1996 Pontiac Grand Am Engine Problems

I STARTED MY CAR IN A PARKING LOT AND WAS DRIVING APPROX 10MPH WHEN THE CAR DIED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, AFTER RESTART, IT DID IT AGAIN. THEN, IT WOULDN'T EVEN TURN OVER. I HAD IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME THAT IT WAS PROBABLY A BAD FUEL PUMP. TURNS OUT IT WAS THE PONTIAC ANTI-THEFT DEVICE THAT WAS KEEPING IT FROM STARTING. WHEN YOUR KEY STARTS GETTING WORN AND ROUNDED OFF, (AS MOST KEYS DO AFTER SOME USE!) THE THEFT SYSTEM LOCKS YOUR CAR UP. THERE IS NO FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM OTHER THAN REPLACING THE ECU, IGNITION SYSTEM, KEY TUMBLER, OR A COMBINATION OF THE SAME, AND REPROGRAMMING IT, WHICH COSTS UPWARDS OF 1000.00 THIS ANTI THEFT SYSTEM IS PREVENTING ME FROM USING MY LAWFULLY OWNED CAR! THE ONLY WAY TO FIX IT IS TO HAVE A DEALERSHIP REPLACE DEFECTIVE PONTIAC PARTS. AN ANTI THEFT SYSTEM SHOULD BE A PREVENTATIVE MEASURE TO KEEP CROOKS FROM BOOSTING YOUR CAR, NOT SOMETHING THAT WILL COST THE OWNER MORE MONEY LATER WHEN THEIR KEY WEARS DOWN! WORSE YET, IF THE CAR IS DISABLED ON A HIGHWAY AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP, YOU RISK KILLING YOURSELF OR OTHERS ON THE ROAD! THIS HAS GOT TO BE A SAFETY VIOLATION AND A RED FLAG FOR A RECALL. I'M GOING TO PROBABLY SELL THIS RAT-TRAP FOR SCRAP/CRUSH VALUE TO A JUNK YARD AND BUY ANOTHER CAR, SO ALTHOUGH THIS COMPLAINT WON'T BENEFIT ME, HOPEFULLY MY COMMENT WILL HELP SOMEONE ELSE WHO IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THEIR POS PONTIAC. *TR

NHTSA ID

10489407

Incident

Dec 19, 2012

Mileage

136,141 mi

WATER GETTING INTO VEHICLE SOMEWHERE BEHIND FIREWALL. STARTED APPROXIMATELY 1YR. AGO. CAUSED ALL LIGHTS ON DASH TO LIGHT UP, NOW VEHICLE WILL NOT START, COULD NOT AFFORD TO HAVE PONTIAC FIX, ALTHOUGH THEY DID ISSUE A WARNING REGARDING ISSUE, BUT WILL NOT HELP WITH REMEDY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10324647

Incident

Sep 1, 2008

Mileage

98,000 mi

I HAVE TWO PONTIAC GRAND AM 1995, 1996 BOTH CARS HAS THE SAME PROBLEM THE INTAKE AND HEAD GASKET NEEDS REPLACE THEY SENT ME A PAPER IN THE MAIL AND SAID THERE WAS A RECALL ON MY CARS BUT NEVER HEARD ANY THING ABOUT IT MY CAR IT ABOUT TO STOP RUNNING AND MY 1995 WON'T RUN WITH OUT OVER HEATING IF SOMEONE COULD GET ME ANY INFO PLEASE DO AND PASS IT MY WAY I COULD REALLY USE THE HELP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10214237

Incident

Jun 13, 2007

Mileage

102,000 mi

I WENT TO A CAR SERVICE PLACE TO HAVE AN OIL CHANGE AND I HAD THEM CHECK MY COOLANT TO SEE IF IT WAS LEAKING; SURE ENOUGH IT WAS. THEY HAD TOLD ME MY CAR IS LEAKING COOLANT FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET AND IT WOULD COST ME $700.00 + TO REPAIR IN WHICH I DON'T HAVE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10149499

