1995 PONTIAC GRAND AM Power Train Problems

1995 PONTIAC GRAND AM OVERHEATING. REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT FOUR TIMES AND FINALLY THE HEAD GASKETS WARPED. PAID FOR THE HEAD GASKET REPLACEMENT. CONTINUED TO OVERHEAT AND CALLED GENERAL MOTORS. MEDIATOR WAS OF VERY LITTLE HELP. TOOK IT BACK UNDER THE REPAIR WARRANTY, THEN THE RADIATOR BLEW BECAUSE THEY HAD REPLACED THE RADIATOR CAP WITH A HIGHER PRESSURE RATING. WE TOOK IT BACK AND THEY REPLACED THE RADIATOR, HOSES, HEATER CORE AND NUMEROUS OTHER THINGS. IT CONTINUED TO OVERHEAT. IN GENERAL WE HAVE SPENT ABOUT $2500.00 AND STILL HAVE THIS ISSUE. ADDITIONALLY, WE NOW HAVE THE ABS WARNING LIGHT COMING ON OCCASIONALLY AND I FOUND SOME ENGINE WIRES TWISTED UP OVER THE MANIFOLD. I HAVE SINCE MOVED THEM BACK TO THEIR ORIGINAL LOCATION AND HAD TO USE ELECTRICAL TAPE ON ANOTHER WIRE CONNECTION THAT THE LOCK (SNAP) WAS BROKE OFF. SINCE DOING THIS I HAVE NOT HAD THE CAR OVERHEATING AS OFTEN. ADDITIONALLY SINCE REPAIRS WERE MADE, WE NOW HAVE HEAVY CONDENSATION ON THE INTERIOR WINDSHIELD, (WINDOW WIPERS ON THE INSIDE COULD BE A SOLUTION...) ALONG WITH PUDDLES OF WATER ON THE PASSENGER FLOOR AND IN THE TRUNK....GOD ONLY KNOWS WHAT THEY DID TO MY CAR AFTER I CALLED GENERAL MOTORS, EVERYTHING JUST SEEMED TO GET WORSE FROM THERE.. COINCIDENCE, I THINK NOT. THEY ARE NOW BANKRUPT SO THERE IS NO RECOURSE IN MY CASE OF RETRIEVING MONEY NEEDLESSLY SPENT ON REPAIRS THEY SHOULD HAVE FIXED PROPERLY IN THE FIRST PLACE. AND WHILE I'M AT IT, I WONDER IF THEY EVER TOOK CAR OF THAT IGNITION RECALL? I AM STILL DRIVING THE CAR WHEN IT IS BEHAVING BUT I HAVE BEEN HAVING TO HOLD THE IGNITION SWITCH TO GET THE CAR TO START WHICH I HADN'T HAD TO DO BEFORE... ARE THEY WAITING FOR MY CAR TO CATCH ON FIRE DUE TO THIS IGNITION PROBLEM? THE SMARTEST THING WOULD BE TO TAKE IT TO SOMEONE ELSE BUT NO ONE WANTS TO TOUCH THE CAR AFTER FINDING OUT IT WAS AT THE OTHER DEALERSHIP SO WHERE DO I GO NOW? AND A REPLY ON THAT SURE WOULD BE A BIG HELP! *JB

Mileage: 165

1. THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL AT HIGHWAY SPEED IN CLOSE TRAFFIC, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL TO ESCAPE COLLISION WITH ADJACENT VEHICLES. THE CAR IS TOTALLED. WE HAVE FOUND A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN #677164 FEB 1997 FROM ALLDATA LISTING THIS DEFECT BUT WE ARE NOT AWARE OF ANY ACTION TAKEN BY THE MFG TO RECALL OR REMEDY THE DEFECT. 2. THE FRONT SEATS IN THIS AND OTHER GM COUPES OF THIS TYPE HAVE DEFECTIVE SEAT BACK LOCKS. THIS DEFECT PREVENTS THE SEATS FROM STAYING LOCKED IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION DURING A COLLISION. THEREBY, ALLOWING THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER TO BE PROPELLED FORWARD AND ALLOWING ANYONE OR ANYTHING IN THE REAR SEAT TO ADD ADDITIONAL CRUMPLING IMPACT ON THE FRONT PASSENGERS. *AK

