Pontiac Grand Am

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Comments

  • joe3891joe3891 Member Posts: 759
    Check it out,price of pump not bad,tearing the whole front of the engine apart to replace is a bummer.You start by taking the front cover off then chain, guides and on an on.
  • coonhoundcoonhound Member Posts: 174
    I looked at my 2000 Alero and concluded that the water pump is tucked away down at the bottom front of the engine, and from what you say and what I saw I'm assuming that it is driven by the cam chain. However, as the chain is oil lubricated, would a leaky water pump seal allow the the coolant to leak into the engine oil? Maybe tomorrow I'll run it up on the ramps and look from underneath to see what this monstrosity looks like and what's driving it .
  • joe3891joe3891 Member Posts: 759
    No it won't,it has a weep hole that lets it drop to the ground.It would have to be a 2 seal setup,1 for water an 1 for oil and the weep hole in between.
  • nogm4menogm4me Member Posts: 13
    I thought I would offer this even though I don't own a Grand Am. GM " forces "
    tire vendors to subscribe to their tire build specification ( known as " TPC" )
    and it varies as to type and use of vehicle ie: SUV, police fleet, etc. I have a
    Chev Lumina factory equiped with Michelin H4's and had them all replaced
    by 50 k miles,...why. At half tread depth the tires were DANGEROUS in
    the wet and the sidewalls were wiped out. By wiped out I mean one could literally
    poke therir finger into the casing. This combination of poor cornering and
    lousey wet traction encouraged me to replace them all. And those of you
    complaining of the " squeak " I encourage to do the same. I suspect the
    sidewall is deflecting so much that it actually rubs the rim flange during rotation.
    That's my " spin " on the issue.
  • midlifecrisismidlifecrisis Member Posts: 391
    I'd be much more likely to replace all 4 tires if the General was footing the bill. I have taken good care of these tires with frequent rotations and constant pressure regulation. They show no unusual wear.

    At $150 a piece and only 41K miles on them, they will be run at least another 10K before they are swapped out. Unless of course I have a blow out before then!
  • johnskevjohnskev Member Posts: 98
    I have a 99 Grand Am 2 door V4. Just yesterday the drivers side window came out of the track. The service department said the window motor needs to be replaced. Sadly, I had this same problem in October 2000, but it was covered under warranty then. Now I'm pretty teed off because I'm out of warranty and also the 12 month/12000 mile part warranty is up on the motor that had been replaced (note that it's the 12 month part that got me, I'm under the 12000 mile limit). Since I live in Minnesota and we're finally getting some real Minnesota weather, I needed the window fixed immediately. The final cost was $450, which is personally outrageous considering I had the exact issue under a year and a half ago.

    I've seen some TSBs relating to window glass issues:
    #01-08-64-012A, Issued Sep 01, Door Glass - Comes Out of Run Channel.
    #99-08-64-004, Issued Apr 99, Run Channel Loose to the Door Frame.

    Does anyone have these full TSBs?

    First, I'm wondering if the window motor really needs replacing. Second, if TSBs exist on an issue, shouldn't I be covered even though I don't have any warranty left?

    Thanks for any help.
  • burdawgburdawg Member Posts: 1,524
    I don't see what the motor has to do with the glass coming out of the track. The motor only provides the drive to move the glass up and down. If the glass is coming out of the track I would look for a mis-aligned or bent track, bent or faulty regulator, or in some extreme cases a mis-aligned door that is being tweeked when it closes.
    If this repair has already been done under warranty it should still be covered even if the main warranty has expired.
    Two door cars are hard on power window regulators. The long glass puts a lot of torque on the components, but they should last much longer than this.
    I'm sorry I don't have the TSB's, we havn't had any window problems on either of our GA's.
  • sweet16sweet16 Member Posts: 3
    Hi. I haven't posted a message since my first one. I was asking for people opinions about the Grand Am. I read all the feedback and thank you. I did purchase a 2002 Grand Am.
    I was going to purchase a leftover 2001 at SIFFORD PONTIAC IN BOGOTA NJ. But for lack of a better word, they screwed me. They matched the best price I had from another dealer, and the night before I filled out the paper work, I double checked on my APR's and rebates I would get. Well, the next day they took back everything they said and they could only get me 9.9% APR We went to CERAMI PONTIAC IN PARAMUS NJ. They are great!! I got a 2002 for a little more than the 2001. and 3.9% APR So my point? SIFFORD PONTIAC SUCKS!! I also found out they have jerked around many people and an ex-employee states they repair cars (body work) and don't tell the consumer.

