1999 PONTIAC GRAND AM Complaints

WHILE TRAVELING AT 50 MPH ON A 4 LANE ROAD THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE (BANG) FROM THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. SUDDENLY THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT, THE FRONT OF THE CAR DROP AND PULLED SEVERELY TO THE RIGHT, CAUSING THE CAR TO TRAVEL COMPLETELY ACCROSS THE RIGHT HAND LANE AND INTO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD BEFORE BEING ABLE TO STOP. AFTER STOPPING IT WAS FOUND THAT THE RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE IN HALF, RIPPING INTO THE INNER SIDE WALL OF THE FRONT TIRE FOR APPROXIMATELY 12" AND SEIZING THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL FROM ROTAING. REPLACED BOTH FRONT STRUT ASSEMBLIES AND THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE, WHICH HAD LESS THAN 1,000 MILES USEAGE.*AK

MY CAR HAS BEEN LEAKING ANTIFREEZE WHICH CAN BE SMELLED IN THE CAR. NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE AS OF YET WHERE IT IS COMING FROM. HOWEVER, SHORTLY AFTER IT HAD BEEN NOTICED THAT MY CAR WAS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE, MY ALTERNATOR WENT OUT. WHEN IT WAS PULLED OUT FROM THE ENGINE, IT WAS ASSUMED THAT IT HAD BEEN ON FIRE. IT IS FELT THAT THE ALTERNATOR LOOKS LIKE IT HAD BEEN ELECTROCUTED. ALL OF THE RUBBER THAT COVERS THE WIRES HAD BEEN COMPLETELY BURNED AWAY. CONSIDERING THAT I DRIVE MY INFANT SON AROUND IN THIS VEHICLE, NOT TO MENTION MYSELF THIS CAN NOT POSSIBLY BE SAFE IF THE VEHICLE IS CATCHING ON FIRE. THE CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 68000 MILES ON IT. IT ALSO HAS ALL TYPES OF PROBLEMS WITH THE LOCKS AND THE IGNITION. THIS IS THE WORST CAR THAT I HAVE EVER OWNED IN MY LIFE, NOT TO MENTION THE MOST DANGEROUS. I AM JUST WAITING FOR IT TO BURST INTO FLAMES WHILE I AM DRIVING DOWN THE STREET!!!! NOT TO MENTION, MY VEHICLE HAS ALL OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION PROBLEMS THAT OTHERS HAVE REPORTED. ESPECIALLY THE PULLING TO VARIOUS SIDES WITHOUT WARNING AND THE SHAKING THAT HAPPENS AROUND 55 TO 60 MPH. THIS IS JUST NOT A SAFE VEHICLE AT ALL.*AK

DRIVING IN CITY AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES PER HOUR THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE ENGINE STOPPED. I MANAGED TO PULL IT TO THE CURB AND WALKED APPROX. 1 MILE HOME AND WENT BACK, THE CAR STARTED BACK UP AND WORKED FINE. I'VE ALSO HAVE HAD THE BRAKES REPLACED THREE TIMES. CURRENTLY THE FRONT END SHAKES SPORADICALLY WHEN GOING 60-75 MILES PER HOUR. *NM

I BEGAN NOTICING A GRINDING SOUND WHEN PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW WAS ROLLED UP AND DOWN. GLASS BECAME INCREASINGLY SCRATCHED. DEALERSHIP REPAIRED AT NO CHARGE AS VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS PROBLEM. HOWEVER, PROBLEM PERSISTED TO THE POINT OF WINDOW REGULATOR BREAKING OFF AND GLASS SLIDING DOWN INSIDE THE DOOR. HAD TO BE TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FIVE TIMES IN ONE YEAR. (DEALER DID NOT WANT TO PAY AT LAST VISIT DUE TO THE WARRANTY EXPIRING. HAD TO REALLY HOLD THEIR FEET TO THE FIRE FOR THEM TO FIX IT.) NOW THE PROBLEM IS THAT BOTH REAR WINDOW REGULATORS HAVE BROKEN! GLASS HAS SLID DOWN INSIDE THE DOORS AND WILL NOT STAY UP (I HAVE PACKAGING TAPE HOLDING UP ONE WINDOW). PONTIAC CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS OFFERED ME A FREE OIL CHANGE AND/OR SMALL REIMBURSEMENT FOR "MY INCONVENIENCE." HOWEVER, EACH REGULATOR ALONE (NO LABOR) WILL COST AROUND $300. THAT IS $600 IN PARTS ALONE. I SIMPLY CANNOT AFFORD THIS, AND FIND IT RIDICULOUS THAT 3 OF THE 4 WINDOWS ARE EXHIBITING THIS PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS LOW MILEAGE AND IS VERY WELL-MAINTAINED. I BELIEVE GM HAS A SERIOUS DEFECT WITH THE WINDOW REGULATORS IN THEIR GRAND AMS AND SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PROBLEM. *NM

