GTP Recall

We can Officially make this public now...I've seen it discussed in previous threads.

Hello, my name is Mark Pavey; I am the Service and Parts Director at Scott Chevrolet-Pontiac-GMC at 3333 Santa Anita Ave. El Monte, CA

91731 Phone 626-350-3200. I am sending this email to inform you that there has been a recent safety recall to correct an issue that may cause a fire in 1997-2003 Pontiac Grand Prix with the 3.8L supercharged engine. Upon inspection, it may be necessary to replace the front valve cover gasket, grommets, and some spark plug wire retainers.

Please know that we understand the concern this may cause and the need to correct it as quickly as possible. Until you are able to do so, there are three very important precautions you should take:

  • We strongly recommend you not park your vehicle in a garage, car port, or other structure.
  • If you notice a burning odor, you should have Scott Pontiac or your local dealer inspect your vehicle. We will inspect your vehicle without charge.
  • Use premium fuel (91 octane or higher) in your vehicle, as recommended in your vehicle's owner manual.

If you would like more information, refer to the statement below or you may call Pontiac Customer Assistance at 1-800-762-2737, or, reply to me with your email address and I will email a copy of the customer letter from General Motors.

General Motors believes that the fires may be caused by drops of engine oil being 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 in some instances the fire may spread to the plastic spark plug wire channel. This may have occurred in about one in one thousand vehicles.

Reply to
socalvibe
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Is this just for the Grand Prix's? What about all the other models with the

3.8 supercharged? Are they not effected?
Reply to
80 Knight

I was just informed the other day by my dealer that my 08 G5 GT is under recall for an oil leak - no further details yet, they will call me.

Reply to
Jan

Regals equipped with the same engine are also affected.

Reply to
socalvibe

So anyone owning a Bonneville, LaSabre, (with the 3.8 supercharged) and the like don't need to worry?

Reply to
80 Knight

"GM has issued a recall for the 1997-2003 Buick Regal GS and the Pontiac Grand Prix GTP from the same model years, not surprisingly for the same problem: a potential oil leak."

Reply to
David Courtney

I know this. What I am asking is with this being something like an oil leak, why are only the Grand Prix's and Regal's being recalled? I realize they are built on the same platform, but several other models have the 3.8 supercharged engine. Pontiac Bonneville's, Buick LeSabre's, IIRC, some Chevy Monte Carlo's, and even some Chevy Impala's. As far as I know, nothing much changed with the Series II supercharged engine from 1995-2003, other then the superchargers, which were upgraded a couple of times. I did call Pontiac, and was told that, as you say, only the Grand Prix and Regal were recalled, but it doesn't make much sense to me.

Reply to
80 Knight

I know, I didn't make too much sense to me either, but I figured there must be a different exhaust manifold or heat shield or something on these two models... which creates a fire risk that the others don't, even when they leak?

Reply to
David Courtney

From what I have been reading on various websites, there is no difference at all. I would assume that the Grand Prix's have had more fires then the Bonneville's (possibly because GM built many more Grand Prix's then they did Bonneville's), so GM cheated people out and only applied the recall to Grand Prix's, and only did the same with the Regal because it is built on the same platform.

Reply to
80 Knight

I changed myself the oil seal in question cause the car was smelling burned oil and was making smoke. From what I know from my mechanical skills , It may be due to a bad lot of production seals, cause the one I bought for replacement was not the same color and look, I supose from another maker.

"80 Knight" a écrit dans le message de news: Hd2dnbxE0Y3J2WjanZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com...

Reply to
Sylvain.C

I got the "real" recall letter today... which says that "These vehicles have higher front rocker cover gasket temperatures, creating the potential for earlier degradation of the front rocker cover gasket and eventual oil seepage." It also says the new rocker cover gasket has an "improved design" and that they will replace the spark plug wire channel with "new retainers". So, you might want to get the new plug wire retainers done, even though you already replaced the gasket... you can also make a claim to get reimbursed for the gasket repair, if you want.

"Sylvain.C" wrote in message news:edbKj.38$ snipped-for-privacy@weber.videotron.net...

Reply to
David Courtney

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