Comments: 1-15, 16
Replaced the engine.
Replaced the oil pan twice.
Replaced the brakes.
Replaced the rotors.
When it rains my car leaks water on the passenger side, and I can't find where it is.
Replaced motor mounts.
Replaced heater hoses.
Replaced all belts.
Sometimes I will hear squeaking from inside my car and I know it's from something loose in the interior, but I can't figure that one out either. Maybe it's because the interior is all plastic!!!
Replaced spark plugs.
The car is quick.
The car handles nicely.
I like the way you feel when sitting in the car, it is so comfortable and so cool feeling.
It is the best car for a beginner driver to get.
I don't like the fact that it has only a one star safety rating!!
I also have a 1993 Grand Am SE that leaks on the passenger side when it rains. I have been searching for the leak for a long time and think I have finally found it. It seems to be coming, dripping down the inside of the firewall. Under the hood, behind the passenger strut, there is a flat area where there is a connector. There was a split between two pieces of metal that looked to be welded together, once. I filled with silicon and think I solved it. It is taking forever for the padding and carpet to dry out though, so I can't be sure yet.
Yes.. I too have had leakage problems int my '94 Grand Am SE, but it only leaks when the rain is heavy. I haven't been able to find it yet though.
I also had the leak on the passenger side which I believe I fixed by sealing the firewall under the hood where the connector is with silicon. I did this a year ago and haven't seen a leak since. I have had an ongoing problem with the idiot lights coming on and going out at random. I initially speculated it was the computer, which happens to be mounted just where the leak comes in. I have replaced the computer with a recycled one and get the same effect with the idiot lights. Also, I replaced the electric motor and bent up window guides on my drivers side which seemed to have fixed the problem of the window getting stuck open - until recently where it seems to overheat and get stuck while rolling it up.
94 Pontiac Grand AM GT 6cil.
I also have the same problem with the leak on the firewall. I tried to seal it with silicone, but the watter keeps coming - there is also water coming in when its not raining, but my ac is running I think there is another water leak in the condensation of the ac or something like that.
My windows stop rolling up/down. I guess I have to replace the motors, but I don't even want to go there. It's a nice ride when everyhing is great and doesn't rain, but when it does all hell brakes loose.
I own a very nice 96 Grand Am, but have a leak on the passenger side! I guess there have been a few with the same problem! Hopefully somewhere out there, someone found where all this water is coming in, because I haven't yet been able to solve this mystery! Thank you carandtan@aol.com.
I also have leaks on my 93 Grand Am SE which come from the fire wall area and one past the passenger side door seal. I've removed all the seats and carpets and sub-padding (a must do or your car will never dry out and will smell forever - I sucked out at least a gallon of water once the padding was removed. Once I got the carpets lose the reek from beneath was quite awesome). I've been driving it now for a few weeks sine carpets. Definite dribble from behind the dash on both passenger and driver side. Can't spot anything from engine compartment. Plan to dig into it further - check back in a week.
I also get a sporadic "check gages" light that I can't figure what is making it come on and occasionally off. I did find a disconnected module behind a drop-down plastic door just to the left of the steering wheel underside of the dash. Plugging the module in caused the cool features of interior lights to function when the door handle on driver or passenger side was lifted. Prior to that the interior lights only came on for the rear doors or dash control switch. Module also controls the idiot lights for the brake fluid level and possibly low coolant level, and automatically locks doors when the car is taken out of Park.
My driver side door will not unlock except via manual mode from inside.
Other than that it is a pretty nice little car.
1992 grand am SE
Has a major water leak every time it rains. I attempted to locate the problem and I actually thought I had it. I had some cracks under that black piece of plastic, in-between the windshield and the engine compartment. I sealed them up (there was quite a few and large at that) with a spray on sealant (a tar) and that seams to kill one leak I had.
I had water at the floor from the firewall all the way to underneath the passenger and driver seats. After sealing those cracks the water underneath the drivers side seat left. But there is still water in the front mat on the drivers side. This is after I made sure I sucked all the water out so I would know if the job was done correctly.
I still have water in my car, and I think I may have found the culprit, but I won't be sure until I can get a dry day to pass (funny how it always rains when you have a leak >_<). I am going to check the hinges on the doors, since they both bolt into the same area as the water seems to be coming from, and when it rains it seems like all the water is channeled directly into the hinges for some reason.
Probably not the source since the thread on the thing should be a water tight seal, but you never know what age can do to a car.
I also have a leak with a 93 grand am. I put a leaf blower in the car pointing up at the top of the under side dash board (since that is where I see the water dripping from.
I took soapy water in a spray bottle and sprayed the flat area under the hood where the connectors are and lo and behold a bubble forms. The one connector comes out, but what about the one with tape?
