1991 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX Complaints

I ENTERED MY AUTO ON THE EVENING OF 10/4/00 AT 8:10PM AND TURNED KEY TO START. I DID NOT AT ANY TIME DEPRESS GAS PEDAL. AFTER ENGINE STARTED, I ALLOWED RPM'S TO SETTTLE DOWN AND PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. PUT TRANSMISSION IN "REVERSE" AND LET UP ON THE BRAKE. THE IMMEDIATELY STARTED MOVING IN REVERSE IN AN UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION (S?). I SET MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. THE BRAKE PEDAL DID NOT MOVE. THE CAR KEPT SPEEDING UP UNTIL IT HIT A TREE, BROADSIDE. THE TOTAL DISTANCE WAS ABOUT 20-25 FEET, BUT THE CAR WAS "TOTALLED." THIS IS THE 2ND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED, EXCEPT ON THE PREVIOUS OCCASION, THE AUTO STOPPED IN ABOUT 3 FEET. TWO TIMES SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THE AUTO, I HAVE HAD TO STOP SUDDENLY AND, IT SEEMED TO ME, THAT THE BRAKES WORKED THE WAY ABS BRAKES ARE SUPPOSE TO, BUT I'M NOT SURE. A WITNESS WHO SAW THE ACCIDENT ESTIMATED THAT THE AUTOMOBILE WAS RACING IN REVERSE ABOUT 20-30 MPH,BEFORE IT STRUCK THE TREE, BUT ONLY A GUESS. (DOT NUMBER: N/A TIRESIZE: N/A)

EA#00-011; ENGINE CRADLE HAD SEPARATED, BOTH FRONT ENGINE CRADLE BOLTS HAD PULLED THROUGH THE RETAINERS DUE TO CORROSION. CONSUMER HAD LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE.*AK

THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN LISTED AS A COMMON PROBLEM ON CARPOINT.COM. HERE IS THE URL FOR THAT PROBLEM HTTP://CARPOINT.MSN.COM/VIP/USEDSINGLEYEAR/PONTIAC/GRAND%20PRIX/1991.ASP#ENGINE THE OTHER PROBLEMS LISTED HAVE ALSO OCCURRED WITH THE CAR. IT FIRST APPEARED ON JUNE 24 1997 AND THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT 20 MPH. THERE IS A COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKING DUE TO THIS. IT HAPPENS WITH LITTLE OR NO WARNING AT ALL. THE BRAKES ON THE CAR HAVE LESS THAN 20,000 MILES ON THEM. I WILL BE SENDING A LETTER TO PONTIAC AND GM WITHING 1 DAY.

WHILE TRAVELING AND WHEN DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL VEHICLE WOULD CONTINUE TO TRAVEL, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

REAR BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON AFTER RELEASING BRAKE PEDAL. CAR WAS DROPPED OFF AT PALM PONTIAC SERVICE DEPARTMENT A TOTAL OF 9 TIMES FROM 11/4/99 TO 7/24/00. THE REPAIRS PERFORMED ON THSES 9 VISITS INCLUDED REPLACING ABS BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER, REPLACING BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, ADJUSTING BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH AND ADJUSTING BRAKE PEDAL. PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS AS OF 9/5/00 WHEN I CONTACTED WAYNE TURNER, SERVICE DIRECTOR AT PALM PONTIAC AND HE ADVICED ME TO CONTACT PONTIAC CUSTOMER SERVICE. I CALLED PONTIAC CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT !-800-762--2737 AND SPOKE TO PATRICK CLEMMINS. HE GAVE ME A REQUEST # C01463354 AND SEND HE WOULD CHECK WITH HIS SUPERIOR AND CALL ME BACK.

THE ENGINE CRADLE SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE RESULTING IN A COLLSION. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO THE VIN. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DISQUALIFIED DUE TO THE VIN #, IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA THE VEHICLE WAS SOLD WHEN NEW. *YH

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH STEERING LOCKED AND BROKE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CLOSEST REPAIR SHOP. TWO BOLTS/ 4 BUSHING/ 2 RETAINERS AND 2 SPACERS WERE REPLACED. ALSO, STEERING COLUMN SHAFT WAS RECONNECTED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. CONSUMER WAS VERY UPSET BECAUSE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED RECALL 00V18900 GM/CRADLE BOLTS DUE TO VIN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

MECHANIC SAID THERE WERE 14 CRACKS IN THE HEAD OF THE MOTOR. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE WOULD LOSE POWER/OVERHEAT. SMOKE AND DRIPPING WATER WERE COMING OUT OF THE TAILPIPE. *AK *ML

CONSUMER FOUND OUT FROM REPAIR SHOP THAT REAR BRAKES HAD NO POWER. ONE OF THE BRAKES WAS COMPLETELY DISCONNECTED. ALSO, THEY WERE BOTH RUSTED. CONSUMER WILL CONTACT MANUFACTURER. *AK *ML

SMALL ENGINE FIRE MELTED PLASTIC AT FRONT OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT)