2002 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX Exterior Lighting Problems

THE MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH HAS MALFUNCTIONED THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE ON THESE CARS. THE MALFUNCTION OF THIS SWITCH HAS MEANT THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT WORK CAUSING SOMEONE TO RUN INTO THE BACK OF MY CAR AS I WAS SLOWING IN TRAFFIC. THE SHIFT LEVER LOCK WILL NOT ENGAGE LEAVING THE KEYS UNABLE TO BE REMOVED AND THE SHIFTER CAN BE MOVED OUT OF PARK WITHOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL BEING PRESSED. THE IGNITION SWITCH AND HARNESS MALFUNCTION CAUSING THE FAN TO NOT WORK IN ANYTHING BUT 5. LOOK AT THE MESSAGE BOARDS ALL THREE A COMMON OCCURRENCE AND WORSE GM KNOWS OF THESE PROBLEMS AND HAVE REFUSED TO ADDRESS THEM. *TR

Mileage: 79,000

CAN NOT START UP AGAIN AFTER SHUT DOWN HAVE TO WAIT TILL CARS COOLS DOWN. *TR

Mileage: 42,000

MECHANIC ALERTED ME THAT MY BRAKE LIGHTS ON THE BUMPER ARE NOT WORKING. BRAKE LIGHT IN CENTER OF BACK WINDOW WORKS. REPLACED THE BULBS AND CHECKED FUSES. BRAKE LIGHT STILL DO NOT WORK. DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE ABOUT THIS ISSUE. FOUND THAT IT IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL CAR. SOME SAID THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM BY TURNING THE HAZARDS LIGHTS ON AND OFF. WE TRIED THIS AND FOUND THAT THE HAZARD LIGHTS ALSO DO NOT WORK, THE BUTTON IS ACTUALLY STUCK. FOUND AFTER PRESSING THE HAZARD BUTTON VERY HARD, THE BUTTON WILL PUSH DOWN. THE BRAKE LIGHTS START WORKING, HOWEVER, THE TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS NO LONGER WORK. SEARCHED THIS ISSUE ON THE WEB SOME MORE. FOUND THAT THERE ARE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME ISSUE. THE BRAKE LIGHTS, HAZARD LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNAL ARE ALL IMPORTANT SAFETY FEATURES OF THE CAR. THE ISSUE IS CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE MULTI SWITCH ASSEMBLY IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR. GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE THE CAR BACK TO THE MECHANIC FOR THE EXPENSIVE FIX. I FEEL THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS DEFECTIVE PART. NOT HAVING BASIC SAFETY FEATURES WORKING ON MY CAR DUE TO A DEFECTIVE PART SHOULD WARRANT A RECALL BY GM! *TR

BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT WORK AND FLASHER SWITCH IS STUCK IN THE UP POSITION,MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO FIX THE PROBLEM CAUSE NEW PART FROM GM IS $700.00 LABOR NOT INCLUDED. *TR

Mileage: 43,000

THE TAIL LAMPS HAVE DELAMINATED ALLOWING MOISTURE TO ACCUMULATE WHICH HAS DECREASED THE VISIBILITY OF THE LAMPS. ALMOST CAUSED A COLLISION. *TR

Mileage: 94,212

I HAVE RECENTLY EXPERIENCED TWO MAJOR DEFECTS WITH MY 2002 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GTP. FIRST, I HAVE HAD BOTH MY DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS TO GO OUT. THESE ARE NOT CHEAP TO REPLACE. THE COST PER BEARING IS ABOUT $90 PLUS LABOR. THEN, MY BRAKE LIGHTS HAVE STOPPED WORKING. AFTER LOOKING AT OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THE WEB, I HAVE FOUND THAT I MY VEHICLE WILL REQUIRE A MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH WHICH IS COSTLY AS WELL. AS FAR AS THE BEARINGS GO, THERE IS A STRONG POSSIBILITY THAT I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THOSE AGAIN IN THE NEAR FUTURE. MY OPINION IS THAT IF GM IS AWARE OF THESE DEFECTS IN THEIR PRODUCT , THEY SHOULD BE TAKING MORE STEPS TO SATISFY THEIR CUSTOMERS AS WE HAVE PUT FAITH IN THEIR COMPANY AND HELP KEEP THEM IN BUSINESS WITH SALES AND OUR TAX DOLLARS (BAILOUT). I APPEAL TO GM TO RECALL THE PARTS THAT ARE NOT UP TO STANDARD ON THEIR CARS. *TR

