NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Electrical System complaints
105 reportsClear category filterMileage unknown · Dec 30, 1999
Electrical SystemPower TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic
REAR BRAKES BIND DURING NORMAL STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. UPON ACCELLERATION THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE SQUEALS AND 1 OR 2 LOUD BANGS ARE HEARD AS THE BRAKES RELEASE. DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE AND UNABLE TO DETECT ANY BRAKE PROBLEMS. VEHICLES ALTERNATOR FAILED WITHOUT ANY TELTALE WARNING SIGNS, STRANDING THE CONSUMER. 60 DAYS LAT…
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REAR BRAKES BIND DURING NORMAL STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. UPON ACCELLERATION THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE SQUEALS AND 1 OR 2 LOUD BANGS ARE HEARD AS THE BRAKES RELEASE. DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE AND UNABLE TO DETECT ANY BRAKE PROBLEMS. VEHICLES ALTERNATOR FAILED WITHOUT ANY TELTALE WARNING SIGNS, STRANDING THE CONSUMER. 60 DAYS LATER THE BATTERY DIES. ENGINE USED TO REV TO ABOUT 1500 RPM WHILE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND IN GEAR. REPLACEMENT OF 02 SENSOR CURED PROBLEM. OTHER MINOR PROBLEMS INCLUDE POWER DOOR LOCK BUMPER FAILURE (REPAIRED) AND POOR DESIGN OF THE DRIVER'S SUN VISOR. (IT MOVES THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR) WHEN MOVING VISOR FROM WINDSHIELD TO SIDE WINDOW. CONSUMER HAS ALREADY REPLACED VISOR ONCE DUE TO CRACKS AT MOUNTING SCREWS. *AK
NHTSA ODI #716680
Mileage unknown · Dec 19, 1999
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingFuel System, Gasoline
THIS IS THE LETTER I SUBMITTED TO THEM: I'M WRITING YOU THIS LETTER TO LET YOU KNOW HOW DISATISFIED I AM WITH YOUR PRODUCT. I BOUGHT MY 97 PONTIAC GRAND AM NEW. I AM A STRONG BELIEVER YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. THAT IS WHY I BOUGHT NEW VERSUS A USED VEHICLE. I BELIEVE THAT I SHOULD GET MORE FOR MY MONEY THAN WHAT I HAVE GOT …
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THIS IS THE LETTER I SUBMITTED TO THEM: I'M WRITING YOU THIS LETTER TO LET YOU KNOW HOW DISATISFIED I AM WITH YOUR PRODUCT. I BOUGHT MY 97 PONTIAC GRAND AM NEW. I AM A STRONG BELIEVER YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. THAT IS WHY I BOUGHT NEW VERSUS A USED VEHICLE. I BELIEVE THAT I SHOULD GET MORE FOR MY MONEY THAN WHAT I HAVE GOT FROM YOUR PRODUCT. I'M VERY DISSATISFIED!!!! I AM IN THE U.S.M.C. MY FAMILY AND I DO ALOT OF TRAVELING TO AND FROM OUR HOME STATE. MY WIFE WAS BROKE DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY WITH THIS VEHICLE. WE AS CAR OWNERS HAVE NEVER BROKE DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY IN MY 18 YEARS OF BEING IN THE MILITARY. I AM VERY PICKY ABOUT MY VEHICLES AND ALWAYS HAVE MY CAR SERVICED AS REQUIRED. I NEVER MISS MY OIL CHANGES. I AM A MIDDLE CLASS CITIZEN JUST TRYING TO MAKE A LIVING AND MAKE SURE MY FAMILY IS SAFE ON THE ROADS. I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR DEALERSHIP. I BELIEVE THEM TO BE THE BEST IN TOWN. I BELIEVE I JUST PICKED THE LEMON ON THE LOT. I HAVE LISTED MY EXPENSES THAT I HAVE PAID OUT OF MY POCKET AND ALSO WHAT WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. PLEASE FELL FREE TO GIVE ME A CALL IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. I FEEL THAT I SHOULD BE REIMBURSE FOR REPAIRS AND EXPENSES. OF $1257.65 *AK
NHTSA ODI #716234
Mileage unknown · Dec 8, 1999
Electrical SystemEquipmentFuel System, Gasoline
FUEL FILTER AND FUEL SENSOR FAILED. YH
NHTSA ODI #549888
Mileage unknown · Oct 14, 1999
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling
STARTED VEHICLE AND BACKED OUT OF DRIVEWAY. WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET, VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. WAS ABLE TO GET IT STARTED, AND TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. DEALER INDICATED THAT ALTERNATOR BEARING WAS BAD AND REPLACED IT. HOWEVER, VEHICLE STALLED AGAIN ON 01-SEP-99/11-OCT-99 AND 13-OCT-99. *AK
NHTSA ODI #850672
Mileage unknown · Oct 4, 1999
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingEquipment
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND APPLYING BRAKES THERE IS A GRINDING AND SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL, AND WHEN COASTING DOWN A HILL AND APPLYING BRAKES THE GRINDING AND SQUEAKING NOISE IS STILL ALSO, AIR CONDITOONING HOSE/ RADIATOR HOSE ,AND THE ALTERNATOR HAD BE REPLACED. HOWEVER., DEALER CAN'T DE…
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WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND APPLYING BRAKES THERE IS A GRINDING AND SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL, AND WHEN COASTING DOWN A HILL AND APPLYING BRAKES THE GRINDING AND SQUEAKING NOISE IS STILL ALSO, AIR CONDITOONING HOSE/ RADIATOR HOSE ,AND THE ALTERNATOR HAD BE REPLACED. HOWEVER., DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF PROBLEMS. *AK
