a parts display of the rear suspension with the bolt circled if you need them. if yo have questions contact my father at the same number or via e-mail at [email protected]*ak

The speed control disconnects when the windshield wipers are turned on during rainy conditions. this repeatedly happend over a four day period when driving in the rain through the midwest. this problem has never occurred when the wipers are used to simply clean the windshield during dry conditions. *ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

The first headlight cover fell off at 42000 miles during a rainstorm which blew out the light. this was under warranty and was replaced. however recently the other side headlight cover fell off while driving at night and blew the light out. it is a safety concern if both lights were to go out simultaneously. this is an obvious defect in the glue.*ak

I was upset the first time the rack and pionon failed and the poor attitude of the dealership. for $1,200, they would install a new rack and pinion. i was unable to steer the car, but did not have an accident. i had a napa repair dealership rebuild the original rack and pinion ata cost of $500. they replaced the seals with stainless steal. this repair lasted 120,000 and it failed again. an auto zone rebuilt rack and pinion was installed this time. although the stainless steal seals lasted longer than the factory original seals, they will fail again. pontiac must have known that something was wrong with this rack and pinion as it was only used in the 97 model. a different part number was used in the '98 and newer models. after the first failure, i wrote to pontiac but did not receive any indication that they would check any further into rack and pinion failures. this vehicle should have been recalled.*ak

Steering seized up momentarily and lasted a few seconds. now the steering feels a little sloppy, and i hear a pop noise when i turn left or right at slow speeds (15 mph). nlm

The rack and pinion gears are wearing badly. i took the car to pines pontiac and the service manager stated the rack and pinion is starting to wear. i thought the power steering unit was bad because it is hard to turn the wheel when turning to the left.*ak

As with many other 1997 pontiac grand pirx's, the power steering rack has failed. luckily, i noticed mine while changing tires, and not while driving down the road, possibly causing an accident, and injuring people. *ak

Due to moisture that gets trapped in headlamps, this causes the adhesive to turn brittle and inturn lens can fall off. now the right hand headlight lens is about to fall off too. have to replace both headlight assemblies due to poor adhesive used in producing the headlamps.*jb

Rack and pinion locked up while making a left turn at an interestion. had to stop car in middle of turn due to loss of steering. by turning engine off, and restarting, i regained steering again and was able to continue through the interestion. cause much confusion to other drivers.*jb

The fan to radiator does not work and it might cause a fire if the car gets to hot. *ak

Driver's side headlight lens fell off..passenger side lens is about to fall off. all due to moisture that gets trapped in headlamp. very poor adhesive used on lens.*ak

I see that your dept has investigated ps problems on my vehicles brothers and cousins, my local dealer says tough ****, if gm has a problem why do you not make the fix it and reburse previous expenditures? i am just lucky my wife was not killed, the steering locked without warning. she was able to run it off the road saftly. if this is not something that needs rectifying i do not know what is. [email protected] gm can forget me ever buying another vehicle, its jap or korean for me and anyone that i can convince!*ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

The power steering ahs leaked for over a yr. i've tried to keep it full, but sometimes when my wife drives it, it gets low and is very hard to steer. *ak

Steering rack and pinion binding up, turning out of parking lot, afterwards, vehicle would steer fine to the right, but would not turn to left with ease, i had to double grip the steering wheel to turn the car left, i had to use 3 times the force to steer left than usual. took vehicle to shop, replaced rack and pinion.*ak

Dealer's sevice man stated there is leakage from the lower and upper intake manifold gaskets and recommends replacing gasket and upper manifold. i don't believe a car with only 33,000 miles on it should have a serious problem like this. thank you for your time. nlm

Steering wheel locked up & the car went out of control, it rolled over. the car is severely damaged and the two people inside were injured.*ak

