1990 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX Complaints

REAR RETAINER BOLT FAILED DUE TO CORRISION, CAUSING THE FRONT BOLT TO SNAP . DEALER WILL NOT REPLACE IT. *AK

FRONT CRADLE THAT HOLDS ENGINE FELL OUT, POSSIBLY DUE TO CORROSION . *AK INTERMEDIATE SHAFT FOR RACK AND PINION STEERING ALSO SEPARATED CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. *YH

DRIVING TO WORK AT 9 PM WHEN POWER STEERING NO LONGER WORKED - CONTINUED DRIVING TO WORK BELIEVING POWER STEERING PUMP HAD FINALLY FAILED DUE TO AGE. WHEN I ARRIVED AT WORK, I CHECKED THE POWER STEERING FLUID, IT WAS AT CORRECT LEVEL AND SO AGAIN ASSUMED PUMP FAILED DUE TO AGE. WHEN I PREPARED TO LEAVE WORK THE NEXT MORNING AT 11AM, I DISCOVERED THE CRADLE WAS HANGING DOWN BELOW THE THE FRONT FACIA OF THE CAR. I INVESTIGATED UNDERNEATH THE CAR AND DISCOVERED THAT BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT BOLTS SUPPORTING THE CRADLE BASE HAD SLIPPED THROUGH SLOTS IN CRADLE BASE ALLOWING CRADLE TO FALL TO ITS CURRENT POSITION. WE SPOKE TO OUR LOCAL PONTIAC DEALERSHIP WHO ADVISED US THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM THAT IS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF. UPON MY FURTHER CHECKING ON THE INTERNET, IT APPEARS THAT A RECALL HAS JUST BEEN ISSUED THIS MONTH, BUT NOTIFICATION HAS NOT GONE OUT TO DEALERSHIPS AND OWNERS. PONTIAC , UPON RESEARCHING OUR PROBLEM. ADVISED THAT CAMPAIGN #00061 RELATING TO THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN ISSUED. WE BROUGHT THIS INFORMATION BACK TO OUR LOCAL PONTIAC DEALERSHIP, BUT THEY WERE STILL UNABLE TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE AS THEY HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE "OFFICIAL" NOTIFICATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH REAR CRADLE BOLTS BROKE THROUGH, CAUSING ENGINE TO DROP AND THE STEERING SHAFT TO DICONNECT, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF STEERING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

REAR DISC BRAKES DRAG CAUSING OVERHEATING OF BRAKE CALIPER, WHEEL AND HYDRAULIC FLUID RESULTING IN COMPLETE LOSS OF BREAKING. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. EACH TIME THE REAR CALIPER WAS SERVICED OR REPLACED AND AGAIN THE CONDITION REPEATED AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS OF DRIVEING. THE LAST REPAIR WAS DONE AT TOM RICE PONTIAC IN HUNTINGTON, NY WHERE A COMPLETE REAR BRAKE OVERHAUL, INCLUDING BRAND NEW BRAKE CALIPERS, WAS DONE. THE PROBLEM HAS AGAIN RECURED.

CONSUMER WENT TO CHANGE OIL AND NOTICED FRONT CRADLE BOLTS WERE CORRODED, CAUSING SAFETY HAZARD. WHEN TOOK TO DEALER FOR RECALL, ONLY REAR CRADLE BOLTS WERE REPLACED. OWNER PAID TO HAVE THE FRONT BOLTS REPLACED AS WELL BECAUSE THEY ALSO POSED A POTENTIAL PROBLEM. *AK *ML

CONSUMER HEARD A SQUEAKING NOISE WHEN TAKING FOOT OFF THE BRAKES. COULD FEEL CAR GRABBING AND LURCHING. SHORTLY AFTER ,REAR BRAKES STARTED SQUEAKING, THEY BEGAN TO GRIND. CURRENTLY, CONSUMER HAS NO REAR BRAKES. *AK

CONTACTED MANUFACTURER ON 06/02/00 (THEIR REQUEST # C005135) WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE IS TOO OLD FOR THEM TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT PLUS THEY ARE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE MILAGE (BECAUSE THE ODOMETER FAILED) EVEN THOUGH THEY RECALLED THE VEHICLE IN '98 (PONTIAC CAMPAIGN #97016, NHTSA CAMPAIGN #97V058000) FOR FAILURE OF THE REAR CRADLE MOUNTS. THERE IS NO STEERING DUE TO SEPARATION OF THE STEERING SHAFTS. *AK

LEFT TIRE DRAGGED ON THE WALL AND THE CAR FINALLY CAME TO A STOP, DUE TO REAR CRADLE BOLTS PULLED THROUGH THE RETAINERS, REAR CRADLE IS NO LONGER SUPPORTED AT THOSE MOUNTING LOCATION. STEERING GEAR BECOMES DISCONNECTED WHEN THE ENGINE DROPS DOWN.

HAS THIS BEEN COMMON IN THIS VEHICLE. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK