1999 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX Complaints

I HAVE A 1999 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GTP SUPER CHARGED V6 THAT CAUGHT FIRE ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2006. AFTER DRIVING BACK TO WORK ON A SATURDAY EVENING, I PARKED THE CAR JUST OUTSIDE OUR ENTRANCE. MY FIANCE AND I SAT DOWN TO EAT DINNER NEAR THE ENTRANCE, AND WITHIN 10 MINUTES NOTICED A FOG DRIFTING BY THE ENTRANCE DOORS. WHEN WE TOOK A CLOSER LOOK AT THE WHITE FOG, WE REALIZED IT WAS SMOKE AND CALLED THE ANN ARBOR FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID THEY WE'RE ON THE WAY. AFTER HANGING UP THE PHONE, A BURST OF FLAMES EXITED OUT THE FRONT WHEEL WELL. I IMMEDIATELY GRABBED A DRY-CHEM FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND RAN OUTSIDE TO SPRAY UNDER THE WHEEL WELL. IT PUSHED THE FLAMES BACK, BUT THE FLAMES RETURNED ALMOST INSTANTLY EVEN STRONGER. I SPRAYED ANOTHER FIRE EXTINGUISHER, BUT IT HAD LITTLE EFFECT. AT THAT POINT I DECIDED TO GET AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE AND WAIT FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE FIRST TO ARRIVE WAS A POLICE OFFICER WHO STOOD BY AS WE WAITED FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS. WHILE WAITING, THE HOOD POPPED THE LATCH FROM THE PRESSURE BUILD-UP. ONCE THE FIRE TRUCK ARRIVED, THE FIREFIGHTERS USED AN AXE TO OPEN THE HOOD, AND TWO OTHER FIREFIGHTERS STOOD OVER THE FLAMES WITH THE HOSE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. AFTER THEY WERE FINISHED, THE FIRE INSPECTOR TOOK A LOOK AT THE ENGINE TO DETERMINE THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE AND TOOK A FEW PICTURES. MUCH OF THE FRONT END OF THE CAR MELTED, AND THE BLACK MELTED PLASTIC WAS CLEANED UP BY A TOW TRUCK DRIVER. THANKFULLY, I STILL HAVE THE CAR INTACT AND PARKED IN THE BACK LOT BEHIND MY FAMILY'S RETAIL STORE IN ANN ARBOR, MI. I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO OFFER MY CAR TO WHOMEVER IS HEADING UP THIS INVESTIGATION OR EVEN REPRESENTATIVES FROM GM AS IT APPEARS TO BE THE EXACT SAME SITUATION AS THE OTHER GTP OWNER'S COMPLAINTS. THE CAR HAS BEEN UNTOUCHED, EXCEPT FOR DUCT TAPING THE BUMPER BACK ON SO IT DOESN'T LOOK BAD BEHIND OUR STORE. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME AT YOUR EARLIEST CONVENIENCE. *JB

1999 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GTP DESTROYED BY ENGINE FIRE 10 MINUTES AFTER IT WAS PARKED. *NM

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER DRIVING THE 1999 88 OLDSMOBILE GTP AT 15 MPH THE CONTACT WENT INTO THE STORE FOR NOT MORE THAT 5 MINUTES WHEN SHE NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME, OPENED THE HOOD, AND THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED, AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO ART MORAN PONTIAC COLLISION SHOP. THE CAUSE OF FIRE WAS NOT DETERMINED. *AK

I WAS THE OWNER OF A 1999 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GT. ON THE EVENING OF 10-16-06 AFTER PARKING THE CAR IN MY GARAGE IT CAUGHT FIRE ABOUT 4 MINUTES AFTER TURNING THE IGNITION OFF. THE FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD. THE CAR WAS TOTALED AS A RESULT. I WAS THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE WAS ONLY MAINTAINED BY CERTIFIED GM DEALERSHIPS. ON THAT EVENING NO THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. NO UNUSUAL LIGHTS ON THE DRIVER CONTROL PANEL OR UNUSUAL SMELLS. I AM SENDING THIS AGAIN BECAUSE AFTER REVIEWING THE INFO THAT WAS ORIGINALLY GIVEN THE YEAR OF THE CAR IS A 1999 NOT 1996. SORRY FOR THE ERROR. *JB

