2004 PONTIAC GRAND AM Vehicle Speed Control Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PONTIAC GRAND AM. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. THE CONTACT EXITED THE INTERSTATE AND ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE AS THE TRANSMISSION MADE AN ABNORMALLY LOUD SOUND. THE CONTACT PULLED INTO A FUEL STATION, RAISED THE HOOD, AND OBSERVED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THE CONTACT WAITED A WHILE AND THEN DROVE HOME WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DOWN TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND WAS A MECHANIC AND DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE, BUT NO FAILURE CODE WAS FOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

Mileage: 120,000

I WAS DRIVING MY 2004 GRAND AM AND I WAS SITTING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC ON AN HWY AND IT WAS HOT OUTSIDE THAT DAY AND WHEN I LET MY FEET OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL MY CAR START TO ACCELERATE BY ITS SELF VERY FAST AND I IMMEDIATELY PRESS MY BREAK TO THE FLOOR AND MY ANTI-LOCK BREAKS KICKED IN AND THE CAR CONTINUED SKID AND ACCELERATE FAST AND I HAD PUT MY CARS TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL AND THE MOTOR CONTINUED TO REV EVEN AFTER MY TRANSMISSION WAS IN NERAL. I ENDED UP SKIDDING UP A SIDE WALK TO AVOID A SERIOUS CRASH OR BEING KILLED IN A BAD CRASH. I BELIEVE IT WAS A DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL ACCELERATOR PEDAL.

Mileage: 201,786

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO VIOLENTLY ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE DRIVER HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM ACCELERATING. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. UPDATED 11/07/16*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE THROTTLE WAS STICKING AND NOT DECELERATING/ A LOCAL MECHANIC REPLACED THE THROTTLE/BRAKE ASSEMBLY. UPDATED 12/07/16.*JB UPDATED 12/12/16.*JB

Mileage: 120,000

ENGAGED CLUTCH TO START ENGINE/CAR - HEARD POP AND CLUTCH PEDAL WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR. PLASTIC JOINT ON CLUTCH ROD SNAPPED OFF. APPEARS MAY ONLY HAVE APPROXIMATELY A 40K MILE LIFE ON THIS PART. IF HAD BROKEN WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS MAY HAVE CAUSED CRASH OR INJURY. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED ON THIS VEHICLE. PART HAS BEEN REPLACED EACH TIME. *TR

Mileage: 84,854

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL INCREASE IN ENGINE RPMS UP TO 2,000. THE DEALER REPLACED THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE AND ANOTHER UNKNOWN VALVE. THE FAILURE RECURRED WITHIN SIX WEEKS. THE DEALER THEN REPLACED THE PCM REM AND THE COMPUTER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED HER TO CONTINUES WORKING WITH HER DEALER TO REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 127,918.

Mileage: 127,918

1. THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE NORMAL USAGE 2. THE FAILURE, HOW OFTEN IT OCCURS, ITS CONSEQUENCES; AND, WHILE ON A TRIP ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL AND FOUND OUT THE SWITCH WENT BAD 3. WHAT WAS DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE; I.E, PARTS REPAIRED OR REPLACED WAS TOLD THAT THE SWITCH WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. I HERE THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE ON MY MODEL. THIS FAILURE HAPPENED 2 MONTHS AFTER THE FACTORY WARRENTY EXPIRED. I DOUBT I WILL BUY ANOTHER GM CAR AGAIN. *TR

