2004 Pontiac Grand Am

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). I HAVE A 2004 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE OTHER DAY I HAD FRONT BRAKES PUT ON THE CAR. WHEN I DROVE TO THE DOCTOR THE NEXT DAY ,I TRIED TO PASS A VEHICLE THAT WAS GOING TO SLOW. THE NUT I TRIED TO PASS DID NOT WANT ME TO PASS ,SO HE KICKED HIS MOTOR IN AND I LOOKED DOWN AND SAW I WAS DOING 70 MILES AN HOUR. I WENT TO BRAKE SO THAT I COULD FALL BACK IN BEHIND THE NUT, WHEN I APPLIED BRAKES THE CAR WENT SIDE WAYS. I GOT LUCKY AND STRAIGHTENED THE CAR BACK. THANK GOD,OR I WOULD BE DEAD. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO HAVE THE BRAKES LOOKED AT AND THE QUALIFIED SERVICEMAN SAID THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE CALIBERS WERE WARPED AND THAT ONLY 20% OF THE BRAKE PAD WAS TOUCHING THE CALIBERS. PROBLEM IS THE CALIBERS ARE MADE OF ALUMINUM AND THEY WARP WITH HEAT. THERE IS NO WAY OF PREVENTING THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN AS THERE IS NO WAY TO CHANGE METALS. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THIS IS NOT A FIRST ,OR EVEN THE FIRST THOUSAND THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED. I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO CONTACT ME AND LET ME KNOW IF THIS IS TRUE AND IF YOU HAVE STATISTICS THAT SHOW THIS. WILL THERE BE A RECALL? PLEASE CONTACT ME AND LET ME KNOW WHAT I CAN DO TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME [XXX] THANKS AGAIN. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT IS A MECHANIC AND HAS SERVICED FOUR DIFFERENT 2004 PONTIAC GRAND AMS. HE STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER BRAKES HAVE FAILED ON EACH VEHICLE AND CAUSED A LEAK. THE LEAK COMES FROM THE WHEEL CYLINDER, WHICH PREVENTS PROPER BRAKING. HE BELIEVES THAT THE FAILURE COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS CRASH. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 120,124. UPDATED 10/16/08 *BF UPDATED 10/21/08. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE BRAKES HAD TO BE REPLACED ON FOUR OCCASIONS. ON EACH OCCASION, THE BRAKE LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, AND THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK AND A SHRIEKING NOISE COULD BE HEARD LIKE METAL RUBBING ON METAL. THE CONDITION WAS PERMANENT, REPEATABLE TO WORSENING UNDER NORMAL BRAKING CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER AND AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO BOTH DETERMINED THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING MECHANICALLY WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE, AND THAT THIS WAS AN UNUSUAL PROBLEM FOR A NEW VEHICLE TO HAVE EXTREME PROBLEMS WITH THE SAME COMPONENT. THE DEALER RECOMMENDED THE CONTACT TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA. THERE WERE NO FURTHER REPAIRS MADE. UPDATED 12/28/2006 - *NM

DT: WHILE DRIVING IN RAINY WEATHER IT SOUNDED FROM THE RIGHT FRONT CORNER OF THE CAR UNDER THE HOOD LIKE SOMETHING WAS GRINDING OR ABRASION. IT SOUNDED LIKE TWO BEARINGS RUBBING AGAINST EACH OTHER. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, AND THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO HEAR IT. THE DEALER TOOK IT FOR A TEST DRIVE, LIFTED IT UP ONTO THE LIFT AND WAS NOT ABLE TO HEAR ANY NOISE.*AK UPDATED 8/14/2006 - THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WARPED. THE BRAKE CALIPERS WARPED SHORTLY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. BOTH FRONT ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO WARPAGE. THE CONSUMER HEARD NOISE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT END. THE DEALER REPLACED THE UPPER STRUT MOUNT, BEARING PLATE AND ALIGNED THE FRONT END. THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE POWER WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER REPROGRAMMED THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE. THE MASTER CYLINDER LEAKED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. POWER STEERING PUMP LEAKED AND WAS REPLACED. THE TRAMSMISSION WAS SLIPPING. *NM

WHILE APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE UNCONTROLLABLY ON IT IS OWN. CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45-50 MPH THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. ALSO, THE BRAKE LINE WAS LEAKING AND THAT THE MOUNTING OF THE BRAKE LINE WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE ENGINE WHICH CAUSED THE BRAKE LINE TO LEAK. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER AND THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS VERY CAVALIER IN HIS APPROACH, THUS IRRITATING THE CONSUMER. *AK *SC *JB