While pulling out of a parking lot the steering wheel locked up to the left and i had to put the car into reverse to move the wheel once the wheel became moveable it felt very loose. later on the same nigt i was leaving work and luckilly it wasnt a very busy time because i went to make a right turn and the wheel locked and the car pulled to the left causing me to barely miss hitting a light post, i then proceeded to park the car while trying to get to a space it locked up about six time as i was pulling into the space it locked up again and turned the car to the left almost like i was doing a u-turn. the next day i had the car towed and i was told it was the rack and pinion and it would cost $1400 to replace. i am very upset about all this it seems nobody not even the manufacturer feels that this issues is important enough to help someone out. my car is now parked because i cannot afford to pay for the repair right now, i hope that there is a recall of some sort to keep other people safe but it seems that pontiac/gm is waitng for a fatal accident to prove there really is an issue with the part. although at this point it wouldnt be an accident.*ak

Car is very hard to steering, especially in the morning hours. when making turns the car all shuts off also, im not sure if this is due to the steering problem. along with the hard steering there is a loud shreeking noise coming from the steering when i turn the wheel. ive almost been in several accidents due to the steering being so hard and the car just dying in the middle of the road. thank you>ak (tiresize: 225/60-16)

The steering started to lock up while turnig to the left and then the wheel would not return to center after making a turn without actualy turing the wheel back. i'm not sure how long the problem was there before we started noticing the steering difficulty but the fluid was really contaminated from the racks failure thus ruining the power steering pump also. we have had both replaced but the magna/steer is still inoperable, they are going to install another rack and pinion. when these racks fail it is very dangerous, thank you for your time and effort. please let us know if pontiac will remburse us for this failure, we have over a $1,000. in it and it's still not right. again thank you for your time.

Have sent letter to general motors explaining that the seat backs of the driver and passenger seats do not lock 100% of the time. the owners manual states that the seat backs need to be released by the black knobs on the back of the seat. the dealer says that you don't need to use those to release the seat . who is right, do i have defective seats by design or not?i called gm customer service and they would not authorize an inspection i never received a reply to my letter to gm either. i feel this could be a serious safety defect.

While making a left-hand turn into office parking lot on 07-03-2000 i felt the snap of something breaking in the steering. i took the car to local tire center and they visually found nothing wrong. one week later traveling northbound on il 394 going over the bridge that turns left to merge onto 94 northbound the steering went completely out! i had to muscle it to keep the car from hitting concrete wall. dealer said a shaft broke inside the power-steering rack. probably broke 3/4 when i noticed and the rest of the way when i went over bridge. dealer fixed for 1170.96 -no warrenty coverage- replaced entire power steering rack.

The lens on the headlight assembly fell off. in turn, the bulb failed/broke as it was directly exposed. for approximately two years preceeding this failure, both headlight assemblies showed condensation on the inside of the lens. upon contacting the dealer, both the parts and service departments indicated that the glue that holds the headlight lens to the assembly has been failing. *ak

Engine completely shut off while driving, steering column locks, brakes barely functioned. alternator replaced twice. diagnosed with same problem. once in july 2001, again in august 2001. service engine light comes on again. drives ok now, but worried it will continue to give me problems. in and out of shop 4 times in past year for same problem. back in shop today for who knows what.

Steering gradually began locking up on turns, so we were fortunate to discover the problem before it caused an accident. *ak

While trying to make a left turn at low speeds (approx 20- 30 mph) the steering wheel locked up. this almost resulted in a head-on crash, since i was unable to properly make my left turn. the car was taken to an independent shop, where i learned that the rack and pinion failure was becoming a common problem with the pontiac grand prix. the dealer was able to describe the problems i was having with the car perfectly. after paying approximately $1700 to have the parts totally replaced, the car now works fine.*ak

When steering sharply to the left,,,the car would fight the input to straighten the car after the turn...so while turning the wheel to the right after a sharp turn to the left,,the steering would become very stiff, almost like reverting to manual steering and not power steering. became dangerous because of the driver input needed to maintain directional control. the steering wheel would try to stop your input of a turn. very dangerous situation if involved in a maneuver to avoid something in road. had to have steering rack replaced. thank you. *ak

While making a left hand turn the steering rack failed causing my car to crash. gm unwilling to discuss issue.*ak

