cooling system problem
8.9
pretty badTypical Repair Cost:
$1,025.00
Average Mileage:
99,310 miles
Number of complaints:
13 complaints
Most common solutions:
- replace manifold gasket, manifold, don't use dex cool (7 reports)
- not sure (4 reports)
- replace intake manifold gasket, flush from time to time (2 reports)
Helpful Websites About 2000 Pontiac Grand Am intake manifold gasket failure, coolant light is on
2008Apr 02
Grand Am GT 3.4L
- Automatic transmission
- 79,000 miles
I HAVE BEEN A DIE HARD MOPAR GUY,BUT I WANTED TO GIVE GM A TRY BECAUSE OUR 85 MONTE CARLO IS STILL GOING , BUT THIS INTAKE LEAK IS UNFORGIVABLE, WHAT WAS GM THINKING, AND THEY WANNA COMPETE WITH IMPORTS, WELL IF I CAN SELL THE CAR I AM GONNA PUT A MOTOR IN MY 90 PLYMOUTH SUNDANCE. AT LEAST I CAN WORK ON THAT MY SELF.
2008Apr 07
Grand Am SE 3.4L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 101,905 miles
I bought this car for my birthday less than a month ago. I've had other little standard Grand AM problems and a shuddering in the front end that turned out to be a warped rotor.
The REAL problem is the fact that some buttmunch decided to design a plastic [Duh] intake manifold gasket for the 3.4 L engine. While driving the car started to stink and burning coolant smell flooded the interior. Opened up the hood and heard a hissing sound as the coolant burned. The dealer tried to argue about it with me but I eventually got him to replace it. It's going in tomorrow morning and hopefully this will be my first and last post. PROBABLY NOT!!
These cars are a joke and there is a reason why the big 3 dont rule the market anymore...I want a TOYOTA :D
2007Sep 15
Grand Am SE1 3.4L V6 Mpi
- Automatic transmission
- 70,000 miles
In the spend of 3 days I probably used 5 gallons coolant!
I was leaking very bad
When It first happened I was on the highway (Couple weeks after I bought the car) in front of a 18-wheeler where I almost lost my life because all the coolant leaked out and the car drastically lowered then shut off (but luckily I was able to swerve the car over to the brake down lane.
2008Feb 08
Grand Am GT 3.4L
- Automatic transmission
- 92,000 miles
same as everybody else. crappy "plastic" gasket failure, water pump shot, mechanic says he does LOTS of these...
2007Apr 01
Grand Am GT 3.4L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 100,000 miles
60 degree v6 as apposed to a 90 to produce more power. in turn this creates a pressure point on the intake manifold that will eventually break... 900$ no warranty.
2007May 19
(reported on)Grand Am GT 3.4L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 127,000 miles
My Grand Am has 127,000 miles... last April I drove from Ohio to Tennessee and the trip drained all of my coolant. Since then I've had to refill the coolant reservoir at least every two weeks. I had a mechanic look at it and he said he couldn't find a leak. About the same time, the "Service Engine Soon" light came on and stayed on. This time the mechanic did some diagnostics and it turned out I needed a simple tune up. The light never went off and now sometimes when I'm backing up, the SES light flashes after the car kind of hesitates. The fuel pump died a few months ago, costing about $800 to replace. I am just now finding out about these head gasket problems, now I'm worried about how much it's going to replace. I can't believe that GM is ignoring this chronic Grand Am defect.
Other than all of this, I've had to get the turn signals fixed from the wiring recall and my headlights burn out every few months. At least one tire goes completely flat every month.
2008Jan 07
Grand Am GT V6
- Automatic transmission
- 133,000 miles
Just dropped my car off this morning & already know it's gonna cost at least $600 & won't be done until Thursday or Friday so sharing my husband's crappy Dodge Neon. This is the same problem I had almost 3 years ago & the mechanic said that he has to replace the intake manifold gasket so far. This is the 2nd time I am having that same part replaced & it's not cheap. I plan on calling the other mechanic who replaced it before to get a copy of the receipt in case I have to replace it a 3rd time. After all the problems since I bought the car, it's not even worth the 4 tires that hold it off the ground. About a month after buying the car, I found out that the previous owner was a mechanic who worked at that same dealership & had traded it in (it only had 32,000 miles on it) for a new one. Guess he knew something I didn't. Nice huh?
