1992 Pontiac Grand Am Brakes Problems

COOLANT LEAKED FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 50 MPH WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY DETERMINED THAT THE RADIATOR HOSE HAD A SPLIT IN IT. THE SAME WEEK THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED THE BRAKE LINE BROKE. ABOUT 2 MONTHS LATER THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WHILE BRAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THAT THE INCORRECT BRAKE PARTS WERE INSTALLED AND THAT THE RADIATOR CLAMPS WERE LOOSE. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED INVOICES FROM THE DEALER BUT THEY REFUSED. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10039987

Incident

Sep 15, 2003

Mileage

86,000 mi

THE BRAKES FAILED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SLOWED DOWN, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. *NLM THIS WAS DUE TO THE BRAKE LINE REPLACEMENT IN WHICH THE WRONG PART WAS INSTALLED. *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID

10040622

Incident

Sep 15, 2003

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED ON WET OR DRY PAVEMENT AND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP UPON DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL TO MAKE A GRADUAL STOP, BRAKES KICK IN AND THEN RELEASE, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER. DEALER HAS REPLACED BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER/SHOES AND PADS/ ROTORS, AND DRUMS. BUT, PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID

892340

ABS BRAKES WILL NOT ENGAGE. CONSUMER HAS TO STEP HARDER ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO MAKE THEM WORK.*AK

NHTSA ID

864405

Incident

Jun 22, 2000

WHILE DRIVING AND APPLYING BRAKES, VEHICLE EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. WHEN TAKING VEHICLE FOR CHECK UP, TECHNICIAN PONTED OUT THAT BRAKE SYSTEM WAS CONTAMINATED. *AK

NHTSA ID

862495

Incident

May 24, 2000

A LITTLE OVER 3 MONTHS AFTER I PURCHASED THIS CAR FROM GARY MATTHEWS, THE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED IN TRAFFIC ON ME. I HAD VERY LITTLE BRAKES AND BARELY MADE IT TO MY HOME WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT. THE CAR WAS INSPECTED AND THE RESULTS ARE THAT THE BREAK SYSTEM WAS CONTAMINATED. THE TOTAL COST TO REPAIR IS $2,400.00. WHEN I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP, THEY WERE VERY RUDE AND TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD DO NOTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM. WHEN I TALKED TO THE DEALER'S REPAIR SHOP, THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD NO RECORD OF THE CAR EVER EVEN BEING INSPECTED BEFORE I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT. YOU'RE HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. *AK

NHTSA ID

723147

I HAVE SPENT ALOT OF MONEY TRYING TO GET THIS CAR IN SAFE RUNNING CONDITION, AND AS OF RIGHT NOW MY PONTIAC SITS IN MY GARAGE NOT DRIVEABLE BECAUSE I CANT AFFORD TO SPEND ANY MORE MONEY ON THESE BRAKES , I HAVE ALREADY SPENT MORE THAN I SHOULD HAVE AND IT STILL DOES NOT WORK. IF YOU PEOPLE AT PONTIAC PRIDE YOURSELF IN EXCELLENCE THAN I THINK YOU SHOULD TAKE ANOTHER LOOK .IF YOU REALLY PRIDE YOURSELF IN EXCELLENCE, I THINK YOU SHOULD REPAIR THE WHOLE BRAKE SYSTEM IN MY CAR. OTHER WISE I WILL BE FORCED TO CONTACT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL THANKYOU. *AK

NHTSA ID

721330

Incident

Mar 31, 2000

MULTIPLE PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED: (1) CIGARETTE LIGHTER FUSE BLOWS CONSTANTLY. (2) ENGINE HAS A CRACKED CYLINDER WHICH ALLOWS COOLANT INTO THE OIL SYSTEM. (3) STARTER COIL FAILED. (4) WINDOW MOTOR/SWITCH FAILED. (5) FRONT PASSENGER SEAT DOESN'T ALWAYS LOCK IN PLACE, AND ALLOWS THE SEAT TO SLIDE FORWARD AND BACKWARD. (6) IN COLD WEATHER THE PLASTIC AROUND THE HORN CONTRACTS AND CAUSES THE HORN TO SOUND CONTINUOUSLY UNTIL THE FUSE IS REMOVED. (7) FRONT BRAKES WEAR QUICKLY DURING NORMAL OPERATION. (8) ALTERNATOR FAILED AT 90,000 MILES. (9) OIL PRESSURE SENSOR FAILED AT 107,000 MILES. (10) SPARK PLUGS NEED TO BE REPLACED EVERY 18 MONTHS DUE TO A RECURRING STUMBLING PROBLEM IN THE ENGINE. ONE SPARK PLUG CANNOT BE REMOVED. (11) THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT HAS BEEN FILLED WITH CONDENSATE FROM THE A/C SYSTEM MULTIPLE TIMES, RUINING ANY PAPERWORK AND THE OWNERS' MANUAL. (12) THE SCREWS ON BOTH INTERIOR DOOR FRAMES HAVE FALLEN OUT AND MUST BE REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

711806

Incident

Jul 25, 1997

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND APPLYING BRAKES, THE BRAKE PEDAL IS SLIDING AND GOING HALF WAY TO THE FLOORBOARD. ABS SYSTEM HASN'T BEEN WORKING PROPERLY, AND CONSUMER HAS HAD THE VEHICLE AT REPAIR SHOP THREE TO FOUR TIMES. *AK

