Pontiac Solstice transmission problems

POWER TRAIN

Rear differential fluid leak The 07204 recall pertains to certain Pontiac vehicles, specifically the 2007 Pontiac Solstice, where a faulty rear axle pinion seal may leak, potentially causing a loss of motive power and increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will replace the pinion seal free of charge, and the recall began on February 1, 2008. [XXX] [XXX] Overview of Recall 07204 Vehicle Affected Model: 2007 Pontiac Solstice Manufacturer: General Motors (GM) Recall Details Recall Number: 07204 NHTSA Campaign Number: 07V589000 Date Announced: December 20, 2007 Total Vehicles Affected: Approximately 275,936 Issue Description The rear axle pinion seal may be faulty, leading to a potential fluid leak. This leak can cause rear differential failure, resulting in loss of motive power and possibly loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash. Actions Required Dealers' Response: Dealers will replace the faulty pinion seal free of charge. Owner Notification: GM began notifying affected vehicle owners starting February 1, 2008. Contact Information For more details, owners can contact: Pontiac Customer Service: 1-800-620-7668 Cadillac Customer Service: 1-800-458-8006 It is important for owners to check if their vehicle is affected and to take necessary actions to ensure safety. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11723150 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

While applying the brakes the car down shifts hard, locking up and jerking. Many others had reported this problem in online forums. Stating a power train or module issue. Very dangerous not knowing if your car my jerk into someone or something out of your control.

NHTSA complaint #11556888 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

DRIVE AXLE SEAL LEAK. THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL IS LEAKING DUE TO A FAULTY PINION SEAL. I CHECKED ALL RECALL INFORMATION, AND YES, IT WAS RECALLED. I WILL NOTIFY THE DEALER OF THE RECALL AND REQUEST THAT IT BE REPAIRED AT NO COST. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN I NOTICED THE LEAK. SMALL AMOUNT ON GARAGE FLOOR.

NHTSA complaint #11246587 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

MY CAR LURCHES OR DOWNSHIFT WHILE NORMAL DRIVING. THIS CAUSES IT HARD TO CONTROL. PREVIOUS RECALLS ON THIS MAKE AND MODEL HAVE BEEN FOR POWER TRAIN. HOWEVER MY VIN #DOESN'T QUALIFY. THIS IS A MISTAKE. I WAS HIGHWAY AND CITY DRIVING WHEN IT OCCURRED. NORMAL

NHTSA complaint #11153354 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

WHEN SLOWING TO A STOP, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WILL DOWNSHIFT, ABRUPTLY AT EACH GEAR CHANGE CAUSING THE REAR TIRE RO LOCK AND SKID UNDER WET CONDITIONS. THIS HAPPENS AROUND 30-05 MPH. IT HAS ALSO TURNED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON.

NHTSA complaint #11080018 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

THIS IS THE THIRD TIME WE WILL NEED TO REPLACE THE TCM MODULAR, NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. DEALLER(S) HAVE ONLY BEEN INTERESTED IN MY $1,000.00, BUT NOT IN WHAT IS CAUSING THE PART TO FAIL EVERY 15 MONTHS.

NHTSA complaint #11001236 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTS HARD THROUGH ALL GEARS. STARTED AS OCCASSIONALLY, BUT PROGRESSIVELY HAS GOTTEN WORSE. UPSHIFTS ARE ENGAGING HARDER AS WELL NOW. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. LOOKING INTO THIS IT APPEARS TO BE A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM. IS THIS BEING INVESTIGATED? HOW SHOULD I ADDRESS THIS? SEEMS IT COULD BE DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY ON WET PAVEMENT.

NHTSA complaint #10938985 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC SOLSTICE. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO ACCELERATE AND THE CHECK ENGINE AND THERMOSTAT WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA complaint #10926638 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

WHEN SLOWING DOWN CAR SUDDENLY JERKS HARD LIKE BRAKES LOCK. TOOK TO DEALER GOT TROUBLE CODES P0700 AND P2735. I SEE THIS ALOT ON THE FORUMS AS WELL AS HERE. NO ACCIDENTS BUT CLOSE.COULD BE COSTLY REPAIRS AND DEALER SAYS MAY STILL EXPERIENCE SAME THING AFTER REPAIRS. DANGEROUS. COSTLY. AND MAY NOT FIX PROBLEM.GREAT DEAL..

NHTSA complaint #10874402 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

WHILE DRIVING MY 2007 PONTIAC SOLSTICE MY CAR JERKS HARD WHEN I SLOW DOWN TO AROUND 20-30 MPH. WHEN THE CAR DOWN SHIFTS WHILE SLOWING DOWN IT FEELS LIKE MY CAR IS BRAKING HARD WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS GEARS. IT IS ABSOLUTELY TERRIFYING!!! WHILE DRIVING TO WORK OR WITH MY CHILD I NEVER KNOW WHEN ITS GOING TO HAPPEN AND I KNOW THAT EVENTUALLY IT WILL LEAD TO ME OR ONE OF MY LOVED ONES BEING SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED!!! I CANNOT AFFORD A NEW VEHICLE, BUT I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO. THOSE IT HAVE A RECALL.

