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Grand Am Problems

suemariesuemarie Member Posts: 4
edited April 2014 in Pontiac
I own a 1997 Pontiac Grand Am. Currently it is in
litigation. Mediation has been set up for August
of 2000 and if nothing is solved there a trial date
has been set for September 20, 2000.

Many of you have written to my email address on a
previous post I have made. You name it, my car has
it. Brake problems, paint turning colors,
ignition problems, power steering noise, clicking
from tires that change with speed, clunking noise
from rear. I could go on! The one major problem I
have, which is why I am suing is, my car
accelerates on its own. I have been to 3
dealerships, all but 1 have told me I was making it
up. The other was more than willing to work with
me to find and fix my problem, however nothing was
acomplished. You might ask why I never went to GM
itself to remedy the problem. Well, I did, because
my problem was "not duplicated" it was not really
a problem. So they dismissed my claim. If any of
you would like to talk to me about my similar
problems or about the lemon law, I will be more
than happy to give you what information I know. My
new email adress is:

james_susanwilliams@hotmail.com
Tagged:
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Comments

  • ts_linkts_link Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1999 Grand Am with 23000 miles. I have been with the break problem since 4500 miles. I have two times for the rotor relplaced ( known problem the dealer said), still no good. i'll
    have them to fix it this week. i think that this is a big problem, how come the car need the break
    service every 3000 miles? what about my warranty
    is over? should i have to spend a couple of hundred every 3 month!
  • steve227steve227 Member Posts: 8
    See #1236 in this regard. It has some additional info on the brakes on GM cars.
  • jackie1831jackie1831 Member Posts: 3
    I have a 1994 Pontiac Grand Am, mileage 110,000. Gauge indicates overheating. The needle quickly reaches midpoint on the gauge and after 30 minutes will reach near the red zone with the air/con on. Without the air/con it stays at mid-point. I have had it in for service at a local franchise garage which did not fix the problem. Received hoses, surge tank, thermostat, heat sensor, cleaned radiator, tune up, oil change, transmission service. No one has indicated that I have a head gasket problem. I assume that the mechanic checked this out. The car runs great. What can the real problem be?
  • terigirlterigirl Member Posts: 1
    Hi,My daughter and I (I co-signed for her)bought a 2000 Grand Am GT. We now know this was a big mistake.I'm wondering if anyone else has problems with this so called car. Water leaking through the passenger side door leaving a puddle on the floor. The trunk popping open only when it rains and not being able to close it. Water leaking through the windshield into the driver side door and under the dashboard. Keep in mind, we have only had this car for 3 months and it has been repaired 3 times already. I am researching and have found quite a few people with some similiar problems but, I need all the info I can get Before I contact my lawyer. Please help me so I don't have to see my daughters dissapointed look and see her crying anymore. Thank you. Teri Evans
  • pat455pat455 Member Posts: 603
    You might also want to go over to our Sedans conference and look at this topic:

    Pontiac Grand Am (Topic #2036)

    You will probably find other owners of this vehicle hanging out there.

    Good luck.

    Pat
    Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference
  • ddt2ddt2 Member Posts: 1
    My 2000 Grand Am GT1 also leaks when raining, and the trunk opens. Not only is the drivers side floor wet, but the fuse panel is soaked, I suspect the trunk relay is wet inside, shorting out. Dealer seems to dispute the connection to rain water in the fuse panel and electrical problems. The car is scheduled to be at the dealer Friday, my confidence level is low that they can fix either the leak or admit the leak caused the electrical problem.
    The car also has a downshift point when turning into a slightly uphill driveway that causes a dangerous speed surge. Anyone else noted that? (The dealer of course has not!)
    Otherwise the car is fine.

    don
  • teekay3teekay3 Member Posts: 2
    Does anyone have specifics on problems with the Quad 4 motor in the 1995 Grand Am? Mine has been up for sale for 3 weeks. I have had little response and those who are looking say that mechanics have told them this engine is no good... lots of problems. They don't say what, just that they have been told it was a bad motor. I am the original owner of this car. It is in excellent condition, is very well maintained, and only has 73K miles. I have never had any problems. I need to know how to respond to these engine questions...also do I need to lower my price to take this into consideration. I am asking 6,000.
    Thanks for any information.
  • pat455pat455 Member Posts: 603
    Welcome to Town Hall!