2005May 20
Grand Am GT V6
- Automatic transmission
- 66,000 miles
My car was leaking antifreeze really bad, not on the ground but it was spraying upward & all over everything. The engine hood was half-soaked & my then-boyfriend got sprayed in the face with antifreeze as soon as he opened the hood (good thing for him that he wears glasses). This happened in a parking lot so I took my car to the local Pontiac dealership right away. The next day they called me (they didn't start repairs yet) saying the repair would cost $1,600 & I told them not to start fixing it yet, that I didn't have that much money. I decided to pick up the car & have it repaired elsewhere & Pontiac gave me a hard time & they wanted to bargain with me, asking if I had quotes from any other garage. The manager of the service dept. went out back to get my car & when I got in it I found that someone spit a fresh wad of gum onto the passenger side floor. I went back in their office & had their manager clean it up personally. Bet they thought I wouldn't notice until after driving away. Who knows, maybe that $1,600 job was going to be their biggest job of the week. Needless to say, I went to another mechanic. While my car was at the new mechanic, the car's lifters broke when the repair was just about done. In the end this guy charged me a total of $1,100 which included fixing the lifters & installing a new intake manifold gasket.
2007Jun 01
(reported on)Grand Am 3.4
- Automatic transmission
- 71,000 miles
My beef is that dexcool was what I was told to add to this vehicle only to find out it was the culprit to my problems. I am keeping my receipt. Hopefully a lawyer will hear our cries
2007Oct 10
(reported on)Grand Am SE 3.4L
- Automatic transmission
- 80,120 miles
I own a 2000 Pontiac Grand Am that has been problems.I bought it used with 52000 mi on it and in less than a month my car was driving eratically. My gas gauge was jumping everywhere and my car was shifting very hard and also surging power loss as I drove, this first problem turned out to be my EGR valve, it took three diffrent mechanic shops to determine the problem. The first two mechanic shops said their Diagnostic recommends I replace every sensor on the car. After that my motor to the driver side window took a s#@*, one year later the intake manifold gasket went out along with my water pump and I also changed my thermostat trying to be safe, that new gasket lasted one full year and know here I am with my Intake gasket out again and my front driver side wheel is starting to vibrate really bad any time I apply the brakes.. I would not recomend a pontiac to anyone. I have had several people tell me about the Intake gasket and Electrical problems.
2007Aug 13
(reported on)Grand Am SE 3.2L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 130,000 miles
The FIRST defective intake manifold gasket was replaced was in 2005 by a small town mechanic that the car was towed to... no Pontiac dealer for miles. THAT defective manifold gasket failed two years later... now the manifold is cracked and must be replaced. Working "with" GM's Customer Assistance Ctr (1-800-462-8782) was a joke... rhetoric, rehearsed responses, "we'll certainly look into that problem," absorb and diffuse... final word... "Sorry. We don't know nothin' 'bout nothin' 'cause your car's just too old." and I was given a bogus 800 number to call for "further assistance." I used to trust GM products and thought it was a company with integrity that prided itself on quality products that they backed. Not anymore. GM is a 300 pound gorilla corporation that obviously doesn't care about customer service or resolving an issue that is CLEARLY their responsibility. I'm filing complaints with the Federal Trade Commission, Better Business Bureau, and joining any class action suit against GM that is allowed. I'm watching how the Canadian federal class action suite goes against GM regarding manifold gasket vs Dex Cool.
2007Aug 04
(reported on)Grand Am SE 3.4L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 150,000 miles
Well, I'm joining in on the POS Grand Am's. In September 2006, car overheated so many times I can't count. We found out the cap was on crooked and therefore releasing pressure. So when it happened recently, I thought it was the cap. We have done everything including replacing the cap and it still overheated, sometimes after driving for several miles. I was just told by a Car-X mechanic that I definitely have a cracked or leaking intake gasket. Thankfully I had been to AutoBeef and read all the complaints, so I knew there was a good chance my POS was the same as everyone else's. We have already replace the belt, water pump and cap. These weren't very expensive. But....... since I am unemployed at this time, I'm wondering where I am supposed to sh** out the money to repair a problem that GM is well aware of. My mom works for GM. She said I have never heard of overheating problems on Pontiacs. I told her to get on the internet and type in 2000 Pontiac Grand AM and see how many she could find. If anyone knows where the class action lawsuit link is, I would love to have it. I have a beautiful car sitting in the garage and can't drive it!!!!!!!!!!
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2008May 08
Grand Am SE 3.2L V6
I started having problems last year (2007). I brought it to a mechanic and he couldn't find a problem. Took it to another mechanic and he couldn't find the leak. Last week, coming out of a store and antifreeze all over the ground. I took it to another mechanic and thats when I found out that it was the intake manifold gasket and to cost me 600.00. I was told this is a common problem with GM motors. THANKS A LOT GM, I am now broke! And it ticks me off even more when I find out you knew about this problem.
Camille F.
North Providence, RI, USA
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