Recalls

CampaignManufacturerManufacturing dateType# of units affectedDate Owner notified MfgRecall Initiated byManufacturers of recalled vehicles/productsReport Recieved DateRecord Creation DateRegulation Part NumberFMVSS Number
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
08V118000GENERAL MOTORS CORP.from 03/01/1998 to 07/31/1999V (Vehicle)20754204/28/2008ODIGENERAL MOTORS CORP.03/12/200803/12/2008
Defect SummaryGm is recalling 207,542 my 1997-2003 buick regal and pontiac grand prix vehicles equipped with a 3.8l supercharged v-6 engine. these vehicles have higher front rocker cover gasket temperatures, creating the potential for earlier degradation of the front rocker cover gasket and eventual oil seepage.
Consequence SummaryCertain underhood fires may be caused by drops of engine oil, from seepage or spillage, being deposited on the exhaust manifold through hard braking. if the manifold is hot enough and the oil runs below the heat shield, it may ignite into a small flame and, in some instances, the fire may spread to the plastic spark plug wire channel and beyond.
Corrective SummaryDealers will install a new front (left) rocker cover gasket with an improved design from the original gasket and replace the spark plug wire channel with new retainers. due to parts availability, owner notification letters will be mailed in two phases. the customer letters for the 1997-2000 model year vehicles will be mailed on april 28, 2008. gm will advise as to when the owner letters for the 2001-2003 model year vehicles will be mailed. until sufficient parts become available, gm strongly recommends that owners observe the following important precautions (1) they strongly recommend that owners do not park their vehicle in a garage, car port, or other structure; (2) if owners notice a burning odor, they should have their dealer inspect the vehicle. the dealer will inspect the vehicle without charge; (3) use premium fuel (91 octane or higher) in the vehicle as recommended in the vehicle's owner manual. owners may contact buick at 1-866-608-8080 or pontiac at 1-800-620-7668, or through their website at http://www.gmownercenter.com .
NotesGm recall no. 07035. customers may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov .
09V116000GENERAL MOTORS CORP. V (Vehicle)149751604/09/2009ODIGENERAL MOTORS CORP.04/08/200904/08/2009
Defect SummaryGeneral motors is recalling 1,497,516 my 1997-2003 buick regal, my 1998-2003 chevrolet lumina, monte carlo and impala, my 1998-1999 oldsmobile intrigue, my 1997-2003 pontiac grand prix vehicles equipped with a 3.8l v6 naturally aspirated engine. some of these vehicles have a condition in which drops of engine oil may be deposited on the exhaust manifold through hard braking.
Consequence SummaryIf the manifold is hot enough and the oil runs below the heat shield, it may ignite into a small flame and may spread to the plastic spark plug wire channel and beyond increasing the risk of an engine compartment fire.
Corrective SummaryDealers will remove the spark plug wire retention channel at the front of engine and install two new spark plug wire retainers free of charge. the recall is expected to begin during may 2009. owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537, and pontiac at 1-800-620-7668 or http://www.pontiac.com or http:www.gmownercenter.com.
NotesGm recall no. 09047.owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov .

Bulletins

BulletinBulletin dateReplacement BulletinItem no.SummaryAdded
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM
01060100709/01/2007010601007C619176Engine coolant consumption or coolant leak (inspect for material degradation/replace intake manifolds) *tt updated 11/02/07 *nj05/17/2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE
08-06-04-01904/01/2008080604019A10024787L67 engine oil smell or odor, leak at left or front valve cover (replace valve cover gasket, gromments and spark plug wire retainers for cylinders 1-3-5). *nj updated 7/25/2008 *pe05/20/2008
04060102106/01/200410012148New rear main seal and special tool for installation. *tt02/15/2005
31803180A10010868Dealers may comment on a chuggle, surge, misfire condition. *tt12/15/2004
0153301/01/200410005449Engine start and stall after fueling with no diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs). sit bulletin 1408781. *tt02/27/2004
000604049B12/01/2003000604049A10005145Some vehicles built prior to vin breakpoint 1f136536 may exhibit intermittent malfunction indicator lamp / service engine soon indicator illumination; anti-lock brake system warning light illumination; stall / no start condition; various el02/09/2004
010601002A12/01/200201060100210000782Revised piston pin removal / installation procedure. *tt03/31/2003
010601008A05/01/2002010601008634813Some owners may comment on a repeat engine oil pan leak. *tt10/09/2002
01060100802/01/2001619177Some owners may comment on a repeat engine oil pan leak. *tt05/17/2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE
02060101404/01/2002634708Subject regarding revised lower intake manifold installation. *tt10/07/2002
000605049A03/01/2002000604049631274Subject regarding various driveability symptoms, malfunction indicator lamp illuminates intermittently, diagnostic trouble codes seat, engine will not start. *slc05/21/2002
010601010A06/01/20010106010101620810Subject regarding polymer service pistons. *tt08/30/2001
990604005A04/01/2001990604005619360Some owners may comment on driveability symptons of long or hard starts, chuggle, rough idle and light or intermittent misfire due to clogged fuel injectors. *tt05/24/2001
99060301612/01/1999609725Some vehicles may exhibit a service engine soon / generator light on, engine cranks slowly, will not start or quits. *tt04/07/2000
99060400502/01/1999776304A604343Some owners may experience a driveability symptom of long or hard starts, chuggle, rough idle and light or intermittent misfire. *tt04/26/1999
9805910/01/1998602745Subject on engine misfire - inspect/ replace ignition control module. *yc01/11/1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
311501/01/200410009950Engine intake manifold coolant leak. *sc11/02/2004
04060101706/01/200410008471New upper intake manifold and gasket kits. *tt08/02/2004

Investigations

NHTSA IDManufacturerDate openDate closeSubjectRecall campaign
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
PE07006GENERAL MOTORS CORP.01/29/200706/12/2007ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE
 On january 29, 2007, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened a preliminary evaluation to investigate alleged non-crash fires originating in the engine compartment in certain model year (my) 1999-2002 pontiac grand prix gtp vehicles equipped with the
EA07008GENERAL MOTORS CORP.06/12/200705/01/2008ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE09V116000
 By letter dated march 12, 2008, general motors corp. (gm) has notified the agency that it will conduct a safety recall (identified by nhtsa recall number 08v-118) to address a defect in approximately 207,542 model year (my) 1997-2003 buick regal gs and pontiac grand prix gtp vehicles equipped with the l67 supercharged version of gm's 3800 series ii v6 engine.the recalled regal gs vehicles were built from august 1996 to june 2003 and the grand prix gtp from march 1996 through january 2003.according to gm, oil may escape past the valve cover gasket on the front cylinder bank (cylinders 1-3-5) and deposit onto hot exhaust system components.under certain conditions, it is possible for this oil to ignite a small pilot flame, which may spread to the adjacent plastic spark plug wire channel, the spark plug wires themselves, the plastic engine cover, and other under hood components.reports indicate this most often occurs on higher-mileage vehicles shortly after the vehicle has been driven and then parked.typically, the fire was discovered within 5 to 15 minutes after the vehicle was parked.during this time window, under hood temperatures may become elevated.such elevated temperatures combined with a lack of airflow through the engine compartment may permit a small pilot flame to propagate and ignite other fuel sources.to correct the safety defect, gm will install an improved design front valve cover gasket and spark plug wire retainer.this remedy will be suppliedfree of charge for all recalled vehicles.until sufficient parts become available to repair all of the affected vehicles, gm strongly recommends that owners observe the following important precautions: (1) they strongly recommend that owners do not park their vehicle in a garage, carport, or other structure; (2) if owners notice a burning odor, they should have their dealer inspect the vehicle - the dealer will inspect the vehicle without charge; and (3) use premium fuel (91 octane or higher) in the vehicle as recommended in the vehicle's owner manual.the action taken by gm is sufficient to resolve the issues raised by this investigation.the subject fire incident rate on the c-, g-, and h-platform subject vehicles is low.the agency will continue to monitor this issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.accordingly, this investigation is closed.see document file for additional information regarding this resume.
EA07008GENERAL MOTORS CORP.06/12/200705/01/2008ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE08V118000
 By letter dated march 12, 2008, general motors corp. (gm) has notified the agency that it will conduct a safety recall (identified by nhtsa recall number 08v-118) to address a defect in approximately 207,542 model year (my) 1997-2003 buick regal gs and pontiac grand prix gtp vehicles equipped with the l67 supercharged version of gm's 3800 series ii v6 engine.the recalled regal gs vehicles were built from august 1996 to june 2003 and the grand prix gtp from march 1996 through january 2003.according to gm, oil may escape past the valve cover gasket on the front cylinder bank (cylinders 1-3-5) and deposit onto hot exhaust system components.under certain conditions, it is possible for this oil to ignite a small pilot flame, which may spread to the adjacent plastic spark plug wire channel, the spark plug wires themselves, the plastic engine cover, and other under hood components.reports indicate this most often occurs on higher-mileage vehicles shortly after the vehicle has been driven and then parked.typically, the fire was discovered within 5 to 15 minutes after the vehicle was parked.during this time window, under hood temperatures may become elevated.such elevated temperatures combined with a lack of airflow through the engine compartment may permit a small pilot flame to propagate and ignite other fuel sources.to correct the safety defect, gm will install an improved design front valve cover gasket and spark plug wire retainer.this remedy will be suppliedfree of charge for all recalled vehicles.until sufficient parts become available to repair all of the affected vehicles, gm strongly recommends that owners observe the following important precautions: (1) they strongly recommend that owners do not park their vehicle in a garage, carport, or other structure; (2) if owners notice a burning odor, they should have their dealer inspect the vehicle - the dealer will inspect the vehicle without charge; and (3) use premium fuel (91 octane or higher) in the vehicle as recommended in the vehicle's owner manual.the action taken by gm is sufficient to resolve the issues raised by this investigation.the subject fire incident rate on the c-, g-, and h-platform subject vehicles is low.the agency will continue to monitor this issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.accordingly, this investigation is closed.see document file for additional information regarding this resume.
