2001 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR ONE AND HALF MILES, IT BEGAN SMOKING AND CAUGHT FIRE TEN MINUTES LATER WHILE PARKED. THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. A FEW DAYS PRIOR TO THE FIRE, THE CONTACT NOTICED A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE IT WAS PARKED. IN NOVEMBER OF 2008, GM INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V118000. AT THAT TIME, THE DEALER STATED THAT IT WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $400 TO REPAIR THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT COULD NOT REMEMBER WHAT THE DEALER STATED CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 95,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. ON MARCH 26, 2009, THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE GARAGE TO HAVE IT WASHED. TEN MINUTES AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN BACK IN THE GARAGE, IT CAUGHT FIRE. THE GARAGE WAS DAMAGED. A REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO INVESTIGATE THE FAILURE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AS WELL AS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S INCIDENT NUMBER 09-0000788. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 90,000.

I PURCHASED TWO NEW FIRESTONE AFFINITY TOURING BL TIRES FOR A 2001 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX (FRONT). LESS THAN ONE MONTH LATER, ONE OF THE TIRES DEVELOPED A BULGE IN THE SIDEWALL. IT WAS REPLACED WITH THE SAME MODEL TIRE. ABOUT ONE WEEK LATER, THAT TIRE HAD A SIDEWALL BLOWOUT. IN BOTH INSTANCES, THE TIRE SHOP TRIED TO SAY THAT WE HAD HIT SOMETHING. IN BOTH INSTANCES, WE HAD NOT. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE CAR OR RIM. I BELIEVE THAT THERE COULD BE SERIOUS SIDEWALL DEFECTS WITH THESE TIRES. I FELT THAT I SHOULD REGISTER THIS COMPLAINT IN CASE THIS IS AN EARLY SIGN OF A SERIOUS PROBLEM. *TR

2001 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX RECALL FOR FRONT ROCKER ARM GASKET. CONSUMER IS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH GETTING THE RECALL PERFORMED. *NJ THE CONSUMER WENT TO THE DEALER 2 TIMES TO TRY AND GET THE RECALL FIXED. THE FIRST TIME SHE WAS TOLD THE REPLACEMENT WAS NOT NEEDED AND IF SHE PAID $75.00 THE DEALER WOULD STEAM CLEAN THE ENGINE TO VERIFY A POSSIBLE OIL LEAK. THE SECOND TIME SHE VISITED THE DEALER, SHE WAS TOLD SHE NEEDED TO PAY $400.00 TO REPLACE A SEAT BELT TENSIONER SO THE TECHNICIAN COULD REPLACE THE VALVE COVER GASKET. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. *JB

I HAVE THREE COMPLAINTS. 1. WINDOW ISSUES: I HAVE HAD TO HAVE REPAIR WORK DONE ON TWO WINDOWS. THE FIRST ONE FELL DOWN AND WAS REPAIRED WITHOUT HAVING TO REPLACE THE MOTOR OR ANYTHING, BUT IT STILL COST ABOUT $150 IN LABOR. THE SECOND TIME I HAD A WINDOW NOT WORKING, IT WAS THE SWITCH IN THE DOOR. MY PARENTS HAVE A CAR LIKE MINE AND HAVE HAD TO HAVE EXPENSIVE WINDOW MECHANICS REPLACEMENT DONE AS WELL. 2. ANOTHER PROBLEM I AM HAVING NOW IS WITH THE SWITCH FOR THE REAR LIGHTS. IT HAS QUIT WORKING AND THE PART ALONE WILL COST ABOUT $350. THE MECHANIC SAYS THAT HE HAS HAD TO REPLACE SEVERAL OF THESE HIMSELF, AND HE IS A PRIVATE BUSINESSMAN. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM THAT RECURS WITH THE GRAND PRIX BECAUSE IT IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE. 3. IN CHECKING AFTER MY MECHANIC SAID THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ABOUT THE REAR LIGHT SWITCH, I HAVE FOUND 5 RECALLS FOR WHICH I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED ANY NOTIFICATION. I DO NOT KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN TO GET THESE CORRECTED. *TR

