1997 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX Complaints

CONSUMER STATED THAT IN 11/02 THE RACK AND PINION FAILED ON VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD IT REPLACED WITH A REPUTABLE PRIVATE MECHANIC BECAUSE HE COULD NOT AFFORD THE DEALERS PRICE FOR THE REPAIR. ON 02/01/02, CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE FOR RACK AND PINION. HE APPLIED FOR AND RECEIVED REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE MANUFACTURER. NOW CONSUMER WANTS MFR TO INSTALL AUTHENTIC GM REPLACEMENT RACK AND PINION BECAUSE HE WANTS TO BE COVERED IF ANY FUTURE DEFECTS EXIST. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES. *NLM

THE DEALER DID NOT HAVE THE TOOLS TO PERFORM THE RECALL REGARDING THE RACK AND PINION.*JB

1) I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY HEADLIGHTS (PLASTIC PART THAT COVERS THE WHITE LIGHT) AND BULB HAVE COMPLETELY FALLEN OFF. MY VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN HIT OR VANDALIZED. THEY HAVE JUST FALLEN OFF. I HAVE CO-WORKERS WHO ALSO OWN THE SAME VEHICLE, SAME YEAR THOUGH SOME ARE NEWER MODELS THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I ALSO SEE MANY VEHICLES ON THE ROAD WITH NO COVERS OR BURNED OUT BULBS. 2) ALSO MY FOG LIGHTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE THIS YEAR THEY BOTH HAVE BURNED OUT ON TWO OCCASIONS. 3) I ALSO NEVER RECEIVED ANY RECALL LETTERS ABOUT MY VEHICLE THERE ARE TWO RECALLS AS OF TODAY. I ONLY HEARD OF THESE RECALLS THROUGH CO-WORKERS. 4) WHEN I START MY VEHICLE IT WILL AUTOMATICALLY LOCK. IT WOULD NORMALLY UNLOCK WHEN YOU START IT AND THEN LOCK WHEN YOU SWITCH GEARS TO REVERSE OR DRIVE. SOME DAYS IT WILL WORK PROPERLY AND OTHERS IT WILL NOT. 5) MY LIGHT FOR MY SEAT BELT FLICKERS ON AND OFF. I ALWAYS WHERE MY SEAT BELT. I ASSUME THAT THE LIGHT WOULD GO OFF WHEN I BUCKLE MY BELT, BUT IT DOESN'T.*JB

THE VEHICLE STILL EXPERIENCED STEERING PROBLEMS AFTER THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED, RECALL #02V286000.*JB

NHTSA#02-V-286-000 THE VEHICLE ONLY TURNED TO THE RIGHT WHEN DRIVING. RECALL WORK PERFORMED, BUT NOW THE PROBLEM IS WORSE.

REFERENCE RECALL 02V286000-PONTIAC GRAND PRIX-1997-RACK AND PINION PROBLEM-MY SON MATT WAS DRIVING IN SNOWY WEATHER AND WAS MAKING A SLOW LEFT TURN INTO AN APARTMENT COMPLEX. THE CAR VEERED TO THE RIGHT ON HIM AND HE HIT A UTILITY POLE. HE JUST ASSUMED THAT HE HIT ICE, ETC AND IT WENT OFF THE ROAD. THE NEXT DAY MATT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE STEERING PROBLEM IN THE MAIL. I FILED A REPORT WITH PONTIAC - CLAIM NUMBER 1-72613849. THEY JUST NOTIFIED ME THAT THEY HAVE REJECTED THE CLAIM BECAUSE THE BALL BEARINGS WERE NOT VISIBLY BROKEN. MY CONTENTION IS THAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE INTERMITENT CAUSING THE SAME PROBLEM TO OCCURR THAT RESULTED IN THE RECALL. HOWEVER THE GEARS / ASSEMBLY MAY NOT APPEAR TO HAVE ANY DAMAGE THAT IS RECOGNIZABLE BY HUMAN INSPECTION. THAT'S ALL THEY ARE DOING NOW IS HAVING A MECHANIC PERFORM AN INSPECTION. SO IF THERE ARE MORE EVENTS THAT HAPPEN SUCH AS THESE, THAT THE CAR EXIBITS THESE SYMPTONS DURING A SLOW LEFT TURN AND GM REJECTS THE FAILURE BECAUSE A MECHANIC DID NOT SEE ANY OBVIOUS DAMAGE, THEN MAYBE THE PROBEM IS A LOT MORE COMPLEX THAN GM NOW KNOWS. AS I TOLD GM YOU MAY THINK THAT YOU KNOW ALL ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, BUT PLEASE JUST KEEP AN OPEN MIND.

