1999 PONTIAC GRAND AM Complaints

THE FAN (AIR) IN MY CAR STOPPED OPERATING ON LOWER SETTINGS AND ONLY WORKS ON THE HIGHEST SETTING. A WHILE AGO IT STARTED MAKING SOME NOISE, JUST LIKE WHEN THERE'S A PIECE OF PLASTIC STOCK IN THE FAN. I TRIED TURNING THE FAN OFF AND BACK ON, BUT EVERY TIME, THE FAN WAS OPERATING SLOWER AND SLOWER UNTIL IT STOPPED. THE ONLY WAY IT WOULD WORK WAS ON THE 2 HIGH SETTINGS. A WHILE AGO SETTING #4 DID THE SAME THING AND NOW SETTING #5 IS THE ONLY ONE THAT STILL WORKS. IT MUST BE PRETTY COMON BECAUSE MY 2 SISTERS FROM MICHIGAN HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR CARS (OLDSMOBILE ALERO, AND CHEVY MALIBU) AND MY HUSBAND'S CAR (PONTIAC GRAND AM) ONLY OPERATES ON THE HIGHEST SETTINGS. IF THE FAN STOPS WORKING ALL TOGETHER WE WOLD BE IN TROUBLE WHEN THE WINDSHIELD (WINDOWS) NEEDS TO BE DEFROSTED.*AK

THE FRONT DISC BRAKES FAILED ON 6 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THIS RESULTED IN LOSS OF BRAKE POWER. WHEN THIS OCCURRED CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE BRAKE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE FRONT DISC BRAKES BOLTS BECOMING LOOSE AND FALLING OFF.*AK

WHILE PULLING OUT OF THE GARAGE THE CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE. THE CONSUMER THOUGHT IT WAS A BLOWN TIRE BUT WHEN THE CONSUMER EXAMINED THE TIRE AND CHANGED IT, HE DISCOVERED THAT THE COIL SPRING HAD BROKEN. THIS BREAKAGE DAMAGED THE TIRE AND THE FRONT RIGHT STRUT. THE CONSUMER CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, BUT WAS TOLD BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT THEY WOULD ONLY PROVIDE 40% OF THE COST. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD PAY ALL OF THE COST BECAUSE THIS WAS A DEFECT. *AK *SC *JB

WHILE PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY CONSUMER HEARD THE TIRE EXPLODE. CONSUMER PUT THE VEHICLE BACK IN THE DRIVEWAY TO REPAIR THE TIRE, AND DISCOVERED THAT THE RIGHT FRONT SPRING BROKE IN HALF. MANUFACTURER WAS CONSULTED ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND OFFERED A FORTY PERCENT DISCOUNT. *AK THE FAULTY COIL SPRING ALSO DAMAGED THE VEHICLE'S STRUT WHEN IT BROKE. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THEY SHOULD PAY FOR ALL THE REPAIR COST. *NM

WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AT A LOW SPEED, THE CONSUMER HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP ON FOUR OCCASIONS, HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. *JB THE VEHICLE REMAINED EXPERIENCING THE SAME NOISE IN THE BRAKES WHEN APPLIED AND WHEN DRIVEN SLOW. *SC

I READ IN THE 6/23/04 WALL STREET JOURNAL THAT THE NHTSA WAS CONSIDERING EXPANDING THE GM HAZARD-LIGHTS RECALL TO 1999 MODELS AND WOULD LIKE TO ADD MY EXPERIENCE TO YOUR DATA BASE, IF APPLICABLE.*AK I OWN A 1999 GM PONTIAC GRAND AM. FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, THE TURN SIGNAL/ HAZARD LIGHTS CLICKING SOUND WOULD SOUND SPORADICALLY/ INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT PROVOCATION (WITHOUT EGAGING THE TURN SIGNAL OR HAZARD LIGHTS). AT TIMES THIS CLICKING SOUND WAS FASTER THAN NORMAL BUT ALWAYS ANNOYING AND DISCONCERTING. MY PONITIAC DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE HAZARD LIGHT WAS DEFECTIVE AND REPLACED IT AT A COST TO ME OF $211.87. SHOULD GM HAVE REPLACED THIS SAFETY EQUIPMENT WITHOUT CHARGE TO ME ??? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