    Have you had a chance to check out our Smart Shopper conference yet? Here is a link to a topic there that may be of some help to you:

    Tips on selling my car (Topic #410)

    Good luck and again, welcome.

    Pat
    Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference
  • jackie1831jackie1831 Member Posts: 3
    For the record, if anyone else should have the over heating problem that I had with my Pontiac, the answer is that the temperature gauge was broken. I was told that Pontiacs are notorious for this problem. The gauge must be recalibrated or replaced. If only the mechanics were not so eager to strip me of the funds in my wallet, it would have been a simple fix.
  • burdawgburdawg Member Posts: 1,524
    The quad 4 has had a bad rap since day one. The earlier version had more power but was notorious for vibration. By 95, the quad 4 was detuned a little and had a balance shaft which brought the horsepower down to 150. With proper care it can be decent, but the very nature a a twin cam 4 means that many people will drive the s__t out of it. For any real power and performance it has to be kept between 2500 to about 4500 rpm.
    The way the automatic trans is set up it's difficult to keep this motor in the right range, it seems to shift to soon, consequently there's a tendency to downshift hard and rev real high, without any real increase in performance. The manual trans is much better. If you've ever driven an older GA GT with HO quad 4 and manual you know what I mean.
    In addition, there's so many of these cars available on the used market the resale is low, and most people will opt for the V6 since it's a smoother, quieter performer. I have a 95 with the 4cyl that my daughter has at college. With 60,000 miles, if we went to sell it today, I feel that if I got $4,000 to $4,500 I'd be doing OK.
  • bolla67bolla67 Member Posts: 8
    HI EVERYONE. I LISTED SOME OF MY PROBLEMS UNDER TOPIC 2102. I'VE HAD JUST ABOUT EVERY PROBLEM YOU CAN IMAGINE WITH MY 99 GRAND AM GT. BRAKE ROTORS REPLACED 4 TIMES, WATER LEAKS FROM BOTH DOORS 3 TIMES. POWER-STEERING PUMP, DRIVER'S DOOR MOLDING POPPING OFF THE DOOR (REPLACED TWICE). I HAVE MORE BUT IT'S TOO DEPRESSING TO GO ON WITH THE LIST. IN TOPIC 2102, SOMEONE WITH THE PROFILE NAME teo MADE COMMENTS THAT I FELT WERE OUT OF LINE. OBVIOUSLY HE CAN DISH IT OUT, BUT HE CAN'T TAKE IT BECAUSE HE DOESN'T HAVE AN EMAIL SO I CAN REPLY AND I DIDN'T GET BACK INTO THE TOPIC BEFORE IT WAS CLOSED. IN RESPONSE TO HIM, I TOOK MY CAR TO 3 DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS AND ONE WAS NO BETTER THAN THE NEXT. WHEN IT COMES TO GRAND AM GT'S THE DEALERSHIPS DON'T SEEM TO HAVE A CLUE HOW TO FIX THEM PROPERLY. I'VE HEARD JUST AS MANY HORROR STORIES ABOUT THESE CARS AS I'VE READ HERE. I CAN SYMPATHIZE WITH ALL OF YOU. WHEN I TELL PEOPLE THE AMOUNT OF PROBLEMS I'VE HAD THEY CAN'T BELIEVE IT. I COULDN'T GO THROUGH LEMON LAW BECAUSE BY THE TIME I MET THE GUIDELINES IT WAS PAST THE ALLOWED TIME. GM WAS OF NO HELP AND NEITHER WAS THE DEALERSHIP. I'M TRYING TO SELL THIS NIGHTMARE, BUT TO NO AVAIL. AS FOR teo's PARTING REMARK IN TOPIC 2102, I THINK YOU NEED TO BITE THE BULLET BEFORE YOU MAKE RUDE REMARKS THAT YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS MAKING, ESPECIALLY WHEN PLENTY OF OTHERS HAVE BEEN THROUGH WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH. THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR SHARING YOUR STORIES. I WAS BEGINNING TO THINK I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO'S BEEN TO HELL AND BACK. GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU, I HOPE EVERYTHING TURNS OUT WELL.
  • crankitupcrankitup Member Posts: 1
    We have a 1997 Pontiac Grand Am with high mileage.
    The check engine light stays on. After being checked by the dealership, it was determined that the problem is the catalyic converter. To our dismay, after taking it to a muffler shop, it was determined that it was an OBD2. (Whatever that means) However, the only place it is available is through the dealership. Are there any other options besides factory original such as an after market part? DESPERATE
  • mkoons1mkoons1 Member Posts: 2
    I own a 1999 Grand AM GT ...anyone want to tow it to the junk yard for me?
    Little problems that I have had since day one:
    -Air control/AC dials falling off
    -Tire pressure/change oil light needs to be reset everytime car is turned on
    Larger problems:
    -Timing off, twice, car wouldn't start or even turn over
    -My car also leaks I get fairly large amounts o water on the back seat floor. I have taken to be fixed at least 5 times. They say they can't find the problem and that I must have left my window open.
    -I was also in a colision, I was traveling approx. 40 mph when I hit a car and my air bag never deployed. My car had serious damage...the other car (97 Dodge Neon) had only a scuff on the bumper.
