1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX Complaints

WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH AND UPON TURNING INTO A RESIDENTIAL STREET SMOKE STARTING COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER'S SEAT. UPON EXISTING THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER'S SEAT WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THERE WAS A LARGE BURNT HOLE, THE SIZE OF A BASKET BALL IN THE CENTER OF SEAT. THE FIRE REACHED THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT. A GM INVESTIGATOR, AFTER INSPECTION, INDICATED THAT AN UMBRELLA CAUSED THE FIRE. THE UMBRELLA WAS ON THE FLOOR IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE, BUT HAD NOT BURNED, MELTED OR SCOURED MARKS ON IT. *AK THE MOTOR WIRING IN THE ELECTRIC SEAT WAS FOUND TO BE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. *SC *JB

INTAKE GASKET FAILURE ON MY 1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX 6 CYLINDER 191 M 3.1L SFI ENGINE WAS TOLD BY GM BECAUSE CAR HAS OVER 100,000 MILES THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO HELP. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND GM HAS A TSB STATING THAT THE MATERIAL USED FOR THE GASKET WAS DEFECTIVE IF THAT IS THE CASE WHAT DOES MILAGE HAVE TO DO WITH IT?*AK

1. HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH WINDSHIELD WIPERS FOR PAST 2 YEARS 2. WIPERS STAY IN UPRIGHT POSITION IMPAIRING VISION 3. AM NOW HAVING REPAIRS DONE AT MY OWN EXPENSE. GM KNOWS THERE HAS BEEN A PROBLEM AND HAD A RECALL ON SOME OLDER MODELS (MY SON'S - THIS IS HOW I KNOW) AND REFUSES TO REPAIR ALL VEHICLES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE E-MAILED MY COMPLAINT TO THEM AMD HAVE GOTTEN THE RUN AROUND.*AK

THE FRONT LENS COVERS ARE FALLING OFF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER HAS NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR. *JB

THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT BELT WAS SHREDDED. NO PASSENGER CAN SIT IN THE SEAT. THE SEAT BELTS HAVE PRACTICALLY SPLIT IN HALF.*AK

1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX RACK AND PINION PROBLEMS THAT ARE IDENTICAL TO THE DESCRIPTION IN THE RECALL, BUT MY VIN # WAS NOT ONE THAT WAS INCLUDED...I'VE TRIED TO RESOLVE THIS WITH GM AND THE LOCAL PONTIAC DEALERSHIPS AND TO NO AVAIL I COULD NOT GET THEM TO EVEN LOOK AT THE CAR TO INSPECT IT TO SEE IF IT HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS (RETAINER TABS WERE NOT CRIMPED PROPERLY) BECAUSE IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS INTERNAL AND IT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED ONCE IT WAS OPENED AND EXPLORED..THAT'S WHAT I GATHERED FROM TALKING TO 2 DIFFERENT PEOPLE AT THE 2 LOCAL PONTIAC DEALERSHIPS....AND AFTER READING THE RECALL I HAVE NOW LEARNED THAT IT COULD CAUSE SERIOUS IMPACT IF THIS WERE TO BREAK WHILE BEING DRIVEN..WHICH WHEN I TOOK THE CAR IN APPROX. 4 MONTHS AGO TO GET AN ESTIMATE TO WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR THEY NEVER TOLD ME THAT IT COULD PERHAPS CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IT THEY WERE TO BREAK WHILE TRYING TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AND THEN NOT BEING ABLE TO PROCEED ON WITH YOUR DRIVING INTENTIONS, THEY ONLY TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD GET HARDER AND HARDER TO STEER UNTIL IT FINALLY LOCKED UP. I WAS HOPING SOMEONE WOULD REVIEW THIS AND HELP TO RESOLVE IT. THANKS, JENNIFER FIORILLI 1/19/2005

ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS THE HEADLIGHT LENS CAME OFF. HOW THEY CAME WAS UNDETERMINED? DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT PART WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AND UPON MAKING RIGHT OR LEFT TURN VEHICLE LOSES POWER. ONCE STRAIGHTENING THE VEHICLE UP CONSUMER CAN PROCEED TO DRIVE. THERE IS RECALL 02V286000 CONCERNING POWER STEERING ASSEMBLY, WHICH THE CONSUMER STATES IS THE PROBLEM. *AK

THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO A MECHANIC TO HAVE THE RACK AND PINION REPLACED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE PART. THE CONSUMER RETRIEVED THE VEHICLE, BUT IT MADE A LOUD NOISE. THE DEALER CALLED THE CONSUMER TO STATE THE RECALL PART WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

CAR IS MAKING A POPPING NOISE WHILE TURNING. HAPPENS MOSTLY AT LOWER SPEEDS. HAD RACK AND PINION REPLACED, BUT PROBLEM STILL THERE.*AK