1998 Pontiac Grand AM engine problems

ENGINE

I WAS DRIVING MY 1998 GT PONTIAC GRAND AM FROM PEORIA ILLINOIS ON HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH. SHE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN NO POWER NO NOTHING...PULLED OVER WAITED APPROXIMATELY 5MINUTES AND SHE STARTED RIGHT UP...PLEASE HELP!!! [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA complaint #10565453 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

1999 ENGINE INSTALLED A 1998 CAR...FAULTY WIRES, CAR LEAKS WHEN IT RAINS, LOOKS TO HAVE BEEN IN A FIRE. KNOCK SENSOR BAD,EGR VALVE BAD...NUMEROUS THINGS WRONG WITH THE CAR AND LESLIE REED'S AUTO KNEW IT WAS A LEMON CAR. IT HAS A SALVAGED TITLE AND LESLIE REED'S AUTO NEVER GOT THE CAR REPAIRED BEFORE THEY SOLD THE CAR.

NHTSA complaint #10439725 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE CONTACT INSTALLED A FLUSH AND SEAL TUBE IN THE VEHICLE THAT ALLOWS ANTIFREEZE TO PENETRATE FASTER. SINCE THAT TIME, THE ENGINE HAS FAILED TWICE. THE ENGINE STALLED DURING THE SECOND FAILURE WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FLUSH AND SEAL TUBE CRACKED AND ANTIFREEZE LEAKED INTO THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED FOR THE SECOND TIME. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 180,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. UPDATED 04/16/08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THERE IS A PART NAMED FLUSH AND FILL SOLD WITH NO WARNING LABELS. UPDATED 04/16/08

NHTSA complaint #10221897 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AFTER BEING PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY FOR A FEW HOURS. THE BATTERY CRANKED, BUT THE ENGINE FAILED TO TURN OVER. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE DEALER CAME TO THE HOUSE AND INDICATED SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE ENGINE, BUT GAVE NO CLEAR REASON FOR THE FAILURE. THE DEALER INDICATED THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #10158068 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

GENERAL MOTORS NEED TO RECALL THEIR VEHICLES TO DIAGNOSIS THIS MAJOR ISSUE. MY CASE NUMBER WITH GM 1382341310 HOWEVER, THEY WONT ASSIST ME AND SAID THEY ARE CLOSING MY CASE. I INFORMED THEM NOT TO I AM NOT DONE WITH THIS ISSUE WITH THEM... THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM OR DEFECT WITH MY GENERAL MOTORS PONTIAC GRAND AM SE 3.1L V6 ENGINE IN THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE HAD, 3 INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURES IN LESS THAN 40,000 MILES, THE FIRST OCCURRING AT APPROX 24,000 MILES THE SECOND AT APPROX 27,000 MILES AND NOW AGAIN AT 40,000 MILES BUT I HAVE SUSPECTED THE ANTI-FREEZE I HAVE BEEN SMELLING IN THE CAB WHEN I TURN THE HEATER BLOWER ON, IS SOMEHOW CONNECTED TO THIS LEAK. WHICH MEANS ITS BEEN LEAKING FOR SOME TIME JUST NOT BAD ENOUGH TO DRIP ONTO THE GROUND BRINGING MY ATTENTION TO IT. I AM ONLY ONE OF THOUSANDS OF VICTIMS THAT GENERAL MOTORS HAS RAPED FINANCIAL OVER THE YEARS. THE REPEATED FAILURES OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET STARTED LONG AGO AND DUE TO THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS TO THE BBB AND GM YOU WOULD THINK THAT WOULD BE ENOUGH TO ALARM GENERAL MOTORS THAT THEY ARE HAVING A MAJOR ISSUE, AND THEY SHOULD OF BEGAN A RECALL OF THEIR VEHICLES LONG AGO. IN THE YEAR 2002 THEY COULDN'T SUPPLY ENOUGH INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS TO KEEP UP WITH THE GM VEHICLES THAT NEEDED REPAIR EITHER UNDER WARRANTY OR OUT OF WARRANTY. I HAVE HAD OTHER MAJOR NON-RELATED REPAIRS TO MY VEHICLE AS WELL, 19,693 MILES THE SWAY BAR BUSHINGS HAD TO BE REPLACED, ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED, HEATER CORE REPLACED, THE RACK AND PINION STEERING ROD REPLACED. NOW MY CAR AND MANY THOUSANDS OF OTHER GM OWNERS VEHICLES ARE OUT OF WARRANTY AND GM WON'T STAND BEHIND THEIR OWN VEHICLES, EVEN THOUGH WORK WAS DONE REPEATEDLY UNDER WARRANTY ON MY VEHICLE. I AM CURRENTLY 3 YEARS OUT OF WARRANTY BUT ONLY 12,900 APPROX MILES SINCE THEY DID THE LAST REPAIR ON MY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS. I BELIEVE A CLASS ACTION SUIT IS THE ONLY THING GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION WILL RESPOND TO.