    Needless to say, after 4 months of owning this car I had placed at least 3 calls to the pontiac cares customer service and received no action, the only thing that they have done is schedule another appointment for me at the dealership.
    I will never buy another Pontiac car/truck or SUV. I have had so many problems with no one willing to help me.
  • esser1esser1 Member Posts: 1
    My wife and I Leased a 2000 Grand Am GT1 in february 2000 and already spent a lot of time at our local dealer with it.They sold it to us with a broken "Grand Am" emblem on rear of car,In May,2000 miles later,We noticed water on the floor in the back while vacuming it out.Took it to the dealer for repair,and they said it was because we took it to a automatic carwash (wrong).....! Anything to blame it on the customer never their fault....They relaced sunroof tubing.Two days later the dome light fell down ,hanging by wires.Took it back,dealer did not put it together correct. Two weeks later the floor was wet again,and molding was falling off outside of car.Took it back to dealer...They relaced window molding on both pass. windows and all carpeting two outside moldings.To this day I still worry about wet floor.
  • mcrrtmcrrt Member Posts: 93
    A common problem with the '99 Olds Alero (sister car to the Grand Am) was water puddles forming in the back seat floor area. Apparently there is a service bulletin for it instructing dealers to replace defective "water deflectors". I don't know what the number for the TSB is, but contact your dealer and tell them to look for this bulletin. Further information about this problem can be found in the various Olds Alero threads here on Edmund's. Best of luck.
  • nellis1984nellis1984 Member Posts: 1
    I HAVE A 1996 GRAND AM, 70K MILES. RECENTLY I
    NOTICED THERE WAS A LEAK AND AT THE SAME TIME MY TEMP GAUGE WAS RUNNING A LITTLE HOTTER THAN USUAL
    BUT HAS NOT OVERHEATED, YET, I TOOK IT TO A PEP
    BOYS AND HAD THEM RUN A CHECK. THE GUY SAYS MY
    WATER PUMP NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I SAID FINE , WHAT DOES IT COST, HE LAUGHED AND SAID ABOUT $500.
    I CALLED SEVERAL GARAGES AND THEY SAID THAT WITH THE 2.4L ENGINE IT WOULD TAKE 5-6 HRS OF LABOR.
    I HAVE NEVER HEARD SOMETHING THAT ABSURD. HAS ANYONE REPLACED A WATERPUMP BY THEMSELF, AND IF SO
    HOW DIFFICULT WAS IT. I AM READY TO TRADE IT IN
    BEFORE I DISH OUT $500. THANKS
  • jackie1831jackie1831 Member Posts: 3
    Before you spend $500, be sure that the water pump is the problem. I spent $800 replacing all of the cooling system components and it was only the temperature gauge that was broken. My mom has an Oldsmobile and the same thing happened to her car. She spent $365 and it was only the gauge. I am told that GM is notorious for broken temperature gauges.
  • nerssnerss Member Posts: 43
    My fiancee bought a 99 GA SE1 used with 28,000 miles on it. We had the brakes replaced due to the warping of the rotors, the dealer increased the rotor size, and replaced the pads. The rotors and labor were covered under the warranty, it only cost us $100 for the pads. We have since put on another 12,000 miles with no probelems. The interior was another issue. We had all the interior panels replaced due to bubbling, the radio replaced for a defective lcd, the carpeting replaced due to shrinking. We also had the trunk re-sealed, the spoiler drillled to remove the water, and all the side windows replaced due to scratching of the glass from a bad door adjustments at the factory. Since this was all done months ago we have not had a single problem.
    The car has not had a single mechanical problem since. We love how it drives and handles. The humming noise at really low speeds is the power steering pump working hard to make the tight turns. We plan on buying another when we get more money, or buying a brand new one when the model changes in 2002. We are thinking of a GT with all the options.
  • paulgrandampaulgrandam Member Posts: 1
    I've had my 2000 Grand AM GT for almost year. Recently I've been having a problem with the car filling with raw gasoline fumes when I use the front window defroster or the "upper" heat vents This only seems to happen in the morning when both the air temperature and the engine are cold. My drive to work is 25 minutes and the odor continues the whole time. I have to open the windows because the odor is so strong. When I use the car later in the day I don't notice the odor.
    Anyone else out there had this problem? Thanks- paulgrandam.
  • richderichde Member Posts: 2
    I've owned a 92 SE Quad4 2D for 1 yr. I bought it from a local dealer with 29K miles. I've had nothing but problems since then. At 30K I had the head gasket replaced. At 35K both door regulators failed. Mechanic said they were cheap, not durable enough for the 2 door. Last week, the O2 sensor failed, damaging the ignition system and cat. converter. I've also replaced the alternator and timing chain cover in previous months. Has anyone had similar problems or is this just a lemon?

