2001 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX Power Train Problems

AFTER HAVING THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED 2 TIMES BY DEALERSHIP, WE HAD TO REPLACE IT AT 99,000 MILES AGAIN OUT OF OUR POCKETS. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD EXPLODED IN MY HUSBANDS FACE IN 2012! WE ALSO HAD THAT FIXED FOR $480.00 OUT OF OUR POCKETS. THEN ON FEBRUARY 22,2013 AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE , THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE WITHIN MINUTES AND COMPLETELY ENGULFED THE CAR!( WE HAD TAKEN IT IN FOR THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE RECALL AT OUR PONTIAC DEALERSHIP PREVIOUSLY TO BE FIXED.) FIRE WAS SO SEVERE IT WENT UNDER THE CAR AND DOWN THE STREET. WE HAVE 4 CHILDREN AND THIS HAS BEEN NOT ONLY A CONSTANT INCONVENIENCE FOR US, BUT A DANGER TO MY FAMILY! IT IS TIME THAT THIS BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. *TR

Mileage: 109,000

I BOUGHT MY PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GT (3.8L) IN LATE '01, I MOSTLY SERVICED EVERYTHING WITH MY ORIGINAL DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. AFTER ABOUT 3 YEARS (UNDER THE MFG WARRANTY) THE CAR BEGAN HESITATING WHEN ACCELERATING UPHILL & UNDER LOAD AT ABOUT 50-60 MPH, I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT (AT THE DEALERSHIP) THE TOOK ME FOR A ROAD TEST WHERE THE PROBLEM WAS DUPLICATED THEN THEY DID SOME DIAGNOSTICS (CHARGED ME FOR IT) BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY SPECIFIC PROBLEM (NO CODES EITHER). MY FATHER HAS A CHEVY IMPALA LS '00 AND HE HAS THE EXACT SAME ISSUE, SO I DECIDED THERE MUST BE SOME KIND OF ISSUE WITH THESE CARS THAT GM SERVICE PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT. SO I CALLED THE GM SERVICE CENTER, LEFT A MESSAGE & A TECHNICIAN CALLED ME BACK ONLY TO TELL ME THAT THERE'S ABSOLUTELY "NOTHING" HE CAN TELL ME MORE ABOUT IT AND THERE'S NO KNOW ISSUE / HE HAS NO IDEA WHY BOTH OF OUR CARS (SIMILAR MAKES) HAVE DEVELOPED THE SAME ISSUE. I WENT ALL OVER THE PLACE TO MANY DIFFERENT & INDEPENDENT MECHANIC SHOPS TO NO AVAILABILITY. I FINALLY WAS TOLD THAT THERE'S A KNOWN (& CONFIRMED) ISSUE WITH THESE VEHICLES (THIS WAS AN ISSUE FROM '99 TO '01) AND THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A FAULTY PCM (POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE). SO I CALLED UP MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP TO FIND OUT THE PRICE, WHICH THEY TOLD ME WOULD BE OVER "$900.00" FOR THE PART PLUS LABOR CHARGES... I THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD BE NICE OF GM TO OFFER ME SOME REPAIR FOR THIS FAULTY PART THAT HAS DRIVEN ME NUTS FOR YEARS, BUT THEY REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING EVEN A REQUEST TO SIMPLY UPDATE THE PCM SOFTWARE FREE OF CHARGE WAS DENIED TO ME. SO I CHECKED IN TO A DEALRSHIP & ORDERED THE PCM SOFTWARE UPDATED, THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED! SO AFTER GOING THRU ALL THE SUGGESTIONS & ELIMINATING PART AFTER PART MYSELF, I FINALLY FIGURED IT OUT! THE PROBLEM WAS FAULTY SOFTWARE ON THE PCM (POWER CONTROL MANAGEMENT) CHIP THAT WAS REFLASHED & NOW WORKS FLAWLESSLY. SHOULDN'T GM AT LEAST REIMBURSE ME FOR THIS? *TR

