1996 Pontiac Grand Prix

FRONT BRAKE ROTORS ARE PREMATURELY WEARING. WHEN APPLYING BRAKES AT HIGH SPEED VEHICLE VIBRATES, AND PEDAL NEARLY GOES TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE IS VERY HARD TO STOP AT SPEEDS OVER 35 MPH ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES SINCE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, AND NEED REPLACEMENT AGAIN AT THE PRESENT TIME. *JB

VECHICLE ABS LIGHT CAME ON ALL INTERIOR AND EXTERNAL LIGHTS DIMMED, ONCE VECHICLE WAS SHUT OFF IT WOULD NOT RESTART. BATTERY WAS REPLACED IT WORKED FINE FOR ABOUT 1 WEEK. I WAS INFORMED THE ALTERNATOR WAS NOT PUTTING OUT ENOUGH AMPS, SO THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED AND 1 WEEK LATER SAME PROBLEM AGAIN SO ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED A 2ND TIME. THAT SAME DAY THE PROBLEM WAS REPEATED. IT SEEMS WHEN THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON ALL THE POWER FROM THE BATTERY IS DRAINED.

MY FATHER, JIMMIE G. NALL, ORIGINALLY LEASED THIS VEHICLE; AT LEASE END, HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FOR ME. WHILE MY FATHER HAD IT, HE HAD IT SERVICED REGULARLY ON SCHEDULE, INCLUDING HAVING THE OIL CHANGED EVERY 3000 MILES. WHEN THE CAR WAS PURCHASED AND I BECAME THE MAIN DRIVER IT HAD A LITTLE OVER 18K MILES. IT NOW HAS 34496. NOTHING SHOULD BE WRONG WITH THIS CAR. I SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO MAKE ANY MAJOR REPAIRS YET. THERE HAS NOT BEEN ENOUGH WEAR AND TEAR FOR MAJOR DAMAGE OR REPAIRS. THE TRANSMISSION IS NOW STARTING TO SLIP AT TIMES. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON THEN WILL GO OFF AFTER A LITTLE WHILE. THE TEMP. WILL GO UP RAPIDLY (230) NOT TO A DANGEROUS LEVEL, THEN DROP BACK DOWN (210) AFTER I TURN ON THE HEATER. EVERYDAY WHEN STARTING, I HAVE TO TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH AT LEAST 3 TIMES BEFORE IT WILL START. WHILE DRIVING, SUDDENLY IT SEEMS LIKE THE CAR IS IN NEUTRAL FOR A SPLIT SECOND AND THE ODOMETER WILL JUMP SLIGHTLY. I HAVE HAD THE TRANS. FLUID CHECKED AND IT IS FULL. WE HAVE REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR ONCE, THE BATTERY TWICE, THE IGNITION SWITCH ONCE. FOR AS FEW MILES AS THIS CAR HAS, ALL THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE GONE WRONG, AND I REALLY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO BE REPLACING PARTS AND MAKING REPAIRS ON AN ALMOST NEW VEHICLE. THE BACK BRAKES RUMBLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN AFTER BACKING UP AND COMING TO A STOP. I HAVE ALWAYS HEARD THIS RUMBLING. I FEEL THIS CAR IS BASICALLY A LEMON, BUT I DON'T FEEL I SHOULD GO AND TRADE THE GRAND PRIX IN, FOR 34500 MILES, AS STATED BEFORE, THERE SHOULD NOT BE ANYTHING WRONG WITH THIS CAR! *AK

WAS GOING 30MPH & HAD APPLIED BRAKES. VEHICLE KEPT GOING. LOW TRACTION LIGHT CAME ON. VEHICLE HIT ONE CURB & THEN ANOTHER CURB BEFORE COMING TO STOP ON RAMP. SECOND TIME AT 20MPH OFF RAMP. HIT BRAKES, VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN. PRESSED HARDER. ABS LIGHT CAME ON & STAYED. HEARD A SNAP & ROTOR BROKE; WHEEL & VEHICLE WENT INTO SPIN. *AK

DEALER SAYS REAR ROTORS WERE UNSAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO RUSTING. PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THE CAR IS GARAGE KEPT, STILL HAS THE "NEW-CAR LOOK" AND ONLY HAS 17000 MILES ON IT. DEALER CLAIMS "LACK OF USE" AS REASON FOR DETERIORATION OF BRAKE ROTORS. IN MY OPINION, EITHER FAULTY MATERIALS, POOR DESIGN OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH IS WHAT LEAD TO THIS UNSAFE CONDITION. DEALER SAYS PROBLEM IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. *AK