2001 Pontiac Grand Am GT review from North America

When braking, experienced a front-end vibration of the car and steering wheel.

Took to dealer and learned that there was a Service Bulletin for front brakes and rotors. All were replaced free of charge.

Headlights from time of purchase would light up the signs on the road at night and shine into the trees on high beam.

Took to dealer. The housing was never installed properly at factory.

Have had to dealer three times and high beams still make white "X's" in the road and light beams cross over one another in the road at night.

Started the car after it sat in garage all night. It revved up without using accelerator as when passing a car.

It eventually dropped back to normal and I drove 2 miles. Started the car again from the parking lot, it revved up very fast, came home.

Started the car, it made strange sounds: One sound was like air going in and out; one sound was the radio playing and it was off; one sound was a loud thumping sound and the car did not start.

Tried to start the car again, got a "click" when turning the key. Car will not start.

Opened hood (second latch too far away for short-fingers on woman's hand and hard to move anyway).

Took off fuse box cover. Looked at #1 30-amp green fuse. Tried to get white clothes pin-type gizmo out to use to pull out the fuse. It would not budge.

Put cover back on and gave up.

Car overheats and dealer tells me it's "normal."

When going over a raised lip drive into a parking lot, left front (brake?) noise that is unbelievable. Dealer can't make it happen.

When starting, transmission "jumps" and car is in park.

Trunk lid will not open all the way when using the inside door button or key-less entry button (FOB).

Cruise control will not "hold" when going down 6% grade. This is intermittent. Dealer cannot duplicate.

This is a new car! It is babied, never abused or loaned out! What is the problem with our manufacturers?

I've had better luck with Japanese cars!

I think, judging by older cars of days gone by:

1. Starter relay problem, or

2. Blew up a circuit board, or

3. Blew the #1 fuse for the starter.

I am a single woman, opened the hood to find an opposing engine with lots of tanks for fluids and never could find the relay. Maybe it's under the dash?

I find this car to be worthless, troublesome, hard to steer (not rack and pinion (?) ), with endless problems that never get fixed.

With it being Labor Day, the dealer will not be open until Tuesday morning, therefore, I will miss work to take a car in that won't start, and worry how to get to my job 30 miles from the dealer!

It costs $120 for the service manual that used to come with cars! I would like to know about the mechanics and technology of this car so that I might speak intelligently with the dealer.

On another note, one dealer told me I have a rear axle with caster/camber for aligning while another dealer told me I do not! Since my car is a front-wheel drive, why would the rear axle be a "drive axle"?

I am thinking of trading this car--and eat the loss--for another Subaru.