PE02050GENERAL MOTORS CORP.06/13/200210/22/2002ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
 Alleged engine compartment fire during startup.loud pops or backfires before the fire started

Consumer Complaints

Fail datemilesoccurencesPurchase date
ENGINE
12/28/20121850001
 After owning this vehicle for a very short time, it had some minor body work done and completely repainted. i had new headlights and taillights installed due to the poor condition of the existing lights. the second day i drove the car to work, i returned home, parked it in the attached garage and went inside. in less than 5 minutes, there was a loud pop, and upon investigation the car was found to be smoking from under the hood. we tried using a fire extinguisher, but the engine was flaming by then, so it was useless. luckily, a passerby stopped and was able to pull the burning car from the garage, but not before there was some substantial damage to the interior. the entire front end of the vehicle is completely burned and melted. it is a complete loss which is unfortunate since i only carried liability insurance on it until it was completely finished in the body shop. since this fire, i have been checking on recalls concerning any related problems with this model. i have found several that are similar to this situation. i personally know of three other fire related incidences of 1999 pontiacs. *tr
12/28/2012185000
 After owning this vehicle for a very short time, it had some minor body work done and completely repainted. i had new headlights and taillights installed due to the poor condition of the existing lights. the second day i drove the car to work, i returned home, parked it in the attached garage and went inside. in less than 5 minutes, there was a loud pop, and upon investigation the car was found to be smoking from under the hood. we tried using a fire extinguisher, but the engine was flaming by then, so it was useless. luckily, a passerby stopped and was able to pull the burning car from the garage, but not before there was some substantial damage to the interior. the entire front end of the vehicle is completely burned and melted. it is a complete loss which is unfortunate since i only carried liability insurance on it until it was completely finished in the body shop. since this fire, i have been checking on recalls concerning any related problems with this model. i have found several that are similar to this situation. i personally know of three other fire related incidences of 1999 pontiacs.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
03/21/2012174621
 Car was driven less than 2 miles. parked and when returned 15 minutes later troy ny fire dept had hood up and put out a small fire under engine cover. they said it appeared to be electrical in nature. this car had a recall issued and work completed to correct a engine fire issue on 9/24/2010 at 172,221 miles. i contacted pontiac and they gave me a case # and said they would take a look at the car. a couple of weeks later they sent me out a denial letter stating that nys only requires a 4 year from in service date warranty and that i was well past that timeframe. my concern is that their recall did not remedy the situation and that the work was completed before i even put three thousand miles on the car.
04/09/2012118000
 Tl-the contact owns 1999 pontiac grand prix. while parked, the contact noticed smoke coming from underneath the hood. the contact opened the hood and noticed flames. the contact used water to extinguish the fire. the vehicle was then inspected by an independent mechanic. the mechanic stated that the failure may have been caused by a fuel leak. the vehicle was previously repaired under the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 09v116000 (engine and engine cooling). the contact stated that the failure may be related to the recall repair. the vehicle was not repaired a second time. the approximate failure mileage was 118,000. sm.
04/13/200450000
 The car damaged the plenum three times, this cause multiple missfire until the car wont start; there is corrosion on spark cables, damaged the coils. all power window machinery and/or motors also damaged.
04/09/2012118000
 Tl-the contact owns 1999 pontiac grand prix. while parked, the contact noticed smoke coming from underneath the hood. the contact opened the hood and noticed flames. the contact used water to extinguish the fire. the vehicle was then inspected by an independent mechanic. the mechanic stated that the failure may have been caused by a fuel leak. the vehicle was previously repaired under the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 09v116000 (engine and engine cooling). the contact stated that the failure may be related to the recall repair. the vehicle was not repaired a second time. the approximate failure mileage was 118,000. sm.
04/13/200450000
 The car damaged the plenum three times, this cause multiple missfire until the car wont start; there is corrosion on spark cables, damaged the coils. all power window machinery and/or motors also damaged.
04/09/2012118000
 Tl-the contact owns 1999 pontiac grand prix. while parked, the contact noticed smoke coming from underneath the hood. the contact opened the hood and noticed flames. the contact used water to extinguish the fire. the vehicle was then inspected by an independent mechanic. the mechanic stated that the failure may have been caused by a fuel leak. the vehicle was previously repaired under the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 09v116000 (engine and engine cooling). the contact stated that the failure may be related to the recall repair. the vehicle was not repaired a second time. the approximate failure mileage was 118,000. sm.
04/13/200450000
 The car damaged the plenum three times, this cause multiple missfire until the car wont start; there is corrosion on spark cables, damaged the coils. all power window machinery and/or motors also damaged.
04/09/2012118000
 Tl- the contact owns 1999 pontiac grand prix. while parked the contact noticed smoke coming from underneath the hood. the contact opened the hood and noticed flames. the contact used water to put out the fire. the vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic. the mechanic stated the failure may have been caused by a fuel leak. the vehicle was previously repaired under the recall nhtsa campaign id number: 09v116000 (engine and engine cooling). the contact stated the failure may be related to the recall repair. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 118,000. ds
04/13/200450000
 The car damaged the plenum three times, this cause multiple missfire until the car wont start; there is corrosion on spark cables, damaged the coils. all power window machinery and/or motors also damaged.
04/03/2012100000
 Engine fire, approximately 5 minutes after car was parked. fire company called to extinguish fire
10/24/2011
 Tl* the contact owned a 1999 pontiac grand prix. the contact stated that the vehicle was parked and shut off for a few minutes when it engulfed into flames. the fire department appeared on the scene to extinguish the fire. the vehicle was destroyed and towed to an independent repair shop. the failure was not diagnosed. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure and current mileages were unknown. the vin was unavailable.
10/24/2011
 Tl-the contact owned a 1999 pontiac grand prix. the contact stated that the vehicle was parked and shut off for a few minutes when it engulfed into flames. the fire department appeared on the scene to extinguish the fire. the vehicle was destroyed and towed to an independent repair shop. the failure was not diagnosed. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure and current mileages were unknown. the vin was unavailable. kmj
10/24/2011
 Tl-the contact owned a 1999 pontiac grand prix. the contact stated that the vehicle was parked and shut off for a few minutes when it engulfed into flames. the fire department appeared on the scene to extinguish the fire. the vehicle was destroyed and towed to an independent repair shop. the failure was not diagnosed. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure and current mileages were unknown. the vin was unavailable. sm.
10/15/2011188000
 Vehicle began to run rough. then immediately lost power steering and stalled. the engine died followed by flames from under both sides of the hood. no smoke was seen before the fire began. no lights came on to indicate a problem. in no time, the entire vehicle was engulfed in flames. the car was a total loss.
07/31/2011160000
 On sunday morning july 3, 2011 i drove my wife's 1999 pontiac grand prix 13.57 mile from my home to get some lab work done. afterwards i dove 12.77 mile to the gas station and filled the car up with gas $49.50 to be exact, then drove home 1.80 miles total trip 28.14 miles. i parked the car in front of my home as i always do next to my 1993 cadillac seville. i went into the house to change for church and approximately 10 minutes later my son call out to me saying dad the car is smoking!! i went to the door and i saw the car was smoking and then fire shot out from under the front of the car and engulfed the engine. my wife called 911 and told them that the car was on fire and it has a full tank of gas (my neighbor also called 911). my wife then said to move away from the windows and door just in case the car blows. while moving back we saw the blaze from the grand prix spread over to the seville catching the right side tire on fire. by this time the fire and police were on the site. the grand prix burned from the front hood to the back seats before being contained, and the front windshield was cracked and front right quarter panel on the 1993 seville was burnt badly including the right tire, the turn signal lights and head lights. i'm simply out raged that my insurer will not cover my seville for the damages done by no fault of mine. something needs to be done. i had two perfectly running vehicles until sunday morning and now i'm down two. my insurance company has indicated that they will pay for the grand prix but pull out a clause in my policy saying that damage to property while it is owned by you is not covered!, but if someone else
04/11/2011161813
 Early monday morning got into car as normal to go to work, turned the key to start and immediatly there was a loud thump then smoke started pouring out of hood area, i opened the hood and the engine was engulfed in flames, the noise was so loud it woke my family in which they called the fire department by then i had already ran to my boat to retrieve my fire extinguisher to put the fire out, luckily i had the extinguisher and was able to cancel fire department call and put the fire out by myself, now i am awaiting estimate from mechanic to see if engine can be salvaged or if it is a total loss
11/03/2010131752
 Tl-the contact owns a 1999 pontiac grand prx. the contact was driving approximately 20 mph, approaching a traffic stop signal. when idling the engine rpms increased excessively. also, on a separate occasion the engine stalled and then restarted. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis. the technician was unable to duplicate the failure. the failure continued to occur. the failure mileage was 131,752. js
10/03/2010130000
 Tl-the contact owned a 1999 pontiac grand prix. while the vehicle was parked the vehicle caught on fire. she heard a popping noise and went outside. the fire started from the engine. the contact referenced recall 09v116000, engine and engine cooling and stated she did not receive a recall letter. no police report was filed, but a fire department report was filed. the vehicle was purchased used in 2008. the vehicle was destroyed. the approximate failure mileage was 130,000. vwb
05/01/20091
 1999 pontiac grand prix. attorney sent letter on behalf of consumer stating consumer is seeking property damage for loss of vehicle which caught fire prior to the date that a recall was issued in may 2010. *tgw
07/09/2009170520
 Tl*the contact owns a 1999 pontiac grand prix. the contact stated that the vehicle was parked for five minutes and when he returned, smoke was emitting from the hood. the fire department extinguished the fire and filed a report. the vehicle was totaled. the repairs for recall 09v116000 (engine and engine cooling) were performed ten days before the fire. the current and failure mileages were approximately 170,520.
