1999 Pontiac Grand Prix Other / unspecified Problems

CAR WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY AFTER DRIVING TO TOWN AND BACK. ABOUT 20 MINUTES LATER MY BOYFRIEND HEARD A POP SOUND FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE. WHEN HE LOOKED OUTSIDE THE CAR WAS ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO HELP PUT OUT THE FIRE. CAR WAS COMPLETELY BURNED UNDER THE HOOD, TIRES/FRONT PART OF CAR WERE ALSO BURNED. DAMAGE WAS A TOTAL LOSS, ENGINE WAS BURNING SO HOT IT WAS WHITE. NEARLY CAUSED A HOUSE FIRE AND LUCKILY NO ONE WAS INJURED. CAR HAD SOME OIL LEAKAGE IN ENGINE/MANIFOLD AREA BUT RECALL WAS FIXED ABOUT 5 YEARS AGO FOR THIS ISSUE. CAR WAS IN GOOD CONDITION AND NO SERIOUS PROBLEMS BEFORE THIS FIRE OCCURRED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10669833

Incident

Dec 23, 2014

Mileage

240,000 mi

THE NEIGHBOR KNOCKED ON OUR DOOR AND TOLD MY HUSBAND THE CAR WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE APPEARED TO START UNDER THE HOOD. THE WHOLE FRONT OF THE CAR, INCLUDING THE WINSHIELD WAS BURNED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10503516

Incident

Mar 18, 2013

Mileage

126,000 mi

DRIVING TO WORK AS NORMAL AND TOOK OFF FROM A FULL STOP WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR WAS GOING NUTS TRYING TO CATCH A GEAR. SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT BLINKED THAN STAYED ON AND NOW WHEN DRIVING BETWEEN 1ST AND 3RD GEAR CAR SPUTTERS, SHAKES, SLAMS INTO GEAR HARD AND I NEED TO KEEP GIVING IT GAS TO GET IT TO CATCH SO I MOVE AND DON'T GET STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF MAKING A TURN. IT IS A 99 GRAND PRIX SE 3800 ENGINE SEDAN AND I BROUGHT IT TO MY GOOD FRIEND WHO OWNS A SHOP AND THE COMPUTER SAID IT WAS A C1 MISFIRE SOLENOID OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. ON MY ENGINE, THE LEFT SIDE HAS 3 THINGS THAT 2 SPARK PLUG WIRES GOES INTO EACH AND ARE LABELED 1/3, 2/5 AND 4/6 (MIGHT BE WRONG ON NUMBERS). THE CODE WAS SAYING THE FIRST ONE THAT SAYS 1/3 WAS BAD CAUSING THE MISFIRE. WE CHANGED THE PART AND THE SERVICE ENGINE LINE WENT OFF AND CAR DROVE FINE. THE NEXT MORNING I WENT TO GO WORK AND AT THE FIRST LIGHT, I GO TO TAKE OFF AND IT STARTS SHAKING AND SPUTTERS AND BECOMES ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE. DURING THIS THE SERVICE ENGINE LINE BLINKED THAN STAYED ON STEADY. NOW THE CAR HAS TROUBLE CATCHING A GEAR FROM 1ST TO 3RD AND IT FEELS LIKE A ROLLER COASTER JUST TRYING TO TAKE OFF FROM A STOP OR DURING HEAVY TRAFFIC. I REPLACED EVERYTHING ELSE ON THE CAR AND GIVE UP WITH PROBLEMS. THERE HAS TO BE A DEFECT THAT PONTIAC WON'T ADMIT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10406906

Incident

May 3, 2011

Mileage

158,000 mi

PLASTIC LENSES THAT PROTECT THE HEAD LIGHT BULBS HAVE BECOME LESS TRANSLUCENT WITH AGE. THIS REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT TRANSMISSION MAKING IT MORE DIFFICULT TO READ ROAD SIGNS WHICH IS A DISTRACTION TO 'SAFE DRIVING'. I HAVE AN OLDER CHRYSLER AND IT DOES NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. A MAXIMUM OPACITY LEVEL FOR HEAD LIGHT BULB 'PROTECTIVE COVERS' SHOULD BE MANDATED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10277972