Mileage: 121,000

I HAVE REPLACED THESE ITEMS OR HAD THEM REPLACED. 1.HEATER CORE 2.BELT TENSIONER 3.ALTERNATOR TWICE 4.FULEPUMP 5.BREAKS BACK BREAKS ARE NEVER RIGHT. CAUSES RIGHT BACK TO STOPE ROLLING 6.GAS HAND DOES NOT WORK 7.CAR LOSES POWER THAN REGAINS POWER AND SURGES 8.AFTER STARTING CAR THERE IS A LOUD KNOCKING UNDER CAR, POSSIBLY TORQ CONVERTER 9.STARTER SOUNDS BAD WHEN CAR IS GETTING STARTED 10.RIGHT FRONT AXEL IS BAD WOBBLES AND RUINS TIRE 11. CLEAR COAT PAINT IS CHIPPING 12.POWER LOCKS DO NOT WORK 13.WINDOW TRACK ON DRIVERSIDE BAD 14.SEAL IN TRUNCK IS BAD LEAKS

WOULD HAVE KNOCKING UNDER THE VEHICLE WHEN CHANGING GEARS. ALSO, THERE WOULD BE SOME LOOSE WIRES THAT WOULD NEED TO BE PLACED ON THE BATTERY TO GET VEHICLE TO START. THE BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON AT THE WRONG TIME. VEHICLE ALSO WILL BE SQUEAKING. THE LIGHTS FAIL TO WORK PROPERLY BECAUSE THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING. HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE TO ARBITRATION. THE DEALERSHIP WAS SUPPOSE TO DO REPAIRS ON THE PROBLEMS, BUT FAILED TO DO SO. PROBLEMS STILL EXIST.*AK

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK. CAR HAD 55,000 ORIGINAL MILES. PISTON SLAP ALSO BEGUN TO OCCUR. TRANSMISSION HAD PROBLEMS, ONLY REVS TO 4K RPM, WILL NOT GO HIGHER THAN 4K RPM. *TT

THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE, HOWEVER THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN. *JB

TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING, BEFORE ENGAGING INTO GEAR. *AK

CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT INTO SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF DEALERSHIP FOR A REBUILT TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN FOR THREE WEEKS BEFORE IT HAD TO BE PUT BACK IN THE SHOP FOR A BROKEN WATER PUMP. DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR AT NO CHARGE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHUR DETAILS.*AK

PREMATURE DEFECTIVE REAR ACTION DRUM WITHIN TRANSMISSION REQUIRED TRANSMISSION REBUILD BY LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOP. NO ACCIDENT OR ON ROAD FAILURE OCCURRED, POPPING/THUMPING SOUND WAS OCCURING UPON LIGHT ACCERLERATION FROM A DEAD STOP.*AK

TRANSMISSION JERKED WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO REVERSE AT FIRST, THEN AN EXTREMELY LOUD WHINING NOISE @ 15 - 20 MPH. HAD A LOCAL GARAGE LISTEN TO VEHICLE WHICH INTURN THEY TOLD ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT OR A COMPLETE REBUILD. I CALLED AIRPORT TRANSMISSION IN ROCHESTER N.Y AND THEY REBUILT IT FOR A SUM OF $1,866.24.*AK

ERLS FUSE BLOWS, IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE, REPLACED IGNITION AND REPAIRED WIRES, HEATING AND AIR AC/COMPRESSER WIL NOT COME ON, COMPRESSER SHORTED OUT, AUTO TRANS WILL NOT SHIFT INTO OVERDRIVE AND PASSING GEAR, TRANSMISSION REPLACED ONCE, WILL REPLACE AGAIN.

A FUSE BLEW THAT CAUSED TRANSMISSION AND AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR TO GO OUT. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED FUSES. BUT, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OPERATED ERRATICALLY. *AK

VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL FROM DRIVE, CAUSING SPEED TO BE REDUCED .*AK

THE CAR SET ON FIRE AND STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, BLEW A ROD AND MELTED THE SPARK PLUGS, THE COMPUTER FAILED AND THE TRANSMISSION BLEW.

