Pontiac Grand AM Complaints

5,577 consumer complaints on file.

#10229919June 4, 2008
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I BOUGHT A 1999 PONTIAC GRAND AM IN SEPTEMBER 2000. I HAVE BEEN FIGHTING WITH THE PASS LOCK SYSTEM EVER SINCE. SOMETIMES THE CAR STARTS AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T START, LEAVING ME STRANDED. I HAVE TAKEN IT IN MANY TIMES AND THE SECURITY LIGHT STILL COMES ON. IN THE LAST 8 YEARS I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER (WHO SCATCHES THERE HEAD) AND CHARGES ME FOR THINGS THE CAR DOESN'T NEED. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO INDEPENDENT CAR REPAIR SHOPS WHO ALSO CHARGE ME FOR THINGS THAT DOES NOT FIX THE CAR. I WORK 4 MILES FROM MY HOUSE AND STILL HAVE NOT EVEN PUT 30,000 MILES ON MY CAR IN THE LAST 8 YEARS. I SHOULD NOT BE HAVING ANY CAR TROUBLE. IF YOU GOOGLE PONTIAC GRAND AM PASS LOCK SYSTEM YOU WILL FIND IT IS A MAJOR PROBLEM AND PONTIAC WILL NOT DO ANYTHING TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM. I CAN NOT GIVE A INCIDENT DATE BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR THE LAST 8 YEARS BUT SINCE THE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR THE LAST MONTH, I WILL GIVE TODAYS DATE. I JUST WANT IT FIXED AND NOBODY KNOWS HOW TO FIX IT, INCLUDING THE PONTIAC DEALERSHIP. WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10229811June 3, 2008
STRUCTURE
A RAMPANT "CLICKING' NOISE NEAR THE HAZARD BUTTON, THE BLINKER ACTUAL GOT STUCK ON AND STARTED SMOKING THE OTHER DAY; I REPLACED A PART FOR THE SAME PROBLEM ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO. BLINKERS AND HAZARDS STILL CURRENTLY WORK. THE NOISE COMES ON INCONSISTENTLY, BUT ALMOST WITHOUT FAIL AFTER USING MY BLINKER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10229682June 2, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ABOUT A YEAR AFTER I GOT THE CAR, WHICH WAS AROUND 3 YEARS AGO, I WAS IN A PARKING LOT & TURNED IT OFF FOR A FEW MINUTES AND THEN WHEN I WENT TO START IT AGAIN IT WOULD NOT START. ALSO, THE SECURITY LIGHT WAS FLASHING. THAT HAPPENED AGAIN 6 MONTHS LATER AND THEN 3 MONTHS AFTER THAT AND THEN EVERY MONTH. THEN ABOUT 2-3 WEEKS AGO THE INTERIOR CHIME AND INTERIOR LIGHTS WOULDN'T SHUT OFF. IT WAS EXACTLY WHAT IT WOULD DO IF I HAD JUST PUT MY KEY IN AND THE DOOR WAS OPEN. HOWEVER, MY KEY WAS NOT IN AND THE DOORS WERE CLOSED. WE DISCONNECTED A FUSE AND THAT AT LEAST MADE THE NOISE AND LIGHTS GO OFF AND KEPT MY BATTERY FROM DYING. MY RADIO ALSO DIDN'T WORK BUT I COULD LIVE WITH THAT. THEN ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO MY CAR STARTED LOCKING ITSELF EVERY 30 SECONDS AND THE TRUNK OPENED EVERY TIME THE CAR LOCKED. I OPENED THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR AND SMOKE CAME POURING OUT. I CALLED A NEIGHBOR AND HE DISCONNECTED MY BATTERY AND TOOK MY CAR TO HIS HOUSE TO WORK ON IT. HE CALLED ME BACK THE NEXT DAY AND SAID THAT A MODULE UNDERNEATH MY PASSENGER SIDE DASH WAS MISFIRING AND IF WE HAD NOT DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY WHEN WE DID THE CAR WOULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE. I SAW THE OLD COMPUTER MODULE. HALF OF THE PLASTIC WAS MELTED AWAY AND THE WIRES WERE BURNT. HE GOT A NEW ONE FROM A JUNK YARD FOR $50 FOR ME AND RESET IT, WITH A MACHINE FROM WORK, TO MY PASSLOCK. THAT SEEMS TO HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM BUT I'VE READ COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER OWNERS OF PONTIAC GRAND AMS AND THE SAME THINGS ARE HAPPENING TO THEM. I JUST LISTED A COMPLAINT AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT I DID TO FIX IT BUT IF THIS IS HAPPENING TO THAT MANY PEOPLE SOMEONE COULD GET HURT IF THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO GET FIXED. MY CAR ALMOST CAUGHT FIRE AND IT WASN'T EVEN ON! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10228980May 27, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE
I HAVE A 2004 PONTIAC GRAND AM GT AND WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE SECURITY LIGHT CAME ON AND WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF THE CAR WOULD NOT START BACK UP. I HAD TO END UP PAYING $578.16 TO HAVE THE PASSLOCK SENSOR AND IGNITION CYLINDER REPLACES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10228913May 26, 2008
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
I BOUGHT A 1999 GRAND AM GT N JANUARY 2008 FROM FEYER FORD IN WILLIAMSTON NORTH CAROLINA. WITHIN THE FIRST MONTH THE ROTORS AND BRAKES WENT OUT FOLLOWED BY THE IGNITION SWITCH FOLLOWED BY THE PASSENGER WINDOW REGULATOR GOING OUT. THEN ABOUT A WEEK LATER THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR WENT OUT. I WANT TO KNOW IF THERE IS A RECALL ON THE WINDOW REGULATORS FOR MY VEHICLE IF NO THEN ONE SHOULD BE MY STEPSONS GIRLFRIENDS WINDOW REGULATOR WENT OUT ON HER PONTIAC GRAND AM ALSO. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10228859May 25, 2008
SUSPENSION
ON 5/15/08 @ 4:30 P.M., OUR DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING OUR 2000 PONTIAC GRAND AM, ON I-40 WEST IN DURHAM CTY, NC. TRAVELING APPROX. 70 MILES PER HR, SHE REMEMBERS ONLY A SUDDEN PULL TO THE LEFT ON THE STEERING WHEEL. LOSING CONTROL, SHE SWERVED 150 FT. BEFORE CRASHING INTO THE CONCRETE WALL BARRIER. CONTINUING ANOTHER 50 FT. THE CAR FLIPPED UPSIDE DOWN ON THE LEFT SHOULDER. NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE INVOLVED. A WITNESS TRAVELING BEHIND OUR CAR REPORTED THAT THE CAR JUST STARTED TO "FISHTAIL". THE TIRES WERE INSPECTED BY THE OFFICER AT THE CRASH, AND LATER BY MY HUSBAND AND THE INSURANCE EXAMINER, AND WERE FOUND TO BE INTACT, FULLY INFLATED AND WITHOUT EXCESSIVE WEAR. A SEARCH ON THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION WEBSITE BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION A RECALL IN CERTAIN MODELS OF THE 2000 GRAND AM INVOLVING THE REAR SUSPENSION TRAIL ARM TO THE LEFT REAR KNUCKLE BOLT. UPON REPORTING THIS INFORMATION TO STATE FARM INSURANCE, THE ADJUSTER INCLUDED THIS COMPONENT IN HIS FINDINGS. HE REPORTED THAT NOTHING "APPEARED" OUT OF PLACE. A SINGLE SNAPSHOT OF THE REAR SUSPENSION WAS SUBMITTED IN SUPPORT OF HIS FINDINGS. MR. JOHN GARCIGA, A STATE FARM ADJUSTER, ADVISED US THAT THE SNAPSHOT WAS OF POOR QUALITY AND THE CAR WAS NOT LIFTED FOR THE INVESTIGATION, BUT FOR THE PURPOSE OF THEIR REPORTING, NO FURTHER EXAMINATION WAS WARRANTED. HE ENCOURAGED US TO REPORT THIS INCIDENT TO THE NHTSA. WE FEEL OUR DAUGHTER WAS EXTREMELY LUCKY TO HAVE SURVIVED THIS CRASH. HER INJURIES INCLUDED A BROKEN NOSE, AND BUMPS AND BRUISES. FORTUNATELY NO OTHER PASSENGERS WERE IN HER CAR. IT IS OUR FEELING THAT ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATION MAY BE WARRANTED IN AN EFFORT TO RULE OUT ANY KNOWN OR POSSIBLE DEFECTS SO THAT OTHERS MAY BE ADVISED OF A POSSIBLE HAZARD. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10228673May 22, 2008