NHTSA complaint #10725879 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

AS I BEGAN TO BRAKE TO COME TO A STOP, MY CAR JERKED REALLY HARD. AT FIRST I WONDERED IF MY BRAKES WERE NOT APPLYING. THIS HAPPENED MAYBE ONCE OR TWICE MORE THAT DAY. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND HAD NEW BRAKES INSTALLED. BUT I TOLD THEM THE ISSUE THAT I WAS HAVING. A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER THE PROBLEM APPEARED TO BE GETTING WORSE SO I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THEY GAVE ME A LAUNDRY LIST OF ISSUES TOTALING IN THE EXCESS OF $1,800.00. NONE OF THE ISSUES SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSED WHAT WAS WRONG WITH MY VEHICLE. THE JERKING HAS GOTTEN WORSE. I SOUGHT OUT THE PONTIAC SOLSTICE FORUM AND FOUND THAT THE POWER TRAIN PINION ISSUE (RECALL # 07204) IS EXACTLY WHAT IS GOING ON WITH MY CAR. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH GM BUT THEY ARE SAYING THAT I WILL NEED TO PAY TO HAVE THE CAR DIAGNOSED TO SEE IF THIS ISSUE IS A RECALL ISSUE AND THAT THE CAR IS PAST THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY AND I MAY HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. I JUST PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE 2 YEARS AGO. I AM PAYING A MONTHLY NOTE. A POWERTRAIN ISSUE IS LIABLE TO BE VERY EXPENSIVE. FURTHERMORE IN READING ABOUT THIS RECALL, I AM ALMOST AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. FURTHERMORE, APPARENTLY THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN REPAIRED ON THE VEHICLE BEFORE...IN 2008. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THIS IS A RECURRING ISSUE? THIS IS A LOW MILEAGE CAR SO EITHER IT IS A CONSISTENT ISSUE OR IT WAS NEVER REPAIRED.

NHTSA complaint #10714049 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC SOLSTICE. THAT CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING COOLANT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT COOLANT LEAKED INTO THE TRANSMISSION DUE TO THE RADIATOR THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE GEARS WERE DIFFICULT TO SHIFT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000. UPDATED 4/30/15*CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE DUE TO THE VEHICLE BEING OUT OF WARRANTY. UPDATED 10/23/2015

NHTSA complaint #10682783 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 PONTIAC SOLSTICE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE STARTED TO OCCUR AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 14E021000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,500.

NHTSA complaint #10664286 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC SOLSTICE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECREASED IN SPEED TO 15 MPH AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE AND THE POWER TRAIN COMPUTER MODULE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

NHTSA complaint #10631110 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

WHEN DRIVING AND ATTEMPTING TO SLOW DOWN, I AM ALMOST THROWN FROM MY VEHICLE BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE THE WHEELS COMPLETELY STOPPED TURNING WHEN THE CAR IS DOWNSHIFTING.

NHTSA complaint #10630372 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

VEHICLE WAS IN DEALERSHIP FOR IGNITION SWITCH RECALL WORK (RECALL 14063 AND 14113). WHEN VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO ME UPON COMPLETION OF THE WORK, THE VEHICLE WOULD SOMETIMES START, AND SOMETIMES NOT. I START WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN GEAR, CLUTCH DEPRESSED. THIS MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE ANY IMPACT ON THE ISSUE, WHICH THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN REPORTED WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE HALL EFFECT DEVICES IN THE KEY HEAD. I AM AN EX GM ELECTRICAL ENGINEER - I UNDERSTAND NEUTRAL SAFETY. THIS IS NOT A CLUTCH/TRANSMISSION NEUTRAL SAFETY ISSUE, THIS IS A KEY SWITCH FAILURE TO ENGAGE CRANK ISSUE. THE OLD IGNITION SWITCH ALWAYS STARTED IN THIS CRANK CONFIGURATION. AT THIS TIME, I HAVE MY VEHICLE AT HOME, AND BOTH RECALL KEYS HAVE DEMONSTRATED A REFUSAL TO START THE CAR AT TIMES. TURN THE KEY, NO CRANK. GREAT, IF I DUMP THE CLUTCH AND STALL THE VEHICLE, I MAY BE IN A ROAD CONDITION THAT IS VERY DANGEROUS AND BE UNABLE TO START MY CAR. IT "COULD" BE A WALK HOME FAILURE PER THE TECHNICIANS COMMENTS IF I UNDERSTOOD HIM CORRECTLY. IN RETURNING "ONE" OF THE "TWO" SUPPLIED KEYS SO THEY COULD ORDER REPLACEMENTS, THE COMMENT WAS MADE THEY HAVE SEEN THIS ISSUE WITH HALL KEY HEADS BEFORE. EXCUSE ME, I WOULD THINK A "NO START" CONDITION IS A RECALL CONDITION -- YOU CAN GET SOMEONE HURT IN TRAFFIC. I WOULD ALSO THINK ALL KEY HEAD SHOULD BE CHECKED FOR PERFORMANCE PRIOR TO INSTALLATION IN SERVICE. HOW MANY OF THE RECALLED "FIXED" VEHICLES HAVE THESE UNSAFE KEYS IN CUSTOMERS HANDS? I CHALLENGE THIS SOLUTION AS A "FIX", AND QUESTION THE RECALL SOLUTION.

