1999 Pontiac Grand Prix: misfire or rough idle

Filed Mar 5, 2016 · Engine · 170,919 miles · MO

Takata recall / my car had a gm recall 15757. It involved the replacement of my engine front valve cover and front valve cover gasket. I took it to the gateway buick gmc on 3/5/2016. After the job was finished I found out my engine plastic beauty cover was missing. I was told it didnt fit because of the new parts. It is unexceptable that my engine is left exposed and there wasnt a newly designed plastic beauty cover. I am not happy with the result. Plus, my car is now misfiring and before I took it in for service the car was running fine and not misfiring. My spark plug wires were loose and easily detached from the connection where the spark plug connects as if it was pulled carelessly. I regret taking my car in for the recall. My car should have no problems period after service.

Filed Oct 25, 2011 · Engine, Steering · 188,000 miles · IL · fire

Vehicle began to run rough. Then immediately lost power steering and stalled. The engine died followed by flames from under both sides of the hood. No smoke was seen before the fire began. No lights came on to indicate a problem. In no time, the entire vehicle was engulfed in flames. The car was a total loss.

Filed Jun 15, 2011 · Transmission · 158,000 miles · NY

Driving to work as normal and took off from a full stop when all of a sudden the car was going nuts trying to catch a gear. Service engine light blinked than stayed on and now when driving between 1st and 3rd gear car sputters, shakes, slams into gear hard and I need to keep giving it gas to get it to catch so I move and don't get stuck in the middle of making a turn. It is a 99 grand prix se 3800 engine sedan and I brought it to my good friend who owns a shop and the computer said it was a c1 misfire solenoid or something like that. On my engine, the left side has 3 things that 2 spark plug wires goes into each and are labeled 1/3, 2/5 and 4/6 (might be wrong on numbers). The code was saying the first one that says 1/3 was bad causing the misfire. We changed the part and the service engine line went off and car drove fine. The next morning I went to go work and at the first light, I go to take off and it starts shaking and sputters and becomes almost impossible to drive. During this the service engine line blinked than stayed on steady. Now the car has trouble catching a gear from 1st to 3rd and it feels like a roller coaster just trying to take off from a stop or during heavy traffic. I replaced everything else on the car and give up with problems. There has to be a defect that pontiac won't admit.

Filed Aug 2, 2008 · Engine · 94,300 miles · GA

Catalytic converter had to be replaced, after replacing, could not drive car because temperature gauge went to 260 degrees in 6 or 7 minutes of driving. Never had this particular problem or any idea of a problem until a week ago while driving in traffic, car was sluggish and check engine light came on and would not go off. I immediately went home which was a 2 mile drive and parked car. Called a gm ase certified mechanic and his computer check read that a misfire of #1 plug. Plugs were replaced and then mechanic let engine run since there was white smoke, until there was no indication of smoke at all. Then he checked and said to go and have the catalytic converter checked. Converter was checked and was told it was clogged and needed replacing. Replaced converter, tried driving home approximately 3 miles and car started getting hot temperature and when stopped, was very hard to start, but kept getting up to 260 degrees, which required me to stop and let engine cool and try to get home and parked car. Called converter installer and they will check again, but was told to add coolant, but do not drive. Dex cool was added, per book specs and started car. Started to run, but thick white smoke billowed out and a burning odor was detected. Quickly turned car off and will have to call aaa to tow to converter installer shop for another shop. I have also had to replace 3 motors in the driver front window and it is still not going up or down. I have complained to gm about this issue before. Oh, I called gm also about the warranty on the converter and I was over the mileage for the 8 year warranty. Before this, I have spent over $400.00 to replace gaskets and valves recently on the engine and I cant afford anymore, I am disabled and receiving ssi. Is there any remedy?

Filed Dec 17, 2007 · Engine · 114,500 miles · NC · fire

Driving on us 85 north at mile marker 82 in nc at 6:00 pm. Engine starts misfiring then within a few seconds racing and loss of brake power. Pull over to shoulder immediately and turn off car. Open hood and smoke coming from under engine cover and embers visible. Car towed for 96 miles to auto pro-to-call in chapel hill, nc. The following morning (12/17/2007) technician removed cover and found that there had been a fire under the cover with very extensive damage.