AIR BAGS, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING THE CAR ( NO CRASH). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#10228555May 21, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I HAVE A 2002 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE PROBLEM STARTED 4 MONTHS AGO. WHEN I PUT ON THE TURN SIGNAL SMOKE WILL START COMING FROM UNDER THE PLASTIC COVER BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL. I POP UP THE COVER AND OBSERVED THAT THE SMOKE IS COMING FROM INSIDE A SEALED MECHANISM THAT IS BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL. IT STARTED DOING IT MORE OFTEN AND AS SOON AS THE BLINKER GOES OFF THE SMOKE WILL STOP. I CALLED A PONTIAC DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAD NO INFORMATION OR RECALLS FOR THIS ISSUE BUT THAT THEY WILL CHECK IT FOR $39.95 I AM AFRAID THAT THE CAR MIGHT JUST CATCH ON FIRE ONE OF THESE DAYS. CAN YOU PROVIDE ME WITH SOME GUIDANCE WHO TO CALL? THE DATE BELOW IS THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENS. BUT LIKE I SAID BEFORE, IT STARTED OCCURRING MORE OFTEN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10228253May 20, 2008
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TURN SIGNALS JUST STOPPED WORKING WITH NO NOTICE AT UHAUL STORE WHILE WITH MY 3 YOUNG CHILDREN. HAD TO DRIVE HOME WITH NO TURN SIGNALS. HAS LESS THAN 60,000 MILES. ONCE STOPPED, NOTICED THAT HAZARDS NO LONGER WORK ALSO. BRAKE LIGHTS STILL WORK. CHECKED ALL FUSES...COULDN'T FIGURE IT OUT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10228271May 20, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I WENT TO START MY 2002 PONTIAC GRAND AM AND IT WOULDN'T TURN OVER, JUST A VERY HIGH SPEED SPINNING NOISE. THE DAY PRIOR THERE HAD BEEN A RATTLE DURING START UP. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT IT. THEY CHECKED IT AND THE TIMING CHAIN HAD BROKEN. THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS AN INTERFERENCE ENGINE, AND AS A RESULT THERE WAS VALVE AND CYLINDER DAMAGE. THEY HAD TO REBUILD THE ENGINE ALMOST COMPLETELY AS A RESULT. THIS WAS AT APPROXIMATELY 85,000 KM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10227862May 15, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
CHANGE OIL LIGHT WILL COME ON EARLY, ABOUT AFTER 1,000 MILES - BEFORE THE TYPICAL 3,000 MILES OIL SHOULD BE CHANGED (I CHANGE MY OIL EVERY 3,000 MILES). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10227702May 14, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
SECURITY LIGHT COMES ON WHILE DRIVING. CAN'T START CAR FOR ABOUT 15MIN WAITING FOR SECURITY TO RESET. SOMETIMES IT TAKE AN ADDITIONAL 15MIN BEFORE IT RESETS AND START. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10227718May 14, 2008
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HAZARD FLASHING WARNING LIGHTS:SWITCH, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
RELATED TO RECALL #03V327000 HAD MY HAZARD SWITCH REPLACED VIA RECALL. NEW SWITCH IS SAME AS OLD SWITCH AND IS DEFECTIVE. PONTIAC WON'T REPLACE. PURCHASE NEW SWITCH YESTERDAY AND IS ALSO DEFECTIVE. REPLACEMENT SWITCHES ARE ALSO DEFECTIVE. RECALL DOES NOT REMEDY PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10227546May 13, 2008
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:FLASHER UNIT
SIGNAL INDICATOR KEEPS CLICKING AFTER CANCELING SIGNAL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10227241May 11, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WE WENT IN FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE, WHEN THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THERE WAS ANTIFREEZE IN THE OIL. THE INTAKE GASKET WAS LEAKING. OUR CAR ONLY HAS 70,000 MILES ON IT. MUTUAL FRIENDS OF OURS, ALSO HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH PREVIOUS GRAND AMS AROUND THE SAME MILEAGE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10227247May 11, 2008
