1989 Pontiac Grand Am Owner Complaints

TRANSMISSION LOCKING TORQUE CONVERTER SOLENOID DOES NOT ALLOW TORQUE CONVERTER TO UNLOCK RESULTING IN ENGINE STALL WHEN STOPPING. REPLACED SOLENOID. REPLACED SLAPPING TIMING CHAIN AND TIMING CHAIN GUIDES. CHANGED OIL AFTER REPAIR. DROVE THE CAR ABOUT 100 MILES WHEN 3 ROD BEARINGS SPUN. ONE HALF OF THE BEARING SPUN INTO THE OTHER HALF RESULTING IN CRANKSHAFT DAMAGE AND PISTON TIPPING. REPLACED ENGINE WITH USED WHICH I REPAIRED BEFORE REPLACING. LOOKED LIKE OIL PUMP FAILURE. WAS TOLD THE ENGINE HAD BETWEEN 145-150 COMPRESSION.

NHTSA ID

10070435

Incident

Jun 15, 2002

Mileage

113,000 mi

AFTER THE ENGINE OVERHEATED, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT #10-90-577) *YH

NHTSA ID

564044

Incident

Sep 30, 2001

I KILLED IT AT A SERVICE STATION GONNA GET SOME WATER AND IT HAS NEVER STARTED SINCE THEN. THE GAS COMES OUT OF HOSE WHEN DISCONNECTED FROM INJECTOR BUT CONNECT THE LINE BACK AND THE FUEL INJECTION DOESNT GET GAS. I AM A SINGLE MOTHE WHO CAN NOT AFFORD THIS TYPE OF THING. A MAN PULLED IN SERVICE STATION AND SAID HE HAD SAME PROBLEMS WITH HIS 89 GRAND AM. I ALSO LOOKED IN MY HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER AND LOTS OF 89 GRAND AMS FOR SALE WITH NON WORKING MOTORS.*AK

NHTSA ID

743711

Incident

Mar 1, 2001

EVEN REPLACEMENT STOP SWITCH SMOKES(FAILS). RECALL REPAIR PERFORMED , SAME RESULT. REPLACEMENT SWITCH STILL NO GOOD!!!!*AK

NHTSA ID

737587

VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT SIDE OF HOUSE. CONSUMER WENT BACK INTO HOUSE, AND A FEW MINUTES LATER, A NEIGHBOR KNOCKED ON DOOR NOTIFYING HIM THAT VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. FIRE WAS COMING FROM ENGINE CARPARTMENT. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED, AND THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION. NO INJURIES TO REPORTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

875878

Incident

Nov 10, 2000

WHILE TRAVELING N ON I-295 BETWEEN I-10 AND COMMONWEALTH AVE, RR TIRE STARTED VIBRATING AND BOUNCING. TREAD THEN SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE, THROWING ME INTO A LEFT HAND CIRCLE. I WENT FROM OUTSIDE NORTH BOUND LANE INTO GRASSY MEDIUM, CROSSING THREE LANES AND DOING A COMPLETE 360 DEGREE SPIN. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR JUST SHORT OF ENTERING THE ONCOMMING TRAFFIC OF THE SOUTH BOUND LANES. THE TREAD PEELED COMPLETELY AWAY, VERY SIMILAR TO THE FIRESTONE TIRES. I KEPT THE TIRE AND HAVE IT IN MY GARAGE. IF YOU WANT IT, IT IS YOURS.*AK (DOT NUMBER: UNKNOWN TIRESIZE: P195/70R14)

NHTSA ID

733617

Incident

Sep 21, 2000

INNER REAR SUPPORT THAT HOLDS VEHICLE UP RUSTED AROUND THE SPRING AND STRUT. VEHICLE HAD NO SUPPORT. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP.*AK

NHTSA ID

871554

Incident

Jun 1, 2000

THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH A QUAD 4 ENGINE. THROUGHOUT THIS PAST YEAR, THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN STALLING ON NUMEROUS OCCASSIONS AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR A WHILE. IN ADDITION, I SPENT ROUGHLY $2000 TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET AND CYLINDER HEAD. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

723658

Incident

Aug 28, 1999

ALTERNATOR FAILED. YH

NHTSA ID

552135

THE ENGINE, RADIATOR AND OVERFLOW BUCKET WERE REPLACED.*ET

NHTSA ID

783723

REAR SUSPENSION THAT HOLDS STRUTS IS ROTTED. SMOKES WHEN CAR IS DRIVEN AT ANY SPEED. IF USED LONG TERM, THE FRAME MAY CRACK AND THE TIRES MAY COME COMPLETELY OFF. MANY MECHANICS HAVE TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS.

