1999 Pontiac Grand Prix equipment problems

EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER:LPG SYSTEMS:LINES AND FITTINGS

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.

NHTSA complaint #10406906 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

PLASTIC LENSES THAT PROTECT THE HEAD LIGHT BULBS HAVE BECOME LESS TRANSLUCENT WITH AGE. THIS REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT TRANSMISSION MAKING IT MORE DIFFICULT TO READ ROAD SIGNS WHICH IS A DISTRACTION TO 'SAFE DRIVING'. I HAVE AN OLDER CHRYSLER AND IT DOES NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. A MAXIMUM OPACITY LEVEL FOR HEAD LIGHT BULB 'PROTECTIVE COVERS' SHOULD BE MANDATED.

NHTSA complaint #10277972 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

A/C LEAKS ON PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR. ALSO A/C BLOWER MOTOR DOES NOT WORK. WHEEL RIMS ARE CORRODED AND PITTED. AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON AND STAYS ON.

NHTSA complaint #10207862 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

MY AIRCONDITIONER FAN SWITCH HAS NOW GONE ONCE AGAIN AND IS IN NEED OF "ANOTHER NEW ONE, THIS WILL BE 3. THE PAINT ON MY HOOD IS STARTING TO CRACK A BIT AND WILL BE PEELING SHORTLY. THIS CAR WAS VERY WELL MAINTAINED AND GARAGED AND THERE WAS NO REASON FOR THIS! THE POWER WINDOWS WENT ABOUT 3 DIFERANT TIMES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE AND THE SWITCHES HAD TO BE FULLY REPLACED. THE RADIO HAS A SHORT IN IT IN THE BACK SOMEWHERE AND THE DISPLAY GOES CRAZY AT TIMES. LASTLY AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, I HAVE HAD A WATER LEAK ON THIS CAR SINCE 1999. IT HAS BEEN INTO THE DEALERSHIP TOO MANY TIMES TO COUNT. THEY CHANGED OUT THE WINDSHIELD AT LEAST 5 MAYBE MORE TIMES, CHECKED ALL THE SEALS ON THE SIDE MIRRORS AND THE SUNROOF, CLEANED OUT THE DRAINS ON THE SUNROOF A FEW TIMES AND AFTER THE CAR WAS IN THE LAST TIME 8 MONTHS AGO, THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS THE LAST TIME THEY WOULD DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. IT WAS FIND W/NO WATER UNTIL LAST WEEK WHEN WE HAD POURING RAIN AND IN FLOODED MY INTERIOR ONCE AGAIN. PONTIAC'S SOLUTION WAS TO GIVE ME $1,000 FOR THE PURCHASE OF ANOTHER CAR, THANKS FOR NOTHING! IN DOING MY RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND OUT A LOT OF INFO THAT I AM ONCE AGAIN GOING TO PONTIAC/GM ABOUT. ON MY PARTICULAR CAR WHEN THEY MADE THE DRAINS FOR THE SUNROOF, THEY MADE THEM TOO SMALL, SO WHEN IT POURS OUT, THE DRAINS CANNOT HANDLE ALL OF THE WATER AND IT IS FORCED INTO MY CAR. I WORK FOR AN INSURANCE COMPANY AND HAVE SPOKEN TO "MANY, MANY" PEOPLE REGARDING MY CAR. FUNNY THING IS, I HAVE HEARD THIS FROM SEVERAL GLASS COMPANIES AND DEALERSHIP SALESMEN! WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS TO HELP ME, THE CONSUMER? ANY HELP IS WELCOME

NHTSA complaint #10069913 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

FACTORY CD RADIO DISPLAY WORKS INPROPERLY. AT TIMES WHEN RADIO IS ON THE DISPLAY WILL NOT WORK AT ALL. AT OTHER TIMES WHAT IS DISPLAYED ON THE RADIO HEADS DISPLAY IS FROZEN OR UNREADABLE. RADIO HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES NOW BY THE DEALERSHIP AND IT CONTINUES TO DO THE SAME THING.

