1997 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX Complaints

CONTACT STATES: HAS A 1997 GRAND PRIX, THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD FLASH ON/OFF INTERMITTENTLY; THE BLOWER FANS WOULD ALMOST ALWAYS GO OFF, AND HAD NO HEAT OR DEFROSTER. HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEM FIXED. STATED THAT IT TURNED OUT IT WAS THE IGNITION SWITCH. *AK

ROCKER PANEL IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. CONTACTED PONTIAC AND THEY WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. MY CAR IS A '97 AND I HAVE OLDER CARS THAT DID NOT RUST AS BAD AS THIS. *AK

I HAVE A 1997 PONTAIC GRAND PRIX. THE HEADLIGHT LENS (GLASS) COMES OFF WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD. THIS CREATES AN UNSAFE CONDITION BEING THAT THERE IS A PROJECTILE THAT COULD HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE OR A PEDESTRIAN AND CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY. IN CALLING AROUND TO FIND A REPLACEMENT LENS, I FOUND THAT THIS HAPPENS A LOT AND THE SALAVAGE YARDS SELL THEM AS FAST AS THEY GET THEM IN. THAT IS A LOT OF LENS COVERS FLYING AROUND ON THE HIGHWAYS. IT IS EVEN TAKING A DEALERSHIP A WHILE TO ORDER ONE, SINCE THEY ALSO CAN NOT KEEP THEM IN STOCK. I HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING IT MINE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE, AS IT WAS THERE WHEN I LEFT AND GONE WHEN I GOT TO MY DESTINATION. I HEARD A NOISE LIKE A STONE OR SOMETHING HITTING THE CAR, BUT WAS NOT AWARE OF WHAT IT REALLY WAS. IF PONTAIC KNOWS THERE IS A PROBLEM THEY SHOULD BE RECALLED AND THEY SHOULD FIX THE PROBLEM.*AK

WHILE SITTING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. VEHICLE DID NOT HIT OR RUN OVER ANY DEBRIS. TODAY, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY WITHOUT RUNNING OVER OR HITTING ANY DEBRIS. *AK

I HAVE A 1997 GRAND PRIX WITH A 3.8 LITER V6 THAT HAS A LEAKING INTAKE MANIFOLD WHICH I HAVE BEEN TOLD IS A COMMON PROBLEM. THE CAR LEAKS ABOUT A QUART OF COOLANT A MONTH AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS GOING TO GET WORSE QUICKLY IF I DON'T HAVE IT REPAIRED. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT LOSS OF COOLANT COULD LEAD TO COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE. DOING SOME RESEARCH, I SEE THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE. IT IS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR THAT IS REQUIRED DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW RATHER THAN WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER WEAR.

THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, BECAUSE THE VEHICLE ENGINE COULD OVERHEAT DUE TO LOSS OF COOLANT OR LEAVE YOUR FAMILY STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE. GENERAL MOTORS PONTIAC DIVISION BULLETIN 01-06-01-007A ISSUED 07/18/2001, PROVIDES LIMITED INFORMATION ON THE PROBLEM. ON MANY OF THE GM CARS FROM 1995 THROUGH 1998, THAT USE THE 3.8L ENGINE THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW. THE EGR PASSAGE MELTS THE UPPER INTAKE PLENUM, SO THE COMPOSITE MATERIAL DEGRADES AROUND THE EGR STOVEPIPE AND COULD (AND DOES IN MANY CASES) RESULT IN THE INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL LOSS OF COOLANT. MY CAR IS A 1997 GRAND PRIX. THEY CHARGED ME $1283.47 TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY THEIR DESIGN FLAW, INSTEAD OF RECALLING THE VEHICLE. THERE ARE PROBABLY THOUSANDS OF CARS LIKE THIS. IF THE COOLANT LEAKS INTO THE UPPER PLENUM, IT COULD RESULT IN "HYDRO-LOCK" OF THE CYLINDERS. THAT COULD ALSO BE A SAFETY PROBLEM. THE CARS HAVING THIS DESIGN SHOULD BE RECALLED AND THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THEIRS REPAIRED ALREADY SHOULD BE REIMBURSED. THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY BAD ENGINEERING AND MATERIALS USED BY PONTIAC. *NM

MID WAY MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL TEMPORARILY LOCKED UP. THIS CAUSED THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE TO HIT A CURB. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THERE WAS A DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN THE RECALL THAT WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE AND THE STEERING FAILING. *JB

A CLANKING NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. STEERING WHEEL WOULD BE HARD TO TURN. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE RACK AND PINION SOLENOID SWITCH. *AK

WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO START THE ENGINE, IT EXPLODED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE IS CONSIDERED A TOTAL LOSS. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB...*AK

DEALERSHIP WAS REFUSING TO PERFORM THE POWER STEERING ASSEMBLY RECALL 01V286000 REPAIRS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAD A REBUILT TITLE. *AK *SC