NHTSA complaint #10146314 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

VEHICLE SMELLED OF ANTIFREEZE SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TWICE TO THE DEALER FOR THE SMELL. I HAVE NOW BEEN INFORMED THAT THE INTAKE GASKET HAS BEEN LEAKING. PONTIAC HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND I WAS INFORMED BY ONE REPRESENTATIVE THAT THERE HAD BEEN A PROBLEM, BUT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE PARTICULAR YEAR OF THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #10114568 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

WHEN DRIVING AT AN UNDETERMINED SPEED ENGINE CHECK LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD,THEN THE ENGINE VIBRATED. CONSUMER HAD INFORMED THE DEALER ABOUT THIS ISSUE. HOWEVER, THEN MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10065123 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON AND WILL NOT GO OFF. CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR AN ENGINE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10061531 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

1998 GRANDAM, INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET AND FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR GASKET NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT 75,000 MILES. WHEN PRICING OUT REPAIRS I WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE GM V-6 ENGINE BY THE REPAIR SHOPS. THE INSIDE OF THE CAR WOULD SMELL LIKE GAS WHILE DRIVING ON VERY COLD DAYS. (NORTH DAKOTA) JUST SOUTH OF ALASKA.

NHTSA complaint #10056693 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

CHRONIC COOLANT LEAK, CAUSED BY DEFECTIVE, PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS. ENGINE NEVER SHOWED IT WAS HOT. BASED ON MY RESEARCH THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE. GM SHOULD STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS AND FIX THIS INSTEAD OF CONTINUING TO USE THE SAME DEFECTIVE PARTS FOR OVER 5 YEARS IN A NUMBER OF GM VEHICLES. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER GM PRODUCT!

NHTSA complaint #10054428 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK 1998 3.1LITER ENGINE PONTIAC GRAND AM 2ND VEHICLE I OWN.

NHTSA complaint #10043595 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

98 PONTIAC GRAND AM AIR BAG NOT WORKING, WATER LEAKS ON FLOOR BOARD WHEN AC IS ON, RUNS HOT, STOPS RUNNING, ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. *NLM

NHTSA complaint #10023957 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

NOTICED A COOLING LEAK IN ENGINE. MECHANIC FOUND INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKING AND SAID HE HAD REPAIRED OVER A DOZEN THIS YEAR ON GENERAL MOTORS SMALL V6 ENGINES. APPARENTLY THE PLASTIC/RUBBER COMBINATION USED FOR THE GASKET FAILS AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME. IT IS VERY COMPLICATED TO REPLACE WHICH IS WHY IT WAS SO EXPENSIVE. DT

NHTSA complaint #770743 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

VEHCLE WAS LEAKING WATER. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT WATER PUMP NEEDED REPLACING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #8009674 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