    I've read earlier postings about "white gunk" on the dip stick. I've seen this, before and after the head gasket repair. I'm told it is due to the size of the filler tube - causes condensation. I only see it during cold weather.
  • copytechcopytech Member Posts: 71
    You might check the carbon canister element. Newwer cars are so emission-happy that something like that might be the cause. You might give it a visual for any leaking hoses. The high-pressure fuel lines could have a loose clamp on it and could be leaking a little. Hope this helps.
  • tsegneretsegnere Member Posts: 1
    I am thinking of buying a 93 Grand AM SE. It has 51k miles, PS, PB, PW, AC, Tilt and Cruise. After talking with someone who owns a 93, they say their on their 3rd head gasket. Is this a problem with a certain engine type or not a problem at all.

    Thanks
    Terry
  • beccav1beccav1 Member Posts: 2
    I own a 94 GA with 182,000 miles on it. I bought it new and it was a great car for years. Around 130,000 miles, she started falling apart. I have gone through many problems, the worst being a cracked head. Ever since I had the head replaced in June 1998, I have been experiencing another problem that umpteen mechanics and computers can't pinpoint. While driving down the road, the car just seems to bog down and lose power for a few seconds. It jerks and chugs and carries on at this point. It spews black puffs of smoke while doing this. It appears to be running rich and my gas mileage has decreased. It does this at any speed, but seems to be better when going 65-70 mph plus. Has anybody else had this experience? I am on the road alot, as my miles will tell you. I don't want it to just leave me sitting some day far away from home.
  • lwat001lwat001 Member Posts: 1
    It sounds as if it is the coil. I have a 95 GrandAm SE and every 12 to 16 months it has gone bad on me. I'm not sure if it is directly connected to the spark plugs, but I just say the coil to the people at Firestone, and they seem to know what I am talking about. This, unfortunately, is only one of the zillions of problems I have had with my 95 GA. I will NEVER buy another one again.
  • jdalejdale Member Posts: 2
    See if the leak is actually coming from your door. When the Grand Am's come out of the factory, the vapor barriers in the doors are not applied to the adhesive on the door panels very well. As a result, water will collect against the vapor barrier and adhesive and push the barrier away from the door, causing water from the doors to drain into the car. I had leaks in both doors where the water would leak down from the door onto the door sill and under the seat, soaking the rear floorboard. The quick and easy fix is to remove the door panels and put pressure on the vapor barrier to create a better seal with the adhesive.
  • jdalejdale Member Posts: 2
    After about 20k miles on my car, I started noticing a squeak in the front part of the suspension, it seems to be on the driver's side, and is most prevalent in cold weather or while cornering. I have tried silicone lubricant, WD-40, the whole bit, and I'm thinking about having the struts replaced because it is extremely annoying, especially on only a two-year old car. Does anyone know the source of the squeak or if there is a TSB for this problem?
  • slnpolslnpol Member Posts: 2
    1999 grand am--the check engine symbol stays on-- i've checked everything---what could it be?--also the all traction symbol stays on---will not go off when u push button on gear shift--??????
  • alcanalcan Member Posts: 2,550
    Your car is equipped with the OBD2 diagnostics system. The only way to retrieve the stored diagnostic trouble codes is to have a scan tool connected to read the codes. They will refer to the circuits/systems where the faults have been detected.
  • slnpolslnpol Member Posts: 2
    ......how do i do this and how much will it cost?
  • alcanalcan Member Posts: 2,550
    All late '95 and newer cars are OBD2 equipped, and have a common diagnostic connector link under the dash to the left of the steering column. Any decent repair shop should have a scan tool capable of interfacing with the vehicle. Expect to pay up to 1 hour labor for the scan diagnosis. If this sounds expensive, bear in mind that a SnapOn MT2500 scanner with all the interface data cartriges costs about $4,000.00. Some shops will discount the diagnosis IF the repair is made at their facility. Good luck with your repair.
  • prybapryba Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1996 Grand Am coupe that I bought used about 2 years ago with 37,000 miles on it. All along I have wondered about the wobbly front seats, especially after the passenger seat moved forward on its track with someone in it on two separate occasions when I had to brake moderately (but not too hard) to avoid road hazards. The dealership I bought it from tried to fix it, but the seats still wobble too much even to this day. What is up with this lousy build quality? Mind you, my dad basically forced me to buy this car, and we also bought it with the assumption that the dealership would fix the seats. Sure, the V6 is nice and the automatic transmission shifts quite smoothly even after 80,000 miles, but there is a time where you have to say enough is enough to all those annoying little things that go wrong (and the ones that seem little but actually could cause injury, such as with these seats).

