1997 Pontiac Grand Prix

ON JUNE 26, 1998, GENERAL MOTORS BEGAIN A SAFETY RECALL, 98V-146, TO RECALIBRATE THE AIR BAG SENSING AND DIAGNOSTIC MODULE (SDM) IN THE 1996 AND SOME 1997 J BODY CARS, CAVALIER AND SUNFIRE.DUE TO CERTAIN CALIBRATIONS IN THE AIR BAG SDM, THERE IS AN INCREASED RISK OF INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT IN A LOW SPEED CRASH OR WHEN AN OBJECT STRIKES THE FLOOR PAN.THE RECALL POPULATION CONSISTS OF 675,302 VEHICLES BUILT FROM APRIL 1995 THROUGH MAY 1997.ODI HAS RECEIVED 8 OWNER REPORTS ALLEGING INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT WITHOUT A CRASH.THE PURPOSER OF THE RQ IS TO DETERMINE WHETHER GM SHOULD EXPAND THE RECALL TO INCLUDE THESE VEHICLES.CLOSING RESUME NOTE:AS OF AUGUST 5, 1999, ODI RECEIVED ONE ADDITIONAL COMPLAINT REGARDING THE ALLEGED DEFECT.THE INCIDENT RATES FOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE ABOUT ONE-THRID OF THE RATES OF THE RECALLED VEHICLES (WHEN THE RECALL WAS INITIATED).BASED ON THE AVAILABLE INFORMATION, A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOSE NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY FUTURE CIRCUMSTANCES.

EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.

THE LOWER PINION BEARING IN THE RACK AND PINION STEERING ASSEMBLY MAY FAIL.GM WILL RECALL 1997-98 GRAND PRIX BUILT BETWEEN 1-MAR-96 AND 31-OCT-97; AND 1996-98 U-VANS/J-CARS BUILT BETWEEN 1-JAN-96 AND 31-OCT-97.SEE ATTACHED SUMMARY.

NOTE: I HAVE FILED A SAFELY COMPLAINT BEFORE WITH THE NHTSA ABOUT THIS SAFETY ISSUE ON NOV 9, 2020 REFERENCE NUMBER: 11373799. AND NOW DUE TO SAFETY NEGLIGENCE FROM THE INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT OF THE NHTSA ..EXCESSIVE HEAT COMING FROM THE EXTREMELY HOT OIL THAT'S DRIPPING OFF THE EXTREMELY HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD THAT'S LEAKING FROM THE VALVE COVER STARTED A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD AND ALSO LEAKED INTO THE CYLINDER CAUSING THE PISTON TO SLIT INTO NUMEROUS PIECES THEN VIOLENTLY BEING SHOT BACK AND FORTH STRIKING THE CYLINDER WALLS VIOLENTLY THEN BREAKING THROUGH THE ENGINE BLOCK AND OIL PAN, THEN SPILLING HOT OIL ON THE I-105 HIGHWAY AT HIGH WAY SPEED COMING UP ON A FORK, LOST OIL COMPRESSION AND STALLING OUT WITH HEAVY THICK CAN'T SEE IN MORE THEN 5 FEET IN FRONT OF YOU GREY/BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM BOTH ENDS OF THE VEHICLE. ALMOST COSTED ME MY LIFE

NHTSA ID

11395511

Incident

Feb 7, 2021

Mileage

210,500 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ENGINE OIL WAS LEAKING ON TOP OF THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND CAUSED SMOKE TO EMIT FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC PERFORMED THAT LOCATED THE FAILURE CODE AT THE VALVE COVER AND INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD CATCH ON FIRE AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000. INVALID VIN. *DT *DT *TR*DT*DT*JB

NHTSA ID

11373799

Incident

Jan 2, 2020

Mileage

200,000 mi

THE ENGINE LEAKS OIL ON THE MANIFOLD WHICH STARTED A FIRE AND ELECTRICAL SOME OF MY SENSOR CONNECTORS AND NOT WORKING.. THE FIRE STARTED AFTER I PULLED IN TO DRIVE WAY AND I CAN FEEL FROM THE INSIDE OF THE CAR THAT THE ENGINE WAS GETTING REAL HOT SO I POPPED THE HOOD AND THERE WAS A SMALL FIRE ON THE MANIFOLD. *TR

NHTSA ID

11325035

Incident

May 15, 2020

Mileage

200,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1997 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT, THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE AND HEARD A CLICKING NOISE. AFTERWARDS, THICK SMOKE APPEARED UNDER THE HOOD. WITHIN SECONDS, THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AND TOWED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

11166357

Incident

Jan 10, 2019

WHILE DRIVING MY 1997 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX TO THE TIRE SHOP IT BURST INTO FLAMES. THE FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD AND TOTALLY DAMAGED THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11118306

Incident

Jul 7, 2018

Mileage

200,000 mi

1997 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE CATCHING FIRE. *LD *JS

NHTSA ID

11024492

Incident

Mar 28, 2006

REAR VALVE COVER LEAKING. AS IN RECALL 09047 FOR FRONT VALVE COVER.

NHTSA ID

11032553

Incident

Oct 9, 2017

I HAVE RECEIVED A NOTICE ONCE A YEAR ABOUT A RECALL ON THE ENGINE AND CALLED A DEALERSHIP LAST YEAR AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR MY CAR. I LET THEM KNOW I HAD A NOTICE AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULD LOOK INTO IT AND CALL ME BACK. WELL I NEVER RECEIVED A CALL BACK AND I ALSO DID NOT FOLLOW THROUGH. I JUST RECEIVED ANOTHER NOTICE AND NOT EVEN SURE WHERE TO START TO CALL. I WOULD LIKE TO GET THIS FIXED AND BE ABLE TO GET MY CAR SMOGED.

NHTSA ID

11020689

Incident

Aug 28, 2017

This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester  and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving website address and step by step instructions to complete the update.

This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester  and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving website address and step by step instructions to complete the update.

This informational bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Procedures to Unlock Delco Radio with Theftlock.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code.  The PI update to version D is to advise the unlock procedure is temporarily unavailable.  E version update is to add administrative details.

This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy transportation policy.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code.  The PI update to version D is to advise the unlock procedure is temporarily unavailable.