03/09/2010150000
 Tl*the contact owns a 1999 pontiac grand prix. while driving at speeds of 45 mph, the vehicle began smoking from under the hood. the contact pulled into a local gas station and when opening the hood, found that the engine was on fire. the fire was extinguished by three off-duty firefighters. the contact was not injured. a fire report was not filed. the vehicle was towed to a local repair shop. the manufacture was contacted and the contact was awaiting a response from the manufacture to determine what to do with the vehicle. the contact was unable to confirm if the vehicle was destroyed or was able to be repaired. the cause of the fire was yet to be determined. the failure and current mileages were 150,000.
03/21/20091624831
 1999 pontiac grand prix caught on fire. *dt the consumer stated she never received a recall in the mail. the consumer stated the vehicle was parked when he caught on fire. the consumer stated the vehicle was in excellent condition. the consumer stated there was no police report. *jb
04/07/199980000
 Tl*the contact owns a 1999 pontiac grand prix. the vehicle was parked when it suddenly caught fire from in the engine compartment. the contact referenced recall 08v118000 (engine and engine cooling) which she believed to be directly related to the failure. a police and fire report was filed. the vehicle was totaled. the current and failure mileages were approximately 80,000.
09/24/2009160000
 Tl*the contact owns a 1999 pontiac grand prix. while driving 30 mph she saw smoke under the hood of the vehicle. upon further inspection she noticed an engine compartment fire. the driver extinguished the flames with a water hose. the fire department was not notified. there were no personal injuries. a report was filed with the manufacturer. the vehicle identification number was excluded from recall# 08v118000 (engine and engine cooling). he was in the process of taking the vehicle to the authorized dealer. the failure and current mileages were 160,000.
05/29/2008145000
 Tl*the contact owns a 1999 pontiac grand prix. the vehicle was repaired according to nhtsa campaign id number 09v116000 (engine and engine cooling). several weeks after the repair, the vehicle was idling for two minutes when flames appeared under the hood. the contact had to use buckets of water to extinguish the flames. the manufacturer referred her to a dealer. she is in the process of having the vehicle inspected by a technician. the contact has pictures of the failure. the failure and current mileages were 145,000.
02/02/2008750001
 02/08 car was sitting in drive-way, shut off, when we saw flames coming from the engine . by the time the fire department got there it was gone-it went quick. i had the car for 1 year and never had any trouble . i am still paying for this car as i only had liability. i got the recall a month later. i tried to talk to g.m. several times, but they pretty much told me they were going to do nothing about it. i couldn't afford to get another car my son found me one, he traded a truck he had been building for it. i lost the car and everything in it. this was a very bad economical time for me and i wish i could get a bail-out like g.m. did. this is so unfair! *tr
12/15/20081768001
 My son drove home from school, parked the 1999 pontiac grand prix in our front yard, went inside for a few minutes before coming out again to feed our animals and noticed that smoke was coming from underneath the hood. tried to lift hood, but then noticed small flames and did not continue to open, but went around the house to get a water hose to sprinkle on the car. long story short, the entire front end of the car burned and is a total loss. the fire department came and extinguished the fire as it was far beyond what our home fire extinguisher could handle. the flames and dripping melted plastic ignited the shrubs in my front yard in front of the deck, and if the fire department had not gotten there when they did, my deck and home would have been burned down as well. i have filed a claim with my insurance company, but believe this should never have happened. i have now found a recall #08v118000 which describes what may happen as a consequence of the defect, and it matches very nearly with what actually happened in my yard. gm should be held liable for the replacement of my vehicle, cleanup of my yard, replacement of my hedges, and for scaring (traumatizing) my son, and other members of my family. i am thankful that the car was not being driven when this happened and that no one was injured, but am angry that gm was aware that this could happen and we never received any notification of this through the mail or through the dealership where we purchased this vehicle used in 2005. *tr
10/29/2008145000106/01/2007
 Tl*the contact owns a 1999 pontiac grand prix. the contact parked the vehicle and noticed smoke coming from under the hood. when he lifted the hood flames were shooting up from the top of the motor. the vehicle was able to be driven to the contact's residence. the vehicle is currently parked and has not been driven since the incident. the dealer and manufacturer have not been notified. the failure has not been diagnosed and the vehicle has not been repaired. the current mileage was 145,045 and failure mileage was 145,000. updated 12/4/08 *cn updated 12/05/08. *jb
09/17/20081600001
 The fire started in the engine while my car was parked outside of my office on 09/17/2008. it happened about 10 minutes after i parked it and went into the building. car is totaled... there is only trunk left. *tr
09/01/2007956191
 1999 pontiac grand prix had a defective gasket. consumer received a recall for the gasket after he had the repairs done. he wants to be reimbursed for all cost. *nj the consumer stated prior to the recall, he had problems with oil leakage. in 2007 the consumer had major problems with the engine. he was told the spark plugs and ignition wires were covered in oil and needed to be replaced. the consumer was denied reimbursement. the manufacturer stated the parts he had repaired were not the recalled parts. the mass air flow sensor was also bad and needed to be replaced. *jb
07/31/2008943001
 Catalytic converter had to be replaced, after replacing, could not drive car because temperature gauge went to 260 degrees in 6 or 7 minutes of driving. never had this particular problem or any idea of a problem until a week ago while driving in traffic, car was sluggish and check engine light came on and would not go off. i immediately went home which was a 2 mile drive and parked car. called a gm ase certified mechanic and his computer check read that a misfire of #1 plug. plugs were replaced and then mechanic let engine run since there was white smoke, until there was no indication of smoke at all. then he checked and said to go and have the catalytic converter checked. converter was checked and was told it was clogged and needed replacing. replaced converter, tried driving home approximately 3 miles and car started getting hot temperature and when stopped, was very hard to start, but kept getting up to 260 degrees, which required me to stop and let engine cool and try to get home and parked car. called converter installer and they will check again, but was told to add coolant, but do not drive. dex cool was added, per book specs and started car. started to run, but thick white smoke billowed out and a burning odor was detected. quickly turned car off and will have to call aaa to tow to converter installer shop for another shop. i have also had to replace 3 motors in the driver front window and it is still not going up or down. i have complained to gm about this issue before. oh, i called gm also about the warranty on the converter and i was over the mileage for the 8 year warranty. before this, i have spent over $400.00 to replace gaskets and valves recently on the engine and i cant afford anymore, i am disabled and receiving ssi. is there any remedy? *tr
06/26/200875000
 Tl*the contact owns a 1999 pontiac grand prix. the contact received a recall notice for the cover gasket on the vehicle. he called the dealer and scheduled an appointment to have the defect repaired. he arrived at the dealer, but they did not have the parts available. the contact feels that the vehicle is unsafe to drive under these conditions. the recall number was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 75,000.
06/07/20081790001
 1999 pontiac grand prix gt engine caught fire after being parked 5-15 minutes. car damage - was totaled. discovered on the internet that many others suffered similar destructive non-collision fires and that nhtsa # ea07008 has a recall # 08v118000, but... gm never contacted me. investigation closed one month prior to my fire! it could have been prevented. perhaps nhtsa should enforce its actions. *tr
07/04/2003930001
 Recall on my 1999 grand prix was late, and my complaints to the dealers resulted in nothing but a hassle. fire under hood, i could not figure out why the dealer was no help, i could not afford there rebuilding the engine (there recommendation) the engine still ran but i was not about to allow my family to drive a unsafe car. catch 22 i was there. *tr
05/23/20081
 1999 grand prix gt caught on fire in front of house less than five minutes of arriving home from a ten minute trip. house was also damaged in fire. there is a recall on this car with the super charge, but not the gt model. serious coincidence that this also happened with the gt model as well. pictures available of the car and the house upon request. *tr
04/05/2008140001
 Tl*the contact owns a 1999 pontiac grand prix. the contact received recall notice number 07035 in april of 2008 and had the vehicle repaired within the same month. he paid for the parts for the recall repair due to the safety risk involved. at the time of the repair, the dealer did not have the parts available; therefore, they purchased the parts from an auto part store and repaired the vehicle. the contact is currently seeking reimbursement. the dealer stated that they will not reimburse him because the cost of the repair was not based on the recall. the recall number was unknown. the failure mileage was 14,000. updated 07/07/08. *lj updated 07/07/08
02/20/2008177000
 Tl*the contact owns a 1999 pontiac grand prix. while driving approximately 55 mph, the vehicle began to smoke under the hood and caught fire. the fire department extinguished the fire and stated that there was a defect in the motor. the failure is related to campaign number 08v118000. a fire report and photos are available. there is no police report. there were no injuries. the entire front end and engine were destroyed by the fire. the cost of repairs are $4,000 which includes replacing the engine. there were no prior failures or warning lights illuminated. the current and failure mileages were 177,000.
