2004 Pontiac Grand Am Brakes Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PONTIAC GRAND AM. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. THE CONTACT EXITED THE INTERSTATE AND ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE AS THE TRANSMISSION MADE AN ABNORMALLY LOUD SOUND. THE CONTACT PULLED INTO A FUEL STATION, RAISED THE HOOD, AND OBSERVED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THE CONTACT WAITED A WHILE AND THEN DROVE HOME WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DOWN TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND WAS A MECHANIC AND DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE, BUT NO FAILURE CODE WAS FOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

NHTSA ID

11222967

Incident

Jul 18, 2018

Mileage

120,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE,AFTER A HARD RAIN, I CAME OVER A HILL AND NOTICED THAT TRAFFIC HAD STOPPED DUE TO AN ACCIDENT AHEAD. I HIT THE BRAKES AND NOTICED THAT MY SPEED WAS NOT IMPEDING AS NORMAL.I DIDN'T WANT TO COLLIDE WITH THE VEHICLE AHEAD OF ME IN MY LANE WHICH WAS COMPLETELY STOPPED ABOUT 40 YARDS AHEAD,SO, I TRIED TO GO TO THE LEFT. I FIGURED THAT IF I DIDN'T STOP IN THAT DISTANCE I 'D STOP IN 5 OR 10 MORE FEET WITHOUT COLLIDING WITH THE VEHICLE AHEAD. THE INSIDE SHOULDER WAS NOT WIDE ENOUGH TO SAFELY HARBOR BOTH FRONT WHEELS OF MY CAR AND MY LEFT FRONT WHEEL SKIDDED OFF THE SHOULDER CAUSING THE ENTIRE REAR END TO SKID OFF THE INTERSTATE WHILE THE FRONT AXLE REMAINED ON THE SHOULDER. LUCKILY THE RAVINE WAS SHALLOW AND I WAS ABLE TO GET THE ENTIRE CAR OFF THE SHOULDER INTO THE RAVINE AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RAVINE, WHICH HAD NO INCLINE AND GET BACK ON THE ROAD ALBEIT IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. I THOUGHT I NEEDED BRAKES SO I HAD THEM CHECKED OUT.I WAS TOLD THAT THE BRAKES WERE IN GOOD SHAPE. THE REAR WERE NEARLY BRAND NEW AND THE FRONT HAD QUITE A BIT OF WEAR. I FOUND OUT LATER THAT THE REAR BRAKES WERE NOT SELF ADJUSTING. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE HAD TO BE DEPLOYED TO ADJUST THE REAR PADS. THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECT IN ENGINEERING DESIGN OR CONSTRUCTION. THIS IS MY FOURTH CAR AND I'VE NEVER HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKES ON EITHER VEHICLE UNLESS I PARKED ON AN INCLINE. SINCE THEN I NOTICED THE FRONT OF THE CAR AROUND THE WINDSHIELD SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN REPAIRED BECAUSE PART OF THE TRIM WAS LEFT OFF. I BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM ENTERPRISE RENTALS AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN TOLD IF IT HAD EXTENSIVE OR ANY BODY WORK.

NHTSA ID

10956167

Incident

Jun 30, 2008

Mileage

44,500 mi

PROBLEM: THE STEEL BRAKES LINE GOING TO THE FRONT AND BACK RUPTURED AT THE SAME TIME DURING WHAT WAS TO BE AN EMERGENCY STOP. THEY WERE ON TOP OF THE ABS MODULE AND WERE HEAVILY RUSTED. HENCE, THERE WAS NO BRAKING EXCEPT BY PULLING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WHEN I WAS CUTOFF BY ANOTHER CAR AND HAD TO JUMP THE CURB TO AVOID A COLLUSION. LUCKILY NO DAMAGE TO ME OR THE CAR, EXCEPT TWO RUPTURED BRAKE LINES. I WAS IN CHICAGO ON CITY STREETS IN THE DIVERSEY SHERIDAN ROAD AREA. I HAD THE DAMAGED AREA REPLACED AND TRADED IN THE CAR....UNSAFE. THESE LINES SHOULD HAVE BEEN COATED WITH SOME TYPE OF RUST PREVENTATIVE COMPOUND.