    I LOVE MY GRAND AM AND CERAMI!!

    DON'T GO TO SIFFORD!!
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    Anyone here see the 04 Grand Am in the new Motor Trend?

    Sweet!
  • johnskevjohnskev Member Posts: 98
    burdawg:
    I just thought the TSBs might have some other info about my problem, especially regarding the regulator. If that's the problem, then maybe they're mis-diagnosing the problem.

    I think that the problem should still be covered since I already had the problem, but they are saying repaired/replaced parts only have a 12month/12000mile warranty on them, which this doesn't fall under since it's been 16 months.
  • midlifecrisismidlifecrisis Member Posts: 391
    Any pics of the 2004 Grand Am? When is the Hot Wheels version coming out? Which edition of Motor Trend is the car featured in?
  • sweet16sweet16 Member Posts: 3
    According to Demassi Pontiac in Wayne NJ The 2002 is the last year they are making the Grand Am. Guess he was misinformed huh?
  • tomcat630tomcat630 Member Posts: 854
    No way, there will be Grand Ams next fall!

    Dealers say stuff like that to sell a car NOW, not later!
  • midlifecrisismidlifecrisis Member Posts: 391
    What a joke! Like Pontiac is going to dump its best seller. The Grand Am accounts for about 43% of its sales!
  • montanafanmontanafan Member Posts: 945
    Depends what the question is. 2002 may be the last year for Grand Am SE 2-DRs.
  • pwilliamkpwilliamk Member Posts: 21
    Can anyone one tell me what the timeline is for the redesign of the Grand Am. I have heard rumors that the body will get slightly reworked in 2003 (no more body mouldings). Then in 2004 it will be built on the Epsilon platform. Can anyone confirm the difference in styling for '03 or is this a unsubstantiated rumor that I have heard. I am looking at purchasing another Grand Am in the next 9 months. I already have a 2000 but if it is going to be redesigned in the near future I would prefer to wait. Sorry I haven't read a lot of the submissions so this may have been discussed already.

    Thanks, Peter
  • jkidd2jkidd2 Member Posts: 218
    Peter, its my understanding that the '03 GA will be a "refreshening"....I'm not sure that the side skirts are going away in '03. From all I have read, the '05 will be the totally new version and will not have the skirting.

    Thats about all I know....I haven't seen any spy-shots of the '03, other than one several months ago, but it was completely camouflaged.
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    03 refresh and an 04 new model coming in fall 03 as far as I know.

    Pictures of the 04 look great!!
  • scottdudescottdude Member Posts: 177
    I can't decide on which engine to get in the new Grand Am I want to buy. I know in the past the V6 was what everyone reccommended (over the old 2.4), but now that the 2.2 Ecotec is available, I wonder if the V6 still has the edge. The Ecotec seems to be very well liked by others. Any comments from GA owners would be appreciated.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    I do not own a GA and have not driven the Ecotec in this car, but I rented a Saturn LS with the Ecotec for a week. The engine was very smooth and powerful for its size (and it was automatic too). It had ample power even with the AC on. It's going to be slower than the 2.4 (less power), but more refined, they say. Try it out for yourself though. Also, the Ecotec has great fuel economy as well.
  • bill211bill211 Member Posts: 21
    If your buying the Grand Am with all the toys and in a 2 door you gotta get the bigger engine. If your trying to save money and want a transportation vehicle that doesnt have all the options then get the 4cyl. I have tons of fun with my GT1. I rented a 4 door 2.4 Grand Am while away on vacation and its nothing compared to the GT1. Drives sloppy and lacks the refinment of the GT1
  • hoyahenryhoyahenry Member Posts: 399
    I now have both a 2.2 cavalier (97) and a 2.2 Ecotech GA (02). The Ecotech is quieter, smoother and somewhat more powerful than the Cavalier 2.2. (Love the GA Ecotech oil filter cartridge; just wish it was easier to find in stores and less expensive).

    Our mpg has been much lower than previously posted in mostly city driving (22). I get better mileage on the same gas in the Cavalier in mostly city driving (25). Two thoughts there: the GA is still breaking in with only 4500 miles in six months and the GA is heavier.

    I have no doubt that the V6 will be a much nicer ride, more capable of pulling the heft and profile of the GA, but I can't tell you what the maintenance trade offs will be. The 2.2 GM engines are very low maintenance affairs, and the new Ecotech seems to continue that trend.
  • jkidd2jkidd2 Member Posts: 218
    I have an '02 GA SE1 with the new 2.2 engine. Comparing it to my '99 GA SE with the 2.4, I have to say, I prefer the old engine....I have a little over 1100 miles on my new GA...the engine seems louder to me. It makes a clicking sound even at idle....seems less torquey too. Gas mileage is good though.

    By the way, I've noted three things so far that disappoint me on my new GA.

    1. A rattle appeared where the moonroof button is within the first 500 miles...its quite annoying.
    2. A piece of plastic trim inside isn't flush to the rest of the area...closer inspection shows that its not even properly cut.
    3. I found a cigarette burn in the headliner.
  • bill731bill731 Member Posts: 16
    WE HAVE A 2002 Grand Am SEI wiyh the 4 Cly 2.2 and the (perfectly mated) 5 speed manual Tran. I cannot say enough about this combination. To bad Pontiac only is making 8,000 of them this model year. Our dealer could find only two of them in a 200 mile search.
    Fuel use is GREAT. With only 1,400 miles driven the last fill up came out to 34.01 MPG,and that was mostly short trips of ten miles or less.

    Bill
  • the_art_guythe_art_guy Member Posts: 61
    Well I'm at close to 52,000 miles on my 2000 SE1. I am wondering if there is any scheduled maintenance that needs to be done. I think in the manual it says to drain and replace the tranny fluid and to replace the air filter. I have a K&N air filter that I dropped in back around 30,000 miles, so I'm good there. I called two different dealers to ask about service. One said that there is a 51k service package and the other said that there isn't 50k service and the next major service interval is at 60k. Needless to say, there is nothing wrong with the car, it is running great. That random clicking noise that I was experiencing a while back has disappeared, it has not occured since a few thousand miles ago.
    Any info would be appreciated, thanks!
  • jkidd2jkidd2 Member Posts: 218
    Hi Everyone,

    Note my 4.3.02 comment regarding my GA with the new 2.2 Ecotec 4.

    Yesterday on my way to visit my Mom, I was on the freeway going approximately 65 mph, when I took my foot off the gas pedal. Suddenly, the car made a jerk as if it downshifted hard and a noise started coming from the engine well like a popping noise. The tach started reving high, but the car slowed down. I could hear a light back firing noise coming from the tail pipe. The "service engine soon" and "ETS" lights on the dash were blinking. I pulled off the freeway and pulled into the first parking lot I could find. A Nissan dealership. As I pulled into the parking lot, the engine died. I rolled to a stop. Immediately tried to restart, but it wouldn't.

    Luckily I had my cell phone with me. I called the 1-800-Pontiac number. After listening to about 2 minutes of directives, I reached an operator. Very polite young lady. I explained what happened, she asked if I needed a wrecker, which I did. The time 3:05 p.m.. She told me it would be about 45 minutes before a wrecker would come. She explained to me about turning the key on and letting it set for 20 minutes. Turn the key off, but not take the key out of the ignition and then try to start it again. It didn't work. To make a long story short....5 hours and $300.00's later, I got the car towed to my Mom's where it sits in the garage until tomorrow. Will have it towed (again) to the dealer and see what has happened.

    Will keep you updated.

    The car has 1905 miles on it.
  • bill211bill211 Member Posts: 21
    Hope your ok.. Maybe an exploded injector?
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    Why did you end up paying $300? And it took 5 HOURS for them to get to you? I would have been fit to be tied...
  • jkidd2jkidd2 Member Posts: 218
    Just paid a visit to the Pontiac dealer. My '02 GA with 1905 miles on it has dropped a valve. When it did so it did internal damage to the engine and the entire engine is going to be replaced. Service Rep says "it will be out of service from a week to indefinite". ???

    Vocus: Because I had it towed over 20 miles they made me pay $3.00's a mile plus $48.50 just to hook it up. Pontiac say's they will reimburse me $20.00's....isn't that nice?

    And yes, 5 HOURS!
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    You BETTER make them give you another car! With 1905 miles and it dropped a valve? Come on now. And make them reimburse you the $300 as well. I would not be standing for that.

