1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX Complaints

I HAVE A PROBLEM THAT IS EXHIBITING THE EXACT BEHAVIOR AS OUTLINED IN GM RECALL NO. 02049, NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID 02V286000. MY STEERING IS VERY DIFFICULT WHEN MAKING LEFT HAND TURNS ONLY. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. I FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS RECALL THROUGH THE INTERNET - I DIDN'T ACTUALLY RECEIVE A RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL. I WENT TO SOMERSET PONTIAC IN TROY, MICHIGAN, TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE AND THEY TOLD ME I MISSED THE RECALL CAMPAIGN BECAUSE MY CAR WAS ACTUALLY BUILT ON NOVEMBER 23RD, 1997. THE RECALL CAMPAIGN WAS ONLY FOR VEHICLES BUILT BETWEEN JAN. 1, 1997 TO OCT. 31, 1997. MY VEHICLE WAS BUILT ON NOV. 23, 1997 - I MISSED THE CAMPAIGN BY 23 DAYS. THE DEALER TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP HAVING THE STEERING RACK REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE. I BELIEVE GM SHOULD PAY FOR THIS REPAIR BECAUSE THIS IS THE EXACT PROBLEM FOR WHICH THE RECALL WAS ISSUED. BECAUSE MY CAR WAS BUILT 23 DAYS LATER PROVES THE CAMPAIGN SHOULD HAVE BEEN EXTENDED ANOTHER MONTH. THE REPAIR SHOP IS HOLDING ON TO MY ORIGINAL PARTS AT MY REQUEST IN CASE I NEED THEM FOR PROOF IN THIS CASE. THEY ARE CHARGING ME $145 TO DO SO SINCE THERE IS A CORE CHARGE ON THE STEERING RACK. THE PROBLEM ACTUALLY BEGAN AT ABOUT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF I HAVE A CASE HERE AND IF I SHOULD HOLD ON TO THESE PARTS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR HELP. -STEVE *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STEER STRAIGHT AND MADE A CLUNKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT RECALL # 02V286000 (STEERING:RACK AND PINION) DID NOT APPLY TO THE VIN. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 93,991.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE CONTACT PARKED THE VEHICLE IN HIS GARAGE AFTER DRIVING 12 MILES AT 30 MPH UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. 15 MINUTES LATER HE SMELLED SMOKE AND REALIZED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND BOTH STATED THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL SOURCE FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. *AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. ON DECEMBER 17, 2006 THE SERPENTINE BELT BROKE AND WAS REPAIRED. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH ON 1/9/07 THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT HOME. THE ENGINE LOCKED, AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART IT. NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY A MECHANIC. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 83,712.*AK

MY 1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GTP SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTED ON MARCH 2, 2007. VISITING FREINDS IN BLACKSBURG VA. THE CAR WAS DRIVEN UP HILL FOR ABOUT 1/2 MILE WITH THE SUPERCHARGER ENGAGED THE WHOLE TIME. WE PARKED AT THE TOP OF THE HILL AND WENT INTO THE HOUSE. 10 MINUTES LATER A NEIGHBOR INFORMED US THAT THE CAR WAS ON FIRE. 14 FOOT FLAMES FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO PUT IT OUT. THE CAR WAS TOTALLED. IT WAS ONLY BY THE GRACE OF GOD THAT WE HAD NOT PULLED OUR CAR INTO OUR GARAGE AND GONE TO BED WHEN THIS HAPPENED. AT THE LEAST, OUR HOUSE WOULD HAVE BEEN BURNED TO THE GROUND. AT THE WORST MY FAMILY WOULD HAVE BEEN BURNED ALIVE.*AK

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. WHILE BACKING THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY IT BECAME STUCK IN THE SNOW. THE CONTACT LEFT THE VEHICLE, AND 20 MINUTES LATER HE HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND SAW FLAMES COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT STATED HE DID NOT LEAVE THE VEHICLE RUNNING. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE FIRE WAS CONTAINED TO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WERE 135,000. *AK UPDATED 04/12/07. *JB

