2006 PONTIAC SOLSTICE Complaints

PONTIAC SAFETY RECALL 07204 2006 PONTIAC SOLSTICE REAR AXLE SEAL LEAK, THE FAILURE OCCURRED SOON AFTER THE CAR WAS PURCHASED AND WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS, AXLE SEAL WAS REPLACED, UPON RETURN OF THE CAR IT WAS NOTICED THE REAR AXLE WAS MAKING A WHINING NOISE THAT WAS VERY PRONOUNCED AND UNABLE TO TALK OVER. CAR WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER AND THEY CHANGED THE AXLE FLUID AND PUT AN ADDITIVE IN FOR THE WHINE. NOISE DID NOT GO AWAY AND IS STILL PRESENT TO THIS DAY. I RETURNED THE CAR TO THE DEALER 5 MORE TIMES AND WAS TOLD THE NOISE WAS NORMAL. FEB 2008 RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER FROM GM SAYING THE DIFFERENTIAL SEAL NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND "DAMAGED BEARINGS WILL CREATE NOISE" "DIFFERENTIAL COULD JAM AND LOCK THE DRIVE WHEELS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION" "A CRASH COULD OCCUR WITH OUT WARNING" I RETURNED THE CAR FOR THE RECALL AND THE AXLE SEAL WAS REPLACED AGAIN, UPON RETURN OF THE CAR THE AXLE IS STILL WHINING AS LOUD AS EVER AND IS NOW A VERY HUGE SAFETY CONCERN TO ME THAT THE CAR MAY CRASH WITHOUT WARNING. I HAVE CALLED PONTIAC TO ADVISE THEM THE ISSUE IS STILL ON GOING CASE #71-606320808 AT THIS POINT THEY HAVE NOT OFFERED ANY RESOLUTION TO THE ISSUE AND HAVE STATED THAT THE RECALL HAS BEEN SATISFIED BY REPLACING THE AXLE SEAL. *TR

REAR-END CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM REAR-END WHILE SHIFTING GEARS, NONE REPAIRABLE. *TR

2006 PONTIAC SOLSTICE GRINDING NOISE IN THE DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLY. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DEALER IS SAYING THAT THE NOISE IS NORMAL AND THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE GRINDING ISSUE HAD BECOME SO BAD THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD VIOLENTLY JERK NOT ONLY WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN, BUT ALSO WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT. *JB

I PURCHASED MY PONTIAC SOLSTICE IN NOVEMBER, 2005. SINCE THEN THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL HAS GONE OUT TWICE (THE FIRST TIME APPROX. 3 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE) AND HAS BEEN REPAIRED ONCE FOR A LEAKING DIFF SEAL (SHORTLY AFTER THE FIRST REPLACEMENT). IT WAS REPLACED TWICE SINCE IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY. HOWEVER, I AM CONCERNED ONCE THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED I WILL BE LEFT "HOLDING THE BAG" FOR THIS PROBLEM. I AM ON MY THIRD DIFF FOR THIS CAR AND HAVE MET OTHER SOLSTICE OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. IN FACT, I HAVE NOT MET A SOLSTICE OWNER WHO HASN'T HAD A DIFF PROBLEM. I THINK PONTIAC NEEDS TO RECALL THIS DIFF AND PROVIDE A RELIABLE ONE! (INCIDENT DATE PROVIDED IS A "GUESS" OF THE LAST REPLACEMENT.) *JB

THE CLUTCH PACKS IN THE DIFFERENTIAL WERE BINDING ON THE 2006 PONTIAC SOLSTICE WITH JUST AROUND 11,000 MILES. A MAJOR VEHICLE COMPONENT LIKE THE DIFFERENTIAL SHOULD NOT BIND AT THIS EARLY STAGE IN THE VEHICLE'S LIFE. IN ANY CASE, IT MADE THE VEHICLE HARDER TO MANEUVER, WHICH I CONSIDER TO BE A SAFETY RISK. *AK

DIFFERENTIAL MAKING CLUNKING SOUNDS WHEN SHIFTING. NOTHING WAS DONE AS DEALER SAID THAT THISWAS ONE OF THE VEHICLE'S CHARACTERISTICS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON I-95 SOUTHBOUND ABOUT 2 MILES SOUTH OF ST. GEORGE, SC A LOUD GRINDING NOISE COMBINED WITH VEHICLE JERKING OCCURRED, AND ABOUT 3 SECONDS LATER THE DIFFERENTIAL LOCKED, CAUSING THE REAR WHEELS TO STOP TURNING AND THE VEHICLE TO SKID ALONG THE ROADWAY. AMIDST CLOUDS OF SMOKE AND DUST THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP ON THE SHOULDER FACING PERPENDICULARLY TO THE ROADWAY.*AK

ACCELERATOR STUCK ON TWO OCCASIONS, ONE FOOT ON BRAKE, THE OTHER ON THE CLUTCH, ENGINE WAS REVVING AT ~3500 RPM SECOND TIME AT ~2300 RPM. NECESSARY TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM SO NO ACTION TAKEN. *JB

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

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR PINION SEAL FAILED AND LEAKED OIL ONTO THE EXHAUST PIPE AND CAUSED SMOKE THAT COULD LEAD TO A FIRE. THE SERVICE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED AND OFFERED TO REPLACE THE SEAL. THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK FROM THE VENT IN THE DIFFERENTIAL, THEN OIL LEAK IN THE DIFFERENTIAL PINION OIL SEAL. UPDATED 12/05/06. *JB