WAS DRIVING NORMALLY DOWN ROAD ON WAY TO WORK. APPROACHED INTERSECTION AND DEPRESSED CLUTCH TO DOWN SHIFT AND APPLY BRAKE TO STOP VEHICLE. HOWEVER WITH CLUTCH DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO REV UP ON ITS OWN WITHOUT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DEPRESSED, UNTIL IT REACHED THE RED LINE. AFTER PUMPING ACCELERATOR ABOUT FIVE OR SIX TIMES VEHICLE STOPPED REVVING UP. HOWEVER SEVERAL MILES DOWN THE ROAD THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO REV UP AGAIN WHEN CLUTCH WAS DEPRESSED TO SHIFT GEARS. THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE, VEHICLE HAS BEEN SEEN BY GM DEALERSHIPS AND GM REP BUT THEY CLAIM ISSUE CANNOT BE REPLICATED. MULTIPLE PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED BUT ISSUE CONTINUES. WILL A MAJOR ACCIDENT OR DEATH BE REQUIRED FOR THIS ISSUE TO BE ADDRESSED? I REALIZE THAT THIS IS PROBABLY NOT STICKING OUT AS A MAJOR ISSUE BECAUSE OF LOW NUMBERS OF REPORTS OF THIS SAME PROBLEM, BUT I WOULD IMAGINE THAT SINCE THIS IS PROBABLY ISOLATED TO MODELS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION WHICH IS A VERY SMALL MINORITY OF VEHICLES. IF THOUGHT ABOUT IN THE FACT THAT THEIR ARE FEW VEHICLES CONFIGURED WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, THE FACT OF THE NUMBER OF REPORTS OF THIS ISSUE MAKES IT MORE SIGNIFICANT SINCE IT WOULD EQUAL A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF VEHICLES WHEN COMPARED TO THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VEHICLES CONFIGURED WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. *TR

Mileage: 55,598

VEHICLE IS 2.2L 4 CYL MANUAL TRANS. ACQUIRED THE VEHICLE IN NOVEMBER OF 2007. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING, SLOWING DOWN AND DEPRESSING CLUTCH PEDAL TO DOWNSHIFT, ENGINE SPEED RUNAWAY OCCURRED. RPM INCREASED UNCONTROLLABLY PAST 3500 RPM, ONLY WAY TO STOP WAS TO SHUT IGNITION OFF AND RESTART ENGINE. VEHICLE TAKEN TO A SERVICE SHOP, BUT COULD NOT REPLICATE OR DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND RECOMMENDED TO NOT REPLACE ANY PARTS UNLESS DEFINITE DIAGNOSIS COULD BE MADE. THE PROBLEM PERSISTS WITH A COUPLE OF OCCURRENCES ON A WEEKLY BASIS. *TR

Mileage: 50,000

WHILE DRIVING DOWN A STEEP HILL, APPLIED BRAKE AND CAR SEEMED TO ACCELERATE RATHER THAN BRAKE. THEN, TURNED INTO SUBDIVISION AND BRAKE PRESSURE WENT AWAY COMPLETELY THEN CAME BACK AFTER FINISHED TURN. *AK

THE CRUISE CONTROL ON THE BOTTOM OF MY STEERING WHEEL HAS COME UNDONE. THE CASE HOUSING AROUND IT POPPED OFF, AND NOW IT WON'T SECURE BACK ONTO IT. THE THREE CONTROL BUTTONS USED FOR CRUISE CONTROL NOW SLIDE OUT, AND THE "ON" BUTTON WON'T STAY PRESSED. THE CAR WORKS FINE, SHORT OF THE FRUSTRATIONS OF NOT BEING ABLE TO USE CRUISE CONTROL, AND HAVING THAT MAJOR EYE SORE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE BRAKE WAS DEPRESSED, BUT HAD NO EFFECT. THE SPEEDOMETER REACHED 35 MPH BEFORE THE CONTACT ENGAGED THE CLUTCH TO SLOW THE VEHICLE. CONSEQUENTLY, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A VERY MINOR COLLISION WITH A SECOND VEHICLE. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED, THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV UNTIL THE TACHOMETER NEEDLE WAS REDLINED. THE VEHICLE ALSO HAD THE SAME PROBLEM ON SIX OTHER OCCASIONS. PREVIOUSLY, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER WHERE THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE COMPUTER MODULE WAS REPLACED. THE PROBLEMS PERSISTED.

Mileage: 23,969

WHILE DRIVING IN A CITY AREA THE ACCELERATOR STUCK CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CONTINUE AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED EVEN WITH THE BRAKE FULLY DEPRESSED. THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO AN EMPTY PARKING LOT, PULL UP THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND TURN OFF THE VEHICLE. ON RESTARTING THE MOTOR, THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV AT A HIGH RPM. ON CHECKING THE THROTTLE BODY, THE THROTTLE APPEARED TO REMAIN PARTIALLY OPEN WITHOUT THE ACCELERATOR FOOT PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED. AFTER MANUALLY PUSHING IT BACK IN PLACE, THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED, AND NO APPARENT CAUSE WAS FOUND. APPEARS TO BE A DEFECT THAT CAUSED PROBLEM TO OCCUR INTERMITTENTLY. *JB

Mileage: 46,095

2004 PONTIAC GRAND AM TRUNK POPPED OPEN AND RACED OUT OF THE DRIVE WAY WHILE IN REVERSE AND FOOT WAS NOT ON ACCELERATOR. *TS THE CONSUMER PUT IN A CLAIM TO GM, HOWEVER THE CLAIM WAS DENIED. THE LOCAL DEALER STATED THEY COULDN'T FIND A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED A RECALL WAS ISSUED WHICH DESCRIBED EXACTLY WHAT HE EXPERIENCED. *JB

Mileage: 11,000

WHILE ACCELERATING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL STUCK. CONSUMER MANAGED TO DECELERATE THE VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN, AND RESTART THE IGNITION. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WILL GET STUCK IN A VERY HIGH IDLE CAUSING THE TACHOMETER TO ALMOST ENTER THE RED ZONE. IT WAS MOST NOTICEABLE WENT HE CLUTCH WAS DEPRESSED DURING A HEAVY DOWN POUR, HOWEVER IT HAPPENED IT OCCASIONALLY HAPPENED ANYTIME. THE DEALER STATED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN HAD BEEN ISSUED REGARDING THE IDLE FLAIR, HOWEVER THE CONSUMER THOUGHT THEIR DIAGNOSES WAS INCORRECT. AFTER NUMEROUS CONVERSATIONS, THE DEALER FINALLY REPLACED THE ENTIRE THROTTLE PEDAL ASSEMBLY AND THROTTLE CABLE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM STILL HAS NOT BE RESOLVED. *JB

Mileage: 4,000

BEGINNING IN DECEMBER OF 2004 THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING THROUGH A HEAVY RAINFALL HAD THE ACCELERATOR STICK AND THE CAR HAD TO BE PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED OFF. AT VARIOUS OTHER TIMES BETWEEN DEC 04 AND 3/28/05 THE VEHICLE DISPLAYED ERATIC SPEED CONTROL. ON 3/28/05 VEHICLE WAS SERVICED AT BOMMARITO SOUTH FOR THIS SAME ISSUE, DURING THAT SERVICE VISIT, THEY COULDN'T REPLICATE THE ISSUE. ON 4/08/05, VEHICLE WAS SERVICED AT DEALER FOR THE SAME ISSUE AGAIN AND THE THROTTLE BODY AND ACCELERATOR CABLE WERE REPLACED. THIS APPARENTLY ALSO DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2005 WITH APPROXIMATELY 9524 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, WHILE SLOWING DOWN IN 5TH GEAR AND LEVELING MY SPEED OUT AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, I RELEASED THE GAS PEDAL AND ENGAGED THE CLUTCH IN ORDER TO DOWNSHIFT. WHEN I DID THIS, THE RPM LEVEL ON THE VEHICLE CLIMBED TO APPROXIMATELY 4000 RPM AND REMAINED AT THAT LEVEL. IN ORDER TO GET IT TO COME DOWN FROM THE HIGH RPM I HAD TO PUMP MY GAS PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES. ON 9/12/2005 THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BY GM TO THE BOMMARITO PONTIAC SOUTH DEALER AGAIN, THIS TIME THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY COULDN'T REPLICATE THE PROBLEM BUT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SUPPOSE TO DO THIS.. ON SEPTEMBER 15TH 2005 AT APPROXIMATELY 20:00 HRS I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE THROUGH A HEAVY DOWNPOUR ON INTERSTATE 44 NEAR VALLEY PARK, MO. THE TRAFFIC AHEAD WAS SLOWING DOWN AS YOU COULD NOT SEE VERY FAR AHEAD DUE TO THE EXTREMELY HEAVY RAINFALL. I REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE ACCELORATOR, HOWEVER THE CAR STILL CONTINUED AS IF MY FOOT WAS STILL ON THE GAS PEDAL. I APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT IT DID NOT HAVE AN EFFECT. I THEN APPLIED THE CLUTCH SO THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT CONTINUE TO MAKE THE CAR GO FOWARD, THE TACHOMETER THEN RAISED TO OVER 5,000 RPM'S I TRIED PUMPING THE GAS PEDAL TO MAKE IT COME DOWN BUT IT DID NOT HAVE ANY EFFECT. I ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT BECUASE OF THIS. TO AVOID ENGINE DAMAGE FROM THE HIGH RPM'S I HAD TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF AND PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE.

