Tl*the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand am. The contact noticed smoke inside the vehicle and sparks underneath the hood while the vehicle was parked. The mechanic stated that the wire harness needed to be replaced, but did not make the repair. The manufacturer stated that the vehicle is excluded from recall # 97v059000 (electrical system:wiring:front underhood). The current and failure mileages were 102,715.
1997 Pontiac Grand Am electrical complaints
Page 2 of 5: complaints 11 to 40 of 105, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Passlock security system on 1997 pontiac grand am disables car's ability to start. I have had ignition switch fixed 2 times already- the last time being 2 years ago. And they want me to replace it again!
Purchased car new at end of 97 model year. Within first six months returned car six times due to defective sway bar bushings. Problem has never been corrected. Car clunks as it is either turned to the right or left or travels (slowly) over speed bumps. Also have experienced paint peeling from outside mirrors, radio volume control problems, radio/clock display works only part of the time, right front passenger seat mounting broke and slid passenger into dashboard, 2 door sport coupe-both power windows motors have broken and been replaced. The driver's side window just broke for the second time in two years. Passenger window has also started to act sluggish. Discovered leaky intake manifold gasket. Another expensive repair. Rain leaks into car around window gaskets which also make a hissing sound at speeds over 45 MPH. Car has been driven with care for nine years(odometer=80,000 miles) and has had oil changes, tire rotations, etc. Completed according to schedule. Owner cannot afford additional costly repairs especially since it seems to be going downhill from here. Disgusted with problems as well as with lack of service from several different pontiac dealers. Owner cannot afford to buy a [decent] new car and will have to purchase something used. Make no mistake- it won't be a gm product!
Took vehicle to murphy motors, dealership here in my home town. Took to them due to fact my heat gauge kept rising and I didn't want to run car hot ;went to find out what was wrong. Technician stated that he put the car on the code machine and ran it. Said code popped up transmission. I didn't take car in for transmission. They refused to fix overheat problem. Said would have to pay $2,500.00 to replace transmission. Picked up car took to clifford vine garage. He looked at car and immediately told me the radiator was pouring water out of it. He replaced radiator and cooling fan. He put car on code machine after repairing those two items and did not see a code for transmission. After that alternator went out, and two days later, my computer and fuel injectors went out. Murphy motors ran car checking transmission no telling how long and probably ran without water since radiator was pouring it out. They didn't mention problem with radiator at all, just transmission codes. I feel they damaged car while running it in their shop looking for more money to get off me, like $2,500.00 for a transmission that has nothing wrong with it. This car was a lemon from the first day I got it. I've had coil housing replaced numerous times by murphy motors and by john hays pontiac-hope ar 71801 when I broke down. Car has been towed in more times for coil housing. Gm needs this car drove right up their backside for the problems it has caused and continues to cause me. I currently have a $750.00 outstanding shop bill to clifford vines garage in el dorado, ar 71730 for the last 3 times it was towed to his shop for the radiator, cooling fan, alternator, fuel injectors, and computer. I'll never buy another pontiac again, that's for sure.
Numerous complaints regarding a 1997 pontiac grand am for repairs/ replacements of parts. Door windows do not function, motor has had to be replaced by former owner, we have repaired motors on door windows several times on our own, windows would not go up and down at all, cost to repair at mechanics was over 400 and was done by first owner at least once. Car service engine light comes on, had to replace entire computer system and now same problem is happening again, car idles horribly, sounds like it will be blowing up, and check engine light comes on. Prior to the replacement of the computer car frequently stalled out while driving in mid turn or while going forward, and car frequently was difficult to start, eventually needing to be towed to a repair facility who had to replace entire computer. Car has wheel bearings that make a lot of noise, sounds like wheel is going to fall off. Car has accelerated all on its own without the driver stepping on gas pedal or doing anything at all with accelerator, car randomly decides by itself to lunge forward and try to drive itself. This stopped briefly after the computer was replaced and is now happening again.
