1997 Pontiac Grand Am Transmission Problems

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

WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH VEHICLE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT. CONSUMER HEARD SOUNDS AS IF SOME ONE HAD DROPPED MARBLES IN THE ENGINE. SOON AFTER THE VEHICLE STALLED. A MECHANIC EXAMINED THE VEHICLE, AND FOUND THAT THE TIMING CHAIN WAS DEFECTIVE. ALSO, CONSUMER HAD TO GET A NEW TRANSMISSION, AND ABS SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10075893

Incident

Jun 8, 1999

Mileage

45,000 mi

97 GRAND AM 4CYL PUR NEW 5/97 SERIES OF PROBLEMS.GT VERSION BUT DRIVEN CAUTIOUSLY BY 40 YEAR OLDS.AT 2 YEARS AND 39,000 MILES WATER PUMP FAILS.IS UNDER CAR AND IS 600.00 DOL TO REPLACE!NOBODY SHOULD BUY THE 4 CYLINDER WHEN AN ITEM PRONE TO FAILURE LIKE A WATER PUMP CANT BE ACCESSED WITHOUT REMOVING THE MANIFOLDS ON THE CAR.AT 50,000 KEY COMES OUT OF IGNITION WHILE CAR RUNNING.IGNITION SWITCH FAILS,HAS TO BE RE KEYED AND COST IS 500.00 BY LOCAL MECHANIC SERV STAT.AT 55,000 MILES AT INTERLOCKS UP,CAR STUCK TOWED AT THIS TIME A ALTERNATOR CHECK SHOWS THAT IS NOT CHARGING.REPLACE BOTH COST 800.00 PLUS BATTERY.DEC 2000 FRONT LEFT TIRE ON ALUM WHEEL IS FLAT-TAKE TO SEV STAT,THEY REFILL DRIVE CAR AFTER X-MAS IT DEFLATES CAUSES CAR TO SPIN HIT LIGHT POLE MOSTLY ON TIRE AREA AT 40 MPH ,NO AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT BUT A HIGH SNOWBANK DECELERATES CAR.ALUM WHEEL LEAK AGAIN?EVER SINCE W.PUMP REPLACED A TAPPING COMES FROM CAM AREA.AT 75,000 MILES AUTO DR LOCK IN DRIV SIDE FAILS AND IS REPLACED.CAM NOISE CONT. AS SERV. PEOPLE SAY IT IS A LIFTER,FINALLY IN 2002 DEC. CAR RUNS ROUGH ,IS PUT ON COMP. AND FOUND TO HAVE BAD CAM TIMING.CHAIN IS INSPECTED AS IT IS STEEL AND FOR LIFE OF CAR.A TINY CHEAP BRACKET KEEPS THE CHAIN IN PLACE AND IT HAD CRACKED AND SLOWLY BROKEN AT 80,000 MILES.ENGINE GOT BY WITH NEW CHAIN AND LABOR FOR 800.00 DOL.85,000 NEW BATTERY,95,000 NEW BATTERY.108,000 4 SPEED AUTOTRANS STARTS SLIPPING INTO NEUTRAL.CAR STOPS ON HIGHWAY WONT MOVE.HW PATROL TOWS ,CHARGED 129.00 TO REPAIR SHOP.SAY TRANNY IS BAD.AND WATER PUMP IS LEAKING AGAIN.BILL WOULD BE THOUSANDS DUE TO PREMATURE FAILURE OF THESE PARTS AND CAR WILL BE SOLD AS PARTS CAR.TOO BAD,LOOKS GOOD.-MARCH 06,2004.*AK

NHTSA ID

10062085

Incident

Mar 5, 2004

Mileage

39,000 mi

I HAD TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION DUE TO SEVERE SLIPPAGE 2ND TO 3RD GEAR. 82000 MILES ON IT. DRIVERS POWER WINDOW SYSTEM NEEDED REPAIRED. PASS FRONT INOP. RADIO KNOW IS SCREWED UP.*AK

