2004 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX Complaints

OUR 2004 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX HAS HAD TWO FAILURES OF THE HEATER MOTOR IN THREE YEARS. IN BOTH CASES NOXIOUS FUMES AND SMOKE CAME FROM THE DASHBOARD. I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE SIGHT OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE DASHBOARD WHILE ON A BUSY INTERSTATE (WE WERE) CAN RESULT IN GREAT ANXIETY. I'M AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER AND MY MECHANIC LET ME SEE THE PARTS. THE SMOKE CAME FROM A RESISTOR THAT IS PART OF THE SPEED CONTROL FOR THE MOTOR. IT'S A VERY POOR DESIGN, WITH HEAT FINS TO DISSIPATE THE HEAT INTO THE HEATER/AC AIR FLOW. IF THE MOTOR STARTS TO DRAG, CURRENT GOES UP AND AIRFLOW GOES DOWN, WITH THE RESULT THAT THE RESISTOR HEATS UP TO THE POINT WHERE IT PUTS SMOKE INTO THE AIR STREAM. I CONSIDER THIS EXTREMELY POOR DESIGN, AND A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. I'VE WRITTEN TO THE MANUFACTURER AND SUGGESTED A NEW DESIGN (I HATE HAVING TO RE-DESIGN THINGS DONE BY AMATEURS!). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ABS WOULD ENGAGE ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TWO FRONT SENSOR HUBS WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHO STATED THAT IT WAS PROBABLY AN ELECTRICAL SHORT COMING FROM THE ABS COMPUTER AND SENSOR THAT WAS CONNECTED TO THE WHEELS, AND WAS CAUSING THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO REFERRED HIM BACK TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE 84,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 94,000.

WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS THERE APPEARS TO BE ABS ACTIVATING PROBLEMS. THE ABS IS ACTIVATING AT THE LOW SPEEDS. THE ISSUE IS MORE NOTICEABLE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS GOING OVER UNEVEN PAYMENT OR A BRICK ROAD THAT SHOULD NOT AFFECT ABS. *TR

THE CHROME PLATING ON THE RIMS OF MY 2004 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GTP IS CORRODING. , THERE ARE MAY OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THESE WHEELS. THIS CORROSION IS CAUSING THE RIMS TO CONSTANTLY LOSE AIR LEADING TO UNSAFE DRIVING SITUATIONS WHICH COULD LEAD TO A CRASH. NOT NEW PROBLEM READ MORE: HTTP://WWW.FAQS.ORG/CAR/PONTIAC-GRAND-PRIX-2004/WHEELS/#IXZZ1KQSHX1XP. *TR

MY DAUGHTER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT HIT IN THE RIGHT FRONT AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR

