1988 Pontiac GRAND PRIX: complaints, problems and recalls

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING STARTED THE LEFT BALL JOINT FELL OFF AND THE AXLE BROKE. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10019785 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN GETTING INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT SEAT CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE CAME OFF THE ASSEMBLY. CONSUMER STATED THAT THIS WAS THE THIRD TIME THAT SEAT WAS REPLACED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10083242 at NHTSA ↗

I KEEP LISTENING TO THE NEWS ABOUT THE GM IGNITION SWITCH AND CARS CUTTING OFF. I LIVED IN NJ BOUGHT 1988 GRAND PRIX BRAND NEW WITH ONLY 9 MILES ON IT WHEN I TOOK POSSESSION. THE FIRST TITLE OFF IT HAD 24 MIES ON IT. I TOOK IT BACK TIME AFTER TIME RUNNING UP A SERVICE BILL WHICH EVENTUALLY CONTRIBUTED TO MY BANKRUPTCY BUT NJ HD NO LEMON LAW SO I WAS STUCK IN IT. I FINALLY WAS ABLE TO GET RID OF IT WITH 154000+ MILES ON IT AND IT WAS STILL CUTTING OFF WHENEVER. IT WAS SCARY TO DRIVE BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU TOOK YOUR FOR OFF THE GAS IF …

Owner-reported narrative. 154,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10820709 at NHTSA ↗

REAR BRAKE CALIPERS CORRODED/INOPERABLE, CAUSING PREMATURE FRONT BRAKE WEAR. *SKD

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 482281 at NHTSA ↗

BRAKE PADS REPLACED. *SD

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 482339 at NHTSA ↗

ROTORS REPLACED DUE TO CORROSION. *AW

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 482372 at NHTSA ↗

ALTERNATOR FAILED. *SD

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 487199 at NHTSA ↗

BRAKE ROTORS REPAIRED. *SD

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 487283 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2000-07-11 (July 11, 2000)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, WHERE ROAD SALT USE IS HEAVY. A CONDITION WHERE ONE OR BOTH FRONT ENGINE CRADLE BOLTS CAN PULL THROUGH THE RETAINERS DUE TO CORROSION OF THE RETAINERS.

Consequence: IF BOTH BOLTS PULL THROUGH, THE FRONT OF THE CRADLE WOULD NO LONGER BE SUPPORTED AT THE MOUNTING LOCATIONS AND THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT COULD SEPARATE FROM THE STEERING GEAR.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT AND REAR FRAME/CRADLE BOLTS AND RETAINERS.

Reported: 1988-03-23 (March 23, 1988)

WHEEL LUG NUTS WERE NOT PROPERLY TORQUED TO SPECIFICATIONS.

Consequence: WHEEL LUG NUTS COULD LOOSEN AND/OR COME OFF THE WHEELSTUDS. THIS COULD EVENTUALLY RESULT IN WHEEL SEPARATING FROM THE VEHICLE.LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR.

Remedy: INSPECTION OF VEHICLE AND ASSURE PROPER TORQUE REPLACES ANY MISSING LUG NUT OR LOOSE STUD.

Reported: 1988-03-28 (March 28, 1988)

AN INTERFERENCE BETWEEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE AND THE BELLCRANK CLIP IN THE STEERING COLUMN CAN RESULT IN DISENGAGEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION CABLE.

Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD ALLOW THE TRANSMISSION TO BE IN AGEAR OTHER THAN THAT DISPLAYED BY THE SHIFT INDICATOR. THE VEHICLE COULD MOVEIN AN UNEXPECTED DIRECTION AND CAUSE A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy: A NEWLY DESIGNED BELLCRANK CLIP WILL BE INSTALLED.

Reported: 1988-04-01 (April 1, 1988)

THE FRONT SHOULDER BELT GUIDE LOOP ATTACHED TO THE UPPER REAR CORNER OF THE DOOR MAY INTERFERE WITH THE GARNISH MOLDING.

Consequence: THIS INTERFERENCE COULD LIMIT THE ROTATION OF THE GUIDELOOP. IF THIS CONDITION EXISTS AND VEHICLE IS INVOLVED IN A CRASH IT COULD BEPOSSIBLE FOR THE SHOULDER BELT WELDING TO BE CUT BY THE GUIDE. LOSS OF THESHOULDER BELT FUNCTION DURING A VEHICLE CRASH COULD INCREASE THE RISK OFINJURIES TO OCCUPANTS.

Remedy: A NEWLY DESIGNED GUIDE LOOP NUT AND SPACER WILL BE INSTALLED TO ELIMINATE THE POTENTIAL FOR INTERFERENCE CONDITIONS.