Sept. 2005 my 1997 pontiac grand am wouldn't start. The steering wheel was completely locked. Couldn't get the key into the switch,tried to shake steering wheel and tried banging on the switch and tried forcing the key in, but nothing worked. Had to take cover off under the steering wheel and push a bottom that I found and it unlocked, then it started. Even the dash light stopped working. Been driving with no dash light for a while. It started doing it again, but his time the button under the steering wheel wouldn't work. Had to put a toggle switch in, to even start. I turned the key on pushed the toggle switch and it started. That lasted till 6-7-06. That day I turned on the switch and it sounded like the starter was hung. Now my power windows wont work, the power door locks still work. Found recall online, the code number is 02008b, it says the engine fails to start when the driver holds the key in the start position for a period, high current flows through the ignition switch, and sometimes produces heat to melt internal switch parts. Towed car to pontiac dealer 6-22-06 thinking maybe the recall would fix my problem. I told him to do a diagnostic test on it and it came back the ignition lock cylinder is bad. Then he told me the price and I said, I cant afford that. He said, that it had to be fixed before he could fix the recall. They wanted $222.86 for the part and $275.88 for labor, $7.27 for misc. $14.58 for taxes then he changed it $20.00 for misc. Totaling to $533.32 to fix the cylinder. I told him I found recalls online and even copied them and brought it to him. But he said, that he's got to go by what he has on his recall from gm. I saying if its not on his recall then it should be. This should be a recall on the ignition lock cylinder. So I had it towed to another place that would put the ignition lock cylinder in for $239 including parts and labor.
Passlock security system on 1997 pontiac grand am se will not allow me to start the car at all.
The key gets stuck in the ignition in the auxiliary position. The car has to be started and turned off many times until the key will finally move to the correct position to be removed from the ignition.
This is the worst car (lemon) I have ever had. I bought this car from a used car dealer ship called new car alternative in livonia mi. I am now on my third engine in the car. The first 2 failed due to the head gaskets blowing and anti-freeze was mixing with oil in the engine causing engine failure. All car window motors have be replaced 4 or 5 times each and still don't work. Back two doors are broke one wont open the other wont close. The sunroof wont close the dealer told me 1500 to replace motor and put back on tracks. Lol I have the brakes replaced 3 times in 5 years. I bought the car dec of 99 and have had all these problems since. I don't recommend anyone to buy a grand am or a car from this dealership they were no help at all. The first engine was covered by warranty second one was at my cost of 3500. Then another 1500 for new radiator and heater core. Then alternator needed to be replaced. After that I needed a new transmission hose. This is such bull crap. What a lemon! Plus I was pulling out of a gas station one day and my air bag decided to come out on it own no accident occurred and hit me in the face resulting in injuries and I had to go to the hospital.
Recall 02v070000 concerning ignition switch. Ignition switch wiring melted. Dealership would not repair free of charge because the VIN was not included.
The consumer's vehicle experienced the same problem as mentioned in the federal safety agency recall 02v70000. If the engine fails to start and the driver holds the key in the star position for an extended period, high current flows through the ignition switch, and sometimes produces enough heat to melt internal switch parts. This vehicle was not included in the recall due to VIN. *ak the ignition locked.
The dashboard components remained illuminated even though the vehicle was turned off. The consumer attempted to turn the vehicle on and off but the dashboard lights stayed illuminated. Within seconds of this, smoke started coming form the steering column. The vehicle was towed to dealership. The ignition switch failed and damaged the steering column and other components. There was a ignition switch recall 02v07000 but the consumer was never notified although the vehicle identification numbers was covered by the recall.
The key gets stuck in the ignition and auxillary lights remain on. The locksmith attempts to fix it and I have to keep having him come out; looks like a replacement core is needed, thee is not a cheap way outof this. The bake pads wear down very quickly. It seems that a bolt on the caliper is not even with the opposite bolt, it's very slight but it's the same on both calipers and seems to cause pads to wear unevenly and often. It is probably cheaper for gm to have cosumers replace pads and rotors often than to retool the machinery to fix all those bolts.
Car is a 1997 grand am se with 2.4l engine an automatic trans with 90,000 miles. Ignition key gets stuck in car and won't come out unless car is shifted from nuetral to park several times and key is cycled in ignition. Battery's and alternators last only 1 year. Water pump fails at 43,ooo miles entire electrical system is very sketchy and power door locks, windows and lights work sporadically ever since purchase at 31,000 miles.
