NHTSA Complaint #10069918 — 1999 PONTIAC GRAND AM

DRIVER SIDE WINDOW BROKE TWO YEARS AGO WHILE THE CAR WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRENTY. I PAID FOR THE MOTOR AND WINDOW - A LITTLE OVER $600. IT BROKE AGAIN IN THE FALL OF 2002. THIS WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND I WAS NOT CHARGED. IT BROKE A 3RD TIME LAST MONTH AND THE WARRANTY FOR THE ONE THAT WAS REPLACED HAD EXPIRED BY ONE WEEK TO TEN DAYS. I WAS CHARGED THE $410. AFTER COMPLAINING, I WAS GIVEN A REDUCTION OF 15%. I PAID THIS AMOUNT AS THIS IS MY DAUGHTER'S ONLY TRANSPORATION AND SHE NEEDED IT TO ATTEND CLASS AND TO WORK. IN VOICING MY DISPLEASURE TO SERVICE MANAGER/STAFF AT SAWYERS PONTIAC IN LANSING MI (WHERE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED USED BUT STILL UNDER WARRANTY), I WAS INFORMED THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS COMMON TO THE 1999 GRAND AM AND WAS A RESULT OF A CHANGE IN MATERIALS USED IN THE WINDOW ASSEMBLY. THEY ADVISED ME THAT IT WAS THEY WHO AUTHORIZED THE 15% CREDIT TO ME AND THAT PONTIAC MOTORS WOULD DO NOTHING MORE. IN TALKING TO STAFF AT PONTIAC MOTORS, I WAS OFFERED A ADDITONAL FREE OIL AND LUBE SERVICE FOR ONE YEAR. I OWN 3 GM VEHICLES, THIS IS 1ST PONTIAC. THIS RE-OCCURRING ROBLEM IS KNOWN TO SERVICE MECHANICS BUT PONTIAC IS UNWILLING TO TAKE RESPONSIBILTY FOR IT. THERE IS NO DOUBT I WILL BE BACK FOR REPAIRS IN ANOTHER YEAR UNLESS I CAN GET RID OF IT. BUT I WILL NOT BE BACK TO BUY ANOTHER PONTIAC AND PROBABLY NOT ANY OTHER GM CAR.