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Pontiac Grand Am Engine And Engine Cooling Safety Report | Nov 23, 2004
Reported on Nov 23, 2004
| I PURCHASED A 2002 PONTIAC GRAND AM SE BRAND NEW. I BEGAN HAVING TROUBLE WITH IT STARTING AT 36,400 MILES, THE SECURITY LIGHT WOULD COME ON, AND CAR WOULD NOT START. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND BECAUSE IT WAS OFF WARRANTY, THEY WERE NOT WILLING TO HELP (ALTHOUGH THEY HAD BEEN VERY HELPFUL DURING THE SALE). I TOOK IT TO A SMALL REPAIR SHOP, AND THEY THOUGHT THAT THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY A REMOTE START SYSTEM THAT I HAD INSTALLED AT A DEALERSHIP. REMOVED THE REMOTE START, BUT CONTINUED TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH IT STARTING, AND THE SECURITY LIGHT COMING ON (IF I KEPT THE IGNITION ON FOR 10 MINUTES IT WOULD RESET). AT 44,000 MILES, WHILE SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY WARMING UP THE ENGINE DIED. I HAD IT TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY FOUND THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD BROKEN AND COMPLETELY DESTROYED THE ENGINE. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THAT I HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM, AND THEY REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. AFTER MUCH EFFORT, THEY FINALLY SAID THAT THEY MIGHT CONSIDER A GOODWILL WARRANTY IF I COULD PROVIDE RECEIPTS FOR ALL OF MY OIL CHANGES. SINCE THESE WERE DONE AT HOME, I DID NOT HAVE RECEIPTS. I AM STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON THIS CAR AND FEEL THAT BECAUSE IT WAS A CATASTROPHIC INCIDENT THAT THE DEALERSHIP SHOULD HAVE BEEN WILLING TO HELP ME REPLACE THE ENGINE IN THE CAR. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD 44,000 MILES ON IT, AND IT IS SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY DEAD. ANYBODY THAT LOOKS AT THE CAR WILL KNOW THAT I LOVED MY GRAND AM. BECAUSE I DID NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO REPLACE THE ENGINE (THEY WANTED $3000) I ENDED UP BUYING A 1995 JEEP CHEROKEE WITH 225,000 MILES ON IT, THIS VEHICLE STARTS AND RUNS EVERYDAY!!! IT IS VERY SAD THAT GENERAL MOTORS CANNOT TAKE A FEW LESSONS FROM JEEP IN HOW TO BUILD A RELIABLE PRODUCT. UP UNTIL THE DAY THAT I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP WITH A CAR THAT WOULD NOT START AT 36,400 MILES, I RAVED ABOUT WHAT A TERRIFIC PLACE THEY HAD BEEN TO DEAL WITH. 400 MILES OFF WARRANTY...THEY DID NOT EVEN KNOW MY NAME.*AK | |
| Make: | Pontiac |
| Model: | Grand Am |
| Manufactured by: | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| Year: | 2002 |
| Was a crash reported? | N |
| Was an injury reported? | 0 person(s) were injured. |
| Was a death reported? | 0 person(s) died. |
| Was a fire reported? | N |
| Location: | BROOKTONDALE NY |
| Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): | |
| Mileage: | |
| Speed: | |
| Number of cylinders: | 4 |
| Vehicle type: | FWD |
| Vehicle fuel: | GAS Fuel injection. |
| Was a police report filed? | N |
| Tire size: | |
| Dealer name and location: | ROYAL MOTOR COMPANY CORTLAND NY 13045 |
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