Mileage: 88,000

ACCORDING TO MANY SOURCES (ONLINE INTERNET AUTO FORUMS, MECHANICS, ETC), THE 2002 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX, AND POSSIBLY OTHER YEARS, HAVE HEADLAMPS THAT ARE PRONE TO FAILURE. THIS FAILURE MOSTLY HAS TO DO WITH THE SEALANT OR THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY ITSELF WHICH CRACKS. THIS CAUSES A LEAK FOR AIR, MOISTURE, AND OTHER THINGS TO ENTER THE HEADLAMP AND DRASTICALLY FOG UP THE INSIDE. AS A RESULT, THIS CAUSES A SIGNIFICANT DROP IN VIEW DISTANCE AT NIGHT, AS THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS ARE BLOCKED BY THIS FOG AND MOISTURE ON THE INSIDE OF THE HEADLAMPS. THIS COULD EASILY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AS THE DRIVER HAS MINIMAL VIEWING DISTANCE AT NIGHT FOR OTHER CARS, PEDESTRIANS, OR OBJECTS. MIND YOU, THIS IS JUST FOR THE FRONT HEADLAMPS AND NOT THE CORNER LENSES. FURTHERMORE, THERE IS NO EASY FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM BESIDES PURCHASING NEW FRONT HEADLAMPS FOR EACH SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH PUTS THE PRICE TAG ABOVE $250, NOT INCLUDING INSTALLATION COSTS. AS STATED PREVIOUSLY, THIS APPEARS TO BE COMMON PROBLEM AS MECHANICS THEMSELVES HAVE SAID THAT IS FAIRLY NORMAL FOR THIS CAR AND MANY OTHER PONTIAC GRAND PRIX OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINED OF THIS PROBLEM AS WELL. I HOPE THAT SOMETHING CAN BE DONE SO THAT A RECALL COULD BE IN ORDER TO FIX THIS FAILURE THAT COULD HAVE DRASTIC CONSEQUENCES FOR DRIVERS AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD AT NIGHT. *TR

Mileage: 65,000

I OWN A 02 GRAND PRIX GT WITH ONLY 45,000 MILES ON IT AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS DON'T WORK. AFTER BUYING NEW LIGHT BULBS AND BACK TRACKING ALL WIRING TO THE FUSE BOX, CHECKING ALL FUSES AND AFTER A COUPLE ASPIRINS LATER I CHECKED THE HAZARD SWITCH THAT WAS SEIZED AND WOULD NOT MOVE. PROBLEM FOUND. CHECKING ONLINE, COST A NEW TURN SIGNAL SWITCH $250.00 CHEAPEST PRICE. I WILL FIX THE PROBLEM MYSELF BUT FEEL SORRY FOR OTHERS WHO CAN'T DO THIS TYPE OF WORK THEMSELVES BECAUSE THE LABOR COST WILL BE ABOUT THE SAME PRICE AS THE PART. THANK GOD NO KIDS WERE INJURED IN A REAR END COLLISION OVER A FAULTY SWITCH THAT HAS HAD NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE VEHICLE OWNERS MANUAL SHOWS CHILDREN SHOULD BE RESTRAINED IN THE BACK SEAT. "GO FIGURE". I WOULD UNDERSTAND IF THE VEHICLE HAD 100K MILES ON IT BUT WITH THESE LOW MILES THE SWITCH SHOULD NOT BE MALFUNCTIONING, SORRY GM THIS IS WHY BUYERS ARE LOSING FAITH IN U.S. PRODUCTS. *TR

Mileage: 45,000

BRAKE LIGHT FAILED BROKEN MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH. *TR