Mileage: 20,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE HAD RECURRING FAILURE WITH HER ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. WHILE BRAKING, THE ABS AND TRACTION SERVICE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD AND A "GRUMBLING" SOUND CAN BE HEARD COMING FROM THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE HUBS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED INDEPENDENTLY. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 67,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 72,200. UPDATED 12/21/10*BF UPDATED 12/23/10*JB

Mileage: 67,000

OIL LEAKAGE FROM VALVE COVERS, TRANSMISSION FAILURE, HUB ASSEMBLY FAILURE,TRACTION SYSTEM FAILURE. PROBLEMS WITH ONLY 60,000 MILES GM WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE RESPONSIBILITY OR ASSIST IN PAYING FOR REPAIRS. FOUND MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. SHOULD NOT HAVE THESE PROBLEMS WITH LOW MILEAGE ON THIS VEHICLE WHICH WAS PURCHASED NEW AND WELL MAINTAINED. TOLD BY CERTIFIED MECHANICS THAT THESE PROBLEMS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. *TR

Mileage: 60,000

PONTIAC GRAND PRIX 2001: WAS HIT BY ANOTHER CAR IN THE LEFT REAR WHILE CAR WAS AT RED STOP LIGHT WAITING FOR GREEN LIGHT, SPINNED, WENT ON TO "AUTOMATIC" DRIVE AND HIT FIRE HYDRANT ON THE RIGHT SIDE FENDER. THE IMPACT MAY HAVE BEEN TOO GREAT TO CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO MOVE PASSED MEDIAN AND STILL HIT A FIRE HYDRANT AND STOP SIGN AT THE INTERSECTION. MY WIFE SUFFERED MULTIPLE INJURIES, I.E., BROKEN RIBS, NECK WOUNDS, ORGAN BURST, ETC., THAT KILLED HER AT THE SCENE. I HAVE SEEN A CAR THAT WENT ON "CRAZY SPIN" AFTER RUNNING OVER A PIECE OF TIRE ON THE ROAD. I HAVE BEEN BOTHERED BY THAT INCIDENT WHICH HAPPENED JUST A MONTH AFTER MY WIFE'S DEATH AND BEGAN TO QUESTION THE DESIGN OF FRONT WHEEL DRIVEN CARS THAT GO ON TO "AUTOMATIC" DRIVE AFTER ANY DISTURBANCE. THE OTHER CAR THAT HIT MY WIFE'S CAR IS SMALLER AND IT MUST HAVE BEEN MOVING OVER THE SPEED LIMIT OF 35 MPH TO HAVE TO CAUSE THE GRAND PRIX TO DEVELOP THAT MUCH MOTION AND MOVE AT RANDOM.. AND IT MUST BE THE MECHANISM OR TRANSMISSION THAT TRIGGERED IT TO MOVE. THEORIZE THAT THE GRAND PRIX WAS AT STOP AND BRAKES APPLIED, CAR WOULD NOT MOVE THE DISTANCE IT HAD IF NOT UNDERGONE "AUTOMATIC". THERE WERE PREVIOUS REPORTS ABOUT FRONT WHEEL CARS/ENGINES BEFORE THEY BECAME COMMON. THE GRAND PRIX'S ON-STAR DID NOT ACTIVATE OR FUNCTION, ALSO THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. IT WAS NOT PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE FOR THE GRAND PRIX TO MOVE THAT MUCH DISTANCES IF ATTRIBUTED ONLY TO OTHER VEHICLE HITTING IT. THE GRAND PRIX PRO-PERFORMANCE CLAIM WAS SOMETHING THAT HAVE BEEN PUT TOGETHER WITHOUT SAFETY CHECKS. NON-DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG ALSO HAD DELAYED RESCUE AND THE "ON STAR" CLAIM OF IMMEDIATE ALERT DID NOT WORK. HOW SAFE ARE THE FRONT WHEEL CARS NOW? I HAVE TO READ BACK POPULAR MECHANICS MAGAZINE 1978'S BACK ISSUES TO FIND THE ARTICLE ON THE FRONT WHEEL DRIVE CARS. I FEEL THAT THE SPEED OF THE OTHER CAR WAS NOT THE FACTOR THAT MADE THE GRAND PRIX GO ON RANDOM MOTION. THERE MUST BE FUEL INJECTION MECHANISM/COMPONENT PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 7,000

ON A COLD START THE CAR WILL NOT GO INTO GEAR UNTIL IT WARMS UP. HAPPENS EVERYTIME AS LONG AS THE CAR HAS SAT FOR A FEW HOURS. *TR

Mileage: 94,500

2001 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX ENGINE OIL LEAK, INTERIOR WATER LEAK AT PASSENGER DOOR *CW THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE WATER LEAK MAY HAVE BEEN A RESULT OF THE DOOR BEING MISALIGNED. THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT. THE CONSUMER WAS THEN INFORMED THE REASON FOR THE PULLING OF THE VEHICLE WAS DUE TO THE INFERIOR TIRES ON THE VEHICLE. THE STICKER IN THE TRUNK SPECIFIED H RATED TIRES, HOWEVER THE TIRES THE DEALER SOLD ON THE VEHICLE WERE GOODYEAR EAGLE LS TIRES. THE CD PLAYER WAS INOPERATIVE. THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE EGR VALVE AND GASKET WERE REPLACED. THE SUNROOF WAS LEAKING AND THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED. THE LEFT FRONT CV BOOT WAS LEAKING AND THE LEFT FRONT HUB BEARING WAS NOISY. THE IGNITION CYLINDER, PARKING BRAKE, POWER STEERING HOSE, PUMP SEAL, RACK AND PINION AND OUTER TIE ROD WERE REPLACED. *JB

PURCHASED USED 2001 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX IN JUNE, 2007. COMPLAINED TO AUTO DEALER THAT CARS TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING. THEY TEST DROVE VEHICLE AND STATED IT WAS OK. HAD VEHICLE S TRANSMISSION TESTED A FEW MONTHS LATER - IT IS BAD PER TRANSMISSION PLACE. AUTO DEALER STATES HE WILL PUT IN TRANNY AT COST OF 1,700 TO 1800. TRANSMISSION CENTER OFFERED TO PUT IN TRANNY FOR 1200. HE WILL NOT MATCH THE COST NOR PAY FOR IT. I FEEL HE IS PARTIALLY LIABLE FOR THIS AS HE SOLD IT LIKE THAT. PLEASE ADVISE ME OF WHAT LEGAL RIGHTS I HAVE AS A CONSUMER. *TR

Mileage: 74,000

PURCHASED THIS CAR USED, IT WAS 2 YEARS OLD WITH ABOUT 21K MILES. KEPT UP WITH ALL MAINTENANCE. DEALER EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR 3 MONTHS. BUT DID NOT NOTIFY ME WHEN THE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY EXPIRED SO I WAS UNABLE TO EXTEND. PURCHASED A PLATINUM WARRANTY FROM AAA. TRANSMISSION "BLEW UP" AT 48K MILES. HAD IT REPLACED PER WARRANTY W/A USED TRANSMISSION AS WARRANTY WOULD NOT PAY FOR NEW ONE. DROVE THE CAR FOR 19 MOS AND 12K MILES AND TRANSMISSION BLEW UP AGAIN! DEALER SAID WARRANTY WAS ONLY GOOD ON TRANSMISSION FOR 1 YEAR AND THEY ARE MAKING INQUIRIES AS TO WHETHER I HAVE TO PAY FOR ANOTHER ONE EVEN THOUGH MY CONTRACT W/AAA WARRANTY CO IS GOOD TO 8/10/08 OR 83,894 MILES. WHY IS MY CAR EATING TRANSMISSIONS??? HELP! *JB

