8.4
pretty badTypical Repair Cost:
$1,020.00
Average Mileage:
106,382 miles
Total Complaints:
24 complaints
Most common solutions:
- not sure (14 reports)
- replace intake manifold gasket (4 reports)
- get rid of the car asap (3 reports)
- class action lawsuit (2 reports)
- use fel-pro perma dry metal intake gasket set (1 reports)
cooling system problem
This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Pontiac dealer.
Helpful Websites About 1999 Pontiac Grand Am intake manifold gasket leak
2009Apr 01
Grand Am ES 3.4L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 85,000 miles
Ok this is my wifes piece of sh*t car we bought when it had 30,000 miles on it back in 2001, was a good car for about a year. started leaking antifreeze from the intake gasket & the alternator went out. I fixed the leak in like 2003 or so by myself & boy what a job that was, have to tear the whole top of the engine down! Thanks Pontiac, ya f*ckin assholes!
Now here we are in 2009 & the same leake is there again & has been for over a year now with 89,000 miles on it, only now the leak is very bad & you have to fill the res. tank before you go anywhere & it will all leak out after a 20 mile drive. The cap on the res. tank is a total piece of sh*t that cross threseds when you try to put it on & has to be practically pried off. This car is on it's 3rd alternator & the gas gauge stopped working a couple years ago, I fixed that too, the wiper on the sending unit wears out on ALL these older GM vehicles including the trucks, the only way to fix it is to get a new fuel pump or a sending unit part form the dealed for like 150.00 bucks! A new fuel pump will run you over $200.00. Anyway so I have been putting off replacing this gasket again but I have no choice now if she wants to use the car like a normal person should. I hate this damn car! There are so many of these Grand AM junkers on the road & I feel sorry for the people that own them. Why oh why has GM f*cked so many people with this intake gasket problem & done nothing about it? I f you EVER have to replcae your serpentine belt you should ALWAYS check the idler pulleys for lubrication, the plastic sh*tty one on the tensioner melted idling in the driveway due to dyring up of the bearing, & shreaded the belt! To the shadetree mechanic out there in repairland USA: You can always lubricate ANY idler pulley on nearly ANY vehicle in your garage. Just pull off the seal with a pick or sharp instrument & you usulally won't damage it & force some grease into the bearing & spin it then replace the seal, you can usually push it back on with your fingers & if not then use a socket or other smooth edge tool slightly smaller that the diameter of the seal to tap it back into place, this wiil save you a lot of moey, time & headache. Hey GM: Your 3.4L V6 engine SUCKS ASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2008Jul 31
Grand Am SE 3.4L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 109,000 miles
So yah, as soon as I got one problem fixed, I had this same intake gasket leak, just like everyone else. Luckily I knew it was coming because I had just started using this site a couple of months previous to my problem. Get rid of your 199 Grand AMs ASAP! I'm going to get myself a new car now that my transmission is slipping more and more now too.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2009May 01
Grand Am GT 3.4L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 113,000 miles
Not really here to rant and rave about the problem but rather to offer a possible solution to the lower intake gasket failure problem. If you have the dealer do the repair, they are going to use the same plastic gaskets that originally came on the engine, and if you require that they use a different part (gasket) then they most likely will not warranty the job, however the long term fix is to replace the OEM plastic gaskets with Fel-Pro perma-dry metal gaskets (which have rubber inserts for the galleys). Along with this modification you will NOT want to use the DEX-COOL orange coolant when refilling the cooling system.(it is alleged to have a corrosive effect on sealing components of the cooling system) ///
Now to the problem of the window guides breaking, yes in deed they do, and while I haven't seen the fix in a store in package form, the answer is to fashion two metal retainer brackets to fit on the inside and outside of the plastic window guides, I've got'em on my Grand Am and have had no problem since installing them(over a year now).
2009Mar 01
Grand Am GT 3.4L
- Automatic transmission
- 130,000 miles
The intake is really a pain in the ass. I wish I could make GM go bankrupt. I've replaced the whole upper and lower intake and spent so much money that I could scream, and its still not 100%. Listening to people around me about American cars being so good, I should have not listened to them and stuck with foreign cars. They actually take time to perfect their defects in their products. The Grand Am GT's engine must have been designed when the engineers came back from a club drunk.
I hope a class action lawsuit will be filed so they can reimburse me for all the money I have spent, which is enough to purchase a whole other car. Please keep me informed on the class action lawsuit.