    I notice that GM has fixed the problem with the 99 Grand Am's. Does anyone know of a way to keep the seats in earlier Grand Am's from "wobbling"? I know that the Cavalier and Sunfire still have the older style seats in them, similar to what is in my Grand Am. I was told they were redesigned for the 98 model year, and these modified seats also made their way into the last model year of the previous Grand Am as well.

    Oh, one thing I noticed... if you apply some pressure to the fore-aft seat adjuster, the seat won't wobble so much if you shake your body back and forth a little. I noticed on a few 92-95 Grand Am's that this adjuster seems to stay in place better (it's not the "hook" shape like it is with the 96). Ugh, how typical of GM to make things worse in their cars when they knew perfectly well that what they were just using worked just fine. (Here's a good example with the newer Grand Am and Alero... the black rubber molding on the windows is loose in just about every Grand Am or Alero out there, yet in my car and others from my car's era, the black molding is solid and stays in place)

    Sorry about the long post, but hey, I bet all of you are now saying "gee, I guess I'm not the only one with that problem" right now! I think it's time for a new car... and other than the good engines and transmissions, I really have no reason to ever buy a GM product again.

    Let's get working on fixing up those interiors, my lazy GM friends :P
  • flyparrot1flyparrot1 Member Posts: 2
    I have an '89 Grand Am (which I am in the process of getting rid of) because of the huge list of problems. The engine was replaced a year and a half ago with a rebuilt engine. Within 500 miles of replacing the engine the car snapped 2 of the V-belts (which provide power from the battery to the alternator to a bunch of other junk-pretty important) and left me stranded on the side of the road. Then the belts started squealling when I would slow down (not a huge problem), but the voltage in the car would drop, too, which is a problem. It would go from 14 volts to about 8. The lights would dim, the turn signal would slow down, the fan would blow less. I thought the car would die right then and there. Recently I had a little problem where I went to use the cruise control, and the car went on auto pilot. It accerlated itself to more than 80 when I had set it at 70. No amount of breaking or fiddling with the cruise control lever would stop it, and in order to get my car under control I put both feet on the break, and floored it. Then I had to put on the emergency break, which did squat, and finally put it in park and turned it off. I've never been so scared. Then the next day the car died three times at three different stoplights. The engine just killed (I have an automatic-THATS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN). I don't know why these things happened, and since I'm tired of paying mechanics to try and figure out what's wrong with it, I'm just going to buy a new car. just thought you guys would like to know.
  • flyparrot1flyparrot1 Member Posts: 2
    I also had a problem with water leaks in my '89. The problem ended up being a loose spot on the plastic around the outside of the windshield. The way the car is designed the water ran down the drivers side door and ended up on the floor in the backseat behind the driver. In some rainstorms I needed scuba equipment to be in my car, but once the molding was fixed, it was ok
  • eblumeeblume Member Posts: 1
    I am writing to inform all readers of the problems regarding this car. Since day one I have had nothing but problems with this vehicle. While it was under warranty I had to have the sway bar bushings replaced four times because the car would "bottom-out" over small bumps in the road. The trunk leaked and the dealership refused to replace the carpet in the trunk (which is moldy). Almost immediately after the 36,000 mile warranty ran out the brake pads needed to be replaced on the front. The water pump "shredded" according to the dealership. The fuse for the lights on the instrument panel keeps blowing whenever the weather is above 65 degrees and the car is driven more than 20 miles at a time. The paint on the front is horribly chipped. Need I go on, because I have more problems. Pontiac/GM customer service refuses to be of any help. This car is a lease that is up in May of 2001 so when I get ready to turn it in not only will I have to pay for all of these problems, but I'll have to pay for excess wear and tear and mileage because instead of taking back the car when the original complaints were filed, they didn't even respond to the first of 3 letters sent to the company until 8 months later. I was even told back in June of 2000, after repeated phone calls to GM/Pontiac, that in order to get any response from the company I would need to get a lawyer and they would have to file a complaint because my concerns weren't good enough. How is that for customer service?????? Never buy a Grand Am. The hassle isn't worth it.....
