1996 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX Complaints

MY FATHER, JIMMIE G. NALL, ORIGINALLY LEASED THIS VEHICLE; AT LEASE END, HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FOR ME. WHILE MY FATHER HAD IT, HE HAD IT SERVICED REGULARLY ON SCHEDULE, INCLUDING HAVING THE OIL CHANGED EVERY 3000 MILES. WHEN THE CAR WAS PURCHASED AND I BECAME THE MAIN DRIVER IT HAD A LITTLE OVER 18K MILES. IT NOW HAS 34496. NOTHING SHOULD BE WRONG WITH THIS CAR. I SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO MAKE ANY MAJOR REPAIRS YET. THERE HAS NOT BEEN ENOUGH WEAR AND TEAR FOR MAJOR DAMAGE OR REPAIRS. THE TRANSMISSION IS NOW STARTING TO SLIP AT TIMES. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON THEN WILL GO OFF AFTER A LITTLE WHILE. THE TEMP. WILL GO UP RAPIDLY (230) NOT TO A DANGEROUS LEVEL, THEN DROP BACK DOWN (210) AFTER I TURN ON THE HEATER. EVERYDAY WHEN STARTING, I HAVE TO TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH AT LEAST 3 TIMES BEFORE IT WILL START. WHILE DRIVING, SUDDENLY IT SEEMS LIKE THE CAR IS IN NEUTRAL FOR A SPLIT SECOND AND THE ODOMETER WILL JUMP SLIGHTLY. I HAVE HAD THE TRANS. FLUID CHECKED AND IT IS FULL. WE HAVE REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR ONCE, THE BATTERY TWICE, THE IGNITION SWITCH ONCE. FOR AS FEW MILES AS THIS CAR HAS, ALL THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE GONE WRONG, AND I REALLY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO BE REPLACING PARTS AND MAKING REPAIRS ON AN ALMOST NEW VEHICLE. THE BACK BRAKES RUMBLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN AFTER BACKING UP AND COMING TO A STOP. I HAVE ALWAYS HEARD THIS RUMBLING. I FEEL THIS CAR IS BASICALLY A LEMON, BUT I DON'T FEEL I SHOULD GO AND TRADE THE GRAND PRIX IN, FOR 34500 MILES, AS STATED BEFORE, THERE SHOULD NOT BE ANYTHING WRONG WITH THIS CAR! *AK

WATER IS FILLING UP ON THE REAR TAIL LIGHT LENS WHICH IS CAUSING A ELECTRICAL SHORT. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THEY ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, BUT VEHICLE IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. *AK THE LEFT REAR TAIL LENSE WAS FILLED WITH WATER AND WAS REPLACED. NEXT, BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT TAIL LENSES WERE REPLACED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. AGAIN, WATER ENTERED THE TAIL LENSE FOR THE THIRD TIME. GM IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, AND INFACT GM HAD REDESIGNED THE TAIL LENSE BEFORE DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. *YH

CONSUMER HAS HAD A PROBLEM WITH POWER DOORS/LOCKS EVERY SINCE SHE HAS HAD THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS LOCKED INSIDE FOR THIRTY MINUTES. ALSO, POWER STEERING AND THE BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING. SHE HELD THE EMERGENCY BRAKE DOWN, JAMMING IT. *AK

WAS GOING 30MPH & HAD APPLIED BRAKES. VEHICLE KEPT GOING. LOW TRACTION LIGHT CAME ON. VEHICLE HIT ONE CURB & THEN ANOTHER CURB BEFORE COMING TO STOP ON RAMP. SECOND TIME AT 20MPH OFF RAMP. HIT BRAKES, VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN. PRESSED HARDER. ABS LIGHT CAME ON & STAYED. HEARD A SNAP & ROTOR BROKE; WHEEL & VEHICLE WENT INTO SPIN. *AK

STEERING RACK FAILURE (40K MILES). STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN LEFT *AT ALL* AT A DEAD STOP; EXTREMELY STUBBORN AT SPEED. NO WARNING(S)/INDICATIONS OF IMPENDING FAILURE. NO BELT SQUEALS, PS FLUID LEVEL OK. L-R TURNING WAS FINE, THEN NOT. COINCIDENTALL

FRONT DRIVER SEAT IS NOT COMPLETELY STATIONARY IT MOVES SLIGHTLY FRONTWARD AND BACKWARD WHEN DRIVER CHANGES POSITION POSSIBLY DUE TO POOR DESIGN. NLM

UPON INSPECTION OF THE TIRES CONSUMER NOTICED REAR BRAKES DID NOT OPERATE DUE TO RUSTED ROTORS AND INOPERATIVE CALIPERS/ PADS. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER , AND DEALER REPLACED THE CALIPERS/ROTORS AND PADS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

I BEGAN TO HAVE ENGINE PROBLEMS WITH MY VEHICLE AT 36,000 MILES. I DECIDED TO TRACE THE VIN # THROUGH CARFAX. WHEN I DID I FOUND THAT THE ODOMETER HAS BEEN ROLLED BACK 71,000 MILES OR MORE. THE CAR DEALER DOES NOT WANT TO HANDLE THE PROBLEM. *AK

DEALER SAYS REAR ROTORS WERE UNSAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO RUSTING. PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THE CAR IS GARAGE KEPT, STILL HAS THE "NEW-CAR LOOK" AND ONLY HAS 17000 MILES ON IT. DEALER CLAIMS "LACK OF USE" AS REASON FOR DETERIORATION OF BRAKE ROTORS. IN MY OPINION, EITHER FAULTY MATERIALS, POOR DESIGN OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH IS WHAT LEAD TO THIS UNSAFE CONDITION. DEALER SAYS PROBLEM IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. *AK

PROBLEM IS WITH FACTORY PASSENGER'S KEY II SECURITY SYSTEM. VEHICLE WILL MOST OF THE TIME, BUT WILL NOT START AT TIMES. THE OWNER'S MANUAL STATES THAT IF THIS OCCURS WAIT THREE MINUTES THEN IT WILL START EXACTLY THREE MINUTES LATER. I HAVE TALKED WITH SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE WHO OWN THE SAME TYPE OF VEHICLE AND HAVE OR HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I SPOKE WITH A SERVICE DEPARTMENT SUPERVISOR AT A PONTIAC DEALER AND HE STATED THAT HE HAS REPLACED A "BARREL FULL" OF THE KEY CYLINDERS AND NOT THE SECURITY SYSTEM MODULE. IT APPEARS THAT IN AN AREA THIS SMALL WITH AN INCIDENT RATE THAT HIGH THAT THERE IS A DEFINITE PROBLEM IN WHICH PONTIAC NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE. *AK