97 grand am 4cyl pur new 5/97 series of problems.gt version but driven cautiously by 40 year olds.at 2 years and 39,000 miles water pump fails.is under car and is 600.00 dol to replace!nobody should buy the 4 cylinder when an item prone to failure like a water pump cant be accessed without removing the manifolds on the car.at 50,000 key comes out of ignition while car running.ignition switch fails,has to be re keyed and cost is 500.00 by local mechanic serv stat.at 55,000 miles at interlocks up,car stuck towed at this time a alternator check shows that is not charging.replace both cost 800.00 plus battery.dec 2000 front left tire on alum wheel is flat-take to sev stat,they refill drive car after x-mas it deflates causes car to spin hit light pole mostly on tire area at 40 MPH ,no air bag deployment but a high snowbank decelerates car.alum wheel leak again?ever since w.pump replaced a tapping comes from cam area.at 75,000 miles auto dr lock in driv side fails and is replaced.cam noise cont. As serv. People say it is a lifter,finally in 2002 dec. Car runs rough ,is put on comp. And found to have bad cam timing.chain is inspected as it is steel and for life of car.a tiny cheap bracket keeps the chain in place and it had cracked and slowly broken at 80,000 miles.engine got by with new chain and labor for 800.00 dol.85,000 new battery,95,000 new battery.108,000 4 speed autotrans starts slipping into neutral.car stops on highway wont move.hw patrol tows ,charged 129.00 to repair shop.say tranny is bad.and water pump is leaking again.bill would be thousands due to premature failure of these parts and car will be sold as parts car.too bad,looks good.-march 06,2004.
The federal safety agency recall 02-v-070-000: on certain passenger vehicles if the engine fails to start and the driver holds the key in the "start" position for an extended period, high current flows through the ignition switch, and sometimes produces enough heat to melt internal switch parts. Consumer has the same problem.
Air bag equipment inadvertently deployed.*mr while driving down the highway, both of passenger side air bags exploded with no apparent reason. As result the dash was completely torn apart, the plastic molding of the cd player had blown off, the driver side door appeared to be sprung, but there was no accident to have cause this explosion and damage. The dealership agreed to fix the air bags and sensors, but nothing more. The consumer is requesting that the vehicle be returned to him in the same state it was before the air bag explosion occured. Please assist in resolving matters.
1997 pontiac grand am - power windows - motors both left drivers side and right passenger side. Windows will not go up or down. Once the motors cool down the windows can only be raised .5 inch every 5 minutes. There is no sealant or gasket to prevent moisture to the motor which causes an electrical short to the motor. The pontiac grand am, oldsmobile achieva and buick skylark all have experienced this same design problem requiring millions of hours of service and labor and tons of scrap metal. This has been a design issue for at least 15 years. What a scam. Who's in charge?
When a turn was made, the steering wheel produced a loud rubbing noise. Dealer notified. *ak there were high idle problems. The interior lights and the power locks were replaced. The check engine light had come on and the vehicle had started to run rough, the alternator light had come on and the alternator was replaced. The drivers side seat belt did not retract and was replaced, the lower front control arm was replaced, the blower motor was replaced, the compressor was replaced, when starting the engine cold, there was a knocking sound on the right side until the vehicle was warm ,then the noise would go away, surging would also occur and would worsen when the engine was warmed, the volume on the radio was erratic(had gone up when trying to turn down), the sensor throttle position shorted and was intermittent, the valve air control was replaced, and the fuel filter was replaced. *scc
Consumer called complaining about ignition switch problems. Dealer and the manufacturer were not contacted at the time of this call. Ignition swicth had been replaced once, but the vehicle was still having the same problem, vehicle will not start.
Consumer received recall 02v070000 for ignition switch. Vehicle would not start one evening. Consumer took car to dealer for recall remedy. Dealer stated that ignition cylinder and battery needed to be replaced, and problem was not with ignition switch. Consumer believesproblem was with switch, but dealer would not install relay to correct recall first. Dealer was requesting payment for replacement of cylinder and battery.
