2004 Pontiac Grand Am

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PONTIAC GRAND AM. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SMOKE. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES FAILED TO WORK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

DURING TRAFFIC MY 2004 PONTIAC GRAND AM JUST SHUT ITSELF OFF! MOMENTS BEFORE I DID HIT A POTHOLE. SUDDENLY, THE LIGHTS IN DASH ILLUMINATED, BELLS SOUNDED, AND MY KEY INDEPENDENTLY MOVED FROM THE ON POSITION TO OFF. I LOST POWER STEERING, BRAKES. THE CAR SLOWED TO A STOP. I CALLED 911 IN DESPERATE FEAR OF BEING HIT.-CAR WOULDN'T RESTART, KEY WOULDN'T COME OUT OF IGNITION. I BECAME ANGERED AND POUNDED ON THE IGNITION AREA AND NEAR THE RADIO. THE CAR THEN WAS ABLE TO RESPOND AND TURN ON. I LEARNED THAT MY CAR HAD BEEN RECALLED IN JULY, BUT THERE IS NO REMEDY ON HOW TO FIX IT. I WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. MECHANIC, AT DEALER, SAID NO CODES CAME UP TO INDICATE A PROBLEM. HE SAID THOUGH I HAD SOME MILES ON MY CAR, THE CAR WAS IN TERRIFIC CONDITION AND DIDN'T APPEAR TO BE THIS OLD. I TOLD HIM THAT I HAVE BEEN IMPECCABLE WITH MY CAR. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THEY AREN'T GOING TO DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THERE IS NO REMEDY. HOWEVER, THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID MY CAR IS NOT SAFE. I WAS NEVER SO SCARED IN MY LIFE. ALL I COULD THINK ABOUT WAS MY CHILDREN. MY LIFE WAS ENDANGERED AS THERE WAS NO WAY TO MAKE MY CARE INDICATE THERE WAS A PROBLEM- FLASHERS WEREN'T RESPONDING. ON MAY 23, 2014, I HIT A POT HOLE PRETTY HARD WHILE ENTERING A PARKING LOT (I WAS GOING SLOW), MY CAR SHUT OFF AND ON IN MOMENTS, LOST POWER STEERING MOMENTARILY. THE KEY WAS STUCK BETWEEN ON AND OFF, NOT COMING OUT OF THE IGNITION. I WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, THEY REPLACED THE IGNITION. ACCORDING TO MY PAPERWORK AND REPAIR BY THE DEALER, GM HAS ADVISED ME THAT MY CAR IN INVOLVED WITH A RECALL AND I SHOULD SEEK REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH I HAD REPAIRED. *TR

REPORT RECEIPT DATE: JULY 03, 2014 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 COMPONENT(S): ELECTRICAL SYSTEM POTENTIAL NUMBER OF UNITS AFFECTED: 6,729,742 KEY WOULDN'T TURN IN IGNITION. ON JUNE 10, 2014, I GOT THE KEY TO TURN ON AND START THE CAR BUT IT WOULD NOT TURN ALL THE OFF. I HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY WHEN THE CAR WAS PARKED. ON JULY 11, 2014 I TOOK THE CAR TO FISCHBACH TIRES 1200 N SPRING ST, BEAVER DAM, WI 53916 (920) 887-3711 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH AND GAVE ME TWO NEW KEYS AND I WAS CHARGED $369.20. CAN I BE REIMBURSED FOR THIS CHARGE SINCE IT IS PART OF THIS RECALL AND IF SO, HOW DO I GO ABOUT IT? *TR

MY CONCERN IS ABOUT MY FUTURE SAFETY IN MY PONTIAC GRAND AM. SINCE THESE RECALLS HAVE BEEN GOING OUT I HAVE CHECKED TO SEE IF THIS CAR WILL BE ON THE LIST. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY IGNITION THREE TIMES LAST REPLACEMENT WAS IN 2011, I WAS LUCKY THAT WHEN THE REPLACEMENTS TOOK PLACE MY CAR HAD FAILED TO START AND I WASN'T DRIVING, HOWEVER IN JAN OF 2014 WHEN DRIVING DURING A SNOW STORM TRYING TO GET HOME, MY CAR HIT AN ICE PATCH AND SLIDE INTO A GUARD RAIL. THE IMPACT WAS SO HARD THAT IT DAMAGED AND BENT MY LEFT SIDE BUMPER, BREAKING THE HEADLIGHT TO PIECES. TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT THE BUMPER REQUIRED TO BE PULLED OUT AND STRAIGHTEN. MY AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY ON IMPACT, EVEN THOUGH I HIT MY HEAD ON THE HEADLINER, AND THERE WAS MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE CAR. I LIVE IN THE MOUNTAINS OF VA, HOW FAST WAS THE CAR GOING, I AM NOT SURE BUT I CAN GUESS IMPACT WAS ABOUT 20/25 MPH. EVEN THOUGH THE POLICE DID COME (ONLY BECAUSE THEY WITNESS THE INCIDENT) NO POLICE REPORT WAS FILED, I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR THIS CAR TO BE RECALLED AND SURE ENOUGH ITS ON THE LIST AS OF JULY 3 2014. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A LETTER ON THE RECALL, NOR DOES IT SHOW UP ON THE CARS VIN. THE ROADS IN MY LOCATION ARE MOUNTAIN ROADS WITH CURVE AFTER CURVE AND UP AND DOWNS, ALTHOUGH THE SPEED LIMITS ARE REDUCED IN ORDER TO DRIVE SAFELY, MY WORRY IS THAT IF I LOSE CONTROL OF MY CAR BECAUSE THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, I WILL BE GOING DOWN THE SIDE OF SOME MOUNTAIN. I CALLED MY LOCAL DEALER FOR HELP, AND WAS TOLD BECAUSE THE RECALL WAS NOT ON THE VIN# THEY WILL NOT HELP ME. I ALREADY KNOW MY AIR BAGS DO NOT WORK, I ALREADY KNOW I HAVE HAD IGNITION PROBLEMS, SO IF THE IGNITION STOPS WORKING, THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. I DON'T UNDERSTAND IF THIS CAR MAKE AND MODEL IS ON THE NHTSA LIST WHY CAN'T I GET IT FIXED? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AS ALL OF THE LIGHTS IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 95,000.