MY CAR STARTED TO DEVELOP WHAT I THOUGHT WAS AN EXHAUST LEAK FROM NORMAL WEAR & TEAR. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO SEVERAL EXHAUST SPECIALTY SHOPS (I.E. COLE MUFFLER, MIDAS, ETC.) TO HAVE THE PROBLEM CORRECTED AT MY EXPENSE WHEN I WAS TOLD THAT IT HAD DEVELOPED A CRACK IN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. MUCH TO MY SURPRISE ONE OF THE GARAGES HAD TOLD ME THAT THIS HAS BEEN A CONTINUAL PROBLEM (MANUFACTURER DEFECT) ON THIS PARTICULAR MAKE & MODEL & THAT THERE WAS A RECALL AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER. WHEN I CONTACTED MY LOCAL PONTIAC DEALER THEY HELPED ME VERY LITTLE & INSISTED THAT I MAKE 700.00 WORTH OF REPAIRS MYSELF TO CORRECT IT. DISCOURAGED & UPSET I TRIED TO CONTACT GENERAL MOTORS MYSELF DIRECT. GENERAL MOTORS WILL NOT EVEN ADMIT THAT THERE HAS EVER BEEN ANY KIND OF RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE & HAS DONE ABSOLUTLY NOTHING TO HELP ME OR RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. (MY COMPLAINT / CASE NUMBER WITH GM IS #99027524) ON 12/31/98 WHILE TRAVELING OUT OF TOWN TO VISIT RELATIVES THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF THE CAR FILLED WITH SMOKE & EXHAUST FUMES & AT THAT POINT I THOUGHT THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. AFTER PULLING OVER & MAKING AN EMERGENCY STOP I WAS TOLD THAT IT JUST MAY HAVE BURNED THROUGH & WAS NOT ON FIRE. ALL I WANT IS SOME HELP FROM THE MANUFACTURER TO RECTIFY THIS PROBLEM. TO DATE MY COMPLAINTS GO UN-ANSWERED. I AM NOW DEALING WITH CONSTANT EXHAUST FUMES ENTERING THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT & MAKING MYSELF & PASSENGERS SICK TO OUR STOMACHES WITH THE CONSTANT CARBON MONOXIDE SMELL & YET FACE THE RISK OF A POS