NHTSA Complaint #10107544 — 1997 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX

THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, BECAUSE THE VEHICLE ENGINE COULD OVERHEAT DUE TO LOSS OF COOLANT OR LEAVE YOUR FAMILY STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE. GENERAL MOTORS PONTIAC DIVISION BULLETIN 01-06-01-007A ISSUED 07/18/2001, PROVIDES LIMITED INFORMATION ON THE PROBLEM. ON MANY OF THE GM CARS FROM 1995 THROUGH 1998, THAT USE THE 3.8L ENGINE THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW. THE EGR PASSAGE MELTS THE UPPER INTAKE PLENUM, SO THE COMPOSITE MATERIAL DEGRADES AROUND THE EGR STOVEPIPE AND COULD (AND DOES IN MANY CASES) RESULT IN THE INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL LOSS OF COOLANT. MY CAR IS A 1997 GRAND PRIX. THEY CHARGED ME $1283.47 TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY THEIR DESIGN FLAW, INSTEAD OF RECALLING THE VEHICLE. THERE ARE PROBABLY THOUSANDS OF CARS LIKE THIS. IF THE COOLANT LEAKS INTO THE UPPER PLENUM, IT COULD RESULT IN "HYDRO-LOCK" OF THE CYLINDERS. THAT COULD ALSO BE A SAFETY PROBLEM. THE CARS HAVING THIS DESIGN SHOULD BE RECALLED AND THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THEIRS REPAIRED ALREADY SHOULD BE REIMBURSED. THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY BAD ENGINEERING AND MATERIALS USED BY PONTIAC. *NM