While attempting to start the car a "clicking" sound occurred and the car would not start. The battery was replaced, and all was well for a week. Then, the ABS light came on while driving. Also, all the warning lights came on, the gauges flashed back and forth ,and the car stopped. Would not restart unless was set for several minutes. When it started the same incidents repeated. Warning lights would often come on and off without there being anything wrong with the system that the lights were indicating. Once the car was pulled to a stopping location it would not turn completely off , and the key would get stuck in the ignition. These problems persisted for 2 days until it completely stopped.
When shutting off the car, the key becomes stuck in the ignition. I have to restart the car several times and shift from drive to park to get it out.
The ignition switch was paid out of pocket expense being a recall even do I was never contact and this vehicle was purchsed brand new. I spend aprrox $300.00 between towing fees and mechanical repair. I need to get refunded this money. Otherwise, I will contact the bbb and other departments. Dt
Consumer called complaining about having problems with the starter and has had the vehicle on the shop for a recall on the ignition switch. Dealer was contacted and stated that the staterted has nothing to do with the ignition switch so there for there is nothing they can do. Mr
Ignition fire--inserted key into ignition slot and there was a terrible smell of insulation & something like gunpowder--the car's electric system was affected---recently watched tv & heard that pontiac recalls grand am '97 because of problems w/ ignition switch and related fire. Consumer had the vehicle repaired and because of the recall expects reimbursement in full.
In august 2002, we received a recall notice from pontiac saying the ignition circuit thermal events on our pontiac was a problem which could cause spearks or a fire and we should take the vehicle to our local dealer. We took the vehicle to wyatt-johnson, our local dealer and they replaced the ignition switch assembly--or at least that is the part that they said were covered by the recall. Just prior to taking the car into the shop for the recall notice repairs, my wife noticed that when she stopped at a local store, the ignition would not turn off and she saw sparks coming from the steering column. We hoped that the recall repairs would fix the problem since the mechanic at wyatt-johnson said it should. However, after the recall repairs were made, my wife again experienced problems with the ignition--it wouldn't stop running after stopping--and she couldn't seem to remove the key from the ignition. And, again she saw sparks from the ignition. My wife took the car to an independent automotive dealer--our local napa garage and they explained that the problem was in the ignition lock cylinder which needs to be replaced. The napa mechanic showed my wife a pontiac tenical bulletin which clearly states that the ignition switch assembly was included in the previous recall and according to the napa mechanic, the gmac dealer should have replaced the part. He said the recall notice number was 97038. We again contacted wyatt-johnson and they again said that they had made the recall repairs and there was nothing wrong with the car. They refused to exam the automobile again without charging for a diagnostic exam of the vehcile. The napa mechanic said it will cost about $400 to make the necessary repairs to the car. Yesterday, I contacted a pontic representative at the toll free number (800) 762-2737 and they gave me a file number 1-38785208. The lady told me to take it back to the dealership for another diagnostic screening and if they find a problem. Mr
Consumer states while having vehicle serviced was informed that the recall on the ignition switch was not done,but on gmc database states that it was done.when the dealer was called and informed of this the dealer replied that the consumer would be charged for recall repair. *ak
Consumer states that while having vehicle service by another dealership was informed that recall for ignition switch was not done, but is stated as being done in gmc date system,by another dealership. When other dealership was contacted,their reply was for the consumer to pay to have recall done.
While in motion, the vehicle experienced problems relating to the ignition switch. The dashboard lights began to illuminate and dim sporadically. Consumer turned the engine off and then turned the ignition on. The vehicle stalled, presenting it inoperable at that time. The steering became stiff and consumer was unable to switch gears to neutral. Smoke began to emit from the dashboard. The vehicle was towed to an independent facility and repaired because the gm facility was closed. The repair specialist informed consumer the problem traced back to the ignition switch, which required replacement of an alternator and a battery recharge. Pontiac was contacted shortly (request c20753090) and informed consumer they were not aware of any problems or recall relating to the incident. In april 2002, gm sent consumer a recall letter (02v07) regarding faulty ignition switches. Consumer was reimbursed for the ignition switch repair, but has not been reimbursed for repair caused by the faulty ignition switch. Consumer expects gm to reimburse for the remainder of the cost.
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