2009Feb 10
Grand Am GT 3.4L
- Automatic transmission
- 103,000 miles
hAD TO REPLACE THE head gasket last year and then today the car spits out the coolant. I've been told the intake gasket has a leak. There appears to be a problem that GM is aware of but refuses to address it. If anyone knows how to get their attention, please speak up
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2006Dec 06
Grand Am SE 3.4L
- Automatic transmission
- 100,000 miles
There is a class action law suit for this exact problem with Pontiac Grand Ams and a few other GM cars. The web site to check out is www.dexcoolsettlement.com
Good luck, and if you qualify, get your claim in by October 27th, 2008
2008Mar 10
Grand Am SE 3.2L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 112,000 miles
After we replaced the alternator, battery, brakes and many window brackets I thought the problems were over! WRONG!! on so many levels. I had to replace the intake manifold gasket and where did my heat go? I lost my heater in the car! Now on top of everything else, I had to replace the ignition switch and change keys for it because the DAMN thing wouldn't turn over. Left me stranded again! This is getting OLD FAST! Then the damn car started to cut out when I was at a light and not wanting to start. This car is the worst car I have owned besides the Freakin' Buick Century. I want to get rid of it, husband doesn't want to. Any suggestions?
2008Aug 05
Grand Am GT 3.4L
- Automatic transmission
- 72,000 miles
Im 26 yrs old, ive owned 3 cars...all gm, the last 2 i had lasted 130,000 miles + worth the money, now im screwed..i bought a grand am intake gasket goes out. find out that im not the only 1..call gm customer service. apparently the gasket is too thin and is basically....sh*t. so i call and figure a highly known manufacturer such as gm would b more than happy to help their loyal customers...but no..i got a load of BS, pretty much "yes we understand theres been problems w/ the gaskets goin out...sorry and good luck." Funny thing is i worked for a company that supplied parts directly to GM. and when we sent 1 part out of millions that didnt look just right...a firm ass chewing phone call w/ more cursing then u could possibly imagine...and lasted all of 10 min followed by a hang up. We'd end up sending a group of people (paid for by the company i worked for..not GM)...to go to the Gm plant take an ass chewing for several days by the GM engineers, management..treated like retards and eventually told to leave when we proved there was nothing wrong w/ the part..(btw if any of u read this....go to hell). and now i sit here...with my busted ass car...and gm wont do a damn thing to fix there screw up...i no longer work for that company but its almost irony...i bought a gm car..because i saw there determination to get it right.....and now....they don't give a sh*t when its costin there customer $$$..so now i know..there all assholes who don't give a damn about their customers....wave..goodbye GM..im buyin a Ford from now on.
2008May 29
Grand Am GT 3.4L
- Automatic transmission
- 145,000 miles
this seems to be a common problem. there is a class action lawsuit on many gm cars it is dexcool settlement .com. however it has to done with in 7 yrs or 150000 miles. so doesn't do me any good. this has been a pretty horrible car. whats a fair price to replace the lower intake manifold gasket?
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2006Jun 01
Grand Am SE
- Automatic transmission
- 30,000 miles
This is recall worthy in most people eyes, because i've heard this happens a lot and is a recurring problem. Basically it overheated and needed a new intake manifold, and they replaced it but periodically it keeps leaking coolant even though I already fixed it. To be fair I haven't really paid much attention to it since the second time I fixed it and it hasn't overheated even though I bet one day it might just explode on me. I think the only solution is to sell it to someone or drive it to the junkyard and get a reliable (non GM) made car.
2008Feb 14
Grand Am SE V6 3.4L
- Automatic transmission
- 115,000 miles
Over a month ago, my car overheated out of nowhere. At first, I was told it was simply the thermostat so I had it replaced. Well the idiots who replaced it used the wrong part and installed it upside down so I had MY mechanic do it the right way. This still didn't solve the problem however, and I have wasted countless hours and days for the last month of my life trying to get the problem fixed. The intake gasket has been replaced, but after seeing this site, I realize it will just go again. Ive come to the conclusion that its better for me to just get rid of the car because it become a huge pain in my ass and is no longer worth my time or money. Absolutely an item that should be a GM recall, but I won't count on that ever happening. A terrible car that I never should have bought in the first place. I will never EVER buy from GM again.
2007May 03
(reported on)Grand Am GT V6
- Automatic transmission
- 118,061 miles
So I am not the only one . I went in to get my oil changed and the mechanic saw coolant sitting on the block. We were not sure what it was but after reading all the other posts it looks like my intake gasket might be pooched. I am not impressed with Pontiac and this problem it seems like every car has this same problem.
2008Feb 19
Grand Am SE 3.4L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 67,000 miles
I didn't think much of this problem until my husband showed me this site.
I was outraged. I copied every complaint including mine and forwarded with a letter
of concern to Pontiac. Might not make a difference however felt it was something
I had to do. I am hoping to get a few more months from my car and then to get
a new one and i promise it will not be a PONTIAC!
