9.2
really awful
engine problem
5 years ago I started smelling antifreez when I drove my 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix, I took it into the radiator shop for help, he showed me an article in Popular Mechanics about the use of Dex-cool in GM products and how it will eat up the intake gaskets. I had them replaced and flushed out the Dex-cool and added the green antifreeze. No problems until a couple of months ago when the same thing started again, this time I personally took it down to the heads and found the head gaskets had been leaking. I'm into the gasket set $320.00 head bolt set $75.00 and the misc. parts such as PCV valve, cracked hoses, oil change and a fill with Prestone.
Also I found that the upper intake manifold has a crack in it (still looking for one) and while the heads are off I'm having a valve job done. Somewhere under $1,000.00 for all but the dealer would charge somewhere around $2,500.00 to $3,500.00. Pontiac has recalled the 3.8 but not the 3.1, Bastards I say. But all cars have thier troubles. Yes, even Toyotas.
- Chris H., Saugus, CA, US
i just want to say that i like my car alot and everything,but this car is really starting to piss me off. I'm really getting tired of putting money into this dang car! I have put over 1000.00 dollars into this car and i have put more in to get this dang car to work right ! THIS CAR IS A PISS POOR DESIGN FOR THE UNDER BODY!!!!!!! THE PARTS ARE MADE VERY CHEAP!!!!! Like the sway bar for an example and tie rods, bushings ,and wheel bearings etc.
- Stephen H., Elkhart, IN, US
My mechanic says that they do these repairs every week. Have to leave the car there for a day and a half. At least I get my 100,000 mile plugs changed for free. This seems to be a very well establish problem with these cars. I am sure the recall never happened because it is so expensive and time consuming to fix.
- Monte L., Fort Wayne, IN, US
just replaced the catalytic converter and mechanic told me to find out soon what caused it to fail . i was out of state and car felt like it was pulling a semi. would not accelerate past 35 mi per hour. any way, when i got home, i took i to my local certified mechanic and without opening the hood, he said it was the intake manifold gaskets. sure enough. he was right. he said it was a very common problem with these cars he himself owns one and had to replace his gaskets at around 50k. mine has 62k or 66k cant remember which. so now i have to cough up $1000 more to fix gm's known problem. this will make it or break it for me. if there is not a recall soon, i will switch to jap cars.
- mrtech, Crown Point, IN, US
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
My husband opened hood of our 01 poniac Grand Prix to see what was wrong and the intake plenum exploded in his face! It was sooo loud our neighbors came over to see if he was ok. I thought for sure it had blown his face off. We took our car in and had the intake manifold gasket replaced. $480.00 later. I think there is a recall for this and we were never notified. GM needs to be held responsible for this lemon car. Not to mention we had 3 TRANSMISSIONS put in without 100,000 miles on the car.
- Mari C., Omaha, NE, US