1997 Pontiac Grand Am Interior & seats Problems

PURCHASED CAR NEW AT END OF 97 MODEL YEAR. WITHIN FIRST SIX MONTHS RETURNED CAR SIX TIMES DUE TO DEFECTIVE SWAY BAR BUSHINGS. PROBLEM HAS NEVER BEEN CORRECTED. CAR CLUNKS AS IT IS EITHER TURNED TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT OR TRAVELS (SLOWLY) OVER SPEED BUMPS. ALSO HAVE EXPERIENCED PAINT PEELING FROM OUTSIDE MIRRORS, RADIO VOLUME CONTROL PROBLEMS, RADIO/CLOCK DISPLAY WORKS ONLY PART OF THE TIME, RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SEAT MOUNTING BROKE AND SLID PASSENGER INTO DASHBOARD, 2 DOOR SPORT COUPE-BOTH POWER WINDOWS MOTORS HAVE BROKEN AND BEEN REPLACED. THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW JUST BROKE FOR THE SECOND TIME IN TWO YEARS. PASSENGER WINDOW HAS ALSO STARTED TO ACT SLUGGISH. DISCOVERED LEAKY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. ANOTHER EXPENSIVE REPAIR. RAIN LEAKS INTO CAR AROUND WINDOW GASKETS WHICH ALSO MAKE A HISSING SOUND AT SPEEDS OVER 45 MPH. CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN WITH CARE FOR NINE YEARS(ODOMETER=80,000 MILES) AND HAS HAD OIL CHANGES, TIRE ROTATIONS, ETC. COMPLETED ACCORDING TO SCHEDULE. OWNER CANNOT AFFORD ADDITIONAL COSTLY REPAIRS ESPECIALLY SINCE IT SEEMS TO BE GOING DOWNHILL FROM HERE. DISGUSTED WITH PROBLEMS AS WELL AS WITH LACK OF SERVICE FROM SEVERAL DIFFERENT PONTIAC DEALERS. OWNER CANNOT AFFORD TO BUY A [DECENT] NEW CAR AND WILL HAVE TO PURCHASE SOMETHING USED. MAKE NO MISTAKE- IT WON'T BE A GM PRODUCT! *NM

NHTSA ID

10169247

Incident

Sep 25, 2006

Mileage

2,000 mi

THIS IS THE WORST CAR (LEMON) I HAVE EVER HAD. I BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM A USED CAR DEALER SHIP CALLED NEW CAR ALTERNATIVE IN LIVONIA MI. I AM NOW ON MY THIRD ENGINE IN THE CAR. THE FIRST 2 FAILED DUE TO THE HEAD GASKETS BLOWING AND ANTI-FREEZE WAS MIXING WITH OIL IN THE ENGINE CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE. ALL CAR WINDOW MOTORS HAVE BE REPLACED 4 OR 5 TIMES EACH AND STILL DON'T WORK. BACK TWO DOORS ARE BROKE ONE WONT OPEN THE OTHER WONT CLOSE. THE SUNROOF WONT CLOSE THE DEALER TOLD ME 1500 TO REPLACE MOTOR AND PUT BACK ON TRACKS. LOL I HAVE THE BRAKES REPLACED 3 TIMES IN 5 YEARS. I BOUGHT THE CAR DEC OF 99 AND HAVE HAD ALL THESE PROBLEMS SINCE. I DON'T RECOMMEND ANYONE TO BUY A GRAND AM OR A CAR FROM THIS DEALERSHIP THEY WERE NO HELP AT ALL. THE FIRST ENGINE WAS COVERED BY WARRANTY SECOND ONE WAS AT MY COST OF 3500. THEN ANOTHER 1500 FOR NEW RADIATOR AND HEATER CORE. THEN ALTERNATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER THAT I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION HOSE. THIS IS SUCH BULL CRAP. WHAT A LEMON! PLUS I WAS PULLING OUT OF A GAS STATION ONE DAY AND MY AIR BAG DECIDED TO COME OUT ON IT OWN NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED AND HIT ME IN THE FACE RESULTING IN INJURIES AND I HAD TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL. *JB

NHTSA ID

10131095

Incident

Jul 1, 2001

Mileage

74,000 mi

AIR BAG EQUIPMENT INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED.*MR WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, BOTH OF PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS EXPLODED WITH NO APPARENT REASON. AS RESULT THE DASH WAS COMPLETELY TORN APART, THE PLASTIC MOLDING OF THE CD PLAYER HAD BLOWN OFF, THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR APPEARED TO BE SPRUNG, BUT THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT TO HAVE CAUSE THIS EXPLOSION AND DAMAGE. THE DEALERSHIP AGREED TO FIX THE AIR BAGS AND SENSORS, BUT NOTHING MORE. THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING THAT THE VEHICLE BE RETURNED TO HIM IN THE SAME STATE IT WAS BEFORE THE AIR BAG EXPLOSION OCCURED. PLEASE ASSIST IN RESOLVING MATTERS. *CB

