1999 PONTIAC GRAND AM Complaints

I NOTICED THE IGNITION KEY COULD BE REMOVED FROM IGNITION REGARDLESS OF POSITION. SINCE HEARING OF GM INCLUDING THE 99 GRAND AM IN ITS RECALL I CALLED THE LOCAL GM DEALER. I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTING THAT COULD BE DONE UNTIL I RECEIVE A RECALL NOTICE FROM GM. I CONTACTED GM AND WAS TOLD I COULD GET IT REPAIRED AT MY EXPENSE AND THEM FILE PAPERWORK TO GET REIMBURSED. I RELAISE THERE IS PROBABLY A HUGE BACK-UP RELATED TO PARTS. AS THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND MY CAR IS EFFECTED BY THE RECALL, THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. I WOULD NOT EXPECT GM TO FIX THE PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY, BUT I DO THINK IT IS REASONABLE TO BE ABLE TO BE PUT ON A WAITING LIST. AS THINGS STAND RIGHT NOW, GM WILL DO NOTHING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I AM A TOYOTA MASTER TECHNICIAN, ASE MASTER TECHNICIAN, AND WAS A NISSAN MASTER TECHNICIAN, SO I DO UNDERSTAND HOW RECALLS WORK ATE THE DEALER LEVEL. *TR

WELL I OWN A 1999 PONTIAC GRAND AM SE COUPE, AND I NOTICED ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO AT 50-60 MPH (OR 2000 RPMS), THE CARS SPEED AND RPMS WOULD DECREASE ABOUT 2 MPH AND THE RPMS WOULD DECREASE ABOUT 500 RPMS, THEN IT WOULD RETURN AND IT WOULD DO THIS EVERY TIME I WAS AT THAT SPEED, ALSO NOW WHEN I ACCELERATE TO 60 AND IF I LET THE CAR DECREASE SPEED THE TEMP GAUGE WOULD SKYROCKET AND AFTER ABOUT 1/8 A MILE IT WOULDN'T LET ME INCREASE SPEED ALONG WITH THAT MY ELECTRIC FANS IN THE CAR HAVE NEVER ENGAGED, I LOVE THIS CAR AND I DON'T WANT TO GET RID OF IT. ALSO I HAD THE TRANSMISSION CHECKED AND ITS NOT THAT. *JS

IN APPROXIMATELY 2000 TO 2002, OUR 1999 PONTIAC GRAND AM STALLED WITH ENGINE SHUTDOWN, LOSS OF BRAKING POWER, AND LOSS OF STEERING ON THE NJ GARDEN STATE PARKWAY AT HIGH SPEED, WHEN MY KNEE HIT A FEW KEYS AND MY KEY RING ALONG WITH THE PONTIAC KEY IN THE IGNITION, I.E. SHUTTING OFF THE CAR. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. FORTUNATELY, WITH ALMOST NO STEERING, BRAKING, OR ENGINE POWER, I WAS ABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE INTO THE BREAK DOWN LANE AND STOP THE CAR. I AM REPORTING THIS NOW BECAUSE IT NEVER DAWNED ON ME THEN THAT IT COULD BE A CAR DEFECT, AND I AM CONCERNED THAT OTHERS MIGHT BE INJURED OR KILLED BY THESE OLDER GM VEHICLES IF FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH IS AN ISSUE FOR THEM, GIVEN THAT GM IS RECALLING MILLIONS OF VEHICLES FOR FAULTY IGNITION SWITCHES. I BELIEVE NHTSA SHOULD INVESTIGATE OTHER MODELS AND AGES OF GM VEHICLES, INCLUDING 1999 AND LATER YEAR PONTIAC GRAND AMS, AS THE DANGER WE EXPERIENCED FROM THAT VEHICLE SEEMS LIKE IT MIGHT BE THE SAME AS WHAT IS NOW BEING REPORTED. WE NO LONGER OWN THE PONTIAC. YOU CAN SEE THIS INCIDENT MADE A BIG IMPACT ON ME, BECAUSE I REMEMBER IT 12+ YEARS LATER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED FIFTY TIMES OVER A ONE YEAR PERIOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE IGNITION MODULE. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 14V047000 (AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) BUT THE CONTACT'S VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

I WAS BACKING UP SLOWLY OUT OF A PARKING SPOT. AS I TURNED ME WHEEL TO THE RIGHT, I HEARD A VERY LOUD NOISE. IT SOUNDED LIKE A POP OR A CRACK. IT WAS MIDNIGHT SO I COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG WHEN I INSPECTED MY VEHICLE. AS I WAS DRIVING HOME I HEARD A LOUD SCRAPING SOUND. AS I WOULD BREAK IT GOT LOUDER AND LOUDER. IT WAS SCRAPING AND TEARING. I GOT HOME AND STILL COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING. I CHECKED THE NEXT DAY AND I NOTICED THAT THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE COIL WAS COMPLETELY CRACKED. BECAUSE OF THIS CRACKED COIL, THE PROTRUDING PIECE OF METAL FROM THE COIL WAS JAMMED AND RESTING ON THE TIRE WALL. BECAUSE OF HAVING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME, THE COIL HAS TORN AND RIPPED UP MY TIRE WALL AND I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME BEFORE WITH A CRACKED COIL ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF MY VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THIS IS CRAZINESS AND COMPLETELY UNSAFE! I FEAR FOR MY LIFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE AS IT CLEARLY HAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I AM BAFFLED AS TO WHY THERE IS NO POSTED RECALL FOR THIS HAZARDOUS PRODUCT. PONTIAC SHOULD BE ASHAMED FOR LETTING THIS GO AND NOT ADMITTING THEIR FAILURE AS A CAR MANUFACTURER. *TR

I WAS AT A STOP LIGHT AND I HIT THE GAS, THE CAR STALLED RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION. I GOT IT STARTED THEN IT STALLED THE SECOND I STEPPED ON THE GAS. IT STARTED AGAIN AND I PULLED AROUND THE CORNER. LEFT ME STRANDED WITH A HUGE TOWING BILL! VERY PISSED OFF. I COULD HAVE GOTTEN KILLED IF SOMEONE DIDN'T PAY ATTENTION AND HIT ME WHILE I WAS IN THE INTERSECTION! IT RAN GREAT THEN ALL THE SUDDEN IT WAS LIKE SOMEONE SUCKED THE LIFE OUT OF MY CAR! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE HAZARD SWITCH AND THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 205,000. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE CONTACT ACTIVATED THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH AND NOTICED THE TURN SIGNAL LIGHTING FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,000.

CAR THE WORST. I'VE SUNK MORE $ IN2 IT THAN SHE COST TO BUY. $15,000 AT LST. HEAD GASKET X2. INTAKE MANIFOLD X2 WINDOW PARTS X2 BRAKES, PADS ROTORS ENGINE REPLACED IN 2009 BY QUACK MECHANIC ON ADVICE FROM A FRIEND CAR 3 MTHS ON LIFT! COST $1000 A YR 2 PASS NYS INSPECTION HAD CATALYTIC CONVERTER & GASKETS REPLACED AFTER I BEGGED DO IT! CAT WHOLE PROB FOR 31/2 YRS. ERG VALVE SELONOID CHANGED. COILS SPRINGS, STRUT MOUNT(SENSATRAC) STRUT WAS ONLY AFTER I HAD TIRES REPLACED FOR UPTEENTH TIME REALIZING IT WAS CUTTING INTO 1 TIRE DRIVING OUT OF THE SHOP. ANTIFREEZE STILL OOZES OUT REGARDLESS HOW MANY X'S WORK DONE ON COOLING SYSTEM. THERMASTAT TWICE FUEL INJECTOR OXYGEN SENSOR ANTIFREEZE RESERVOIR, HOSES MUFFLER REARVIEW MIRROR FELL OFF TWICE TIMING BELT. HEADLIGHTS SEVERAL TIMES REAR LIGHTS. 2 OR 3 BATTERIES. THIS CAR SHOULD RUN LIKE NEW- ALMOST EVERYTHING'S BEEN REPLACED NOPE! WAS TOWED TWICE LAST 2 WEEKS DUE TO COOLANT LOSS OVERHEATING ENGINE STOPPING. INFORMED TODAY AFTER CAR AGAIN OVERHEATED & LOST POWER IT'S PROBABLY INTAKE MANIFOLD & HEAD GASKET, OIL IS DRIPPING FROM SIDES OF ENGINE. COMPUTER AMUCK NOWODOMETER FLASHES 1/2 NUMBERS INSTEAD OF TRUE MILEAGE. ABS? LIGHT MECHANIC STATED ITS A WASTE OF YOUR $ TO REPAIR.... THREE HEAD GASKETS? ANOTHER INTAKE MANIFOLD? HELLO! I'VE MAINTAINED THIS CAR IT IS A LEMON A ROTTON LEMON AT THAT. GM KNOWS THESE ISSUES & DOES NOTHING. IN MICHIGAN CONSUMERS WON A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT BECAUSE OF THIS. GM SHOULDA RECALLED THIS CAR PERIOD. I WASN'T INFORMED OR SAVVY ENOUGH TO KNOW THIS CARS ISSUES UPON PURCHASE. WHAT MAKES THIS WORSE, I NOW UNDERSTAND MY RIGHTS WERE VIOLATED AS A CONSUMER FOR YEARS! I'M POOR & CAN'T AFFORD ANOTHER CAR DUE TO THIS CAR CONTINUED PROBLEMS COST. I NEED A VEHICLE BUT AM LEFT WITH BUS RIDES TAKING ALMOST 3 HRS ONE WAY TO WORK OR A $35 CAB FARE ONE WAY. AS OF TODAY MY CAR IS TRASH. *TR

MY HUSBAND AND I HAD JUST MADE IT INTO THE CITY AFTER A 1 AND A HALF HOUR DRIVE. AFTER DRIVING AROUND TOWN FOR ABOUT AN HOUR OUR CAR, 99 PONTIAC GRAND AM, SHUT OFF. WE SAT FOR A BIT AND TRIED IT AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. BUT IT KEPT DOING IT SEVERAL DIFFERENT TIMES THROUGHOUT THE DAY. WE THOUGHT IT OVERHEATED BUT THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE READ 200 DEGREES. HE CHANGED BOTH O2 SENSORS, CAM SHAFT, ALTERNATOR, WATER PUMP, PUT ON A USED FUEL PUMP. WE WERE THINKING THAT IT MIGHT BE THE FUEL PUMP, BUT ARE UNSURE. THE POSSIBLE PROBLEMS WE HAVE CAME UP WITH ARE THE FUEL PUMP SINCE IT'S USED, THE CADILLAC CONVERTER BECAUSE IT SMELLS BAD AT TIMES, LIKE WHEN WE GO UP HILL, OR AS I WAS READING ALL THE PROBLEMS PEOPLE WERE HAVING WITH THERE 99 PONTIAC GRAND AM VEHICLES, WOULD BE THE INTAKE GASKET OR THE ABS LIGHT THAT GOES OFF AND COMES ON WHEN IT FEELS LIKE IT. I HAVE SPENT ALOT OF MONEY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS CAR AND I NEED HELP. *TR