Incident

Feb 3, 2006

Mileage

92,000 mi

AS MY HUSBAND WAS PUTTING GAS INTO MY 1996 GRAND AM HE NOTICED ORANGE COOLENT ( DEX COOL) LEAKING FROM THE CAR. THE NEXT MORNING ON HIS WAY TO WORK THE CAR MOTOR TEMPERATURE INCREASED TO A POINT WERE HE HAD TO PULL OVER AND LET THE CAR COOL DOWN. AFTER WORK HE TOOK THE CAR TO GATEWAY TIRE AND SERVICE FOR THE PROBLEM. GATEWAY SERVICE STATED THAT THE FOLLOWING FAILURES OCCURED -THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET AND TIMING COVER GASKET FAILED. WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM? -REPLACE MANIFOLD GASKET (B) -REPLACE UPPER AND LOWER MANIFOLD GASKET -REPLACE SEAL KIT LUBE OIL AND FILTER -REPLACE TIMING COVER GASKET -REPLACE COVER GASKET -REPLACE TIMING COVER GASKET IF DONE WITH LOWER INTAKE CURRENTLY CAR AT GATEWAY TIRE SERVICE (10-18-04). *AK

NHTSA ID

10095993

Incident

Oct 8, 2004

Mileage

98,005 mi

VEHICLE LEAKING COOLANT FROM LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. LEAK WAS BOTH INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR. *JB

NHTSA ID

10058320

Incident

Feb 15, 2004

WHILE DRIVING AND TURNING TO THE LEFT THERE WAS NO STEERING. ALSO, BRAKE FAILED, AND VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10054049

Incident

Jan 14, 2004

Mileage

69,000 mi

THE CHECK OIL LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD INTERMITTENTLY. VEHICLE STALLED AND SHUT DOWN. DEALER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE DRIVER REQUESTED THE DEALERSHIP MECHANIC TO LOOK AT VEHICLE BECAUSE IT WAS ON RECALL A YEAR AGO. *AK

NHTSA ID

10042598

Incident

Oct 8, 2003

PERIODICALLY THE KEY GETS STUCK IN THE "ON" POSITION. THIS HAS CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE SENDING UNIT TO THE CRANKCASE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10024828

I HAVE A 1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM WITH A QUAD 4 ENGINE IN IT. THE ENGINE HAS 100,050 MILES ON IT, I TOOK VERY GOOD CARE OF IT, OIL CHANGES ON TIME DID ALL OF THE MAINTENANCE ON IT REQUIRED IN THE BOOK, ETC, ETC. I STARTED THE CAR THE OTHER DAY AND THE WHOLE THING JERKED FORWARD, MADE A LOUD BANG THEN WOULD NOT DO ANY THING BUT TURN OVER REALLY FAST. I HAD IT TOWED IN TO MY MECHANIC AND FOUND OUT THAT MY ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE EXHAUST VALVES SMASHED INTO THE PISTONS AND DID A LOT OF DAMAGE. FROM WHAT I WAS TOLD BY THREE DIFFERENT MECHANICS IS THAT THE QUAD 4 ENGINE MADE BY GM IS THE WORST ENGINE EVER DESIGNED AND SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PUT OUT ON THE MARKET. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT ON THIS TYPE OF CAR OVER 100,000 MILES WAS LUCKY AND THAT KIND OF MILES ON THIS ENGINE IS CONSIDERED HIGH MILEAGE. I WAS TOLD ONE OF TWO THINGS COULD HAVE CAUSED THIS AND THAT BOTH PROBLEMS ARE COMMON IN THIS CAR. THE FIRST CAUSE COULD HAVE BEEN THE HYDRAULIC FLUID THAT CAUSES THE MANIFOLD GASKET TO OPEN WHEN THE CAR IS SHUT OFF SLUDGED UP AND THIS CAUSED THE TIMING TO MIS ALIGN AT START UP AND CAUSED THE VALVES AND PISTONS TO SMASH TOGETHER. THE SECOND COMMON CAUSE FOR THIS IN THIS TYPE OF ENGINE IS THE PIN IN THE CAM SHAFT SNAPPED OFF AT START UP AND CAUSED THE TIMING TO JUMP AND CRASH THE PISTONS AND VALVES TOGETHER. BOTH PROBLEMS ARE KNOWN BY GM, YET THE CONSUMER IS NOT ALERTED SO THEY CAN GO IN AND GET THE CAM PIN CHECKED OR HAVE THE FLUID CHECKED FOR SLUDGING. *JB

