- #21 of 317
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Re: 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP Engine fire [outdoorlady]
by bedens
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Nov 04, 2006 (8:13 pm)
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Replying to: outdoorlady (Nov 03, 2006 12:25 pm)
Look at my profile and get my email address and email me.
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- #22 of 317
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Grand Prix marsh mellows
by gtp03daw
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Nov 06, 2006 (4:44 am)
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Within 5 minutes of parking my car in Feb of 2003 it burned to the gound. There were no malfunction indications, not over heated and ignited while I walked away. Fire Marshal and independant investigator said the fire originated in the engine compartment, near the drivers head lamp area. It had a bumber to bumper GM policy in effect as well as full insurance. Pontiac laughted. The GM insurance underwriter called me an ideot and hung-up. My insurance company tried to have me accused of arson even though their investigator could not find anything....
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- #23 of 317
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Re: Grand Prix marsh mellows [gtp03daw]
by chats1
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Nov 06, 2006 (6:36 am)
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Replying to: gtp03daw (Nov 06, 2006 4:44 am)
What year was your GTP, I assume it's a GTP? I owned a 1999 GTP and two years ago after my nephew who owned it at the time turned off the ignition and went into his office, five minutes later the gas station across the street where he left it for an oil change called him and told him it went on fire five minutes after he left. The fire dept. came and put it out. It burned the entire front of the car, started in the engine dept. He was able to retrieve all his belongings in the car. He had it towed to another business he owns and his insurance company paid him what the dealer in his area would be selling the car for. He was very satisfied with what he got for the car -- more than he thought. He showed me pictures of the burned car which I owned for three years and then he bought it from me; the car looked just plain terrible all burned. I don't really think you will get anywhere with GM unless someone is badly injured!!! It is really up to the insurance company to go after GM, not you. chats1
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- #24 of 317
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Re: Grand Prix marsh mellows [chats1]
by gtp03daw
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Nov 06, 2006 (6:46 am)
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Replying to: chats1 (Nov 06, 2006 6:36 am)
Sorry, Yes, 1999 Grand Prix, GTP, 60,000 miles, Serviced by GM every 4000 miles. Insurance Company baulked and then tried to have the county bring arson charges. Even after I provided the insurance company yet another Grand Prix fire and they just said it was poor owner up keep...
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- #25 of 317
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Smoking Engine.. 1998 Grand Prix GTP 3800 super charged
by sunnycalih
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Nov 16, 2006 (5:25 pm)
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Replying to: bixxli (Sep 19, 2006 4:27 am)
My car began to over heat yesterday. I made it to work, and had a friend take me to Autozone to get the specific coolant called for by the manual. An orange coolant, called Dex-Cool. As instructed, I mixed it 50/50 w/ distilled water, and filled it up. I then drove home, and it drove smoothly. On my way to work the next morning, a familiar feeling started up. My steering became difficult, especially when turning left. A clunking, stressfull sound started up within the engine, and the temp started creeping up. I got to work again, and waited til lunch time, where I went down again and screwed off the coolant cap. It was low. I checked beneath the car, to see it dripping coolant down into the gutter. I filled it up, as I needed to go to the bank, deciding I would just have to keep filling up the coolant until I had enough money to repair the leak. I didn't even make it 2 minutes away before the steering and noises started up again. I parked at the bank, only to come around the front of the car and see smoke steaming out of the passenger side, near the front of the hood and up by the windshield. I thought maybe I'd overfilled the coolant, and it was burning off, so I opened the hood, to find that the radiator was not smoking, no where near it. The engine was smoking. Up near the belts on the left of the 3800 logo. I'm very low on funds, and new I only needed to get back to work where I could get on here and hopefully get some answers, so I got in the car, and drove as slowly as possible back to work. Now, yesterday, on my way to work, when I sped up, the air would cool the engine. On this trip back to work, the faster I went, the hotter the engine got. It never hit the red, but was touching the edge as I pulled in. There is a strange clanking noise that speeds up as I speed up, and the engine sound jerky and strained. When parked, the smoke started up again. It did not smoke as I drove. The smoke smells like burning coolant, however, not that I'm an expert on car scents. Coming in here and reading this post on spontaneous 3800 engine fires has made me periodically check out the window to see if my GTP is in flames  . I need help  Does anyone know what I can do about this? I don't know what else to do when my engine is overheating other than add coolant. But it's full and still smoking! I don't have the money for an engine diagnostic right now, don't have a mechanic i trust, and probably couldn't afford the repairs anyway. i will most likely try making the repairs myself, once I figure out what the problem is. :/ Did this happen to anyone else? Is my car going to burst into flames if I try to take the freeway home tonight? Any help is appreciated.