NHTSA ODI #849739
Mileage unknown · Sep 20, 1999
Electrical System
AC/DELCO BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR FAILED. *YC
NHTSA ODI #548557
Mileage unknown · Jul 2, 1999
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH. ALSO, THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE HEADLIGHT SYSTEM. DEALER REPLACED PARTS, BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
NHTSA ODI #841602
Mileage unknown · Feb 28, 1999
Electrical System
I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR INTO THIS DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, THEY STILL FAIL TO FIX THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA ODI #703840
Mileage unknown · Nov 27, 1998
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling
ENGINE HAS A HESITATION WHEN COMING TO A STOP OR LEAVING A STOP. OIL PUMP HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE. IGNITION MODULE HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE. DEALER HAS NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM ON 4 ATTEMPTS IN TWO WEEKS.
NHTSA ODI #700940
Mileage unknown · Sep 4, 1998
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, Hydraulic
ENGINE IDLES AT 3000 RPM FOR REASONS UNKNOWN. ALSO ONCE BRAKE IS RELEASED VEHICLE WILL RAPIDLY ACCELERATE TO 60 MPH. DEALERS HAS REPLACED COMPUTER MODULE WHICH DID NOT CORRECT PROBLEM. VEHICLE ALSO HAS BRAKE PROBLEMS. *AK
NHTSA ODI #827606
NHTSA investigations
2RQ03001 · Power Rack And Pinion Steering Failure
Opened Jan 2, 2003 · Closed Sep 15, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering; Steering:rack And Pinion
GM CONDUCTED A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA # 02V286) TO ADDRESS A STEERING DEFECT PERTAINING TO A LOWER PINION BEARING (LPB) WITHIN THE RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR (R&P). THE RECALL COVERED 1,159,156 MODEL YEAR 1997-1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES BUILT BETWEEN MARCH 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997, 1996-1998 PONTIAC TRANS SPORT, CHEVROLET LUMINA APV, CHEVROLET VENTURE, OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE MINIVANS, AND CHEVROLET CAVALIER AND PONTIAC SUNFIRE SEDANS BUILT BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997.ODI OPENED THIS RQ AFTER RECEIVING REPORTS THAT OTHER VEHICLES WERE EXHIBITING THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS THE RECALLED VEHICLES.BASED ON ODI'S REVIEW OF TECHNICAL AND COMPLAINT DATA COLLECTED DURING THE RQ, THE W-CARS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH EITHER A HIGHER STEERING COMPLAINT RATE OR A HIGHER LPB FAILURE RATE THAN THE OTHER VEHICLES INVESTIGATED UNDER THE RQ AND ARE ABOVE OR NEAR THE RATES FOR THE RECALLED VEHICLES.THUS, ODI WILL FURTHER EXAMINE THE W-CARS (1996-1997 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME, 1996-1998 BUICK REGAL, CHEVROLET LUMINA, CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO, 1997-1998 BUICK CENTURY, AND 1998 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE) UNDER A NEW INVESTIGATION, ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA)03-019.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Steering
GM CONDUCTED A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA # 02V286) TO ADDRESS A STEERING DEFECT PERTAINING TO A LOWER PINION BEARING (LPB) WITHIN THE RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR (R&P). THE RECALL COVERED 1,159,156 MODEL YEAR 1997-1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES BUILT BETWEEN MARCH 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997, 1996-1998 PONTIAC TRANS SPORT, CHEVROLET LUMINA APV, CHEVROLET VENTURE, OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE MINIVANS, AND CHEVROLET CAVALIER AND PONTIAC SUNFIRE SEDANS BUILT BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997.ODI OPENED THIS RQ AFTER RECEIVING REPORTS THAT OTHER VEHICLES WERE EXHIBITING THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS THE RECALLED VEHICLES.BASED ON ODI'S REVIEW OF TECHNICAL AND COMPLAINT DATA COLLECTED DURING THE RQ, THE W-CARS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH EITHER A HIGHER STEERING COMPLAINT RATE OR A HIGHER LPB FAILURE RATE THAN THE OTHER VEHICLES INVESTIGATED UNDER THE RQ AND ARE ABOVE OR NEAR THE RATES FOR THE RECALLED VEHICLES.THUS, ODI WILL FURTHER EXAMINE THE W-CARS (1996-1997 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME, 1996-1998 BUICK REGAL, CHEVROLET LUMINA, CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO, 1997-1998 BUICK CENTURY, AND 1998 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE) UNDER A NEW INVESTIGATION, ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA)03-019.