NHTSA ID

10021451

Incident

May 25, 2003

Mileage

100,050 mi

I OWN A 1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM, I NOTICED SB #020601014 REGARDING THE MANIFOLD INTAKE GASKET - I HAD TO REPLACE TWO ON MY GRAND AM. I WAS TOLD IT IS TYPICAL EVERY 50,000 MILES, YET I PREVIOUSLY OWNED A GRAND AM AND KNOW PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO DO AND HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. WHAT MAKES MATTERS WORSE IS THAT IT IS A $900.00 JOB, AND I HAD TO DO IT TWICE! I AM LISTING THE MOST RECENT DATE - THE SECOND OCCURRENCE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10010628

Incident

Nov 25, 2001

Mileage

60,000 mi

IN THE PAST 4 MONTHS, I HAVE REPLACED MY HEATER CORE, BECAUSE IT IS PLASTIC, AND THEN THE RADIATOR, NOW THE HEAD GASKET. PROBLEMS OF THIS NATURE FIRST SURFACED WITH HEATER CORE FAILURE, WHICH IS MADE OF PLASTIC AND THEN PROCEEDS THROUGH THE COOLING TO SYSTEM, TO MY CURRENT PROBLEM, HEAD GASKET REPLACEMENT. THE WATER PUMP AND TRANSMISSION HAVE BOTH BEEN REPLACED, WHILE UNDER THE NEW CAR WARRANTY. I TOOK MY CAR TO HARDIN PONTIAC IN ANAHEIM, CA AT 3 PM ON MARCH 4TH. THEY HAVE NOW HAD MY CAR 2 DAYS AND THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME ANOTHER $80 TO FURTHER DIAGNOSE MY COOLANT LEAK. I HAVE OPENED A FILE W/PONTIAC, REF # 1-78-69-0865. PONTIAC DETERMINED THAT, AS I AM THE SECOND OWNER, THE AGE OF THE CAR (1996) AND NUMBER OF MILES (82,622) THEY HAVE NO RESPONSIBILITY. I EXPLAINED TO HER, THAT WHILE I AM THE 2ND OWNER, I PURCHASED THE CAR WHILE IT WAS STILL UNDER THEIR 3 YEAR/36,000 MILE WARRANTY. AND WHILE UNDER WARRANTY, MY TRANSMISSION & WATER PUMP HAD BEEN REPLACED. THE COOLING SYSTEM PROBLEMS BEGAN WHILE UNDER THE NEW CAR WARRANTY. ALSO GM'S N' CAR SERIES HAS NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THEIR COOLING SYSTEMS, I AM BEING PENALIZED, PRIMARILY, BECAUSE I AM THE SECOND OWNER, RATHER THAN THE ORIGINAL OWNER. MY CAR HAS BEEN MAINTAINED AND SERVICED AS SPECIFIED IN THEIR OWNER??S MANUAL. WHILE SPEAKING W/PONTIAC, I WAS TOLD THERE IS AN OPEN RECALL ON THE IGNITION SYSTEM, APPARENTLY IT IS KNOW TO OVERHEAT AND MELT, RENDERING THE CAR UNDRIVABLE. IT APPEARS GM'S OVERHEATING ISSUES ARE NOT LIMITED TO THEIR COOLING SYSTEM AND CHEAP PLASTIC PARTS. I REQUESTED THAT THE SERVICE REP, MR. ROMERO, EXPLAIN WHY HE FELT THEY NEEDED TO FURTHER DIAGNOSE MY COOLANT LEAK, IS THE HEAD GASKET LEAKING, OR NOT? MR. ROMERO, DID INDEED DIAGNOSE WHAT HE TERMED AN "EXTERNAL COOLANT LEAK' IN OTHER WORDS A LEAK AT THE HEAD GASKET. AT THIS POINT, I HAVE INSTRUCTED ERNIE TO HANDLE THE RECALL PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION ONLY. PONTIAC HAS MINIMIZED THE PROBLEM AND CONVEYED THAT IT DOES NOT WARRANT IMMEDIATE ATTENTION.*JB

