Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 26 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 26, in the owner's own words
WAS DOING SOME MAINTENANCE AND NOTICED A SPLIT IN THE METAL OF MY STABILIZER SHAFT FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. STILL LOOKS DURABLE, BUT THOUGHT I HAVE YOU TAKE A LOOK AT MY PICS. IS THIS A SAFETY RISK?
2 ADULTS IN BACK SEAT. LEFT REAR SUSPENSION STRUT TORE THROUGH THE METAL OF THE TRUNK AND CAME UP INTO THE TRUNK, COMPROMISING VEHICLE HANDLING AND POTENTIAL LOSS OF CONTROL AND REAR BRAKES, MAKING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO OPERATE. *TR
ON APRIL 26, 2004 CONSUMER NOTICED THAT RIGHT REAR TIRE WAS RUBBING DUE TO CRACKED RIGHT REAR COIL SPRING. *AK
TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR STEERING RECALL NOTICE AND WAS TOLD THAT MY SWAY BAR WOULD ALSO NEED REPLACED. THIS WAS CAUSING MY POWER STEERING TO DRAG. *JB
THE PAINT ON THE REAR WHEEL WELLS AS WELL AS THE PAIN ON THE RUNNING BOARDS ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE REAR QUARTER PANNELS IS RUSTING OUT. I FOUND YOUR WEBSITE AND THOUGHT THAT I MIGH BE COVERED, BUT APPARENTLY I AM NOT AND GM SAID THEY HAVE CHANGED THEIR PLANT TO OSHAWA, CANADA. THEY ALSO SAID THAT THEY HAVE CHANGED THEIR PAINT. WHEN I ASKED WHAT I SHOULD DO THEY SAID THAT IT IS PRETTY MUCH TOUGH LUCK. AND THAT IS ABOUT IT. ALSO THE COOLENT RETURN HOSE IN THE ENGINE GOES EVERY 2 YRS. AND AT CANADIAN TIRE IT COSTS. ABOUT 375$ TO REPLACE.
STABILIZER BAR ON REAR PASSENGER TIRE SNAPPED IN HALF. *LA
VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR RECALL 02V286000 REPAIRS CONCERNING POWER STEERING ASSEMBLY. AFTER REPAIRING THE DEFECTIVE PARTS, DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE HAD TO BE ALIGNED, AND CHARGED $139.99. *AK
LEFT FRONT WHEEL BEARING IS SHOWING SIGNS THAT IT IS ABOUT TO FAIL.*JB
REAR BUSHINGS MAKE EXCESSIVE NOISE. REPLACED ONCE BY DEALER. CONTINUE TO MAKE SOME NOISE.*JB
THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS AFTER THE RECALL WORK WAS PERFORMED ON THE LOWER PINION BALL JOINTS. RECALL NUMBER UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE THE DEALER NAME, ADDRESS AND NUMBER. *NLM
WHILE DRIVING THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE SWAYED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. *NLM
MAKING LEFT HAND TURNS, VEHICLE MAKES A GRINDING NOISE FROM FRONT END. FEELS LIKE THERE IS NO POWER STEERING THEN IT COMES BACK HAPPENS ALL OF THE TIME*AK
WHEN EXITING DRIVEWAY, STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, PREVENTING OWNER FROM MANEUVERING VEHICLE. OWNER TOWED VEHICLE TO COVINGTON TIRE AND SERVICE. THEY FOUND THAT DUE TO REAR BEARINGS BEING CHEWED UP AND DESTROYED, STEERING WAS INCAPACITATED. *AK CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS TO THE PUMP/HOSE SEAL. RETURNED THE NEXT WEEK BECAUSE THE PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING WAS STILL PRESENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TEST DRIVEN AND CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE COULD NEVER LOSE STEERING. ON THE DATE INDICATED, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FUNCTIONING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT GARAGE AND THE RACK AND PINION REPLACED. UPON CALLING GM, CONSUMER WAS TOLD NOTHING COULD BE DONE SINCE THE REPAIRS WEREN'T DONE BY PONTIAC. *JG
