NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
69 reportsClear category filterMileage unknown · Sep 9, 2002
Service Brakes, HydraulicSuspension
FRONT DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL AREA. WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED, MADE A THUMPING NOISE. REPLACED DRIVER SIDE LOWER CONTROLL ARM, WAS TOLD IT WAS BAD. 3 OR 4 DAYS AFTER I PICKED UP MY CAR, I NOW HAVE A SINGLE THUMP WHEN I BRAKE AND RELEASE THE BRAKE. THIS NOISE IS SO LOUD AND SCARY SOUNDING THAT I AM ABSOLUTELY AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR.…
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FRONT DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL AREA. WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED, MADE A THUMPING NOISE. REPLACED DRIVER SIDE LOWER CONTROLL ARM, WAS TOLD IT WAS BAD. 3 OR 4 DAYS AFTER I PICKED UP MY CAR, I NOW HAVE A SINGLE THUMP WHEN I BRAKE AND RELEASE THE BRAKE. THIS NOISE IS SO LOUD AND SCARY SOUNDING THAT I AM ABSOLUTELY AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR. IT SOUNDS LIKE MY WHEEL IS READY TO FALL OFF. TAKING THE CAR BACK TO THE SHOP AGAIN TOMORROW. I READ SEVERAL REPORTS ON YOUR WEBSITE REGARDING THIS SAME ISSUE.*AK
NHTSA ODI #766911
Mileage unknown · Aug 19, 2002
Service Brakes, HydraulicFire
WHILE DRIVING DOWN HILL, BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO PONTIAC AND THEY REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKES PADS. WHILE DRIVING DOWN A HILL, CONSUMER COULD SMELL RUBBER BURNING, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO MAKE A STOP. CONSUMER SAW FIRE NEAR FRONT BRAKES. *AK THIS PROBLEM WAS ASSOCIATED WITH GM'S ORIGINAL PONTIAC FRON…
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WHILE DRIVING DOWN HILL, BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO PONTIAC AND THEY REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKES PADS. WHILE DRIVING DOWN A HILL, CONSUMER COULD SMELL RUBBER BURNING, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO MAKE A STOP. CONSUMER SAW FIRE NEAR FRONT BRAKES. *AK THIS PROBLEM WAS ASSOCIATED WITH GM'S ORIGINAL PONTIAC FRONT BRAKE HOSE RESTRICTION. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND REPAIRED. IT LEAD TO OVERHEATING OF THE BRAKES AND FINALLY BRAKE FAILURE AND FIRE. WHILE IN MOTION THIS COULD HAVE LED TO AN ACCIDENT. *JG
NHTSA ODI #8016666
Mileage unknown · Aug 19, 2002
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
WHEN DRIVING DOWN HILL BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
NHTSA ODI #8016665
Mileage unknown · Aug 16, 2002
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES AT 10 MPH, NO BRAKING ACTION, PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. BRAKES WERE APPLIED AGAIN. THIS TIME BRAKES WERE OPERATIONAL. DEALER STATED THAT ABS COMPUTER WAS FAULTY AND HAD TO BE REPLACED.*AK
NHTSA ODI #8016541
Mileage unknown · Jul 25, 2002
Service Brakes, HydraulicFire
ANTI-LOCK BRAKES FAILED WHEN DRIVING DOWN HILL. BRAKES BEGAN TO SMOKE/SMELL WITH SOFT PEDAL. DEALERSHIP REPLACED PADS AND CHECKED BRAKE SYSTEM. THE NEXT DAY WHEN DRIVEN DOWN A HILL FRONT BRAKES CAUGHT FIRE. PLEASE DESCCRIBE DETAILS.*JB
NHTSA ODI #8014735
Mileage unknown · Jun 21, 2002
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
CONSUMER HAS ABS BRAKE PROBLEMS FOR THREE MONTHS. REAR BRAKE DRUMS WERE TURNED, AND THREE SETS OF BRAKES SHOES WERE REPLACED. VEHICLE HA BEEN IN A TOTAL OF THREE TIMES. WHEELS LOCKED UP AT THE SLIGHTEST TOUCH OF BRAKE PRESSURE OR WHEN BRAKES OVERHEATED. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK
NHTSA ODI #8012429
Mileage unknown · May 20, 2002
Power TrainService Brakes, HydraulicVisibility
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THERE WOULD BE A POPPING NOISE PRESENT, AND BRAKES WOULD LOCK UP. THIS WOULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO DRIFT TO THE RIGHT INTO ANOTHER LANE. ALSO LEFT REAR AND RIGHT FRONT WINDOW WAS INOPARTIVE, ALSO THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING.*JB
NHTSA ODI #8010091
Mileage unknown · Mar 28, 2002
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING ABOUT ANY MPH, COULD STEP ON THE BRAKES PEDAL, BUT THE BRAKES WILL NOT ACTIVATE ON TIME, DEALER WAS CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. NLM
NHTSA ODI #8006634
Mileage unknown · Oct 21, 2001
Service Brakes, HydraulicVehicle Speed Control
AFTER APPLYING, CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO DISENGAGE, THE CAR ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL AND WOULD NOT DISENGAGE WITH BRAKING, NEED TO TURN OFF CAR TO SLOW DOWN WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, BARELY AVERTED CRASH.*AK
NHTSA ODI #753494
Mileage unknown · Oct 6, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
IDENTICAL TO ODI ID: 727560. CONTINUING PROBLEM DESPITE BRAKE REPLACEMENT, ADJUSTMENT. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #752982
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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