NHTSA ID

10043903

Incident

Sep 29, 2003

Mileage

82,500 mi

TRANSMISSION SHIFTS OUT OF DRIVE TO NEUTRAL GEAR. I FOUND A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN #677164 WHICH THE DEALER SAID WAS NOT A RECALL NOTICE AND WOULD NOT HONOR IT. THE NOTICE STATES TO REPAIR THE CONTROL VALVE BODY ASSEMBLY. THE POWER LOSS RESULTED IN A REEVE OF THE ENGINE AT 70 MILES PER HOUR ON INTERSTATE 10 IN ARIZONA AND ALSO WHILE DRIVING LOCALLY OFF HIGHWAY 101 AT 65 MILES PER HOUR. THE CAR GEARS SHIFTED OUT OF DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL GEAR. THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED BEFORE IT CAUSES INJURY. TS

NHTSA ID

10000318

Incident

Jul 5, 2002

Mileage

95,550 mi

THE CAR HAS A HARD START BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR THAT HAS HAPPENED FOR THE PAST 60K AND NO ONE ABLE TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM. THE CAR IS NOW AT 96K AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON INDICATING A P1870 CODE WHICH TRIGGERS THE LIGHT AND IS CAUSED BY A WORN TCC APPLY VALVE ON THE 4T60E GM TRANSMISSIONS. HAVE HEARD FROM SEVERAL OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT THEY ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS ON THEIR 1997 4T60E TRANSMISSIONS. THIS ITEM SHOULD BE RECALLED SINCE IT IS ONLY THE CONTROL VALVE BODY WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED WITH A REVISED TCC REGULATOR AND ISOLATOR VALVES ALONG WITH THE TORQUE CONVERTER CLUTCH. A RECALL NEEDS TO BE ON THE 97 PONTIAC GRAND AM CARS AND ALL CARS WITH 4T60E TRANSMISSIONS WHICH WILL RESULT IN OTHER PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE VALVES AND TORQUE CONVERTER. TS

NHTSA ID

10000315

Incident

Dec 16, 2002

Mileage

96,498 mi

WHILE STARTING VEHICLE AND WITHOUT WARNING GEARSHIFT LEVER MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO BECOME INOPERABLE. ALSO, DOORS AND WINDOWS LOCKED.*AK

NHTSA ID

8014965

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THERE WOULD BE A POPPING NOISE PRESENT, AND BRAKES WOULD LOCK UP. THIS WOULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO DRIFT TO THE RIGHT INTO ANOTHER LANE. ALSO LEFT REAR AND RIGHT FRONT WINDOW WAS INOPARTIVE, ALSO THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING.*JB

NHTSA ID

8010091

SENSOR IN TRANSMISSION FAILED. DRIVER'S WINDOW HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN REPLACED/ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. NOW, HAVING PROBLEMS IN THE OTHER WINDOWS/AND THE ONE REPLACED.**** DIMS 11 IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS****760764. *AK *JB

NHTSA ID

10008769

Incident

Apr 1, 2002

Mileage

108,000 mi

DEALER HAS TRIED TO FIX VEHICLE 5 TIMES FOR SAME PROBLEM. VEHICLE IDLES UP TO 1500 RPM'S IN PARK AND VARIES IN DRIVE. PCM-VCM WAS REPLACED TWICE. THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR REPLACED TWICE, AND THE THROTTLE BODY UNIT WAS RECENTLY REPLACED. PROBLEM HAD NOT OCCURRED FOR A YEAR, AND DEALER DIDN'T SEEM TO HAVE A REMEDY.*AK

