2000 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX Complaints

WAS ENTERING HWY 285 NORTHBOUND WHEN FELLOW MOTORIST CAUGHT MY ATTENTION THAT FIRE WAS COMING OUT THE BOTTOM OF MY CAR. TRIED TO STOP BUT DIDNT HAVE ANY BRAKES, SO I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND JUMPED OUT AS THE FLAMES ENGULFED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE CAR. I FEEL THAT IT WAS DUE TO A DEFECTED RECALL PART THAT WAS SUPPOSE TO PREVENT WHAT HAS HAPPEN TO MY CAR. I WAS THE SECOND OWNER OF THIS CAR WHICH WAS GARAGED AND IN IMMACULATE CONDITION. *TR

BRAKE WARNING LIGHT CAME INDICATING LOW FLUID LEVEL. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT ONE OF THE BRAKE LINES HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND WAS LEAKING FLUID. VEHICLE WAS GARAGE KEPT, SELDOM DRIVEN IN THE WINTER TIME, HAS LOW MILEAGE AND NO VISIBLE SURFACE RUST. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN PARKING THE VEHICLE FOR SEVERAL HOURS AND LATER RE-ENTERING THE VEHICLE, THE ALARM WOULD MALFUNCTION ACTING AS IF SHE WAS ATTEMPTING TO STEAL THE VEHICLE. THE ALARM WOULD SOUND AND THE DOOR LOCKS WOULD AUTOMATICALLY LOCK HER IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE THEY ADVISED HER TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. IN ADDITION, THE TAIL LIGHTS AND THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. THE FUEL GAUGE WOULD ALSO FAIL SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 188,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 192,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE INTERIOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED INDEPENDENTLY. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE KEY BECAME LODGED IN THE IGNITION SWITCH PREVENTING HIM FROM TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 138,000.

CAR WAS DRIVING PERFECTLY FINE. PARKED MY CAR AT THE BACK OF THE BALLY'S PARKING LOT. THOUGHT I SMELLED SOMETHING FUNNY. WAITED 3 MINUTES THEN SAW SOME WHITE SMOKE COMING OUT OF BOTH SIDES OF HOOD OF CAR. I THOUGHT WHITE SMOKE MEANT OVERHEATED (WHICH HAS NEVER HAPPENED TO CAR) I POPPED THE HOOD AND THE THERE WERE FLAMES COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE. CALLED 911. POLICE AND FIRE CAME AND PUT IT OUT WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHER. I WILL NEED TO GET CAR TOWED SOMEWHERE, HOWEVER IT CAN BE EXAMINED FOR ROOT CAUSE. *TR

CAR WAS PARKED ABOUT 10 MINS. BEFORE SOMEONE NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER HOOD. HOOD WAS OPENED AND FIRE WAS PUT OUT BY WATER. FIRE DEPT WAS CALLED AND THEY JUST MADE SURE FIRE WAS OUT. MUCH OF THE TOP OF THE ENGINE WAS MELTED AND HARNESS' WERE MELTED AND BURNT. WE KNOW THE RECALL FOR THIS CAR FOR FIRES WAS DONE IN 2009, YET IT STILL CAUGHT FIRE. *TR

I WAS PULLING OUT TO CROSS BUSY FOUR LANE. A CAR COMING FROM RIGHE SWITCHED LANES AND TURNED IN FRONT OF ME. I APPLIED BRAKES SMARTLY BUT DID NOT APPLY HARD ENOUGH TO SLIDE OR SQUEAL TIRES. AFTER THAT I CONTINUED ABOUT A MILE AND STARTED TO BRAKE FOR A STOP LIGHT. BRAKES FELT AS IF SOME AIR WAS IN SYSTEM (NOT FULLY BLED). NEXT I APPLIED AGAIN FOR ANOTHER LIGHT. CONDITION WORSENED. BY THE TIME I RETURNED TO MY RESIDENCE, ABOUT THREE MILES AWAY, I HAD TO USE EMERGENY BRAKE. ALL FLUID WAS GONE FROM MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR. I PLACED CAR ON JACK, REFILLED RESERVOIR AND PUMPED BRAKES, AND FOUND THAT ABOUT 2 TO 3 INCHES OF BRAKE LINES DIRECTLY UNDER DRIVERS FLOOR, ON THE SLOPED PART GOING UPWARD TO MASTER CYLINDER ,WERE SEVERELY CORRODED AND HAD FAILED (PIN HOLE). LINE ABOVE LOOKS NEW AND LINE BELOW THE AREA LOOKS NEW. ALSO THE CAR IS VERY CLEAN AND NON RUSTED ON BOTTOM. THIS CAR HAS BEEN PAMPERED SINCE WE PURCHASED FROM DEALER AT 18,000 MILES. THIS IS CLEARLY A MATERIALS ISSUE AS THE PART THAT IS CORRODED IS IN A SLOPED AREA WHICH WOULD NATURALLY DRAIN OFF ANY MOISTURE THAT COLLECTS. ADDITIONALLY FUEL LINES AND ADJACENT TO THE BRAKE LINES ARE ALSO CORRODED. I SUSPECT THAT LINES WERE DAMAGED WHEN ORIGINALLY BENT, PROBABLY PEIRCING THE OUTER CORROSION COATING. THIS SHOULD BE COVERED BY A RECALL. I SEARCHED FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES ON LINE AND FOUND FIVE COMPLAINTS THAT EXACTLY DUPLICATE MY PROBLEM. THIS FAILURE MODE BYPASSES THE SAFETY DESIGN OF THE MASTER CYLINDER WHICH IS DESIGNED TO KEEP EITHER FRONT OR REAR BRAKES WORKING IF THE OTHER FAILS. IT IS CATASTROPHIC AND WILL (OR PROBABLY HAS) CAUSED INJURY OR DEATH. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *TT

I WAS TRAVELING TO WORK AT AROUND 5:30AM AND STARTED TO PASS A SEMI TRUCK WHEN THE SEMI SIGNALED TO COME OVER TOO THE PASSING LANE AS WELL TO PASS A SLOWER MOVING TRUCK IN FRONT OF HIM. I LET OFF THE GAS PEDAL AND SIGNAL FOR THE TRUCK TO MANEUVER INTO THE PASSING LANE. I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND HAD NO STOPPING POWER. THEN THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, SO I TURNED ON MY HAZARD LIGHTS TO MOVE TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. I GOT OUT AND CHECKED THE FLUID LEVEL IN THE MASTER CYLINDER TO FIND THAT THERE WAS NONE VISIBLE. I CALL MY BROTHER TO COME AND TOW ME AND THE CAR HOME, WHICH WAS ABOUT 6 MILES FROM THE HOUSE. AFTER I LIFTED THE CAR AND PUT BRAKE FLUID IN THE MASTER CYLINDER, I FOUND THAT THE BRAKE LINE HAD RUPTURED WHERE THE FUEL LINE AND THE BRAKE FLUID LINE COME TOGETHER IN THE REAR OF THE CAR. I HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS TO THE BRAKE LINE SYSTEM OF $255 OF MY OWN MONIES! THANKS PONTIAC FOR POSSIBLY CAUSING THE LOSS OF LIFE OR INJURY TO MYSELF, MY FAMILY, AND ANY OTHER MISFORTUNES THAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED BECAUSE OF YOUR LACK OF A IMPROPER, UNRELIABLE AND UNSAFE BRAKING SYSTEM!!! AS THIS IS NOT THE ONLY REPORT OF THIS FAILURE, I HOPE AND PRAY IT DOES NOT COME TO SOMEONE LOSING A LIFE BEFORE YOU ADMIT YOUR MISTAKES AND FAILURES! *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 30 MPH WHEN THE BRAKE WAS DEPRESSED BUT DID NOT IMMEDIATELY RESPOND. THE CONTACT HAD TO CONTINUE PUMPING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO GET A RESPONSE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKE LINE GOING TO THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT ALL OF THE BRAKE LINES WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 106,000.

MY PLACE OF BUSINESS IS LESS THAN 5 MILES AWAY, GOT TO WORK SHUT OFF CAR AND IN LESS THAN 5 MINUTES THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS ON FIRE. *TR