MY HUSBAND AND I OWN A 2004 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. WE HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRONIC SYSTEM (TRACTION CONTROL/STS/ABS), THE LIGHTS CAME ON 2009. WE BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2008. WE HAD NOT BEING EXPERIENCING ANY OTHER PROBLEMS OTHER THAN THAT WE KNEW OF. MY HUSBAND DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS A RECALL ON THE 2004S FOR THE TRACTION CONTROL MALFUNCTION; HOWEVER, HE WAS TOLD THAT WE HAD MISSED THE RECALL PERIOD AND SO WE HAD TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM OURSELVES. IN 2011, I WAS DRIVING MY SON AND I TO THE DOCTOR, ABOUT 30 MINUTES AWAY, WHEN WE GOT OUT THE CAR I SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING AND SAW SO SOME SMOKE BUT IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE IT WAS COMING FROM MY CAR, IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS COMING FROM OVER A WOODEN FENCE. SO I THOUGHT NOTHING ABOUT IT, (ESPECIALLY SINCE WE HAD NOT BEEN HAVING ANY PROBLEMS OTHER THAT THE ONE DESCRIBE ABOVE) SO I GOT MY SON AND WENT INTO THE DOCTORS OFFICE. WE WERE IN THERE FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES, WHEN THE RECEPTIONIST INFORMED EVERYONE THAT IT WAS A CAR ON FIRE OUT IN THE PARKING LOT. I WENT OUTSIDE TO MOVE MY CAR SINCE I HAD REMEMBERED SMELLING SOMETHING BURNING WHEN I ARRIVED TO THE DOCTORS' OFFICE. WELL WHEN I GOT OUT BACK, THAT'S WHEN I REALIZED THAT IT WAS MY CAR THAT WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED.THEY PUT OUT THE FIRE WHICH HAD BY THAT TIME COMPLETELY BURNED UP THE ENGINE. THAT'S WHERE IT STARTED, UNDER THE HOOD. ONE OF THE FIREFIGHTERS ASKED ME HAD WE RECENTLY HAD ANY WORK DONE ON THE CAR. I TOLD HIM NO. ANYWAY, WE CALLED THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND THE CAR TOWED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY ARE CURRENTLY INVESTIGATING THE FIRE. MY HUSBAND AND I RESEARCHED AND FOUND OUT THAT THE 1997-2003 HAD BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS ISSUE,BUT NOT THE 2004S. LOOKS LIKE TO ME, THAT THE 2004S SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED AS WELL. *TR

DRIVING 70 MPH ON THE FREEWAY. (PHOENIX TEMP. WAS IN THE LOW 70'S) LOST ALL ELECTRICAL POWER EXCEPT THE ENGINE. ENTIRE DASH, GAS, SPEED, OIL GAGE, TACH WENT TO 0. LOST HEAD LIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS. I DID NOT HAVE THE CRUISE ON AT ANY OF THESE TIMES, LIGHTS WERE ON AUTO. THIS LASTED FOR ABOUT 2 MIN, 5 MIN LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE GM DEALERSHIP, THEY KEPT IT FOR 5 DAYS, THEIR REPORT SAID THAT THEY FOUND NOTHING. ON JANUARY 26TH, IT HAPPENED AGAIN, LASTING 5 MIN. JANUARY 27TH, THE SAME. THE MOST RECENT FEBRUARY 14TH, 3 TIMES LAST 7 -8 MIN. ALL TIMES, LOST ALL ELECTRICAL POWER AND THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN. MY CONCERN IS A POSSIBLE FIRE. CHECK THE INTERNET: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 2004 GRAND PRIX, THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE OUT THERE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND I CAN'T FIND A GM MECHANIC TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A METAL BRIDGE ABUTMENT. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT AND PASSENGERS SUFFERED MINOR BRUISES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 147,000.

ON A 2004 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GTP WITH A COMPETITION GROUP PACKAGE, THE VALVE COVER GASKETS HAVE FAILED. THIS CAUSES OIL TO LEAK ONTO THE MANIFOLD IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND ALLOWS IT TO BURN. THIS COULD IN TURN CAUSE A FIRE IN THE ENGINE. THIS SAME PROBLEM WAS RECALLED ON THE 1997-2003 MODELS, BUT HAS NOT INCLUDED THE 2004 MODEL. THE SAME PROBLEM STILL EXISTS AND MUST BE REMEDIED BEFORE FIRES ENSUE AND LIVES ARE LOST. ALSO, THE HEADLIGHTS "BOUNCE" OR "WOBBLE" WHILE DRIVING. THIS COULD CAUSE ISSUES WITH THE ABILITY TO SEE CLEARLY WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. *LN

LEFT FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW WENT DOWN WITH OUT ANY WARNING AND DID NOT COME BACK UP, ANOTHER PIECE OF CRAP AND ANOTHER IDIOTIC PIECE OF ENGINEERING BY THE PONTIAC ENGINEERING DEPT. BROKEN CABLE ON THE POWER WINDOW SYSTEM LEADING TO TOTAL FAILURE AND HAVING TO REPLACE THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY. *TR