1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX Complaints

DRIVER NEEDS TO EXERT MORE EFFORT THAN NORMAL TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT, SIMILAR TO A VEHICLE WITHOUT POWER ASSISTED STEERING. INCREASINGLY, THE DRIVER REQUIRES MUCH HIGHER EFFORT TO TURN LEFT AND MAY NOT BE ABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL AS MUCH AS INTENDED AND ENCOUNTERS HIGH RESISTANCE TO TURNING LEFT. ALTHOUGH 1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIXS ARE INCLUDED IN RECALL CAMPAIGN(02V286000) AND THIS VEHICLE SUFFERS FROM THE SAME COMPONENT FAILURE AS DESCRIBED BY ODI, MANUFACTURER SAYS THAT THIS VIN IS NOT INCLUDED AND WILL NOT REPAIR VEHICLE. *TR

1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. SECOND TIME IN TWO YEARS I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE ELECTRIC WINDOW REGULATOR ON FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. FIRST TIME OVER $380.00 TODAY, $410.00. *TR

2 DAYS AGO WE HAD A HUGE SNOW STORM. I WAS TRYING TO GET MY CAR UNSTUCK. THE CAR WAS IDLING AND I WAS OUTSIDE DIGGING OUT THE CAR, AND MY GIRLFRIEND WAS SITTING IN THE CAR, SHE SAID IT WAS SMOKEY INSIDE. I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS OVERHEATING, AND IT GOT WORSE AND WORSE. I FINALLY THOUGHT, OK THIS JUST ISN'T OVERHEATING, SO I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND POPPED THE HOOD. THE WHOLE REAR OF THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. I GOT THE FIRE OUT AND MANAGED TO SAVE THE CAR. ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO I HAD A ENGINE LIGHT COME ON AND THE CODE SAID SMALL EVAP LEAK. HE SAID IT WAS MY COLD AIR INTAKE AND MY GAS CAP. SO I REPLACED THE GAS CAP AND DROVE AROUND WITH THE ENGINE LIGHT ON, NOT KNOWING THAT THERE WAS A ACTUAL EVAP LEAK. SO IT WAS COINCIDENTAL THAT THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON 2 DAYS AFTER I PUT MY INTAKE ON. AND ALSO IT WAS COINCIDENTAL THAT IT HAPPENED ON THE DAY WITH ALL THE SNOW. SO MY MECHANIC SAID, THAT I DID HAVE A PINHOLE LEAK, AND THAT THE SPARKS FROM THE ALTERNATOR IGNITED THE VAPORS. ALSO THE FOAM UNDERNEATH THE ENGINE COVER ACTED LIKE A SPONGE SUCKING IN THE ALL FUMES AND THEN BOOM. *TR

I DROVE FROM MY WORK LOCATION AT 2PM TO A STORE 15 MINUTES AWAY. THE CAR WAS RUNNING NORMAL. I ENTERED THE STORE FOR 10 MINUTES AND WHEN I CAME OUT, I NOTICED THAT THE CAR HAD SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE REAR OF THE HOOD HAD BROWN DISCOLORATION MARKS. I ATTEMPTED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE WITH AN EXTINGUISHER BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. A POLICE MAN ALSO ATTEMPTED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE WITH ANOTHER FIRE EXTINGUISHER BUT ALSO WAS NOT ABLE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED IN 9 MINUTES AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE COMPLETE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS DESTROYED. *TR

I HAVE A 1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GTP THAT CAUGHT FIRE WHILE DRIVING YESTERDAY, 12/6/07. I HAD NOTICED NOTHING ODD OTHER THAN ON THE EVENING OF 12/5/07, MY CRUISE CONTROL CUT-OUT ON ME TWICE WHILE DRIVING HOME, WHICH I JUST THOUGHT OF AS ODD. 12 HOURS LATER, I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND THE CAR STARTED STUTTERING. I THEN LOST ALL POWER AND PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AS I LOOKED UP AFTER POPPING THE HOOD, I NOTICED FLAMES ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, LOCAL FIRE CREWS WERE ONSITE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. THE WHOLE ENGINE COMPARTMENT MELTED AND THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED THIS, BUT AM READING REPORTS OF 1999-2002 SUPERCHARGED GTP'S HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM, BUT WANTED THE NHTSA TO BE AWARE OF THIS OCCURRING IN A 1998 VEHICLE. THE CAR IS TOTALED AND I AM QUITE FRUSTRATED. I NEVER THOUGHT THIS WOULD OCCUR IN A MILLION YEARS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AT 5 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL JERKED TOWARDS THE RIGHT. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO MANEUVER THE STEERING WHEEL BACK TO THE LEFT, BUT FAILED. AFTER THE TURN WAS COMPLETED AND THE SPEED WAS INCREASED, THE FAILURE CEASED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V286000 (STEERING:RACK AND PINION). THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 97,000.

THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING LENSES OF THE HEADLIGHT HAVE FALLEN OUT AND HAVE BROKEN FROM THE HEADLIGHT. HE STATES THAT THE VEHICLE PRODUCES PROJECTILES AS WELL. HE STATES THAT HE HAS CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND FILED A COMPLAINT AND THEY HAVE NOT OFFERED ANY ASSISTANCE TO HIM (71532337325-GM COMPLAINT CASE NUMBER).HE STATES THAT THERE ABOUT 20 PEOPLE THAT HAVE REPORTED THIS ISSUE TO GENERAL MOTORS. HE STATES THAT WHEN HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, THEY STATED THAT THERE IS CORROSION ON THE CHROME OF THE SEAL OF THE HEADLIGHT. ACCORDING TO THE CONTACT, THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED THAT THIS WAS A COSMETIC CONCERN AND THAT THERE IS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO. THE FAILURE MILEAGE IS 58,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 103,000.--DS UPDATED 09/18/07 *TR

MY PONTIAC GRAND PRIX WAS TAKEN TO JIFFY LUBE FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND ENGINE FLUSH. AFTER THE WORK WAS COMPLETED, THE EMPLOYEE DROVE THE CAR OUT TO THE PARKING LOT. WHILE HE WAS DRIVING IT, THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT FIRE. THE EMPLOYEE ESCAPED WITH MINOR INJURIES. THE ENGINE WAS TOTALED AND THE CAR WAS NO LONGER DRIVABLE. *JB

STEEL BRAKE LINE CORROSION RESULTED IN ROTTED THROUGH STEEL BRAKE LINE AND LOSS OF FLUID RESULTING IN LOST OF BRAKE FUNCTION. THE ULTIMATE SAFETY IN STOPPING A VEHICLE DEPENDS ON HYDRAULIC BRAKE LINES THAT WILL LAST. *TR

THERE ARE MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH THE COOLANT (DEXCOOL) USED IN GM VEHICLES SUCH AS THE 1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GT. THAT IS THE CAR I HAVE. THE COOLANT USED IIN THE VEHICLE DETERIORATES THE GASKETS AND ALLOWS FOR COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE CYLINDERS WHICH CAUSE ENGINE FAILURE AND POSSIBLY A FATAL CRASH? GM IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND ISSUED FIXES FOR IT, BUT WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR ACT. THE PROCEDURE TO FIX IT COSTS UPWARDS OF $800 AND ISN'T COVERED BY WARRANTY, UNLESS ITS NEW. I'M SURE THIS ISN'T THE FIRST COMPLAINT YOU RECEIVED FOR THIS PROBLEM, JUST SEARCH THE GRAND PRIX CLUB WEBSITES AND SEE ALL THE SIMILAR PROBLEMS IN THE COUNTRY, IT'S IN THE MILLIONS. *TR