NHTSA ID

10041866

Incident

Jul 18, 2003

1997 PONTIAC GRAND AM - POWER WINDOWS - MOTORS BOTH LEFT DRIVERS SIDE AND RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE. WINDOWS WILL NOT GO UP OR DOWN. ONCE THE MOTORS COOL DOWN THE WINDOWS CAN ONLY BE RAISED .5 INCH EVERY 5 MINUTES. THERE IS NO SEALANT OR GASKET TO PREVENT MOISTURE TO THE MOTOR WHICH CAUSES AN ELECTRICAL SHORT TO THE MOTOR. THE PONTIAC GRAND AM, OLDSMOBILE ACHIEVA AND BUICK SKYLARK ALL HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME DESIGN PROBLEM REQUIRING MILLIONS OF HOURS OF SERVICE AND LABOR AND TONS OF SCRAP METAL. THIS HAS BEEN A DESIGN ISSUE FOR AT LEAST 15 YEARS. WHAT A SCAM. WHO'S IN CHARGE?

NHTSA ID

10039497

Incident

Sep 23, 2003

ALL OF THE DOOR LOCKS FAILED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10015446

Incident

Feb 15, 2002

I HAD A TOTAL FAILURE OF THE CLUSTER THAT OPERATES ALL THE GAUGES. SPEEDOMETER, FUEL,RPM, ETS AND TEMPERATURE. I HAD TO HAVE IT REPLACED WITH A USED CLUSTER AS I COULD NOT AFFORD A NEW ONE. I JUST RECENTLY LEARNED OF A RECALL OF THE IGNITION RELAY AND I WONDERED IF THIS COULD BE ANOTHER DEFECT WORTH CHECKING INTO. I RECEIVED NO NOTIFICATION OF THE IGNITION RECALL, I JUST HEARD ABOUT IT ON THE NEWS. SO I THOUGHT THIS COULD BE A RECALL THAT I HAD NOT HEARD ABOUT.*AK

NHTSA ID

763630

Incident

Jun 6, 2002

WHILE UNDER WARRANTY SWAYBAR BUSHINGS WERE REPLACED 4 TIMES. THE REAR WINDSHIELD LEAKED WATER INTO THE TRUNK WHICH CAUSED MOLDY CARPET THAT THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO REPLACE EVEN THOUGH THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE PLASTIC COVER ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL RATTLES AS WELL AS THE PLASTIC COVER WHERE THE RADIO AND CLIMATE CONTROL KNOBS ARE LOCATED. DEALER HAS SAID THAT THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS. THE SIDEWALLS ON THE TWO FRONT TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE LEFT REAR TIRE HAD A PATCH IN IT BEFORE I EVEN RECEIVED THE CAR. THE FUSE FOR THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL KEEPS BLOWING AND WHEN THE DEALERSHIP WAS QUESTIONED ABOUT THIS THEY SAID THAT IT WAS NOTHING. IT HAS NOW BLOWN 15 TIMES. THE WATER PUMP "SHREDDED" AT 37,000 MILES. THE CAR ACCELERATES ON ITS OWN AFTER BEING TAKEN OUT OF PARK AND PUT IN DRIVE. THE BRAKES "PULSE" AT 10 MILES AN HOUR. THE RADIO CONTROLS WORK OPPOSITE OF WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO (IE TURN UP AND IT DOES NOTHING, TURN DOWN AND IT GETS LOUDER). BATTERY WENT DEAD AT 40,000 MILES. REARVIEW MIRROR LEVER "FELL OFF" INSIDE DOOR FOR NO APPARENT REASON. SEVERE PAINT CHIPPING ON FRONT OF CAR.

