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Pontiac Grand Prix Engine fires 3800 series II 1996-2003

428 messages,  Last post on Dec 01, 2012 at 7:42 AM

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What is this discussion about? Pontiac Grand Prix, Engine, Sedan

Messages Page 42 of 43

#408 of 428 Regarding Engine Fires by drvette

Dec 28, 2011 (9:56 pm)

I'm not privy to the "statute-of-limitations" regarding "Recalls" concerning safety items like this, however I will post what little info I have found "so-far" regarding the subject.
 

GM Recalls Millions of Vehicles 1997-2003
 
April 12, 2009
 

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 09V116000

EA07008 NHTSA Action Number: EA07008
 
GM RECALL NO. 90047.
 
The recalled vehicles all have naturally aspirated 3.8 liter V6
"Affected vehicles include:
 
 1997-2003 Buick Regal;
2000-’03 Chevrolet Impala;
1998-’99 Chevrolet Lumina;
1998-2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo;
 1998-’99 Oldsmobile Intrigue
1997-2003 Pontiac Grand Prix.
 
GM said some of these vehicles have a condition in which drops of engine oil may be deposited on the exhaust manifold through hard braking. If the manifold is hot enough and the oil runs below the heat shield, it may ignite into a small flame and may spread to the plastic spark plug wire channel and beyond, increasing the risk of an engine compartment fire.
 
GM said dealers will remove the spark plug wire retention channel at the front of engine and install two new spark plug wire retainers free of charge.
 The recall is expected to begin this month and owners and technicians can
contact
Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438,
 Oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537,
 and Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668.
 
OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION’S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT
 1-888-327-4236
(TTY 1-800-424-9153),
or THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION’">link title
 
Per CNN
"GM issued a similar recall on a similar engine in 2008, according to the company's filing with the government. That problem was traced to a faulty gasket on the engine rocker cover."
link title
 
You can "search" here for other Auto recalls
 

Look here for TSB's [Technical Service Bulletins]
 
I'm sorry for all the distress caused by this, I only hope that the auto mfg's association gets their act in line a bit better.
*Note*
Many other brands catch fire also, the automobile is a complicated piece, sometimes the engr dept cannot consider all factors in the design of each component.
 
Good Luck to Everyone
Rusty Wrench
aka DrVette

#409 of 428 Re: Engine fires 3800 series II 1996-2003 [venusbug21] by drvette

Dec 28, 2011 (10:25 pm)

Replying to: venusbug21 (Dec 09, 2011 12:07 pm)
Read my post #408
Sorry, I do not e-mail folks I don't know, I worked for a Computer Tech help site for many years
 
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f0e40ac/407#MSG407

#410 of 428 Re: gm fire for pontiac [drvette] by kirstie_h HOST

Dec 29, 2011 (11:12 am)

Replying to: drvette (Dec 28, 2011 8:56 pm)
Legal advice is fine (but the reader should remember we don't have any way to verify that it's correct). We just don't permit using the forums to organize legal action (e.g., collecting names for a class action lawsuit).

#411 of 428 Re: engine fires [tennesseestorm] by desi521

Jan 04, 2012 (1:30 pm)

Replying to: tennesseestorm (Oct 01, 2011 10:50 pm)
I had a Monte Carlo Z w/a 3800 series engine that caught on fire while I was in the drive-thru of my bank. It took 2 fire trucks 45 mins to put it out & the car re-started itself w/o the keys in it!!! Amazingly enough, the interior was immaculate & except for the hood being bent cuz they had to use the "Jaws of Life" to open it as the cables burned thru, you couldn't even tell that the car had burned from the passenger side. However, the asinine insurance company that I had decided it was an electrical fire & I got royally screwed on the payout. I've had a Grand Prix w/a 3800 since & the 1st thing we did was change the intake manifold as that was supposedly what was the cause of the fires. So far, so good.

#412 of 428 Re: 2002 Grand Prix GTP [grandprixz] by desi521

Jan 14, 2012 (11:53 am)

Replying to: grandprixz (Jul 26, 2011 5:44 pm)
Ray, it's not just Grand Pric's. My 98 Chevy Monte Carlo Z38 caught on fire while I was in the drive thru my bank! It took 2 fire trucks 45 mins to put the damned thing out & needless to say it was totalled. I got massively screwed by my insurance co on the payout. I fought them for almost a yr & got em to come up a bit but not near the value of the car. My son told me the time that there were 38 documented cases of fires in the 3800 series engines but GM was denying any responsibility. My fire happened on 11/20/2006. I know the exact date cuz I still have all of the paperwork. If you do manage to get a class action suit going, count me in. Not only could I have been seriously hurt but I could have burned down the bank. Plus, it was a fluke that I even pulled off the hwy & stopped the bank that day. They weren't a scheduled stop.

#414 of 428 1998 GP - GTP by jgibdozer

Mar 09, 2012 (1:57 pm)

I deceided to check back on this post. I drove my 1998 GP-GTP off the show room floor and loved it !! Took great care of it even when my daughter took it over in 2005. In 2007 while at work in her hospital, the car burned to the ground in the concrete parking garage. Thank God no one was hurt. I saw previous posts where GM states this is not thier issue.

#415 of 428 Re: gm fire for pontiac [venusbug21] by jorgechica710

Mar 26, 2012 (4:39 am)

Replying to: venusbug21 (Dec 09, 2011 12:11 pm)
i had my car catch on fire on Friday, same thing I did the recall over 2 years ago, but as i heard, this is the 3rd car around where I live that catches on fire in the last 6 months

#416 of 428 Re: 2002 Grand Prix File [rob189] by jorgechica710

Mar 26, 2012 (7:03 pm)

Replying to: rob189 (Feb 28, 2011 8:51 pm)
I agree, it just happen to me last friday, I am shock to see how many people have had the same issue..

#417 of 428 2002 buick Lasabre by randysmom

Mar 29, 2012 (7:54 pm)

I have a 02 buick lasabre, which has the 3800 engine in it, never did get a recall, but it caught fire two weeks ago, and it was exactly where they said it would, melted all the stuff over the sparks plugs, just happened to be in a good spot where they got it out quickly but the car is probably beyond repair and we just had liabilty on it so it is a totat lost for us. I contacted buick but they said it would be breech of waranty since its is over four years old for them to do anything. So we are without a car. Are they any class action lawsuits going on ?

Messages Page 42 of 43

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