NO COOLANT LIGHT WILL COME ON AND STAY ON VEHICLE . ALSO, LEAKING ANTI FREEZE.*AK *SLC

NHTSA complaint #8005980 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

THIS COOLANT SYSTEM HAS FLUID THAT DOES NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED FOR OVER 100,000 MILES. HOWEVER, THE WATER PUMP MAY HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT ONLY 50,000. PONTIAC CALLED THIS NORMAL. IT SEEMS A LITTLE DECEPTIVE TO ADVERTISE A FLUID THAT LASTS SO LONG WHEN THE MECHNICAL PARTS MAY NOT. PONTIAC AND GM WOULD NOT OFFER REPAIR ASSISTANCE. THE REPAIR COST OVER $800.00. MANY LOCAL MECHANICS, SOME PONTIAC, SAID THIS WAS NOT NORMAL FOR THIS PART, BUT GM AND PONTIAC STILL REFUSED TO OFFER ANY WARRANTY ASSISTANCE.

NHTSA complaint #755085 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

WHILE TRAVELING 45MPH VEHICLE STALLED. HAS BEEN TAKEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES

NHTSA complaint #880775 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

THERE ARE MANY MORE PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE CAR IS BROKEN DOWN DOWN. ITS TOO MUCH OF A DANGER TO DRIVE. IT ALMOST STARTED ON FIRE. I NEED FOR PONTIAC TO COME AND GET THERE PIECE OF JUNK. ITS NOT WORTH FIXING. IF YOU FIX THE PROBLEM, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT IT WILL BREAK DOWN THE FOLLOWING WEEK.

NHTSA complaint #726956 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

I HAVE HAD A NEW TRANSMISSION, CALIPERS, GEAR SHIFT MECHANISM,2 LIGHTERS, ALTERNATOR,2 SETS OF WINDOW MOTORS, 1 BROKEN MOTOR MOUNT,STRUT TORQUE WASNT BOLTED TO THE CAR WHEN LEASED, A RADIAL PULL IN 1 TIRE IN WHICH I HAD TO PAY TO HAVE REPLACED, TIRE SCRAPING ON FENDER RIGHT AFTER LEASING, 2 NEW HEADLAMPS,FUEL CAP, BATTERY, AND HAVE HAD A SHORT SOMEWHERE AND DEALER REFUSED TO LOCATE. DEALER AND PONTIAC CUSTOMER DIVISION REFUSE A BUY BACK OR TRADE IN. SENT PACKAGE TO GENERAL MOTORS TO MAKE THEM AWARE OF THE SITUATION AND THEY REFUSED THE PACKAGE ALL TOGETHER. PONTIAC TELLS ME THEIR FIELD REP WENT TO TALK TO JOHN MOORE AND HE REFUSED A BUY BACK SO IN TURN, SO DID PONTIAC. I JUST WOULD LIKE A CAR THAT RUNS. THIS IS MY SECOND PONTIAC THAT HAS BEEN A LEMON. I HAVE ALL DOCUMENTAION TO PROVE IT. HOW DOES A SINGLE MOM WORKING TWO JOBS GET HELP? ITS COSTED ME A FORTUNE IN MISSED WORK.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P195/65R15 )

NHTSA complaint #725050 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

WHILE ACCELERATING CAR HAS NO POWER. CAR IS VERY SLUGGISH. TOOK CAR TO DAELER, DEALER COULD NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #850094 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

VEHICLE CONTINUALLY STALLS, UNABLE TO RECTIFY.

NHTSA complaint #545257 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING RUNS HOT. SMELLS LIKE IT'S ON FIRE OR SOMETHING IS BURNING. NO INDICATOR LIGHTS. RADIATOR FLUID COMES OUT WHEN CAR IS TURNED OFF. DEALER CONTACTED SEVEN OR EIGHT TIMES. ALSO GRINDING NOISE INTERMITTENTLY, SOUNDS LIKE METAL TO METAL, AND DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #827291 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

ENGINE HEAD BLOCK CRACKED. YH

NHTSA complaint #781612 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION OPERATION VERY ERRATIC, HESITATION AND POOR ACCELERATION ALMOST RESULTING IN NEAR ACCIDENTS.

NHTSA complaint #538885 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.