03/10/2007139827112/19/2006
 I previously owned a 1999 pontiac grand prix. i began to notice an engine odor. i made an appointment to have it checked. before i could have it checked out the vehicle caught fire about 10 minutes after i had parked the vehicle at work. it was a total loss. they could not tell me why it had caught fire. just that it had started under the hood. and they believed it was electrical. i purchased a 2000 grand prix to replace it. i am now smelling the same odor in this car. i saw the recall on tv for the supercharged 3.8l. neither car was supercharged. but i believe it is not only the supercharged models that are having this problem. *tr
08/01/20071
 1999 pontiac grand prix caught fire. consumer stated that while driving on the highway she noticed smoke coming threw the vents. when she pulled over the engine was on fire. *kb possibly related to recall 08v118000. the consumer no longer owns the vehicle. *jb
02/09/200363000109/06/1999
 Tl*the contact owns a 1999 pontiac grand prix. approximately two minutes after the vehicle was parked, the vehicle caught fire at the contact's residence. the fire department arrived and extinguished the fire in twenty minutes. a police report was filed. the contact has pictures of the vehicle. the current mileage was unknown. the failure mileage was 63,000.
01/30/2008108300104/20/1999
 20 minutes after vehicle was parked and turned off, engine caught fire. damage was confined to engine compartment. vehicle was totaled. paint showed more damage on drivers side of vehicle. location or cause of fire unknown. 1999 pontiac grand prix gtp. streamwood il police report number 0801613 phone 630-736-3700 christopher clark fire dept battalion chief 630-736-3655. *tr
01/29/2008151000107/31/2002
 The car had been sitting in my garage for a couple of days. i drove it about five miles to pick up my brother and go play basketball. the temperature outside was in the 30's and i parked the car in an asphalt parking lot. about an hour later, the police came into the gym and told me my car was on fire in the parking lot. when i went out, there were flames coming out from under the hood. by the time the fire department got there, the car had burned all the way back to the trunk. everything inside was melted or burned. it has been months since any work was done on the car except for new tires and an oil change. usually these kinds of fires are electrical. i haven't had any electrical work done on this car in the 6 years that i've owned it. *tr
01/18/200843000109/27/1999
 Tl*the contact owns a 1999 pontiac grand prix. ten minutes after the vehicle was parked, it burst into flames. the insurance company had the vehicle towed and the cause of the fire has not been determined. the fire originated from the driver's side of the vehicle. a fire report was filed. the current and failure mileages were 43,000. updated 02-07-08. *kb
01/07/2008900001
 There was absolutely nothing wrong with my car! i always did regular maintenance. after parking the car, within 5 minutes it caught fire and completely burned the whole front of my car. *tr
11/12/20071
 I parked my car in the parking lot at work, i went into the building and was there maybe 10 minute and received a phone call from the switchboard that my car was on fire. a witness stated that it happened in a matter of seconds. first there was a gust of smoke and then flames starting shooting from under my hood. the fire department said that the was gas spraying everywhere. the fire started in my engine compartment. it damaged my hood, front end of my car and the engine is a complete loss. *tr
06/08/2007121099805/24/2007
 Tl*the contact owns a 1999 pontiac grand prix. while driving 20 mph, the vehicle shut off. the contact stated that the vehicle would overheat and the engine remained running when the air conditioner was activated. the failure hinders the wheels on the vehicle from turning properly while driving. when the vehicle shuts off, it usually takes at least eight hours for it to restart. she stated that the vehicle was also leaking engine coolant. the vehicle has been taken to several mechanics and the radiator has been flushed and the water pump, thermostat, and relay switch have been replaced. the most recent assessment was that the intake gasket was faulty and needed to be replaced. the powertrain was unknown. the current mileage was 128,000 and failure mileage was 121,099.
09/16/2007113110103/22/2007
 I have or should i say had a 1999 grand prix gtp supercharge. well my wife went to the mall on 9/16/07 parked the car and went shopping with 2 of my children when she received a page in the mall to go to the parking lot. when she arrived there she realized that the car was on fire. the fire department had broke out the driver side window to open the hood well they couldn't open it so they used a crow bar to get in. the car engine is now toast thank god my family is ok. *jb
07/29/20071680001
 Tl*the contact owns a 1999 pontiac grand prix. he stated that the front of his vehicle, including the engine caught fire without warning. the current and failure mileages were 168,000. updated 02-01-08 *bf the consumer stated total repair damages were in the amount of $700. updated 02/01/08 *tr
05/30/2007105262108/14/1999
 On may 30th, 2007 i returned home from work at around 3:30 pm eastern. time and parked my 1999 pontiac grand prix gtp in the garage and went in the house. prior to parking and turning off the car it had been driven approximately 25 miles in around 35 minutes. after about 20 minutes my wife and i began to smell smoke and found it coming from the garage. we could see smoke billowing out from under the hood. we tried to put it out with a fire extinguisher, but the fire was too big. my wife called 911 and the fire department had to come and put out the fire. after some research i found nhtsa action number pe07006. there was damage to our garage and smoke damage and some minor physical damage inside. the car was totaled out by the insurance company. *tr
03/24/2006157850102/14/2004
 We left home and drove about 8 miles to meet some relatives for dinner. when we arrived at our destination, there was no smoke, noise or even a smell coming from the car. about 15 minutes later, a man came running into the restaurant yelling somebody's car is on fire! one of the restaurant employees put out the fire. the only damage was to the engine compartment so we did a buy back from our insurance company thinking we would be able to buy some salvage parts to put the car back together. it has been 13 months now and we still have not been able to find all the parts in salvage. my assumption is that there are so many of these fires nationwide that when a salvage yard gets good engine compartment parts for these cars, that they are sold very quickly! *jb
02/20/200792000111/11/2005
 The car had been setting for 10 days or so, when i tried to start it i heard a loud bang and i saw smoke. the intake manifold exploded and caught the engine on fire. my wife called 911 but i got the fire put out before the firemen got here. *jb
10/16/200687000110/16/1999
 On the evening of 10-16-06 my 1999 pontiac grand prix gt caught fire in my garage. the engine had been turned off for about 3 1/2 to 4 minutes before the fire started. there was no indication that there was a problem. no info came on the drivers panel there was no unusual smell or sound from the vehicle.*jb
03/07/2005134000112/10/1998
 My 1999 grand prix gtp engine compartment caught fire after it was parked in my garage for approximately 5-7 minutes. the fire totaled the car, and caused a great deal of damage to the garage. *jb
08/21/200644632112/16/2000
 Dt*: the contact stated while driving 40 mph, there was a clunking noise coming from the engine compartment. a warning light on the dashboard illuminated constantly. there was grey smoke emanating from the engine compartment. the vehicle was taken to a private repair shop, where the engine stalled. the mechanic determined that the upper intake manifold had cracked. the intake manifold casket kit, as well as six spark plugs were replaced. the manifold was also flushed repeatedly to remove sealant that had been in the manifold system prior to the incident. the repairs corrected the problem. updated 10/18/2006 - *nm
01/10/200675000101/09/1999
 Car suddenly started running very poor. skipping, no power. took to dealer and they replaced the plastic intake manifold. cost me $1200. approximately 75,000 miles. in searching the web for others having this problem, i conclude that there is a design problem and gm should stand behind it. i really like this car but i won't buy another gm. *jb
11/29/200567000108/26/2002
 (1) power loss and loss of coolant (2) intake manifold failure, 3 months out of warranty and only 67000 miles. had to have vehicle towed to nearest garage for repair. (3) replaced intake manifold,thermostat, and hoses. flush a fill cooling system. changed oil and filter. *nm
09/15/20041
 When the consumer started up the vehicle, smoke was coming from underneath the hood area. the vehicle caught fire. the consumer was able to get out and called the fire and police department. the fire was extinguished. no injuries. the vehicle was towed and totaled out by the insurance company. please fill in additional information. *jb
06/15/200481000107/01/1999
 Vehicle stalled intermittently. it can occur at any speed while driving or at a stop position. dealer notified. *ak
01/15/2004100000212/29/2000
 My car started out running hot on a regular basis. my repairman asked me to check with the dealership for recalls on the intake manifold and there werent any. now the dealership is planning on charging me over 700.00 for the repair in question. and i dont belive this part is warranted. i'm going to check this out with a lawyer, i read to many complaints on this site.*ak
01/15/2003200
 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
09/15/200372000112/22/2000
 In september 2003, intake plenium failed causing vehicle not to run; there is no preventative maintenance to keep this situation from happening; i was informed that since a pontiac dealership did not inspect/repair the damage they would not be able to assist in this situation even though during my initial telelphone conversation with pontiac they could not even give me any idea of the potential for this to be covered; (fyi the mechanic who did the repairs is ace certified) the dealership has indicated they are keeping these parts in stock because they are doing about 5 of these types of repairs per week (that's one dealership in one county in one state) when an appeal letter was sent to pontiac, it was routed to the same customer service representative who all but stated there was nothing going to be done; i was informed that i should expect problems with my vehicle because it has what some consider high mileage; most recently on april 7, 2004 i was driving on the interstate, my engine blew up--the vehicle has 82k miles if pontiac vehicles are only good for 70k miles, pontiac should disclose this fact so that i can make an informed decision before i purchase if the intake plenium assembly is being kept in stock at a dealership, there is a true issue. dealerships generally only keep parts that are going to be used regularly normally dealerships do not want to keep the higher priced/not so commonly used parts in stock simply because they don't want expensive overhead nor have a large are for storing unused parts. this tells me this is a common problem which needs immediate attention. is gm doing this for the sole purpose of getting people to buy parts or even a new vehicle from them? if the dealership and even pontiac won't say they are going to pay for the repairs and know there is an issue that should be investigated, it seems that gm/pontia are knowingly keeping information from consumers which could potentially be deadly.