Mileage: 9,600

BEGINNING IN DECEMBER OF 2004 THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING THROUGH A HEAVY RAINFALL HAD THE ACCELERATOR STICK AND THE CAR HAD TO BE PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED OFF. AT VARIOUS OTHER TIMES BETWEEN DECEMBER OF 2004 AND 3/28/05 THE VEHICLE DISPLAYED A STUCK ACCELERATOR. ON 3/28/05 VEHICLE WAS SERVICED AT BOMMARITO SOUTH FOR THIS SAME ISSUE, DURING THAT SERVICE VISIT, THEY COULDN'T REPLICATE THE ISSUE BUT THEY INACCURATELY REPROGRAMMED THE PCM FOLLOWING THE TECH SERVICE BULLETIN #04-06-063 (IN REFERENCE TO IDLE FLAIR). THIS SERVICE DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM ON 4/08/05, VEHICLE WAS SERVICED AT BOMMARITO SOUTH FOR THE SAME ISSUE AGAIN AND THE THROTTLE BODY AND ACCELERATOR CABLE WERE REPLACED. THIS APPARENTLY ALSO DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2005 WITH APPROXIMATELY 9524 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, WHILE SLOWING DOWN IN 5TH GEAR AND LEVELING MY SPEED OUT AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, I RELEASED THE GAS PEDAL AND ENGAGED THE CLUTCH IN ORDER TO DOWNSHIFT. WHEN I DID THIS, THE RPM LEVEL ON THE VEHICLE CLIMBED TO APPROXIMATELY 4000 RPM AND REMAINED AT THAT LEVEL. IN ORDER TO GET IT TO COME DOWN FROM THE HIGH RPM I HAD TO PUMP MY GAS PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES. (I WILL POINT OUT THAT THERE HAD BEEN A HEAVY DEW THAT MORNING, I AM NOT SURE IF THAT HAD A BEARING ON THE ISSUE, BUT CONSIDERING THAT THIS SITUATION HAS ALSO OCCURRED DURING HEAVY RAINFALL I FEEL IT IS WORTH POINT OUT). ON 9/12/2005 THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BY GM TO THE BOMMARITO PONTIAC SOUTH DEALER AGAIN, THIS TIME THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY COULDN'T REPLICATE THE PROBLEM BUT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SUPPOSE TO DO THIS.. IT SOUNDS TO ME THAT THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON. *JB

Mileage: 9,523

DT: THE CONTACT OWNED A 2004 PONTIAC GRAND AM. SHE STATED VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT. SHE WAS GOING SLOWLY, WHEN THE VEHICLE TOOK OFF. SHE HIT THE BRAKES AND LUCKILY THE VEHICLE STOPPED, BUT SHE ALMOST WENT THROUGH A STORE WINDOW. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY WERE CHECKING I. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED. *AK *JB

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