NHTSA complaint #10618026 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

AFTER HAVING MY TRANSMISSION REPLACED, MY THROTTLE STICKS AND ERRATICALLY IDLES. WHEN PUTTING IT IN NEUTRAL AND ROLLING TO A STOP MY CAR IDLES UP TO 3000 RPM.

NHTSA complaint #10616228 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE CAR JERKED VERY HARD AND I HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE THE BACK WHEELS ALMOST LOCK UP. IT ALMOST FELT LIKE IT WAS SUDDENLY THROWN INTO REVERSE & THE CAR WAS TRYING TO ADJUST. IT OCCURRED EVERY TIME I SLOWED DOWN TO TURN OR STOP WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. LUCKILY THE 18 WHEELER BEHIND ME COMING OFF THE INTERSTATE WAS FAR ENOUGH BEHIND ME BUT HAD HE BEEN MUCH CLOSER, HE WOULD HAVE CRUSHED ME! WE JUST BOUGHT AN AUDI AND WERE GOING TO GIVE THE SOLSTICE TO OUR 17 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AS A GRADUATION PRESENT BUT NOW I AM TERRIFIED FOR HER TO DRIVE IT!! THIS COULD CAUSE A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE IT AT ALL. I KNOW THERE IS A RECALL SO I NEED TO CALL OUR LOCAL DEALER ASAP!!

NHTSA complaint #10610027 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

CAR HAS AN UNBELIEVABLE CLUNKING NOISE WHEN SHIFTING MOSTLY FROM 1ST THRU 3RD GEAR SINCE I PURCHASED IT. AFTER 2 MULTI POINT INSPECTIONS(RESULTS FINE) I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED IT FROM(IT WAS UNDER ITS 30 DAY FRONT TO BACK WARRANTY), WHEN THEY DROVE IT FOR 50FT SAID YES THERE IS A DEFINITE "CLUNKING" NOISE GOING ON AND WE'LL LOOK INTO IT. THEY TOOK IT TO THEIR PONTIAC/GM DEALERSHIP FOR INVESTIGATION. THAT DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS THE REAR END AND IT WAS NORMAL, HOWEVER MINE WAS EXCESSIVE SO THEY RE-PLACED THE REAR END/DRIVESHAFT AND DIFFERENTIAL. WHEN CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME IT STILL WAS MAKING THE NOISE W/ A LETTER FROM GM STATING THIS WAS NORMAL FOR THESE PARTICULAR CARS. THIS IS NOT NORMAL, THERE IS DEFINITELY SOME KIND OF DEFECT GOING ON W THESE MAKES AND MODELS, IF YOU SEARCH THE INTERNET YOU WILL FIND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THE SUBJECT OF THIS CAR AND OTHERS FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE. WHEN DRIVING IT BASICALLY SOUNDS LIKE THE BACK END OR TRANSMISSION IS GOING TO FALL OUT OR SOMETHING IS STICKING, THE GEARS ARE ALWAYS GETTING STUCK WHEN SHIFTING AND IT IS A FIGHT TO GET IT INTO GEAR MOST TIMES. ADDITIONALLY WHEN TRYING TO TURN CORNERS OR COME TO A STOP THE CAR APPEARS TO BE LOCKING UP, STEERING GETS TIGHT AND BREAKS JUST DON'T FEEL TO BE WORKING PROPERLY. THIS CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND IS IN MINT CONDITION FOR IT BEING A 2006 AND UNDER 26K MILES(W/ THE EXCEPTION OF THIS COMPLAINT). ALL THE PREVIOUS RECALL HAVE BEEN DONE AND THE NEWEST ONE HAS YET TO BE DONE EVEN THOUGH THE PONTIAC/GM DEALERSHIP ORDERED IT FOR ME 2 MONTHS AGO AND GM SENT ME A LETTER LAST WEEK TO GET THE RECALL PERFORMED, THERE STILL ARE NO PARTS AND IM STILL WAITING AND IM BASICALLY ACCORDING TO GM STUCK W A CAR THAT CLUNKS AND DOESN'T SHIFT PROPERLY AND STICKS IN BETWEEN GEARS WHICH THEY STATE IS NORMAL. SOMEONE NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE THESE MODELS, I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING.

NHTSA complaint #10606650 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.