Serious problem - could cause fire. Oil dripping on exhaust. Burning smell (like rubber or oil) observed while driving car, especially (but not only) while at highway speeds. Continued to smell strongly sometimes after car was turned off. Took to deal
1997 Pontiac Grand Am engine complaints
Page 3 of 4: complaints 41 to 70 of 83, newest first, as owners wrote them.
While driving egr valve failed at 79,000 miles , causing vehicle to hesitate. Cause is unknown.
The shop that repaired this vehicle seemed puzzles why the manifold failed. He stated that it usually fails at 120,000 miles. Three other people told me thay have the same problem.
Antifreeze turns black and clumpy. Koons has replaced parts and flushed systems twice. The third time on 2/6/01 replace radiator service person stacy bacon stated they flushed the system again. On 2/7/01 fluid is still black. Could you please help.
Dex-cool was used as only coolant. My mechanic faxed me some information on dex-cool stating that it was starting to cause problems in the 1st cars using it. Everything cooling related is starting to go out.
Abs: steering groans after hard braking or tight high/low-speed turns/warning light comes on; alternator: not charging-replaced twice; thermostat replaced twice
Coolant is leaking onto rack and pinion, deteriorating the rack and pinion, and making it very difficult to steer vehicle when making a turn. Also, there is alot of play in the steering wheel and noise when turning. Power steering hose has gone bad. Consumer has contacted dealer. *ak powere steering hose and water pump leaked causing rack and pinion damage. Front brake shoes failed.
Ongoing problem with engine idling, and causing vehicle to vibrate so badly that it appeared to stall. Vehicle has been in dealer shop on four occasions, and dealer refused to do any more repairs. Feel free to provide further details.
This 1997 grand am is nothing but trouble. I have had several failures and am not happy with this vehicle at all. Please contact at the phone numbers at the beginning of this form ! No afety defect listed in the summary.
Christmas eve 1999 while driving down the highway access road a loud boom was heard and the car began to lose to power. Luckily, we were about 200 feet from a gas station. We managed to get the car into the gas station. At this time I saw an immense amount of smoke coming from under the hood. My husband opened the hood and found the engine was on fire. As he ran into the store to get a fire extinguisher, a man from the fireworks stand next to the gas station arrived with an extinguisher and put the fire out. He had seen us coming down the access road with big ball of fire under the car. Our insurance company says that a piston gave out and as the engine began failing oil began to drip onto the catalytic converter or some other componant causing the fire. This is not covered by my insurance company because the fire was due to mechanical failure. We need to have a new engine. The dealer estimate is $6500.00. This is just the latest mechanical failure on this vehicle. We have had numerous problems with this vehicle and have spent over $4,000.00 in repairs prior to this incident.
Water pump failed. Yh
No summary listed for abov evehicle.
I have had multiple problems from this car and, gm does not want to help. I was sent out of the dealer ship with no horn for three days. Dealers are now smart enough to work around the lemon law in wording repair orders. I think with all the motor problems and, safety issues maybe an investigation should be done before a car stalls and someone gets killed.
Th next year after I purchased my car, I began to lose compression. The car would also accelerate on its own, I noticed that my "check engine lights were on." I immediately took the car back to the dealers and they gave a diagnosis of "using the wrong gas". I am a women, and I don't know much about cars, therefore, at the time, I did not dispute this ridiculous diagnosis. A year later, I had to replace the brakes/disc pads twice. There was loud squelching noises. I also bought new tires after one year. Major problems have developed since 1999, which are: I had to have the thermostat replaced (air condition and heat stopped working), I had to have a new waterpump installed (car was pouring anti-freeze and smoking), and as of february 6, 2000, the car just completely stopped running. I received two qoutes from area repair shops estimating between $3k to $4,500 to rebuild and engine! I have exhausted myself contacting fred jones (spoke to him personally) of fred jones pontiac, and their customer care center. Please help me! Also, I read on your site that there was a recall on this vehicle for underhood fires - I never received a recall letter and my car was never taken in! I am very concerned that besides this make of car being a lemon, this may have also contributed to my problems. Please help me!!!