SECOND NOTICE POSTED: INCE 2002: REPLACED ROTORS, TOO THIN WHEN CAR WAS MANUFACTURED. (NO RECALL EVER DONE). COOLING SYSTEM: ALTHOUGH THE MANIFOLD GASKET HAS BEEN REPLACED, THE WATER RESERVOIR CAP HAS BEEN REPLACED, THE RADIATOR FLUSHED REPEATEDLY, ENTIRE COOLING SYSTEM BLEED (TO REMOVE ANY EXCESS AIR FROM RADIATOR), SERPENTINE BELT REPLACED, ALL FUSES, INCLUDING THE AC RELAY FUSE/SWITCH, ALL SENSORS REPLACED, AND VARIOUS MECHANICS HAVE CHECKED THE ENTIRE CAR BUMPER-TO-BUMPER, IT CONTINUES TO LEAK ANTIFREEZE COOLANT BY FORCING THE WATER OUT OF THE RADIATOR INTO THE RESERVOIR AND OUT THROUGH THE OVERFLOW TUB (SMALL TUBE LOCATED ON RESERVOIR TANK). EXCESS PRESSURE BUILDING UP IN THE SYSTEM. LEAKING ANTIFREEZE ONCE CAR IS STOPPED. I HAVE TO REFILL THE TANK AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK. THIS PROBLEM (THE PONTIAC GRAND AM LEAKING COOLANT) IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH ALL PONTIAC GRAND AM. RECALL TO SOME COMPONENT OF COOLING SYSTEM IS DIRE OVERDUE! THIS CAR IS AN OIL CHANGE EVERY THREE MONTHS, REGARDLESS OF 3000 MILES OR NOT, STILL OUT OF THE BLUE, THE LIFTERS ARE KNOCKING AND THE BELT IS MAKING A VERY HIGH PITCHED SCREECHING SOUND. BELIEVED TENSION PULLEY NEEDS REPLACING, WITH A POSSIBILITY THAT ALL OTHER PULLEYS NEED REPLACING. ITS NOT THE BELT; THE BELT HAS BEEN CONSIDERED BY THREE DIFFERENT MECHANICS HAS BEEN "BASICALLY NEW". ALSO, ALTHOUGH IT HAS ONLY HAPPENED THREE TIMES IN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, THE ENGINE HAS STALLED. WHEN THIS ORIGINALLY HAPPENED I CHANGED THE GRADE OF GASOLINE I PUT IN THE CAR FROM 87 GRADE TO 89 GRADE. DIDN'T HELP. (NUMBER OF FAILURES: FOR COOLANT LEAKS: INFINITE). *AK

BLINKERS ON 1999 PONTIAC GRAND AM INTERMITTENTLY DON'T WORK. RESULT IS UNSAFE TURNS AND UNSFAFE LANE CHANGES. IF HAZARD LIGHTS (EMERGENCY FLASHERS) ARE TURNED ON, THEN TURNED OFF, BLINKERS WILL WORK AGAIN. *AK

COOLANT LEAK WHEN PARKED ON HILL, WINDOW FELL DOWN AND BROKE. SEVERE WIND NOISE AT SPEED WITH PASSNGER WINDOW UP. *JB

AUTOMATED BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS) FAILED CAUSING TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM TO BECOME DISABLED. IT IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM THAT HAPPENS AT ANY TIME WITH NO APPERENT REASON. THE LAST TIME IT FAILED, IT WAS A SENSOR IN THE HUB. THE SENSOR IS PART OF THE HUB ASSEMBLY SO ENTIRE HUB HAD BE CHANGED OUT TO FIX LAST PROBLEM. IT IS NOW HAVING A FAILURE IN THE ABS SYSTEM AGAIN. VEHICLE HAS ONLY 80,000 MILES. *JB