NHTSA Complaint #10283890 — 2002 PONTIAC GRAND AM

ON MY 2002 PONTIAC GRAND AM THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED IN THE 2.2L ECOTEC ENGINE AT 75000 MILES. WHEN THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED THERE WAS NO WARNING AND THE CAR STALLED SUDDENLY AND COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. I WAS ABLE TO COAST THE CAR INTO A PARKING LOT AND LATER HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO A PONTIAC DEALER. THE DEALERSHIP HAS ADVISED THAT THE ENGINE IS RUINED AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE FOUND A GREAT DEAL OF INFORMATION ON THE 2.2L ECOTEC ENGINE ONLINE AND THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 2002 AND 2003 MODELS OF THIS ENGINE. GM IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAS ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN TO REPLACE THE TIMING CHAIN OILIER NOZZLE ON THESE ENGINES BUT GM HAS NOT 'RECALLED' THE ENGINE. HAD WE BEEN ON A BUSY HIGHWAY THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR