1997 Pontiac Grand Am SE review from North America
"This gorgeous car became my worst nightmare"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Recurrent, mysterious wiring problems. The door locks will stop working, then the interior dashboard lights, then the turn signals. This has been repaired four times now, and usually after a few months it starts again.
The last time, the dealer found 13 different wires under the driver's side carpeting that needed to be spliced back together. Apparently, every time I braked, it put pressure on the wires and they were cracking. The dealer actually called it an "accident waiting to happen" and said I was lucky that none of those 13 wires were for the engine or the brakes.
At one point, the alternator blew out, causing the car to stop-start-stop-start in panicky jerks while every single light on the dash was flickering on and off. I'm glad I was close to home, because I almost wrecked. Turns out the alternator fried the battery and I had to replace them both.
None of my power windows work and it's going to be $500 to fix.
The radio was replaced before I got the car.
This car is a constant drain on my finances, not to mention my nerves.
General comments?
When this car actually runs, it's a dream. It's my first car and I hate to give up my "baby". But this is ridiculous.
Has anyone else had these strange electrical problems?
Recommended reviews
| Driving Excitement Pontiac - Yeah Right |
|
| Its holding up admirably considering how hard I run it |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Year of manufacture | 1997 |
| First year of ownership | 2001 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | Not sure Automatic |
| Performance marks | 6 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 2 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 1 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 0 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 90000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 120000 miles |
| Date of Entry | 20th May, 2003 |