NHTSA ID

720804

Incident

Jan 1, 2000

I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING OF A BUMPING AND GRINDING IN THE STEERING AT SLOW SPPEDS SINCE 1992. I HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE RUN AROUND ALL THIS TIME UNTIL MAJOR FAILURE IN DEC. 1999. DEALER SAID IT WAS THE RACK AND PINION STEERING. AFTER REPLACEMENT ANOTHER PROBLEM AROSE WHICH CAUSED THE WHOLE FRONT OF THE CAR TO VIBERATE WHEN TURNING. I WAS TOLD A POWER STEERING HOSE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD BY THE REPAIR DEALER THAT THEY CHECKED WITH PONTIAC TECH. ASS. AND FOUND THE HOSE INSUFFICENT TO HANDLE THE HIGH PREASURE RETURN TO THE POWER STEERING UNIT. WOULD THIS CONDITION CAUSE THE RACK AND PINION TO FAIL IN THE FIRAT PLACE OR DID I GET ANOTHER RUN AROUND. *AK

NHTSA ID

717054

Incident

Sep 25, 1992

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA ID

710151

Incident

May 11, 1996

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA ID

708312

Incident

Feb 1, 1999

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, REAR CRADLE BOLTS BROKE, CAUSING THE REAR OF THE ENGINE TO FALL OUT. ALSO, CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF STEERING DUE TO STEERING SHAFT BREAKING. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

840843

Incident

Jun 15, 1999

THE SENSOR WHICH IS LOCATED AT THE DISTRUTOR AND WHICH IS USED FOR BETTER GAS MILEAGE MALFUNCTIONED,CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL WHILE DRIVING OR COMING TO A STOP, WHICH MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. MECHANIC DISCONNECTED THE SENSOR. PROBLEM NEVER REOCCURRED. ALSO SAME PROBLEMS ON THE GRAND PRIX'S. *AK

NHTSA ID

835526

Incident

Jan 1, 1999

HEAD GASKET FAILED. *YC

NHTSA ID

545032

THE HEAD GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED AND AFTER NUMEROUS REPAIRS STILL DIDN'T FUNCTION PROPERLY. RUNS ROUGH, DOESN'T IDLE PROPERLY, FUEL INJECTION DOESN'T FUNCTION PROPERLY, OIL TURNS FOAMY.

NHTSA ID

702456

Incident

Sep 10, 1994

ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT.

NHTSA ID

540558

Incident

Aug 1, 1998

STEERING GEAR MALFUNCTIONED. ALSO, THERE IS AN EXTREME JERKING WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL AND VEHICLE IS SITTING STILL. CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT JERKING IS DUE TO RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

534770

RECALL 92V150000. PONTIAC WON'T DO RECALL BECAUSE THEY SAY IT HAD A TIME AND MILEAGE LIMIT. *AK

NHTSA ID

819980

IGNITION SYSTEM, MODULE/COIL, DESIGN IS DEFECTIVE BECAUSE THE POSITION (NEAR THE BOTTOM REAR OF ENGINE) ALLOWS FOR WATER TO MAKE CONTACT AND FAIL.

NHTSA ID

529205

Incident

Mar 1, 1987

CRACKED ENGINE GASKET.

NHTSA ID

527983

Incident

Dec 1, 1997

HEAD GASKET FAILED, LEAKS OIL. ALSO, STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AND IS VERY HARD TO TURN WHEN VEHICLE IS COLD/MAKES NOISE. IN ADDITION, VINYL COVERING BUBBLED, AND CAME LOOSE ON BACKSEAT ARMREST UP TO ROOF.

NHTSA ID

526881

Incident

Sep 17, 1997

ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILED LEAKING COOLANT/ SHAKES AND IS VERY HARD TO TURN. ALSO, STEERING WHEEL/VINYL COVERING BUBBLED AND CAME LOOSE ON BACKSEAT UP TO ROOF.

NHTSA ID

526840

Incident

Sep 17, 1997