02/26/20042
 While driving vehicle stalled. consumer tried to restart the vehicle and engine check light appeared on the dashboard and remained until the vehicle was turned off. consumer had the vehicle towed to dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that engine needed to be replaced due to gasket blowing out. *ak
08/08/20030201/08/2001
 Cooling system.. intake manifold gasket leak. it was going on for over a year and a half and pepboys did nothing but change the thermostat and then it would happen again. then one day they decided that the gasket was leaking and wanted to charge me $600.00 to fix. *jb
108/01/1999
 Fire in engine compartment. *mr the vehicle caught fire while driving during a regular commute. *scc
02/15/20031
 Coolant leaked onto the engine and mixed with the oil, also consumer heard a screeching noise coming from belts under the hood. the were belts replaced, however the noise was still there.*jb
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM
01/01/199911
 Car over heats in stalled traffic. i have reviewed the overheating and car fire complaints in the defects data base and believe the main problem has not been identified: 'the computer will not call for full fan power' unless the a/c iis running.. driving the car with the windows down on a warm day in stalled traffic, will raise the engine temperature as the cooling fans are both running in slow speed and will not go to the high cool mode. but, turning the a/c on will speed up the fans to high and cool the engine. the computer should recognize the need for additional cooling with out the a/c having to be turned on. the increased engine heat due to this 'cooling system logic failure' will contribute to the oil leaks and engine fires that have already been reported to this agency. my vehicle, the radiator, fans, relays are all working as designed, and there are no diagnostic codes. thus i am advising that this is a defect in logic with regard to controlling the high speed function of the radiator cooling fans. having installed a new radiator recently and resealed the valve cover pans, i remain convinced that the problem is with the 'cooling circuit logic. *tr
03/07/20091250001
 My 1999 grand prix gtp when it get a little hot shut off with no warning. *tr
08/02/2008943701
 I brought the car brand new . i had no problems with my car except my check engine light came on. i had an ase certified mechanic check the car. he checked over my car and everything was fine. he used a computer. and the code came back clogged catalytic converter. i called gm twice and they said that my car was not under a recall i saw. i never got a recall letter. another mechanic used a computer and laser light and it came back again clogged catalytic converter. the catalytic converter was replaced. after that i went to a gas station and got gas. started my car up and it didn't want to start. after 3 times it started. then i noticed that the temperature shot to 260 degrees. engine overheated for the first time since i had the car. i parked the car in a grocery store parking lot and let the engine cool for about 2 hours before driving home. in less then 1 mile the engine overheated again. finally made it to the house. pulled into garage. then black smoke started coming from under the hood. i turned the car off and it really started smoking and popping. i got scared and put the car in neutral and let the car roll out the garage. black smoke was coming from under the hood and i turned the car off. it was popping, cracking and smoking. it took a while for the smoke to clear. the next day an ase certified mechanic came by the house and checked the car and said the engine burned and was seized. my engine never overheated before this. *tr
05/07/200550000206/10/2000
 The intake on my car has cracked and been replaced twice in two years. the cause is still uknown.
09/12/2003760001
 1999 grand prix was leaking antifreeze into the motor. a known faulty design. the 2000 and 2001 models all have recalls for the same design/problem. called the manufacturer and this model was not covered by the recall. *la
07/31/200385000201/25/2001
 Engine/cooling system anti-freeze dex-cool leaks into the engine and i have had to replace the heads on the engine twice costing me over 2,000 and consumer reports on channel 3 reported that over time the anti-freeze that only newer gm models use is bad for the engine eventually wearing down the parts in the engine.i would like full reimbursement for the cost of repairs and if possible to change the car over to the regular green anti-freeze car makers have been using for years.*ak
08/01/2003980001
 Consumer stated that a recall letter came for a 2000 grand prix that was leaking anti freeze in to the motor. consumer owned a 1999 grand prix that was doing the exact same thing, but manufacturer indicated that consumer's vehicle was not covered by the recall.*ak
04/30/2003
 The engine ran hot and caused the starter and other items underneath the vehicle to fail. *nlm
09/04/2001
 Vehicle was hesitating and sluggish. dealer advised consumer not to drive vehicle. dealer found coolant leaking in engine.*ak
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
08/16/200465000110/31/1998
 There was a leak of radiator fluid into the pistons. it was discovered that the plastic line in the engine was defective, and then was replaced.*ak *tc
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE
12/08/201098000
 This is ;the same car as on this report filed earlier and i am the same complainant and still have not gotten any relief. had upper manifold plenum and gasket replaced, along with new plugs and wires. car ran ok for approx. 6 months and had problems again. took car to a mechanic and was told that the same problem would happen again, as the so-called better plastic plenums and gaskets dissolves again. car started running rough, replaced plug wires per mechanic, which would take roughness away. drove about 1 week and no good results. finally took car to another mechanic and found out that the upper intake manifold was not the problem as previous gm mechanic stated, but the lower maniflold and gaskets were the problem and should have been checked, this problem caused the engine to take in air and water, the plug were burned off as if eaten away by acid and water was escaping through the engine valves. i was shown the damaged plugs and the disintegrated gasket and warped maniflold cover. now my engine is gone because not only are the head gasket blown, but the engine has a cracked block due to the heat. i will hopefully never buy another gm auto. that is why people support the foreign car markets. they seem to make better autos, even the recalled ones. i have to replace at my own engine, if i do, at my own cost, due to their faulty and inferior materials. this is clearly a rip-off and unfair to the american consumers. this car was bought new in 12/1999 with 26 miles on it and has been upkept inside and outside and currently have only 98,000 miles on the damaged engine. now i have the same problem, only worse. i have also replace the motor driver front window 2 times and also other components on the same window and it still does not work so it is up position permanantly. if it goes down, the door have to be taken apart to get it back up.
10/21/20091770001
 On 10/21/2009 as i was on my way home from picking my son up from school, my 1999 pontiac grand prix gt caught on fire. i was driving down the road the check engine light came on the car started to hesitate like a spark plug had fouled out and the smoke started coming through the vents inside the car and the car cut off. i coasted the car off the road into a mans yard just in time for us to get out when flames became visible. we grabbed our things and ran, i called 911 and some man stopped and got the hood raised he had a fire extinguisher but it wasn't doing much good. the fire department arrived put the fire out and i explained to them that the car was in great shape and we had had no problems with it before that i had smelled something that smelled like burning oil and my husband was going to look at it when he got home from work because he is a mechanic but i had not ever had any issues like this before. a couple of days later i saw my neighbor and saw the car he asked what had happened and i explained and he asked if there had been any recalls on the car and i told him i had not received any notices. that is when i checked for recalls and sure enough there was a recall for fires in the engine compartment. well i called gm and they were shocked that my car had caught on fire. they had me contact a department called the esis department they told me the time barred from a claim with general motors and there was nothing that could be done. so i have gone from having a perfectly good car to not having a car at all. i did however receive a recall notice from gm on feb 5, 2010. alot of good that did me seeing that my car is totally ruined. oh yes and the woman i spoke to at gm esis departments name was debbie roach. so if anyone knows how i can get help with this please post something. *tr
12/19/2009150000
 Tl* the contact owns a 1999 pontiac grand prix gt purchased in 2001. while parked in a store parking lot, the vehicle began smoking under the hood. the entire front end of the vehicle caught on fire . the fire department extinguished the fire. however the flames resurfaced. the vehicle was completely destroyed. a police and fire report was filed. prior to the fire, she received a recall letter pertaining to the failure and notified the closest dealer which stated the part needed for the recall repair was not yet available. she was put on a waiting list because they could not make an appointment for her at that time. the current and failure mileages were under 150,000.
09/23/20091
 I purchased this vehicle used about three months ago and last week my daughter was driving the car when it overheated and damaged my entire motor i took it to a auto place to have it looked at and they informed me that the car overheated causing the motor to lock up. this was due to the recall that every number i called that had the recall number 09047. which is a engine and engine cooling. *tr
08/01/2009688001
 Two manifold gasket failures on 1999 pontiac grand prix. car has less than 70,000 miles on it. first gasket replaced while still under factory warranty. took vehicle in for oil change and decreased fuel efficiency. i was notified that gasket was failing again. gasket apparently not able to last 5 years even under very low mileage. *tr
03/13/2009122000
 Tl*the contact owns a 1999 pontiac grand prix purchased in 2007. twenty minutes after the vehicle was parked it caught fire. there was heavy black smoke under the hood of the vehicle. after opening the hood, the vehicle was engulfed in flames. the fire department was able to extinguish the fire. the harness', alternators, battery and other components under the hood were completely melted. nhtsa campaign id number 09v116000 was initiated after the fire occurred which indicated that the fire could occur. the manufacturer stated they were not going to reimburse him for the damages since they were filing for bankruptcy. the vehicle was destroyed. the failure and current mileages were approximately 122,000.
03/01/20091272541
 I experienced an engine compartment fire in my 1999 grand prix gt. *tr
01/20/2005200000
 Tl*the contact owns a 1999 pontiac grand prix. while the vehicle was parked in the contact's driveway, he noticed smoke and flames under the hood. the fire department extinguished the fire and stated that the wiring harness in the engine caused the failure. a police report was filed. the incident was reported to the manufacturer and they collected all of the information from the contact. there were no injuries. the failure mileage was 200,000.
