1997 PONTIAC GRAND AM Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

COOLANT LEVELS IN RESERVE TANK ALWAYS WOULD DROP BELOW MINIMUM LEVELS, AND WE WOULD CONTINUE TO ADD COOLANT. LAST OIL CHANGE IN JUNE 2009 REVIEW NO PROBLEM. NOVEMBER 2009, WHILE SON WAS DRIVING HOME FROM COLLEGE (APPROXIMATELY 80 MILES) CAR BEGAN TO OVERHEAT WITH TEMP GAUGE READING IN THE RED. HAD CAR TOWED TO LOCAL SHOP AND REPORTED THAT COOLANT HAD LEAKED INTO CORE, ENGINE DESTROYED (ESTIMATED REPAIR - NEED NEW/REMANUFACTURED ENGINE $2500-3000). SEEMS WHILE REVIEWING THIS SUBJECT ONLINE AND W/NHTSA WEB SITE THAT THIS HAS BEEN A RE-OCCURRING PROBLEM WITH 1997 PONTIACS 4 AND 6 CYLINDER ENGINES. *TR

IGNITION WON'T TURN TO THE OFF POSITION. I HAVE TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY SO I DON'T DRAIN IT. I HAVE TO LEAVE MY KIDS IN THE HOT CAR WHILE I DO THIS. OR PAY $200 THAT I DON'T HAVE TO GET IT FIXED. I HAVE FOUND MANY OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD IT COULD BE THE SENSOR ON THE TRANSMISSION THAT TELLS THE CAR ITS IN PARK. WHATEVER THE PROBLEM IS IT HAPPENS TO A LOT OF VEHICLES. I UNDERSTAND THAT I HAVE TO MAINTAIN MY CAR BUT I DON'T SEE WHY SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE THIS PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AT A STOP WITHOUT WARNING. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAUSED THE FAILURE. AS OF OCTOBER 15, 2007, THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAD NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HER VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V070000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: IGNITION: SWITCH). THE CONTACT FELT THAT HER VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED AS PART OF THE RECALL. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 150,000. UPDATED 01/11/08. *LJ THE DEALER STATED ENGINE REPLACED IN JUNE. UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WARPED AND COOLANT LEAKED. THIS IS THE SECOND GM 3.1 L ENGINE WHICH HAS HAD TO HAVE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD REPLACED. ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE WATER PUMP AT THE SAME TIME. ADDITIONALLY THE ALTERNATOR HAS BEEN REPLACED (AGAIN IN BOTH GM 3.1 L'S I'VE HAD). THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE COMMON WITH PONTIAC'S AND MALIBU'S (AND OTHER GM MADE CARS). IT'S EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR AT A SHOP AND TIME CONSUMING AND FRUSTRATING TO DO ON YOUR OWN. IT'S RIDICULOUS THAT SUCH A CHEAP PART AND CHEAPLY MADE PART HASN'T BEEN RECALLED. *JB

RECALL CAMPAIGN; RECALL INSTALL PINION BEARING KIT, PERFORM RECALL 99091 REPLACED WIPER ARM, DEFLECTOR, BARRIER KIT. REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER AND REPLACED MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR. *BF WHEN GOING THE SPEED LIMIT AND WHEN THE CONSUMER REMOVED HIS FOOT FROM THE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WOULD CUT OUT. *SC

ANTIFREEZE WAS LEAKING INTO THE CORE. BRAKES WERE REPLACED THREE TIMES LAST YEAR.*AK

THE MOTORS ON THE WINDOWS GO OUT AROUND 97K MILES. MY DRIVERS WINDOW WENT OUT A MONTH AGO. MY RIGHT, FRONT WINDOW IS ABOUT TO GO OUT, AND MY BACK RIGHT WINDOW WENT OUT TODAY. OBVIOUSLY, THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH FAULTY WINDOW MOTORS WITH THIS MODEL. THE TOTAL COST OUT OF MY POCKET FOR THIS INCIDENT IS ABOUT $1000 INCLUDED WITH A LOT OF FRUSTRATION!