Sounds like a stupid GM design to put two connectors on a flat surface.
I own a 1996 Grand Am SE that I bought in 1996 with only 30,000 km on it. I also have the water leak that it seems a lot of Grand Am owners have had to put up with. Haven't successfully fixed it yet, but I'll try all of the places you have all mentioned. I have a very important message for everyone. If you have this leak and your "idiot lights" start coming on, be especially careful if your air bags light is on. I was driving along one day and both of my airbags inflated for no apparent reason. I'm in the process of looking into this, but it's believed to be a result of the water leak. Please don't put any children in the front seat if you have air bags, most people know this, but this a perfect example of why they should be in the back seat. Luckily no one was hurt, but I feel people should know about this because it is a safety issue.
Yet another Grand Am (SE) with mystery rear passenger-door water leak to floor area. I thought the water was leaking from the window seal; I am SO GLAD to hear about the wheel well and I will check it out as soon as I get the swampwater out of my poor car!
Incidentally - here's my cleanup approach (have tried several things, but this seems to be the best so far) :
1. Spray orange-based cleaner on all mildewy areas (plastic interior trim, door seals, even the upholstery) so you don't get some nasty airborne lung fungus!!!
2. Throw out ANY AND EVERYTHING that may have been in the puddle (s). Have fun washing your hands!
3. Get about a dozen scoops of OxiClean and dump it in the puddle (s) (I did 6 and 6, since water has migrated to other side of rear floor). Stir it with a stick until dissolved. You will be surprised at how that NASTIER than swampwater (I'm from Louisiana; I know!) black death turns into a light gray. No dramatic bubbling or anything, but it's killing something in there for sure.
4. As I write this, the stuff is sitting (has been for about 20 minutes.). I figure I'll check it after a 1/2 hour and then suck it out with the carpet-washer. A wet-dry vac might be better for that first sludge removal.
5. Then, I'm going to wash the carpet with the machine as many times as necessary.
6. THEN, I'm going to do the same with the upholstery.
I'll let you know how it goes...
Robin.
Hey people,, its not the rain its radiator water! its from your heater coil in your dash. it leaks when the heat is on. that's why you get it when it rains (its cold and you use your heater!) easy overlook mistake. get your heater coil replaced or fixed.. oh, and check your radiator level
I'm outa here... johnny.
It is certainly *NOT* the radiator or the heater core! I have a 95 Grand AM GT and have had a water leak on the Drivers side for the past 3 months. There is no loss of radiator fluid at all, and besides... you know radiator fluid by the smell.
You pull back the carpet, and there is a rubber / plastic shield between the upper carpet and the firewall, and when I reach up between this the firewall and this shield I can feel the water and moisture. This is draining down into the drivers side floorboard, and it only happens when it rains hard.
The only thing I have found so far is under the black plastic piece that sits right under the wipers. There appear to be a point there where the two body points have been connected and sealant placed at the joints. Some of the sealant has eroded away, and it looks like its gonna be a monster to correct. I have used some silicon already, and that has slowed things down, but not completely resolved the issue. Cold weather has set in good now, and the only way to really do what I need to would be to strip the wipers and molding completely away, clean and silicon the whole bloody area.
I sure would appreciate any more insight into this if we get any GM body people reading this. All the tips and comments so far have been helpful, but I discovered most of it already. I love the car overall, but this leakage is about to make me trade the thing off for good.
Good luck people.
Robert Sutherland
East Tennessee.
I just fixed a 96 Grand Am for water leaks. The first place these cars leak is the two pieces of the fire wall that are seam-sealed together; these will rot out completely. This leaves giant holes leading into the engine bay. The second place these cars leak is the wiring harnesses. The two halves near the sides of the wiper motor compartment allow water to run right down the wiring harness because of bad sealing design. My fix is going to be to seal these up better with silicone and seal the inside of the harness aswell, and also drill for an evacuation hose back out to the engine bay for water to drain out. If any one out there has already fixed this please e-mail me. For pictures of the rotten firewall I fixed leave a message. www.mtminspector102@hotmail.com.
I have the same water problem could someone please tell me how to take off the windsheild wipers off? thanks.
I too have water Leaks. I first thought it was my Heater core on my 98 Pontiac Grand am SE. I changed the heater core, after several hours of hard work I finally got it in there. But there was still a leak somewhere that was running under the carpet on the passenger side and soaking upwards through the carpet.
The mechanics at the place I worked, told me that I probably had an air pocket in my heater core. So after hours of squeezing the hoses (Burping) to the heater core, I still had the same problem.
I decided to explore the problem. I took up the carpet and traced the water trails back. Only to find out that it wasn't my heater core at all. Its coming from the A/C. So if anyone knows what could be causing the AC to leak under the dash and soak my floor on the p- side. Please let me know.