1995 PONTIAC GRAND AM Complaints

WE PURCHASED THE CAR IN JUNE OF 2001. THE CAR HAD PROBLEMS RIGHT AWAY WITH THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCKS AND THE SIGNAL LIGHTS. THE SIGNAL LIGHTS WOULD NOT WORK AFTER USING THEM ONCE EACH TIME THE CAR STARTED. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE SIGNAL LIGHTS. IN SEPTEMBER OF 2001 THE CAR BEGAN HESITATING TO START. IT SOMETIMES TAKES AN EXTRA FEW SECONDS TO BEGIN TO START. ONE DAY IT REFUSED TO START AFTER SOME ERRANDS. IT ALSO HAD A VERY FOUL SMELL. THAT EVENING IT STARTED AGAIN. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO CHECKED THE CHARGING SYSTEM AND OTHER MISC. IDEAS AND COULDN'T FIND THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. IT'S STILL HESITATING TO START MOST OF THE TIME. THE ELECTRIC WINDOWS ALSO SHORT OUT NOW.*AK

I HAVE BEEN HAVING AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES ON MY 1995 PONTIAC GRAND AM. OCCASIONALLY, WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES I HEAR A RAPID CLICKING SOUND AND THE BRAKE PEDAL IMMEDIATELY RELEASES AND GOES TO THE FLOOR. AT THAT POINT THE CAR IS WITHOUT BRAKES, AN OBVIOUSLY UNSAFE AND UNACCEPTABLE SITUATION. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE LOCAL PONTIAC DEALERSHIP ( MASTER PONTIAC BUICK GMC) TWICE FOR THIS PROBLEM. THEY HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY CANT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND ARE THEREFORE UNABLE TO FIX THE CAR. WHEN I SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER HE AGREED THAT THE CLICKING SOUND THAT PRECEDES THE LOSS OF BRAKING COULD INDICATE A PROBLEM WITH A RELAY. HOWEVER HE INSISTS THAT THEY CANT DIAGNOSE A PROBLEM WITH A RELAY UNTIL IT FAILS COMPLETELY. I SINCERELY DOUBT THAT I AM THE ONLY PERSON OWNING A 1995 PONTIAC GRAND AM WHO HAS EVER HAD THIS BRAKING PROBLEM. *AK

THE HEAD LIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT WHEN YOU TURN THEM ON. THEY ALSO GO OUT WHILE YOU ARE GOING DOWN THE ROAD. MIGHT BE A DEFECTIVE SWITCH. TO GET THE LIGHTS TO COME BACK ON YOU HAVE TO SWITCH FROM DIME TO BRIGHT AND BACK TO DIME.*AK

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 00V287000 IN MAIL, AND DEALERSHIP PERFORMED SERVICE. DEALERSHIP WILL NOT RELEASE VEHICLE UNTIL CONSUMER PAYS A $60.00 DIAGNOSTIC FEE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

THE FAULTY STARTER CAUSED THE IGNITION COIL TO BURN, THIS FAILURE OCCURED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE 00V-287, THE CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMT BUT HAS NOT RECIEVED ANY COMPENSATION YET. NLM

CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT INTO SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF DEALERSHIP FOR A REBUILT TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN FOR THREE WEEKS BEFORE IT HAD TO BE PUT BACK IN THE SHOP FOR A BROKEN WATER PUMP. DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR AT NO CHARGE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHUR DETAILS.*AK

CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS TOWED INTO DEALERSHIP DUE TO A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH THAT WAS BEING RECALLED FROM MANUFACTURER, CONSUMER STATED THE RECALL STATED THAT THE NEW SWITCH WOULD BE REPLACED AND INSTALLED FREE OF CHARGE, DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE AND STATED THEY WOULD HONOR RECALL, ON JUNE 13,2001 VEHICLE WAS READY TO BE PICKED UP AND CONSUMER WAS GIVEN A BILL FOR $311.31 CONSUMER STATES THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN NO CHARGE FOR LABOR OR PARTS BECAUSE THE INSTALLATION WAS FREE, THE CHEMICAL AND MATERIAL DISPOSAL FEE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN CHARGED BECAUSE THE PARTS WERE ASKED TO BE GIVEN BACK, AN OIL FILTER WAS REMOVED IN THE PROCESS IN ORDER TO REACH CERTAIN WIRES, BUT A CHARGE FOR DISPOSING IT AND ITS OIL IS COVERED BY THE RECALL BECAUSE IT IS PART OF THE OVERALL INSTALLATION, CONSUMER FEELS SHE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN BILLED FOR A RECALL.*JB

RECALL 00V287000/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 0079; VEHICLE DOESN'T START, AND WHEN TRYING IT SENDS POWER SURGES, CAUSING IT TO SMOKE. RELAY IS BAD AND WILL BE REPLACED BY MANUFACTURER. CONSUMER WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR IGNITION SWITCH ALTHOUGH THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL. *AK

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A DIRECT FRONTAL COLLISION AT 50MPH. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, RESULTING IN MINOR INJURIES TO DRIVER. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DISPLAYS THE CHECK OIL LIGHT GUAGE AS ON EVEN THOUGH THE OIL LEVEL IS FINE. I CONTINUE TO CHECK THE OIL BUT I HAVE ALWAYS MAINTAINED MY CAR IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. THIS IS DANGEROUS THOUGH BECAUSE THE USER WILL NOT BE ABLE TO KNOW IF THE CAR DID DEVELOP A LARGE OIL LEAK. THE CHECK OIL LIGHT WOULD BE ON BUT IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN ON. THE ENGINE COULD SEIZE OR AN ACCIDENT COULD OCCUR. I DO KNOW THAT THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ALREADY PUBLISHED WHICH DESCRIBES THIS SAME PROBLEM ON THIS YEAR AND MAKE OF PONTIAC.