2000 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

I WAS JUST DRIVING THROUGH MY HOME TOWN WHEN I STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I THEN PROCEEDED TO THE GAS STATION LESS THAN A BLOCK AWAY AND WHEN PULLING IN I FELT THE CAR BEGIN TO LOSE POWER AND "MISS". WHEN I STOPPED AT THE GAS STATION I OPENED THE HOOD IMMEDIATELY AND SAW THE FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, I THEN WENT INTO THE GAS STATION AND GOT A BUCKET OF WATER AND PUT OUT THE FLAMES. AT THIS TIME TOTAL DAMAGE IS UNKNOWN HOWEVER I CAN TELL YOU THAT SEVERAL PLASTIC PIECES WERE DAMAGED ALONG WITH WIRING AND THE CAR HOOD FROM THE HEAT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AND WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AFTER BEING PARKED FOR FIFTEEN MINUTES. THE FIRE ALSO DESTROYED THREE OTHER VEHICLES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THEY FILED A REPORT. THE CONTACT HAS CURRENT PICTURES OF THE VEHICLE. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 130,000.

MY HUSBAND DRIVING VEH FRWY, GOING APPROX. 65-70 MPH WHEN ALL DASH LIGHTS WENT OUT. AS HE WAS PULLING OVER HE SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER HOOD ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. HE OPENED THE HOOD AND THERE WERE FLAMES COMING FROM LEFT SIDE OF ENGINE. THERE WERE FLAMES COMING FROM THE WHEEL WELLS. MY VEHICLE WAS TOTAL LOSS FROM THIS. THERE WERE NO PRIOR INDICATIONS OF ANY PROBLEMS. THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD NUMEROUS ISSUES WITH POPPING NOISE IN FRONT END WHEN STEERING TO THE LEFT. WATER ON PASSENGER FLOORBOARD, NO APPARENT REASON. *TR

2000 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GTP VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT MINUTES AFTER IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF RESULTING IN TOTAL LOSS OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO DAMAGE TO THE INTERIOR OF THE GARAGE WHERE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. *TR

PULLED INTO PARKING LOT. SMELLED SMOKE. ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. *TR

WIFE WENT SHOPPING, NUMEROUS STOPS TOTALING +/- 15 MILES. AT FINAL STOP OF +/- 15 MINUTES, CAME OUT OF STORE TO FIND FIRE DEPT. AT HER VEHICLE WHICH HAD MAJOR FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. FIRE WAS CONTAINED TO ENGINE COMPARTMENT SINCE PASSERBY HAD SEEN FIRE AND WAS ABLE TO PUT OUT WITH FIRE EXT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE THEN SHUT OFF AND VEERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. BLACK SMOKE AND FLAMES APPEARED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AT THE SCENE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FIRE. THE INSURANCE COMPANY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THERE IS AN OPEN INVESTIGATION (EA07008) REGARDING VEHICLE FIRES. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 155,000.

ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE AFTER WIDE DROVE CAR FOR LESS THEN FIVE MINUTES. THE ENGINE STILL RUNS AND NO PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. IT APPEARS THAT ONE OF THE SPARK PLUG WIRES IS TORN RIGHT UNDERNEATH THE OIL FILL SPOUT. *TR

I MADE MY NORMAL APPROX. 13-MILE DRIVE INTO WORK ON THE MORNING OF OCTOBER 29, 2007. PARK THE CAR, WALKED INTO THE OFFICE AND APPOX. 10 MINS LATER WAS NOTIFIED THAT MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. CAME BACK TO THE CAR AND FOUND IT HAD A FAIRLY LARGE FIRE. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND WITHIN 15 MINUTES, MOST OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE EXTERIOR OF THE ENGINE WAS BURNT BEYOND RECOGNITION. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY BEING LOOK AT FOR A CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *TR

STARTING WITH A MAF SENSOR GOING OUT, REPLACED, CAUSED DAMAGE TO O2 SENSORS, REPLACED ,AS SOON AS THESE WENT OUT NOTICED COOLANT LEVEL DROP THEN THE COOLANT LEVEL SENSOR WENT OUT AT TANK, REPLACED, NEXT MORNING AT START UP A LOUD KIND OF KNOCKING TOOK PLACE AT START UP FOR 5 TO 10 MIN AND VERY ROUGH IDLE FROM 1500-2000 RPM ,PO300 RANDOM MISFIRE, SO I REPLACED PLUGS , WIRES , AND COILS. NOW RUFF RPM RANGE 1000 TO 1500 AND STILL KNOCKING AT START UP. CHANGING OIL AND FILTER AFTER ALMOST EVERY FIX TO CHECK FOR WATER OR METAL, OIL IS FINE,NOW A PO304 -RANDOM MISFIRE ON 4TH CYLYNDER- BUT CAR WOULD CLEAR UP FOR A DAY OR TWO,ALSO ADDING INJECTOR CLEANER AND FUEL FILTER TO MAKE SURE FUEL SYSTEM IS OK AND USING A NOID CHECK ON EACH INJECTOR ALL INJECTORS FINE, NOW KNOCKING AT START UP WENT...