Reported: 1988-04-18 (April 18, 1988)

THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH MAY NOT PROPERLY ENGAGE.

Consequence: IF PRIMARY LATCH DISENGAGES, HOOD COULD UNEXPECTEDLYOPEN. IF CAR WAS IN MOTION, HOOD COULD CONTACT THE WINDSHIELD, REDUCE THEDRIVERS FORWARD VISION AREA, AND COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.

Remedy: REPLACE SECONDARY LATCH WITH A NEW LATCH.

Reported: 1988-11-04 (November 4, 1988)

THE PARKING BRAKE CABLE MAY BE DISCONNECTED FROM THE LEFT REAR BRAKE CALIPER.

Consequence: PARKING BRAKE CANNOT BE PROPERLY APPLIED AND VEHICLEWILL NOT MEET THE GRADE HOLDING REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 105.

Remedy: INSTALL A RETAINER ON LEFT REAR CALIPER IF CABLE IS NOT ALREADY RETAINED WITH A COTTER PIN AND ADJUST PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM.

Reported: 1990-03-14 (March 14, 1990)

FRONT SHOULDER BELT GUIDE LOOP ATTACHMENT FASTENER MAY PULL THROUGH DOOR MOUNTED ANCHOR PLATE.

Consequence: SEAT BELT MAY NOT SUSTAIN LOADS REQUIRED BY FMVSS 210, AND IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT, THE SEAT BELT MAY NOT PROPERLY RESTRAIN A PASSENGER, RESULTING IN INCREASED RISK OF GREATER INJURY TO AN OCCUPANT.

Remedy: REPLACE FRONT SHOULDER BELT GUIDE LOOP ATTACHMENT NUTS AND INSTALL NEW GUIDE COVER.

Reported: 1992-06-19 (June 19, 1992)

BRAKE STOPLAMPS MAY NOT ILLUMINATE OR, IN SOME CASES, STOPLAMPS MAY NOT STAY ILLUMINATED ALL THE TIME WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED DUE TO A FAULTY STOPLAMP SWITCH. ALSO, IN VEHICLES WITH CRUISE CONTROL, A FAULTY STOPLAMP SWITCH CAN RESULT IN RESUMPTION OF THE CRUISE CONTROL FUNCTION UPON RELEASE OF THE BRAKE PEDAL.

Consequence: A TRAILING VEHICLE MAY NOT RECOGNIZE A BRAKING ACTIONIN TIME TO RESPOND APPROPRIATELY. ALSO, CRUISE CONTROL WILL REENGAGE UPONRELEASE OF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND RESUME THE SET SPEED. IN EITHER CASE, IT COULDRESULT IN A CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy: INSTALL AN IMPROVED DESIGN STOPLAMP SWITCH.

Reported: 1995-03-28 (March 28, 1995)

CRACKS DEVELOP IN THE WHEEL MOUNTING SURFACE. IF THESE CRACKS BECOME SEVERE ENOUGH, THE WHEEL WILL COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE.

Consequence: IF WHEEL SEPARATION OCCURS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE OCCURS, AND A VEHICLE CRASH COULD RESULT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE MANUFACTURING CODES STAMPED ON EACH WHEEL OF THE VEHICLE AND IF A WHEEL FALLS WITHIN THE SPECIFIED DATE CODE RANGE, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THAT WHEEL ASSEMBLY.

Reported: 1995-06-05 (June 5, 1995)

CRACKS DEVELOP IN THE WHEEL MOUNTING SURFACE. IF THESE CRACKS BECOME SEVERE ENOUGH, THE WHEEL WILL COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE.

Consequence: IF WHEEL SEPARATION OCCURS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE OCCURS, AND A VEHICLE CRASH COULD RESULT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE MANUFACTURING DATE CODES STAMPED ON EACH WHEEL OF THE VEHICLE AND IF A WHEEL FALLS WITHIN THE SPECIFIED DATE CODE RANGE, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THAT WHEEL ASSEMBLY.

Reported: 1997-04-08 (April 8, 1997)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES AND MINI VANS ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: CONNECTICUT, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MAINE, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT AND WISCONSIN. THE REAR CRADLE BOLTS PULL THROUGH THE RETAINERS DUE TO CORROSION OF THE RETAINER. IF BOTH BOLTS PULL THROUGH, THE REAR CRADLE WOULD NOT LONGER BE SUPPORTED AT THESE MOUNTING LOCATIONS AND THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT CAN SEPARATE FROM THE STEERING GEAR.

Consequence: IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD RESULT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR CRADLE BOLTS AND RETAINERS.