Courtesy Pontiac (Las Vegas) Informative - Fire - 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP

Posted by Slimjim on 2008-02-21:

This could have been a number of things. Why even mention the dealer.

Posted by tnchuck100 on 2008-02-21:

I have heard of cars catching on fire before. Fortunately it is a very rare occurrence. It's a good think you were not parked in a garage.

Posted by spiderman2 on 2008-02-21:

you could check the NHTSA website and see if this is a known problem. How is this the dealers fault?

Posted by Principissa on 2008-02-21:

I think this complaint should be towards Ponitac, not the dealership the car was bought from. You could do an internet search to see if other's are having a similar problem. I'm glad that you and your family were not injured because of this.

Posted by MRM on 2008-02-21:

Did you notice large amounts of oil on the ground? The lack of oil in engine may have started the fire.

Posted by jjop on 2008-02-21:

MRM, you are brilliant!

Posted by MRM on 2008-02-21:

Thank you, JJop. That was the most obvious cause of the car being on fire.

Posted by FoggyOne on 2008-02-21:

Of course, leaking gas line. A mechanic might be able to tell you the cause if it were fairly obvious. Something layiing on the exhaust manifold, old newspapers stored under the hood, etc.

Posted by Starlord on 2008-02-21:

Cars catch fire once in a while. If you have had the car for a year, and you did not mention recent work done on it, why drag the dealer into it? I saw several cars burning when I was a deputy sheriff, and usually, the peopler would be driving, smell gas, pull over and then they would make their mistake. They would flip the hood open and when they did, whoooooshhhh. I don't underwstand why you would try to besmirch the dealer who sold you the car. Cars a year old can develop many problems that can cause a fire, and the dealers have nothing to do with it.

Posted by Aerocave on 2008-02-22:

I'm with everyone else on this...

Posted by bleez on 2008-03-03:

I was not blaming the dealer-I bought the car from a dealer right here that has never steered me wrong. I kept the oil changed every 3000 miles, kept it under good repair, no oil lesks, gas leaks-nothing. Just curious about what could have caused this fire. The fire department could not uhderstand it either. I dont know why it said las vegas-I think I hit the pop-up.

Posted by Firefly1980 on 2008-03-20:

I also have a 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP that has caught on fire 5 times since I purchased it in 2001. I have always paid for the repairs at a certified mechanic and I have paid out of $3500 in repairs. The issue with this car is the intake manifold, it gets to hot and starts the fire. Every time this has happened to my car, this is always the origination point of the fire. I just recvd a letter from General Motors last evening that stated that 1 in a 1,000 of the 99's GTP's will catch on fire, and they suggest not to park the car in a garage, car port or enclosed areas. I wish I had these odds with the lottery...I seem to have hit the jackpot with this car.

Posted by whereyat on 2008-06-03:

I received a recall on my 1999 grand prix gtp. The sugercahrger causes more heat causing the valve cover gasket to fail sooner than normal. Hard braking causes the oil to land on the exhaust manifold which may cause a fire. If a supercharged motor is operated on regular gasoline. The level of heat raised. increasing the chance of fire. If you replaced the gaskets already. GM will reimburse you for parts but not the laber.

Posted by Raye on 2011-11-22:

Mine caught on fire with us inside.....though the recall exist GM is not trying to stand behind this car nor the claims brought against them.