    If Pontiac sent the truck, what the hell would they be charging you hook-up fees for? That makes no sense to me at all.

    Boy, I complain when I take in my VW and they don't wash it for me. Like I said before, I would have had to have been CAGED after 5 hours.
  • jkidd2jkidd2 Member Posts: 218
    I've already checked out the Texas Lemon Law guidelines and I have to allow them 3 attempts in a 12 month period to get it right before I can request they take it back.

    I did sent the Pontiac dealer where I bought it a FYI e.mail today and the sales manager responded with a "good luck" response. :-(

    Will keep you updated as this progresses.
  • iexplore2000iexplore2000 Member Posts: 237
    Hello Everyone,

    I have a question for you concerning 02 Grand Am's with the Monsoon Audio system. My Grand AM GT1 is only a few months old and one issue that I have noticed is that if I have a Cd that contains more than 29 tracks, the CD player will play the tracks, but will not let you advance to any track after #29 using the seek button?? For instance, if I want to skip to track 35, while pressing the seek button, it will display track #35 and you can actually hear the CD optical unit trying to find the track but then it always reverts back to tracks #29!

    I've tried several CD's and all of them create the same problem. I took my car into the local dealer to address this issue and we tested an 01 Grand Am GT to see if the Monsoon player would read the tracks and it DID! After that test, the dealer ordered me a new Monsoon head unit to replace the "possibly defective" unit. Once the new unit arrived, they installed and tested the unit to find out that it did the same exact thing as the original unit??

    The dealership placed a call to the GM "Tech" people to see if he could get this issue resolved. My service advisor was informed that the 02 radios have a software limitation that doesn't allow for you to manually seek and play a track successfully after #29? Additionally, he was informed that GM was aware of this issue, but not doing anything to address it at this time?

    What I would like to know from you all: "Does this make any sense?" If the Grand Am's remained virtually unchanged from 2001 to 2002 and have the same type of audio setup, why does a 2001 equipped Grand AM play the CD's correctly? What possible change could they have made to the 2002 audio system that would invoke such a limitation?

    Any feedback that you all could provide would be greatly appreciated. I refuse to accept GM's answer on this. Most CD's now contain more tracks than in previous years. Heck.. I can remember my 1996 GMC Jimmy that would play any track, but the track counter would stop at #19??

    Thanks!

    IExplore2000@aol.com
  • rob132rob132 Member Posts: 1
    I bought my GA in March and after having it for 1 month we found out my wife can not drive it due to the drivers seat design. She is short and the front part of the seat is way to high. It puts her legs to sleep from the pressure on her thighs. We have a power up and down but the seat is so high already it is useless. I am tall and I don' t use it. A power seat would probably solve the problem but none available. We are trying to make a deal with the dealership to get something different but no luck. Looks like we will have to sell with only a couple thousand miles on it. This is our 3rd GA. Looks like we will be looking at the Saturn Vue. Pontiac looses our business.
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    Can you not just put a cutom seat in place of the stock driver's seat? You will take a big $ hit by selling it after 1 month.
  • montanafanmontanafan Member Posts: 945
    dindak is right as usual. Check the yellow pages for a local Auto Trim Shop. Talk to them about reshaping the seat under the factory trim. Or a shop that installs handicap conversions, my have a power seat base to install.
  • cpwingnutcpwingnut Member Posts: 49
    I would go back to the dealer and insist they pick up the tab for the seat repair. It is a simple job to remove the upholstery and replace or reshape the foam underneath. They probably have a local auto trim shop that will do it for them less than you would pay retail at that store. Since you are a triple repeat customer, they would be foolish to loose your business over a $2-300 job.

    A letter to GM probably wouldn't hurt either. You just shelled out thousands on a new car, They will keep your business if they can resolve the problem for just a couple of hundred dollars.

    They may even be able to fix the problem with a simple shim. Either a lift in the rear to level the seat or if it is still too high in front, they may be able to remove a piece from the front to lower it if possible(not sure of configuration of seat).

