NHTSA Complaint #10207622 — 2002 PONTIAC GRAND AM

I OWN A 2002 PONTIAC GRAND AM. EVER SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, THE SECURITY LIGHT WILL COME ON FOR A FEW DAYS AND THEN GO OFF AGAIN. IT WOULD NEVER BLINK, JUST STAY ON CONSTANTLY FOR 3 TO 4 DAYS. THIS OCCURS APPROXIMATELY EVER 3 MONTHS OR SO. BEGINNING ON 10/16/07, THE CAR WOULD START AND THEN SHUT OFF AGAIN. THAT DAY I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR IMMEDIATELY AND HAVE NO OTHER PROBLEMS WITH IT. HOWEVER, ON 10/24/07 WHEN I WENT TO LEAVE FOR WORK THE CAR WOULD NOT START. THERE WAS NO POWER WHATSOEVER TO THE VEHICLE. AT NOON THAT DAY WHEN MY BOYFRIEND TRIED TO START IT, IT STARTED JUST FINE. I LET IT JUST SIT FOR TWO DAYS WHILE I DROVE ANOTHER VEHICLE TO WORK. I BEGAN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AGAIN ON 10/27. IT RAN FINE UNTIL 1:30 PM ON THE 28TH WHEN I STOPPED TO PUT GAS IN THE CAR. AFTER FILLING UP WITH GAS, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AGAIN. I HAD DONE SOME PRIOR RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE HAD HAD THIS PROBLEM AS WELL. HUNDREDS OF OTHERS WITH 2002 PONTIAC GRAND AMS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD TO TURN THE KEY TO ON AND WAIT 10 MINUTES. THE POWER DID COME BACK AFTER 15 MINUTES, HOWEVER, EACH TIME I ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, IT WOULD SHUT DOWN AGAIN. AFTER SITTING AT THE GAS PUMP FOR OVER AN HOUR TRYING TO RESET THE SYSTEM, MY BOYFRIEND ARRIVED AND PUSHED ME TO A PARKING SPOT WHERE HE DISCONNECTED THE POWER TO THE BATTERY, WAITED A FEW MINUTES, AND THEN RECONNECTED THE POWER. THE CAR DID START AFTER THAT. I HAVE NOT HOWEVER DRIVEN THE CAR SINCE AS I AM SCARED OF WHERE IT WILL STRAND ME NEXT TIME. I AM LOOKING INTO GETTING IT FIXED. THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT IT'S A DAILY OCCURRENCE TO GET CALLS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AT THE DEALERSHIPS I HAVE CONTACTED FOR QUOTES. IT IS GOING TO COST $400 TO GET THE IGNITION SWITCH AND HALLS SENSOR REPLACED. PONTIAC NEEDS TO REALIZE THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. HOWEVER, I'M AFRAID SOMEONE WILL HAVE TO END UP DYING FROM IT BEFORE THEY DO. *TR