NHTSA ID

10859905

Incident

Mar 4, 2016

Mileage

102,000 mi

DRIVING MY 2004 PONTIAC GRAND AM HOME FORM GROCERY SHOPPING AND TRIED TO GET INTO LEFT HAND TURN ONLY LANE, BUT CAR WOULDN`T SLOW DOWN AND I DIDN`T WANT TO REAR END THE PERSON AHEAD AS THERE WAS A LOT OF TRAFFIC THAT DAY SO I VEERED TO THE RIGHT TO GET INTO A PARKING LOT TO PULL MY EMERGENCY BRAKES, BUT WAS BROAD SIDED. I HAVE OVER $2,300.00 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO MY CAR AND MY MECHANIC SAID IT IS THE IGNITION SWITCH ON THE 2004 PONTIAC GRAND AM, AND THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A FULL REPLACEMENT OF THAT WHEN THE RECALL WAS DONE REGARDING THE IGNITION. ALL THAT WAS DONE FOR ME WAS A PLASTIC INSERT WAS ADHERED TO MY IGNITION KEY. GM NEEDS TO RECALL THESE CARS AND REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCHES. THEY ALSO OWE ME A LOT IN REPAIRS DONE TO MY CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10692145

Incident

Dec 31, 2014

Mileage

170,000 mi

IGNITION KEY CAUSED ENGINE TO TURN OFF WHILE CAR WAS IN MOTION. POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES WERE DISABLED. I STILL OWN THE VEHICLE AND THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING EVER SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR. NO CRASH HAS EVER OCCURED BECAUSE THERE IS STILL SOME MINIMAL FUNCTIONALITY TO THE BRAKES AND STEERING WHEN THE KEY SHUTS OFF. HOWEVER, MY WIFE HAS DRIVEN MY CAR AND LUCKILY HASN'T HAD THIS EXPERIENCE. I'M AFRAID THAT SHE WOULD LACK THE BODY STRENGTH NECESSARY TO HANDLE THE STEERING AND BRAKES. AT TIMES, I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SHIFT THE TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL AND RESTART WITH THE CAR STILL IN MOTION, BUT IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER AND COME TO A STOP WHILE TRYING TO RESTART AT THE SAME TIME. PLEASE ADVISE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10568509

Incident

Sep 1, 2004

Mileage

4,000 mi

LUG BOLTS SHEARED OFF PASSENGER FRONT. OEM ROTOR HAD ROUGHLY 3/16 INCH PLAY CAUSING THE WHEEL HUB TO SLAM AGAINST IT. THERE IS LUG THREAD MARKS ON THE ROTOR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10524028

Incident

Jul 9, 2013

Mileage

178,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, HE FOUND THAT THE STEEL BRAKE LINES WERE CORRODED AND THE VEHICLE EMITTED A LOUD NOISE FROM THE ENGINE FLOORBOARD AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 119,000.

NHTSA ID

10487350

Incident

Nov 28, 2012

Mileage

119,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING IN CITY TRAFFIC, I DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH TO CHANGE GEARS AND THE CLUTCH WAS SOFT AND WOULD NOT ENGAGE. UPON INSPECTING THE ENGINE, THERE WAS NO FLUID IN THE RESERVOIR FOR THE CLUTCH. I ADDED FLUID, BUT IT RAN RIGHT OUT. AFTER TAKING IT TO A REPAIR SHOP, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER WHERE THE COMPANY THAT MANUFACTURED IT HAD STAMPED THEIR IMPRINT HAD CRACKED CAUSING THE FAILURE. THE MASTER AND SLAVE CYLINDER WERE REPLACED COSTING $$$$. *TR

NHTSA ID

10471332

Incident

Aug 20, 2010

Mileage

82,000 mi

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). I HAVE A 2004 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE OTHER DAY I HAD FRONT BRAKES PUT ON THE CAR. WHEN I DROVE TO THE DOCTOR THE NEXT DAY ,I TRIED TO PASS A VEHICLE THAT WAS GOING TO SLOW. THE NUT I TRIED TO PASS DID NOT WANT ME TO PASS ,SO HE KICKED HIS MOTOR IN AND I LOOKED DOWN AND SAW I WAS DOING 70 MILES AN HOUR. I WENT TO BRAKE SO THAT I COULD FALL BACK IN BEHIND THE NUT, WHEN I APPLIED BRAKES THE CAR WENT SIDE WAYS. I GOT LUCKY AND STRAIGHTENED THE CAR BACK. THANK GOD,OR I WOULD BE DEAD. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO HAVE THE BRAKES LOOKED AT AND THE QUALIFIED SERVICEMAN SAID THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE CALIBERS WERE WARPED AND THAT ONLY 20% OF THE BRAKE PAD WAS TOUCHING THE CALIBERS. PROBLEM IS THE CALIBERS ARE MADE OF ALUMINUM AND THEY WARP WITH HEAT. THERE IS NO WAY OF PREVENTING THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN AS THERE IS NO WAY TO CHANGE METALS. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THIS IS NOT A FIRST ,OR EVEN THE FIRST THOUSAND THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED. I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO CONTACT ME AND LET ME KNOW IF THIS IS TRUE AND IF YOU HAVE STATISTICS THAT SHOW THIS. WILL THERE BE A RECALL? PLEASE CONTACT ME AND LET ME KNOW WHAT I CAN DO TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME [XXX] THANKS AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10298605

