1997 PONTIAC GRAND AM Complaints

TH NEXT YEAR AFTER I PURCHASED MY CAR, I BEGAN TO LOSE COMPRESSION. THE CAR WOULD ALSO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN, I NOTICED THAT MY "CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS WERE ON." I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERS AND THEY GAVE A DIAGNOSIS OF "USING THE WRONG GAS". I AM A WOMEN, AND I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT CARS, THEREFORE, AT THE TIME, I DID NOT DISPUTE THIS RIDICULOUS DIAGNOSIS. A YEAR LATER, I HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKES/DISC PADS TWICE. THERE WAS LOUD SQUELCHING NOISES. I ALSO BOUGHT NEW TIRES AFTER ONE YEAR. MAJOR PROBLEMS HAVE DEVELOPED SINCE 1999, WHICH ARE: I HAD TO HAVE THE THERMOSTAT REPLACED (AIR CONDITION AND HEAT STOPPED WORKING), I HAD TO HAVE A NEW WATERPUMP INSTALLED (CAR WAS POURING ANTI-FREEZE AND SMOKING), AND AS OF FEBRUARY 6, 2000, THE CAR JUST COMPLETELY STOPPED RUNNING. I RECEIVED TWO QOUTES FROM AREA REPAIR SHOPS ESTIMATING BETWEEN $3K TO $4,500 TO REBUILD AND ENGINE! I HAVE EXHAUSTED MYSELF CONTACTING FRED JONES (SPOKE TO HIM PERSONALLY) OF FRED JONES PONTIAC, AND THEIR CUSTOMER CARE CENTER. PLEASE HELP ME! ALSO, I READ ON YOUR SITE THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE FOR UNDERHOOD FIRES - I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER AND MY CAR WAS NEVER TAKEN IN! I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT BESIDES THIS MAKE OF CAR BEING A LEMON, THIS MAY HAVE ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO MY PROBLEMS. PLEASE HELP ME!!! *AK

WHILE DRIVING DRIVER COULD TURN ON THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, BUT THEY WON'T WORK.DRIVER MUST KEEP ON TRYING UNTIL THEY WILL WORK. *AK

CONTACTED DEALER GOT NO HELP...CONTACTED FACTORY GOT NO HELP. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY.

TWICE I'VE EXITED MY CAR TO SEE MY HOOD OPENED TO THE SAFETY CATCH. IT'S A SCARY THOUGHT WHAT COULD OCCUR IF THE SECONDARY SAFETY DEVICE FAILED.

UPON DELIVERY OF MY CAR I HEARD A LOUD SPORADIC CRUNCHING NOICE FROM THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF MY CAR. AFTER MANY VISITS MY ORIGINAL DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIND THE REASON I CONTACTED ANOTHER DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THE NOISE AS THE EVAP SYSTEM AND THAT IT WAS A NORMAL NOISE. THIS IS NOT A NORMAL NOISE TO ME AND I AM VERY UNSATISFIED WITH THE NOISE MY CAR MAKES IT IS TEMPERATURE RELATED AND SPORATIC FOR THIS REASON I FEEL THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN TOLD ABOUT THIS NOISE AT THE TIME OF SALE SO I HAD THE CHOICE OF BUYING THIS MODEL WITH THE DISTURBING CRUNCHING NOISE.I WAS NOT INFORMED THAT THE CAR I WAS PURCHASI8NG WOULD MAKE THIS NOISE AND WAS TOLD AT A WORKSHOP IN JAN 1997 THAT IT WAS NOT A NORMAL NOISE AND THAT I SHOULD BRING IT IN TO THE SERVICE CENTER WHICH IS WHEN MY MANY VISITS STARTED. I HAVE MADE MANY PHONE CALLS WROTE A LETTER AND HAVE HAD TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE. MY CAR STILL HAS THIS NOISE. THANDK YOU PAT PASCO. *AK

ONGOING / INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH DAY RUNNING LIGHTS AND HEAD LIGHTS GOING OUT. VEHICLE BEEN IN/OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON THREE OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL GOES UNRESOLVED. *AK

THE WHEEL JOINT SIMPLY BROKE APART NO PRIOR WARNING. COMPANY DID COVER THAT. SPARK PLUG AND WIRE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE GOOD FOR 100,000 MILES, BUT WERE NO GOOD AFTER 47,000 MILES, WATER PUMP WENT OUT AT 49,000MILES. I HAVE NEVER HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS ON A VEHICLE WITH LOW MILEAGE. I HAVE HAD PREVIOUS GM CARS THAT HAVE LASTED OVER 100,000 MILES WITH NO PROBLEMS. IS THIS CAR KNOWN TO HAVE THESE KINDS OF PROBLEMS? I HAVE SPENT $700 IN REPAIRS BECAUSE THE WAY THE CAR IS PUT TOGETHER IT TAKES HOURS FOR THE MECHANIC TO FIX ANYTHING. $483 FOR A WATER PUMP!!

CARD RUNS ROUGH, STUMBLES AND HESITATES, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ON. DEALER REPLACED CATALITIC CONVERTER, O2 CENSORS, EGR VALVE, SPARK PLUGS TO NO AVAIL. PLEASE E-MAIL ME IF YOU ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AT [email protected]. *AK

HAVE TAKEN THIS CAR TO DEALER FOUR TIMES FOR ROTORS. FIFTH SET NOW WARPING AFTER 6K MILES. HAVE HEARD ALL REASONS WHY IT COULD HAPPEN (MY FAULT) AND ALL BRAKE COMPONENTS (SUPPOSEDLY) CHECK OUT AS O.K. SERVICE MANAGER SAYS HE HAS REPLACED THEM "OUT OF THE GOODNESS OF HIS HEART" AND WILL NOT REPLACE THEM AGAIN. FACTORY REP SAYS THE LUG NUTS ON THE 4TH SET WERE OVER TORQUED (BY GOODYEAR) AND CAUSED WARPING. HE HAD NEW ROTORS PUT ON WHEN IT WAS PROVED TO HIM THAT THE DEALERSHIP DID IT. I PAID TO HAVE NEW PADS INSTALLED TO HAVE EVERYTHING NEW. OLD PADS WERE NOT EXCESSIVELY WORN. FEELING THE SAME SURGING, LURCHING IN THE FRONT END AT LOW SPEEDS - NOT THE PEDAL - FOR 2K MILES. IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN - JUST DON'T HAVE IT IN ME TO FIGHT THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN. PAID FOR AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AND HAVE HAD TO BATTLE TO GET REPAIRS COVERED. ORIGINAL SET WARPED AT 5-6K, BUT WAS TOLD IT WAS ABS. CAR WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE, MANAGER SAID THEY WERE WARPED & I'D HAVE TO RESURFACE THEM - AT MY EXPENSE, NOT! REPLACED ROTORS UNDER WARRANTY AT 30K - OUT OF SPECS, AGAIN AT39K, AGAIN AT 42K, AGAIN AT 48K. COUNTING THE ORIGINAL SET I'M ON THE 5TH SET AND HAVE ONLY 5K MORE MILES ON THE WARRANTY. HAVE NEVER SMELLED HOT FLUIDS OR METAL, OR FELT EXCESSIVE HEAT, WHEELS DO NOT SHOW DISCOLORATION FROM HEAT. PLEASE HELP. *AK

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN FRONTAL CRASH AT 60MPH AND NEITHER DRIVER'S SIDE NOR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. DEALER SAYS IT'S NORMAL. *AK