1994 Pontiac Grand Am

THERE IS A WIRING SHORT AND THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WILL GO OFF AND SOMETIMES THE HEADLIGHTS. USUALLY HAPPENS WHEN USING TURN SIGNAL. ALSO WHEN TURNING ON FLASHERS THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON. THE RIGHT INTERIOR TURN SIGNAL LIGHT STAYS ON WHEN LIGHTS ARE ON. ALSO THE STEERING COLUMN VINYL COVERING OVER THE AIRBAG HAS SPLIT DOWN THE PONTIAC SYMBOL EXPOSING THE AIRBAG.

THE FIRST TIME I NOTICED A PROBLEM WAS 2 YEARS BEFORE COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE OCCURED. WHILE DRIVING THE TRANSMISSION JUMPED INTO NEUTRAL AND THE CAR WOULDN'T ACCELERATE. THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN FOR ANOTHER YEAR, AND SINCE IT WASN'T A RECURRING PROBLEM, I DIDN'T PAY MUCH ATTENTION TO IT. BUT ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO THE CAR REALLY STARTED TO HAVE PROBLEMS. WHEN I STARTED IT, THERE WAS A COLD DELAY. THAT IS, THE CAR WOULDN'T MOVE IN ANY DIRECTION--FORWARD OR REVERSE. I TOOK THE CAR TO A REPUTABLE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP AND THEY FOUND EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF METAL IN THE SUMP PAN. THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO HAVE A COMPLETE OVERHAUL COSTING $1,594.14--A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF MONEY. THIS REALLY DOESN'T HAVE TO DO WITH THE TRANSMISSION, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ADD, FOR YOUR INFORMATION, THAT I HAVE HAD , IN MY OPINION, AN EXTRORDINARY AMOUNT OF WORK DONE ON THE BRAKES AND SUSPENSION OF THIS CAR. EVERY YEAR, THE BRAKES NEED REPLACING AND I'VE HAD THE FRONT STRUTS REPLACED TWICE IN THREE YEARS.

NO LOCKS OR RESTRAINTS TO PREVENT BACK OF REAR FOLD DOWN SEAT FROM BEING PUSHED FORWARD AND DOWN BY HEAVY OBJECTS IN TRUNK AREA DURING EMERGENCY OR QUICK STOPS. OBJECTS IN TRUNK AREA FLY FORWARD DURING AN EMERGENCY STOP, PUSH REAR SEAT'S FOLD-DOWN BACK FORWARD AND DOWN, ENTER PASSENGER AREA TO STRIKE BACKSIDE OF DRIVER'S SEAT. MANUFACTURER'S ORIGINAL INSTALLATION WITH NO ALTERATIONS. I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY RECALLS OR AFTER MARKET REPAIRS. THIS POSES A SAFETY PROBLEM AND MAY BE INJURIOUS TO INFANTS AND/OR SMALL CHILDREN RIDING IN THE BACK SEAT.

THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY THAT I'M REFERRING TO IS THE PART THAT ATTACHES TO THE WINDOW FRAME. THE PART WHERE THE SEAT PASSES THROUGH HAS CRACKED AND I'M AFRAID THAT IF I HAVE AN ACCIDENT THAT THE CRACKED PART WILL NOT HOLD THE SEAT BELT; THAT THE BELT WILL COME LOOSE AT THE SHOULDER. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THIS CONSIDERED NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR OR IF IT IS A DEFECT.

AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE I QUESTIONED DEALER ON THE PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT SEAT BACKS NOT LATCHING AND THE SEAT BASES SLIDING FREELY BACK AND FORTH. I WAS TOLD BY SALESMAN THAT THE SEATS FOR THAT YEAR WERE SUPPOSED TO DO THAT. ON 11-08-98 I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT THE PASSENGER SEAT IN FRONT WENT FORWARD CAUSING PASSENGER TO HIT HEAD ON THE DASH AND THEN THE SEAT PROCEEDED TO LAY COMPLETELY BACK AND HITTING A CHILD IN THE BACK SEAT AND BREAKING HIS FEMUR BONE. I WAS DRIVING AND WHEN MY AIRBAG DEPLOYED AND WHEN IT STRUCK ME IT CAUSED MY SEAT TO LAY COMPLETELY BACK STRIKING ANOTHER CHILD IN THE BACK SEAT CAUSING HIM TO HIT HIS HEAD ON THE SIDE WINDOW AND RESULTING IN HIM HAVING SERIOUS HEAD INJURIES.