Incident

Nov 21, 2009

Mileage

39,000 mi

BOLT WORE HOLE THROUGH BRAKE LINE CAUSING BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK OUT AND NO BRAKES WHETS SO EVER. CANT FIND A BRAKE LINE TO FIT BOTH SIDES WHERE IT SCREWS IN AT THEY ARE TWO DIFFERENT SIZES AND THEY ONLY SELL THEM WITH THE SAME SIZE. DIDN'T JUST HAPPEN ONCE IT HAS HAPPEN 3 TIMES SINCE 2007. *TR

NHTSA ID

10294685

Incident

Sep 14, 2007

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT IS A MECHANIC AND HAS SERVICED FOUR DIFFERENT 2004 PONTIAC GRAND AMS. HE STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER BRAKES HAVE FAILED ON EACH VEHICLE AND CAUSED A LEAK. THE LEAK COMES FROM THE WHEEL CYLINDER, WHICH PREVENTS PROPER BRAKING. HE BELIEVES THAT THE FAILURE COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS CRASH. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 120,124. UPDATED 10/16/08 *BF UPDATED 10/21/08. *JB

NHTSA ID

10242560

Incident

Sep 17, 2008

Mileage

120,124 mi

WHILE DRIVING DOWN A STEEP HILL, APPLIED BRAKE AND CAR SEEMED TO ACCELERATE RATHER THAN BRAKE. THEN, TURNED INTO SUBDIVISION AND BRAKE PRESSURE WENT AWAY COMPLETELY THEN CAME BACK AFTER FINISHED TURN. *AK

NHTSA ID

10188199

Incident

Apr 16, 2007

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE BRAKES HAD TO BE REPLACED ON FOUR OCCASIONS. ON EACH OCCASION, THE BRAKE LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, AND THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK AND A SHRIEKING NOISE COULD BE HEARD LIKE METAL RUBBING ON METAL. THE CONDITION WAS PERMANENT, REPEATABLE TO WORSENING UNDER NORMAL BRAKING CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER AND AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO BOTH DETERMINED THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING MECHANICALLY WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE, AND THAT THIS WAS AN UNUSUAL PROBLEM FOR A NEW VEHICLE TO HAVE EXTREME PROBLEMS WITH THE SAME COMPONENT. THE DEALER RECOMMENDED THE CONTACT TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA. THERE WERE NO FURTHER REPAIRS MADE. UPDATED 12/28/2006 - *NM

NHTSA ID

10174933

Incident

Dec 1, 2006

Mileage

9,000 mi

DT: WHILE DRIVING IN RAINY WEATHER IT SOUNDED FROM THE RIGHT FRONT CORNER OF THE CAR UNDER THE HOOD LIKE SOMETHING WAS GRINDING OR ABRASION. IT SOUNDED LIKE TWO BEARINGS RUBBING AGAINST EACH OTHER. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, AND THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO HEAR IT. THE DEALER TOOK IT FOR A TEST DRIVE, LIFTED IT UP ONTO THE LIFT AND WAS NOT ABLE TO HEAR ANY NOISE.*AK UPDATED 8/14/2006 - THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WARPED. THE BRAKE CALIPERS WARPED SHORTLY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. BOTH FRONT ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO WARPAGE. THE CONSUMER HEARD NOISE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT END. THE DEALER REPLACED THE UPPER STRUT MOUNT, BEARING PLATE AND ALIGNED THE FRONT END. THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE POWER WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER REPROGRAMMED THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE. THE MASTER CYLINDER LEAKED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. POWER STEERING PUMP LEAKED AND WAS REPLACED. THE TRAMSMISSION WAS SLIPPING. *NM

NHTSA ID

10133010

Incident

Apr 15, 2004

Mileage

400 mi

THE BRAKES TENDED NOT OPERATE WHILE DRIVER STEPPED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS FOUR TIMES, BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10109541