05/11/2009143500
 Tl*the contact owns a 1999 pontiac grand prix. the contact stated that oil was leaking onto the exhaust manifold on his vehicle. the failure was caused by a faulty gasket and cover. the dealer will repair the vehicle according to nhtsa campaign id number 09v116000 and gm recall number 90047 (engine and engine cooling: engine); however, the contact stated that the vehicle would still catch fire. the failure mileage was 143,500.
02/17/20091310001
 I received a safety recall #09047 from gm yesterday on my 1999 pontiac grand prix gt. i thought you might be interested to know that my car already caught fire on february 17 this year and the insurance company deemed it a complete loss. in addition, it caused nearly $7000 in damage to my home which was limited only by the fact that i was home and saw the fire early enough to begin containing it until the fire dept. arrived. i thought you might want to add my car to the list of defective vehicles already destroyed by this problem. *tr
08/02/2008943701
 I brought the car brand new . i had no problems with my car except my check engine light came on. i had an ase certified mechanic check the car. he checked over my car and everything was fine. he used a computer. and the code came back clogged catalytic converter. i called gm twice and they said that my car was not under a recall i saw. i never got a recall letter. another mechanic used a computer and laser light and it came back again clogged catalytic converter. the catalytic converter was replaced. after that i went to a gas station and got gas. started my car up and it didn't want to start. after 3 times it started. then i noticed that the temperature shot to 260 degrees. engine overheated for the first time since i had the car. i parked the car in a grocery store parking lot and let the engine cool for about 2 hours before driving home. in less then 1 mile the engine overheated again. finally made it to the house. pulled into garage. then black smoke started coming from under the hood. i turned the car off and it really started smoking and popping. i got scared and put the car in neutral and let the car roll out the garage. black smoke was coming from under the hood and i turned the car off. it was popping, cracking and smoking. it took a while for the smoke to clear. the next day an ase certified mechanic came by the house and checked the car and said the engine burned and was seized. my engine never overheated before this. *tr
02/19/20081820001
 I owned a c1999 pontiac grand prix gt 2 door model, and one day the engine caught on fire. i see on here that it a recall on the grand prix for engine fires. how do i go about getting my car fix or replaced. *tr
04/16/200880000406/15/2003
 I have a 99 pontiac grand prix gtp that has leaks in both valve cover gaskets and the lower and upper intake gaskets. i understand that their has been a recall on the valve covers because they were causing fires from oil leaking on the manifold from hard breaking. i also understand that there has been a safety notice issued for the upper intake leaking around the turbo charger. this has been going on for several years with this car. i have taken it to many mechanics whom say that i should wait until the complete recall has been issued. this car has had maintenance work performed by my husband who has been a mechanic for 45 years. he no longer works on vehicles but still has the knowledge of a mechanic. i would like for this recall to be issued so my car can be driven. i'm having to depend on one vehicle which puts a strain on my everyday life. *tr
12/16/2007114500111/01/1998
 Driving on us 85 north at mile marker 82 in nc at 6:00 pm. engine starts misfiring then within a few seconds racing and loss of brake power. pull over to shoulder immediately and turn off car. open hood and smoke coming from under engine cover and embers visible. car towed for 96 miles to auto pro-to-call in chapel hill, nc. the following morning (12/17/2007) technician removed cover and found that there had been a fire under the cover with very extensive damage. *tr
10/31/2007139000101/28/2006
 Tl*the contact owns a 1999 pontiac grand prix gt 3800. the vehicle had been parked for ten minutes when the contact noticed the fire department extinguishing a fire in his vehicle. the fire department smashed the front driver side window, opened the hood latch, and hosed down the vehicle. the vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. the fire was confined to the engine compartment. the fire damaged the upper portion of the engine, wiring and cables, fuse box, and belts. the front passenger side on the hood had an 8- inch burn mark. the purchase date was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 139,000. updated 01/11/08. *lj the consumer was informed the problem may have been with the fuel pressure regulator. updated *jb
11/26/2005130000105/19/2003
 I owned a 1999 pontiac grand prix gtp and i was driving approx. 80mph down a interstate and shortly after i exited the interstate and parked my vehicle, approx. 5 - 10 minitues, my vehicle was on fire underhood the only. the vehicle had regular maintance done on it and was very well maintainted. *jb
09/09/20061601591
 I have a 1999 pontiac grand prix gtp super charged v6 that caught fire on saturday, september 9th, 2006. after driving back to work on a saturday evening, i parked the car just outside our entrance. my fiance and i sat down to eat dinner near the entrance, and within 10 minutes noticed a fog drifting by the entrance doors. when we took a closer look at the white fog, we realized it was smoke and called the ann arbor fire department. the fire department said they we're on the way. after hanging up the phone, a burst of flames exited out the front wheel well. i immediately grabbed a dry-chem fire extinguisher and ran outside to spray under the wheel well. it pushed the flames back, but the flames returned almost instantly even stronger. i sprayed another fire extinguisher, but it had little effect. at that point i decided to get away from the vehicle and wait for the fire department. the first to arrive was a police officer who stood by as we waited for the firefighters. while waiting, the hood popped the latch from the pressure build-up. once the fire truck arrived, the firefighters used an axe to open the hood, and two other firefighters stood over the flames with the hose to extinguish the fire. after they were finished, the fire inspector took a look at the engine to determine the origin of the fire and took a few pictures. much of the front end of the car melted, and the black melted plastic was cleaned up by a tow truck driver. thankfully, i still have the car intact and parked in the back lot behind my family's retail store in ann arbor, mi. i would be more than happy to offer my car to whomever is heading up this investigation or even representatives from gm as it appears to be the exact same situation as the other gtp owner's complaints. the car has been untouched, except for duct taping the bumper back on so it doesn't look bad behind our store. please feel free to contact me at your earliest convenience. *jb
06/15/200455000109/15/1999
 1999 pontiac grand prix gtp destroyed by engine fire 10 minutes after it was parked. *nm
10/16/199987000103/25/1999
 I was the owner of a 1999 pontiac grand prix gt. on the evening of 10-16-06 after parking the car in my garage it caught fire about 4 minutes after turning the ignition off. the fire started under the hood. the car was totaled as a result. i was the original owner of the vehicle. this vehicle was only maintained by certified gm dealerships. on that evening no there was no indication that there was a problem. no unusual lights on the driver control panel or unusual smells. i am sending this again because after reviewing the info that was originally given the year of the car is a 1999 not 1996. sorry for the error. *jb
01/30/200699000111/28/2005
 Had 1999 grand prix for seven months already had problems with drivers window not winding down. a part of the passenger door panel started to come off. now drivers seat belt won't latch, and is currently in the shop for broken valve spring and damage to the head gasket as a result from the broken valve spring. car only had 1 other owner and was running perfect also had perfect service records. *nm
07/04/200593500102/14/1999
 Dt: 1999 pontiac grand prix the intake was defective and locked the up the engine. the consumer spoke with the dealership, they have several complaints but no recalls as of now. where the water comes in, the plastic housing intake is cracking and deteriorating and water entered the cylinders which caused the engine to lock up. the consumers wife was driving when this happened. the vehicle had to be towed and the mechanic could not turn the crank with a pipe wrench. *jb
01/13/2001880002501/16/2000
 Leaks ant freeze into the block said it was the upper and lower intake gaskets. need a recall on that. *jb
05/21/200380104202/01/2002
 Vehicle's intake manifold cracked and engine coolant leaked into the engine. *mr the upper intake manifold cracked and coolant leaked into the cylinders and seized the bearings. on another occasion the vehicle overheated. the consumer was told that the engine was damaged beyond repair. *sc *jb
01/12/200496000608/17/2002
 While driving the engine check light came on as vehicle started to accelerate and then sputter and misfire, almost causing a multiple car accident. vehicle would not restart. after towing the car to the dealer(close to closing time), they determined that the problem was that the engine hydro-static locked and they needed to investigate why it happened. as an uncanny coincidence, another grand prix similar to mine(down to the same color car and towing company) was there for the same reason. the next morning the dealer stated they could fix it for around $1,200, but not stating why it happened or what caused the engine to lock up and that they were working on it right then. after none of my questions were getting answered i stormed into where my car was(in the back lot... parked!!!!), while i called a tow company, and demanded my keys back. a mechanic that supposedly looked at my car stated that the intake manifold was the problem causing the engine to hydro-static lock and that my starter shattered upon restart testing. after leaving without repairs and towing my car to my residence, i looked under the hood and discovered that my car wasn't even touched...no bolts loosened or dust wiped off of them, the brittle wire holders and clips weren't disturbed...there was no way to find a fault like that without taking the intake manifold off. i finally fixed the problem myself by replacing the plastic intake manifold and gasket and starter(no problems since then, watching it closely and kept the old intake manifold and gasket). squealing sounds started coming from under the hood (belt tensioner area) so i replaced the serpentine belt(squealing continued though). i found the that belt tensioner bolt that holds in the pulley was working itself out...not a good thing. the power windows and locks went out about 5 different times on the drivers side, and the radio display goes crazy and/or blanks out at times. *jb
01/13/2004211/29/2001
 Multiple repair problems--air plate was repaired--new engine installed after having only 54,000 miles with regular oil changes--electrical problem with radio display--now back passenger tire/possible axle, strut; sounds like back tire is about to fall off upon hitting bumps in the road/driveways or turning. i have not had this checked out-am now unable to drive vehicle . *ak
11/01/200357400107/25/2003
 Faulty intake and/or intake gasket caused anti-freeze to leak into the engine resulting in engine failure. repair bill was $1600. gm has issued recalls on 2000 and 2001 pontiac grand prix models with the same issue, but will not admit to same problem with 1999 model. *la
05/28/2002662463
 The intake manifold was replaced a year ago and may have caused damage to the engine. *ak the rod bearings failed. the heat gauge was noticed warmer than usual and eventually overheated and shut off. gm dealers agreed the cause was due to the failed plentum. *scc *jb
04/15/2003102/08/2001
 The intake manifold cracked while driving. *ak *ts *jb
06/20/20033
 Dealer replaced the engine on september 2002. vehicle was driven for two weeks again, engine was replaced. on january 2003, engine was replaced for the third time. consumer stated the engine needed to be replace again. *ak
03/12/20031
 The vehicle stalled without warning, which caused the consumer to pull over abruptly. *jb
04/08/200369048108/16/2001
 Faulty plastic intake manifold/ gasket on a pontiac grand prix (1999) caused coolant leakage into oil and cylinders. caused my car to quit on a busy highway (almost caused accident) *jb
04/18/200003/01/1999
 Both engine valve covers leak. oil seepage has reached the bottom of the engine block at 22000 miles.*ak
05/08/1999
 While accelerating from parked position, engine died and the abs brake light come on. vehicle was taken to the dealer, and problem was not found. vehicle still experiencing the same proplem. *ak
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE
03/12/20081
 I drive a 2002 toyota camry. my car was parked next to a 1999 pontiac grand prix. the grand prix caught on fire under the hood spreading to my car. my car and the grand prix total loss. reading on the internet seems this is a problem with the pontiac grand prix. wondering why this problem not addressed by pontiac. i know they take no credit but seems to be a recurring problem. *tr
12/27/2007125000104/16/2007
 Wife and 3 children stopped at light and engine in 1999 pontiac grand prix gtp burst into flames. car was bought 7 months ago and was state inspected and well maintained till the fire. car did not leak any fluids and the engine and engine compartment was spotless of any oil or debris. the east windsor police and fire dept. responded and the case number is 07-16572. *tr
09/25/200479500106/11/2002
 Driving down interstate for approx 100 miles, engine temperature suddenly overheated. son and wife immediately pulled over and shut motor off. they waited approx 30 minutes for engine to cool off. they tried to restart the engine, but it didn't sound right so they stopped. had vehicle towed to the dealer in springfield, vt for repair. informed on monday that engine intake manifold cracked causing loss of coolant. car had approx 79500 miles on it. vin # is 1g2wj52k0xf246495 .*ak
12/08/200341000106/15/2002
 Lower intake manifold gasket cracked resulting in coolant leak into engine. repair cost over $700. car only has 40,000 miles. mechanic stated that this is a known defect in this engine and doesn't understand why gm has not issued a recall. *ak
06/18/200268150101/22/2000
 Cracked intake manifold...blown head gasket.
