1999 Pontiac Grand Am suspension problems

“I WAS BACKING UP SLOWLY OUT OF A PARKING SPOT. AS I TURNED ME WHEEL TO THE RIGHT, I HEARD A VERY LOUD NOISE. IT SOUNDED LIKE A POP OR A CRACK. IT WAS MIDNIGHT SO I COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG WHEN I INSPECTED MY VEHICLE. AS I WAS DRIVING HOME I HEARD A LOUD SCRAPING SOUND. AS I WOULD BREAK IT GOT LOUDER AND LOUDER. IT WAS SCRAPING AND TEARING. I GOT HOME AND STILL COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING. I CHECKED THE NEXT DAY AND I NOTICED THAT THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE COIL WAS COMPLETELY CRACKED. BECAUSE OF THIS CRACKED COIL, THE PROTRUDING PIECE OF METAL FROM THE COIL WAS JAMMED AND RESTING ON THE TIRE WALL. BECAUSE OF HAVING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME, THE COIL HAS TORN AND RIPPED UP MY TIRE WALL AND I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME BEFORE WITH A CRACKED COIL ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF MY VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THIS IS CRAZINESS AND COMPLETELY UNSAFE! I FEAR FOR MY LIFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE AS IT CLEARLY HAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I AM BAFFLED AS TO WHY THERE IS NO POSTED RECALL FOR THIS HAZARDOUS PRODUCT. PONTIAC SHOULD BE ASHAMED FOR LETTING THIS GO AND NOT ADMITTING THEIR FAILURE AS A CAR MANUFACTURER. *TR”

“CAR THE WORST. I'VE SUNK MORE $ IN2 IT THAN SHE COST TO BUY. $15,000 AT LST. HEAD GASKET X2. INTAKE MANIFOLD X2 WINDOW PARTS X2 BRAKES, PADS ROTORS ENGINE REPLACED IN 2009 BY QUACK MECHANIC ON ADVICE FROM A FRIEND CAR 3 MTHS ON LIFT! COST $1000 A YR 2 PASS NYS INSPECTION HAD CATALYTIC CONVERTER & GASKETS REPLACED AFTER I BEGGED DO IT! CAT WHOLE PROB FOR 31/2 YRS. ERG VALVE SELONOID CHANGED. COILS SPRINGS, STRUT MOUNT(SENSATRAC) STRUT WAS ONLY AFTER I HAD TIRES REPLACED FOR UPTEENTH TIME REALIZING IT WAS CUTTING INTO 1 TIRE DRIVING OUT OF THE SHOP. ANTIFREEZE STILL OOZES OUT REGARDLESS HOW MANY X'S WORK DONE ON COOLING SYSTEM. THERMASTAT TWICE FUEL INJECTOR OXYGEN SENSOR ANTIFREEZE RESERVOIR, HOSES MUFFLER REARVIEW MIRROR FELL OFF TWICE TIMING BELT. HEADLIGHTS SEVERAL TIMES REAR LIGHTS. 2 OR 3 BATTERIES. THIS CAR SHOULD RUN LIKE NEW- ALMOST EVERYTHING'S BEEN REPLACED NOPE! WAS TOWED TWICE LAST 2 WEEKS DUE TO COOLANT LOSS OVERHEATING ENGINE STOPPING. INFORMED TODAY AFTER CAR AGAIN OVERHEATED & LOST POWER IT'S PROBABLY INTAKE MANIFOLD & HEAD GASKET, OIL IS DRIPPING FROM SIDES OF ENGINE. COMPUTER AMUCK NOWODOMETER FLASHES 1/2 NUMBERS INSTEAD OF TRUE MILEAGE. ABS?…”

“LEFT FRONT SPRING ON 1999 PONTIAC GRAND AM BROKE IN GROCERY STORE PARKING LOT CAUSING LEFT FRONT TIRE TO GO FLAT. LOCAL MECHANIC SAYS PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD. HAVE OLD PARTS. *TR”

“MY DAUGHTERS 99 GRAND AM HAS HAD BOTH FRONT SPRINGS BREAK APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR APART. IN BOTH INSTANCES THE CAR WAS TRAVELING FORWARD AT LESS THAN 25 MPH. THE BROKEN SPRING PUNCTURED THE TIRE AND THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED ON BOTH OCCASIONS. NO ACCIDENT OR INJURY OCCURRED. NEW SPRINGS/STRUTS WERE INSTALLED ALONG WITH NEW TIRES. FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT REAR SPRING WAS CRACKED AND WAS ALSO REPLACED. NO OLD PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. FROM THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS I HAVE READ THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON DEFECT ON THIS VEHICLE. I'M VERY GLAD THAT MY DAUGHTER WAS NOT DRIVING AT FREEWAY SPEED WHEN THESE SPRINGS BROKE. *TR”

“AFTER PERFORMING A SEARCH OF YOUR DEFECTS DATABASE I WANTED TO REPORT THAT THE NHTSA ACTION NUMBER PE03031 HAPPENED TO ME ON BOTH FRONT SPRINGS AND ONE REAR SPRING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED EXACTLY IN THIS MANOR DESCRIBED. I DO NOT HAVE THE EXACT DATES OF THE INCIDENTS BUT THE FAILURES HAPPENED AT DIFFERENT TIMES. BASED ON PARTS BILLS I BELIEVE THIS OCCURRED IN 9/2003 AND 9/2005 FOR THE FRONT SPRINGS AND 8/2007 FOR THE REAR SPRING. I PERSONALLY MADE THE REPAIRS AND PROBABLY HAVE THE FAILED SPRINGS STILL (STORED INSIDE) SINCE YOU CAN NOT JUST TOSS THEM IN THE GARBAGE. FORTUNATELY THE FRONT SPRING FAILURES OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARTED OVERNIGHT AND DISCOVERED THE NEXT MORNING WHEN LEAVING. THE REAR SPRING FAILED WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION BUT WAS DRIVABLE. IF THE FRONT SPRINGS FAILED WHILE THE CAR WAS TRAVELING THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS FAILURE DUE TO THE CAR BODY AND STRUT RUBBING ON THE WHEEL RIM AND TIRE WHICH WOULD HAVE CAUSED AN INABILITY TO STEER THE CAR. WHEN I WENT TO THE DEALER TO BUY THE PART THEY SEEMED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT SCREEN TO GO TO. I THOUGHT THAT WAS ODD BECAUSE USUALLY THEY HAVE TO DIG ON THE SCREENS OF THEIR COMPUTER BEFORE THEY…”

“1999 PONTIAC GRAND AM GT ,FRONT COIL SPRING .BACK OUT OF DRIVE WAY THEN STARTED DOWN ROAD WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN RIGHT FRONT SPRING LET GO WITH SUCH A FORCE THAT I THOUGHT RT AT FIRST SOME ONE SHOT AT CAR OR WAS IN AN ACCIDENT. DEALER FIX WITH NEW SPRING AND STRUT OEM PARTS WITCH WEAR DAMAGE DO TO SPRING GOING. DEALER KEEP PARTS SAID THAT THIS WAS NOT COMMON. I HAVE HEARD THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE GRAND AMS. *TR”