NHTSA complaint #10040957 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

MY FIANCE AND I BOTH HAVE THE SAME 1999 GRAND PRIX AND WE HAVE BOTH HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AT DIFFERENT TIMES WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING LEAKING ALL OVER THE PASSENGER FLOOR. THE ENTIRE FLOOR IS SOAKED. THE BELT SQUEALS EXTREMELY LOUD IN BOTH CARS STILL WHEN THE FAN IS ON WHETHER IT IS THE HEAT, AIR CONDITIONING OR JUST THE FAN ON. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON IN HIS CAR FOR 6 MONTHS NOW AND JUST STARTED IN MY CAR ABOUT A MONTH AGO. I JUST FIND IT IRONIC THAT THEY BOTH CAME FROM DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS AT DIFFERENT TIMES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I ALREADY CHECKED INTO A RECALL AND HAVE NOT FOUND ONE. PLEASE CONTACT ME WITH ANY INFORMATION YOU MAY HAVE ON THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU. MY FIANCE'S VIN # IS [XXX] FOR REFERENCE PURPOSES.*AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA complaint #10037476 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

A/C DRAINS WATER INSIDE OF CAR ON PASSENGER FLOOR. HAD CAR SERVICED 9/20/02 AND WAS TOLD IT THE A/C DRAIN WAS PLUGGED. PROBLEM IS HAPPENING AGAIN 9 MONTHS LATER. *NLM

NHTSA complaint #10023973 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

THE AIR CONDITIONER LEAKED FREON, WHICH CAUSED ALL OF THE OCUPANTS TO BECOME ILL. TS

NHTSA complaint #8023959 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

CONSUMER STATES THAT THEIR WAS A BLACK MOLD IN THE AIR CONDITION UNIT AND THE AIR THAT CAME OUT THE VENTS MADE THE FAMILY SICK.

NHTSA complaint #8016396 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

AUTOMATIC CLIMATE CONTROL AIR TEMPERATURE IS REGULATED BASED ON AMBIENT TEMPERATURE (I.E.: IF EXTERIOR TEMPERATURE IS 75 DEGREES AND CLIMATE CONTROL IS SET TO 70 - THE AIR CONDITIONER WILL ENGAGE.) THE EXTERIOR TEMPERATURE GAUGE ON THE AUTOMATIC CLIMATE CONTROL REGULARLY DISPLAYS AN INACCURATE EXTERIOR TEMPERATURE OF LESS THAN 60 DEGREES (EVEN ON 100+ TEMPERATURE DAYS.) IF THE SYSTEM REPORTS AN EXTERIOR TEMPERATURE OF LESS THAN 60 DEGREES, THE AIR CONDITIONER CANNOT BE MANUALLY ENGAGED - THIS MALFUNCTION RENDERS THE AIR CONDITIONER USELESS. FURTHERMORE, IF THE EXTERIOR READING IS LESS THAN 60 DEGREES, THE AUTOMATIC CLIMATE CONTROL WILL INCREASE THE TEMPERATURE OF THE CIRCULATING THROUGH THE VENTILATION SYSTEM (IF THE SYSTEM THINKS THE TEMP. IS 55 DEGREES, EVEN IF IT IS ACTUALLY 95 DEGREES - THE SYSTEM BLOWS HEATED AIR.) I HAVE HAD THE CAR IN TO THE DEALER ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS - WITHOUT RESOLUTION. THE PROBLEM CAN NEVER BE DUPLICATED. NO FAULT OF THE DEALER - IT IS A COMPLETE RANDOM (ALTHOUGH FREQUENT) OCCURRENCE.

NHTSA complaint #759521 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

AIR CONDITIONER CYCLES OFF AND ON IN HOT WEATHER ABOUT 10 - 15 MINUTES AFTER STARTING. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 3 TIMES AND THE MECHANICS CANNOT REPEAT THE PROBLEM (EVEN THOUGH IT HAPPENS TO ME DAILY) NOR DETERMINE WHAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #725679 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

THERE IS A SMELL COMING FROM AIR CONDITIONER'S VENTS. DEALERSHIP TOLD CONSUMER THAT SHE HAD MILDEW INSIDE OF AIR CONDITIONER. MECHANIC SPRAYED SOME SPRAY TO GET RID OF THE SMELL.

NHTSA complaint #860216 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.

RIGHT DOOR SPEAKER AND DASHBOARD MAKING RATTLING NOISE.

NHTSA complaint #545105 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.