1993 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX Complaints

ON-GOING / INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH SMOKE COMING FROM HORN ASSEMBLY; INSPECTED BY DEALER ON TWO OCCASIONS, AND INFORMED THAT HORN MUST BE DISASSEMBLEDTO LOCATE THE PROBLEM WHICH WOULD BE AT CONSUMER'S COST. SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA IN THIS MATTER. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 20-30MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, AND SEAT BELT DID NOT DID RETRACT, RESULTING IN MINOR INJURIES. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

BRAKES OVERHEAT CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE AND THE PEDAL TO GO TO THE FLOOR. NLM

CAR CUTS OUT AND CHUGS - THERE WAS A EMISSIONS MODULE RECALL DONE ON THIS VECHILE IN LATE OCT-EARLY NOV. OF 98 SINCE THEN WE HAVE HAD THIS CHUGGING - IT FEELS LIKE THE CAR IS NOT GETTING GAS OR THAT THECAR IS HAVING COMPUTER PROBLEMS 2 WEEKS AFTER RECALL WAS DONE ON THIS CAR ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY WENT OUT , THAT WASN'T ALL THE BRAKES QUIT WE HAD TO REPLACE 3 ALTERNATORS BEFORE FINALLY IT STARTED WORKING RIGHT AGAIN . THEN APROX. A MONTH LATER IT STARTED CUTTING OUT WHILE YOU TRIED TO EXCEL. ANY AND ALL HELP WILL BE APPRECIATED

UPON STARTING THE CAR IN THE MORNING, SMOKE EMINATED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN/WHEEL ASSEMBLY FILLING THE INTERIOR WITH SMOKE AND A STRONG BURNT ELECTRICAL ODOR. *AK

WHEN DRIVING 45-50 MPH THERE IS A VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED THE OUTER TIE ROD ENDS WERE FOUND TO BE WORN OUT. THE OUTER TIE ROD ENDS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. THE OLDER TIE RODS COULD NOT BE LUBRICATED, WHICH WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

MY PROBLEM IS THAT THE BRAKES ON MY CAR DO A SUBSTANDARD, UNSAFE AND UNPREDICTABLE JOB OF STOPPING THE VEHICLE. IN EMERGENCY MANEUVERS, THEY HAVE REPEATEDLY PROVEN THEMSELVES TO BE INADEQUATE, AND I FEEL LIKE I AM DRIVING WITH AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. SOMETIMES, I WILL STAND ON THE BRAKES (TO THE FLOOR), BUT THE CAR IS STOPPING AS IF I HAD BEEN MODERATELY BRAKING. OTHER TIMES, THE BRAKES PULL THE CAR TO ONE SIDE. OF ALL THE CARS THAT I HAVE EVER DRIVEN (INCLUDING MANY GM THAT MY FAMILY OWNED), THIS CAR HAS THE WORST BRAKES, AND BY A FAR MARGIN. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, I HAVE HAD MECHANICS INSPECT THE BRAKES (DEALERS AND LOCAL MECHANICS). I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THEM THAT THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO TO IMPROVE MY SITUATION; THAT IT IS JUST A "PROBLEM WITH THE GM W-BODIES." I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT THESE BRAKES TO MECHANICS FOR OVER 60,000 MILES, WITH NO HELP (I HAVE DOCUMENTED THIS -- THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY WHEN I STARTED). I HAVE HAD REAR CALIPERS REPLACED, BRAKE PADS REPLACED WITH ONES OF DIFFERENT COMPOUNDS, ROTORS TURNED, ALL TO NO AVAIL. I HAVE HAD FRIENDS DRIVE THE CAR AND TELL ME THEY THOUGHT THE BRAKES WERE BAD. I FEEL THAT I HAVE RUN OUT OF OPTIONS WITH THIS, SHORT OF SELLING THE CAR AND BUYING A NEW ONE (WHICH I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO DO FOR THIS).

THIS IS ADDENDUM TO ODI # 700647: ON MAY 14, 1997, I HAD MY BRAKES RELINED AND PAID FOR THE FOLLOWING: REAR PADS, FRONT PADS, BOOT KIT, RETAINERS, CUT ROTORS, SLIDE PINS AND ANTI-RATTLE CLIPS. ON MY WAY HOME, THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE OVERHEATED AND BEGAN SMOKING. I CALLED THE DEALER AND SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT. AFTER HE WORKED ON THE CAR, I STILL HAD PROBLEMS. I RETURNED AND HE CHARGED ME FOR A NEW CALIPER AND SAID THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED. TOTAL COST OF THE REPAIRS INCLUDING TRIAL AND ERROR WAS $369.34. THE PROBLEM CONTINUES AND THE DEALER INSTALLED A NEW BRAKE HOSE AT NO CHARGE. WHEN THE SAME RIGHT REAR LINING WORE OUT PREMATURELY AND BROKE IN HALF, THE DEALER RELINED THE REAR BRAKES AT NO CHARGE, BUT THE BRAKE STILL OVERHEATS ON DAMP DAYS. I CONTACTED PONTIAC AND ASKED THEM TO ASSUME SOME RESPONSIBILITY, BUT THEY REFUSED. THE DEALER ALSO REFUSES TO ASSUME ANY RESPONSIBILITY, BUT ADMITS THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH MANY GM AUTOMOBILES--THAT IT'S NOT A GOOD BRAKE SYSTEM.

THE VEHICLE FILLED UP WITH SMOKE THAT CAME FROM THE STEERING COLUMN AREA WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP WHERE DEALER STATED THAT THE DIRECTIONAL ASSEMBLY SHORTED OUT AND MELTED THE WIRES, RESULTING IN A FIRE. THOSE PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. *AK

OCASIONAL SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. TOOK TO A DEALER TO REPAIR. THEY REPLACED THE HAZARD LIGHT SWITCH. PROBLEM RETURNED ABOUT 3 MONTHS LATER. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A FIRE STARING IN THE STEERING WHEEL.