1997 PONTIAC GRAND AM Electrical Systemignition Problems

THE KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION IN THE AUXILIARY POSITION. THE CAR HAS TO BE STARTED AND TURNED OFF MANY TIMES UNTIL THE KEY WILL FINALLY MOVE TO THE CORRECT POSITION TO BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. *JB

THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AS MENTIONED IN NHTSA RECALL 02V70000. IF THE ENGINE FAILS TO START AND THE DRIVER HOLDS THE KEY IN THE STAR POSITION FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD, HIGH CURRENT FLOWS THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH, AND SOMETIMES PRODUCES ENOUGH HEAT TO MELT INTERNAL SWITCH PARTS. THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK THE IGNITION LOCKED. *SC

THE KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND AUXILLARY LIGHTS REMAIN ON. THE LOCKSMITH ATTEMPTS TO FIX IT AND I HAVE TO KEEP HAVING HIM COME OUT; LOOKS LIKE A REPLACEMENT CORE IS NEEDED, THEE IS NOT A CHEAP WAY OUTOF THIS. THE BAKE PADS WEAR DOWN VERY QUICKLY. IT SEEMS THAT A BOLT ON THE CALIPER IS NOT EVEN WITH THE OPPOSITE BOLT, IT'S VERY SLIGHT BUT IT'S THE SAME ON BOTH CALIPERS AND SEEMS TO CAUSE PADS TO WEAR UNEVENLY AND OFTEN. IT IS PROBABLY CHEAPER FOR GM TO HAVE COSUMERS REPLACE PADS AND ROTORS OFTEN THAN TO RETOOL THE MACHINERY TO FIX ALL THOSE BOLTS. *AK

NHTSA RECALL 02-V-070-000: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES IF THE ENGINE FAILS TO START AND THE DRIVER HOLDS THE KEY IN THE "START" POSITION FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD, HIGH CURRENT FLOWS THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH, AND SOMETIMES PRODUCES ENOUGH HEAT TO MELT INTERNAL SWITCH PARTS. CONSUMER HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK

WHEN SHUTTING OFF THE CAR, THE KEY BECOMES STUCK IN THE IGNITION. I HAVE TO RESTART THE CAR SEVERAL TIMES AND SHIFT FROM DRIVE TO PARK TO GET IT OUT. *JB

THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS PAID OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE BEING A RECALL EVEN DO I WAS NEVER CONTACT AND THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHSED BRAND NEW. I SPEND APRROX $300.00 BETWEEN TOWING FEES AND MECHANICAL REPAIR. I NEED TO GET REFUNDED THIS MONEY. OTHERWISE, I WILL CONTACT THE BBB AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS. DT

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...

I HAD A TOTAL FAILURE OF THE CLUSTER THAT OPERATES ALL THE GAUGES. SPEEDOMETER, FUEL,RPM, ETS AND TEMPERATURE. I HAD TO HAVE IT REPLACED WITH A USED CLUSTER AS I COULD NOT AFFORD A NEW ONE. I JUST RECENTLY LEARNED OF A RECALL OF THE IGNITION RELAY AND I WONDERED IF THIS COULD BE ANOTHER DEFECT WORTH CHECKING INTO. I RECEIVED NO NOTIFICATION OF THE IGNITION RECALL, I JUST HEARD ABOUT IT ON THE NEWS. SO I THOUGHT THIS COULD BE A RECALL THAT I HAD NOT HEARD ABOUT.*AK

I MAILED YOU A LETTER-NO RESPONCE. RSVP!!!!NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

IT'S RECALL PROBLEM ,I GOT ARECALL LETTER FROM GENERAL MOTORS AND I WENT TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES; THE FIRST ONE THE SERVICE ADVISOR SAID THAT THEY ARE ALL BUSY THEY CAN'T DO IT ,THE SECOND TIME THE SAME AND HE TOLD ME TO COME EARLY SO I WENT AT 8 AM TODAY AND THEY SAID YOU SHOULD LEAVE FOR FEW DAYS AND NEXT TIME SHOULD COME EARLY ,EARLY THAN 8 AM!!!!!!!!! COME ON , I CAN'T LEAVE MY CAR FOR FEW DAYS THEN I CALLED THE 1800 FOR PONTIAC BUT THEY COULD NOT , A FIRE CAN ACCUR ANY TIME IN THE STEERING COLUM ,CAN YOU HELP?*AK

THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR IGNITION LOCK BINDING. SEVERAL DEALERS WERE UNABLE TO CORRECT THE DEFECTIVE RECALL PART. THE CONSUMER HAS SPENT OVER THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. BATTERY INDICATOR LAMP WAS FLASHING. *YH

NHTSA RECALL 02V070000/ MANUFACTURER 02008. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND HAD RECALL REPAIRED, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK

NHTSA RECALL# 02V070000/ MANUFACTURER# 02008. GOT RECALL NOTICE, AND HAD RECALL REPAIRS DONE, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK

THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR IGNITION LOCK BINDING. SEVERAL DEALERS WERE UNABLE TO CORRECT THE DEFECTIVE RECALL PART. THE CONSUMER HAS SPENT OVER THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. BATTERY INDICATOR LAMP WAS FLASHING. *YH

VEHICLE PARKED IN GARAGE ATTEMPTED TO START ITSELF AT 6:01AM (MDT). KEY WAS NOT IN IGNITION NOR WAS IGINITION SWITCH ENGAGED. VEHICLE CRANKED FOR APPROX. 4 MINUTES WHILE OWNER ATTEMPTED TO DISCONNECT BATTERY. FOLLOWING APPROX 4 MINUTES OF ENGINE CRANKING VEHICLE STOPPED ON ITS OWN. OWNER THEN ATTEMPTED TO START VEHICLE TO MOVE OUT OF GARAGE IN THE EVENT OF ANOTHER OCCURRENCE. VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS COMPLETELY SHUTDOWN AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. OWNER ALSO NOTICED STRONG ELECTRICAL BURNING ODOR. VEHICLE WOULD ALSO NOT DISENGAGE FROM PARK DUE TO TOTAL SYSTEM FAILURE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER. IGNITION SWITCH IDENTIFIED AS FAILURE (PART RETAINED BY VEHICLE OWNER). WHILE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER WITHIN THE WARRANTY PERIOD, OWNER HAS SERIOUS CONCERN REGARDING FIRE POTENTIAL TO VEHICLE AND SURROUNDING STRUCTURES IF FAILURE HAD OCCURRED AT A TIME WHERE VEHICLE HAD BEEN UNATTENDED OR UNNOTICED.

I HAVE HAD ONE PROBLEM AFTER ANOTHER WITH THIS VEHICAL AND THERE ARE OTHERS WITH THE SAME STYLE CAR THAT ARE HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS. THIS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO SERIOUSLY. IT IS BECOMING TO COSTLY. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED. *AK

SUBJECT: RECALL # 00V287000 MY CAR EXPERIENCED THE IDENTICAL SYMPTOMS AS THOSE OUTLINED IN THE RECALL OF 1994 AND 1995 PONTIAC GRAND AM'S. I CONTACTED PONTIAC TWICE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALL ONLY APPLIED TO 1994 AND 1995 MODEL YEARS, AND I COULD NOT BE REIMBURSED FOR THE COST OF REPAIRS TO MY CAR. PONTIAC SET UP FILE # 04017251 TO SHOW MY CONTACTS WITH THEM. I HAVE ALSO READ LETTERS IN YOUR DATABASE FROM OTHER PONTIAC OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM OF THE STARTER MOTOR FAILING TO ENGAGE AND THE IGNITION SWITCH BEGINS TO SMOKE.*AK

