1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM Complaints

AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

I WAS DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY AT 70 MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING, MY DRIVERSIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. I WAS IN SHOCK AND HAD TEMPORARY HEARING LOSS. BOTH OF MY LIPS WERE BLOODIED, I WAS BURNED ON MY NECK AND I STILL HAVE OCASSIONAL RINGING IN MY EARS. I DON'T KNOW HOW, BUT WHEN MY LINE OF VISION WAS CLEAR, I SAW I HAD MAINTAINED THE POSITION IN MY LANE AND CONTINUED TRAVELING. THEN, A FEW MINUTES LATER, MY PASSENGER- SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THANKFULLY, MY GIRLFRIEND WAS SLEEPING IN THE BACKSEAT. AGAIN I HAD TEMPORARY HEARING LOSS, BUT KEPT DRIVING UNTIL I GOT TO MY HOME. I CONTACTED GENERAL MOTORS DEALERSHIP, BUT THEY DID NOT FEEL THEY COULD HELP SINCE THEY HAD NOT HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM. THERE WERE A SERIES OF PHONE CALLS BETWEEN GENERAL MOTORS, MY DAD AND ME. OUT OF THE BLUE IN ONE CONVERSATION, GENERAL MOTORS ASKED IF I HAD WATER ON MY FLOORBOARD AND WHEN I SAID THAT I DID, THEY SAID THE AIRBAGS PROBABLY DEPLOYED BECAUSE OF THIS AND IT WAS MY FAULT FOR NOT GETTING THAT FIXED. WHEN MY DAD ASKED WHAT THAT HAD TO DO WITH THE AIRBAGS AND IF THEY WERE AWARE THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM, THEY SAID IT WAS A ROUTINE QUESTION. SUBSEQUENTLY, A GENERAL MOTORS DEALERSHIP HAS CONCLUDED THAT WATER UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT CAUSE THE COMPUTER MODULE TO CORRODE. THEY ARE WILLING TO REPLACE THE AIRBAGS AND THE COMPUTER, BUT NOT FIX THEY WATER PROBLEM THAT THEY INDICATED MAY HAVE CAUSED THIS. WE HAVE DISCUSSED THIS PROBLEM WITH INDEPENDENT MECHANICS AND HAVE SINCE RECEIVED TECHNICAL BULLETINS STATING THAT THE WATER PROBLEM IS INHERENT TO THIS VEHICLE. *AK

ON WENESDAY DECEMBER 15 AT APPROXIMENTALLY 7:20 P.M. I WENT OUT TO MY BOYFRIEND, SCOTT FULLER'S CAR TO ROLL UP A WINDOW THAT WAS DOWN. AS I PLACED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, AND TURNED 1 CLICK, THE AIR BAG SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED IN MY FACE. I HAVE A CUT IN THE MIDDLE OF MY THROAT, AND I BIT THROUGH MY LIP ON THE RIGHT SIDE, I HAVE BRUISING ON THE LEFT SIDE OF MY CHEST AND I CAN BARELY HEAR IN ME LEFT EAR. HIS WINDOWS ARE ELECTRIC THAT IS WHY I NEEDED TO PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. HE HAS A 1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM GT, VIN # 2NW12M6TC813666, CAR MILEAGE:142,441AND HIS INSURANCE COMPANY IS AA&J INSURANCE COMPANY 109 E. MAIN ST. GOUVERNEUR N.Y. 13642 POLICY # 17772843-1. *AK

UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. WHILE CONSUMER WAS BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. CONTACTED THE MECHANIC. *AK *SC

DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS, WATER WAS LEAKING THROUGH THE VEHICLE FIRE WALL ONTO THE ELECTRICAL HARNESS LEADING INTO THE TAILLIGHTS. THE CONSUMER HAS A CONCERN THAT THE CONDITION MAY LEAD TO A ELECTRICAL SHORT. *JB

AS MY HUSBAND WAS PUTTING GAS INTO MY 1996 GRAND AM HE NOTICED ORANGE COOLENT ( DEX COOL) LEAKING FROM THE CAR. THE NEXT MORNING ON HIS WAY TO WORK THE CAR MOTOR TEMPERATURE INCREASED TO A POINT WERE HE HAD TO PULL OVER AND LET THE CAR COOL DOWN. AFTER WORK HE TOOK THE CAR TO GATEWAY TIRE AND SERVICE FOR THE PROBLEM. GATEWAY SERVICE STATED THAT THE FOLLOWING FAILURES OCCURED -THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET AND TIMING COVER GASKET FAILED. WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM? -REPLACE MANIFOLD GASKET (B) -REPLACE UPPER AND LOWER MANIFOLD GASKET -REPLACE SEAL KIT LUBE OIL AND FILTER -REPLACE TIMING COVER GASKET -REPLACE COVER GASKET -REPLACE TIMING COVER GASKET IF DONE WITH LOWER INTAKE CURRENTLY CAR AT GATEWAY TIRE SERVICE (10-18-04). *AK

WHILE CONSUMER WAS PARKING THE VEHICLE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. CONSUMER CLAIMED THAT THE VEHICLE NEVER COLLIDED WITH ANYTHING NOR RAN OVER ANYTHING. THE NEXT DAY CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR THE FIRST AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT WHEN DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE CONSUMER SUFFERED A SPLIT LIP AND ABRASIONS ON THE ARMS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING, THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE BLEW OUT WHICH CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO HIT THE MEDIAN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE OWNER JUST BOUGHT THE TIRES APPROXIMATELY TWO MONTHS AGO. PLEASE PROVIDE INFO ON TIRE DEALER. *JB

AIR BAG WENT OFF BY STARTING MY CAR IN THE DRIVE WAY.GM SAID THEY CAN NOT HELP BECAUSE THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. *LA

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. NO INJURIES REPORTED. *AK