WHEN YOU RUN THE AIR, THE CAR STALLS AND WON'T START ANYWHERE FROM ONE HOUR TO THREE OR FOUR POSSIBLY THE NEXT DAY. THE HORN WORKS SOMETIMES, THE RAIDIO WORKS SOMETIMES AS DOES THE DISPAY, THE VOLUME GOES UP AND DOWN. THE FUEL SYSTEMS SHUTS DOWN ALONG WITH THE CAR WHEN THE AIR IS RUNNING. THE POWER WINDOW QUIT WORKING IN APRIL, I REPLACED THE ONE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE ONLY TO HAVE THE ONE ON THE DRIVER SIDE TO STOP WORKING. THE BRAKES WENT OUT WITH NO WARNING. ANYTIME THE CAR HAS ANY PROBLEMS NO LIGHTS COME ON TO WARN YOU IT WILL JUST STOP WORKING. THE SHOP THAT PUT THE USED ENGINE IN STILL CAN'T TELL ME WHY IT STARED KNOCKING. THE ETS SYSTEM COMES ON AND OFF ALL THE TIME WITHOUT PRESSING THE BUTTON, I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THE 1997 PONITAC GRAND AM GT.

LEFT SIDE STEERING COLUM PIN FELL OUT STEERING WHEEL ALMOST FELL OFF DASH

1ST. MY RECALL (NHTSA#02V070/GM #02008) STARTED MARCH 2002 AND WE JUST NOW RECEIVED THE LETTER IN MARCH 2004. AND MY VEHICLE DID EVERYTHING THE LETTER SAID IT WOULD DO EXCEPT, THEY'RE WAS NOT A FIRE BUT TRYING TO START IT CAUSED IT TO JUMP TIME --CAUSUNG A HOLE IN THE PISTON AND BROKE VALVE!!MUCH BIGGER AND COSTLIER OUTCOME//IN OTHER WORDS I NEED A NEW ENGINE SINCE HAVING THE PISTON AND VALVE FIXED IS COSTING AROUND $2500.00!!!!!!!!!!!!*AK

ENGINE FAILED.HIS CAR HAS 58250 MILES. MY DAUGHTER CALLED ME AT WORK TO INFORM ME THAT SOMETHING IS MAKING NOISE IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR, BUT IT GOES AWAY ONCE YOU EXCEED 20MPH. AFTER DINNER I PUP THE HOOD OPEN AND TRY TO START THE CAR. I DISCOVER THAT NOISE DURING STARTUP WAS NOT NORMAL, AND CAR HAS GREAT DIFFICULTIES TO START. WHEN IT FINALLY STARS, I HEAR KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE. THE NOISE WAS CONCENTRATED ON THE CYLINDER NEXT TO TIMING CHAIN. I STOPPED THE ENGINE AND CHECK THE OIL LEVEL, IT WAS OK. I CONTACTED LOCAL AUTO REPAIR SHOP. HE INSTRUCTED ME TO BRING THE CAR TO THE SHOP, BUT TO DRIVE SLOWLY AND TRY NOT TO ACCELERATE RAPIDLY. WHEN I GOT THERE AND PARKED THE CAR I ALSO NOTED THAT MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND OIL LEVEL LIGHT CAME ON...

THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT COOLANT WAS DISAPPEARING FROM THE OVERFLOW RESERVOIR. THE ENGINE OIL WAS ALSO DISCOLORED. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS REPLACED AT 35,000 MILES AND AT 65000 MILES ANOTHER ONE WAS NEEDED. *AK *NM

MY 1997 PONTIAC GRAND AM IS LEAKING COOLANT INTO THE OIL. I FIRST NOTICED THIS PROBLEM AT AROUND 40000 MILES. I WOULD PERIODICALLY HAVE TO ADD COOLANT TO THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT WAS LOW. I THOUGHT IT WAS NORMAL. NOW THE PROBLEM IS REALLY BAD, TO THE POINT THAT I DO NOT DRIVE THE CAR NOW WITH 80000 MILES. *NLM

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH LEAKAGES ON THE VEHICLE. ALSO STATED THAT THE HEATHER BEEN ON WILL MAKE THE VEHICLE OVERHEAT. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINE. TS