WE FOUND THE HEAD OF THE BOLT AND THE WASHER UNDER THE CAR WHEN IT WAS PARKED. THE HEAD OF THE BOLT HAD CRACKED OFF RIGHT WHERE IT JOINS THE SHAFT OF BOLT. MY FATHER BOUGHT A NEW BOLT AND REPLACED IT. IT SEEMED VERY UNUSUAL THE WAY THE BOLT HEAD HAD BROKEN OFF. THE ENTIRE FACE OF THE SHAFT AND THE HEAD WHERE THE SHAFT WAS WERE RUSTED SO IT APPEARS THAT THIS HAD BEEN BROKEN FOR SOME TIME. WE HAVE BOTH PIECES OF THE BOLT IF YOU NEED TO HAVE IT AND A PARTS DISPLAY OF THE REAR SUSPENSION WITH THE BOLT CIRCLED IF YOU NEED THEM. IF YO HAVE QUESTIONS CONTACT MY FATHER AT THE SAME NUMBER OR VIA E-MAIL AT [email protected].*AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH THE RIGHT REAR COIL SPRING BROKE. CONTACTED DEALER AND THE DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER LOST COMPLETE STEERING ABILITY, STEERING WOULD NOT TURN LEFT OR RIGHT. COMPLETELY LOCKED UP. *AK DEALER INSTALLED REMANUFACTURED RACK AND PINION, REPLACED POWER STEERING HOSE, AND A FOUR WHEEL ALIGNMENT WAS ALSO PERFORMED. *TT
THERES A WINDING NOISE COMING FROM FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS.*AK BOTH FRONT WHEEL BEARING UNITS FAILED. CONSUMER BELIVES THE BEARINGS WERE DEFECTIVE. *YH
VEHICLE WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM (DRIVERS) CREAKING NOISE (I BELIEVE A RECALL IS UNDERWAY). LOOSE TRIM THROUGHOUT. REARVIEW MIRROR REPLACED, BATTERY DIED (CAR WAS TOWED), POWER WINDOW FAILED (DEALER REPLACED), HEADLIGHTS ADMIT MOISTURE, ASHTRAY OPENS BY ITSELF, SEAT SQUEAKS, DASH RATTLES, RATTLE ALSO COMES FROM REAR OF CAR, VEHICLE VIBRATION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, SEATBELTS DO NOT RETRACT, LEATHER ON SEATS IS CRACKING, KEY KNOB HAS TOO SHORT A RANGE, STICHING IS COMING OFF THE LEATHER WRAPPED STEERING WHEEL, ALSO THE CLUB LOCK BURNS INPRINTS INTO WHEEL IF LEFT ON IN THE SUMMER SUN, HEADLIGHTS TURN ON IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY, BRAKES STOP WORKING IN HEAVY RAIN OR WHEN COMING OUT OF THE CAR WASH, THE POWER DOOR LOCK SWITHCH ON THE PASSENGERS DOOR FELL INTO THE DOOR, VARIOUS RETAINING CLIPS HAVE BROKEN OFF TRIM, ETC.
TORSION SPRING PINS FAILED. NLM
VEHICLE CONTINUALLY DRIFTS WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS CAUSING POOR CONTROL.
ODOMETER READS INCORRECTLY.
REAR SUSPENSION HAD A CREAKING NOISE. IN ADDITION, SUN ROOF CASING BROKE TWICE, AND AIR BAG MALFUNCTIONED ON TWO OCCASIONS. *AK
VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT AND THEY HAVE TO REMOVE METAL IN ORDER TO ADJUST THE CAMBER. *AK
WHILE DRIVING, ANY SPEED, REAR OF VEHICLE RATTLES, SEVERELY VIBRATES, COULD CAUSE CRASH. ACCORDING TO DEALER, REAR STABILIZAR BAR IS LOOSE, NO PARTS TO CORRECT PROBLEM, WAITING FOR GM TO RECONSTRUCT PART. *AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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