Incident

Apr 5, 2004

WHILE APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE UNCONTROLLABLY ON IT IS OWN. CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10094135

Incident

Sep 22, 2004

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45-50 MPH THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. ALSO, THE BRAKE LINE WAS LEAKING AND THAT THE MOUNTING OF THE BRAKE LINE WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE ENGINE WHICH CAUSED THE BRAKE LINE TO LEAK. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER AND THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS VERY CAVALIER IN HIS APPROACH, THUS IRRITATING THE CONSUMER. *AK *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10079985

Incident

Jun 25, 2004

Mileage

4,600 mi

NO OTHER MANUFACTURER, AMERICAN OR FORIEGN, HAS A HIGHER INCIDENCE OF WARPED FRONT ROTORS, AND WITHIN THE LAST DECADE THIS PROBLEM INCREASINGLY SHOWS ITSELF AT RELATIVEY LOW MILAGE. MY MOST RECENT EXPERIENCE (LAST 3 YEARS) WAS A NEW GRAND AM SE DEVELOPING PULSATING BRAKES AT 20K MI. THE DEALER FOUGHT WITH US TOOTH & NAIL AND SAID "THAT'S YOUR FAULT, WE AINT PAYING FOR ANYTHING!" I CALLED THE PONTIAC ZONE AND RAISED HELL, ..NO CIGAR. FINALLY GOT WITH THE SHOP MANAGER TO PULL THE ROTORS & PUT THEM ON THE LATHE AND SEE HOW TRUE THEY WERE. THEY WEREN'T, BUT WE KNEW THAT BEFORE WE GOT STARTED. THE BRAKE PADS SHOWED VERY LITTLE WEAR. CONCLUSION, I GOT HUSTLED OUT OF THE SHOP WITH "WE'LL TAKE CARE OF IT." THEY DID, A NEW BRAKE JOB AT NO CHARGE. THE SECOND CAR WAS A 2000 MALIBU. CHEVROLET, THEY SAID PAY US FOR NEW ROTORS OR TAKE A HIKE. WE HIKED. REPLACED THE BRAKES MYSELF AND THE PROBLEM CAME RIGHT BACK AROUND 18K MI. I SOLD THE CAR INSTEAD OF FIXING IT. MY LAST GM CAR IS AN 04 GRAND AM, AND WITH JUST 11K MI, ...HERE WE GO AGAIN!! GENERAL MOTORS KNOWS OF THIS PROBLEM. IT'S RAMPANT IN THE PRODUCT LINE- UP. TO ANNOUNCE A CHANGE WOULD BE STRICTLY FORBIDDEN AS A MATTER OF CORPORATE POLICY AS THAT MIGHT DRAW LIABILITY LEADING TO POSSIBLE CLASS ACTION SUITS. KEEP IN MIND THAT BRAKES ARE A SAFETY ITEM NOT SUBJECT TO LIMITATIONS OF WARRANTY OR LIABILITY WHERE IT CAN BE SHOWN THAT GM "KNEW, OR SHOULD HAVE KNOWN", THAT THIS PROBLEM EXISTS. ERGO, OPENED ENDED LIABILITY. FURTHER, GM HAS KNOWN OF THESE POORLY PERFORMING PARTS THRU THEIR DEALERSHIPS AND HIGH VOLUME REPLACEMENTS ORDERED THRU THE DEALERS AND INDEPENDENT PARTS OUTLETS. AND FINALLY, THE ASTONISHING THING ABOUT THIS PART IS THAT IT'S AS LOW TECH AS IT GETS. IT'S NOTHING MORE THAN CAST PIG IRON. THE FIX IS IN THE METAL CHEMISTRY AND CASTING TECHNIQUE. WHERE GM GETS A FREE RIDE IS TO ARGUE THAT THIS ITEM IS "CONSUMABLE" AND SUBJECT TO WEAR AND ABUSE BEYOND THE MANUFACTURERS CONTROL.

NHTSA ID

10086675

Incident

Jan 1, 1973

I WAS DRIVING THIS VEHICLE ON A DRY CLEAR DAY. WHEN I EXITED THE HIGHWAY AND SLOWED DOWN IN THE EXIT LANE BY TAPPING THE BRAKES THE CAR TURNED 90 DEGREES TOWARD THE INSIDE OF THE CIRCLE AND PROCEEDED OFF THE ROAD. THE CAR BEHAVED LIKE IT WAS ON A SHEET OF ICE EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A WARM DRY DAY. *AK

NHTSA ID

10073037

Incident

Apr 5, 2004

Mileage

14,000 mi