Mileage: 60,000

I BOUGHT THE CAR OCT 2003 IT HAD 23000 MILES ON IT AND THEN WHEN IT HIT 30000 MILES THAT'S WHEN TROUBLE STARTED MY HUSBAND WENT TO CHECK ON HIS BROTHER AND TURNED THE CAR OFF AND WAS OFF FOR 1 HOUR AND WENT TO START THE CAR AND IT WOULDN'T STAY RUNNING TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL REPAIR MAN AND HE WORKED ON IT AND NOTHING 250.00 DOLLARS LATER HE HAULED IT THE GM DEALER IN INDEPENDENCE KS. WHERE THEY SAID IT WAS THE ANTI THEFT DEVICE HAD ME LOCKED OUT AND THE HAD TO REPLACE THE MODULE. 480.00 LATER. NOW WHEN I DRIVE A DISTANCE MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND MY CAR ACTS LIKE IT TRIES TO CUT OUT AND SHIFTS HARD AND JERKS. AND MY TRACT OFF LIGHT STAYS ON NOW ALL THE TIME. MY LAST GRAND PRIX HAD 160000 MILES ON IT BEFORE IT STARTED ACTING UP. MY LOCAL REPAIR MAN SAID THAT I NEED TO REPLACE THE BRAIN MODULE AND ALL MY PROBLEMS WELL STOP. AND NOW WHEN IT RAINS MY CAR FEEL UP WITH WATER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR BOARD 2 INCHES RIGHT NOW SO IF THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS CAR IT NEEDS TO BE THE WHOLE CAR. RIGHT NOW THE CAR HAS 51000 MILES. *JB

Mileage: 36,000

PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION ON THE 2001 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX.*MR TRANSMISSION GEARS WERE NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY. CONSUMER WAS CHARGED $84.43 FOR DRAINING THE TRANSMISSION FLUID, REPLACING THE FILTER, RESEALING THE PAN, AND REFILLING FLUID AND ROADTEST. *BF

HELLO, I PURCHASED A 2001 PONTIAC GRAN PRIX GT IN JUNE OF 2004, I PAID CASH FOR THE CAR AND HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION SINCE THE FIRST WEEK I BOUGHT IT. I FEEL I HAVE BEEN GETTING THE RUN AROUND ON GETTING IT FIXED PROPERLY. I HAVE HAD TO FIGHT MY WAT THROUGH THE DEALER (LAURA BUICK PONTIAC GMC) IN COLLINSVILLE, IL. IN GETTING THIS FIXED. THEY DID FINALLY REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION IN DECEMBER OF 2004. AT THIS TIME THEN THE CAR WAS HIT ON THEIR LOT AND HAD TO GET THAT FIXED AND HAD TO ARGUE WITH THEM OVER THAT REPAIR. THEY DID REPAIR IT WEEKS LATER. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO LAURA BUICK OF COLLINSVILLE TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION LOOKED AT AGAIN DUE TO IT WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AT THIS TIME THEY STATED TO ME THAT THEY DROVE THE CAR AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION ITSELF,BUT DID HERE SOME WINING MAKING ALEFT TURN AND THAT IT WAS THE POWER STEERING RACK NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED AND THE COST OF THAT WOULD BE $862.00, AT THIS TIME I DON,T HAVE THE MONEY TO GET THE CAR FIXED SO I WENT TO PICK UP MY CAR AND THEY TOLD ME I HAD TO PAY $65.00 TO HAVE MY CAR RELEASED TO ME. I DON,T FEEL I OWE THIS MONEY BECAUSE I WAS TOLD THAT HE TEST DROVE THE CAR SO BEFORE ANYTHING EXTRA WAS PERFORMED I SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED OF ANY ADDITIONAL FEES. I HAVE NOT BEEN SATIFIED WITH THIS PURCHASE SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR AND I CAN GO INTO DEEPER DETAIL IF NEEDED. ALL I,M ASKING FOR IS TO HAVE THE SATIFACTION OF MY CAR BEING REPAIRED-- THEY GOT WHAT THEY WANTED AND THAT WAS THE SATIFACTION OF SELLING THE CAR TO SOMEONE LIKE ME. PLEASE HELP! AN UNSATISFIED CUSTOMER.*AK

1 POSITIVE TERMINAL COMES OFF DELCO BATTERY KNOWN BY DELCO AND GM 2 TRANSMISSION -BANG WHILE REVERSING OUT OF GARAGE CAR STOPPED WOULD NOT GO IN REVERSE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO TRANSMISSION $2,700.00 , 47,000 ALL INTERSTATE DRIVING 3 ROAD NOISE CAR WAS TAKEN IN SAID IT WAS JUST FROM THE TIRES BUT NO PROBLEM FOUND .TAKE CAR IN AFTER WARRANTE RUNS OUT THIS TIME FOR ROUTINE OIL CHANGE TIRE ROTATION GUESS WHAT BAD TIRE PUT ON REAR WHAT BAD TIRE. NO WONDER USA IS DOING ITS SELF OUT OF TRADE AT LEAST WITH A FORIEGN VECHELE I WOULD OF GOT 60,000/ 6YEARS I'M CONSIDERING IT FOR MY NEXT CAR. *AK

