Pontiac Grand AM Complaints (1996)
450 consumer complaints on file.
- #10290142October 28, 2009AIR BAGS, STRUCTURE
I HAVE A 1996 PONITAC GRAND AM THAT HAS WATER IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. GM SENT A LETTER STATING THAT THE AIR BAG MODULE COULD DEPLOY THE AIR BAGS WITH WARNING WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT A CRASH OR WHEN THE KEY IS TURN ON. THIS HAS MANY COMPLAINTS BUT NO ONE IS DOING ANYTHING. AS A AUTO TECH FOR MY OWN SAFETY AS WELL OF OTHERS THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL AND OF THE EFFECTIVE YEARS OR 96-98 GRAND AMS. THEY SAID INJURIES HAVE BEEN REPORTED ALREADY. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10279844August 9, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
GM PASS LOCK SYSTEM ON A 1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM WONT ALLOW CAR TO START STRANDING ME AT WORK. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10267888May 6, 2009AIR BAGS
MY AIRBAG DEPLOYED UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS (NO IMPACT/CRASH, NO DAMAGE, ETC.) AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, I LEARNED THAT IT COULD BE DUE TO THE FACT THAT MY CAR WAS WET (NOT FLOODED.) I SUFFERED BRUSH BURNS UP MY FOREARMS. I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM PONTIAC STATING THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, HOWEVER, THERE IS NO RECALL AND IT IS UP TO THE OWNER TO FIX IT (AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE.) IF PONTIAC IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, AND SENT OUT MILLIONS OF LETTERS, THEY SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL. AT THE VERY LEAST, THEY SHOULD PAY FOR THE DAMAGES/REPAIRS. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10267224April 29, 2009AIR BAGS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED IN THE CONTACT'S FACE. THERE WAS NO IMPACT OR CRASH AT THE TIME OF THE DEPLOYMENT. SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, BUT MANAGED TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT WAS THE ONLY OCCUPANT IN THE VEHICLE AND SHE WAS WEARING HER SEAT BELT AT THE TIME. SHE SUFFERED SEVERE CHEMICAL BURNS ALL OVER HER FACE AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM FOR HER INJURIES. THE CONTACT HAS NOT YET NOTIFIED PONTIAC. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 1
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10267053April 28, 2009AIR BAGS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10263285March 27, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO START DUE TO THE THEFT SYSTEM. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, IT STALLED AT 40 MPH DUE TO THE THEFT SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE IGNITION CYLINDER MAY HAVE CAUSED THE FAILURE. ACCORDING TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL, THE CONTACT MUST WAIT TEN MINUTES BEFORE RESTARTING THE VEHICLE AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURS. SHE FEELS THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE COULD STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 181,271 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 181,600.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10249345November 19, 2008AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM. WHILE STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT ANY IMPACT. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE EYES AND MOUTH, IN ADDITION TO BROKEN TEETH. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THE POLICE AND AMBULANCE WERE NOT CALLED TO THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 122,000. UPDATED 12/12/08 *CN UPDATED 12/15/08. *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 1
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10242205September 15, 2008STRUCTURE
DRIVERS SIDE INTERIOR FLOOR KEEPS GETTING EXTREMELY WET. JUST THE OTHER DAY THERE WAS ABOUT AN INCH OF STANDING WATER ON THE BACKSEAT DRIVERS SIDE FLOOR BOARD. ALL WINDOWS ARE ALWAYS UP AND THERE IS EVEN WATER ON THE FLOOR BOARDS WHEN IT DOESN'T RAIN.*TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10239544August 24, 2008STRUCTURE:BODY, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
EVERY TIME IT RAINS I GET WATER ON THE FLOOR OF MY CAR, THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER BECAUSE IT WENT OUT ON ME WILE DRIVING BECAUSE THE WIRES BEHIND ON THE FIREWALL ARE WET.*TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10236962August 5, 2008AIR BAGS
1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITH NO CONTACT OR COLLISION. VEHICLE HAD TO BE SOLD TO SALVAGE CO. DUE TO LOCAL CODES. VEHICLE DAMAGE TOO COSTLY TO REPAIR. DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURY. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 1
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10236604August 1, 2008AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM THE MANUFACTURER, WHICH STATED THAT THERE WAS AN UPDATE TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL REGARDING SPONTANEOUS AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT IF THE AIR BAG MODULE GETS WET. THREE WEEKS LATER, WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT AIR BAG SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED. FOUR DAYS LATER, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. BOTH FAILURES OCCURRED IN DRY WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE COMPANY WOULD NOT ASSUME ANY FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 140,000. UPDATE 09/10/08 *CW UPDATED 09/16/08 *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10235828July 26, 2008EXTERIOR LIGHTING, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
THE CAR'S HEADLIGHT, FOG LIGHTS AND REAR LIGHTS FLICKER ALL THE TIME, FUSES ARE OKAY, BATTERY TESTS OKAY, HEADLIGHTS CHANGED WITHOUT ANY CHANGE, FUSES CHANGED WITHOUT ANY DIFFERENCE, REAR LIGHTS REPLACED WITHOUT ANY CHANGE. MAKES DRIVING AT NIGHT DIFFICULT AND GIVES ME A MIGRAINE HEADACHE. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10235829July 26, 2008AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
I WAS GOING TO WORK AND STARTED MY CAR. THE AIRBAG ON THE DRIVERS SIDE EXPLODED, KNOCKING ME BACK INTO THE SEAT, KNOCKING OFF MY GLASSES AND NAME TAG, LOOSENED 2 TEETH, GAVE ME ABRASIONS TO FACE, FILLED THE CAR WITH SMOKE AND KNOCKED ME UNCONSCIOUS FOR A FEW MOMENTS. I WAS NOT IN GEAR AT THE TIME AND WAS NOT TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY (WHICH IS A GOOD THING BECAUSE I COULD HAVE BEEN IN A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT), I WAS JUST SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY. I HAVE CONTACTED MY DEALER AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS, NO RECALLS, NOTHING. IT IS TOO EXPENSIVE FOR ME TO REPLACE AND CANNOT DRIVE MY CAR ANYMORE. I WANT THE AIRBAG REPLACED AT NO COST TO ME BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT IS MANUFACTURES DEFECT. OTHER THAN A FEW PROBLEMS WITH THE LIGHTS AND AIR CONDITIONING NOT WORKING I HAVE LOVED THIS CAR AND WOULD STILL BE DRIVING IT IF I COULD GET THE AIRBAG REPLACED FREE. CAN ANYONE OUT THERE HELP? I DID RECEIVE A NOTICE THAT THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRBAG SYSTEM BUT NO RECALLS. HELP!!! *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 1
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10231284June 17, 2008AIR BAGS, STRUCTURE
THERE IS WATER ON ALL FOUR FLOORS OF MY CAR (FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER/BACK SEAT TWO BOTH PASSENGER SIDES). THE REAR LEFT FLOOR HAS PARTICULARLY HEAVY WATER SATURATION. MY AIR BAG LIGHT HAS ALSO STAYED ON FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS. YESTERDAY, I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM GM INDICATING THAT THE AIR BAG CONTROLLER ON THE 1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM IS MOUNTED ABOVE THE FLOOR PAN BENEATH THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, AND THAT IF THE VEHICLE IS EXPOSED TO SIGNIFICANT WATER ENTERING THE INTERIOR AND SOAKING THE CARPET, THE AIR BAG CONTROLLER CAN BE SOAKED AND DAMAGED. THE DAMAGED CONTROLLER CAN MAKE THE AIR BAGS DEFLATE, EVEN WITHOUT IMPACT OR CRASH. CONVERSELY, THE AIR BAGS MAY NOT DEPLOY AT ALL BECAUSE OF THE CONTROLLER DAMAGE. THIS LETTER WAS SENT BY GM AS AN OWNER MANUAL SUPPLEMENT AND THEY WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT IS CLEARLY A PROBLEM. AT THIS POINT, NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED. BECAUSE I AM UNEMPLOYED, I HAVE NO MONEY TO REPAIR THE CAR, AND AM SCARED TO DRIVE IT. HENCE, I NOW HAVE NO TRANSPORTATION AS WELL AS NO MONEY OR JOB. GM SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS. IF THEY ARE AWARE ENOUGH OF A PROBLEM AS TO NOTIFY OWNERS OF THIS CAR, THEY SHOULD BE PAYING FOR REPAIRS TO A CAR THAT IS SATURATED WITH WATER. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10231294June 17, 2008AIR BAGS
AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON AFTER YOU START THE CAR DUE TO AIR BAG CONTROLLER GETTING WET. IT IS UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10231361June 17, 2008STRUCTURE, AIR BAGS
06/05 WATER UNDER THE DASH MADE ME THINK THE WINDSHIELD WAS LEAKING-AN AUTO GLASS DEALER DETERMINED IT WAS NOT LEAKING AND AGREED TO TAKE OUT THE CARPET-HE DISCOVERED THE FIREWALL WAS NOT SEALED PROPERLY FROM THE FACTORY- I PAID HIM TO SEAL IT & DRY & REPLACE THE CARPET...09/07 I HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE ALL THE ALARM LIGHTS ON THE DASH COMING ON---AFTER TURNING OFF &RESTARTING THE CAR--THE ONLY LIGHT LEFT ON WAS THE AIR BAG LIGHT----06/17/08 I RECEIVED AN 'OWNER MANUAL SUPPLEMENT' TO ADD TO MY OWNERS MANUAL TELLING ME THE "AIR BAG CONTROLLER" MAY OR MAY NOT DEPLOY IN A CRASH OR EVEN WITHOUT WARNING....THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT ...THERE ARE 1000'S OF THE THESE TIME BOMBS GOING DOWN THE SAME HIGHWAYS WE ARE TRAVELING-GM NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL & REPLACE THESE---GM IS NOT ABLE TO NOTIFY EVERY OWNER OF THIS PROBLEM AFTER 12 YEARS-PEOPLE ARE DRIVING THESE VEHICLES 60 AND 70 MILES AN HOUR DOWN THE HIGHWAYS & THEIR AIR BAG MAY DEPLOY WITHOUT WARNING--THE POTENTIAL FOR HORRIFIC ACCIDENTS EVEN DEATHS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE ARE INEVITABLE-PLEASE FORCE GM TO TAKE RECALL NOT PRINT INSERTS FOR THE OWNERS MANUALS. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10228673May 22, 2008AIR BAGS, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING THE CAR ( NO CRASH). *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 2
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10226624May 5, 2008AIR BAGS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH UPHILL, BOTH FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO NOTIFY THE DEALER DUE TO A WEEKEND SCHEDULE. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT HER PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 172,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10224232April 11, 2008AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING ALONG IN MY 1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED RESULTING IN AN INJURY TO MY 17 YR OLD DAUGHTER. THE CAR WAS GOING ABOUT 20 MPH AND IT HAPPENED FOR NO REASON. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 1
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10221425March 17, 2008AIR BAGS
AIR BAGS DRIVER AND PASSENGER DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING CAR FOR NO REASON NO AUTO CRASH. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 2
- Deaths:
- 0