1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX Complaints

CONSUMER STATES THAT HIS 1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX CAUGHT A FIRE SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND PONTIAC DENIED ANY RESPONSIBILITY BUT NOW THEY ARE BEING RECALLED. *NJ THE CONSUMER REFERENCED RECALL # 09V116000. *JB

MY 1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX 3.8 LITRE V6 CAUGHT ON FIRE ON APRIL 6 2009 AND THEN A COUPLE DAYS LATER THE RECALL CAME OUT. MY CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS. I HAVE CONTACTED PONTIAC AS OF 4-16-2009 AND I AM WAITING TO HEAR FROM THEM! THERE IS NO POLICE REPORT, BUT THERE IS A FIRE REPORT DUE TO THE FIRE DEPT COMING TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES. *TR

AFTER TAKING MY CAR IN FOR A RECALL (NHTSA ID NUMBER 08V118000) I NOTICE THAT THE OIL LEAK THAT I WAS EXPERIENCING WOULD BE FIXED. WHEN THE OIL LEAK RETURNED, I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER TO SEE IF THE REPAIR WAS NOT FIXED CORRECTLY. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE BACK VALVE COVER AND MANIFOLD WAS NOW LEAKING AND THE RECALL ONLY FIXED THE FRONT VALVE COVER. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE LEAK COULD CAUSE A FIRE SIMILAR TO THE ONE THAT WAS THE RECALL WAS SUPPOSE TO CORRECT. I INFORMED GM SUPPORT OF THE PROBLEM AND THEY STATED THAT UNLESS A RECALL WAS ISSUED, I WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE COST OF THE REPAIR ($1300). SINCE THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE RELATED TO OIL LEAKS SIMILAR TO RECALL, I THINK IT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. THANK YOU. *TR

THE DRIVER SIDE POWER WINDOW WILL NOT WORK. I PUT IT DOWN ONE DAY AND WHEN I TRIED TO PUT IT BACK UP, IT WENT HALF WAY AND STOPPED. I WAS PARKING AT A HOCKEY GAME AND HAD TO GET MY WINDOW UP! MY HUSBAND HAD TO PUSH IT UP BUT WHEN WE CAME OUT FROM THE GAME, IT WAS BACK DOWN. LUCKILY NOTHING WAS BOTHERED IN THE CAR. NOW IT IS UP WITH SMALL WOOD SHIMS STUCK DOWN IN THE DOOR SO THE WINDOW WON'T FALL DOWN. I HAVE BEEN SEARCHING EVERY WHERE FOR THE MOTOR AND REGULATOR BUT JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, THE PART IS GONE BEFORE I CAN GET IT. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL. IT SEEMS TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM AND PONTIAC SHOULD FIX IT. IT IS A 1998 GRAND PRIX DAYTONA PACE CAR WITH ONLY 93,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AT 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO DRIVE FORWARD. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT DETERMINED THAT THE RACK AND PINION WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V286000 (STEERING:RACK AND PINION). THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THERE WILL BE NO COMPENSATION PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 107,000. UPDATED 03-06-09 *BF UPDATED 03/09/09*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V441000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL. HE NOTICED OIL SPOTS ON HIS GARAGE FLOOR. THERE WERE NO PERFORMANCE ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT SMELLED OIL INSIDE THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR THE RECALL REPAIR AND INFORMED THE DEALER THAT THE REAR GASKET WAS LEAKING. THE DEALER LATER CONFIRMED THE FAILURE, BUT STATED THAT THE RECALL ONLY PERTAINED TO THE FRONT ROCKER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 61,500 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 59,000.

MY 17 YEAR OLD SON WAS DRIVING ON ICE AND STARTED TO SLIDE AND HE SLID INTO A DITCH. NO DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE CAR, HE WAS DRIVING APPROX. 15 MPH AND ONCE THE CAR WAS PULLED OUT OF THE DITCH IT WAS DRIVEN THE REST OF THE WAY HOME. BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, THE PASSENGER SIDE DEPLOYED W/ SUCH FORCE THAT IT SHATTERED THE WINDSHIELD AND THE DRIVERS SIDE HAD ENOUGH FORCE THAT IT HIT MY SON IN THE FACE HARD ENOUGH TO SHOVE HIS HEAD INTO THE HEADREST. *TR

I PURCHASED A 1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GTP FROM A FRIEND OF MINE WITH ABOUT 97,000 MILES ON IT. HE SAID IT WAS IN GOOD SHAPE AND RUNNING GOOD. ABOUT 4 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT IT, IT HAD AROUND 102,000 MILES ON IT AND THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO GO. IT SUDDENLY WOULDN'T SHIFT FROM PARK INTO GEAR SOMETIMES. I HAD VERY LITTLE POWER IN REVERSE, I HAD TO REV THE ENGINE TO 3500 RPMS TO GET THE CAR TO BUDGE IN REVERSE. THEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND HE SAID THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACE. HE REFERRED ME TO A SHOP THAT ONLY WORKS ON TRANSMISSIONS AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT IT HAD TO BE REBUILT. IT COST AROUND 2,000$ DOLLARS AND I HAVE SINCE READ THAT THIS MODEL CAR HAS A KNOWN PROBLEM FOR TRANSMISSION FAILURE AROUND 100,000 MILES. *TR

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF USE OF ORANGE COOLANT--ALSO SERPENTINE BELT REPLACED BECAUSE OF ORANGE COOLANT SPRAY ALL OVER IT. WATER PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED 3 MONTHS LATER. *TR

DROVE TO THE STORE AND HOME, PARKED MY CAR AND WALKED INSIDE. WITHIN 5 MINUTES NEIGHBORS REPORTED MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. FIRE DEPT. CAME AND PUT IT OUT. EVERYTHING UNDER THE HOOD IS BURNT. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER IN APRIL FOR A RECALL REPAIR, BUT IT STILL CAUGHT FIRE. I HAVE RECEIPTS. *TR