2002 Pontiac Grand Am

2002 PONTIAC GRAND AM DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE EQUIPMENT. *MR THE VEHICLE STALLED AS THE CONSUMER BACKED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN DRIVE. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WOULD HANG UP. THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT STAYED ON. THERE WAS AN OCCASION WHEN THE CONSUMER COULD NOT GET THE TRACTION CONTROL TO RE-ENGAGE. THE DEALER CLAIMED TO HAVE FOUND NOTHING. THE ROTORS WERE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE PADS WHICH WAS STATED TO BE BEYOND SPECIFICATIONS. THREE LOUD BANGS HAD COME FROM THE LEFT REAR WHEEL. THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND OIL LEAKS. *SC

WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED A NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE FRONT TIRES. WHEN MOVING AT HIGH SPEEDS CONSUMER COULD NOT HEAR IT. TIRES CONTINUOUSLY DEFLATED. THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL CRACKED, WHICH PUNCTURED THE TIRE. CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT RIMS. HOWEVER, THE NOISE DID NOT START OFF LOUD, IT GOT LOUDER AS DRIVING. WHENEVER IT RAINED AND THE VEHICLE WAS WET CONSUMER WOULD NOT HEAR THE NOISE. PONTIAC WAS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. *AK

MY WHEEL BROKE OFF WHILE DRIVING, HAD NO STEERING AND NO BRAKES, NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT LET GO, WAS TOLD COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND THEN AFTER THE CAR WAS FIXED BY THE DEALERSHIP THE DEALERSHIP SAID I HAD TO PAY, AS THIS COULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. COMPANY SIDED WITH DEALERSHIP AND SAID WOULD HAVE SOMEONE FROM THE COMPANY MEET WITH ME AND LOOK INTO THE MATTER BUT HAS NOT. I'VE BEEN WAITING SINCE NOV02.

ISSUE CONCERNS TSB 02-03-10-003. THE VEHICLE IS 2002 PONTIAC GRAND AM GT WITH ALUMINUM ALLOY WHEELS AND 16 INCH EAGLE RSA TIRES. THE VEHICLE HAS 41,000 MILES AND IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. PRIOR TO OCT. 3 2003 - A SCRUNCHING AND GRINDING NOISE IN THE FRONT PART OF THE VEHICLE THAT SOUNDS LIKE A WHEEL BEARING OR BRAKE ASSEMBLY WENT BAD. DECIDED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS BAD ENOUGH TO TAKE TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THAT CAUSE WAS COMBINATION OF THE STOCK ALUMINUM WHEEL AND THE STOCK GOODYEAR RSA TIRE DESCRIBED IN TSB 02-03-10-003 AND THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM WITHOUT REPLACING THE TIRES. THE DECISION WAS IF I WANTED THE PROBLEM FIXED, I HAVE TO PAY FOR 4 NEW TIRES. I BROUGHT 3 ISSUES TO THE ATTENTION OF THE DEALER: 1. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE ANY OTHER MECHANICAL FAILURES OF A SIMILAR SOUND WILL NOT BE HEARD OVER THE CURRENT SOUND AND THEREFORE BE LEFT UNCHECKED UNTIL A TIME WHEN THE PART COULD FAIL CATASTROPHICALLY. 2. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE REASON THAT UNDER PRESSURE OR HEAT DEVIATING FROM THE NORM AS A RESULT OF THE TIRE AND RIM RUBBING IN SUCH A WAY TO CAUSE THE SOUND. 3. IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO RESELL A VEHICLE THAT WAS UNSAFE. FOR THESE THREE REASONS I REQUESTED THAT THE DEALERSHIP PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. THEY SAID THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE THAT DECISION AND THAT I SHOULD CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. OCT. 3 2003 I CONTACTED PONTIAC CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE AND SPOKE TO MERRILL HAMMOND CONCERNING THE PROBLEM. SHE SAID THAT PONTIACS POSITION IS THAT THE CAR IS OPERATING WITHIN NORMAL AND ACCEPTABLE PARAMETERS AND DID NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR SINCE IT WAS NOT A SAFETY RECALL. TOLD THAT IF I HAD BROUGHT THE CAR IN UNDER WARRANTY, NEW TIRES WOULD HAVE BEEN PUT ON THE CAR BY THE MANUFACTURER. SHE SUGGESTED I CONTACT THE NHTSA IF I WAS UNHAPPY WITH THE SAFETY ISSUES CONCERNING TSB. I FEEL THE CAR IS UNSAFE AND THAT A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED FOR THE TIRE COMBINATION STATED IN THE TSB. *LA

2002 PONTIAC GRANDAM GT-1 HAS CONTINUOUS GRINDING, RUBBING, AND POPPING SOUNDS FROM THE FRONT STEERING. ALSO HAS UNCONTROLED POWER STEERING WHERE THE CAR COULD GO OFF THE ROAD. DEALERSHIPS CAN OR WILL NOT TRY TO FIND THESE SERIOUS DEFECTS, THEY SAY THAT IT IS THE TIRES THAT IS CAUSING THESE DEFECTS.THIS IS THE SECOND NEW GT-1 WITHIN THE PAST THREE YEARS WITH THE SAME DEFECTS THAT I HAVE OWNED.