2003 Pontiac Grand Am Steering Problems

I WAS DRIVING AND MY RACK AND PINION BROKE LOOSE FROM THE SUB FRAME CAUSING ME TO LOSE ALL STEERING AND I ALMOST HIT ANOTHER CAR HEAD ON THIS IS A WEEK AFTER I REPLACED IT FOR THE SAME REASON I NOTICED THE SUBFRAME WELDS ARE BROKE LOSE CAUSING THE PROBLEMS THIS IS VERY HAZARDOUS AND NEEDS FIXED IMMEDIATELY IVE SINCE READ ONLINE NUMEROUS REPORTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM WHATS IT GOING TO TAKE FOR GM TO FIX THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE SOMEONE IS GOING TO END UP LOSING THERE LIFE IF THEY HAVEN'T ALREADY I WILL MAKE SURE TO POST PICTURES AND MY STATEMENT ONLINE FOR ALL TO SEE BECAUSE THIS IS RIDICULOUS YOU SPEND MONEY THANKING YOU HAVE A SAFE CAR FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY THEN FIND OUT THAT ITS NOT AND ALL THAT MATTERS TO THESE CAR COMPANIES IS THE MONEY THERE MAKING AND NOT THE QUALITY OF THERE PRODUCT I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER VEHICLE FROM GM UNTIL THIS IS RESOLVED WHICH I KNOW IT NEVER WILL BECAUSE LIKE I SAID WE AS CONSUMERS DON'T MATTER JUST THE MONEY THESE COMPANIES MAKE DOES.

NHTSA ID

11292291

Incident

Dec 25, 2019

Mileage

220,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE ON A CITY STREET AND AS I TURNED RIGHT I HEARD A LOUD POP AND MY STEERING WHEEL FROZE MAKING ME UNABLE TO STEER IN ANY DIRECTION. I HAD MY VEHICLE TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AND AFTER INSPECTION I WAS INFORMED THAT MY STEERING RACK HAD BROKEN OFF OF THE SUBFRAME. BEFORE THIS OCCURRED I HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED ANY PROBLEMS WITH STEERING SO THIS WAS TOTALLY SHOCKING ALONG WITH THE REPAIR COST. AFTER DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH I DISCOVERED THAT THERE WERE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS PERTAINING TO THIS VERY SAME THING AND GM HAS DONE NOTHING TO ENSURE CONSUMERS SAFETY. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED YEARS AGO BEFORE SOMEONE DIES AS A RESULT OF POOR CRAFTSMANSHIP ON GMS BEHALF. THIS ISN'T A REPAIR CONSUMERS SHOULD HAVE TO TAKE ON.

NHTSA ID

11290077

Incident

Oct 24, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY TIGHT AND DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT APPLIED FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL WHICH DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO VEER TO THE RIGHT AND CRASH INTO A CURB AND THEN A STOP SIGN. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES AND WHIPLASH, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM), BUT EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE BEFORE THE RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,000. UPDATED 5/29/15*CN THE CONSUMER HIT A CURB THEN A FIRE HYDRANT. UPDATED 04/05/16. *JB

NHTSA ID

10702555

Incident

Sep 2, 2014

Mileage

139,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING OVER A BUMP AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE BRAKES FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT SIDE SWIPED ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND CRASHED INTO A CONCRETE RIDGE BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. ALSO, THE CONTACT ADDED THAT DUE TO THE FAILURE ONE OF THE TIRES BLEW. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10653891

Incident

May 1, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A GARAGE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A BACK PAIN AND LACERATIONS TO THE ARM, CHEST AND FACE AREA WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ID

10652191

Incident

Sep 30, 2014

Mileage

100,000 mi

CAR DIED UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE DRIVING BUT RESTARTED AFTER VEHICLE HAD STOPPED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10566668

Incident

Oct 1, 2013

Mileage

85,337 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC GRAND-AM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE BUT IT FAILED TO TURN OVER. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE MULTIPLE TIMES. ALSO, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HORN WOULD GO OFF BY ITSELF AT DIFFERENT HOURS OF THE DAY AND IN ORDER TO DEACTIVATE IT HE HAD TO PUSH ON THE HORN MULTIPLE TIMES. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL DID NOT LOCK AFTER SHUTTING THE VEHICLE OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE MIGHT BE CAUSE BY AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE AND HE WOULD NEED TO CONSULT WITH HIS LOCAL DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000.

NHTSA ID

10479906

Incident

Nov 15, 2009

Mileage

30,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN WITH SMOKE EMITTING. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE STEERING COLUMN MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NOT A RECALL RELATED TO THE DEFECT. NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,718.

NHTSA ID

10352382

Incident

Aug 27, 2010

Mileage

104,718 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE POWER STEERING FAILED CONSISTENTLY IN COLD WEATHER. WHENEVER THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN CALLED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,156.

NHTSA ID

10316669

Incident

Jan 11, 2009

Mileage

41,156 mi

ORIGINALLY, I HAD NOTIFIED THAT WHENEVER I HAD MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON FOR MORE THEN 10 MINUTES, THEY WOULD FREEZE AND STOP MOVING IN THE MIDDLE OF MY WINDSHIELD. THIS WAS EASILY FIXED BY TURNING THE WIPER OFF, THEN BACK ON AGAIN; THIS WOULD CONTINUE TO OCCUR EVERY 10 MINUTES. LESS THEN A WEEK LATER, THE CLICKING NOISE THAT OCCURS WHEN THE SIGNAL LIGHTS ARE BLINKING, BEGAN TO CLICK ALL THE TIME, EVEN WHEN THE SIGNAL LIGHTS WERE NOT IN OPERATION. TWO WEEKS AFTER THE WIPER INCIDENT HAPPENED, THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN, AND INHERENTLY OBSTRUCTING MY VISION. THESE FACTORS WERE VERY SIMILAR TO THE RECALL ISSUED TO THE 1998-2002 GRAND AM MODEL YEARS, AND SEEMS TO BE THE SAME PROBLEMS IN MY 2003. THE PROCEDURE TO FIX THE PROBLEM IS TO INITIALLY JUST CLEAN THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH LOCATED IN THE STEERING COLUMN, AND THEN REPLACE THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH, IF THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10256986

Incident

Jan 10, 2009

Mileage

59,611 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE IS A GLITCH IN THE VEHICLE'S SECURITY SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE TAKES TEN MINUTES TO FINALLY START. THE SECURITY LIGHT ILLUMINATES INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 62,000. UPDATED 007/19/07. *JB

NHTSA ID

10189968

Incident

Apr 5, 2006

Mileage

62,000 mi

STEERING IS VERY LOOSE, AND SOMETIMES DOES NOT WORK. *AK

NHTSA ID

10114000

Incident

Mar 9, 2005

Mileage

18,500 mi

WHILE DRIVING PRESSURE BUILDS IN THE POWER STEERING PUMP, AND BLOWS THE CAPS OFF. THE FLUIDS IN THE VEHICLE GO EVERY WHERE. THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER STEERING. VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT DEALER NINE TIMES. DEALER DOES NOT KNOW THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10113269

Incident

Feb 1, 2004

Mileage

8,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL FROZE. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND HIT A UTILITY POLE HEAD ON. UPON IMPACT, THE BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES WHICH DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE. *AK *SC

NHTSA ID

10059291

Incident

Jan 29, 2004

Mileage

9,400 mi