NHTSA Complaint #10236756 — 1999 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX

CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAD TO BE REPLACED, AFTER REPLACING, COULD NOT DRIVE CAR BECAUSE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT TO 260 DEGREES IN 6 OR 7 MINUTES OF DRIVING. NEVER HAD THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM OR ANY IDEA OF A PROBLEM UNTIL A WEEK AGO WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC, CAR WAS SLUGGISH AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WOULD NOT GO OFF. I IMMEDIATELY WENT HOME WHICH WAS A 2 MILE DRIVE AND PARKED CAR. CALLED A GM ASE CERTIFIED MECHANIC AND HIS COMPUTER CHECK READ THAT A MISFIRE OF #1 PLUG. PLUGS WERE REPLACED AND THEN MECHANIC LET ENGINE RUN SINCE THERE WAS WHITE SMOKE, UNTIL THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF SMOKE AT ALL. THEN HE CHECKED AND SAID TO GO AND HAVE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER CHECKED. CONVERTER WAS CHECKED AND WAS TOLD IT WAS CLOGGED AND NEEDED REPLACING. REPLACED CONVERTER, TRIED DRIVING HOME APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES AND CAR STARTED GETTING HOT TEMPERATURE AND WHEN STOPPED, WAS VERY HARD TO START, BUT KEPT GETTING UP TO 260 DEGREES, WHICH REQUIRED ME TO STOP AND LET ENGINE COOL AND TRY TO GET HOME AND PARKED CAR. CALLED CONVERTER INSTALLER AND THEY WILL CHECK AGAIN, BUT WAS TOLD TO ADD COOLANT, BUT DO NOT DRIVE. DEX COOL WAS ADDED, PER BOOK SPECS AND STARTED CAR. STARTED TO RUN, BUT THICK WHITE SMOKE BILLOWED OUT AND A BURNING ODOR WAS DETECTED. QUICKLY TURNED CAR OFF AND WILL HAVE TO CALL AAA TO TOW TO CONVERTER INSTALLER SHOP FOR ANOTHER SHOP. I HAVE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE 3 MOTORS IN THE DRIVER FRONT WINDOW AND IT IS STILL NOT GOING UP OR DOWN. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO GM ABOUT THIS ISSUE BEFORE. OH, I CALLED GM ALSO ABOUT THE WARRANTY ON THE CONVERTER AND I WAS OVER THE MILEAGE FOR THE 8 YEAR WARRANTY. BEFORE THIS, I HAVE SPENT OVER $400.00 TO REPLACE GASKETS AND VALVES RECENTLY ON THE ENGINE AND I CANT AFFORD ANYMORE, I AM DISABLED AND RECEIVING SSI. IS THERE ANY REMEDY? *TR