THIS FAILURE IS PARTICULARLY BAD BECAUSE BOTH TIMES THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON ABOUT 10 MILES BEFORE THE OCCURRENCE (WHICH IN HINDSIGHT) I SEE WAS THE ONLY WARNING OF DANGER AND BOTH TIMES WERE PITCH DARK OUTSIDE, FIRST THE CAR SEEMED TO BE IN NEUTRAL IN THE DRIVE POSITION, IN THAT THE ENGINE REVVED, BUT HAD LITTLE REAL POWER AND WHILE IN ANTICIPATION (FEAR) THAT THE CAR WOULD LUNGE WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FINALLY TOOK HOLD DIDN'T COME TO FRUITION, WHAT OCCURRED COULD HAVE BEEN AS BAD. THE DASH LIGHT INDICATORS STARTED FLASHING BUT THE MAIN DASH LIGHTS SEEN FREGUENTLY (SPEEDOMETER) DISAPPEARED AND THEN I NOTICED THAT I WAS ONLY BEING GUIDED BY STREET LAMPS (SECOND OCCURENCE, I DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THAT) AND THE CAR DIED AT THE SAME TIME, MAKING ME LOSE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES AND HAVE TO GET THIS THING OFF THE ROAD. THIS CAR HAS NEVER MISSED...

THIS 1997 GRAND AM IS NOTHING BUT TROUBLE. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL FAILURES AND AM NOT HAPPY WITH THIS VEHICLE AT ALL. PLEASE CONTACT AT THE PHONE NUMBERS AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS FORM ! NO AFETY DEFECT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK

PONTIAC GRAND AM 1997, ON 5/2/00 CAR WOULD NOT START AFTER BEING DRIVEN DURING THE DAY, IT TURNED OVER ONCE, THEN NOTHING SAW SMOKE TRAIL COMING FROM TURN SIGNAL ARM CUT IGNITION SWITCH OFF, GOT OUT OF VECHILE, WENT INTO THE HOUSE, ABOUT 3MINUTES HEARD THE HORN OF THE VEHICLE SOUNDING, WENT OUTSIDE TO CHECK , CAR WAS ON FIRE AT THE DRIVERS SIDE, OPENED UP DRIVERS SIDE DOOR, FLAMES WERE IN THE STEERING UNIT, AND ON THE DRIVERS SEAT , AND STEERING WHEEL AND TOP SUN VISOR, RAN AND GOT A FIRE EXTINQUISHER, PUT OUT THE FIRE, HORN STILL GOING OFF, POPPED HOOD RELEASE AND DISCONNECTED THE HOT CABLE FROM THE BATTERY. CAR IS NOW AT DEALERSHIP PENDING INVESTIGATION, CONCERNED THAT THIS MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED WHEN DRIVING THE VECHILE, WAS JUST LUCKY IT DID NOT HAPPEN DURING USE.*AK

THIS IS THE LETTER I SUBMITTED TO THEM: I'M WRITING YOU THIS LETTER TO LET YOU KNOW HOW DISATISFIED I AM WITH YOUR PRODUCT. I BOUGHT MY 97 PONTIAC GRAND AM NEW. I AM A STRONG BELIEVER YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. THAT IS WHY I BOUGHT NEW VERSUS A USED VEHICLE. I BELIEVE THAT I SHOULD GET MORE FOR MY MONEY THAN WHAT I HAVE GOT FROM YOUR PRODUCT. I'M VERY DISSATISFIED!!!! I AM IN THE U.S.M.C. MY FAMILY AND I DO ALOT OF TRAVELING TO AND FROM OUR HOME STATE. MY WIFE WAS BROKE DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY WITH THIS VEHICLE. WE AS CAR OWNERS HAVE NEVER BROKE DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY IN MY 18 YEARS OF BEING IN THE MILITARY. I AM VERY PICKY ABOUT MY VEHICLES AND ALWAYS HAVE MY CAR SERVICED AS REQUIRED. I NEVER MISS MY OIL CHANGES. I AM A MIDDLE CLASS...

IGNITION KEY WILL NOT TURN DUE TO LOCK UP.

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AND FOR NO APPARENT REASON VEHICLE WOULD STALL; TAKEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES; ATTRIBUTES STALLING TO ANOTHER PROBLEM, 2ND TIME TO A DIFFERENT PROBLEM AND THIRD TIME REPLACED FUEL PUMP INJECTOR, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK