1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX Engine And Engine Coolingengine Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT MERGED ONTO THE SHOULDER WHERE THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED NOR WAS THE DEALER CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 145,316.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE PARKWAY, THE STEERING SUDDENLY TIGHTENED UP, MAKING TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL DIFFICULT. THEN THE BATTERY/ALTERNATOR INDICATOR LIGHT TURNED ON ALONG WITH OTHER INDICATOR LIGHTS. SUDDENLY, THE ENGINE STALLED & THE CAR COASTED TO A STOP. OPENING THE HOOD, I NOTICED THE ACCESSORY BELT WAS MISSING (ACTUALLY, IT HAD COME OFF & WAS SITTING ON THE FRONT SUSPENSION). CHECKING THE BELT PULLEYS, I FOUND THAT THE ACCESSORY BELT IDLER PULLEY BEARING HAD SEIZED, CAUSING THE BELT TO COME OFF. I WAS TOWED TO A SERVICE STATION, WHERE THEY REPLACED THE ACCESSORY BELT IDLER PULLEY BEARING. THE OLD PART IS NOT AVAILABLE. *TR

DURING A SNOW STORM, MY CAR GOT STUCK ON MY DRIVEWAY. IN TRYING TO START THE CAR, IT WOULDN'T TURN-OVER. THE NEXT DAY, IT HAD TO BE TOWED TO A SERVICE STATION. THE STARTER HAD RUPTURED & WAS REPLACED. DURING THE DIAGNOSTICS TO VERIFY THE REPAIR, THE COOLANT DISAPPEARED FROM THE RADIATOR. DIAGNOSING THIS PROBLEM, THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD CRACKED, CAUSING THE COOLANT TO LEAK OUT. (THIS REMINDED ME THAT IN JAN 2005, I HAD A PROBLEM WITH SUDDEN COOLANT & OIL LOSS. I NEVER FOUND THE REASON FOR THAT OCCURRENCE, BUT NOW KNOW IT WAS RELATED TO THE CRACKED MANIFOLD.) THE PLASTIC MANIFOLD WAS REPLACED WITH ANOTHER PLASTIC MANIFOLD. PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. *TR

MY 1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX 3.8 LITRE V6 CAUGHT ON FIRE ON APRIL 6 2009 AND THEN A COUPLE DAYS LATER THE RECALL CAME OUT. MY CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS. I HAVE CONTACTED PONTIAC AS OF 4-16-2009 AND I AM WAITING TO HEAR FROM THEM! THERE IS NO POLICE REPORT, BUT THERE IS A FIRE REPORT DUE TO THE FIRE DEPT COMING TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES. *TR

AFTER TAKING MY CAR IN FOR A RECALL (NHTSA ID NUMBER 08V118000) I NOTICE THAT THE OIL LEAK THAT I WAS EXPERIENCING WOULD BE FIXED. WHEN THE OIL LEAK RETURNED, I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER TO SEE IF THE REPAIR WAS NOT FIXED CORRECTLY. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE BACK VALVE COVER AND MANIFOLD WAS NOW LEAKING AND THE RECALL ONLY FIXED THE FRONT VALVE COVER. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE LEAK COULD CAUSE A FIRE SIMILAR TO THE ONE THAT WAS THE RECALL WAS SUPPOSE TO CORRECT. I INFORMED GM SUPPORT OF THE PROBLEM AND THEY STATED THAT UNLESS A RECALL WAS ISSUED, I WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE COST OF THE REPAIR ($1300). SINCE THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE RELATED TO OIL LEAKS SIMILAR TO RECALL, I THINK IT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. THANK YOU. *TR

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF USE OF ORANGE COOLANT--ALSO SERPENTINE BELT REPLACED BECAUSE OF ORANGE COOLANT SPRAY ALL OVER IT. WATER PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED 3 MONTHS LATER. *TR

1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GTP -- REAR VALVE COVER GASKET DESIGN IS EXTREMELY POOR -- IT IS ONLY THE SIZE OF A SPAGHETTI NOODLE. IT CAN NOT CONTAIN THE OIL PRESSURE FLOW, THUS LEAKS ENGINE OIL DOWN THE REAR SIDE OF THE ENGINE ONTO DANGEROUSLY HOT COMPONENTS -- THIS RESULTS IN: 1)A HIGH CONCENTRATION OF TOXIC BURNT ENGINE OIL FUMES ENTERING THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, 2) ENGINE OIL LEAKING/SPRAYING BACK ONTO THE EXTREMELY HOT CATALYTIC CONVERTER, EXHAUST MANIFOLD HEADER, EXHAUST PIPE AND 3) A VERY HIGH RISK OF FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND UNDER THE CAR. *TR

I HAVE A 1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GTP THAT CAUGHT FIRE WHILE DRIVING YESTERDAY, 12/6/07. I HAD NOTICED NOTHING ODD OTHER THAN ON THE EVENING OF 12/5/07, MY CRUISE CONTROL CUT-OUT ON ME TWICE WHILE DRIVING HOME, WHICH I JUST THOUGHT OF AS ODD. 12 HOURS LATER, I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND THE CAR STARTED STUTTERING. I THEN LOST ALL POWER AND PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AS I LOOKED UP AFTER POPPING THE HOOD, I NOTICED FLAMES ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, LOCAL FIRE CREWS WERE ONSITE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. THE WHOLE ENGINE COMPARTMENT MELTED AND THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED THIS, BUT AM READING REPORTS OF 1999-2002 SUPERCHARGED GTP'S HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM, BUT WANTED THE NHTSA TO BE AWARE OF THIS OCCURRING IN A 1998 VEHICLE. THE CAR IS TOTALED...

REPLACED OIL PAN GASKET DUE TO LEAKAGE. STARTED LEAKING AGAIN. OIL PAN WAS NOT DESIGNED RIGHT, HAS RIPPLES IN IT. *BF THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THERE WAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN OUT WHICH RECOMMENDED USING SILICONE AS A GASKET. *JB

VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT WHEN FLAMES CAME FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FLAMES BURNT UP THE ENTIRE ENGINE. FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO BURST THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW TO LET THE SMOKE OUT OF THE CABIN . A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. *AK *NM

THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. *JB

THE ENGINE STALLED, AND THE IGNITION LOCKED UP.*JB

THE BOLTS ON THE OIL PAN WERE LOOSE CAUSING TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK, THE SEAL WAS ALSO LOOSE CAUSING LEAK. NLM

WHILE APPLYING BRAKES THERE IS A POPPING NOISE, SOUNDS LIKE A BROKEN BODY MOUNT. WHEN TURNING HARD TO THE RIGHT, SOUNDS LIKE A BODY MOUNT BROKE. *AK