07/10/200225
 Engine suddenly misses and sometimes dies while moving and at the same time, the tachometer quits and the 'traction control off' switch-light comes on. the engine sometimes restarts immediately and/or the engine smooths out, but the tachometer remains inoperative and the traction control off light stays lit. stopping and restarting the engine resets the tach and indicator light. sometimes when the engine does die, it will not restart for several minutes and there have been instances of being stranded on the expressway.*ak
06/02/20024
 Vehicle would stall out while driving at multiple speed. vehicle been to dealer on four occasions, and dealer was unable to duplicate the problem. feel free to provide any further information.*ak
05/27/2002
 While driving under 30mph engine check light came on as vehicle started to accelerate. engine started to sputter and misfire, causing consumer to take vehicle back home. vehicle would not restart due to engine locking up, and causing starter to completely fail. dealer determined that intake manifold cracked. please provide more information.*ak
01/02/20021010/01/1998
 Engine stalls when pulling out in traffic, usually turning left or right to pull into a lane of traffic. after pulling to a stop the engine restarts quickly. no engine trouble lights are set. this has has happened several times (approximately 10) and is very dangerous (pulling into traffic and having the car stall just as you start). after noting that there have been many complaints under engine or electrical on you web site, for the same problem, i feel this issue needs to be address before someone is killed or injured. for me, i am considering selling the car. *ak
08/16/2001
 Intermittently vehicle wiould stall out and die without warring at various speeds. dealer has inspected vehicle, and could not duplicate or correct problem. please provide further information.*ak
06/01/20013
 When driving vehicle at various speeds, it would stall out in the middle of traffic. vehcle can be restarted after being shut down for awhile. has happened 3 different times. had taken to dealership and mechanic test drove vehcle, but it did not stall. problem was intermittent. *ak
2008/01/1999
 Engine will stall, especially when pulling out in traffic. it usually happen when accelerating after coming to a stop (between 0-15 mph) and makes the car extremely unsafe to drive. the car will restart and no lights come on, therefore the dealer cannot find where any codes have been set in the engine. i have had the car to the dealer numerous times, and they cannot recreate or diagnose the problem. i have also opened a file with pontiac. this problem is a danger to everyone on the road, especially grand prix drivers. when will this problem be investigated and what will it take for a fix to be implemented? as it stands now, the car is unsafe to drive, and the dealership cannot offer an explanation. *ak
07/01/1999
 Car stalls on accel,transmission shifts hard in to 2nd gear
01/11/20001
 Engine is surging in overdrive between 50 and 60 mph, unable to determine cause. *mjs
10/24/1999706/01/1999
 Engine dies when pulling out on oncoming traffic
09/19/1999
 Ongoing problem with vehicle stalling from a stop position. whenever vehicle came to a stop and driver pressed on the accelerator pedal vehicle would stall. dealer notified on two occasions, and vehicle still in repair shop. problem is still unresolved. vehicle now returned to dealer four times; problem still not resolved. can nhtsa provide information on this matter. *ak
05/10/1999711/01/1998
 Engine dies without warning at various speeds. taken to dealer several times, but problem still exists.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE - TURBO-CHARGER
04/16/200880000406/15/2003
 I have a 99 pontiac grand prix gtp that has leaks in both valve cover gaskets and the lower and upper intake gaskets. i understand that their has been a recall on the valve covers because they were causing fires from oil leaking on the manifold from hard breaking. i also understand that there has been a safety notice issued for the upper intake leaking around the turbo charger. this has been going on for several years with this car. i have taken it to many mechanics whom say that i should wait until the complete recall has been issued. this car has had maintenance work performed by my husband who has been a mechanic for 45 years. he no longer works on vehicles but still has the knowledge of a mechanic. i would like for this recall to be issued so my car can be driven. i'm having to depend on one vehicle which puts a strain on my everyday life. *tr
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM
10/21/20091770001
 On 10/21/2009 as i was on my way home from picking my son up from school, my 1999 pontiac grand prix gt caught on fire. i was driving down the road the check engine light came on the car started to hesitate like a spark plug had fouled out and the smoke started coming through the vents inside the car and the car cut off. i coasted the car off the road into a mans yard just in time for us to get out when flames became visible. we grabbed our things and ran, i called 911 and some man stopped and got the hood raised he had a fire extinguisher but it wasn't doing much good. the fire department arrived put the fire out and i explained to them that the car was in great shape and we had had no problems with it before that i had smelled something that smelled like burning oil and my husband was going to look at it when he got home from work because he is a mechanic but i had not ever had any issues like this before. a couple of days later i saw my neighbor and saw the car he asked what had happened and i explained and he asked if there had been any recalls on the car and i told him i had not received any notices. that is when i checked for recalls and sure enough there was a recall for fires in the engine compartment. well i called gm and they were shocked that my car had caught on fire. they had me contact a department called the esis department they told me the time barred from a claim with general motors and there was nothing that could be done. so i have gone from having a perfectly good car to not having a car at all. i did however receive a recall notice from gm on feb 5, 2010. alot of good that did me seeing that my car is totally ruined. oh yes and the woman i spoke to at gm esis departments name was debbie roach. so if anyone knows how i can get help with this please post something. *tr
10/08/2009550001
 When i turned the ignition key to start my vehicle there was an explosion and fire in the engine compartment, shattering the plenum, breaking the guard cover and disabling the electrical system. *tr
02/24/20041240001
 Car was totaled due to engine fire caused by oil hitting exhaust. the car burned completely. it caught fire while driving and burned in my driveway. *tr
08/25/2008941071
 1999 pontiac grand prix had engine compartment fire recall work completed 8-14-08 . caught fire and burned engine compartment while setting in driveway after 10min drive on 8-25-08. *tr
07/31/2008943001
 Catalytic converter had to be replaced, after replacing, could not drive car because temperature gauge went to 260 degrees in 6 or 7 minutes of driving. never had this particular problem or any idea of a problem until a week ago while driving in traffic, car was sluggish and check engine light came on and would not go off. i immediately went home which was a 2 mile drive and parked car. called a gm ase certified mechanic and his computer check read that a misfire of #1 plug. plugs were replaced and then mechanic let engine run since there was white smoke, until there was no indication of smoke at all. then he checked and said to go and have the catalytic converter checked. converter was checked and was told it was clogged and needed replacing. replaced converter, tried driving home approximately 3 miles and car started getting hot temperature and when stopped, was very hard to start, but kept getting up to 260 degrees, which required me to stop and let engine cool and try to get home and parked car. called converter installer and they will check again, but was told to add coolant, but do not drive. dex cool was added, per book specs and started car. started to run, but thick white smoke billowed out and a burning odor was detected. quickly turned car off and will have to call aaa to tow to converter installer shop for another shop. i have also had to replace 3 motors in the driver front window and it is still not going up or down. i have complained to gm about this issue before. oh, i called gm also about the warranty on the converter and i was over the mileage for the 8 year warranty. before this, i have spent over $400.00 to replace gaskets and valves recently on the engine and i cant afford anymore, i am disabled and receiving ssi. is there any remedy? *tr
07/03/20081799851
 Our insured, john vermeulin's 1999 pontiac grand prix caught on fire. *tr
07/24/20031
 Upper intake manifold starts to rot out in coolent passage. this will be a real problem for gm all of the ones that i found in junk yard had or were about to have this problem. *ak
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL
09/01/2007956191
 1999 pontiac grand prix had a defective gasket. consumer received a recall for the gasket after he had the repairs done. he wants to be reimbursed for all cost. *nj the consumer stated prior to the recall, he had problems with oil leakage. in 2007 the consumer had major problems with the engine. he was told the spark plugs and ignition wires were covered in oil and needed to be replaced. the consumer was denied reimbursement. the manufacturer stated the parts he had repaired were not the recalled parts. the mass air flow sensor was also bad and needed to be replaced. *jb
12/27/2002578160
 1999 pontiac grand prix gt, engine locked up after 57,816 miles due to defective upper plenum made of inferior material, therefore causing the water, gas, and oil to mix locking down the engine. giving the same symtoms as a blown head gasket.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE)
01/18/2008917884509/01/2003
 Tl*the contact owns a 1999 pontiac grand prix. the contact smelled something burning every time she started the vehicle. when the vehicle was turned off, she noticed smoke underneath the hood. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and the mechanic stated that both intake valve cover gaskets were leaking and that the vehicle did not have a surcharge engine. pontiac stated that they would not pay for the repairs. the vin, purchase date, and powertrain were unknown. the current mileage was 91,801 and failure mileage was 91,788. updated 4/7/08 *cn updated 04/07/08 *tr
11/02/2007108000209/01/2006
 Tl*the contact owns a 1999 pontiac grand prix. the oil valve cover leaked and caused the spark plugs to catch fire. the contact had to use a fire extinguisher to douse the fire. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer; however, a mechanic replaced the plug wires. the failure recurred two weeks later. the mechanic looked under the vehicle and discovered that both the front and back valve covered gaskets were leaking, which was the cause of the fire. gmc stated that his vin was not included in the recall; however, the contact believes the recall should be expanded to include his vehicle. the vin, engine size, and recall number were unknown. the current mileage was 109,000 and failure mileage was 108,000.