AFTER DRIVING FOR A SHORT TIME, 10 MINUTES, I PARKED AND TURNED OFF MY 2000 GRAND PRIX GTP. APPROXIMATELY 10 - 15 MINUTES LATER A LOUD NOISE, EXPLOSION, WAS HEARD AND THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE CAR WAS ENTIRELY IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND SUBSEQUENTLY EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. PONTIAC INVESTIGATED AND CLAIMED TO FIND NO EVIDENCE OF LIABILITY. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT THE CAR WAS RUNNING FINE AND HAD BEEN REGULARLY MAINTAINED. *JB

I DROVE ABOUT 3-4 MILES FROM MY WORK TO PICK UP MY NEWBORN SON FROM MY MOTHER, WHO WAS BABYSITTING. I PARKED MY CAR IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE SCHOOL AND WENT INSIDE (CAR WAS NOT ON). I HAD ENOUGH TIME TO USE THE RESTROOM AND CHANGE MY SON'S DIAPER (10 MINUTES) AND WE GOT A PHONE CALL FROM THE MAIN OFFICE ON THE 1ST FLOOR TO TELL US THAT MY CAR WAS SMOKING. I RAN TO THE WINDOW AND SAW BLACK SMOKE BILLOWING FROM MY HOOD. I RAN DOWNSTAIRS TO THE 1ST FLOOR, BUT BY THE TIME I GOT NEAR ENOUGH TO SEE, I COULD SEE ORANGE FLAMES UNDERNEATH THE CAR. I DIDN'T DARE GO NEAR THE CAR TO RETRIEVE MY BELONGINGS (PURSE, CAR SEAT, CD'S, ETC) FOR FEAR THAT THE FLAMES WOULD SPREAD TO THE GAS TANK. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT GOT THERE, THE FLAMES...

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE 2000 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING TO WORK. SHE WAS DRIVING ABOUT 35 MPH AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE DIDN'T HAVE THE HEAT OR THE CRUISE CONTROL ON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE PULLED VEHICLE TO SIDE OF THE ROAD AND CALLED FOR A TOW TRUCK. MEANWHILE THE HOOD STARTED BUCKLING UP, AND FLAMES CAME UP FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT THEN CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHO CAME AND PUT THE FIRE OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO ERVIN'S AUTO BODY IN NEWARK, OHIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSURANCE COMPANY DID AN INVESTIGATION AND COULDN'T FIND WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR ALL REGULARLY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000 . *AK THE CONSUMER STATES INSURANCE COMPANY DEEMED THE CAR AS TOTALED. CONSUMER HAS PROVIDED...

WHILE DRIVING MY 2000 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GTP, THE SES LAMP SUDDENLY BEGAN FLASHING. I PULLED OVER AND THE ENGINE BURST INTO FLAMES. THE CAR HAD BEEN RUNNING FINE BEFOREHAND. THE CAR WAS TOTALLED. *JB

DROVE 2000 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GTP APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES. PARKED IN HOME DRIVEWAY. ABOUT 20 MINUTES LATER A MAN CAME TO THE DOOR STATING THE CAR WAS ON FIRE (HE HAD ALREADY CALLED 911). FIRE DEPT. AND POLICE ON THE SCENE AS WELL AS FIRE INVESTIGATOR WHO STATED IT APPEARED TO HAVE STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT UNDER THE HOOD AT ABOUT THE FRONT DRIVER'S TIRE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. NO PROBLEMS DRIVING THAT EVENING, NO SERVICE LIGHTS ON. OIL CHANGED APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS PRIOR TO INCIDENT. FROM WINDSHIELD TO FRONT COMPLETELY DESTROYED. HEAVY SMOKE DAMAGE ALSO INSIDE CAR AND IN TRUNK. FRONT TIRES AND FRONT END OF CAR MELTED TO DRIVEWAY. GAS TENSION ROD FROM HOOD "EXPLODED" AND SHOT THROUGH GARAGE DOOR (LUCKILY NO ONE WAS STANDING IN ITS WAY). *JB

DROVE 2000 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GTP APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES. PARKED IN HOME DRIVEWAY. ABOUT 20 MINUTES LATER A MAN CAME TO THE DOOR STATING THE CAR WAS ON FIRE (HE HAD ALREADY CALLED 911). FIRE DEPT. AND POLICE ON THE SCENE AS WELL AS FIRE INVESTIGATOR WHO STATED IT APPEARED TO HAVE STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT UNDER THE HOOD AT ABOUT THE FRONT DRIVER'S TIRE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. NO PROBLEMS DRIVING THAT EVENING, NO SERVICE LIGHTS ON. OIL CHANGED APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS PRIOR TO INCIDENT. FROM WINDSHIELD TO FRONT COMPLETELY DESTROYED. HEAVY SMOKE DAMAGE ALSO INSIDE CAR AND IN TRUNK. FRONT TIRES AND FRONT END OF CAR MELTED TO DRIVEWAY. GAS TENSION ROD FROM HOOD "EXPLODED" AND SHOT THROUGH GARAGE DOOR (LUCKILY NO ONE WAS STANDING IN ITS WAY). *JB

THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE IT WAS PARKED. *JB THERE WAS A GRAYISH SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE ALONG WITH A HISSING SOUND. *SC

MY CAR CAUGHT FIRE 6-5-03. GENERAL MOTORS SENT AN INVESTIGATOR OUT. ON 7-2-03 I RECEIVED A CALL FROM GM. THEY TOLD ME THE REPORT WAS MY PROBLEM THEY WOULD NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILTY FOR THE FIRE. I DROVE MY CAR APROX. 15 MILES THAT MORNING TO MY KIDS DAYCARE. I PULLED UP TO THE FRONT OF THE DAYCARE AND CUT THE CAR OFF AND IT STARTED SMOKING AND FLAMES CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD. EVERYTHING UNDER THE HOOD IS MELTED NO BRAKE LINES, FUEL LINE OR WIRES. I HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING TO THE CAR BUT CHANGE THE OIL. THE OIL WAS LAST CHANGED APROX. TWO MONTHS BEFORE THAT. CARS ARE NOT DESIGNED TO JUST CATCH FIRE. I PUT MY KIDS AND A DAYCARE FULL OF KIDS IN JEOPARDY THAT DAY. JUST TO ADD A LITTLE TO MY COMPLAINT. I HAVE LEFT ABOUT 6 MESSAGES SINCE JULY 3 FOR THE...

I HAVE A 2000 GRAND PRIX WITH A 3.1 LITER ENGINE. IT HAS THE TYPICAL "UPPER/LOWER MANIFOLD LEAK". THE SYMPTOMS ARE SLIGHT SMELL OF BURNING COOLANT, TEMP GAUGE NOT STEADY, IN COOLER DAYS IT DOESN'T GET UP TO 180 DEGREES, ON HOT DAYS IT GOES TO 220. ALSO LOW COOLANT LIGHT EVERY WEEK, NEEDS COOLANT IN RESOVOIR. ALSO HAS A CRUSTY ORANGE BUILDUP IN RESOVOIR AND RADIATOR CAP. I DISCUSSED WITH GM CUSTOMER CARE AND I HAVE TO PAY A DEALER TO FIX. THEN SUBMIT A REIMBURSEMENT CLAIM. THE AGENT FOR GM/PONTIAC SAID HE WOULD COVER THE FIRST HALF AND WORK TO GET MORE...BUT NO PREMISE'S. WHILE RESEARCHING ON THE WEB, IT SEEMS THAT A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THE GM PRODUCT INTAKE MANIFOLD IS AN ONGOING ISSUE. I BELIEVE I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR ANY OF THIS REPAIR DUE TO THE SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS AND DEFECT...

I OWN A 2000 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX, IT SUFFERED A COOLANT LEAK IN THE UPPER MANIFOLD SECTION. AFTER SOME RESEARCH LOCALLY AND FROM PERSONAL FAMILY EXPERIENCE. I BELIEVE SOME PONTIAC V6 SUFFERS FROM EITHER DEFECTIVE GASKETS AND OR FAULTY ASSEMBLY THAT CAUSE A LEAK TO DEVELOP AFTER 2-3 YEARS OF USEAGE WHICH IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR A NEW CAR PURCHASE AND PONTIAC OFFERING NO SERVICE BULLETINS/RECALLS ON THIS ISSUE. OUR FAMILY HAS SUFFERED 4 SUCH FAILURES INCLUDING 2- GRANDPRIX'S (1999 & 2000 MODELS) , GRAND AM (1997), SUNFIRE (1997) AMONG NUMEROUS OTHER FAILURES IN MY GENERAL LOCATION. I WOULD ASK YOUR AGENCY TO LOOK FURTHER INTO THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM AND RECKIFY THE SITUATION

THE PROBLEM(S) ARE WITH BOTH A 1998 AND 2000 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE PROBLEMS WERE AS FOLLOWED: ENGINE COMPONENTS, STEERING, SUSPENSION, BRAKING SYSTEM, BATTERY, FUEL SYSTEM, TRANSMISSION, STRUCTURAL, THE WHEELS WERE NOISY, THERE WERE VISUAL COMPONENT DEFECTS, THE RADIO WAS DEFECTIVE, AND THE INTERIOR LIGHT ON THE DOOR WAS INOPERATIVE. JG SCC

THE GASKET HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES, AS WELL AS THE WATER PUMP AND TENSIONER. *JG