When driving over bumps such as small potholes or railroad tracks, sometimes the abs and low traction lights come on. usually they go off. sometimes they don't. only method to turn the lights off are to pull of the road or highway and turn the engine off. additonally, sometimes when braking over potholes / railroad tracks, the abs engage and the clicking starts. fortunately, due to my careful driving, i give myself plenty of room and don't need to press harder to prevent a collision. also, sometimes with the low traction light coming on, the engine / transmission will rev up and engage the other front tire, which is completely useless when conditions are dry and normal.*ak

Appears to be some sort of tape on divider frames between front and back windows is slowly peeling off, exposing bare metal that is slowly rusting. also, tape is deteriotating on small window frame divider in back seat, exposing bare metal as well. these are outside the car, thus they are slowly rusting.

Wire contacts on battery were badly corroded. after a temporary shaking, contact was re-established and electrical was working. occurred several times, until original battery was replaced. car is parked near salt water ocean about 10 times per year for 12 hours or more. also, car operated in northeast where heavy use of salt is used during winter, though this car had only gone through two winters. *ak

Belts on water pump began squealing around 40,000 miles. at 72,000 pump was leaking badly and seizing. the belt was very loud. serpentine belt also had to be replaced.

Right front fog light constantly burns out. dealer replaced one time under warranty. by the time next failure occurred, no longer under warranty.*ak

Headlights constantly have condensation in them. one day while doing a quick stop from 30 miles an hour, the left front lens fell off and front wheel drove over it, smashing it to pieces. the lens itself could not be replaced, the complete assembly including turn signal indicator had to be purchased at $100.*ak

When driving down a hill on highway onto a slightly raised bridge and the accelerator is applied to go up the next hill, the engine enters race condition (goes from 2,000 rpms to 3,000). releasing the accelerator stops the condition. has occured 3 times on this daily commute over the 4 years.*ak

When driving in rain at high speeds, brakes take some time to dry off and begin to become effective. driver must be aware of this and allow extra stopping room for wet brakes. *ak

The power steering is extremly hard to turn when the vehicle is cold. this condition occurs for approximately 10-15 minutes after startup. i now warm the car up for a while before begining to drive.*ak

Power steering loss when turning, steering wheel feels like it is locking causing driver to overcompensate.*ak

Entire rack and pinion steering system replaced at my cost of $829.00 on january 3, 2002. dealer indicated similar problems with pontiacs and gmc models. i have written to gmc customer care center requesting reimbursement.*ak

No summary listed for abov evehicle. *ak

No summary listed for abov evehicle. *ak

Car suddenly became hard to steer. felt as though power steering fluid was low. dealer says steering rack and pinion needs replacing. $600 part from g.m. i' m not happy.

I read in the newspaper that you were investigating this problem. so, i thought i would add my complaint to the list. please keep me informed about your investigation. thanks. no safety defec tmentioned. *ak

My wife was driving our 1997 grand prix on the highway and went o make a lane change to the left. the steering went out and the car was difficult to maneuver. the slower the speed of the car, the more difficult it was to steer. took the car to the dealer and was told that the rack and pinion seized. the cost to fix this was $1300 plus. this is an obvious design defect and leads to very dangerous situations. something should be done by the manufacturer (reimbursement for repair?). i don't understand how the manufacturer would not inform owners of problems like this. hopefully your agency can help.*ak

Steering wheel would not return to center after turning. then it started to lock up completely. then we replaced the steering rack and pinion. *ak

1997 pontiac grand prix - rack and pinion steering assembly failed without any warning. this happened during normal driving at speeds of 35mph + and the steering wheel completely locked up. took problem to dealer and met extreme resistance. pontiac doesn't stand behind their product.*ak

I was making a left hand turn at an intersection and half way into the turn my steering locked up and all the gages on my ip lit up. i lucked out, for there was a grassy area in that corner of the intersetion and let the car steer into it. i then turned the car off and back on and the steering came back. i then proceeded to my destination about a 1/2 mile away and when i put the car into park the engine began revving up and down. i turned it off and after that the car has seemed fine. any info would be appreciated. could the steering lock on me again ??!!

Intermediate steering shaft assembly "knocks" and makes noise. started aft