NHTSA ID

739251

Incident

Nov 20, 1998

THERE ARE MORE PROBLEMS THEN LISTED. EVERY TIME I HAVE SPOKEN WITH THE DEALER IT HAS BEEN A WASTE OF TIME. PHONE CALLS NEVER RETURNED. I GET BLOWN OFF BY THEM. I WAS IN ROYAL OAK,MI WITH MY FRIENDS WHEN THE CAR FROZE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. EVERY DASH LIGHT WAS BLINKING, AND WE COULDN'T GET THE CAR OUT OF DRIVE TO PUSH IT. ONCE WE FINALLY GOT THE CAR MOVED TO A SIDE STREET, MY FRIENDS WENT TO LOOK FOR HELP, AND I GOT JUMPED AND MASED WHILE I STOOD BY MY CAR WAITING FOR THEM TO RETURN. THE DRIVERS SIDE KEY DOESN'T WORK, DEALER SAYS IT'S CAUSE OF KEYLESS ENTRY, AIR CONDITIONER KILLS BATTERY, CRUSE CONTROL KICKS OUT, HEAD LIGHTS ALWAYS ARE ON, AND IT'S NOT THE DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHTS. WHEN STEPPING ON THE GAS TO PASS SOMEONE, NOTHING HAPPENS, ABOUT 5 OR MORE SECONDS LATER, IT WILL KICK IN UNEXPECTIDLY. THIS IS THE SECOND CAR I HAVE BOUGHT FROM THIS DEALER, THE FIRST WAS A 91 PONTIAC SUNBIRD, WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE A 90 WHEN I TRAIDED IT IN AT ANOTHER DEALER. SO I ENDED UP PAYING WAY TO MUCH FOR THE CAR, AND LOST ON IT WHEN I TRADED IT IN. I LIVE 1 HOUR AND 45MINS. AWAY FROM THE DEALER NOW WHEN I TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE I FOUND OUT THAT THEY GAVE ME ONLY MECHANICAL ON THE EXTENDED SERVICE CONTRACT, NO ELECTRICAL, SO EVERYTHING COMES OUT OF MY POCKET. THEN TO FIND OUT I HAVE TO LEAVE MY CAR THERE FOR DAYS UP TO WEEKS, WITH NO LOANER, AND NO WAY TO GET BACK HOME, AND THE SERVICE MANAGER, AND DEALER BOTH SAID "NOTHING WE CAN DO FOR YOU."*AK

NHTSA ID

724237

TWICE I'VE EXITED MY CAR TO SEE MY HOOD OPENED TO THE SAFETY CATCH. IT'S A SCARY THOUGHT WHAT COULD OCCUR IF THE SECONDARY SAFETY DEVICE FAILED.

NHTSA ID

718128

Incident

Jan 31, 2000

I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR INTO THIS DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, THEY STILL FAIL TO FIX THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

703840

Incident

Jul 10, 1998

PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT DOES NOT STAY LOCKED IN POSITION, CAUSING THE SEAT TO LUNGE FORWARD INTO WINDSHIELD. DEALER HAS LUBRICATED CATCHES, BUT DEFECT IS STILL OCCURRING. INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

829828

PASSENGER SEAT TRACK/ADJUSTER ROD FAILED, AFTER REPAIR WORK COMPLETED THE UNIT FAILED AGAIN CAUSING PASSENGER TO HIT WINDSHIELD DURING EMERGENCY STOPPING.

NHTSA ID

542184

Incident

Dec 13, 1997

SEAT TRACK FAILED RESULTING IN MOVEMENT IN SEAT CAUSING INJURIES, SEAT BELTS FAILED TO RESTAIN.

NHTSA ID

534993

Incident

Dec 13, 1997

ON ITS OWN THE DOOR WOULD LOCK/UNLOCK. WHEN IGNITION IS ENGAGED OR SHIFTED INTO DRIVE, WILL NOT LOCK AT ALL. INTERMITTENT. DOME LIGHT FLASHES ON/OFF DURING DAY/NIGHT, RAIN/SHINE. CHIMES ON SEAT BELT WOULD SOUND WHEN SEAT BELT IS WORN. TAKING TO DEALER.

NHTSA ID

821865

Incident

May 15, 1997

DESIGN FLAW OF THE ADJUSTMENT HANDLE FOR THE FRONT BASE CENTER OF THE DRIVERS SEAT, GETS HOOKED ON PANTS AS THE DRIVER IS EXITING.

NHTSA ID

531615

EXHAUST MISALIGNED, CAUSING SYSTEM TO HANG LOW.

NHTSA ID

531095

Incident

Nov 12, 1996

NO LOCKING MECHANISM ON SPLIT REAR FOLDING SEATS. OWNER WILL NOT PUT CHILD IN BACK SEAT AND IS CAUTIOUS OF PUTTING ANYTHING IN THE TRUNK FOR FEAR OF IT BEING THROWN INTO PASSENGER COMPARTMENT IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION.

NHTSA ID

546857

REAR SEAT BACK HAS NO LATCH PROVISION.

NHTSA ID

510422

Incident

Oct 16, 1996