NHTSA Complaint #10240967 — 1999 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX

I BROUGHT THE CAR BRAND NEW . I HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR EXCEPT MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I HAD AN ASE CERTIFIED MECHANIC CHECK THE CAR. HE CHECKED OVER MY CAR AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE. HE USED A COMPUTER. AND THE CODE CAME BACK CLOGGED CATALYTIC CONVERTER. I CALLED GM TWICE AND THEY SAID THAT MY CAR WAS NOT UNDER A RECALL I SAW. I NEVER GOT A RECALL LETTER. ANOTHER MECHANIC USED A COMPUTER AND LASER LIGHT AND IT CAME BACK AGAIN CLOGGED CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS REPLACED. AFTER THAT I WENT TO A GAS STATION AND GOT GAS. STARTED MY CAR UP AND IT DIDN'T WANT TO START. AFTER 3 TIMES IT STARTED. THEN I NOTICED THAT THE TEMPERATURE SHOT TO 260 DEGREES. ENGINE OVERHEATED FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE I HAD THE CAR. I PARKED THE CAR IN A GROCERY STORE PARKING LOT AND LET THE ENGINE COOL FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS BEFORE DRIVING HOME. IN LESS THEN 1 MILE THE ENGINE OVERHEATED AGAIN. FINALLY MADE IT TO THE HOUSE. PULLED INTO GARAGE. THEN BLACK SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND IT REALLY STARTED SMOKING AND POPPING. I GOT SCARED AND PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND LET THE CAR ROLL OUT THE GARAGE. BLACK SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND I TURNED THE CAR OFF. IT WAS POPPING, CRACKING AND SMOKING. IT TOOK A WHILE FOR THE SMOKE TO CLEAR. THE NEXT DAY AN ASE CERTIFIED MECHANIC CAME BY THE HOUSE AND CHECKED THE CAR AND SAID THE ENGINE BURNED AND WAS SEIZED. MY ENGINE NEVER OVERHEATED BEFORE THIS. *TR