    These options are just a start. There are lots of options to go through before loosing all that $. These are just the ones to try first so you can keep the original upholstery intact. Good luck
  • g1994stsg1994sts Member Posts: 26
    The seats on my friends Mercedes can go as high as your head hitting the roof, or as low as sitting on the floor. My wife's 99 Taurus is the same way. She's a shorter driver and she can adjust as needed and still maintain an arms length from the steering wheel. I'm 5'11' and with the seats on my 94 STS all the way back I can't reach the gas pedal. I'm being tortured driving too close to that hideous old fashioned 70's steering column protruding too far away from the dash. Who are the Geniuses in charge of the ergonomics department at GM?
  • alan1964alan1964 Member Posts: 3
    My wife and I are thinking of trading our 2001 Saturn L200 (LEMON) for a 2002 GA SE1. I was wondering if anyone could tell me if the GA handles better than the Saturn? The GA has the 16 inch wheels/tires. By the way, the Eco-tech 2.2 in our Saturn is the best part of the car. Also, is there a major difference between the SE1 and the Gt's handleing. Thanks!
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    Take a look at the Alero as well. We just got one last week. Same 2.2L Ecotec but you get 4 wheel disc brakes. GA is good also as we have friends that have them. I think both handle better than the L-series. What is wrong with your L?
  • alan1964alan1964 Member Posts: 3
    Our fully loaded L200 has had a vibration problem( at highway speeds) since new. The dealer assured us they could fix it , but they keep saying that all of the L's drive this way. Also, the paint chips easily, the sunroof motor grinds, the braking system is making very strange noises, the car creaks and moans all the time and other more minor things. We would look at an import but no one wants these cars (Saturn L's) traded to them.
  • bill211bill211 Member Posts: 21
    Oh yes a very noticable difference in the two lines.. I rented an SE on vacation and its such a different car than my GT1. Its decent but lacks the refinement of the GT. Its very loose on the road in comparison and the ride is not as stiff. Even the braking is so different. Its OK, dont get me wrong, but the GT is way funner to drive, and you get alot more compliments. If you like that sort of thing.
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    That's too bad because Saturn really does aim to please and I'm sure they will fix what ever is wrong. L drivers seem to really like their cars so you must have a lemon.

    Definitely check out both the Alero and GA. Both nice cars. I am very happy with my Alero.
  • midlifecrisismidlifecrisis Member Posts: 391
    Pardon my confusion, but regarding the seat problem: You stated that the seat cannot be positioned correctly for your wife. But you also stated that this is your 3rd Grand Am. Wouldn't you already know how well the seat works? Or were your other GA's older models with different seats? Also, didn't you test drive the car to check the seats?
  • montanafanmontanafan Member Posts: 945
    What happened to the person who posted about their new Grand Am with the engine problem and the expensive tow .
  • craig12345craig12345 Member Posts: 1
    I just purchased my Grand Am GT1 last Saturday and the gas mileage is horrible. I am getting way below the average that the car should get. I currently have just over 700km's on the car. Does anyone have any idea when the car should get cheaper to drive?
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    We just bought an Alero two weeks ago and it was the same thing. Apparently mileage is poor for the first 3-4 fillups with the Ecotec. Mileage seems to be improving slightly with my second fill already. I'll let you know how it goes with mine.
  • bill211bill211 Member Posts: 21
    After it's been driven for a few thousand miles(3-5), the mileage gets to around 29-34. At least mine did... Your mileage may very....8-)
  • jkidd2jkidd2 Member Posts: 218
    After 23 days in the shop, I picked up my GA SE1 yesterday afternoon.

    The diagnosis on the work order says:

    "Cylinder head damaged from dropped valve, replace cylinder head assembly"

    I have been dealing with the "Pontiac Customer Care" Department on-line for weeks now. I requested they buy the car back from me and of course they put me off until the car was "fixed" and responded yesterday with a "your request is denied" and told me the car was ready.

    They have offered at no charge a 60 month or 60k "Component" extended warranty.

    Can't say I am happy about all of this. I have to tell you, Pontiac has treated me like I am some sort of idiot...

    The dealership where I bought the car was of no assistance, but the dealer where I had it towed to has been okay....I learned more from talking to the other mechanics and the mechanic working on the car then I did talking to the service manager or Pontiac directly. Example....my car set an extra 4 days in the shop while the mechanic recovered from a "bad hangover".

    Anyway...its back on the road...seems to run okay...we'll see.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    Did they give you the $300 towing you paid back?
  • azwmmazwmm Member Posts: 8
    My '99 SE 2 has turned into a money pit.. I've replaced the alt, water pump and intake manifold gasket in the last 6 months. 42k. total miles. Anyone else having similar problems?
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