1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM Complaints

SERVICE ADVISOR COMMENTS LEAD ME TO SUSPECT THAT SHORTNESS OF ALTERNATOR WIRING HARNESS CAUSED ELECTRICAL SHORTS WHICH CAUSED THREE ALTERNATOR FAILURES AND ONE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILURE. INTIAL ALTERNATOR FAILURE RESULTED IN SUDDEN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHUTDOWN ON I-880 AT THE SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS SUMMIT, A NEAR SAFETY MISHAP. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER. ON THE OTHER TWO ALTERNATOR FAILURES, WARNING LIGHTS GAVE US ENOUGH NOTICE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. *AK

DUE TO SHELL REACTION CONVERTER, TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED, WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH. THERE IS A NEW DESIGN FOR THIS PART. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISION FAILED/WENT OUT WHEN ATTEMTPING TO PLACE VEHICLE IN REVERSE. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER NOTICED A PLACE WITHIN TRANSMISISON WAS MISSING TEETH WHICH CAUSED MALFUNCTIONING OF TRANSMISSION. ALSO, MANUFACTURER HAS CHANGED THE DESIGN OF THE PART TO PREVENT PIECES OF THE TEETH FROM BREAKING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

TIRE IS SEPERATING AND THE TREAD IS LIFTING OFF OF THE TIRE CASTING (B.F GOODRICH TOURING TA P195/65R15). *ET

IN ORDER TO CHANGE THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE OF MY CAR WHICH HAD GONE FLAT AFTER HITTING A POTHOLE, I PARKED ALONG THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I LIFTED THE VEHICLE AT THE DESIGNATED LIFTING POINT USING THE AUTOMAKER-PROVIDED JACK AND PROCEEDED TO REMOVE THE TIRE. JUST AS I WAS PULLING THE TIRE OFF OF THE WHEEL, THE JACK SPLIT INTO TWO PIECES AND THE CAR FELL DOWN. FORTUNATELY, THE TIRE WAS NOT YET COMPLETELY OFF, AND BY VIRTUE OF ITS POSITION, MANAGED TO KEEP THE CAR FROM FALLING COMPLETELY AND CRUSHING MY HANDS. HOWEVER, THERE WAS SOME ADDITIONAL DAMAGE INCURRED TO THE WHEEL AND THE ALIGNMENT. THIS JACK HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AFTER THE ORIGINAL JACK PROVIDED AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE WAS STUCK CLOSED (WOULDN'T OPEN). THIS WAS, THEREFORE, THE SECOND FAILURE OF THIS JACK. I CONTACTED PONTIAC CUSTOMER SERVICE, BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN WILLING TO REPLACE THE JACK AS THE VEHICLE'S WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. REPORTS HAVE BEEN FILED WITH BOTH THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND THE LOYOLA UNIVERSITY POLICE DEPARTMENT. *AK

A ROD FAILED IN THE ENGINE CAUSING DAMAGE TO CRANKSHAFT. GENERAL MOTORS ACKNOWLEDGES THE FACT THAT THE 2.4 LITER ENGINE HAS EXPERIENCED MANY FAILURES. BUT, GENERAL MOTORS ADVISED THAT THE FAILURES HAVE TAKEN PLACE ON THE UPPER PORTION OF THE ENGINE. GENERAL MOTORS REFUSES TO ASSIST ME WITH REPAIRING THE ENGINE. THE ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIRING THE ENGINE IS $3,600.00. I WANT GENERAL MOTORS TO REPAIR THE ENGINE BECAUSE THE COMPANY ACKNOWLEDGES THE FACT THAT THE ENGINE HAS A RECORD FOR FAILURES. I REQUESTED TO HAVE A GENERAL MOTORS AREA MANGAGER TO CALL ME TWO WEEKS AGO. I WAS TOLD BY A CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE THAT MY REQUEST WOULD BE FORWARDED ON, BUT THE REPRESENTATIVE WENT ON TO SAY THAT I SHOULD NOT EXPECT THE MANAGER TO CALL ME.

A FEW DAYS AFTER BUYING 96 GRAND AM. I NOTICED THE BRAKES DIDNT WORK EFFECTIVELY. WHEN COMING TO A STOP THE CAR WOULD JERK SEVERAL TIMES AND CONTINUE TO JUMP FORWARD. THIS HAS HAPPENED MORE TIMES THAN I CARE TO COUNT. EACH TIME A NEAR COLLISION. I DONT DRIVE AT ALL WHEN IT RAINS IT WONT STOP AT ALL. I'VE HAD BREAKS CHECKED AT LEAST THREE TIMES AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. NO ONE CAN FIND A PROBLEM.

IN JUNE 2000 HORN STARTED SOUNDING OFF AT ALL HOURS I HAVE TO TAP THE HORN SEVERAL TIMES TO MAKE IT STOP. I TOOK THE GRANDAM TO A PONTIAC DEALERSHIP COURTESY OF LEX. THE SERVICE DEPT. IFORMED ME THAT MY AIRBAG WAS SWELLING AND COULD DEPLOY AT ANYTIME. THEY WERE GOING TO CHARGE ME $700.00 TO REPLACE THE SYSTEM. I REFUSED. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A FACTORY DEFECT.

CONSUMER WAS SITTING STILL WAITING TO MAKE A TURN & VEHCILE STALLED. TOW TRUCK DRIVER SAID THE ALTERNATOR WASN'T CHARGING THE BATTERY. CONUSMER WILL CONTACT THE DEALER. *AK

ALTERNATOR REPLACE TWO TIMES WITHIN A YEAR AND A HALF. BRAKES ALL WAYS GOING BAD ABS LIGHT STAYS ON ALL OF THE TIME I HAVE TO PAY FROM 300 TO 700 ALL OF THE TIME TO GET THIS CAR FIX NOW KOONS WANT A 1000 TO FIX THE EBTCM I HAVE SO MANY PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR I AM STILL PAYING A CAR NOTE I NO THAT THIS CAR HAS A DEFECT IT STAYS IN THE SHOP.