Thanks, -Heather
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- #26 of 317
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Re: Smoking Engine.. 1998 Grand Prix GTP 3800 super charged [sunnycalih]
by outdoorlady
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Nov 17, 2006 (3:35 am)
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Replying to: sunnycalih (Nov 16, 2006 5:25 pm)
Heather,
My 1999 Grand Prix GTP did not make any engine noises or smoke prior to catching fire, it was running perfectly when I parked it on my mother's carport. Within 10 minutes, the car burst into flames, thank God the fire department was close by and her home did not burn. The car was a total loss, this seems to be the pattern with everyone else that has had engine fires. I am no car expert, but if I were you, I wouldn't park the car anywhere it could cause damage to anyone else's property. Have you had the oil checked? It sounds as if the engine is about to blow and you definitely have a leak, probably the water pump is going bad or gone, they make strange noises.
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- #27 of 317
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Re: Smoking Engine.. 1998 Grand Prix GTP 3800 super charged [sunnycalih]
by chats1
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Nov 17, 2006 (7:58 am)
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Replying to: sunnycalih (Nov 16, 2006 5:25 pm)
Heather, when my nephew's 99 GTP (I owned the car and then gave it to him), caught on fire, there were no warnings whatsoever. He was in his office across from the gas station and they called him, saying that five minutes after he turned it off, it was on fire, coming from the engine compartment. The fire dept. had to come to put it out. The car was totalled and he was very satisfied with his settlement from the insurance company. As far as your coolant goes, do you think the coolant bottle needs to be replaced. It may have a hole in it. My 2002 GTP had to have the coolant bottle replaced because the coolant was leaking out. The only warning I got was the "Coolant Low" light came on and then went out. I took it into the dealer. The first time they said the hose was lose and fixed it. I got home and saw an oily substance on the garage floor coming from that area and took it right back. They had to replace the bottle. It had a hole in it. You may have other problems also. I would not drive that car. I would take it in immediately and see what's wrong. chats1
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- #28 of 317
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Re: Engine fires 3800 series II 1996-2003 [mfitzgerald1]
by spanky628
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Nov 22, 2006 (3:49 pm)
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Replying to: mfitzgerald1 (Oct 07, 2006 8:13 am)
Bad as I hate to say it, add me to this list also. My 2000 GTP burned up today. I went to lunch came back to work and 10 minutes after I parked it the engine compartment went up in flames. No way for the fire department to know where it started from, and the state investigator is for arson type fires only. I called GM and filed a report about it after reading all these threads about the engine fires affecting these vehicles. They sais someone would contact me within 2 days. This kills me, I've only had the car 3 weeks!!!! Something has to be done about this problem before someone dies.
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- #29 of 317
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Re: Engine fires 3800 series II 1996-2003 [mfitzgerald1]
by bedens
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Nov 22, 2006 (3:59 pm)
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Replying to: mfitzgerald1 (Oct 07, 2006 8:13 am)
Please get my email address and email me.
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- #30 of 317
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Re: 1999 Grand Prix Fire [morewasabi]
by juliehaugland
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Dec 13, 2006 (6:23 am)
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Replying to: morewasabi (Nov 04, 2006 12:12 pm)
I just found this site. Has anyone ever received anything from GM for this problem. I had a 1999 grand prix gtp that started on fire while i was in a department store for 5 minutes. The car was totalled and gm did nothing.
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