[gtohurstjudge]

Don, as you well know, the various Pontiac magazines told us back in
2001 and 2002 that the firebird was going away and that we needed to buy one now before it was too late. We were told that all the bugs were worked out of these cars and that they were now a world class machine and there
was no explanation why Ford was able to sell so many Mustangs when this
great car was on the market. Well Don, I took the magazine's advice, now
I have an 1800 mile car that is self destructing in my garage even as we speak. I've got one cracked door panel and the other door and the dash will
probably be cracking any day now. My plea to you is simply this.....Is there
some way you or someone you know at Pontiac can find a solution to this
cracking problem and remanufacture these parts so we don't have to pay
1100.00 for door panels that won't last three years before cracking, even if the car sits in the garage all the time? I bought this car to keep, and right
now I am looking at buying 15,000 dollars worth of extra door panels so I
will have enough to last for twenty-five more years. Don, I know you know
the powers that be at Pontiac.....Can you please help all the poor saps
that bought these cars to keep?

[Don Keefe]

Sorry it took so long to respond- this is the first time I've looked on this forum in quite a while. I don't know if your car is still under warranty, but at this point, if you haven't started a file with your dealer and zone rep, it is time to do it. The fact that it has less than 2,000 miles on it should have some influence with a zone rep.

The truth is, my pull with Pontiac is not that great anymore. Most of my inside buddies have retired or gone elsewhere. The days of my making a phone call and having cars or parts shipped out overnight are long gone. It's a different day at GM and at Pontiac.

If you need any help, though, I'll be happy to point you in the right direction. Send me a PM if you like. Good luck with your situation.

[David Holmberg]

Thats really odd, my 98 Trans Am sit's outdoors and the door panels and dash are fine?

I'd check, and/or do a search on www.LS1Tech.com

If you can find others having the same issues it may help with the zone rep.

[gtohurstjudge]

The 98 and backs don't do it.........everybody's 99-02 either already has
cracked door panels or they are about to crack. Just looked at my buddy's 02 collector edition with 1500 miles and it looks like it is getting ready to crack!

[J Brady]

02 has had both sides replaced on warranty. Car just went off warr. and the drivers side is cracking again!

[gtohurstjudge]

Your new replacement panel will cost 550.00.......KA CHING!
Keep an eye out on this thread....I am working on trying to get GM to do
something about this.

[bruno17]

where do they crack??? my '02 has 60000 miles and still looks fresh other than side bolster wear on my seat.

[gtohurstjudge]

The interior door panel cracks at the very top where it meets the glass
about 5 inches from the rear of the door. The cracks eventually spread straight down until they reach the upholstered portion of the door panel. Before the cracking starts, the door panel gets a low spot in the plastic right
at the very top where the window glass run attaches to the panel. Not long
after the low spot appears, the cracking starts right in the middle of the low spot.