I DROVE THIS VEHICLE HOME FROM WORK, APPROXIMATELY 25 MILES. PARKED IN MY GARAGE AND WENT IN THE HOUSE, APPROXIMATELY 10-15 MINUTES LATER, MY WIFE, DAUGHTER AND I LEFT TO GO OUT TO EAT, WE DROVE 10 MILES TO THE RESTAURANT. WE WERE IN THE RESTAURANT NO MORE LATE 10 MINUTES WHEN SOMEONE COMMENTED THERE WAS A VEHICLE OUT FRONT SMOKING, I REALIZED THAT IT WAS OUR VEHICLE, AND WENT OUTSIDE, I APPROACHED THE CAR AND SMELLED A BURNING SMELL VS. OVERHEATING SMELL. I LIFTED HOOD AND SAW THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE, I PROCEEDED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE WITH NEARBY SNOW, AND WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. FIRE DEPT WAS CALLED TO MAKE SURE FIRE WAS OUT. I THEN A CALLED TOW COMPANY AND THE HAD CAR TOWED BACK TO MY HOME. THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. MOST OF FIRE WAS CONTAINED TO ENGINE AREA, NO DAMAGE TO PAINT, AND SOME UNDERHOOD INSULATION CHARRED. *JB

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO INSERT THE SEAT BELT LATCH INTO THE BUCKLE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE 1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY INFORMED HIM HE SHOULD REPLACE THE SEAT BELT LATCH ASSEMBLY. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE SEAT BELT LATCH ASSEMBLY, AND HAD NOT ANY PROBLEMS WITH INSERTING THE SEAT BELT. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAD 62000 MILES.*AK

I WENT TO THE STORE, DROVE ABOUT 40 FEET AND GOT STUCK IN SNOW. REALIZED I WAS BOTTOMED OUT IN SNOW WHEN I OPENED MY DOOR. I DIDN'T TRY TO GET UNSTUCK. I SHUT OFF ENGINE AND WENT INTO HOUSE. SEVERAL MINUTES LATER, I HEARD A NOISE AND LOOKED OUT AND SAW FLAMES SHOOTING FROM UNDER HOOD. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED 911 AND FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS THERE WITHIN 5 MINUTES AND TRUCK WAS THERE WITHIN 10. THEY IMMEDIATELY ASKED ME IF THE CAR WAS LEFT RUNNING AT THE TIME THE FIRE STARTED. I SAID,"NO, I WAS INSIDE AT LEAST 20 MINUTES BEFORE I HEARD THIS NOISE AND LOOKED OUT." THE ENGINE AND FRONT END OF CAR IS A COMPLETE LOSS. CRACKED WINDSHIELD, MELTED LOWER LEFT HAND CORNER OF WINDSHIELD AND FRONT OF INSTRUMENT PANEL. THEIR WERE NO FLAMES THAT REACHED THE INSIDE THRU THE FIREWALL. UNFORTUNATELY I AM NOT INSURED AND WIFE AND I ARE DISABLED, THE CAR BEING OUR ONLY SOURCE OF TRANSPORTATION. THROUGHOUT THE WEBSITES I RESEARCHED, I SAW SEVERAL DOZEN PEOPLE WITH THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES AS I HAD WITH THEIR GRAND PRIX GTP'S. FIREMAN SAID CAUSE WAS UNKNOWN, BUT LOOKS LIKE IT MAY HAVE BEEN ELECTRICAL OR MAYBE FUEL RELATED. *JB

WINDSHIELD WIPERS PARK IN WRONG POSITION WHEN SNOWING OR ICY OUTSIDE. THIS CAUSES WIPER ARMS TO CRISS-CROSS AND BEND BADLY AND BECOMES DANGEROUS WHEN CONDITIONS ARE BAD OUTSIDE. *NM