1998 PONTIAC GRAND AM Complaints

PONTIAC GRAND AM AIR BAGS ARENT SAFE AT ALL MINE BUSTED OUT FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER IT BURNED MY ARM AND LEFT A BRUISE AND COULD'VE CAUSED A WRECK!

IN AUG. 2004 MY 1998 PONTIAC GRAND AM SE CAUGHT FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND FRIED EVERYTHING IN THE COLUMN , ALTERNATOR, AND BATTERY.THE LOCAL PONTIAC DEALER REFUSED TO WORK ON THE CAR SO I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL GARAGE.THEY FIXED WHAT THEY COULD CLEARLY SEE WAS DAMAGED AND SENT ME ON MY WAY. SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE ALTERNATOR REBUILT FOUR TIMES AND BATTERY REPLACED THREE TIMES .THE CAR HAS TO BE JUMPED SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK. THE ALTERNATOR KICKS IN AT 800 RPM. AND THE CAR IDLES AT 500 RPM.( COMPUTER CONTROLLED) MEANING THAT THE BATTERY IS CONSTANTLY DISCHARGING BELOW 35 MPH, OR WITH THE AIR AND EVERYTHING ON .WHEN IT GOES ABOVE 800RPM THE ALTERNATOR KICKS IN AND BOILS THE BATTERY TRYING TO PLAY CATCH UP. I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE MAY 2005 (#04002) AND TOOK THE CAR TO THE GM DEALER IN BATESVILLE,AR.I TOLD THEM ABOUT THE FIRE AND DAMAGE .THEY CHANGED THE RELAY AND WIRE UNDER THE RECALL AND ADVISED THAT THEY COULD NOT FIX THE DAMAGE DONE BY THE FIRE,OR EVEN CHECK AND DIAGNOIS THE DAMAGE STILL EXISTING,WITHOUT APPROVAL FROM G.M. . ICONTACTED G.M. (MIKE DEMEYER) AND WAS IINFORMED THAT THEY WOULD PAY FOR THE DAMAGE THAT WAS FIXED BY THE LOCAL GARAGE ,BUT WOULD NOT PAY TO FINISH FIXING THE REST OF THE DAMAGE THAT WAS NOT FIXED.

DT: THE HARNESS OF THE CAR SEAT LOOSENS AND POPS OUT. THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THE CAR SEAT. HAS NOT CONTACTED MANUFACTURER TO SEE IF THERE IS A WAY OF REPAIRING THE CAR SEAT. HAS NOT CHECKED TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY RECALLS. AFTER PLACING THE CHILD IN CAR SEAT, WHILE DRIVING, STRAP POPS OUT OF THE BRACKET IN THE BACK OF CAR SEAT. PROBLEM ONLY HAPPENS SOMETIMES.*AK

NOISE HEARD IN FRONT END GOING OVER BUMPS. FAILURE= LOWER CONTROL ARM REAR BUSHINGS SEPARATING FROM CONTROL ARM.LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES. CORRECTION+ REPLACEMENT OF LOWER CONTROL ARMS

AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE PASSENGER'S AIR BAG INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK AIR BAG DEPLOYED IT CRACKED THE DASH BOARD AS WELL AS WINDSHIELD. REPLACED AIRBAG, WINDSHIELD AND DASH BOARD. GENERAL MOTORS REFUSED TO REIMBURSE CONSUMER BECAUSE VEHICLE WASN'T TAKEN TO DEALER. *BF *NM

VEHICLE SMELLED OF ANTIFREEZE SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TWICE TO THE DEALER FOR THE SMELL. I HAVE NOW BEEN INFORMED THAT THE INTAKE GASKET HAS BEEN LEAKING. PONTIAC HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND I WAS INFORMED BY ONE REPRESENTATIVE THAT THERE HAD BEEN A PROBLEM, BUT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE PARTICULAR YEAR OF THE VEHICLE.*AK

PONTIAC GRAND AM 1998, PASSENGER AIR BAG DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON, SHATTERED WINDSHIELD. *BF *JB

UPON RECEIVING A RECALL LETTER AND TAKING THE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR RECALL REPAIRS CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION UNTIL SHE TOOK IT TO DEALER. HOWEVER, THE DEALER CLAIMED THE VEHICLE NEEDED AN IGNITION SWITCH AND CHIP. ALSO, CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE SECURITY SYSTEM. *AK

THE CONSUMER REPORTED PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE'S DOOR'S, BRAKES AND OTHER COMPONENTS. *NM *SC *JB

I WAS INFORMED THAT THE PROBLEMS RELATED TO THE DIFFICULTY DRIVING MY GRAND AM AND THE LOUND CLUNKING NOISE AND THE INTENSE "SHIMMY" WAS BECAUSE MY RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARM HAD SNAPPED AND MY LEFT LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS CRACKED ABOUT TO SEPARATE AS WELL. I DO KNOW A LITTLE ABOUT CARS AND THIS DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A NORMAL MAINTENANCE PROBLEM. THIS IS COSTING ME WELL OVER 600.00 TO REPAIR.