On 10/21/2009 as I was on my way home from picking my son up from school, my 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix GT caught on fire. I was driving down the road the check engine light came on the car started to hesitate like a spark plug had fouled out and the smoke started coming through the vents inside the car and the car cut off. I coasted the car off the road into a mans yard just in time for us to get out when flames became visible. We grabbed our things and ran, I called 911 and some man stopped and got the hood raised he had a fire extinguisher but it wasn't doing much good. The fire department arrived put the fire out and I explained to them that the car was in great shape and we had had no problems with it before that I had smelled something that smelled like burning oil and my husband was going to look at it when he got home from work because he is a mechanic but I had not ever had any issues like this before. A couple of days later I saw my neighbor and saw the car he asked what had happened and I explained and he asked if there had been any recalls on the car and I told him I had not received any notices. That is when I checked for recalls and sure enough there was a recall for fires in the engine compartment. Well I called GM and they were shocked that my car had caught on fire. They had me contact a department called the esis department they told me the "time barred from a claim with General Motors" and there was nothing that could be done. So I have gone from having a perfectly good car to not having a car at all. I did however receive a recall notice from GM on Feb 5, 2010. Alot of good that did me seeing that my car is totally ruined. Oh yes and the woman I spoke to at GM esis departments name was debbie roach. So if anyone knows how I can get help with this please post something.

- Thomasville, NC, USA

When I turned the ignition key to start my vehicle there was an explosion and fire in the engine compartment, shattering the plenum, breaking the guard cover and disabling the electrical system.

- Miami Springs, FL, USA

Car was totaled due to engine fire caused by oil hitting exhaust. The car burned completely. It caught fire while driving and burned in my driveway.

- Greenup, KY, USA

1999 Pontiac Grand Prix had engine compartment fire recall work completed 8-14-08. Caught fire and burned engine compartment while setting in driveway after 10min drive on 8-25-08.

- Shelby, NC, USA

Catalytic converter had to be replaced, after replacing, could not drive car because temperature gauge went to 260 degrees in 6 or 7 minutes of driving. Never had this particular problem or any idea of a problem until a week ago while driving in traffic, car was sluggish and check engine light came on and would not go off. I immediately went home which was a 2 mile drive and parked car. Called a GM ase certified mechanic and his computer check read that a misfire of #1 plug. Plugs were replaced and then mechanic let engine run since there was white smoke, until there was no indication of smoke at all. Then he checked and said to go and have the catalytic converter checked. Converter was checked and was told it was clogged and needed replacing. Replaced converter, tried driving home approximately 3 miles and car started getting hot temperature and when stopped, was very hard to start, but kept getting up to 260 degrees, which required me to stop and let engine cool and try to get home and parked car. Called converter installer and they will check again, but was told to add coolant, but do not drive. Dex cool was added, per book specs and started car. Started to run, but thick white smoke billowed out and a burning odor was detected. Quickly turned car off and will have to call aaa to tow to converter installer shop for another shop. I have also had to replace 3 motors in the driver front window and it is still not going up or down. I have complained to GM about this issue before. Oh, I called GM also about the warranty on the converter and I was over the mileage for the 8 year warranty. Before this, I have spent over $400 to replace gaskets and valves recently on the engine and I cant afford anymore, I am disabled and receiving ssi. Is there any remedy?

- Duluth, GA, USA

Our insured, john vermeulin's 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix caught on fire.

- New Florence, PA, USA

Upper intake manifold starts to rot out in coolent passage. This will be a real problem for GM all of the ones that I found in junk yard had or were about to have this problem.

- Columbus, WI, USA