I HAVE A 1999 PONTIAC GRAND AM GT, AND HAVE HAD PROBLEMS THAT THE DEALER REFUSES TO FIX SINCE DAY ONE! THE FIRST DAY THAT WE BROUGHT IT HOME, DEALER HAD TO COME AND TOW IT BACK TO DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THE ALTERNATOR WENT OUT, SUDDENLY WITH NO WARNING WHATSOEVER. DEALER FIXED THAT PROBLEM BECAUSE IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY. WE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE RADIATOR SOON AFTER THAT, DEALER REFUSED TO FIX IT EVEN THOUGH IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET, STILL. RECENTLY, WITHIN THE PAST 2 MONTHS, THE INTAKE GASKET MANIFOLD IS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE. CAR RAN HOT SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER REFUSES TO FIX THIS BECAUSE THE CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THIS IN ITSELF WILL COST ME ANOTHER $700 OUT OF POCKET, NOT TO MENTION ALL THE OTHER THINGS WRONG WITH THE CAR. THE LEATHER ON THE DOOR IS PEELING AND FOLDING, DEALER REFUSED TO FIX EVEN THOUGH WE HAD WRITTEN ORDERS FROM THE MANAGER TO FIX IT. THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW SQUEAKS AND RUBS WHEN OPENING AND CLOSING. WE HAVE CALLED AND TALKED WITH DEALERSHIP OVER AND OVER AGAIN WITH NO AVAIL! I HAVE MAINTENANCE DONE TO THE CAR EVERY 3000 MILES, SO THIS IS DUE TO NO FAULT OF MY OWN! ALL IN ALL THIS CAR IS A LEMON! I WILL NEVER BUY A GM MADE CAR AGAIN! SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. MY SON COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED AND MY HUSBAND AND I ALSO! THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. OBVIOUSLY GM KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, WILL THEY WAIT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT UNTIL SOMEONE IS KILLED? *NM

THE ABS/NO TRAC LIGHT CAME ON I RETURNED THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR THEY STATED THAT IT WAS THE SENSOR AND REPLACED IT NOT EVEN TWO MONTHS LATER WHEN THE CAR IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY IT HAPPENED AGAIN I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO CONTACT THE DEALER WITH NO LUCK OF RETURNED PHONE CALLS. I AM NOW HAVING TROUBLE OF GOING THROUGH SNOW AND UP HILLS IN MY AREA. WHICH LEAD ME INTO A DITCH WITH MY 2 CHILDREN AGES 1 AND 4. I HAVE ALSO THE PROBLEM OF MY WINDOWS BEING COMPLETELY SCRATCHED AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS MY TINT I WENT TO GET NEW TINT AND IT IS MY WINDOWS ALSO MY LED LIGHT ON MY RADIO KEEPS GOING ON AND OFF AND ALL SCRAMBLED THE DEALER HAS DONE NOTHING IN REGARDS TO THIS COMPLAINT. *NM

THE DASHBOARD ON MY 1999 PONTIAC GRAND AM HAS CRACKED AND IS LIFTING, SEPARATING FROM THE WINDSHIELD. I CAN NO LONGER DRIVE IT, BECAUSE OF POOR VISIBILITY. I WENT TO THE DEALER, AND THE COST TO REPLACE IS $1300. IT IS A FACTOTY DEFECT, BUT GENERAL MOTORS WILL NOT GIVE ME AN ALLOWANCE ON REPAIRS, ONLY A VOUCHER TO APPLY TOWARDS THE PURCHASE OF A NEW CAR.*AK

POWER WINDOWS ON BOTH DOORS - INTERNAL PARTS FAILED CAUSING WINDOWS TO DROP INSIDE DOOR AND NOT BE ROLLED BACK UP.*AK

WATER PUMP FAILURE, 5 MONTHS LATER LEAK IN INTAK MANIFOLD GASKET. REPLACED IN 5/2004 SIX MONTHS LATER ENGINE CLATTERED AND LOST COMPRESSION (TERM LACKING) FOUND THAT THE CAM AND LIFTERS DESTROYED BECAUSE ANTIRFREEZE LEAKED IN TO ENGINE PREVENTING OIL LUBRICATION TO LIFTERS DESTROYING ENGINE. ANTIFREEZE FUMES LEAKED INTO CAR WHILE DRIVING PRIOR TO GASKET REPAIR. THE POTENTIAL DANGER OF ENGINE SEIZING UP WHILE IN MOTION IS GREAT AND I FEEL THAT THESE VEHICLES SHOULD BE RECALLED DUE TO DEFECTIVE GASKETS. 3.4LT V6 ENGINES ARE NOTORIUS FOR THIS PROBLEM PLEASE SEE [email protected] FOR MORE POSTINGS OF THIS SAME PROBLEM. WHY SHOULD DEATH BE THE ONLY MOTIVATOR TO GET SOMETHING DONE. SHOULDN'T THIS BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOME GETS KILLED AS DIRECT RESULT OF FAILURE?*AK

HAVE HAD TO REPLACE BRAKES EVERY 6-9 MONTHS/PUT 4 SETS OF ROTORS ON/FIRST PAIR WAS 2 MONTHS AFTER CAR WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW. *NM