Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM | |||||
| 951017 | 05/01/1995 | 43000 | The a/c belt may roll off the pulley on vehicles equipped with dealer installed air conditioning and 7.8l fnh engine. *tw | 11/01/1995 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||
| 08/31/2004 | 179085 | 1 | |
| Water was coming from the engine into the vehicle. dealer stated there would be a charge to repair vehicle. *ak | |||
| While driving at 40 mph consumer noticed smoke and then sparks coming from under the hood. consumer pulled over and popped the hood and flames were covering the engine. cause is unknown. please provide any further information. ts | |||
| 03/23/1995 | 3 | ||
| Engine temperature gauge failed. | |||
| 01/01/1995 | 1 | ||
| Temperature gauge failed. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM | |||
| 09/15/2003 | 86000 | 1 | 07/29/2003 |
| Coolant leaked from underneath the vehicle while driving about 50 mph which caused the vehicle to overheat. *ak the vehicle was taken to the dealer where they determined that the radiator hose had a split in it. the same week the vehicle was purchased the brake line broke. about 2 months later the brake pedal went to the floor while braking. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the incorrect brake parts were installed and that the radiator clamps were loose. the consumer requested invoices from the dealer but they refused. *nlm | |||
| 01/07/2000 | 04/01/1996 | ||
| No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak | |||
| 12/13/1999 | 1 | 01/01/1993 | |
| Noticed seized spark plug at 90,000, engine check light, poor idle, coolant consumption, two additional seized plugs appeared later. *ak | |||
| 06/01/1999 | |||
| Coolant leakage | |||
| 07/27/1999 | 05/01/1998 | ||
| When i put on brakes the is a clunking sound in the right rear tire area like something is loose. it sounds almost constantly when i apply my brakes. the car would not start on cold dates. after start and running for a short period of time it stops. i would start back up later. the coolant leaked out continuously. i had a hose replaced but it did not help. i had it put on the computer analysis but nothing showed up. the horn blows continuously when it is very cold. i had to remove the fuse to stop it. the gas filler door would not open automatically when it is cold. i had to pry it open with a screwdriver. the car pud pud along as if it was not getting enough gas. the odometer seems to be inaccurate recording the mileage. i have not been anywhere but in the city and surrounding areas. many times i had to stop the car and start it again for the brake light to go out. although i like the body of the car it has been a disaster for me. now it does not run at all. i seem to have a lemon car and it was like that when i bought it. it should be against the law for anyone to sell a car like this . this car dealer needs to be put in jail. i have ridden my grandchildren around in this unsafe car and i am very upset at this car's condition as it doesnt run at all now. i have just wasted a lot of money buying it and trying to keep in repaired and run. if this car dealer did not know the condition of this car he should loose his license to sell car. he has robbed me of my hard earned money. | |||
| Engine coolant is mixing with the oil. for three yerars this problem has been happening. in 1996 consumer's heat was not heating and the mechanic checked the oil. he found coolant mixed in the oil. mechanic changed the oil. 6 months later the coolant was mixed in the oil again. *ak | |||
| 10/01/1998 | 1 | 09/01/1997 | |
| The quad 4 engine in this car is defective. the block cracked and coolant leaked out. this has happened to other people that i have talked to. pontiac should reimburse the owners of the cars the cost to fix the problem. | |||
| 05/17/1995 | 1 | ||
| Replaced water pump. *ak | |||
| 09/09/1994 | |||
| Noticed that there was a strong anti-freeze smell and was consuming a lot of water engine name quad ohc. tt | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - HOSE | |||
| 02/01/1998 | 02/01/1995 | ||
| Pontiac prides itself on driving excitement, it should actually be that it is a driving nightmare. this car has had so many problems. this is the list of current and past problems which includes: the trunk leaks/ incorrect speedometer that caused two speeding tickets/driver's floor and under the front right seat are always wet. also,replaced battery twice/alternator/starter/ radiator and all hoses after a sudden explosion. in addition, thermostat had been replaced at least 4 times and mass air flow sensor once. the rear window defogger no longer works, right side power window does not go back up/the tape deck is broken, front lumbar i seat broke around 40,000 miles. the front right and left wheel bearings has been replaced 3 times/tie rods have been replaced once on the right and twice on the left/ anti-lock braking system malfunctioned and front brakes wore out with in 15,000 (typical of most pontiacs just going by the comments of other pontiac owners that i know. this list is quite long and extremely disappointing, especially since the car is not paid for yet and only has 125,000 miles on it and is a 1992 model. *ak( dot number: tire size: 205/55/r16 ) | |||
