11 of the
1,318 complaints about the 1999 Pontiac Grand AM are about the
tires — 1% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
126,500 miles.
THE WALMART DOUGLAS BRAND PASSENGER CAR TIRES HAVE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FOUND ALL OVER THE INTERNET. THE DOUGLAS TIRE I PURCHASED IN 10/13 HAS NOW DEVELOPED A NOTICEABLE BULGE ON THE SIDE WALL UNDERNEATH THE TIRE VALVE STEM AREA. HOWEVER, WALMART REFUSES TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVELY MANUFACTURED TIRE EVENTHOUGH I EXPLAINED THAT IF I HAD NOT NOTICED THE BULGE, THE TIRE COULD OF BLOWN ON THE FWY AND COST ME MY LIFE. BUT THE EMPLOYEE SAID, SORRY.. I ASKED THE EMPLOYEE HOW OLD WAS THE TIRE AT THE TIME I PURCHASED IT. BUT HE COULD SAY. AT THE TIME OF INSTALLATION, THE WALMART MECHANIC / EXPERT WOULD OF NOTICED THE BULGE WHICH WAS MINOR AT THE TIME, AS I HAD NOTICED BUT THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT SINCE I AM NOT AN EXPERT. AS THIS WAS THE ONLY TIRE SIZE MY WALMART STORE HAD IN STOCK FOR MY CAR, I PURCHASED IT WITHOUT CONSIDERATION OF BRAND. IN OTHER WORDS, I WOULD OF BOUGHT A DIFFERENT BRAND TIRE IF THE SHELVES HAD IN MY SIZE. FURTHER, I BELIEVE WALMART IS AWARE OF ITS DEFECTIVE TIRE'S WHICH I DISCOVERED TODAY THAT THEY ARE MADE IN CHINA. SUPPOSEDLY, DOUGLAS TIRE IS A SUBSIDIARY OF GOODYEAR. SO I HAVE EMAILED THEM WITH MY CONCERN AND REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE. HOWEVER, I BELIEVE WALMART SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR KNOWINGLY SELLING A POORLY MANUFACTURED PRODUCT FOR AUTOMOBILES. EVIDENCE OF THE UNSAFE TIRES ARE POSTED ALL OVER THE INTERNET.
NHTSA complaint #10662547 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
King OF Prussia, PACrash
TIRES
1999 PONTIAC GRAND AM, UNIT 1 WAS WESTBOUND ON THE OHIO TURNPIKE IN THE CENTER LANE. UNIT 1 BEGAN TO SWERVE AND LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. UNIT 1 WENT OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROADWAY AND STRUCK THE CEMENT MEDIAN WALL WHERE IT BECAME DISABLE. *BF ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT, THE TIRES WERE SEVERELY WORN. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0179-90)*JB UPDATED 04/22/11
NHTSA complaint #10394936 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lorain, OH
TIRES
1999 PONTIAC GRAND AM RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT FRONT CORNER OF THE VEHICLE. *KB THE OFFICER OBSERVED THE TREAD CAP FROM THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE HAD COME OFF AND WENT INTO THE WHEEL WELL, IT KNOCKED THE RIGHT FRONT FENDER LOOSE. OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0754-90.
NHTSA complaint #10285368 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 175,000 milesMonson, MA
TIRES
WITHOUT WARNING OR PHYSICAL IMPACT/IMPAIRMENT RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING FRACTURED WITH A LOUD BANG, AND THE JAGGED END PIERCED MY TIRE SIDEWALL, DESTROYING TIRE. THIS OCCURRED AT APPROX 25 MPH, I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER WITHOUT INCIDENT, HAD TO BE TOWED, NEW COIL INSTALLED, NEW TIRE PURCHASED, LABOR DAY PLANS RUINED. SEVERAL MONTHS LATER, CAR WAS PARKED FOR 12 HRS IN 70 DEGREE WEATHER, ANOTHER HUGE BANG, DRIVERS SIDE FRONT COIL FRACTURED, C-SHAPED PIECE UNDER THE VEHICLE, AGAIN, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED, COIL REPLACED, MISSED A DAY OF WORK AS THIS HAPPENED IN CONNECTICUT, AND I WORK IN MASSACHUSETTS.
