Total Complaints
13 filings
PONTIAC GRAND AM · model year
1986 PONTIAC GRAND AM
13 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1986PONTIACGRAND AM carries 13 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, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1986 GRAND AM is seat belts:front:retractor with 2 filings, followed by steering:hydraulic power assist system (2) and interior lighting (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 17 investigation files overlapping the 1986 GRAND AM. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
13
Complaints
1
Crashes
1
Fires
0
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 |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 2 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | 2 |
| INTERIOR LIGHTING | 2 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP | 1 |
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
Recent Complaints
19971223STRUCTURE:BODY
WATER COLLECTION UNDER PLASTIC BODY MOLDINGS IS CAUSING BODY PANEL TO RUST.
19971204INTERIOR LIGHTING
DASH LIGHTS GO OUT WHEN HEADLIGHTS ARE ON. *AK
19970325INTERIOR LIGHTING
DASHBOARD LIGHTS INOPERATIVE.
19961230FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
UNDER THE HOOD COMPARTMENT FIRE, DRIVING THE VEHICLE SMELLED FUEL FUMES AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE , VEHICLE COMPLETELY BURNED, WILL PROVIDE FIRE REPORT. *AK
19960628STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
VEHICLE HIT A BUMP ON THE ROAD RESULTING IN VEHICLE EXPLOSION. *SD
19960530STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
LOSS OF POWER STEERING CONTROL, USUALLY AT SLOW SPEEDS AND/OR DURING COLD WEATHER. *AK
19960516CrashSTEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
THE VEHICLE HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD AND CAUSED THE OWNER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR AND THE CAR CRASHED AND EXPLODED. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
19960423SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
FAILURE OF THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR, BELT WILL NOT RETRACT.
19951122SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELTS HAVE FAILED, REPLACED ENTIRE SEAT BELT BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT RETRACT. TT
19951004ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
CAR IS 6 CYLINDER 3. LITRE REPLACE IGNITION MODULE ABOUT FOUR TIMES WITHIN A YEAR AND THREE MONTHS . TT TRANSMISSION LEAK. *SLC
19951004POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CAR IS 6 CYLINDER 3. LITRE REPLACE IGNITION MODULE ABOUT FOUR TIMES WITHIN A YEAR AND THREE MONTHS . TT TRANSMISSION LEAK. *SLC
19950921STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
STEERING BELT BROKE.
19950921STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK
STEERING RACK FAILED. *SKD
Compare 1986PONTIACGRAND AM to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1986 PONTIAC GRAND AM have?▼
The 1986 PONTIAC GRAND AM has 13 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 PONTIAC GRAND AM?▼
The most-complained component for the 1986 PONTIAC GRAND AM is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM and INTERIOR LIGHTING.
Is the 1986 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 as of 2025. 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.