1990 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX Complaints

WHEN RELEASING PARKING BRAKE CALIPER RELEASES SHOES FROM HOLDING DRUMS. BUT A MALFUNCTIONING CALIPER WILL NOT RELEASE ROTORS AND DAMAGE BRAKES. THIS IS THE SIXTH TIME THAT DEALER HAD TO REPLACE CALIPERS. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT THIS WAS COMMON WITH THESE CARS. *AK

THERE HAVE BEEN MANY BRAKE FAILURES SINCE OWNING THIS VEHICLE, INCLUDING ONE COMPLETE WHEN ON ROAD. THE FIRE IN STEERING COLUMN STOPPED, THEN HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES LATER. WHAT HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT BRAKES AND IGNITION/STEERING FIRES IN THIS VEHICLE. THERE ARE "SISTER" MODELS OF BUICK AND OLDS WHICH HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS. PLEASE RESPOND. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCES CONTINUED FAILURE OF THE REAR BRAKE COMPONENTS (PADS,ROTORS AND CALIPERS), POSSIBLE DEFECT IN PARTS. *MJS

THE TURN SIGNAL PROBLEM INVOLVED SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN, SIGNALS DO NOT WORK ALL THE TIME. THE SMOKE WOULD STOP, THE AFTER SEVERAL DAYS START AGAIN. NOW THE TURN LIGHTS DO NOT ALWAYS WORK. THE PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT RIGHT BALL JOINT HAS REQUIRED REPLACING THE BALL 4 TIMES, DUE TO THE BALL BREAKING OFF AT THE POINT WHERE THE BALL IS ATTACHED TO THE THREADED PART. AT THE PRESENT, THE CAR STALLS MOST OF THE TIME WHEN SLOWING DOWN. AT A STOP IT STALLS AND REQURIRES HOLDING THE ACCELERATOR TO KEEP RPM AT AROUND 1000 TO PREVENT STALLING. AUTO WAS AT A QUALIFIED SHOP FOR DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR. THEY WERE UNABLE TO STOP THE PROBLEM. THEY FELT THEY HAD TRIED EVERY AVENUE POSSIBLE, INCLUDING: CLEANING THROTTLE BODY AND IAC MOTOR, CHANGING MAP SENSOR AND IAC VALVE, CHECKED PROM UPDATE AND PROM, WHICH WAS NOT DEFECTIVE. CODES WERE 35, 44, 45 WERE STORED. CAR STALLS INTERMITTENTLY. RADIO HAS STATIC, CHECK GAGES LIGHT COMES ON AND TURNS OFF. ENGINE SURGES. SEVERAL MECHANICS HAVE RUN DIAGNOSTICS AND NO SOLUTION! WE ARE TIRED OF SPENDING MONEY ON IT!

THIS CAR HAS A RECALL ON THE REAR ENGINE CRADLE. THE FRONT FEEL OUT ON MY WIFE ON HER WAY TO WORK. THE CAR LOST CONTROL AND CROSSED OVER ON COMMING TRAFFIC. IF THE REAR OF THIS COMPONENT IS ON RECALL THE FRONT SHOULD BE TOO.IT IS THE SAME PART.I STILL HAVE THE CAR AS IT WAS THAT DAY. I HOPE SOMEONE WILL LOOK INTO THIS. IT IS A MAJOIR STEERING AND BRAKEING PROBLEM.I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I CONTACTED THIS DEPARTMENT AND ASKED FOR THE FORM, THAT WAS12/3/99 NO FORM WAS SENT. *AK

PLASTIC HEADLAMP LENSES BECOME EXTREMELY DULL, CLOUDY, AND YELLOWED ON THE OUTSIDE, GREATLY REDUCING HEADLIGHT EFFECTIVENESS. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH MANY OTHER GRAND PRIX OWNERS, AND THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE PLASTIC HEADLAMPS. EUROPEAN COUNTRIES DO NOT ALLOW PLASTIC HEADLAMP LENSES FOR GOOD REASON. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH THE ENGINE ALMOST FELL OUT DUE TO RUSTING OF THE ENGINE CRADLE. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE SAFELY TO A MECHANIC. ENGINE CRADLE AND ENGINE MOUNTS WAS REPLACED AT A REPAIR SHOP. PLACE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

IT IS BAD ENOUGH THAT THIS SYSTEM FAILURE IS QUITE EXPENSIVE, HOWEVER THE REASON FOR MY COMPLAINT IS THAT EVERYTHING YOU READ AND HEAR TELLS YOU THAT WITH THIS SYSTEM FAILURE YOU SHOULD HAVE "NORMAL" BRAKES. HOWEVER, WHAT I FOUND OUT IS THAT WITH THE FAILURE OF ANTILOCK BRAKES... YOU HAVE NO BRAKES. I WAS VERY FORTUNATE THAT THEY FAILED WHEN I WAS TRAVELING AT A SLOW SPEED AND NO TRAFFIC AROUND. THE PUBLIC SHOULD KNOW THE POTENTIAL DANGER OF THIS SYSTEM! LIVES MAY DEPEND UPON IT. MY SYSTEM HAS BEEN VERY WELL MAINTAINED SINCE I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE AND YET WITHOUT WARNING WAS PUT INTO A POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. I WOULD HATE TO HAVE THOUGHT THAT MY 17 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER COULD HAVE BEEN THE ONE DRIVING WHEN THIS OCCURRED, SHE IS NOT AN EXPERIENCED DRIVER AND COULD HAVE PANICKED AND HAD TERRIFYING CONSEQUENCES. THIS TYPE OF FAILURE IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE FOR A "SAFETY" FEATURE! SEEMS TO ME THAT IT IS MORE OF A MONEY MAKER AND SENSE OF FALSE SECURITY!

THE ABS NEVER WORKS. THE WARNING LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON OR FLASHING AND THE DEALER TOLD ME THIS HAPPENS TO ALL OF THE 1989-1990 GRAND PRIX. THEY SAID IT WOULD BE AROUND $1000 TO FIX AND PROBABLY WOULDN'T LAST VERY LONG BEFORE IT WAS BROKEN AGAIN.

THE RIGHT FRONT RETAINER THAT HOLDS THE CRADLE UP TO THE FRAME RUSTED THROUGH AND FELL OFF. THE CRADLE/ RETAINER/INSULATORS, ETC, HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY BODYSHOP AT THE DEALERSHIP. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK