2001 Pontiac Grand Am

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY FOR ABOUT SEVEN MONTHS. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS BEFORE THE VEHICLE STALLED. ADDITIONALLY, WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED IT WILL NOT RESTART WITHOUT THE COMPUTER BEING REPROGRAMMED. EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE ONLY THING THE DEALER DID WAS RESET THE COMPUTER. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE DEALERSHIP 5 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM THE CONTACT BEGAN RESETTING THE COMPUTER. THE DEALER'S SERVICE MANAGER SHOWED THE CONTACT HOW TO REPROGRAM THE COMPUTER BY TURNING THE IGNITION ON, ALLOWING THE SECURITY LIGHT TO FLASH TEN MINUTES, TURN THE IGNITION OFF, AND RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS A SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER AWAITING REPAIR OF THE IGNITION. THE DEALER OFFERED TWO OPTIONS FOR REPAIR, TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE IGNITION SYSTEM OR JUMP THE SECURITY SYSTEM. IF THE SECURITY SYSTEM WAS BY PASSED IT WILL NO LONGER ACTIVATE. THERE ARE TWO TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS (TSBS) CONCERNING THE IGNITION, TSBS 010849020 AND 020604011. *AK UPDATED 02/27/06. *JB

I PURCHASED A 2001 PONTIAC GRAND AM IN FEBRUARY 2003. SHORTLY AFTER THE 45K MILES I STARTED TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE DEX-COOL ANTI-FREEZE LEAKING AROUND THE INTAKE GASKET, HEAD GASKET WAS DAMAGED. ALSO, THERE WAS EXTENSIVE OIL USE, APPROXIMATELY A QUART EVERY 500 MILES OF DRIVING. DESPITE WHAT THIS MIGHT SOUND LIKE, THIS VEHICLE, WHILE IN MY POSSESSION HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED. I HAVE HAD THE ABOVE PROBLEMS FIXED ON 11-20-05 AND AFTER THE MECHANIC WAS DONE I HAD PUT ANOTHER $1465.00 INTO A CAR THAT HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS. NOW, ONE MONTH AFTER GETTING MY CAR BACK THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON, AND THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME I HAVE HAD TO FIX THIS PROBLEM EITHER. I HAVE HEARD FROM SEVERAL MECHANICS AND DEALERS THAT THIS IS COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR DUE TO DEX-COOL ONLY SYSTEMS AND ALUMINUM ENGINES THAT ERODE HEAD- GASKETS PREMATURELY. *JB

FAULTY INTAKE GASKET TO ENGINE FROM COOLANT. AFTER LESS THAN 80,000 MILES THE INTAKE GASKET IS LEAKING IN THE 2001 PONTIAC GRAND AM. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THIS PROBLEM IS NOT RESTRICTED TO AN OCCASIONAL VEHICLE AND IT PRESENTS AN ISSUE OF LOSING FLUID. NOT ONLY IS THIS A SAFETY HAZARD FOR VEHICLE OWNERS, IT IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD AS WELL. *JB

THREE BIG ISSUES WITH THIS CAR: 1) THE WORST-I'VE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE SECURITY SYSTEM SHORTING THREE TIMES. EACH TIME, THE CAR TURNS OVER BUT WILL NOT START. THE SECURITY LIGHT FLASHED TWICE, BUT DID NOT COME ON THE THIRD TIME. THE FIRST TIME THE DEALER ADJUSTED THE SYSTEM (WHATEVER THAT MEANS) WHICH WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE SECOND TIME (TWO MONTHS LATER), MY CAR WOULD NOT START AT 2AM OUTSIDE OF A BAR, SO I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED. THIS TIME THE WHOLE SYSTEM WAS REPLACED UNDER MY WARRANTY. THE THIRD TIME (FOUR MONTHS LATER) MY CAR WOULD NOT START AND HAD TO BE TOWED. THE SYSTEM WAS AGAIN REPLACED, THIS TIME IT WAS COVERED UNDER A PARTS& LABOR WARRANTY SO AT LEAST I DIDN'T HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING. 2) THE BRAKES. I HAD THE ROTORS REPLACED BECAUSE OF EXTREME VIBRATING WHEN BREAKING, AS WELL AS A LOUD SQUEALING NOISE THAT WOULD START AFTER THE BREAKS HEATED UP. THE SQUEALING NOISE DID NOT GO AWAY SO I HAD THE BREAKS' HARDWARE REPLACED. THAT WORKED FOR A WHILE. SIX MONTHS LATER, THE VIBRATING HAS COME BACK AND THERE IS A LOUD GRINDING NOISE WHEN THE BREAKS GET WET (I.E. RAIN). 3) COOLANT LIGHT COMES ON FREQUENTLY. FIRST, I SIMPLY REPLACED THE COOLANT MUCH MORE OFTEN THAN SHOULD BE NECESSARY. FINALLY, I LET MY DEALER CONVINCE ME TO PAY THE $700 TO HAVE IT FIXED (I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS) A YEAR AGO. THE COOLANT LIGHT IS NOW COMING ON AGAIN, SO I'M JUST REFILLING IT FREQUENTLY. I'VE ONLY HAD THIS CAR 18 MONTHS. I'M IN LOVE WITH THE LOOK AND THE PICKUP, BUT IT IS COMPLETELY UNRELIABLE. WHEN CAN I GET IT DECLARED A LEMON? AT LEAST I STILL HAVE 10K MILES LEFT ON THE EXTENDED WARRANTY I PURCHASED WITH IT. IF I CAN'T EXTENDED IT AGAIN, I WILL SELL THIS UNRELIABLE CAR. *NM

2001 PONTIAC GRAND AM 6 CYLINDER WITH 31,000 MILES. ENGINE COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON. ADDED COOLANT, BUT LIGHT COMES ON 2 WEEKS LATER. FIND A SMALL LEAK ON RIGHT SIDE OF ENGINE AT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASGET WHERE COOLANT IS SEEPING OUT OF THE ENGINE. PONTIAC WANTS $800 TO FIX PROBLEM, PONTIAC MECHANIC TELLS ME THIS IS VERY COMMON FOR THIS TYPE ENGINE. SEARCH AROUND AREA AND FIND SOMEONE TO DO IT FOR $500. DURING REPAIR I FIND OUT THAT COOLANT WAS LEAKING INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE ENGINE. COOLANT WAS IN THE OIL. TOTAL REPAIR BILL IS $550. THIS PROBLEM SHOULD HAVE BEEN DEALT WITH BY GM OR PONTIAC. A RECALL SHOULD BE INITIATED ON THIS VEHICLE OR COMPENSATION SHOULD BE MADE TO THOSE WHO WERE STUCK WITH A COSTLY REPAIR BILL ON A POORLY DESIGNED AND DEFECTIVE ENGINE.

LOW COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON AFTER TURNING VEHICLE ON IN MORNING, CHECKED COOLANT LEVEL IT WAS LOW, ADDED COOLANT, LIGHT CAME BACK ON 2 WEEKS LATER, ADDED MORE COOLANT. CHANGED OIL FOUND WHITE CRUD IN OIL, CALLED DEALERSHIP (VILLAGE PONTIAC GMC) AND SERVICE SAID IT WAS MANIFOLD GASKET AND IT IS VERY COMMON ON THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. MADE APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THIS FIXED, QUOTED AT $800.00 TO REPAIR. IF THIS IS SO COMMON AND A SERVICE CENTER KNOWS WHAT THE PROBLEM IS WITHOUT SEEING VEHICLE, SHOULDN'T THIS BE A RECALL?

THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET OF THE CONSUMER'S 2001 PONTIAC GRAND AM FAILED. *NM THE GASKETS WERE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE EGR, COOLANT BYPASS, OCC/OXYGEN CATALYST CONVERTER AND THE PCM/POWER CONTROL MODULE "P" DRIVE SEAL. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED INFORMATION ABOUT ANY ACCIDENTS AND OR DEATHS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS FAILURE. *SC *JB

DEFECTIVE INTAKE GASKET. SEE COMPLAIN #'S 79007,10086421,10065717. LOW COOLANT LIGHT STARTED COMING ON EVERY WEEK AND A HALF OR SO, STARTING BACK IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR (2004). IT CAME ON EVERY COUPLE WEEKS SO I JUST KEPT FILLING IT WITH COOLANT AND HAD MY THERMOSTAT REPLACED. PROBLEM STILL KEPT HAPPENING. FINALLY MY CAR OVERHEATED ON THE WAY HOME FROM WORK ON THE INTERSTATE SO I HAD TO PULL OVER. I PUT IT IN THE SHOP ON 3/7/05 AND WAS JUST TOLD THAT I NEEDED MY INTAKE GASKET REPLACED COSTING ME $800.00. MECHANIC SAYS THIS IS IA COMMON PROBLEM DUE TO DEFECTIVE EQUIPMENT. DID SOME RESEARCH AND DUE TO THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS SAME PROBLEM, PONITAC NEEDS TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS. *AK

I HAVE NOTICED A GRINDING SOUND COMING FROM MY BRAKES. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED PADS AND ROTORS, I REPLACED PADS AND ROTORS AND THE ABS, TRAC OFF, AND THE SERVICE VEHICLE SOON LIGHT STARTED COMING ON. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER ANALYSIS AND THEY TOLD ME I NEEDED A SPEED SENSOR BECAUSE IT WAS MALFUNCTIONING AND BECAUSE IT IS INSIDE THE WHEEL HUB I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THESE THINGS ALSO. $700.00 LATER THE LIGHTS WERE STILL COMING ON AND THE BRAKES WAS STILL MAKING THIS STRANGE NOISE. I RETURNED THE CAR AND AFTER INSPECTION WAS TOLD THAT THE ABS WIRES WERE BUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, $200.00 LATER THE CAR IS STILL MAKING THESE NOISES AND THE LIGHTS ARE STILL COMING ON. NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. I AM TAKING THE CAR BACK AGAIN FOR FURTHER ANALYSIS. I HAVE ALSO HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE MANIFOLD REPLACED IT AT $700.00, THE IGNITION FORTUNATELY FOR ME IT WAS COVERED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY I PURCHASED WITH THE CAR. I ALSO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE TURN SIGNALS MALFUNCTIONING. *NM