VISIBILITY, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM DASHBOARD. FROM RESEARCHING INTERNET OTHER CONSUMERS HAVE SAME PROBLEM SAID THEY WERE TOLD IT WAS MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH. I HAD NOT HEARD THE CLICKING BEFORE JUST STARTED ALL OF A SUDDEN. I HAVE NOT HAD IT FIXED YET BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS CAUSING IT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10227249May 11, 2008
VISIBILITY
ONE DAY I WENT TO ROLL UP MY WINDOW AND WHEN I PUSHED THE UP BUTTON, THE WINDOW STARTED GOING UP BUT IT SUDDENLY STOPPED LIKE IT WAS CAUGHT ON SOMETHING. I CONTINUED TO PUSH THE UP BUTTON AND THE WINDOW WOULDN'T MOVE. SO I PUSHED THE DOWN BUTTON AND THE WINDOW WENT DOWN. SO I PUSHED THE UP BUTTON AGAIN AND THE WINDOW WENT UP AND MADE A NOISE LIKE IT GOT CAUGHT AGAIN AND THE WINDOW WENT UP. SINCE THAT DAY IT HAS CONTINUED TO GET CAUGHT UP BUT CONTINUES TO GO UP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10227250May 11, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, INTERIOR LIGHTING
THIS IS THE 2ND TIME MY CAR IS RUNNING FINE WHEN I TURN IT OFF AND WHEN I GO OUT TO RUN AN ERRAND, THERE IS NO POWER AT ALL. WHEN I TURN THE KEY, THERE IS NOTHING AT ALL. EVERYTHING IS COMPLETELY DEAD, NOTHING LIGHTS UP AT ALL. IT HAPPENED THE 1ST TIME EARLIER THIS WINTER AND THE GARAGE WAS ABLE TO RESET IT AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. I HAVE TRIED PUTTING THE KEY TO THE ON POSITION AND WAITING 10 MINUTES AND TURN IT TO THE OFF POSITION AND THEN TRYING TO START IT. THERE IS STILL NOTHING. I ASSUME I WILL HAVE TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE GARAGE AND POSSIBLY HAVE THE IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED. I FIGURE THAT IS WHAT IT MUST BE BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN DOING RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND ALOT OF CONSUMERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND THAT IS WHAT WAS WRONG AND I ALSO NOTICED THAT IT CAN HAPPEN AGAIN AT ANY TIME LEAVING PEOPLE STRANDED. I JUST HAPPENED TO BE THAT BOTH TIMES I WAS IN MY OWN YARD WHEN IT DID IT TO ME. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10227055May 8, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC GRAND AM. WHEN THE CONTACT TOOK HIS VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ON JULY 27, 2007, A TECHNICIAN INFORMED HIM THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILED. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF METAL THAT WERE USED ON THE HEAD AND INTAKE MANIFOLDS. WHEN HEATED, BOTH METALS EXPANDED AT DIFFERENT RATES AND CAUSED THE GASKET TO FAIL. THE MANUFACTURER ADMITTED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DIRECTLY RELATED TO A DESIGN DEFECT. THERE IS A REMEDY FOR THE FAILURE, BUT THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. AN AUTHORIZED DEALER REPAIRED THE VEHICLE ON MAY 5, 2008. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,691 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 30,826. UPDATED 06/17/08. *LJ
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10227065May 8, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC GRAND AM. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, ALL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS FAILED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. OCCASIONALLY, WITHIN A FIVE MINUTE INTERVAL, THE CONTACT HAD TO SHUT OFF AND RESTART THE VEHICLE IN ORDER FOR IT TO CORRECT ITSELF. THE FAILURE OCCURS APPROXIMATELY 4-5 TIMES WHILE DRIVING. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE EACH TIME. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 52,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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