Mileage: 47,000

MY 2001 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GTP HAS HAD A GRINDING NOISE SINCE 8/31/04. ON 9/1/04 IT WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE LAST NIGHT. I TOOK TO THE DEALER AND THEY FOUND THE TRANSMISSION SHUT. THEYRE QUOTING APPROXIMATELY $2,700 TO PUT IN A NEW TRANSMISSION. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN TO A 3-YEAR OLD CAR WITH 45,000 MILES ON IT!*AK

Mileage: 45,000

PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION ON 2003 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX SE. *MR *SC *JB

AFTER DRIVING FROM TALLAHASSEE, FL TO JAX, FL CAR SOUNDED AS IF WAS STUCK ON GRAVEL WHILE LEAVING FROM A RED LIGHT. AT NEXT REDLITE, A LOUD GRINDING NOISE AT TAKEOFF. NEXT REDLITE, LOUD GINDING AND CAR STOPPED AT INTERSECTION. HAD TO PUSH INTO A PARKING LOT. TRANSMISSION WAS SHOT AT 30,409 MILES.PONTIAC REBUILT TRANSMISSION

Mileage: 30,409

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *AK

Mileage: 45,000

I'M NOT SURE ON ALL DATES OF CAR PROBLEM'S. CARFAX HAS ALL THAT INFORMATION. IT'S BEEN IN THE SHOP 6 TIMES,NOW MY SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME ON AGAIN. THIS WILL BE THE 7TH TIME WITHIN 1 YEAR. ONE THING WAS FIXED 3 TIME'S IN SAME MONTH,I BELEAVE.THE DEALER SHIP IN TX, SAID THE DEALER SHIP IN IL NEVER FIXED IT THE FIRST 2 TIMES.

MILEAGE/DATE COMPLAINT RESOLUTION 24736-10/29/01 RT FT POWER WINDOW REPLACED MOTOR REGULATOR 59454-12/5/02 ERROR CODE 20 ON CD REPLACED CD PLAYER ($537.59) 62469-1/30/03 RT RR POWER WINDOW REGULATOR CABLES WORN GEARS STRIPPED 62469 TACH INTERMITTENT REPLACE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR 62469 TRANS SLIPPING COMPUTER SAID NO PROBLEM ($1,050) 64406-2/25/03 WON'T GO INTO REVERSE REPLACED TRANSMISSION 70758-5/23/03 KEY WON'T COME OUT REPLACE SHIFTER ASSY ($510) 70758 RT RR POWER WINDOW INTERMITTENT - COULD FIND NO PROBLEM 83769-10/24/03 ENGINE COOLANT RECALL PERFORM RECALL 83769 RT RR POWER WINDOW REPLACES CABLES WORN GEARS 83769 ENGINE OIL LEAK REPLACE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET 83769 LOSS OF POWER REPLACE CATALYTIC CONVERTER

Mileage: 64,406

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE: IN OVERDRIVE AT ABOUT 55MPH, SUDDEN BANG. CAR STARTED BUCKING WITH MORE NOISES. PULLED OVER. OVERDRIVE NO LONGER WORKING, AS WELL AS FAILURE WITH 1ST, 2ND, AND REVERSE. NURSED IT HOME IN 3RD. CAR ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO PUSH EVEN IN NEUTRAL. HAD IT TOWED TO DEALER. PROBABLE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT UPCOMING. ONLY 31,000 MILES ON CAR.*AK

Mileage: 31,000

WHEN ACCELERATING QUICKLY, THE FIRST SHIFT OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION GRINDS.*AK

Mileage: 38,500

WHILE DRIVING AT AN INCLINE ROAD TRACKING SYSTEM ON FRONT TIRES TEND TO SPIN AND VEER TO T LEFT, LOSING CONTROL.*AK