Mileage: 65,000

BOTH REAR TAIL LIGHTS FILLING WITH WATER. THIS HAS CAUSED ONE INSTANCE OF PASSENGER SIDE TAIL LIGHTS TO MALFUNCTION. *TR

Mileage: 60,000

BRAKE LIGHTS AND THE TAIL LIGHTS DON'T WORK AND CAN'T USE MY HAZARDS. I FOUND RECALLS FOR THIS SITUATION ON OTHER GM VEHICLES BUT FOR SOME REASON NOT THE 2002 GRAND PRIX. I HAVE COME ACROSS SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND I'M SHOCKED THAT THIS WAS DEEMED NOT AN ISSUE. THIS IS WIDE SPREAD AND THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH IS NOT CHEAP. PLEASE RESEARCH THIS ISSUE AGAIN. *JB

Mileage: 96,000

BRAKE LIGHTS NOT WORKING AND WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED. HAZARD SWITCH IS STUCK. AFTER CHECKING ONLINE THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM RELATED TO THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH. IT APPEARS THAT GM IS WAITING FOR A FEW FATALITIES TO OCCUR BEFORE TAKING ANY ACTION!!

Mileage: 73,000

BRAKE LIGHTS NOT WORKING AND WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED. HAZARD SWITCH IS STUCK. AFTER CHECKING ONLINE THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM RELATED TO THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH. IT APPEARS THAT GM IS WAITING FOR A FEW FATALITIES TO OCCUR BEFORE TAKING ANY ACTION!!

Mileage: 73,000

BRAKE LIGHTS NOT WORKING AND WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED. HAZARD SWITCH IS STUCK. AFTER CHECKING ONLINE THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM RELATED TO THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH. IT APPEARS THAT GM IS WAITING FOR A FEW FATALITIES TO OCCUR BEFORE TAKING ANY ACTION!!

Mileage: 73,000

BRAKE LIGHTS NOT WORKING AND WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED. HAZARD SWITCH IS STUCK. AFTER CHECKING ONLINE THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM RELATED TO THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH. IT APPEARS THAT GM IS WAITING FOR A FEW FATALITIES TO OCCUR BEFORE TAKING ANY ACTION!!

Mileage: 73,000

BRAKE LIGHTS NOT WORKING AND WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED. HAZARD SWITCH IS STUCK. AFTER CHECKING ONLINE THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM RELATED TO THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH. IT APPEARS THAT GM IS WAITING FOR A FEW FATALITIES TO OCCUR BEFORE TAKING ANY ACTION!!

Mileage: 73,000

DRIVER'S SIDE REAR LIGHT ASSEMBLY FILLING WITH WATER. AFTER SEARCHING ONLINE, THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON ISSUE. COULD RESULT IN FAILURE OF REAR LIGHTS AND POSSIBLE ACCIDENT.

Mileage: 73,000

DRIVER'S SIDE REAR LIGHT ASSEMBLY FILLING WITH WATER. AFTER SEARCHING ONLINE, THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON ISSUE. COULD RESULT IN FAILURE OF REAR LIGHTS AND POSSIBLE ACCIDENT.

Mileage: 73,000

DRIVER'S SIDE REAR LIGHT ASSEMBLY FILLING WITH WATER. AFTER SEARCHING ONLINE, THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON ISSUE. COULD RESULT IN FAILURE OF REAR LIGHTS AND POSSIBLE ACCIDENT.

Mileage: 73,000

DRIVER'S SIDE REAR LIGHT ASSEMBLY FILLING WITH WATER. AFTER SEARCHING ONLINE, THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON ISSUE. COULD RESULT IN FAILURE OF REAR LIGHTS AND POSSIBLE ACCIDENT.

Mileage: 73,000

DRIVER'S SIDE REAR LIGHT ASSEMBLY FILLING WITH WATER. AFTER SEARCHING ONLINE, THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON ISSUE. COULD RESULT IN FAILURE OF REAR LIGHTS AND POSSIBLE ACCIDENT.

Mileage: 73,000

DRIVER'S SIDE REAR LIGHT ASSEMBLY FILLING WITH WATER. AFTER SEARCHING ONLINE, THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON ISSUE. COULD RESULT IN FAILURE OF REAR LIGHTS AND POSSIBLE ACCIDENT.

Mileage: 73,000

SEPARATION OF OUTER PLASTIC LENSE FROM MOUNTED FIXTURE RESULTING IN RAIN SETTLING IN THE INTERIOR OF TAIL LIGHT: MAY RESULT IN FAILURE OF BULBS

BRAKE LIGHTS FAIL TO WORK WHEN THEY ARE APPLIED. THE HAZARD SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE AND THE PART COST $602.53 FROM THE DEALERSHIP. *JB

Mileage: 78,500

MY WIFE AND I OWN A 2002 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GTP. ON THE EVENING OF 23 FEBRUARY 2007, MY WIFE WAS FOLLOWED INTO OUR DRIVEWAY BY A CHARLES COUNTY SHERIFF (MD). THE SHERIFF INFORMED MY WIFE THAT HE HAD FOLLOWED HER HOME TO LET HER KNOW THAT SHE HAD NO BRAKE LIGHTS. I CHECKED THE BULBS AND FUSES THE NEXT MORNING. THEY WERE ALL FINE. I DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND THAT NUMEROUS OTHER PONTIAC GRAND PRIX AND GRAND AM OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. EVERYONE SEEMED TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR HAZARD BLINKER SWITCH NOT WORKING BECAUSE IT BECAME STUCK (WHICH HAD ALSO OCCURRED TO ME ABOUT A WEEK PRIOR TO 23 FEB 2007). THEY ALL REPORTED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A FAULTY MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP (WINEGARDNER PONTIAC/GM) AND EXPLAINED TO THE SERVICE DEPT WHAT WAS HAPPENING. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH AND THAT IT WOULD COST ABOUT $450 FOR THE PART AND $200 FOR THE LABOR. THEY TOLD ME THAT IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM. MY CAR ONLY HAS 67,000 MILES ON IT (JUST OUT OF WARRANTY) AND THAT IT WOULDN'T BE COVERED. I TOOK MY CAR TO AN AUTO SHOP ABOUT A WEEK LATER AND HAD IT REPLACED AT A CHEAPER COST. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. MY WIFE DRIVES THROUGH DC AND BRAKE LIGHTS ARE AN ABSOLUTE NECESSITY FOR THE SAFETY OF EVERYONE IN THE CAR. THE DRIVER IS ABSOLUTELY OBLIVIOUS TO THE FACT IF THE BRAKE LIGHTS GO OUT BECAUSE OF A BROKEN HAZARD SWITCH. DURING MY RESEARCH IT SEEMS AS IF THE HAZARD GETS STUCK DUE TO AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF GREASE AND IT CAN NOT BE PRIED LOOSE. I BELIEVE A RECALL NEEDS TO BE ISSUED BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY ISSUES THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH SUCH A PART GOING BAD. I COULD UNDERSTAND IT BEING ONLY THE CONCERN OF THE OWNER IF IT WAS SOMETHING ELSE, BUT SINCE IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE AND LIVES ARE AT STAKE SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE. I DID CONTACT GM/PONTIAC CUSTOMER SERVICE . THEY GAVE ME A CASE NUMBER , BUT THEY SEEMED TO ACT AS IF NOTHING WOULD BE DONE. *JB

Mileage: 67,400

NO BRAKE LIGHTS. BROUGHT INTO DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH. THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM THAT GM SHOULD BE TAKING CARE OF, HAVING NO BRAKE LIGHTS COULD EASILY CAUSE A REAR END COLLISION! THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS REPAIR, I BELEIVE THAT IT SHOULD BE GM'S RESPONSIBILITY. 2002 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX.

Mileage: 87,000

2002 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GT. AFTER ENGAGING HAZARD WARNING SWITCH TO ON, THEN TO OFF, BRAKE LIGHTS FAIL TO WORK. HAVE TO WIGGLE HAZARD SWITCH TO GET BRAKES WORKING AGAIN. ALL BRAKE LIGHTS GO OUT AFTER HAZARD SWITCH IS TURNED OFF. FAULTY TURN SIGNAL-HAZARD SWITCH MODULE. UNCERTAIN IF BRAKE LIGHTS ARE WORKING UNLESS CONSTANT CHECKING. HAVE TO CONTINUE TO WIGGLE HAZARD SWITCH BUTTON TO GET THEM TO FUNCTION AGAIN. VERY DANGEROUS. *NM

2002 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GT. AFTER ENGAGING HAZARD WARNING SWITCH TO ON, THEN TO OFF, BRAKE LIGHTS FAIL TO WORK. HAVE TO WIGGLE HAZARD SWITCH TO GET BRAKES WORKING AGAIN. ALL BRAKE LIGHTS GO OUT AFTER HAZARD SWITCH IS TURNED OFF. FAULTY TURN SIGNAL-HAZARD SWITCH MODULE. UNCERTAIN IF BRAKE LIGHTS ARE WORKING UNLESS CONSTANT CHECKING. HAVE TO CONTINUE TO WIGGLE HAZARD SWITCH BUTTON TO GET THEM TO FUNCTION AGAIN. VERY DANGEROUS. *NM

2002 GRAND PRIX. ALL 3 REAR BRAKE LIGHTS OUT AT ONCE/HAZARD LIGHT BUTTON JAMMED. ALMOST GOT REAR-ENDED A FEW TIMES. GOING TO REPAIR IN NEAR FUTURE. CHECK NUMEROUS WEBSITES NOTING HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE SAME PROBLEM. NEEDS NEW MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH. *NM

Mileage: 81,000

PEOPLE KEPT TAIL GAITING ME AND I FINALLY REALIZED THAT MY BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT WORK - THE SOURCE OF THE MALFUNCTION IS THE STEERING COLUMN HAZARD SWITCH HAS FUSED AND DOES NOT WORK. *NM

Mileage: 45,000

I WAS ALMOST REAR-ENDED BY ANOTHER DRIVER AS ALL BRAKE LIGHTS ON MY CAR HAVE STOPPED WORKING FOR NO APPARENT REASON . WHILE I HAVE NOT HAD THE REPAIR MADE YET, I'VE VISITED SEVERAL ONLINE FORUMS TO DISCUSS THE PROBLEM AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DRIVERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM WHICH STEMS FROM A FAULTY HAZARD LIGHT SWITCH. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AFTER BEING ALERTED FROM A PASSERBY THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED A SWITCH IN THE STEERING WHEEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 7/31/2006 - THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE SWITCH WAS WORN OUT BY USING THE BLINKER TOO MUCH. *NM

Mileage: 55,000

HEADLIGHT AND DASHBOARD LIGHTS FLASH INTERMITTENTLY, APPROXIMATLEY EVERY 2 SECONDS. HAD IT LOOKED AT TWICE BY AW GOLDEN PONTIAC IN READING PA AND WAS TOLD MY CAR "WAS KNOWN TO DO THAT, AND IT CAN'T BE FIXED." ALSO, I CAN LEAVE IT THERE "FOR THE MECHANIC TO DRIVE IT HOME AT NIGHT, SO HE CAN SEE WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT." MY CAR DOES NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM EVERYTIME I DRIVE AT NIGHT, MAYBE EVERY OTHER NIGHT, BUT IT IS NO-STOP WHEN IT STARTS. DRIVERS IN FRONT OF ME HIT THEIR BRAKES, BECAUSE THEY THINK I'M FLASHING THEM. I CAN SEE THIS CAUSING A PROBLEM IF I HAVE TO DEAL WITH A PERSON HAVING ROAD RAGE.*AK

HEADLIGHT AND DASHBOARD LIGHTS FLASHED INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP INFORMED THAT FLASHING HEADLIGHTS AND DASHBOARD LIGHTS ARE COMMON AND CANNOT BE FIXED. MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE NEW PA EMISSIONS AND WON'T BE FIXED. *TT