Filed Aug 17, 2004 · Engine · 96,000 miles · TX

While driving the engine check light came on as vehicle started to accelerate and then sputter and misfire, almost causing a multiple car accident. Vehicle would not restart. After towing the car to the dealer(close to closing time), they determined that the problem was that the engine hydro-static locked and they needed to investigate why it happened. As an uncanny coincidence, another grand prix similar to mine(down to the same color car and towing company) was there for the same reason. The next morning the dealer stated they could fix it for around $1,200, but not stating why it happened or what caused the engine to lock up and that they were working on it right then. After none of my questions were getting answered I stormed into where my car was(in the back lot... Parked!!!!), while I called a tow company, and demanded my keys back. A mechanic that supposedly looked at my car stated that the intake manifold was the problem causing the engine to hydro-static lock and that my starter shattered upon restart testing. After leaving without repairs and towing my car to my residence, I looked under the hood and discovered that my car wasn't even touched...no bolts loosened or dust wiped off of them, the brittle wire holders and clips weren't disturbed...there was no way to find a fault like that without taking the intake manifold off. I finally fixed the problem myself by replacing the plastic intake manifold and gasket and starter(no problems since then, watching it closely and kept the old intake manifold and gasket). Squealing sounds started coming from under the hood (belt tensioner area) so I replaced the serpentine belt(squealing continued though). I found the that belt tensioner bolt that holds in the pulley was working itself out...not a good thing. The power windows and locks went out about 5 different times on the drivers side, and the radio display goes crazy and/or blanks out at times.

Filed Nov 27, 2003 · Engine · 42,000 miles · TX

My 1999 grand prix gt started to run rough the quit running. Had the car towed to a repair shop and was informed that the intake manifold melted. That this is a common problem with this car. Gm came out with a thicker plastic part as a replacement, why have they not make a recall to reflect their defective part?

Filed Nov 14, 2003 · Engine · OH

Engine runs rough, loss of power, engine seizes up - this occurred approximately sept 2002. Initial diagnosis: blown head gasket or headers. Initial estimates to fix: approximately $4000-4500. Initial calls to pontiac/gm were fruitless. Result: replaced engine oct 2003 (approximately $3500 w/warranty). Incident occurs a second time approximately 3 weeks after new engine installed. Diagnosis: intake manifold coolant leak, broken piston rod. Calls to pontiac/gm fruitless once again. Result: awaiting another engine and manifold repairs. To make a long and arduous 14 months short - after a considerate number of calls to pontiac, I was eventually able to speak with a pontiac engineer (pe) who specializes in fuel and exhaust systems. Pe explained the cause of my problem, worse case scenario and the solution: the problem lies within the lower (aluminum) intake manifold. Within is a tube that houses the egr valve and carries exhaust gases. This tube was made relatively large and runs either through or close to the upper (plastic) intake manifold. Over time, the extremely high temperatures of these exhaust gases causes the upper manifold to melt and creates a coolant leak into the fuel system. As this leak increases in size, increased amounts of coolant make its way into the piston chambers. Eventually, compression is lost and the piston rods can either bend or break. Both the lower and upper manifolds need to be replaced. The lower has been redesigned with a smaller tube that houses the egr valve, therefore, it does not lie as close to the upper manifold. Pe even faxed me a copy of the official bulletin in referencing this problem for 1998 and older pontiacs. Recalls: 2000-2003 manifolds. What happened to the 99's? There were no design changes on the manifolds for the 98's, 99's and 00's. Most dealership mechanics won't know about this problem. Pontiac is aware of the initial design defect. Their official bulletins prove this. Why should the consumer have to pay for their design defect?

Filed May 31, 2002 · Electrical, Engine · IN

While driving under 30mph engine check light came on as vehicle started to accelerate. Engine started to sputter and misfire, causing consumer to take vehicle back home. Vehicle would not restart due to engine locking up, and causing starter to completely fail. Dealer determined that intake manifold cracked. Please provide more information.