Consumer Complaints


Fail datemilesoccurencesPurchase date
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
01/17/2006113370501/16/2006
 I had bought a car from a used dealership and there is a lot of things wrong with it that i feel that it shouldn't have even been sold. i feel that it falls under the lemon law act. it has been to the repair shop lots of times and they still haven't fixed it and now they are telling me that they wont fix it and one of the things is that the odometer does not work and i told them that and they won't do nothing to fix the problems with the car. so please get in touch with me so i can find out what to do. the car is still under warranty with the dealership. thank you, jamie hochstetler. *jb
01/03/20011
 The electrical system is faulty causing continual failures of the alternators, batteries and ignition modules which cause the vehicle to stall without warning, the consumer believes this is a design flaw. nlm
111/01/1996
 Direction switch failure. heavy smoke comes from behind the steering wheel.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
08/01/1996
 Information request due to a defective alternator which caused the vehicle to stall unexpectly while driving which may have resulted in an collision. dealer replaced alternator twice. *yc
07/01/1997304/01/1997
 I purchased my 92' grand prix from the origanal owner. since this time ( 4/97 ) i have had nothing but major problems with this vehicle. the fisrt that went wrong a month after it was bought a gasket had to be replaced under the air plenum manifold ( cost $475 ) the car was running on only 5 of 6 cylinders. the next problem i had was the engine. i was on the freeway at normal speed when the car just shut off. there was no power. the engine had blown. what happend here was the idler pulley that keeps tension on the surpentine belt broke off. actually the bolt holding the pulley in place snapped. this caused the piston valves to come out of time and smack together. the engine had to be replaced. being the dealers were charging in excess of $5000 to replace it i had to find others means. a used engine was to replace the original. ( cost $1720 ). two months later the alternator burned up while the car was parked and running at an idle ,cost $550. in november of 1998, the transmission started slipping. i had the fluid and filter changed twice to make sure it was clean. reverse in the transmission was wiped out and had somehow ruptured 2nd gear as well. the transmission was rebuilt, but failed again before i even got the car back. the original transmission was replaced with another ansd was rebuilt. i uderstand that vehicles with higher mileage are subject to malfuction, but i feel this was a bit much.between the cost of the initial repair and the intrest form the loans taken to get the repairs done, i have spent over $6000 in the last 18 months just to keep the vehicle on the road. and now i have another problem with the engine. i am not sure what it is yet because it just started running terribly on 1-23-99. i have not driven it since. i feel that the transmission should be paid for by general motor corporation due to lack of workmanship stated by the recall set in 91. please let me know asap if i can get help my situation.thankyou. *ak
06/29/1995501/01/1992
 Alternator failed five times in five years.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - BATTERY
11/01/2000
 No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
09/01/1999
 1) upon starting the car, smoke emitted from the hazard light switch. 2) as i was accelerating from a stoplight i heard a loud thud and the car jumped, thinking someone had hit me, i kept driving to pull over and noticed that i had no steering. by the time i had stopped i was in oncoming traffic and narrowly missed several cars. the motor had separated rom the a frame. the mechanic said it looked like the manufacturer had forgotten a bolt and the other one got stressed. 3) the brakes fail or are slow at stopping quite often even when pads are replaced. 4) car suddenly accelerates. this has caused many near misses. this happens at any speed and also happens while using cruise control. this happens almost daily.*ak
05/10/1997
 Consumer stated that upon turning the ingition noticed smoke coming from the steering column. consumer contacted the dealer who indicated that it was due to the turn signal which shorted out, causing a fire in the steering column. turn signal was replaced. *ak
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION
03/19/200111/01/2000
 This was the scariest thing i have ever experienced and i later found out that the same thing that happend with my car also happend to someone else that i know. no safety defect.
03/01/199910009/01/1995
 Car has failed to start quite often. *ak
11/02/2000107/11/1992
 While driving in a low speed on parking lot or in slow traffic engine will shut down without prior warning, but never on highway at high speed. dealer could not find out what could be causing the problem.*ak the customer is concerned about safety since the vehicle could not be fixed and the problem continues.
06/21/1999
 Engine was on but vehicle was in park position with key in the ignition, heard a noise and smoke coming from steering column, but it did not start a fire. noise sounded like that of an ignition staying engaged. after repairs, vehicle was driven approximately one and a half miles and parked for three and one half hours. when cranked vehicle made same noise. repair shop refused to tow and said consumer should tow it themselves. key was put in the ignition so that steering wheel could be move the vehicle caught fire. *ak
09/09/1994
 While driving vehicle and making turns or braking, the vehcile just dies. it just stops. *ak
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - MODULE
207/21/2003
 Vehicles runs rough and hesitates due to an ignition module failure. consumer has replaced the ignition module once before, and a couple of months later problem recurred. *ak
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - SWITCH
06/28/2006515233
 The steering column on my 92 pontiac had started to smoke three times since i've owned it. the first time was in 1994. the second was around 1996. the last time was last month. the last time was the worst. each time i shut off the key and it would stop smoking. *jb
06/27/1996
 Turned on ignition smoke came out of steering column behind the wheel. smelled electircal. *ak
10/24/1995302/01/1993
 The ignition switch caused the car to catch fire. tt *slc
12/10/19942
 Loose contacts on ignition switch, causing stalling/smoking. *ak
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - STARTER ASSEMBLY
01/15/2000201/01/1992
 I've had numerous problems with this model (3.4 dual overhead cam engine). most recently was a serious oil leak which resulted in an engine rebuild. the leaks started again and was repaired by a gm dealer. the engine locked and had to be replaced at an estimated cost of $3,500. i'm the original owner of the vehicle. a dealer tried to repair the hood alignment problem on 3 different occasions but never succeded. i've replaced the starter 3 times, the drivers side power window motor twice (2); water pump twice (2) turn signal switch four times (4) and still get smoke from steering wheel; etc. etc
04/01/19961
 Starter malfunctioned. *ak
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING
12/27/19981012/01/1998
 I have also had problem with signal light not working and the smoke coming from the steering column. *ak
06/15/1996
 When attempting to start vehicle, smoke was coming from steering column.*ak
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING - FRONT UNDERHOOD
07/20/200009/01/1992
 Electrcial problems off and on for years. could not find source. my son barely made it out in time on july 20th; the car burned up on interstate 25. *ak
06/15/20004
 Intermittently when the vehicle is turned on there is smoke coming from steering column. dealer has been notified. turn signals no longer work. was originally told by dealer that it was grease inside column. appt scheduled with new dealer. *ak *ml
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING - INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
04/18/2002135000308/05/1999
 Indicator lights on instrument panel light up erratically. read that this was somewhat common in this model. started with check gauges light, then the low gas indicator light and now the service engine soon light. car was tested and no mechanical issues found - issue is electrical or other - not fixed due to cost .*ak
06/23/2002208/01/2092
 Smoke and burning smell came from steering column. this was the second occurrence of this condition in last three years.*ak
07/12/200102/01/2000
 Smoke was discharged on 2 occasions from steering column. contacted pontiac customer information and dealer about problem and they had not heard of the problem. no injury, just panic. *ak
07/28/1996201/03/1996
 Replaced burnt signal light switch. also instrument cluster malfunctioned.
02/01/1992
 Steering column smoke, electrical short, when turn directional light on, console light comes on. tt