| 03/23/1995 | 3 | ||
| Water hose failure. | |||
| 07/01/1994 | 1 | ||
| Water hose failed. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | |||
| 02/01/1998 | 02/01/1995 | ||
| Pontiac prides itself on driving excitement, it should actually be that it is a driving nightmare. this car has had so many problems. this is the list of current and past problems which includes: the trunk leaks/ incorrect speedometer that caused two speeding tickets/driver's floor and under the front right seat are always wet. also,replaced battery twice/alternator/starter/ radiator and all hoses after a sudden explosion. in addition, thermostat had been replaced at least 4 times and mass air flow sensor once. the rear window defogger no longer works, right side power window does not go back up/the tape deck is broken, front lumbar i seat broke around 40,000 miles. the front right and left wheel bearings has been replaced 3 times/tie rods have been replaced once on the right and twice on the left/ anti-lock braking system malfunctioned and front brakes wore out with in 15,000 (typical of most pontiacs just going by the comments of other pontiac owners that i know. this list is quite long and extremely disappointing, especially since the car is not paid for yet and only has 125,000 miles on it and is a 1992 model. *ak( dot number: tire size: 205/55/r16 ) | |||
| 1 | 06/19/1992 | ||
| Radiator failed. | |||
| 04/26/1998 | 2 | 03/28/1998 | |
| Radiator failed twice. | |||
| 1 | |||
| Radiator failed due to cracking. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||
| 09/01/2000 | 79000 | 1 | |
| I have a letter from pontiac date nov, 1995. which states that 2.3l quad ohc engine have a defect of cracking cylinder that allows coolant to leak from the cylinder heads. the letter also states.. do not bring your vehicle to the dealer unless this occurs. the stated if this condition occurs within seven years or 100,000 miles they will replace the cylinder head free of charge.. my car is 8 years old now and has only 79000 miles on it. neither the dealer or pontiac corp. will repair this for me without paying for all charges which are approx. $1200.00.. pontiac admits that this engine has a defect.. but refuses to honor the 100,000 mile limit because the vehicle is 8 years old. it is my opinion that pontiac is responsible to fix this vehicle as it is a safety hazard.. my vehicle has the known defect.. the odor from the coolant is extremely string and is a safety concern for me and my family. you can see where it leaks from the head as there is corrosion and the anti-freeze puddles up on top of the head. *jb ***dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut-over to artemis*****732124***** | |||
| 12/15/2000 | 2 | 09/01/2000 | |
| The head gasket was replaced once b/c of a special recall that had a 7 yr or 100,000 mile quota on it well my car was over the quota so pontiac said they couldnt do a thing for me, even though that obviously proved that something was wrong w/ the car b/c it had been recalled before . pontiac was susposed to call me back , never did i called twice after that still havent recieved a phone call its been 6 months. car cost 1500$ to replace, and its still giving me problems. *ak | |||
| 01/09/2001 | 4 | 11/01/1996 | |
| Cracked head, coolant leak, high temp, oil pump failurec - 4th time!! | |||
| Defective head is causing damage to engine due to poor manufacturing of head.*ak | |||
| 05/05/1999 | 3 | 02/01/1999 | |
| Had car less than year,engine replaced twice.water in oil blown head gasket.problem still exists. *ak | |||
| 11/23/2000 | 03/01/1993 | ||
| Head gasket failure with just 68,300 miles causing coolant into the engine. estimate to repair is $1700.00. i see from the internet this has been a major problem with this vehicle. *ak | |||
| 03/19/2000 | 1 | 03/01/1993 | |
| I received notice of a recall on this vechicle several years ago involving cracked engine heads at the time of notice i thought that the car was running hotter than it should. i took it into a dealer and they said that it was running normally. i haven't had any problems with it since that incident. i recently smelled antifreeze in the cabin and noticed steam coming out of engine compartment. i pulled the spark plug cover off and this is when i noticed crack. i was wondering if this would be covered under original recall? *ak | |||
| 12/20/1999 | 1 | 08/01/1999 | |
