NHTSA Complaint #768221 — 1997 PONTIAC GRAND AM

IN AUGUST 2002, WE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM PONTIAC SAYING THE IGNITION CIRCUIT THERMAL EVENTS ON OUR PONTIAC WAS A PROBLEM WHICH COULD CAUSE SPEARKS OR A FIRE AND WE SHOULD TAKE THE VEHICLE TO OUR LOCAL DEALER. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO WYATT-JOHNSON, OUR LOCAL DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH ASSEMBLY--OR AT LEAST THAT IS THE PART THAT THEY SAID WERE COVERED BY THE RECALL. JUST PRIOR TO TAKING THE CAR INTO THE SHOP FOR THE RECALL NOTICE REPAIRS, MY WIFE NOTICED THAT WHEN SHE STOPPED AT A LOCAL STORE, THE IGNITION WOULD NOT TURN OFF AND SHE SAW SPARKS COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. WE HOPED THAT THE RECALL REPAIRS WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM SINCE THE MECHANIC AT WYATT-JOHNSON SAID IT SHOULD. HOWEVER, AFTER THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE MADE, MY WIFE AGAIN EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE IGNITION--IT WOULDN'T STOP RUNNING AFTER STOPPING--AND SHE COULDN'T SEEM TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. AND, AGAIN SHE SAW SPARKS FROM THE IGNITION. MY WIFE TOOK THE CAR TO AN INDEPENDENT AUTOMOTIVE DEALER--OUR LOCAL NAPA GARAGE AND THEY EXPLAINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS IN THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER WHICH NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE NAPA MECHANIC SHOWED MY WIFE A PONTIAC TENICAL BULLETIN WHICH CLEARLY STATES THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH ASSEMBLY WAS INCLUDED IN THE PREVIOUS RECALL AND ACCORDING TO THE NAPA MECHANIC, THE GMAC DEALER SHOULD HAVE REPLACED THE PART. HE SAID THE RECALL NOTICE NUMBER WAS 97038. WE AGAIN CONTACTED WYATT-JOHNSON AND THEY AGAIN SAID THAT THEY HAD MADE THE RECALL REPAIRS AND THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. THEY REFUSED TO EXAM THE AUTOMOBILE AGAIN WITHOUT CHARGING FOR A DIAGNOSTIC EXAM OF THE VEHCILE. THE NAPA MECHANIC SAID IT WILL COST ABOUT $400 TO MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS TO THE CAR. YESTERDAY, I CONTACTED A PONTIC REPRESENTATIVE AT THE TOLL FREE NUMBER (800) 762-2737 AND THEY GAVE ME A FILE NUMBER 1-38785208. THE LADY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR ANOTHER DIAGNOSTIC SCREENING AND IF THEY FIND A PROBLEM. MR