  • tonyd65tonyd65 Member Posts: 1
    1996 Grand AM bought new.
    1.Leaking Air Conditioned Compressor at seams 4 yr old 20,000 miles
    2.Now 5yrs old 30,000 miles transmission chewed itself up.
    3. After having transmission replaced, car now wobbles at low speed.
    4. Car appears new, but what a piece of junk. I will avoid Pontiac from now on.
  • gregireygregirey Member Posts: 1
    Almost every trip to the quick oil change location, the 'expert' says I have major trouble. He will show me the dip stick with this milky substance and states I have a Head Casket problem. I have a 93 Grand Am DE with the famous Quad 4 engine. I have not noticed any white smoke from the exhaust, no disruption of power, etc. I once had another car with head gasket problem and the car would not even run, so I think the head gasket is not worn. I was told the reason for the milky substance was a lack of PCV valve. Most likely just a story from someone who has no idea. Any thoughts on this. After reading all the horror stories of the Quad 4 engine, I must be very lucky. Other than maintanence items, my car has been good to me. Just turned 100,000 miles. Now the car vibrates at speed over 45. Any thoughts.
  • suediscosuedisco Member Posts: 1
    Help! I've spent a combined 4 hours the last two days trying to unstick the frozen door locks on my 2000 Grand Am coupe. I tried heating up my key, that didn't work. They I tried an alcohol-based de-icer and that unstuck the passenger's side door, then once I got driving and the heater going the driver's side finally unstuck. This morning it took me two cans of deicer and I still had to climb in through the trunk and turn the heater on full blast for 15 minutes to get the passenger side door open. My dealership hasn't had any one else report these problems so I'm turning to y'all for help. Thanks!
  • joe3891joe3891 Member Posts: 759
    Had that problem the other day,heated the locks with a hair dryer to free up an then sprayed the inside of the locks with silicone using the tube extension,they work now.
  • lisamzlisamz Member Posts: 2
    I have a 1995 Grand Am SE and the brakes are horrible. I consider myself lucky that I haven't had an accident due to the brakes. I had that car in maybe 15 times during the warrenty complaining about the brakes. They slip, squeal, and give me a heart attack. Also, the ABS malfunction, they will pulse just once and then slip. Just after my warrenty expired, they "found" that the front calipers were frozen open and had never worked. So, in those 15 visits, I don't think they actually looked at the brakes. I wish I had argued and made them pay for the repairs (they didn't offer me a dime) but I was so very upset that I just wanted to get out of there.
    I am getting rid of the Grand Am soon and can't decide between a Honda Accord V6, VW Jetta GLS V6, or Chrysler Sebring Sedan. Does anyone have any advice on these cars?
    Thanks,
    Lisa
  • laurie27laurie27 Member Posts: 3
    Help! I see this problem described perfectly above in #33 by flyparrot1. The engine just kills, as if I tried to stop with a manual trans still in high gear. My mechanic is stumped, He checked it over & replaced the fuel pump(REAL BAD). Thinks I should have trans looked at. But it works perfectly around town. It only dies when I'm travelling 10-15 miles at Hwy speed, then try to stop. It will restart a few more times. Then, will restart in park only, then kill as soon as you try to put into gear. After sitting in road for 20 minutes (and after help has arrived) it will start again fine, only to go another 10-15 miles before repeating above. Go figure! Ive been driving it around everyday no problem, I Just stay in neighborhood. Any Help??? MY email is LaurieTXnAustin@aol.com. Thanks, Laurie
  • alcanalcan Member Posts: 2,550
    The torque converter clutch solenoid is sticking. Find a real mechanic and have him/her replace it.
  • floridianfloridian Member Posts: 219
    gregirey: If you have gone 100k miles and are only now experiencing the dreaded "quad four death syndrome" consider yourself VERY lucky. My '93 only made it to 68K before the head gasket began to leak. Coolant was leaking out and running onto the exhaust manifold where it boiled off, no visible sign of a leak but you could smell the tell tale odor of "cooked coolant" Bottom line, cracked head ( a VERY common quad 4 defect)about $1500 to $1800 to fix------ I traded the thing off next day !! There have been several GM cars in my family with the quad 4 and every one at one time or another has had a head gasket or the head itself fail. If I were you I'd dump thay puppy asap while its still running fairly well. The chocolate milk looking oil IS the tip off that bad things are a 'comin with that engine. The guys at the oil change place are right on in this regard. Good luck !! That vibration you feel @ 45MPH could be the engine missing in one of the cylinders due to loss of compression or plug fouling from coolant in a cylinder.

