2002 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX Complaints

WE WERE ON OUR WAY TO MY FATHER IN LAW'S FUNERAL AND THE BRAKES WENT OUT. THEN THE ACCELERATOR STUCK. I TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND WE ROLLED TO A STOP, THEN THERE WAS A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. *TR

DRIVING IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA IN ANNANDALE, VA. APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A SHOP AND THE BRAKE LINES WERE COMPLETELY RUST THROUGH! THIS IS A 9 YEAR OLD CAR! WHAT KIND OF MATERIAL IS GM USING FOR THEIR BRAKE LINE! *TR

MY FORMER VEHICLE, A 2002 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX, HAD A SAFETY RECALL TO PREVENT "ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE." I HAD THAT RECALL FIXED ON SEPTEMBER 22, 2011. ON OCTOBER 23, 2011, I DROVE IT FROM WORK TO HOME, APPROXIMATELY THREE MILES. MYSELF AND PASSENGER PARKED, AND TOOK A FEW THINGS INSIDE. WE NOTICED A BURNING SMELL, LIKE PLASTIC AND A FAINT ELECTRICAL SMELL, AND THOUGHT SOMEONE WAS BURNING TRASH, AS I HAD NEVER SMELLED THAT FROM MY VEHICLE BEFORE. I WENT RIGHT BACK OUT TO GET SOMETHING, AND SAW SMOKE BILLOWING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I POPPED THE HOOD, AND SAW THE GLOW OF FIRE; WE GRABBED FIRE EXTINGUISHERS, AND PUT OUT THE FIRE, WHICH WAS LOCATED IN PART ON THE PLASTIC HOOD COVER OVER THE ENGINE. THE CAR WAS DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS AFTER ABOUT A WEEK OF SHUFFLING IT AROUND AND CALLING FOR PARTS. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, IT APPEARS THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES, INCLUDING OTHERS LIKE MYSELF, WHOSE ENGINE CAUGHT AFTER FIXING THE RECALL. THERE ARE ALSO SUGGESTIONS THAT THE PART FIXED ON THE RECALL IS NOT THE TRUE ORIGIN OF THE PROBLEM. THEN AGAIN, GM'S FIX FOR THE OIL SPLASHING OVER THE MANIFOLD IT IS TO PUT ON SPARK PLUG WIRE RETAINERS. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS, AND I HESITATE TO THINK WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING, POSSIBLY WITH PASSENGERS, WHEN IT CAUGHT FIRE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER AND THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY AN OPEN RECALL ON THE VEHICLE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V118000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE IN REPAIRING THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 102,000.

BOUGHT A USED 2002 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GT ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO AND SAFETY INSPECTION SHEET SAID CAR WAS UP TO PAR. NOT SO, JUST AFTER BUYING THE CAR THE SWAY BAR LINK WAS FOUND TO BE ALMOST BROKEN AND THE BRAKES FAILED JUST AFTER 5000 MILES. PARTS WERE REPLACED FOR BOTH AND THE OLD PARTS TO THE BRAKES ARE AVAILABLE TO VIEW. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX SE SEDAN WITH ONLY 42,000 MILES AND I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE ALL THE POWER WINDOWS BECAUSE THEY JUST WENT DOWN AND I REPACED THE PART AT A GREAT EXPENSE. I NOW HAVE A LIFETIME WARRANTY ON THE LAST PART COSTIN G $96.00 WHY WASN'T THERE A LIFETIME WARRANTY ON THE ORIGINAL CAR? EACH REPAIRMAN SAID THAT IS THE TROUBLE WITH PONTIAC. *TT

AFTER MY VEHICLE STARTS MOVING, THE FUEL GAUGE RISES TO SHOW THAT THE FUEL TANK IS AT LEAST 2/3 TO 3/4 FULL. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE WHEN THE TANK IS LESS THAN 1/4 FULL. CURRENTLY, THE ONLY WAY I CAN BE REASONABLY SURE HOW MUCH FUEL IS IN MY TANK IS TO RESET THE TRIP ODOMETER EVERY TIME I FILL UP. I READ IN THE NEWSPAPER ABOUT SIMILAR OCCURRENCES IN 2005-2007 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZERS, GMC ENVOYS, BUICK RANIER, AND SAAB 9-7X VEHICLES. THE ARTICLE WENT ON TO SAY THAT NHTSA IS CURRENTLY INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENTS. IT IS DIFFICULT TO SAY WHEN THIS FUEL GAUGE BEHAVIOR STARTED ON MY VEHICLE, THE DETERIORATION HAS BEEN GRADUAL. HOWEVER, IT HAS BECOME SO BAD NOW THAT I REALLY DO NOT TRUST THE READING ON MY FUEL GAUGE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 70 MPH AND NOTICED SMOKE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE CONTACT STATED THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE ALSO BEGAN TO INCREASE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY BEFORE THE VEHICLE IGNITED. THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE NOTIFIED TO ASSIST WITH THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE AND DECLARED DESTROYED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

I HAVE OWNED MY 2002 GRAND PRIX FOR ABOUT 7 YEARS. ON JUNE 8, 2011 ABOUT 6:30 P.M. MY CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE BY JUST BEING PARKED. I CALLED THE CUSTOMER SERVICE WHERE THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD BE 7 DAYS BEFORE A REP GOT IN CONTACT WITH ME. I HAVE NO MONEY AND I NEED A CAR. WHEN WILL SOMEONE TAKE THIS SERIOUS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS REALLY HURT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START DUE TO A MALFUNCTION IN THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THE KEY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE KEY WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THE VEHICLE TOOK LONG PERIODS OF TIME TO START BECAUSE THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM WAS NOT RECOGNIZING THE KEY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000.