Mno summary listed for above vehicle.
The wheel joint simply broke apart no prior warning. Company did cover that. Spark plug and wire were supposed to be good for 100,000 miles, but were no good after 47,000 miles, water pump went out at 49,000miles. I have never had so many problems on a vehicle with low mileage. I have had previous gm cars that have lasted over 100,000 miles with no problems. Is this car known to have these kinds of problems? I have spent $700 in repairs because the way the car is put together it takes hours for the mechanic to fix anything. $483 for a water pump!!
Card runs rough, stumbles and hesitates, engine check light on. Dealer replaced catalitic converter, o2 censors, egr valve, spark plugs to no avail. Please e-mail me if you are having the same problem at [email protected].
This is the letter I submitted to them: I'm writing you this letter to let you know how disatisfied I am with your product. I bought my 97 pontiac grand am new. I am a strong believer you get what you pay for. That is why I bought new versus a used vehicle. I believe that I should get more for my money than what I have got from your product. I'm very dissatisfied!!!! I am in the u.s.m.c. My family and I do alot of traveling to and from our home state. My wife was broke down on the highway with this vehicle. We as car owners have never broke down on the highway in my 18 years of being in the military. I am very picky about my vehicles and always have my car serviced as required. I never miss my oil changes. I am a middle class citizen just trying to make a living and make sure my family is safe on the roads. I have had no problems with the car dealership. I believe them to be the best in town. I believe I just picked the lemon on the lot. I have listed my expenses that I have paid out of my pocket and also what was covered under warranty. Please fell free to give me a call if you have any questions. I feel that I should be reimburse for repairs and expenses. Of $1257.65
Started vehicle and backed out of driveway. While traveling approximately 500 feet, vehicle suddenly stalled. Was able to get it started, and took it to the dealer. Dealer indicated that alternator bearing was bad and replaced it. However, vehicle stalled again on 01-sep-99/11-oct-99 and 13-oct-99.
When driving at any speed and applying brakes there is a grinding and squeaking noise coming from the front driver's side wheel, and when coasting down a hill and applying brakes the grinding and squeaking noise is still also, air conditooning hose/ radiator hose ,and the alternator had be replaced. However., dealer can't determine the cause of problems.
Vehicle would travel 40 MPH without applying gas.
Car will almost die when pulling out into traffic. It will stumble , fall on its face what ever you call it. But then it will usually take back off real quick. It uses to much gas and the engine light comes off and on along with the coolant light. The blinkers sometimes don't work either.
While driving vehicle will unexpectedly shut down. Also there is a malfunction within the headlight system. Dealer cannot diagnose the fault. Please give any further details.
While driving vehicle stalled unexpectedly which could cause a crash. Also, there was an electrical short in the headlight system. Dealer replaced parts, but could not determine the problem. Please provide further information.
Car tries to die as attempting to take off in a intersection or from a stop. I've had in the shop 3 times and never has been fixed. Parking brake doesn't engage unless pulled to last click. All of the rotors and brake pads have been replaced. Power steering pump. And oil pump repaced. Service person at bob howard told me my car wou.is car since purchase. I'm planning on taking it back for its 4th time. Please help.
Vehicle continaully experience high RPM's and acceleration on its own without throttle, replacement of o2 sensors and PCM did not rectify acceleration problems. Mjs
When driving and driver presses the accelerator, vehicle will stall and then all of a sudden accelerate and take off. Vehicle was at dealership, and they replaced fuel pump/oil pump and computer analysis were done. Recently brakes seemed to be performing poorly. Upon braking, stopping distance exceeded approximately half car length. Please add VIN.#.
I will never purchase another pontiac-I have had nothing but trouble from this car and absolutely zero help repairing it. I owned two buicks prior to this car and will buy another as soon as I can get rid of this lemon!
Engine has a hesitation when coming to a stop or leaving a stop. Oil pump has been replaced twice. Ignition module has been replaced twice. Dealer has not corrected the problem on 4 attempts in two weeks.
Passenger seat track/adjuster rod failed, after repair work completed the unit failed again causing passenger to hit windshield during emergency stopping.
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