1997 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX Complaints

CONSUMER WAS MAKING A TURN AND HAD SOME TROUBLE WITH STEERING. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY FOUND OUT THAT RACK AND PINION WAS DEFECTIVE. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT AN INTERSECTION AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING STEERING FROZE UP. ONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MANAGE STEERING WHEEL MANUALLY. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

THE STEERING STARTED TO LOCK UP WHILE TURNIG TO THE LEFT AND THEN THE WHEEL WOULD NOT RETURN TO CENTER AFTER MAKING A TURN WITHOUT ACTUALY TURING THE WHEEL BACK. I'M NOT SURE HOW LONG THE PROBLEM WAS THERE BEFORE WE STARTED NOTICING THE STEERING DIFFICULTY BUT THE FLUID WAS REALLY CONTAMINATED FROM THE RACKS FAILURE THUS RUINING THE POWER STEERING PUMP ALSO. WE HAVE HAD BOTH REPLACED BUT THE MAGNA/STEER IS STILL INOPERABLE, THEY ARE GOING TO INSTALL ANOTHER RACK AND PINION. WHEN THESE RACKS FAIL IT IS VERY DANGEROUS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND EFFORT. PLEASE LET US KNOW IF PONTIAC WILL REMBURSE US FOR THIS FAILURE, WE HAVE OVER A $1,000. IN IT AND IT'S STILL NOT RIGHT. AGAIN THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

HAVE SENT LETTER TO GENERAL MOTORS EXPLAINING THAT THE SEAT BACKS OF THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS DO NOT LOCK 100% OF THE TIME. THE OWNERS MANUAL STATES THAT THE SEAT BACKS NEED TO BE RELEASED BY THE BLACK KNOBS ON THE BACK OF THE SEAT. THE DEALER SAYS THAT YOU DON'T NEED TO USE THOSE TO RELEASE THE SEAT . WHO IS RIGHT, DO I HAVE DEFECTIVE SEATS BY DESIGN OR NOT?I CALLED GM CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY WOULD NOT AUTHORIZE AN INSPECTION I NEVER RECEIVED A REPLY TO MY LETTER TO GM EITHER. I FEEL THIS COULD BE A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT.

WHILE MAKING A LEFT-HAND TURN INTO OFFICE PARKING LOT ON 07-03-2000 I FELT THE SNAP OF SOMETHING BREAKING IN THE STEERING. I TOOK THE CAR TO LOCAL TIRE CENTER AND THEY VISUALLY FOUND NOTHING WRONG. ONE WEEK LATER TRAVELING NORTHBOUND ON IL 394 GOING OVER THE BRIDGE THAT TURNS LEFT TO MERGE ONTO 94 NORTHBOUND THE STEERING WENT COMPLETELY OUT! I HAD TO MUSCLE IT TO KEEP THE CAR FROM HITTING CONCRETE WALL. DEALER SAID A SHAFT BROKE INSIDE THE POWER-STEERING RACK. PROBABLY BROKE 3/4 WHEN I NOTICED AND THE REST OF THE WAY WHEN I WENT OVER BRIDGE. DEALER FIXED FOR 1170.96 -NO WARRENTY COVERAGE- REPLACED ENTIRE POWER STEERING RACK.

WHILE TRYING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AT LOW SPEEDS (APPROX 20- 30 MPH) THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. THIS ALMOST RESULTED IN A HEAD-ON CRASH, SINCE I WAS UNABLE TO PROPERLY MAKE MY LEFT TURN. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP, WHERE I LEARNED THAT THE RACK AND PINION FAILURE WAS BECOMING A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE DEALER WAS ABLE TO DESCRIBE THE PROBLEMS I WAS HAVING WITH THE CAR PERFECTLY. AFTER PAYING APPROXIMATELY $1700 TO HAVE THE PARTS TOTALLY REPLACED, THE CAR NOW WORKS FINE.*AK

WHILE DRIVING HEADLIGHT COVERS FELL OFF FRONT END OF VEHICLE. THIS WAS A REOCCURRING PROBLEM, CAUSING TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS AND SAFETY HAZARDS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE IN WET WEATHER WINDSHIELD WIPERS MALFUNCTIONED. WIPERS GET STUCK AT A STRAIGHT UP POSITION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHEN STEERING SHARPLY TO THE LEFT,,,THE CAR WOULD FIGHT THE INPUT TO STRAIGHTEN THE CAR AFTER THE TURN...SO WHILE TURNING THE WHEEL TO THE RIGHT AFTER A SHARP TURN TO THE LEFT,,THE STEERING WOULD BECOME VERY STIFF, ALMOST LIKE REVERTING TO MANUAL STEERING AND NOT POWER STEERING. BECAME DANGEROUS BECAUSE OF THE DRIVER INPUT NEEDED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD TRY TO STOP YOUR INPUT OF A TURN. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IF INVOLVED IN A MANEUVER TO AVOID SOMETHING IN ROAD. HAD TO HAVE STEERING RACK REPLACED. THANK YOU. *AK

STEERING GRADUALLY BEGAN LOCKING UP ON TURNS, SO WE WERE FORTUNATE TO DISCOVER THE PROBLEM BEFORE IT CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *AK