1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX Complaints

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT YHE 1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GTP, HA HAD WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR PROBLEMS. T IN 2001 HE HAD THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS MAY STOP WORKING DUE TO A SEPARATION BETWEEN THE DRIVE PIN AND THE CRESCENT IN THE CRANK ASSEMBLY. WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN THE DRIVE'S PIN SEPARATED AGAIN ,AND DRIVER'S SIDE WIPER STOPPED WORKING AGAIN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE CONTACTED GENERAL MOTOR TO TRY AND GET THEM TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE CONTACT FOUND A RECALL 99V348000 WITH THE SAME PROBLEM ON THE 1997 PONTIAC GRAN PRIX. THE CONTACT FELT THAT ALL GRAND PRIX VEHICLES WITH THIS TYPE OF PIN IN THE WIPER SHOULD BE ON THE RECALL. THE CONTACT CALLED GM AND FILED A COMPLAINT WITH CASE# 71-481-566-952. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 104000, AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62000.*AK

DROVE 15 MINUTES AND PARKED THE CAR AND WENT INSIDE THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE. WITHIN 10 MINUTES AFTER SHUTTING MY CAR OFF ENGINE COMPARTMENT BURST INTO FLAMES. FIRE NEAR FRONT TOP OF THE ENGINE. FIRE DEPARTMENT DEEMED AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS WITHIN 15 MINUTES. *NM

I HIT A VERY SMALL POTHOLE. HEARD CLUNKING AND RUBBING NOISES. WAS TOLD SWAY BAR WAS CRACKED RIGHT IN HALF, NOT TO DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE IT WOULD CREATE TENSION ON OTHER PARTS. HAD CAR TOWED. SWAY BAR WAS REPLACED. OWNER OF THE GARAGE THAT DID THE WORK SAID THIS REPAIR WAS QUITE COMMON IN THIS CAR. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE AT A GAS STATION THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WITHOUT WARNING. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND DETERMINED THE FIRE WAS CONFINED TO THE ENGINE AREA. A REPORT WAS FILED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED TOTALED AND TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT REMAINS. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED. *AK

MY 1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GTP HAS HAD MULTIPLE FAILURES OF THE WIPER ASSEMBLY, LEAVING ME IN DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. THESE FAILURES OCCUR PRIMARILY IN WINTER BUT SOMETIMES IN WARMER WEATHER. THE WIPERS FAIL TO FUNCTION WITH LITTLE OR NO WARNING, AND ARE EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR. *JB

DEX COOL CAUSE INTAKE MANIFOLD TO FAIL CAUSING COOLANT TO ENTER ENGINE. REPLACE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET AND FLUSH OUT DEX COOL REPLACE WITH GREEN COOLANT, FLUSH ENGINE TO REMOVE COOLANT IN ENGINE. TOTAL COST 600.00 CAN GET THE OLD PART. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACTED STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT OR RIGHT SHARP TURN AT ANY SPEED THERE IS A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. IT WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION WHERE THE MECHANIC DETECTED A PROBLEM WITH THE LOWER RACK AND PINION BEARINGS. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 02V053000, REGARDING THE STEERING: RACK AND PINION. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.

MY LOW COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON DURING A DRIVE AND WOULDN'T GO AWAY EVEN AFTER I FILLED THE RESERVOIR. I TOOK IT TO BE SERVICED AT A AAA FACILITY WHERE THEY GAVE ME THE NEWS THAT THE INTAKE HAD A LEAK SUCH THAT AIR AND OIL HAD MIXED IN WITH THE COOLANT. THEY SAID THAT THE INTAKE SHOULD BE RECALLED BECAUSE THEY HAVE HAD TO REPLACE SO MANY OF THEM ON THIS VEHICLE. IT COST $860 PLUS TO FIX. *JB

WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN ONTO A SECONDARY ROAD, SPEED AT ABOUT 10-12 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEEMED TO LOCK-UP HALF WAY THROUGH THE TURN, I IMMEDIATELY SLOWED TO 2-3 MPH AND WAS ABLE, WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY, TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL ENOUGH TO COMPLETE THE TURN. WHILE STEERING TO STRAIGHTEN THE WHEELS THE POWER STEERING APPEARED TO RETURN SUDDENLY AND CAUSED THE CAR TO LUNGE TO THE RIGHT. THE PROBLEM APPEARED TO BE INCONSISTENT AS IT DID NOT ALWAYS "LOCK-UP" WHILE MAKING THE SAME TURN EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF BACKING UP (WHEELS TURNED TO THE RIGHT). EVERY DAY I LEAVE WORK THE SAME WAY. AS SOON AS I ATTEMPT TO GO FORWARD AND STEER TO THE LEFT THE POWER STEERING APPEARS TO FAIL. SUSPECTING THAT THE PROBLEM WAS JUST A BAD PART THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED I BEGAN SEARCHING THE INTERNET FOR PARTS. I FOUND THE SAFETY RECALL NOTICE AT "AUTOBUYGUIDE.COM". UPON FURTHER RESEARCH OF THE PROBLEM, I FOUND THAT MOST PEOPLE DO NOT REPORT PROBLEMS LIKE THIS. SO IN THE INTEREST OF "STATISTICAL ACCURACY" I AM REPORTING THAT I HAVE THIS PROBLEM WITH MY 1998 PONTIAC GRAN PRIX GT (~125,000 MILES). I HAVE CONTACTED A LOCAL DEALER TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT BUT I HAD TO LEAVE A MESSAGE. NO RESPONSE AT THIS POINT. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT END MADE A POPPING NOISE AT ANY SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE TIRES. THE REPAIR SHOP FOUND A RECALL, #02V286000 FOR THE RACK AND PINION AND DETERMINED THE POPPING WAS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE RACK AND PINION. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER, IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.