| *-#we had to have the car towed to where we had the car repaired. it was a blown head gasket, and we are definitely not pleased with this car ,and the fact that it shouldn't have blown a head gasket with this few of miles on the engine. we are also going to let our friends know that they should not by any means buy a grand am because this is a known factor that all grand am have and there hasn't been a recall on this particular part and the pontiac company knows of this problem and failed to recall these cars for this reason. also, that the public should not have to pay this kind of money just because pontiac failed to recall this car for this reason, and they knew of the problem. we feel that you should have to pay for this repair, and also know that you have a special policy #5. under this policy, you should be liable to pay for this cost that has been placed upon the customer. we are very displeased with your company, and with this grand am that was bought for my daughter for her graduation from high school considering she has only had it for four months, and has already had to spend 1200 dollars on the piece of | |||
| 1 | 05/18/1992 | ||
| Cylinder head is cracked, causing the coolant loss and rough running engine. yh | |||
| 05/23/1996 | 2 | 05/09/1994 | |
| Consumer replaced leaking head gasket which was covered under factory recall #t2140, however failed after repair causing extensive damage to engine components due to leakage. *yc | |||
| 09/25/1999 | 1 | ||
| Head is cracked, and the vehicle does not run.the ant-ifreeze and other fluids have leaked out of the vehicle due to the crack in the engine. *ak | |||
| Engine head gasket is cracked, causing oil to leak. cause of defect is unknown. manufacuter has been notified. *ak | |||
| 07/25/1997 | 1 | 10/01/1991 | |
| Multiple problems encountered: (1) cigarette lighter fuse blows constantly. (2) engine has a cracked cylinder which allows coolant into the oil system. (3) starter coil failed. (4) window motor/switch failed. (5) front passenger seat doesn't always lock in place, and allows the seat to slide forward and backward. (6) in cold weather the plastic around the horn contracts and causes the horn to sound continuously until the fuse is removed. (7) front brakes wear quickly during normal operation. (8) alternator failed at 90,000 miles. (9) oil pressure sensor failed at 107,000 miles. (10) spark plugs need to be replaced every 18 months due to a recurring stumbling problem in the engine. one spark plug cannot be removed. (11) the glove compartment has been filled with condensate from the a/c system multiple times, ruining any paperwork and the owners' manual. (12) the screws on both interior door frames have fallen out and must be replaced. | |||
| 09/01/1999 | |||
| There is a leakage coming from the engine head gasket in which the oil is leaking onto the engine. *ak | |||
| 06/10/1999 | 1 | 07/01/1994 | |
| Dealer repaired, then tested engine. engine seized at dealership. | |||
| 03/18/1999 | |||
| Vehicle had a coolant leakage. dealer contacted, and diagnosed problem as a cracked engine cylinder head. vehicle also continuously ran hot. problem still exists. repairwork would be at owners expense, est. $1,000.00. provide further information. | |||
| 03/27/1998 | |||
| Engine cylinder head failed. *ak | |||
| 01/31/1999 | 1 | 01/15/1999 | |
| Cylinder head gasket failed causing the engine to stop after releasing a puff of smoke. | |||
| 12/01/1998 | 1 | 08/01/1992 | |
| Engine head/head gasket defective causing coolant to leak into oil. called gm the told me they have a special policy # 57-61-26 to cover the single cam quad 4 engines because of defect. however my quad 4 engine has a dual cam therefore the problem would not be covered under the policy for free repair even though the failure is the same as the single cam engines. | |||
| 11/01/1998 | 2 | 09/01/1996 | |
| Engine head cracked at 82,000 and was replaced, cracked again at 102,000... | |||
| 12/24/1997 | 2 | 04/01/1996 | |
| I have had 2 times where i have had water in my oil. the first time this happened was in 12/97. i was told that it would cost me $1,800.00 dollars to replace the head gasket and bolts in my vehicle. i replaced the entire motor because it was cheaper to do it this way. it is now 11/98, and i have to replace the head gasket again. i cannot go back on the person who repaired my car, because i took him to court to repair it right, and ended up taking it to someone else. i should not have to replace this again. it is a costly and time consuming job, and i object. i am not the first person to have to do this with a grand am quad 4 engine. they are junk as far as i am concerned and i will never own another gm product. | |||
| 1 | |||
| Cracked engine block caused water to mix with oil resulted in loud noise, smoke from tailpipe and the smell of antifreeze throughtout the car. | |||
| 12/11/1997 | 1 | ||
| Head gasket failed. | |||
| 1 | 07/01/1996 | ||
| Head gasket failed due to defective seals. | |||
| 01/01/1997 | 03/11/1994 | ||