NHTSA ID

846197

Incident

Jan 1, 1992

PONTIAC PRIDES ITSELF ON DRIVING EXCITEMENT, IT SHOULD ACTUALLY BE THAT IT IS A DRIVING NIGHTMARE. THIS CAR HAS HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS. THIS IS THE LIST OF CURRENT AND PAST PROBLEMS WHICH INCLUDES: THE TRUNK LEAKS/ INCORRECT SPEEDOMETER THAT CAUSED TWO SPEEDING TICKETS/DRIVER'S FLOOR AND UNDER THE FRONT RIGHT SEAT ARE ALWAYS WET. ALSO,REPLACED BATTERY TWICE/ALTERNATOR/STARTER/ RADIATOR AND ALL HOSES AFTER A SUDDEN "EXPLOSION." IN ADDITION, THERMOSTAT HAD BEEN REPLACED AT LEAST 4 TIMES AND MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR ONCE. THE REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER NO LONGER WORKS, RIGHT SIDE POWER WINDOW DOES NOT GO BACK UP/THE TAPE DECK IS BROKEN, FRONT LUMBAR I SEAT BROKE AROUND 40,000 MILES. THE FRONT RIGHT AND LEFT WHEEL BEARINGS HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES/TIE RODS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONCE ON THE RIGHT AND TWICE ON THE LEFT/ ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED AND FRONT BRAKES WORE OUT WITH IN 15,000 (TYPICAL OF MOST PONTIACS JUST GOING BY THE COMMENTS OF OTHER PONTIAC OWNERS THAT I KNOW. THIS LIST IS QUITE LONG AND EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTING, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE CAR IS NOT PAID FOR YET AND ONLY HAS 125,000 MILES ON IT AND IS A 1992 MODEL. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 205/55/R16 )

NHTSA ID

704874

Incident

Feb 1, 1998

BRAKES APPLIED AT PARKING LOT SPEED AND LOCKED UP 3 TIMES IN SAME APPLICATION - ONLY HAPPENS IN COLD SNOWY OR WET WEATHER

NHTSA ID

703235

Incident

Feb 12, 1999

ABS TAKES OVER HYDRAULIC BRAKES SYSTEM AT WRONG TIME. THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO TRAVEL AN EXTRA 5-10FT BEFORE STOPPING. DEALER CANNOT LOCATE PROBLEM. MECHANIC TEST DROVE VEHICLE & VERIFIED PROBLEM EXISTS. *AK

NHTSA ID

830324

Incident

Sep 14, 1998

WHILE DRIVER WAS BACKING UP ON A SLIGHT INCLINE, WITH THE IGNITION RUNNING, CAR IN THE REVERSE GEAR, WENT TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK. WAS NO INDICATION OF A BRAKE PROBLEM. THE PEDAL WAS HARD, WENT TO THE NORMAL POSITION BUT NO BRAKING POWER. VEHICLE JUST ROLLED DOWN THE INCLINE. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO STEER CAR INTO BUSHES TO KEEP VEHICLE FROM GOING INTO THE STREET. VEHICLE IS BEING CHECKED BY A MECHANIC. *AK

NHTSA ID

823615

Incident

May 22, 1998

ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAILED.

NHTSA ID

534944

Incident

Jul 1, 1997

WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THERE IS EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES. IN A PANIC STOP THE BRAKES LOCK UP AND THE VEHICLE SHEMIMIES. THE FRONT ROTORS , BRAKE SHOES AND DRUMS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ON VEHICLE . THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

819186

Incident

Nov 18, 1997

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE PEDAL WILL GO TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE DOES NOT STOP. PROBLEM ONLY OCCURS WHEN WET OUTSIDE. DEALER CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

818115

SLAMMED ON BRAKES, HEARD LOUD NOISE, COULD NOT TURN WHEEL, TIRES SQUEAKED, CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AT STANDSTILL, NOT CHECKED BY DEALER, INSURANCE CO FOUND NOTHING WRONG, VEHICLE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. *AK

NHTSA ID

808808

Incident

Jun 15, 1996

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE TRIED TO APPLY THE BRAKES (ABS), VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW UP, TURNED VEHICLE INTO A PARKING LOT, TRYING TO BRAKE STEERING WENT, LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, NO BRAKES, HIT POLE; DRIVER HAD SEAT BELT ON, ALSO REPLACED PITTED ROTORS. *AK

NHTSA ID

801613

Incident

Aug 20, 1996

ROOF, FENDERS, DOORS, WINDOW GUIDES, HOOD, FRONT/REAR WINDSHIELD, RIMS AND TRUNK INTERIOR ALL BADLY RUSTED.

NHTSA ID

506121

Incident

Mar 29, 1996

REAR BRAKES FAILED AFTER MAJOR WORK WA SDONE ON VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

505878

Incident

Jun 12, 1996

ABS: ANTI LOCK SYSTEM INTERFERED WITH NORMAL BRAKING; CAUSED TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE; PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR; VEHICLE STOPPED AFTER HITTING SNOWBANK. TT

NHTSA ID

978842

Incident

Feb 3, 1996

VEHICLE HAS REPEATED ABS BRAKE FAILURE W/ROTORS REPLACED AND ROUND, AND (9) SETS OF PADS. VEHICLE AGAIN NEEDS BRAKES SERVICED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

NHTSA ID

975976

THE ABS SYSTEM HAS FAILED. WHEN THE CAR IS STARTED THE SYSTEM ALWAYS GOES ON. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

NHTSA ID

972614

Incident

Sep 28, 1995

PURCHASED NEW CAR AND HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT ROTOR AND PADS ABOUT FOUR TIMES. *AK

NHTSA ID

971532

DOOR LOCKS FAILED.

NHTSA ID

483513

Incident

Aug 15, 1995