A FEW DAYS AGO, I'VE HAD A THIRD WINDOW MALFUNCTION. THREE MY WINDOWS DROPPED DOWN INSIDE OF THE DOOR. THE FIRST WINDOW DID THIS THE FIRST WEEK I BOUGH THE CAR(7/06) AND WAS NOT COVERED BY MY WARRANTY. THE SECOND WINDOW STOPPED WORKING OVER 6 MOS AGO AND NOW THE THIRD ONE. I KNOW SOMEONE ELSE WHO HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AND STARTED WITH HER BACK WINDOWS. THE WINTER MONTHS ARE HERE AND I HAVE KIDS THAT ARE ASTHMATIC. I WAS GIVEN A QUOTE OF $ 300 TO REPLACE MECHANISM OF EACH WINDOW! HOW TERRIBLE FOR SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT CAUSED ON MY PART. *TR

LOWER AND/OR UPPER MANIFOLD CRACKED/ GASKET 4 TIMES. 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008- LEAKING ENGINE COOLANT. THE FIRST 2 TIMES THE REPAIRS WERE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. IN JULY 2007, HAD IT REPAIRED AGAIN AT THE PONTIAC DEALER FOR $1000. DISCOVERED PROBLEM HAS RE-OCCURRED AND COOLANT IS LEAKING AGAIN AS OF DEC. 2008. CANNOT AFFORD ANOTHER REPAIR OUT OF POCKET. JUST TRYING TO KEEP COOLANT LEVELS UP BY RE-FILLING AND KEEPING IT PARKED AWAY FROM THE HOUSE AND OTHER VEHICLES FOR FEAR OF FIRE. *TR

MY WIFE DROVE OUR 2001 PONT. GRAND PRIX GT APPROX. 12 MILES FROM OUR HOME TO A PET STORE. PARKED THE VEHICLE AND PROCEEDED INTO THE STORE AFTER APPROX. 5 MINS. LATER SOMEONE SAID THERE WAS A SILVER CAR ON FIRE IN THE PARKING LOT. WELL UNFORTUNATELY IT WAS OURS. A BYSTANDER OPENED THE HOOD AND DUMPED SNOW ON IT AND ANOTHER RETRIEVED A FIRE EXT. AND WERE ABLE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. FIRE ORIGINATED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. 911 WAS CALLED AND FIRE DEPT., POLICE AND FIRE MARSHALL WERE ON SCENE. CAR HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED WITH REGULAR SERVICE. I SEE NO REASON AS TO HOW THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED. THANKFULLY IT DIDN'T HAPPEN WHEN MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ALONG THE HIGHWAY. LOOKING FORWARD TO A RESPONSE AS TO WHAT I SEE THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ALMOST COMMON OCCURRENCE. *TR

I OWN A 2001 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GT WITH A 3.8L ENGINE. ON OCT 31, 2008, MY SON DROVE INTO HIS MOTHER'S DRIVEWAY AND PARKED THE CAR (ENGINE OFF) AND WENT INTO THE HOUSE. A FEW MINUTES LATER (5-10) HE RETURNED TO RETRIEVE SOMETHING FROM THE CAR AND DISCOVERED THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE IS SERVICED REGULARLY AND RAN LIKE A TOP. NO ISSUES UNTIL NOW. ONLY THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS AFFECTED BY THE FIRE, BUT INSURANCE SAYS THAT IT IS A TOTAL LOSS DUE TO EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO EXTERNAL ENGINE PARTS AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS. *TR

DRIVE LIKE NORMAL TO AND FROM WORK. WONT DRIVE ANYWHERE ELSE AS IT CONSTANTLY SMOKES FROM THE ENGINE. I HAVE NO HEAT AND THE SMELL FROM THE ENGINE IS HORRIBLE. STILL AWAITING TO HEAR FROM GM AS TO WHEN I CAN GET IT REPAIRED AS IT IS A 2001 MODEL WHICH IS STILL AWAITING ITS OFFICIAL RECALL AND PARTS NOTICE. I LIVE IN MASSACHUSETTS AND IT IS GOING TO BE A WONDERFUL WINTER WITH NO HEAT. CAN NOT AFFORD TO FIX MYSELF. *TR