| Engine head gasket failed. *ak | |||
| 05/27/1997 | 1 | 10/12/1996 | |
| Engine block failed, causing gas to mix with oil and vehicle hesitation. | |||
| 01/24/1996 | |||
| The cylinder head gasket cracked, filling cylinder head with coolant, causing engine to seized. tt | |||
| There is a crack in head gasket, leaking anti-freeze. tt | |||
| 02/16/1995 | 6 | ||
| Timing chain broke, cracking cylinder head. *aw | |||
| 07/28/1993 | 8 | ||
| Oil pan gasket leaked oil. | |||
| 07/25/1995 | 1 | ||
| Valve train made noise, replaced timing chain. tt | |||
| 05/17/1995 | 1 | ||
| Replaced timing chain. *ak | |||
| 03/23/1995 | 3 | ||
| Fluid leak from head cover gasket. | |||
| 05/27/1995 | |||
| The head cracked on the engine. tt | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | |||
| 09/15/2001 | |||
| Vehicle stalls at any speed/ any time at least once or twice a week. dealer cannot find cause. *ak | |||
| 03/01/2001 | 1 | 06/01/1992 | |
| We have oil in the cooling system and water in the oil note: this was not due to a crash as indicated in report provided. *ak | |||
| 04/01/2000 | 3 | 01/15/2000 | |
| Water keeps mixing into oil, causing engine to blow. dealer has been contacted.*ak head gasket cracked. the consumer found fifteen complaints over the same problem on the same model vehicle. *yh | |||
| 05/20/1994 | |||
| While driving vehicle will intermittently stall without warning. vehicle hesitates while driving, causing the vehicle to jerk forward. vehicle has been to dealer many times, but they are unable to find the source of the problem. vehicle is now out of warranty and problem still exists. *ak *ml | |||
| 05/02/1996 | 1 | 05/01/1992 | |
| Cracked head, cracked block. seems to be a problem with the quad four engine | |||
| 02/01/1992 | |||
| Car needs new engine, water in oil. *ak | |||
| 06/08/1999 | 1 | 03/01/1995 | |
| Cylinder head cracked at rear of part. coolant leaked on to hot block and crusted over, which made me aware of the problem. i had it repared at my own expense in early 1999 and would like to be reimbursed as i am subsequently aware of a widespread problem with this. | |||
| 07/27/1999 | 05/01/1998 | ||
| When i put on brakes the is a clunking sound in the right rear tire area like something is loose. it sounds almost constantly when i apply my brakes. the car would not start on cold dates. after start and running for a short period of time it stops. i would start back up later. the coolant leaked out continuously. i had a hose replaced but it did not help. i had it put on the computer analysis but nothing showed up. the horn blows continuously when it is very cold. i had to remove the fuse to stop it. the gas filler door would not open automatically when it is cold. i had to pry it open with a screwdriver. the car pud pud along as if it was not getting enough gas. the odometer seems to be inaccurate recording the mileage. i have not been anywhere but in the city and surrounding areas. many times i had to stop the car and start it again for the brake light to go out. although i like the body of the car it has been a disaster for me. now it does not run at all. i seem to have a lemon car and it was like that when i bought it. it should be against the law for anyone to sell a car like this . this car dealer needs to be put in jail. i have ridden my grandchildren around in this unsafe car and i am very upset at this car's condition as it doesnt run at all now. i have just wasted a lot of money buying it and trying to keep in repaired and run. if this car dealer did not know the condition of this car he should loose his license to sell car. he has robbed me of my hard earned money. | |||
| 12/12/1998 | 1 | 02/01/1992 | |
| Head gasket failed; coolant mixed with oil in cylinder #1; dealership remarked this was a known problem in 1992 and gaskets were replaced under the warranty. since that time cracked heads only are replaced at no cost to the customer (where warranty no longer applies). known gasket problem should be addressed; had i driven vehicle longer i could have cracked head; my quick turnaround to fix cost $893. had the head cracked it would be paid in full by pontiac. i feel the head gasket is a component of the heads and should also be covered. | |||
| 12/01/1998 | 1 | 05/01/1995 | |
| No summary provided by consumer | |||
| 1 | 09/01/1996 | ||
| Vehicle caught fire. | |||
| 4 | 02/01/1992 | ||
| Engine stalls. | |||
| 1 | 04/01/1995 | ||
| Engine seal failed. | |||
| 12/01/1994 | 1 | ||
| Engine head gasket failed, causing fluid to leak onto engine. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE - BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | |||
| 04/01/1995 | 1 | ||
| Replaced noisy belts twice. | |||
| 05/17/1995 | 1 | ||
| Replaced tensioner. *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - CATALYTIC CONVERTOR | |||
| 04/22/1995 | 2 | ||
| Catayltic converter emits rotten egg odor. | |||