NHTSA ID

892970

Incident

Jun 1, 2001

TRANSMISSION SHUTS DOWN ENGINE WHEN PUT IN GEAR, ENGINE SHUTS OFF LIKE TRANSMISSION IS LOCKED UP

NHTSA ID

735393

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA ID

729396

Incident

Aug 28, 2000

REAR BRAKES BIND DURING NORMAL STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. UPON ACCELLERATION THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE SQUEALS AND 1 OR 2 LOUD BANGS ARE HEARD AS THE BRAKES RELEASE. DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE AND UNABLE TO DETECT ANY BRAKE PROBLEMS. VEHICLES ALTERNATOR FAILED WITHOUT ANY TELTALE WARNING SIGNS, STRANDING THE CONSUMER. 60 DAYS LATER THE BATTERY DIES. ENGINE USED TO REV TO ABOUT 1500 RPM WHILE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND IN GEAR. REPLACEMENT OF 02 SENSOR CURED PROBLEM. OTHER MINOR PROBLEMS INCLUDE POWER DOOR LOCK BUMPER FAILURE (REPAIRED) AND POOR DESIGN OF THE DRIVER'S SUN VISOR. (IT MOVES THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR) WHEN MOVING VISOR FROM WINDSHIELD TO SIDE WINDOW. CONSUMER HAS ALREADY REPLACED VISOR ONCE DUE TO CRACKS AT MOUNTING SCREWS. *AK

NHTSA ID

716680

Incident

Mar 15, 1999

HAD THE SUNROOF MOTOR REPLACED 2 TIMES, LEFT FRONT WHEEL NOISE, DEALER SAID THERE IS NO PROBLEM ALWAYS MAKES GRINDING NOISE LEFT FRONT AFTER CAR SITS ALL NIGHT , WHEN YOU FIRST PUT CAR IN REVERSE THE NOISE IS NOTICEABLE, HAD TOO HAVE LEFT REAR TAILLGHT REPLACED WHEN NEW,CAR TRUNCK GETS DUST INTO AT RIGHT SIDE OF REAR SEAT WHERE IT FOLDS DOWN , DEALER SAYS THERE IS NO PROBLE, STILL NOT REPAIRED ,CAR IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY.HAS COOLANT LEAK AT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD ,HAS BEEN LEAKING FOR APROX 15,000 MILES AGAIN OUT OF WARRANTY THIS WAS MY FIRST NEW CAR I HAVE EVER BOUGHT AND WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER GENERAL MOTORS CAR AGAIN, AND I WORK FOR GENERALMOTORS. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. I HAD A SALVAGE BUICK CENTRY I SOLD TOO PURCHASE THIS NEW ONE AND IT WAS A VERY NICE CAR NEVER HAD THE PROBLEMS WITH THAT CAR AND IT WAS WRECKED. NO MORE GENERAL MOTORS FOR ME . *AK

NHTSA ID

716332

Incident

Jun 15, 1999

VEHICLE CONTINAULLY EXPERIENCE HIGH RPM'S AND ACCELERATION ON ITS OWN WITHOUT THROTTLE, REPLACEMENT OF O2 SENSORS AND PCM DID NOT RECTIFY ACCELERATION PROBLEMS. MJS

NHTSA ID

545491

Incident

Sep 26, 1998

TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY FAILED. NLM

NHTSA ID

605891

Incident

Jun 5, 1997

WHILE DRIVING THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTS OUT OF DRIVE INTO THE NEUTRAL GEAR. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

825439

TRANSMISSION FAILED.

NHTSA ID

535452

Incident

Aug 22, 1997

VEHICLE WILL LUNGE FORWARD OR STALL, AT ANY TIME, FOR UNKNOWN REASONS.

NHTSA ID

527973

Incident

Apr 1, 1997

THE DEFECTIVE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY LOCKED UP AND BLEW OUT, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. DEALER REPLACED THE CLUTCH. *AK

NHTSA ID

819217

Incident

Sep 26, 1997

WHEN CAR REACHES A CERTAIN SPEED IT HAS A PROBLEM SHIFTING INTO THE NEXT GEAR. *AK

NHTSA ID

814459

Incident

Jul 1, 1997