2003 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. WHILE IDLING AT A RED LIGHT, THE ENGINE REVVED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TWICE, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURES MORE THAN ONCE. IN ADDITION, THE KEY WOULD BECOME STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND PREVENT THE VEHICLE FROM BEING STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

WHILE I'M PERSONALLY UNAWARE OF ANY CRASHES OR PEOPLE DYING DUE TO THIS PROBLEM ON THIS MODEL, GM HAS A WELL DOCUMENTED HISTORY OF BAD IGNITION SWITCHES ON OTHER MODELS THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL THAT THEY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT FOR MANY YEARS. THE EFFECTS OF THE BAD IGNITION SWITCH WITH THIS MODEL ARE: 1. THE A/C - HEATER FAN BLOWER WORKS INTERMITTENTLY, IF YOU'RE LUCKY, AND THEN ONLY ON HIGH SPEED IF IT DOES. NONE OF THE OTHER SPEEDS WORK AT ALL. 2. WHEN YOU TRY TO TURN THE FAN MOTOR ON TO RUN THE HEATER OR A/C, THE HEADLIGHTS GO OUT. WHILE THERE ARE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT ON THE CAUSE, AFTER RESEARCHING THE INTERNET, ONE COMPONENT SEEMED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM EVERY TIME. YOU MUST REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE PROBLEM IS NOT THE RESISTOR AS SOME SEEM TO THINK, BUT THE IGNITION SWITCH. THOSE WHO REPLACED THE RESISTOR ALWAYS HAD TO COME BACK AND REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH. THOSE WHO REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH HAD FEWER, IF ANY, PROBLEMS AFTER THAT. I WRITE THIS TO YOU BECAUSE I BELIEVE SOMEONE "UP THERE" NEEDS TO KNOW THIS INFORMATION. I SIMPLY HOPE IT DOESN'T FALL ON DEAF EARS LIKE MOST THINGS. I WITHHOLD FURTHER COMMENT. REGARDS, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *JS

TAIL LIGHTS ARE FILLED WITH CONDENSATION AND DO NOT ILLUMINATE PROPERLY. NO REPLACEMENT PARTS TO PURCHASE THAT ARE NOT DEFECTIVE. *TR

RAN OUT TO DO A SHORT ERRAND AT LUNCH TIME. CAME BACK TO WORK AND WAS IN THE BUILDING APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES WHEN SOMEONE CAME RUNNING IN AND SAID MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. CO-WORKERS TRIED UNSUCCESSFULLY TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. CAR WAS A COMPLETE LOSS. CAR HAD BEEN RUNNING PERFECT UP UNTIL THE INCIDENT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR TAIL LIGHT FAILED TO PROVIDE THE PROPER ILLUMINATION WHEN THE BRAKE WAS ENGAGED. THE TAIL LIGHT HOUSING RETAINED MOISTURE AND CAUSED THE TAIL LIGHT LENS TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. UPDATED 04/30/13*LJ

I HAD ONE OF THE WORST EXPERIENCES HAPPENED WITH MY CAR TODAY. IM ON MY WAY TO THE STORE TO GET DETERGENT BEFORE HEADING TO LAUNDROMAT. I NOTICED WHEN I ENTERED THE VEHICLE TO START IT UP THAT THE DRIVER SEAT WAS EXTREMELY WARM WHICH WAS STRANGE BECAUSE THE CAR SAT OVERNIGHT AND IT IS WINTER. AS I LET THE CAR WARM UP I REALIZED THAT THE SEAT BECAME HOT AND WHEN I STARTED TO DRIVE IT BECAME HOTTER TO THE POINT WHERE IT FELT MY THIGHS AND REAR WERE BURNING. I HAD TO PUT A BLANKET ON THE SEAT JUST TO GET SOME RELIEF. I MADE IT TO THE LAUNDROMAT BUT BY THE TIME I'D FINISHED WASHING AND TOOK MY BELONGINGS BACK TO THE CAR I SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. THAT'S WHEN I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE DRIVERS SEAT. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE BLANKET OFF THE SEAT AND NOTICED A BURN STAIN ON THE SEAT. THE SEAT WAS STILL EXTREMELY HOT AND I WAS IN TOTAL DISBELIEF. I WAS REALLY SCARED TO DRIVE HOME BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW IF THE CAR WOULD CATCH FIRE OR IF I WOULD SUFFER ANY BURNS. THE CRAZY PART ABOUT THIS IS THAT I NEVER TURNED ON THE SEAT WARMER AND HAD NOT USED IT FOR A FEW DAYS BECAUSE I TRY NOT TO USE IT ALL THE TIME. NOW I HAVE TO TAKE OFF WORK AND TAKE IT TO THE AUTO SHOP TO SEE HOW I CAN RECTIFY THIS PROBLEM WHICH IM HOPING WILL NOT COST AN "ARM AND LEG". IM SO DISAPPOINTED RIGHT NOW. I'VE HAD THIS CAR FOR 8YRS NOW AND CAN SAY THAT I NEVER EXPECTED THIS TO HAPPEN. I JUST KNOW THAT THIS HAS TOTALLY TURNED ME AWAY FROM THE THOUGHT OF HAVING HEATED SEATS IN MY NEXT CAR. SO SAD!!!! *TR

CAR HAD BEEN RUNNING GREAT. PARKED IT AT A FRIENDS HOUSE AND SOMEONE NOTICED IT ON FIRE ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER. CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THEY PUT IT OUT. DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT IT HAD SOME RECALLS AND THIS WAS A SOMEWHAT COMMON PROBLEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V116000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT WHILE PARKED THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE NOTICED SMOKE EMITTING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND REPORTED TO THE SCENE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 185,141.

THERMOSTAT BOUNCING UP AND DOWN TOOK TO DEALER HAD THERMOSTAT, LOWER INTAKE GASKETS AND UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD AND WATER PUMP REPLACED. TEMP NEEDLE GOES OVER HALF WHEN IDLING ON HOT DAYS BUT AS DRIVEN GOES DOWN. IT GOES UP AND DOWN. SPENT 1500 TO FIX. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE HEADLIGHTS AND AIR CONDITIONER WOULD NOT ACTIVATE. ALSO, THE HEATED SEAT FAILED MALFUNCTIONED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.