NHTSA Complaint #10159167 — 2002 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX

I WAS DRIVING THE 2002 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GTP ON A HIGHWAY WITH 45-55 MPH SPEED LIMIT FOR APPROX. 45 MIN. THE CAR SHUT OFF 15 SEC. AFTER I HEARD THE ENGINE BACKFIRE. THE SPEEDOMETER WENT FROM 0 ALL THE WAY UP, AND BACK TO 0. I PULLED INTO THE NEAREST PARKING LOT AND POPPED THE HOOD. I DISCOVERED A FIRE NEAR THE INTAKE AND THE LOWER RIGHT SIDE OF THE VALVE COVER. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A PONTIAC DEALER. THEY REPLACED THE FUEL INJECTORS, THE LOWER INTAKE, VALVE COVER, SPARK PLUG WIRES, ELECTRICAL HARNESS AND MUCH MOTOR THE COST WAS APPROX. $5000. AFTER SAYING IT WOULD TAKE 2 WEEKS, IT TOOK THE SHOP 6 OR 7 WEEKS TO FIX, SO MY CAR RENTAL BILL WAS THOUSANDS MORE THAN INSURANCE WOULD COVER THE CAR WASN'T NEARLY AS RESPONSIVE AND HAD TROUBLE GOING UP EVEN THE SMALLEST INCLINES. ALSO, THE SHIFT-PARK INTERLINK STOPPED WORKING SO THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK AFTER THE FIRE. AND MY SUNROOF HASN'T WORKED SINCE. AND MY FAN FOR THE A/C AND HEATER ONLY WORKS WITH THE FAN ON 5. ALSO I HAVE NOTICED A WEIRD SOUND COMING FROM THE SPEAKERS ON OCCASION. ABOUT A WEEK OR TWO LATER THE CAR WAS IN THE SHOP BECAUSE THEY HAD NOT REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS; ONE OF THEM WAS CRACKED AND WAS MOST LIKELY CRACKED WHEN I GOT THE CAR BACK. THE CAR HAD ABOUT 90,000 MILES WHEN IT HAD CAUGHT FIRE. THEN ON JUNE 3, 2006-AFTER LESS THAN 2000 MILES, THE ENGINE LOCKED UP. THE DEALER SAID THE ONLY OPTION THEY CAN DO TO FIX IT IS PUT A NEW ENGINE IN--THE INITIAL ESTIMATE IS $5200. ALSO, I'M GOING TO BE OUT OF A CAR AGAIN AND WILL HAVE THE BURDEN OF RENTAL CAR COSTS AGAIN. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ, THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS FIRES INVOLVING THE GM 3.8. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. *NM