ON THE EVENING OF 10-16-06 MY 1999 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GT CAUGHT FIRE IN MY GARAGE. THE ENGINE HAD BEEN TURNED OFF FOR ABOUT 3 1/2 TO 4 MINUTES BEFORE THE FIRE STARTED. THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. NO INFO CAME ON THE DRIVERS PANEL THERE WAS NO UNUSUAL SMELL OR SOUND FROM THE VEHICLE.*JB

MY 1999 GRAND PRIX GTP ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT FIRE AFTER IT WAS PARKED IN MY GARAGE FOR APPROXIMATELY 5-7 MINUTES. THE FIRE TOTALED THE CAR, AND CAUSED A GREAT DEAL OF DAMAGE TO THE GARAGE. *JB

THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS BUYING BOOKS FOR SCHOOL. THE FIRE DEPT WAS CALLED AND NOW THE CAR IS TOTALED. *NM

THE EVENT LEADING UP THE FAILURE WAS I DROVE IT. THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG HERE. WHEN 25+ CARS BURN DOWN FOR NO REASON. WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR PONTIAC / GM / GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO ACKNOWLEDGE A PROBLEM AND REIMBURSE PEOPLE FOR THEIR LOSS? DEATH? THERE HAVE BEEN TOO MANY PONTIAC - GRAND PRIX -GM 3800 SERIES ENGINE FIRES. ALL I DID WAS PARK MY CAR AFTER DRIVING AND WITHIN 5 MINUTES OF PARKING MY CAR IN FEB OF 2003 IT BURNED TO THE GROUND. THERE WERE NO MALFUNCTION INDICATIONS, NOT OVER HEATED AND IGNITED WHILE I WALKED AWAY. FIRE MARSHAL AND INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATOR SAID THE FIRE ORIGINATED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, NEAR THE DRIVERS HEAD LAMP AREA. IT HAD A BUMPER TO BUMPER GM POLICY IN EFFECT AS WELL AS FULL INSURANCE. PONTIAC LAUGHED WHEN I CALLED. THE GM INSURANCE UNDERWRITER CALLED ME AN IDIOT AND HUNG-UP. THEN MY INSURANCE COMPANY TRIED TO HAVE ME ACCUSED OF ARSON. EVEN THOUGH THEIR INVESTIGATOR COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING....WHY? TAKE THE PUBLICS MONEY AND AT THE FIRST SIGN OF TROUBLE HIDE BILLION DOLLAR COMPANIES BEHIND POLITICIANS AND THE LAWS AND AGENCIES DESIGNED TO PROTECT US? *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THERE WAS A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. A WARNING LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD ILLUMINATED CONSTANTLY. THERE WAS GREY SMOKE EMANATING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP, WHERE THE ENGINE STALLED. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD CRACKED. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CASKET KIT, AS WELL AS SIX SPARK PLUGS WERE REPLACED. THE MANIFOLD WAS ALSO FLUSHED REPEATEDLY TO REMOVE SEALANT THAT HAD BEEN IN THE MANIFOLD SYSTEM PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE REPAIRS CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 10/18/2006 - *NM

THE FOLLOWING OCCURRED ON A 1999 GRAND PRIX THAT HAS 52,300 +/- MILES ON IT, LOCATED IN SOUTHEASTERN PA AND NOT GARAGED. I WENT TO START MY CAR AFTER A MEETING AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION IN THE MEETING LOCATION PARKING LOT SHOWED THAT BRAKE FLUID WAS PUMPING OUT OF THE BRAKE LINE SYSTEM. I HAD THE CAR FLAT-BED TOWED TO THE LOCAL PONTIAC DEALER. A BRAKE LINE HAD RUSTED THROUGH IN THE ENGINE AREA. THE OTHER BRAKE LINES UP UNDER THE CHASSIS WERE ALSO RUSTED. THE PONTIAC DEALER IS REPLACING ALL OF THE BRAKE LINES WITH NEW LINES THAT HAVE TO BE BENT TO SHAPE. ONLY TWO SMALL LINES WERE AVAILABLE PRE-BENT FROM GENERAL MOTORS. *NM