Steering:rack And Pinion
GM CONDUCTED A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA # 02V286) TO ADDRESS A STEERING DEFECT PERTAINING TO A LOWER PINION BEARING (LPB) WITHIN THE RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR (R&P). THE RECALL COVERED 1,159,156 MODEL YEAR 1997-1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES BUILT BETWEEN MARCH 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997, 1996-1998 PONTIAC TRANS SPORT, CHEVROLET LUMINA APV, CHEVROLET VENTURE, OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE MINIVANS, AND CHEVROLET CAVALIER AND PONTIAC SUNFIRE SEDANS BUILT BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997.ODI OPENED THIS RQ AFTER RECEIVING REPORTS THAT OTHER VEHICLES WERE EXHIBITING THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS THE RECALLED VEHICLES.BASED ON ODI'S REVIEW OF TECHNICAL AND COMPLAINT DATA COLLECTED DURING THE RQ, THE W-CARS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH EITHER A HIGHER STEERING COMPLAINT RATE OR A HIGHER LPB FAILURE RATE THAN THE OTHER VEHICLES INVESTIGATED UNDER THE RQ AND ARE ABOVE OR NEAR THE RATES FOR THE RECALLED VEHICLES.THUS, ODI WILL FURTHER EXAMINE THE W-CARS (1996-1997 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME, 1996-1998 BUICK REGAL, CHEVROLET LUMINA, CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO, 1997-1998 BUICK CENTURY, AND 1998 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE) UNDER A NEW INVESTIGATION, ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA)03-019.
RQ98013 · Oversensitive Air Bag Deployments
Opened Aug 26, 1998 · No close date supplied
Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags
ON JUNE 26, 1998, GENERAL MOTORS BEGAIN A SAFETY RECALL, 98V-146, TO RECALIBRATE THE AIR BAG SENSING AND DIAGNOSTIC MODULE (SDM) IN THE 1996 AND SOME 1997 J BODY CARS, CAVALIER AND SUNFIRE.DUE TO CERTAIN CALIBRATIONS IN THE AIR BAG SDM, THERE IS AN INCREASED RISK OF INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT IN A LOW SPEED CRASH OR WHEN AN OBJECT STRIKES THE FLOOR PAN.THE RECALL POPULATION CONSISTS OF 675,302 VEHICLES BUILT FROM APRIL 1995 THROUGH MAY 1997.ODI HAS RECEIVED 8 OWNER REPORTS ALLEGING INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT WITHOUT A CRASH.THE PURPOSER OF THE RQ IS TO DETERMINE WHETHER GM SHOULD EXPAND THE RECALL TO INCLUDE THESE VEHICLES.CLOSING RESUME NOTE:AS OF AUGUST 5, 1999, ODI RECEIVED ONE ADDITIONAL COMPLAINT REGARDING THE ALLEGED DEFECT.THE INCIDENT RATES FOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE ABOUT ONE-THRID OF THE RATES OF THE RECALLED VEHICLES (WHEN THE RECALL WAS INITIATED).BASED ON THE AVAILABLE INFORMATION, A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOSE NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY FUTURE CIRCUMSTANCES.
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