HORN DOES NOT OPERATE UNLESS YOU PUSH CENTER OF STEERING WHEEL WITH OPEN HAND.THIS HAS BEEN OCCURING SINCE VEHICLE WAS NEW. DEALER SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH HORN ON OTHER GM VEHICLES.ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THE DASHBOARD REFLECTS OUTSIDE LIGHT, MAKING GOOD FORWARD VISION BAD.

ON 7/19/02, I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND TOTALED MY VEHICLE. SINCE THEN, I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MY 1997 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX THAT I PURCHASED FROM MY GRANDPARENTS. LESS THAN A MONTH LATER, 2ND AND THRIRD GEAR MELTED TOGETHER IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE ABS LIGHT HAS COME ON, AND THE CAR HAS LOST TRACTION. SINCE THAT DATE, MY FRONT SEAL STARTED LEAKING, I HAVE REPLACED MY BRAKES WHICH ARE QUICKLY WEARING OUT, I HAVE BEEN THROUGH 3 SETS OF TIRES, AND REPLACED THE FRONT BEARING ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. I HAVE ALSO HAD TO HAVE A FRONT END ALIGNMENT DOE AND AM AGAIN IN DESPERATE NEED OF ANOTHER ONE. DUE TO THIS BEING MY ONLY VEHICLE, MY OPTIONS ARE LIMITED. I OFTEN FEEL SHAKING IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE CAR TENDS TO PULL. IT HAS BEEN LESS THAN A MONTH SINCE WE REPLACED THE BEARING AND WE ALREADY HEAR THE SAME RUBBING NOISE WE HEARD BEFORE. FINANCES LIMIT WHAT REPAIRS I CAN AND CAN'T HAVE ON THIS CAR. I HAVE ALREADY SPENT ABOUT $3500.00 ON THIS CAR, PLUS THE $5000 I BOUGHT IT FOR. WHEN YOU BRING HOME $1200.00 A MONTH, HAVE A HOUSE PAYMENT, TWO CAR PAYMENTS, AND ONLY ONE VEHICLE RUNNING(NOT A SAFE OR RELIABLE ONE AT THAT) IT MAKES MATTERS WORSE. MY MAIN REASON FOR WRITING THIS LETTER IS BECAUSE I HAVE LOST CONTROL OF MY CAR TWICE, WITH NO EXPLANATION. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE TO WORK, BUT I CAN NOT AFFORD ANOTHER VEHICLE OR PAY SOMEONE ELSE TO DRIVE ME 80 MILES ROUND TRIP TO GET TO WORK. ANY ASSISTANCE ANYONE CAN PROVIDE WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

THE RACK AND PINION IN MY 1997 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX IS NOT ALLOWING ME TO TURN LEFT WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF POWER STEERING. THERE WAS A RECALL ON A LOWER PINION BEARING, WHICH I HAD REPLACED. THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS AFTER ALL OF THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE FINISHED. I BELIEVE THAT WHEN THE LOWER PINION BEARING WENT OUT IT CAUSED MORE DAMAGE TO THE STEERING RACK.

WHEN THE FUEL GAUGE REACHES 1/4 TANK, THE FUEL GAUGE RISES TO FULL TO INDICATE IT HAS A FULL TANK.