    Floridian
  • danthevandanthevan Member Posts: 2
    The only problem I had with this vehicle (leased in April 2000) was the heater fan not working one morning at a few degrees above 0 F. Had it replaced. No leaks or anything, just a fatiguing driver position on long trips and a wind blowing noise through the passenger door. Maybe I am lucky or there are still problems to show up soon:).
  • laurie27laurie27 Member Posts: 3
    That did it! Laurie27:)
  • laurie27laurie27 Member Posts: 3
    Now does anyone know how to keep from going thru these? Firestone says its a problem with the way car is built. Mine only squels when accelarating WITH the ac on. They told me just turn it (AC) off when it squels. This helps them last longer, but can be mighty uncomfortable here in texas during summer heat. Thanks.
  • alcanalcan Member Posts: 2,550
    Glad to hear your stalling problem was resolved. Your post described the classic GM tcc solenoid sticking symptoms. Re the belt squeal, if it's the serpentine belt (memory's going on me) have the belt tensioner checked. They tend to lose spring load over time and can't keep proper tension on the belt. Also wouldn't hurt to have all related pulleys checked for glazing.
  • tonychrystonychrys Member Posts: 1,310
    I have a 1999 Pontiac Grand Am SE2 which I love other than one fact: the brakes are non existent (very dangerous). Sometimes you can feel the front end vibrate when braking (rotors heating up). Whenever I complain to the dealer he claims "it's the way we drive" and that we will have to pay for new brakes, yet I've been told by dozens of other GA owners there is a TSB out that says the original rotors were not adequate and should be replaced under warranty.

    Could someone please verify/deny this? I'm tired of getting the run around from my dealer and would love to feel safe with my family in this car. A text of the TSB would be very helpful.

    Your help appreciated,
    TC
  • mayahmayah Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1997 Grand Am GT 4 cyl. with 59,000 miles on it. As of recently, it began stalling while in the process of driving. Everything shuts down and then the battery light starts flashing. Sometimes, I am able to shut off the car and start it right up, but lately, I've been having to jump start it. Does anyone have any idea what is causing this and how it can be fixed?
  • andy3927andy3927 Member Posts: 7
    I recently found that water pump of my car ( 52K mi.) is leaking. Replacement would cost around $570+ since the pump is placed in such a way that getting to it costs labor( thanks for the wonderful design GM!!) . I have read in other posts that when timing belts are replaced water pumps are replaced too. Can anyone advise me if the other way would also be true? Does this car need the timing belt ( metal or rubber ?) replaced and should I do it now to save labor later ? The car also needs brake pads replaced every 25K mi which seems to be awfully short time.
    Thanks.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Andy, I think you do need a belt replacement at 60K....is that the 3.4L V6 you've got? Best check your owner's manual, but I do think you're due for one, and it would certainly make sense to do that along with the water pump.

    25,000 miles on front brakes is okay...a lot depends on how you drive and the weight of your car, but for your make and model this doesn't sound too out of line....probably 20K-40K is the life span of most front brakes on cars such as yours.
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