NHTSA ID

10008516

Incident

Mar 4, 2002

Mileage

78,000 mi

ENGINE FAILURE --PISTON OR ROD AND ONLY 30K MILES ON USED ENGINE

NHTSA ID

10005349

Incident

Jan 2, 2003

Mileage

30,000 mi

COOLANT LEAKING INTO CRANKCASE, ENGINE NEEDS REPLACED. ALSO I HAVE REPLACED 3 ALTERNATORS SINCE I OWNED THIS VEHICLE. THE FIRST ONE AT 40000 MILES. THIS CAR BY MY BOOK IS CRAP. DT

NHTSA ID

770084

Incident

Nov 24, 2002

DRIVING ALONG AND ENGINE QUITS, CAR STALLS, AND WON'T RESTART FOR 15 TO 30 MINUTES. NO CERTAIN SPEED, HAPPENED AT 55MPH AS WELL AS 15MPH. NO WARNING, JUST QUITS. HAD CHECKED OUT NUMEROUS TIMES, CAN NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. ANTI THEFT LIGHT IS USUALLY ON AT THIS TIME. HELP, COSTING LOTS OF MONEY AND NOT BEING FIXED. SEE LOTS OF OTHER COMPLAINTS THE SAME AS MINE. SOMEONE MUST KNOW SOMETHING.*AK

NHTSA ID

766706

Incident

Mar 4, 2001

LIGHT THAT REFLEXES THE FAILURE OF ALTERNATOR WILL NOT COME ON UNTIL ALL 3 DIOD HAS FAILED. THIS CAUSES ENGINE TO QUIT WHEN TWO OF THE 3 DIODS HAV FAILED.DEALER CONTACTED.*AK

NHTSA ID

8016984

Incident

Jul 22, 2002

WITHOUT WARNING VEHICLE WILL STALL OUT AND DIE. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8014606

Incident

Jul 11, 2002

INTERIOR LIGHTS COME ON INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING, THERE ARE RECALLS 88V927000 AND 96V257000; BUT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT AFFECTED DUE TO VIN. *AK THE INVOICE STATES THAT THEY CHECKED THE RECALL/CAMPAIGN-THEY HAD TO INSTALL ENGINE WIRING HARNESS, REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE STEERING COLUMN TILT LEVER. *SCC

NHTSA ID

8013776

Incident

May 10, 2002

NHTSA# 02 V 07 000/IGNITION : WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, HORN STARTED GOING OFF, AND THEN NOTICED VEHICLE ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. *AK AN INVESTIGATOR DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF FIRE WAS ARSON. *JG

NHTSA ID

8012650

Incident

Jun 17, 2002

NHTSA RECALL 02 V 070 000/MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 02008 CONCERNING IGNITION SWITCH: AFTER RECALL REPAIRS WERE DONE, THE VEHICLE STALLED ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT, OIL LIGHT, BATTERY LIGHT AND ABS LIGHT WOULD COME ON INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT BEFORE THE RECALL KIT WAS INSTALLED THE CAR HASN'T BEEN RUNNING PROPERLY. ONE INCIDENT THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE VEHICLE STALLED AND A SEMI-TRUCK WAS FOLLOWING. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A BAD SENSOR WHICH STILL DIDN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THEN ON ANOTHER OCCASION WAS TOLD THAT IT WASN'T THE SENSOR BUT A BAD FUEL PUMP. THE LIGHTS ARE STILL ON 75 PERCENT OF THE TIME. *SCC

