Total Complaints
34 filings
PONTIAC GRAND AM · model year
1988 PONTIAC GRAND AM
34 NHTSA complaints, 4 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988PONTIACGRAND AM carries 34 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 4 crashes, 2 fires, 3 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 1988 GRAND AM is engine and engine cooling:engine with 11 filings, followed by seat belts:front:buckle assembly (2) and vehicle speed control (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 1988 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.
34
Complaints
4
Crashes
2
Fires
3
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
4 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 | 11 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20020506ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT. *AK
20000623VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CAR STALLS WHILE GOING SLOWER CITY SPEEDS. *AK
20000330VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 25 MPH, IN A PARKING LOT ACCELERATOR PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOORBOARD, AND WOULD NOT RELEASE. VEHICLE ACCELERATED UP TO ABOUT 45-50 MPH. CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES VERY HARD, BUT WOULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS PUT INTO PARK, AND KEY WAS TAKEN OUT OF THE IGNITION BEFORE VEHICLE WOULD STOP. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO OWNER'S HOME. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
19991129FireFUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLING/CHARGING
FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR/VALVE FAILED CAUSING FIRE WHICH RESULTED IN PROPERTY DAMAGE AND INJURIES. *YC
19991115ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
AS STALLING EPISODES CONTINUED AND I COMPLETED NORMAL MAINTENANCE SERVISES, FINALLY A LOCAL PONTIAC DEALER DID COMPHREHENSIVE TESTS AND CHECKED WITHOUT CONCLUSIVE ANSWER TO PROBLEM . ON OCT.13TH.99. THE CAR BROKE DOWN , BACK FIRED, COULD NOT BE RESTARTED, WAS TOWED TO A PONTIAC DEALER WHO SAID HEAD GASKET HAD 1-1/2 INCH RUPTURE. NO REPAIR WAS DONE. CAR OPERATES AGAIN,AND CONTINUIES TO STALL. CAN IT BE ELECTRICAL CONECTION PROBLEM OR WHAT?
19991006CrashSTEERING
WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH AND GOING AROUND A TURN WITHIN THE ROAD STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. VEHICLE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE FRONT, AND DASHBOARD FELL APART. *AK
19991006CrashSTRUCTURE:BODY
WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH AND GOING AROUND A TURN WITHIN THE ROAD STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. VEHICLE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE FRONT, AND DASHBOARD FELL APART. *AK
19980816SEAT BELTS:FRONT
DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED IN A COLLISION.
19980116ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILURE.
19971204ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
ALTERNATOR FAILED.
19971204SUSPENSION:FRONT:MACPHERSON STRUT
STRUTS FAILED.
19971118STEERING:RACK AND PINION
COLD STEERING. *AK
19970205FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
OWNER STATES WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLS, OWNER INDICATED THAT SHE HAS HAD WORK DONE ON THIS VEHICLE, INCLUDING REPLACING THE FUEL PUMP. *AK
19961209STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
PAINT IS CHIPPING OFF THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE. *AK
19960906SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
THE DRIVER'S SIDE LAP AND SHOULDER BELT DOES NOT RETRACT OUT OF THE DOOR. *AK
19960711VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL TO CUT OFF. *SD
19960619STEERING:RACK AND PINION
'COLD POWER STEERING'. *SD
19960425FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
INTERMITTENT STALLING FOLLOWED BY ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. *SD
19960403CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DURING IMPACT, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
19960229ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE HEAD FAILED 2 TIMES. *SD
Compare 1988PONTIACGRAND AM to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 PONTIAC GRAND AM have?▼
The 1988 PONTIAC GRAND AM has 34 NHTSA complaints, 4 crashes, 2 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 PONTIAC GRAND AM?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 PONTIAC GRAND AM is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE with 11 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY and VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL.
Is the 1988 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.