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2007Aug 12
Grand Am GT 3.2L Vg
- Automatic transmission
- 70,000 miles
The more I read how common this problem is the less I am convinced it is worth the money to fix due to repeated gasket failures for many customers. I though of doing it myself but If replacing the gaskets is only a very short term fix whats the point?
Please let me know if you have had the same problem and found a solution.
Thank you
2007Apr 17
(reported on)Grand Am SE V6
- Automatic transmission
- 125,000 miles
This is my second go round with the gasket. I had it repaired last July and now it's starting up again. my mechanic suggested that i get all the gaskets replaced and have the heads checked to be sure there's no cracks in them. I had some sealant sprayed on the area where it was leaking and I don't know how long that will keep the problem at bay. This does appear to be a problem with the grand ams... I hope a class action suit is filed.
2007Sep 03
(reported on)Grand Am 3.2L
- Automatic transmission
- 90,000 miles
Intake gasket leaking, running hot. Replaced thermostat, coolant tank, replaced heat sensing unit, replaced manifold gasket, and still no solution. Still leaked even after replacing gasket. Help!!!! Why hasn't GM done something about it.
2007Jun 17
(reported on)Grand Am GT V6
- Automatic transmission
- 114,100 miles
I've had to replace the coolant periodically for a while now. Took it to 3 dealerships and 5 local mechanics and no one could find the leak. However, about 2 weeks ago, I FOUND THE STUPID THING. So the intake seal needs to be replaced. OH AND BE REALLY CAREFUL!!!! WINDOW CLIPS SHATTER AND YOUR WINDOW WILL TOO IF YOUR NOT CAREFUL.
2007Mar 27
(reported on)Grand Am GT V6
- Automatic transmission
- 110,000 miles
Never buy going to buy another pontiac. The amount of money I have spent keeping this car running, I could have bought a brand new car and paid for it in cash.
2007Mar 19
(reported on)Grand Am GT 3.4L
- Automatic transmission
- 108,000 miles
I too, am joining the list of unsatisfied customers who have had this problem. I have replaced the upper/lower intake 2 times on this car. The latter as recently as 2 months ago and now the coolant light is back on again. I will also be pursuing legal avenues in a quest to remedy this situation.
2007Mar 12
(reported on)Grand Am GT V6
- Automatic transmission
- 125,000 miles
Just had the THIRD intake manifold gasket replaced in my Grand Am. Reading online, I see that it's a common problem that Pontiac wouldn't recall. I'm on a mission to get Pontiac to pay for this well known defect. I see there was a class action suit against them in Canada, but I don't see that one has been filed in the US. If anybody else has gotten anywhere with Pontiac, please let me know. I'll report back if I have any luck.
2007Feb 10
(reported on)Grand Am SE 2.4L
- Automatic transmission
- 135,000 miles
Hi! I think I'm having the same issue also. At least that is what the mechanics are telling me. My car will once a month keep running low on coolant as the coolant is leaking also through the manifold? It also struggles at times when I press the gas to accelerate! It is a scary problem that some mechanics cannot figure out. I've had some mechanics go as far as saying it is a better idea to just get a new engine.
2007Jan 20
(reported on)Grand Am V6
- Automatic transmission
- 129,000 miles
I guess my car's just another one............ intake gasket leaking....... what are they gonna do about this?!
2006Aug 30
(reported on)Grand Am SE
- 80,000 miles
Seems like this happens a lot with these cars. Some places will charge you $1500-2500, because of the time that it is booked at. Apparently, it's a pain to fix, so most people don't want to do it. At a dealership, I paid $487 to have it fixed.
We have partnered with JustAnswer to offer online auto repair help and advice from expert professional automotive technicians. You describe your cooling system problem or ask your question and they try to help you figure it out. The fee is typically $9 to $15, but you can offer to pay more for really tough questions. You will usually receive an answer in 10 minutes or less, and you do not have to pay anything unless you accept the answer.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2008Dec 21
Grand Am 3.4L V6
This business is supposedly a known issue related to the breaking down of the material used to make the gasket. The required repair as per my local mechanic is to replace the intake + head gasket: Parts etc required:
- head gasket
- intake gasket
- antifreeze (bulk)
- oil
- oil filter
- spark plugs
- head bolts
- thermostat
- p/s power steering fluid
What the... !!
Apparently GM is has been aware of this issue and there has been mention of a class action law suit : see link -> http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/archive/index.php/t-550452.html
"This is absolutely not normal wear and tear," said Kirk Robinson, an independent mechanic who worked as a GM service technician several years ago. He also hosts a call-in cable TV show in Toronto, called "Auto Talk".
nammy
Niagara Falls, ON, Canada
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