Total Complaints
8 filings
PONTIAC GRAND AM · model year
1985 PONTIAC GRAND AM
8 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1985PONTIACGRAND AM carries 8 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 1 fire, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1985 GRAND AM is engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline with 2 filings, followed by seat belts:front:buckle assembly (1) and electrical system:wiring:front underhood (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 17 investigation files overlapping the 1985 GRAND AM. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
8
Complaints
1
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER | 1 |
| INTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 |
Recent Complaints
19990921ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE STALLING SINCE NEW, CONTINUES AND IS MORE FREQUENT, SEVERAL REPAIRS HOWEVER NOT RECTIFIED. MJS
19990921VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING
WINDSHIELD WASHER PUMP AND WIPER SWITCH FAILED. MJS
19990921VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
WINDSHIELD WASHER PUMP AND WIPER SWITCH FAILED. MJS
19990921INTERIOR LIGHTING
DASH PANEL LIGHTS ON RIGHT SIDE FAILED DUE TO FAILED BULBS. MJS
19990915ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THE CONSUMER STATE'S WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE STALLS AND CUTS OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. ALSO, THERE IS LOUD KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE AND WHEN TURNING THE KEY, THE VEHICLE IS VERY HARD TO START. *AK
19990915ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
THE CONSUMER STATE'S WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE STALLS AND CUTS OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. ALSO, THERE IS LOUD KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE AND WHEN TURNING THE KEY, THE VEHICLE IS VERY HARD TO START. *AK
19990301FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. NO PRIOR WARNING. INSURANCE COMPANY SAID IT MAY BE DUE TO FAULTY WIRING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#. AK
19951109CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED TO LATCH UPON IMPACT, RESULTING IN INJURIES. *AK
Compare 1985PONTIACGRAND AM to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1985 PONTIAC GRAND AM have?▼
The 1985 PONTIAC GRAND AM has 8 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 1 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1985 PONTIAC GRAND AM?▼
The most-complained component for the 1985 PONTIAC GRAND AM is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD.
Is the 1985 PONTIAC GRAND AM safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1985 PONTIAC GRAND AM; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.