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Pontiac Grand Am Electrical System Wiring Interior/under Dash Safety Report | Mar 31, 2000
Reported on Mar 31, 2000
| THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN MADE GRINDING NOISES WHEN MY 1996 GRAND AM SE WAS DRIVEN. THE NOISES EVEN PERSISTED AFTER THE GRAND AM WAS RETURNED TO THE ORIGINAL DEALERSHIP IN WASHINGTON, D.C. WHERE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED FROM FOR SERVICE/REPAIR IN DECEMBER 1999. THE SERVICE MANAGER INFORMED ME THE NOISES FROM THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN COULD NOT BE FIXED AND SINCE THE CAR WAS OLDER - ONLY 3 YEARS OLD, ANY NOISES IN THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN SHOULD BE EXPECTED AND ARE NORMAL FOR A 3 YEAR OLD CAR. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME HE WOULD LOOK AT THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN AS WELL AS THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENETS UNDER THE DASHBOARD TO INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE MANAGER INFORMED ME THAT HE DID THE BEST HE COULD DO TO FIND AND REPAIR THE NOISES IN THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. APPROXIMATELY THREE MONTHS LATER, AND CONTINUED TO HEAR GRINDING NOISES FROM THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN, ON MARCH 31, 2000, AFTER DROPPING MY INFANT TO THE DAYCARE CENTER, I ATTEMPTED TO START THE CAR AND IT WOULD NOT START. THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN IN ADDITION TO THE TURN SIGNAL CHAMBER ON THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN BEGAN TO SMOKE. FLAMES BEGAN TO APPEAR FROM THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN AND A STEADY FLOW OF SMOKE. THE ELECTRICAL FIRE INCREASED IN SIZE AND WAS FINALLY BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL BY TWO FIRE ENGINE COMPANIES. MY 1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM WAS TOWED, ASSESSED FOR DAMAGES AND FINALLY DEEMED UNSALVAGEABLE- A TOTAL LOSS. MY 1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM SE WAS ONLY THREE YEARS OLD. THIS INCIDENT SHOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED.*AK( DOT NUMBER: ) | |
| Make: | Pontiac |
| Model: | Grand Am |
| Manufactured by: | General Motors LLC |
| Year: | 1996 |
| Was a crash reported? | |
| Was an injury reported? | 0 person(s) were injured. |
| Was a death reported? | 0 person(s) died. |
| Was a fire reported? | Y |
| Location: | PHILADELPHIA PA |
| Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): | 1G2NE52T5TC |
| Mileage: | |
| Speed: | 0 MPH |
| Number of cylinders: | |
| Vehicle type: | FWD |
| Vehicle fuel: | GAS N/A. |
| Was a police report filed? | Y |
| Tire size: | |
| Dealer name and location: | |
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