NHTSA Complaint #10052434 — 2000 PONTIAC GRAND AM

MY FIANCS 2000 GRAND AM HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE FLASHER HAZARD AND TURN SIGNALS. THE FLASHER FOR THESE CIRCUITS IS CONSTANTLY CLICKING WHEN NEITHER SWITCH IS ACTIVATED. IT IS A VERY IRREGULAR CLICKING MUCH FASTER THAN NORMAL. NONE OF THE LIGHTS ARE FLASHING ON (INDICATING A DIRECT SHORT TO GROUND TO ME). WHEN EITHER SWITCH IS ACTIVATED, THE CLICKING IS NORMAL SLOWER RHYTHMIC SOUND AND THE LIGHTS APPEAR TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. A PONTIAC SERVICE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT FROM THE NUMBER OF REPAIRS THEY HAVE DONE IN RECENT MONTHS, THE PROBLEM IS A SHORTING IN THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH. THE COST OF REPAIR IS ABOUT $400 TO $500, DUE TO THE TIME INVOLVED (TWO HOURS OR MORE) AND THE COST OF THE PART ($300  $350). HE STATED THAT AS LONG AS YOU CAN LIVE WITH THE NOISE IT IS NOT A PROBLEM. MY FIANC MAKES ABOUT $800 A MONTH AND THIS COST IS FAR MORE THAN SHE CAN AFFORD, SO SHE HAS DECIDED NOT TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE ONLY WAY THIS FLASHER WOULD CLICK IS IF POWER FLOWING THROUGH IT CAUSED BY A SHORT. THIS CONSTANT FLOW OF POWER BEING FED THROUGH THIS FLASHER, WHICH IS IN THE TOP CENTER OF THE DASH, I FEAR COULD EITHER CAUSE A COMPLETE FAILURE OF THESE CIRCUITS AND/OR CAUSE A FIRE IN THE ELECTRICAL WIRING UNDER THE DASH AND STEERING COLUMN. IF INDEED THIS SHORT IS IN THE STEERING COLUMNS TURN SIGNAL SWITCH, COULD THIS ALSO BE A CONCERN FOR A PREMATURE DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVERS AIR BAG? *AK