Incident

Jan 1, 1999

Mileage

100,000 mi

A/C LEAKS ON PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR. ALSO A/C BLOWER MOTOR DOES NOT WORK. WHEEL RIMS ARE CORRODED AND PITTED. AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON AND STAYS ON. *JB

NHTSA ID

10207862

Incident

Jun 20, 2006

Mileage

78,000 mi

1999 GRAND PRIX RIGHT FRONT TIRE CAME TO REST ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE AND SUSPENSION. *TS 5 LUG STUDS SNAPPED OFF. *JB

NHTSA ID

10159479

Incident

Apr 1, 2006

DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY MY 1999 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX DEVELOPED A LOW HUM IN THE FRONT END WHICH FAIRLY QUICKLY - WITHIN 30 MILES - ESCALATED TO A SUBSTANTIAL RUMBLE/ROAR. I THEN EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN AND PRONOUNCED WOBBLE. I PULLED INTO THE BREAKDOWN AND EVENTUALLY FOUND THAT 4 OF THE 5 STUDS HOLDING THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL ON WERE GONE. THE STUDS WERE SHEARED OFF DOWN TO THE ROTOR. THERE WAS LITTLE IN THE WAY OF WARNING. NO CHANGE IN DRIVING CHARACTERISTICS IN DAYS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. ON THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT, I DID NOTE A ROTATIONAL 'TICKING' SOUND, WHICH I THOUGHT MIGHT BE A STONE CAUGHT IN MY TREADS. AFTER DRIVING FOR APPROXIMATELY 60 MILES, I STOPPED FOR GAS AND CHECKED: NO STONE. LEAVING THE STATION, I NOTED A FAINT THUMP, BOTH HEARD AND FELT IN THE PEDAL, WHEN BRAKING BUT IT DID NOT SEEM LIKE AN ACUTE SITUATION. IT WAS APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES LATER THAT THE FAILURE MANIFESTED. I SUSPECT THIS 'THUMPING' WAS BECAUSE ONE OR MORE STUDS HAD ALREADY FAILED AND THE WHEEL WAS NOW NOT SECURED PROPERLY. A REPAIR SHOP SAID IF THE LUGS HAD BEEN LOOSE, THERE WOULD BE A CHARACTERISTIC WEAR ON THE WHEEL. THIS WAS NOT PRESENT. THIS SHOP REPLACED THE 4 SHEARED STUDS. CARTALK RADIO SHOW HOSTS SUGGESTED OVER-TORQUE AS A POSSIBLE CAUSE, AND SUGGESTED I GET OTHER LUGS INSPECTED IMMEDIATELY. I TOOK THE CAR TO A TIRE SHOP. THEY INSPECTED THE REMNANTS OF THE STUDS I HAD THE OTHER SHOP SAVE. THEY INDICATED THAT IN THEIR EXPERIENCE, FAILURE DUE TO OVER TORQUE LEAVES A CHARACTERISTIC PATTERN ON THE METAL, WHICH WAS NOT PRESENT. INSPECTION CONFIRMED NO PATTERN CHARACTERISTIC OF LOOSE LUGS WAS PRESENT. THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE THE TORQUE ON THE OTHER LUGS ON THE OTHER TIRES BUT DOUBTED OVER TORQUE AS THE CAUSE. I HAVE THE REMAINDERS OF THE SHEARED STUDS AVAIL FOR INSPECTION AND/OR ANALYSIS. I AM CONTEMPLATING REPLACING ALL 15 REMAINING STUDS JUST FOR PIECE OF MIND. I WILL RETAIN THOSE PARTS SHOULD I HAVE THEM REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10148014