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

POSSIBLE TRANSMISSION FAILURE CAUSING GEAR TO SLIP INTO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING WHICH COULD RESULT IN SEVERE INJURY / PROPERTY DAMAGE. *YC

WHEN RAINING AND APPLYING THE BRAKES PEDAL STIFFENS, AND VEHICLE FEELS AS IF REAR ENDED, AND KEEPS GOING. DEALER HAS SEEN 2 OR 3 TIMES. ALSO, DEALER REPLACED 4-WHEEL DRIVE LOCKING HUBS, AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

CONSUMER PUT VEHICLE IN REVERSE AND SHE HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE AND SQUEAKING. *AK

WE HAVE HAD MINOR PROBLEMS WITH OUR SINCE WE BOUGHT IT IN OCT., 1998 THEN IN NOV., 1998 OUR DAUGHTER WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT. SHE WAS DRIVING DOWN A HILL, GOING THROUGH AN INTER-SECTION WHEN A YOUNG MAN RAN THE STOP SIGN TO HER LEFT THEN SHE WAS THROWN SIDEWAYS. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE FRONT-END. AFTER GETTING THE CAR BACK MORE PROBLEMS WOULD START BUT DISAPPEAR. THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR NOT SHIFTING AND MAKING AN UNDISCRIBABLE NOISE. ATTEMPTED TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT WHILE WE WERE VISITING IN ANOTHER STATE BUT THEY WERE BUSY. THERE HAS BEEN OTHER TIMES WHEN I FELT A STRANGE VIBRATION UNDER MY FEET ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BUT IT WOULD DISAPPEAR. THEN ACT UP SEVERAL OTHER TIMES BUT ONCE AGAIN STOP. LAST WEEK, MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING WHEN SHE HEARD A LOUD POP, SHE STOPPED AND CHECKED TO SEE IF SHE HAD A FLAT TIRE, SHE COULDN'T TELL WHERE THE SOUND HAD COME FROM. EVERYTHING WAS FINE. SHE CONTINUED TO DRIVE A SHORT DISTANCE, A COUPLE OF BLOCKS, SHE BEGAN TO HEAR A NOISE THAT SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING WAS BEING DRAGGED. SHE PULLED INTO ANOTHER PARKING LOT, TURNED OFF THE CAR, GOT OUT AND CHECKED. NOTHING APPEARED WRONG. SHE PUT THE CAR INTO REVERSE , THE SAME NOISE THAT WAS UNDISCRIBABLE FROM THE EARLIER TIME BEGAN AGAIN, IT WOULD NOT CHANGE GEAR TYPE SOUND. SHE PULLED FORWARD, THE NOISE WOULD NOT STOP. SHE THEN COMPLETELY STOPPED AND TURNED OFF THE CAR AND CALLED US AT HOME. WHEN WE GOT THE CAR HOME, MY HUSBAND CHECKED ALL OF THE FLUIDS AND DETERMINED SOMETHING MUST BE WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE NEXT DAY HE DROVE IT WITH ALL OF THE SAME PROBLEMS TO A NEARBY TRANSMISSION STATION BUT DUE TO OTHER REASONS DECIDED TO HAVE IT TOWED TO OUR DEALERSHIP. THEY TEST DROVE IT AND CALLED MY HUSBAND AT WORK. THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG AT FIRST. THEY SUGGESTED TEARING DOWN THE TRANSMISSION AFTER TALKING TO MY HUSBAND. I THEN RECEIVED A PHONE CALL STATING THE TWO MECHANICS HAD NEVER SEEN SO MUCH METAL SCHAVINGS IN A TRANSMISSION. I ASKED IF THE ACCIDENT HAD CAUSED THIS?

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE IS STALLING AND JERKING AND NOT GOING INTO GEAR PROPERLY. VEHICLE HAS BEEN INTO THE SHOP THREE TIMES FOR TRANSMISSION, AND THE DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN INFORMED. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE NOT TO GO BACKWARD AND FORWARD MOTION WAS SPORADIC. NM

WHEN DRIVING AT 65MPH AND WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP TWICE, AND THE VEHICLE IS BACK IN SHOP AGAIN. DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK

TRANSMISSION HAD COMPLETE FAILURE WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING.

TRANSMISSION WAS MAKING WHINING NOISE. YH

TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE.

TRANSMISSION DISSENAGRATED.

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED TWICE, AND ABS BRAKES WERE REPLACED FOUR TIMES. IN ADDITION, ENGINE VALVE COVER GASKET LEAKS OIL , AND TAIL LIGHTS HOLD WATER, REPLACED FOUR TIMES. *AK

AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL.

TRANSMISSION SHIFT LINKAGE SLIPPED INTO REVERSE, CAUSING ACCIDENT. *SD

DEFECTIVE WHEEL BEARINGS CAUSED TIRE TO COME OFF, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL/ACCIDENT/INJURY. *AW

VEHICLE JUMPS WHEN PUT INTO PARK OR REVERSE GEARS.

INACCURATE SPEEDOMETER READING, POSSIBLY DUE TO MAGNETS. *SKD