2003 PONTIAC GRAND AM Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC GRAND AM. WHEN THE KEY WAS TURNED IN THE IGNITION, THE VEHICLE DID NOT START. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE COULD BE WITH THE PATH-LOCK SYSTEM. THE VIN AND ENGINE SIZE WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 80,000.

ON A TRIP TO THE MOUNTAINS IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT CONTROLLER FAILED TO START. FAMILY STRANDED IN MOUNTAINS. $213 TOW . I WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST BETWEEN $450 AND $1000 TO GET IT FIXED. STILL WON'T START AFTER FOLLOWING OWNER'S MANUAL INSTRUCTIONS. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW TO DISABLE IT TO PREVENT BEING STRANDED IN FUTURE.

THE VEHICLE IS A 2003 PONTIAC GRAND AM SE 4-DOOR. I BOUGHT THE CAR USED FROM HERTZ WITH 23000 MILES. SINCE NOVEMBER 2006 IT FAILED TO START ON 4 OCCASIONS. THE FIRST TIME THE SHOP REPLACED THE BATTERY. TWO WEEKS LATER IT FAILED AGAIN , USUAL SCENARIO IS FOR ALL DASH LIGHTS TO BE DISPLAYED, BUT ONLY A CLICK OR NO INDICATION THAT A CONNECTION HAD BEEN MADE WHEN IGNITION KEY WAS TURNED. THIS TIME, SHOP SAID STARTER FAILED. NEXT WEEK, CAR WOULDN'T START AGAIN. SHOP TOWED CAR AND REPROGRAMMED SYSTEM. IN APRIL 2007 SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. DEALER REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH. *AK

I WAS DRIVING BACK HOME FROM A WEEKEND TRIP AT THE LAKE, WHEN MY CAR MADE A CHIMING NOISE (LIKE THE NOISE IT MAKES WHEN YOU NEED GAS.) THEN MY AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND FLASHED A FEW TIMES THEN WENT OFF. IT KEPT FLASHING EVERY NOW AND AGAIN UNTIL WE MADE A STOP. THE REST OF THE WAY HOME IT DIDN'T MAKE A NOISE OR FLASH. THEN A FEW DAYS LATER I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND IT MADE THE SOUND AGAIN AND STARTED FLASHING. I AM ALMOST AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR BECAUSE I DON'T WANT THE AIR BAG TO GO OFF WITH OUT BEING IN A WRECK, BUT THEN I AM ALSO AFRAID THAT THE AIR BAG MIGHT NOT GO OFF IF I GET IN A WRECK. *TR

PASSLOCK SYSTEM ON 2003 PONTIAC GRAND AM MADE MY DAUGHTERS CAR GO DEAD AND IT WOULD NOT START. LEFT HER STRANDED ON SIDE OF ROAD FOR HOURS. COME TO FIND OUT, THIS IS COMMON PROBLEM WITH PONTIAC GRAND AMS. WOULD THIS NOT JUSTIFY A RECALL? DON'T KNOW IF THIS QUALIFIES, BUT SURE NEEDS LOOKING INTO. AGREE? *TR

I HAVE THE PASSLOCK SECURITY SYSTEM ON MY 2003 PONTIAC GRAND AM. I WAS PARKED AT A STORE. I WAS SITTING IN THE CAR WITH THE KEY ON IN THE IGNITION. MY WIFE LIFTED THE HANDLE ON THE PASSENGER'S DOOR. THE DOOR WAS LOCKED, BUT MY DOOR WAS OPEN. THE CAR WAS RUNNING AND AFTER SHE LIFTED THE DOOR HANDLE THE IGNITION SHUT OFF. I TRIED RESTARTING THE CAR. THE CAR WAS CRANKING BUT WOULD NOT START. THE SECURITY LIGHT WAS FLASHING ON THE DASH BOARD. I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED. I WASN'T ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE. THE KEY WAS BOUGHT USED IN OCTOBER 2006. THE CAR ONLY HAS 25,000 MILES ON THE ENGINE AND IS UP TO DATE ON MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES. I HAVE READ ON SEVERAL INTERNET SITES THAT THE PASSLOCK SYSTEM HAS A HISTORY OF CUTTING OFF THE ENGINE EVEN WITH THE CAR'S KEY. *TR

IN OCTOBER 2006 THE CAR WOULD NOT START. IT WAS TOWED TO MY MECHANIC. HE REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. ALSO, HE TOLD ME THAT THE SECURITY SWITCH HAD BEEN TRIGGERED SO IT STALLED THE ENGINE. IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN I WAS SUPPOSED TO TURN THE CAR TO THE ON POSITION AND WAIT 10 MINUTES THEN START IT. THE CAR WORKED UNTIL APRIL 3, 2007. THE SAME POROBLEM RECURRED. THE MECHANIC REPLACEDD THE STARTER, BUT COULDN'T FIND ANYTHINGELSE WRONG. NOW I HAVE TO TURN TO THE ON POSITION AND WAIT FOR THE FUEL PUMP TO ENGAGE THEN START IT. THIS ONLY WORKED ABOUT HALF THE TIME. THE OTHER HALF I HAVE TO PUT IT IN NEUTRAL THEN START IT. THIS WAS A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE I NEVER KNEW WHEN I WILL BE STGRANDED. *AK

THERE IS A CLICKING UNDER MY HAZARD LIGHTS. WHEN I USE THE TURN SIGNAL IS GOES TO THE REGULAR RHYTHM. IT OCCURS EVERY TIME.*AK

2003 PONTIAC GRAND AM FRONT WHEEL DRIVER'S RIGHT DRIVE SURGED FORWARD OF DRIVER'S LEFT AT HIGHWAY 55 MPH. RIGHT REAR OF PONTIAC GRAND AM SURGED FORWARD. VEHICLE ON THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY ROLLED ONE AND ONE HALF TIMES. SEAT BELT RESTRAINED DRIVER. HOWEVER, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK

TURN SIGNAL SWITCH WILL CONTINUE TO CLICK EVEN WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL IS NOT ON. AT FIRST IT WOULD ONLY HAPPEN VERY RARELY AND ONLY CLICK A FEW TIMES AFTER A BUMP. NOW IT WILL CLICK CONSTANTLY WHEN THA CAR IS ON. *AK GM WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM, AND THEY WANT $300+ DOLLARS. MANY PONTIAC OWNERS HAVE POSTED WEBSTIE COMPLAINTS. THE "MULTIFUNCTION" SWITCH NEEDS REPLACED.