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Pontiac Grand Prix Exterior Lighting Headlights Safety Report | Aug 15, 2001
Reported on Aug 15, 2001
| THE DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT LENS/COVER FELL OFF IN AUGUST, LEAVING HALOGEN LIGHT UNIT EXPOSED WHICH LED TO PREMATURE FAILURE OF BULB. CONDENSATION INSIDE THAT HEADLIGHT WAS OBSERVED FOR SEVERAL MONTHS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. I DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT BECAUSE THERE WAS OFTEN CONDENSATION IN THE LENSES OF MY 1987 OLDS CUTLASS WAGON FROM 1990-2000 (WHEN I OWNED THE CAR) BUT NOTHING EVER HAPPENED TO THE HEADLIGHT LENSES OR THE BULBS. I ASKED THE DEALER ABOUT REPLACING THE LENS AS DEFECTIVE THREE TIMES. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE LENS WAS NOT AVAILABLE AS A SEPARATE PART AND OFFERED TO SELL ME A NEW HEADLIGHT BUCKET (LENS AND HOLDER ASSEMBLY) FOR $70. SERVICE COUNTER MAN DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO LOOK UP THE PRICE AS HE HAD JUST SOLD ONE THE PREVIOUS DAY. I TOLD BOTH THE SERVICE MANAGER AND PARTS MANAGER THAT I THOUGHT THIS SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. DON'T GET ME WRONG - I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THIS DEALER - THEY SEEM TO BE GOOD PEOPLE, BUT I'VE BEEN IN MANUFACTURING MOST OF MY CAREER AND THIS IS THE OLD PRETEND WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM AND IT WILL EVENTUALLY GO AWAY DANCE. RESEARCH AMONG OTHER GRAND PRIX OWNERS, AREA SERVICE MEN (OFF THE RECORD, OF COURSE) AND HTTP://WWW.GRANDPRIX.NET/PROBLEMS INDICATES THIS IS A VERY WIDESPREAD PROBLEM THAT PONTIAC REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE AS A DEFECT. WHAT HAPPENS IS THE GLUE THAT HOLDS THE LENS TO THE HEADLIGHT BUCKET DRIES, ALLOWING MORE MOISTURE TO ENTER, WHICH FURTHER DETERIORATES THE GLUE AND CAUSES THE LENS TO FALL OFF. WITHOUT THE LENS, THE $20 HEADLIGHT BULB WILL BURN OUT WITHIN 1-2 WEEKS FROM WEATHER EXPOSURE. I HAD PLANNED TO COMPLAIN TO PONTIAC, BUT RESEARCH INTO OTHERS WITH THIS PROBLEM INDICATES THAT PONTIAC DOES NOT SEEM WILLING TO ADMIT THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I HAVE OWNED CARS FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS. HEADLIGHT PIECES AREN'T SUPPOSED TO JUST FALL OFF - ARE THEY? IS THIS THE CORRECT FORUM IN WHICH TO MAKE THIS COMPLAINT OR SHOULD I BE CONTACTING SOME OTHER AGENCY? PLEASE LET ME KNOW. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. | |
| Make: | Pontiac |
| Model: | Grand Prix |
| Manufactured by: | General Motors LLC |
| Year: | 1997 |
| 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? | N |
| Location: | POTSTTOWN PA |
| Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): | 1G2WJ52K4VF |
| Mileage: | |
| Speed: | |
| Number of cylinders: | |
| Vehicle type: | FWD |
| Vehicle fuel: | GAS N/A. |
| Was a police report filed? | N |
| Tire size: | |
| Dealer name and location: | |
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