2004 GTO Owners Problems/Questions Thread

[GTOKaren]

This list of items if frightening. Either I'm very fortunate not to have any of these issues, or I'm so excited to have the GTO, I am oblivious to any defects...(not likely).

Anyway, I'll be on the lookout. Still under 1,000 miles after a month, but car appears to be "perfect", and still smiling each time I turn the key.

[JCMGTX]

Well as everyone else with M6, noise from hard 1-2 shift, Slight rattle from exhaust or something when backing up, on cold mornings hard to get into gear until driven and trans warms up. And a paint blem on the rear quarter. It's under the clear. Dealer offered to fix, but I don't exactly want a repainted quarter. And may sound weird but I'm too picking and I know the quarter will never look right, and then people will think it was hit. Depending on how you look at it, you do and don't see it. someone or thing must have rubbed the paint before dry and just flipped the metallic.

[cjlannoy]

Originally posted by JCMGTX@Mar 15 2004, 04:56 AM
on cold mornings hard to get into gear until driven and trans warms up.

This may be a problem with your clutch, CHIMCHIM and I had to have our clutches replaced and GM knows this is a problem. Something about them not torquing the bolts correctly when it was installed. You may want to have it checked out, it will only get worse if it is the same thing we had.

[GTOKaren]

Just out of curiosity, is there a common theme around the issues and the build week. For instance, are the issues related to those cars built during the first couple of weeks of production or perhaps around Christmas week (people less focused on the line?). Or, is this a prevailing quality issue across the board? Is there any way to track this?

[cjlannoy]

mine was supposedly built the 3rd week of Sept.

[Toolz]

So has anyone else driven this at night yet? Are the low beams misaligned or is that 20ft all that it's capable of illuminating?

Drove home last night and couldn't see a thing had to drive with high beams on all the way and was gonna call the dealership this morning to get it looked at but it snowed, anyone else try night driving yet?

[derf]

Originally posted by gtoenthusiast@Mar 10 2004, 08:32 PM
6. Defrosters don’t adequately clear side windows – several instances

This is due to a difference in how the defrost system works on this car.

Almost all American cars automatically turn on the AC to dehumidify the incoming outside air when using the defrost. The GTO does not. This allow the defroster to blow humid air across the windows. Needless to say, this does not help with the defrosting capabilities.

Hit the AC button when you turn on the defrost and the windows clear very well.

This information is in the manual. Not that anyone reads the manual... h34r:

[Hellhammer]

What are people doing with the gas cap when re-fueling?

Here is another mechanical one to add. Coolant seeping from freeze plug on front passenger side cylinder head. This is the only part of the heads or block that you can see and it is seeping. Tried adding aluma seal to the coolant, no joy. It would suck if that freeze plug pops out! I really do not want the dealership working on the car, I would like to keep it original (un touched)

Here is another problem that I brought up on an other thread, my car seems to be about 50 hp lower in power than others. Here is the thread https://www.newagegto.com/forum/index.php?s...?showtopic=1574

Dave

[DANSLS1]

I set the gas cap on it's side next to the fill hole in the area covered by the cap.
Dan

[flyinlow]

As far as the hard shifting of the manual transmission, I would add one thing--- Redline synthetic gear oil(if its not the clutch problem). I used to drive a Nissan 200SX SE-R with a manual box here in Minnesota. When it was cold, it was difficult to shift. I changed out the gear oil in the trans to Redline and it was amazing how easy it was to shift.

This will be whats going in the GTO when after a good break in and some mileage. Its expensive, but it works.

[CoolBlu04]

flyinlow,

Don't put any kind of gear oil in there. It takes ATF. Syn ATF would be fine.

I put synthetic gear (Amzoil) oil into an 89 Mustang 5-speed once. The synchros would hardly work. Had to put the ATF back in. ATF, IMHO, is used beacuse today's trannys are built to much closer tolerances and also it's viscosity would aid gas mileage. Some here may have better info on this, but I think I'm in the ballpark.

[Hellhammer]

Took mine to the dealer to get the coolant seep checked out, again it was hardly anything, but jsut enough to see it. They contacted the rep and this was the third one to have it. Supposedly the freeze plugs weren't installed deep enough. The corrective measure was to press the plug in to the proper depth and add two tabs of Bars Leaks (I told you so!, in the other thread that is), I'm ok with that. If the problem returns the next step is to put an oversized freeze plug in. I was told that the first car that had the problem they R&R'd the cylinder head. That I don't want! Looks better, but now I can smell the coolant, hopefully it is from coolant that spilled during the repair.

IRT to the question about the gas cap, which made me look stupid, I forgot that some Phoenix gas stations have "fume catchers" over their nozzles and that made it were I had to hold the cap from falling and bouncing off the car. Since then I have used other pumps with just the regular nozzle and I could rest the cap in the pocket. I thought it would be better if the lanyard was longer and there was a place to hang it off the back of the gas door.

And about the power issue I got the car dynoed and tried to talk to a service manager and he sucked. So I'm just adding miles to see if it gets stronger and it is starting to seem so. Almost at 2000 miles.

Dave

[cjlannoy]

I don't know if I've posted this on this board yet but I'm taking my car in for the limited slip differential tomorrow. It seems that I no longer can spin both tires, only one. I've heard that they can put in some kind of additive to make the diff. clutches stick better, has anyone else heard of this and does it work?

[flyinlow]

Originally posted by derf+Mar 17 2004, 02:32 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (derf @ Mar 17 2004, 02:32 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-gtoenthusiast@Mar 10 2004, 08:32 PM
6.* Defrosters don’t adequately clear side windows – several instances

This is due to a difference in how the defrost system works on this car.

Almost all American cars automatically turn on the AC to dehumidify the incoming outside air when using the defrost. The GTO does not. This allow the defroster to blow humid air across the windows. Needless to say, this does not help with the defrosting capabilities.

Hit the AC button when you turn on the defrost and the windows clear very well.

This information is in the manual. Not that anyone reads the manual... h34r: [/b][/quote]
It does say in the manual that the compressor will turn on when in full defrost mode, but not when in split mode (windshield and floor).

[gto_in_nc]

I&#39;ve got a question about the radio in my GTO. The manual says:

Mobile Telephone
Your radio includes a telephone adapter. The phone
adapter and the radio are connected. If a mobile phone
hands-free kit with the correct features, such as mute
line and wiring for a separate speaker has been
connected to it, the sound of the radio or CD will be
muted when the phone rings, the voice of the caller will
then be heard through the vehicle’s speakers, and
VOICE ON will appear on the display. When the call
ends, the radio or CD will come back on.
If the radio is off, it will turn on for a phone call if the
vehicle’s ignition is in ON or ACCESSORY.
If a call is in progress when the vehicle is turned off, the
radio will remain on until the call is completed.
You can adjust the volume, bass, treble, fade, and
balance when a phone call is in progress without
affecting the radio settings.

Problem is, I don&#39;t see any place to connect an adapter nor do I find anything out on the web (including the forums here) that says anything about it. Not a serious issue, obviously, but it seems like it would be nice...

Anyone dug into this one???