NHTSA complaint #10254924 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Inver Grove Heights, MN
TIRES
WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 25-30 MPH FRONT RIGHT TIRE SPRING SNAPPED, CAUSING CONSUMER TO PULL TO THE RIGHT. CONSUMER GOT OUT OF VEHICLE TO INSPECT THE PROBLEM, AND FOUND THE TIRE SHREDDED. ALSO, CONSUMER COMPLAINED OF BRAKE PROBLEM. CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE BRAKES PADS TWICE AND ROTORS ONCE.
NHTSA complaint #10067109 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lubbock, TXCrash
TIRES
TIRE DEFECT,GLASS SCRATCHED, CAR VIBRTING, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. BRAKES GRINDING.
NHTSA complaint #747450 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cincinnati, OH
TIRES
TIRE WILL NOT STAY SEATED ON RIM, DEALER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #8002387 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Orange, TX
TIRES
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK (TIRESIZE: P225/50R16)
NHTSA complaint #748317 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Queens Village, NY
TIRES
RUBBING HEARD ON ALL 4 TIRES BETWEEN TIRE AND RIM. PLEASE HELP ME GET NEW TIRES TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM. I NOTIFIED THE SERVICE MANAGERS OF ROSLYN AND PORT JEFFERSON STATION DEALERS. PROBLEM WAS AFFIRMED. THEY STATED NUMEROUS PEOPLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. COATING RIMS DOES NOT SOLVE PROBLEM. NOTHING DONE AS YET FROM PONTIAC. *AK (DOT NUMBER: ALL 4 TIRE TIRESIZE: 225-50-16)
NHTSA complaint #745697 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Haverhill, MA
TIRES
TURNING RIGHT OR LEFT VEHICLE MAKES NOISE. IT FEELS LIKE RIM IS OVER LAPPING OR TIRES IN FRONT SEEM TOO BIG. VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT DEALER 6-7 TIMES. DEALER DIDN'T THINK IT WAS AN ISSUE. THEY HAVE SCRAPED AND PAINTED RIMS, THINKING IT WILL CORRECT IT. *AK THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO FIX THE PROBELM AND THE CONSUMER WAS SCARED DRIVING THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #885314 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Henderson, KY
TIRES
WE HAVE HAD CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE DOOR PANELS PEELED OFF THE TWO REAR DOORS AND WERE REPLACED, THE TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT CONTINUALLY COMES ON, THE HINGES ON THE DRIVER DOOR KEEP GETTING STUCK AND SOMETIMES THE DOOR WON'T EVEN SHUT, IT WILL NOT SHIFT INTO FIRST GEAR, AND NOW THE ROTORS/BRAKES ARE OUT. IT IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP AGAIN. WE TAKE IT MONTHLY IF NOT MORE OFTEN. THIS IS CERTAINLY A BURDEN. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT IS NOT INFORMATIVE. THEY DON'T EXPLAIN WHY THESE THINGS HAPPEN NOR DO THEY TELL US IF THEY HAVE ORDERED PARTS FOR THE VEHICLE. WE GET CARDS IN THE MAIL WHEN THE PARTS ARE IN AND WE MUST SCHEDULE YET ANOTHER TRIP TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY UNRELIABLE. THE BRAKE ISSUE IS EXTREMELY SCARY WHEN WE ONLY HAVE 16,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. NEVER BEFORE HAVE I OWNED SUCH A LEMON. THIS IS OUR SECOND BRAND NEW CAR AND THE OTHER HAS HAD ZERO PROBLEMS AND IT IS A 1998 MALIBU WITH ALMOST 60,000 MILES. THIS MAKES NO SENSE AND PONTIAC IS DOING LITTLE TO RESOLVE THESE ISSUES.
NHTSA complaint #737992 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.