Incident

Jan 15, 2006

Mileage

95,000 mi

MY AIRCONDITIONER FAN SWITCH HAS NOW GONE ONCE AGAIN AND IS IN NEED OF "ANOTHER NEW ONE, THIS WILL BE 3. THE PAINT ON MY HOOD IS STARTING TO CRACK A BIT AND WILL BE PEELING SHORTLY. THIS CAR WAS VERY WELL MAINTAINED AND GARAGED AND THERE WAS NO REASON FOR THIS! THE POWER WINDOWS WENT ABOUT 3 DIFERANT TIMES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE AND THE SWITCHES HAD TO BE FULLY REPLACED. THE RADIO HAS A SHORT IN IT IN THE BACK SOMEWHERE AND THE DISPLAY GOES CRAZY AT TIMES. LASTLY AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, I HAVE HAD A WATER LEAK ON THIS CAR SINCE 1999. IT HAS BEEN INTO THE DEALERSHIP TOO MANY TIMES TO COUNT. THEY CHANGED OUT THE WINDSHIELD AT LEAST 5 MAYBE MORE TIMES, CHECKED ALL THE SEALS ON THE SIDE MIRRORS AND THE SUNROOF, CLEANED OUT THE DRAINS ON THE SUNROOF A FEW TIMES AND AFTER THE CAR WAS IN THE LAST TIME 8 MONTHS AGO, THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS THE LAST TIME THEY WOULD DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. IT WAS FIND W/NO WATER UNTIL LAST WEEK WHEN WE HAD POURING RAIN AND IN FLOODED MY INTERIOR ONCE AGAIN. PONTIAC'S SOLUTION WAS TO GIVE ME $1,000 FOR THE PURCHASE OF ANOTHER CAR, THANKS FOR NOTHING! IN DOING MY RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND OUT A LOT OF INFO THAT I AM ONCE AGAIN GOING TO PONTIAC/GM ABOUT. ON MY PARTICULAR CAR WHEN THEY MADE THE DRAINS FOR THE SUNROOF, THEY MADE THEM TOO SMALL, SO WHEN IT POURS OUT, THE DRAINS CANNOT HANDLE ALL OF THE WATER AND IT IS FORCED INTO MY CAR. I WORK FOR AN INSURANCE COMPANY AND HAVE SPOKEN TO "MANY, MANY" PEOPLE REGARDING MY CAR. FUNNY THING IS, I HAVE HEARD THIS FROM SEVERAL GLASS COMPANIES AND DEALERSHIP SALESMEN! WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS TO HELP ME, THE CONSUMER? ANY HELP IS WELCOME

NHTSA ID

10069913

Incident

Jan 15, 2003

Mileage

200 mi

FACTORY CD RADIO DISPLAY WORKS INPROPERLY. AT TIMES WHEN RADIO IS ON THE DISPLAY WILL NOT WORK AT ALL. AT OTHER TIMES WHAT IS DISPLAYED ON THE RADIO HEADS DISPLAY IS FROZEN OR UNREADABLE. RADIO HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES NOW BY THE DEALERSHIP AND IT CONTINUES TO DO THE SAME THING.

NHTSA ID

10040957

Incident

Sep 3, 2003

Mileage

34,568 mi

THE RIMS CRACKED, PEELED, WARPED AND CORRODED. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10019399

Incident

May 7, 2003

THE TECHNICIAN FOUND THE FRONT LEFT RIM CRACKED. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10019351

Incident

May 7, 2003

PROBLEM WITH RIGHT WHEEL STUDS BREAKING OFF. PROBLEM OCCURRED ON TWO OCCASIONS, REPAIR MADE AT DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

NHTSA ID

874371

Incident

Oct 28, 2000

LUGS:NUTS AND BOLTS SHEARED OFF THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE, CAUSING FRONT RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE CAR TO FALL DOWN ON PAVEMENT. THE WHEEL ROLLE DFORWARD AND STRUCK ANOTHER CAR. *AK

NHTSA ID

836739

Incident

Mar 31, 1999