NHTSA ID

8011871

Incident

May 23, 2002

THERE IS A LEAK ON THE TOP OF THE ENGINE. ALSO, THROUGH AIR VENTS A BURNING GAS SMELL IS COMING INSIDE OF VEHICLE. PLEASE ADD MORE INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8009364

Incident

Jan 1, 2002

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENLY WITHOUT WARNING AND LOOSES ALL STEERING FUNCTION, ABOUT 20 MINUTES LATER THE VEHICLE CAN BE RESTARTED, THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. NLM

NHTSA ID

8006370

WE HAVE HAD COOLANT LOSS THREE TIMES WITH NO VISIBLE LEAKAGE. WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE CAR WAS "SUCKING THE COOLANT IN" RATHER THAN LEAKING OUT. WE HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET REPLACED 3 TIMES. THE 1ST TIME, THE DEALER REPLACED INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET & OIL PUMP DRIVE RING AND VALVE COVER GASKET LEAKING. THE 2ND TIME, THE DEALER SIMPLE RESEALED THE INTAKE GASKET BUT DID NOT REPLACE. THE 3RD TIME, THE DEALER REPLACED THE UPPER AND LOWER INTAKE GASKETS AND RECHECKED FOR LEAKS. ALL OF THESE REPAIRS WERE COVERED UNDER EITHER THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY OR THE EXTENDED WARRANTY (GOOD THRU 72,000 MI). WE NOW HAVE ALMOST 70,000 MI ON THIS CAR AND THE ENGINE IS SHOT! THE MAIN THROTTLE BEARING GAULDED AND THE EXTENDED WARRANTY COMPANY IS DENYING OUR CLAIM (EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE 2,000 MI LEFT ON EXTENDED WARRANTY) BECAUSE THEY SAY THE OIL IS "CONTAMINATED". I HAVE MAINTAINED REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND AM DUE FOR AN OIL CHANGE IN APPROX 200 MI. THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT INFORM ME THAT I SHOULD HAVE HAD THE OIL CHANGED AFTER ANY OF THE COOLANT LEAK REPAIRS. ALSO, WE HAD TO HAVE THE ALTERNATOR REPLACED WHEN THEN CAR WAS JUST 2 YRS OLD. PLUS WE HAD TO HAVE THE R&R SHAFT SEAL & BEARING KIT REPLACED 3 TIMES DUE TO SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN. ALSO HAD TO HAVE SHIFTER ASSEMPLY REPLACED BECAUSE THE KEY WAS STICKING IN THE IGNITION.*AK

NHTSA ID

758810

Incident

Oct 15, 1997

VEHICLE LOST POWER THEN ENGINE QUIT. DEALER MECHANIC INDICATED INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURE TO LET COOLING FLUID INTO CRANKCASE OIL. GASKET REPLACED, ENGINE FLUSHED 5 TIMES ($480) SUGGESTED ENGINE OVERHAUL. TWO WEEKS, ENGINE FAILED WITH KNOCK DUE TO PREVIOUS PROBLEM. RECEIVED LETTER FROM DEALERSHIP WARNING OF POSSIBLE INTAKE GASKET FAILURE RESULTING IN ENGINE REPLACEMENT. NO SATISFACTION FROM GM, FOUND 5 IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS ON NHTSA WEB SITE, ATTORNEY CONTACTED, WE WILL BOTH INVESTIGATE. MY SITUATION IS, "NO CAR, STILL PAYING PAYMENT." OBSERVATION: GROSS DIREGARD FOR OBVIOUS ENGINEERING FLAW, SMAKS OF FIRESTONE WITHOUT THE DEATHS. *AK

NHTSA ID

758638

Incident

Nov 27, 2001

I HAVE RAN ACROSS A FEW PEOPL THAT HAVE HAD THEIR WATER PUMPS FAIL ON THEIR CARS LIKE MINE HAS. IS THIS A COMMON PROBLEM AND IS IT A RECALLABLE ISSUE RIGHT NOW. *AK

NHTSA ID

750383

Incident

May 30, 2001