08/02/2004718201
 The engine check light and coolant light came on. the coolant in the container was boiling. the intake valve was defective, and the coolant was going into the oil.*ak
01/18/2001111/01/1999
 Sudden engine failure while merging on highway nearly caused major accident dealer detected failed egr valve and replaced. *ak
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
12/18/200581000101/09/1999
 My 1999 gm pontiac grand prix gtp went up in flames on its own in our garage, at night. it was terrifying, scary and we're lucky that we didn't lose the house. my husband and father in law were able to drag the car out of the garage before the house went up. fire department arrived on scene at that moment and assisted in putting out the fire. we had arrived home from my daughter's ballet performance and all went into the house and within 20 minutes the garage was engulfed in heavy smoke and flames were coming from the engine. car had been turned off for approx. 20 minutes. no warning or indication that anything was wrong at all. later after surviving this shocking event, i looked on the internet and on the edmunds.com website, i found over 10 other instances for grand prix owners that this exact same scenario had happened. some of the models were even newer than mine. 2000, 2001, etc. we reported it to gm, and they have not called us back or mailed us anything. our insurance investigators did determine point of origin of fire and they firmly believe it is a manufacturer error in design. they are pursuing gm through subrogation. what does it take for a car to be recalled? someone to die? i just want other owners to know how dangerous this car can be. my car was only 5 years old, should not have done that. *nm
07/12/20041
 While driving consumer notice dcoolant indicator flashed. consumer added anti freeze, but coolant kept flowing. then, vehicle engine stalled. dealership serviced vehicle and replaced the intake manifold. *ak
03/31/20041220001
 While driving down 20-mph consumer heard loud noise coming through the engine, suddenly and without any warning vehicle stalled and died. vehicle was towed to independent shop, and mechanic determined that intake manifold. failed. *ak
03/03/200465000101/15/1999
 Intake manifold keeps cracking. rd time i have been left stranded. *jb
12/01/200350000706/24/2003
 My car has an intake manifold leak. i found orange crud in my radiator. my heater keeps blowing cold air out. it keeps lossing antifreeze from intake manifold. my temprature gage fluxes between driving and stoping. they need to make a recall on this there's to many people getting burned on it. or maybe a class action suit!!!
12/30/20031000001
 Upon starting vehicle engine back fired into the intake manifold, and blew it apart. this resulted in an engine fire. consumer sustained burns upon putting the fire out. *ak
12/12/200370218102/27/1999
 A hole formed inside the intake manifold allowing antifreeze to be consumed by the engine, resulting in poor running and a $456.62 repair bill.*ak
12/01/2003890001
 While driving between 65 - 70 mph engine started missing, then vehicle stalled. this was caused by the plastic intake manifold burning through which allowed anti freeze to flow into the engine compartment. as a result the engine , starter and spark plugs were damaged. dealership replaced the damaged parts.*ak
11/26/200342000212/28/1998
 My 1999 grand prix gt started to run rough the quit running. had the car towed to a repair shop and was informed that the intake manifold melted. that this is a common problem with this car. gm came out with a thicker plastic part as a replacement, why have they not make a recall to reflect their defective part? *la
09/05/2002206/30/2000
 Engine runs rough, loss of power, engine seizes up - this occurred approximately sept 2002. initial diagnosis: blown head gasket or headers. initial estimates to fix: approximately $4000-4500. initial calls to pontiac/gm were fruitless. result: replaced engine oct 2003 (approximately $3500 w/warranty). incident occurs a second time approximately 3 weeks after new engine installed. diagnosis: intake manifold coolant leak, broken piston rod. calls to pontiac/gm fruitless once again. result: awaiting another engine and manifold repairs. to make a long and arduous 14 months short - after a considerate number of calls to pontiac, i was eventually able to speak with a pontiac engineer (pe) who specializes in fuel and exhaust systems. pe explained the cause of my problem, worse case scenario and the solution: the problem lies within the lower (aluminum) intake manifold. within is a tube that houses the egr valve and carries exhaust gases. this tube was made relatively large and runs either through or close to the upper (plastic) intake manifold. over time, the extremely high temperatures of these exhaust gases causes the upper manifold to melt and creates a coolant leak into the fuel system. as this leak increases in size, increased amounts of coolant make its way into the piston chambers. eventually, compression is lost and the piston rods can either bend or break. both the lower and upper manifolds need to be replaced. the lower has been redesigned with a smaller tube that houses the egr valve, therefore, it does not lie as close to the upper manifold. pe even faxed me a copy of the official bulletin in referencing this problem for 1998 and older pontiacs. recalls: 2000-2003 manifolds. what happened to the 99's? there were no design changes on the manifolds for the 98's, 99's and 00's. most dealership mechanics won't know about this problem. pontiac is aware of the initial design defect. their official bulletins prove this. why should the consumer have to pay for their design defect? *la
01/22/200337165102/21/1999
 Vehicle idles rough, coolant is leaking from top of motor, replace intake plenum and gasket, replace spark plugs, fuel injection service. *ak
07/01/2003111/20/2002
 Bought this car used at a dealership. after it was discovered leaking oil, i took to a good auto shop and found out the intake manifold is leaking oil. the repair will cost $1000.00. auto shop said that there are many cars with this size engine (3800) that have the same problem. it was suggested i go to the dealership with the problem, then onto pushing for a recall. i expect i will be stuck with a big bill, but do plan to notify gm with this problem. *ak
06/18/200382174105/18/2000
 Grand prix engine got hot, recovered, got hot, then lost engine power on the freeway (i also experienced heat exhaustion due to being broke down in 110-degree f heat.) oily sheen and orange crud noticed in radiator, discovered creamy colored motor oil. intake manifold gasket failure has caused extensive damage to engine. this vehicle had no previous history of engine problems and was a dream to drive. $4100 for labor and engine replacement; gm service writer and mechanics acknowledge they've seen this problem many times before and that gm has re-designed both the intake manifold gasket and the manifold because of known failures in bi-metal engines; however there has been no recall. *nlm
05/22/20031
 While driving and without warning the upper intake manifold melted and caused fluid to leak onto the wires. *nlm
05/16/20031
 While driving 35 mph the vehicle's plastic intake manifold overheated and dropped water inside the engine. *nlm
12/02/200252452109/18/1998
 The plastic intake manifold cracked which resulted in a coolant leak. *ts *nlm
12/07/2001207/01/2001
 On 10/19/01 car died. dealer determined leak in upper manifold causing water to leak into engine. while within 3-mo warranty, the mileage was greater than 3,000 mi. they said it would be $1,200 to fix. my mechanic said it would be $700. he fixed it for $725. however, he said that he had spoken with other mechanics including people in the service dept at century who said that gm knows they have a problem with this plastic part. on 12/7/01 the car quit. my mechanic indicated that there was shaving in the bottom of the engine and it had blown a rod. he spoke with several area mechanics who reported similar major engine damage following previous repairs of the leaks from the manifold. the engine had to be replaced at engine cost of $3,200 (thus total of close to $4,000). the mechanic says this is a design flaw in the plastic manifold and will likely happen again. he doesn't understand why there hasn't been a recall.*ak

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