1998 PONTIAC GRAND AM

236 complaints filed with NHTSA.

236
Complaints
16
Crashes
5
Fires
15
Injuries
2
Deaths

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP15
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL13
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH10
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION10
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION9
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC8
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS8
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL7
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC7
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE6
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE6
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM6
AIR BAGS6
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM6
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR4

Recent Complaints

20140709CrashFatalENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER WAS TRAVELING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE DRIVER WAS KILLED AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 10/22/14*CN UPDATED 05/19/2015 *JS

20140619CrashENGINE

WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 287 IN NEW JERSEY WHEN ENGINE CUT OFF CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKES, POWER STEERING. CAUSED ACCIDENT WHEN RAN OFF ROAD DUE TO LACK OF POWER STEERING AND INABILITY TO EFFECTIVELY BRAKE. TOOK TO DEALER WHO REPLACED CRANKSHAFT SENSOR THAT DID NOT REPAIR PROBLEM. AFTER CAR WAS REPAIRED INCIDENT CONTINUED TO OCCUR WITHOUT ANY TROUBLE CODES. NOW THAT ISSUE HAS DEVELOPED WITH IGNITION SWITCHES, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS MAY BE A LONGER TERM PROBLEM THAN CURRENTLY THOUGHT. FINALLY

Mileage: 24,000

20140619CrashELECTRICAL SYSTEM

WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 287 IN NEW JERSEY WHEN ENGINE CUT OFF CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKES, POWER STEERING. CAUSED ACCIDENT WHEN RAN OFF ROAD DUE TO LACK OF POWER STEERING AND INABILITY TO EFFECTIVELY BRAKE. TOOK TO DEALER WHO REPLACED CRANKSHAFT SENSOR THAT DID NOT REPAIR PROBLEM. AFTER CAR WAS REPAIRED INCIDENT CONTINUED TO OCCUR WITHOUT ANY TROUBLE CODES. NOW THAT ISSUE HAS DEVELOPED WITH IGNITION SWITCHES, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS MAY BE A LONGER TERM PROBLEM THAN CURRENTLY THOUGHT. FINALLY

Mileage: 24,000

20080408AIR BAGS

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 PONTIAC GRAND AM. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS SEATED IN THE PARKED VEHICLE, THE AIR BAGS SUDDENLY DEPLOYED AND STRUCK HER IN THE FACE. SHE WAS BADLY BRUISED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY STATED THAT THE AIR BAG MODULE WAS CORRODED. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 160,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 154,000.

Mileage: 154,000

20061207CrashPOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE EXITING A VEHICLE PARKED IN A DRIVEWAY ON A SLIGHT INCLINE WITH THE KEYS OUT OF THE IGNITION, THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE ROLLED ONTO THE FOOT OF THE CONTACT, WHICH LEFT THE CONTACT TRAPPED FOR 18 HOURS. MINOR BRUISING INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. A PASSERBY ASSISTED, AND PUSHED THE VEHICLE OFF OF THE CONTACT. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED ROLLING, AND COLLIDED WITH A NEARBY TREE. MODERATE DAMAGE WAS SUSTAINED TO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. UPON

Mileage: 20,000

20050713AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

PONTIAC GRAND AM AIR BAGS ARENT SAFE AT ALL MINE BUSTED OUT FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER IT BURNED MY ARM AND LEFT A BRUISE AND COULD'VE CAUSED A WRECK!

20050713VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL

PONTIAC GRAND AM AIR BAGS ARENT SAFE AT ALL MINE BUSTED OUT FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER IT BURNED MY ARM AND LEFT A BRUISE AND COULD'VE CAUSED A WRECK!

20050606FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

IN AUG. 2004 MY 1998 PONTIAC GRAND AM SE CAUGHT FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND FRIED EVERYTHING IN THE COLUMN , ALTERNATOR, AND BATTERY.THE LOCAL PONTIAC DEALER REFUSED TO WORK ON THE CAR SO I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL GARAGE.THEY FIXED WHAT THEY COULD CLEARLY SEE WAS DAMAGED AND SENT ME ON MY WAY. SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE ALTERNATOR REBUILT FOUR TIMES AND BATTERY REPLACED THREE TIMES .THE CAR HAS TO BE JUMPED SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK. THE ALTERNATOR KICKS IN AT 800 RPM. AND THE CAR IDLES AT 5

20040920CrashSUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH ON A WET ROAD SURFACE VEHICLE SWERVED. CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AN DIT WAS WAS FORCED OFF THE ROAD INTO A WOODED AREA, WHERE VEHICLE SPINNED SEVERAL TIMES AND HIT SEVERAL SMALL TREES. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A BODY SHOP. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE RIGHT TIE ROD WORE OUT AND THE LEFT TIE ROD WAS GETTING WORN OUT. CONSUMER STATED, THAT FRONT WHEEL BEARING WAS REPAIRED UNDER A RECALL ON MAY 5, 2004 AT A DEALER. *AK

Mileage: 142,572

20040920CrashSTEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH ON A WET ROAD SURFACE VEHICLE SWERVED. CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AN DIT WAS WAS FORCED OFF THE ROAD INTO A WOODED AREA, WHERE VEHICLE SPINNED SEVERAL TIMES AND HIT SEVERAL SMALL TREES. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A BODY SHOP. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE RIGHT TIE ROD WORE OUT AND THE LEFT TIE ROD WAS GETTING WORN OUT. CONSUMER STATED, THAT FRONT WHEEL BEARING WAS REPAIRED UNDER A RECALL ON MAY 5, 2004 AT A DEALER. *AK

Mileage: 142,572

20040818CrashAIR BAGS

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING THROUGH A SCHOOL ZONE GOING LESS THAN 25 MPH AND CRUISE CONTROL KICKED IN. THE VEHICLE CROSSED INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND WENT DOWN AN EMBANKMENT. THE VEHICLE HIT A TREE AND IT WASN'T UNTIL THE VEHICLE STOPPED THAT THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. WHEN THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED THEY BLACKED THE PASSENGERS EYES. *AK *NM

Mileage: 135,678

20040818CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING THROUGH A SCHOOL ZONE GOING LESS THAN 25 MPH AND CRUISE CONTROL KICKED IN. THE VEHICLE CROSSED INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND WENT DOWN AN EMBANKMENT. THE VEHICLE HIT A TREE AND IT WASN'T UNTIL THE VEHICLE STOPPED THAT THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. WHEN THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED THEY BLACKED THE PASSENGERS EYES. *AK *NM

Mileage: 135,678

20040804CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH, FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED APPROXIMATELY ONE MINUTE AFTER THE CRASH. CONSUMER SUSTAINED BRUISES SINCE THE AIR BAGS WERE LATE DEPLOYING.*AK

20031201CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. AS A RESULT, THE DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

Mileage: 161,000

20031008FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

WHILE DRIVING DRIVER STARTED TO SMELL SOMETHING BURNING, PULLED OVER, POPPED HOOD, AND DRIVER NOTICED THE ALTERNATER WIRE WAS BURNING. *AK

Mileage: 46,000

20021015FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

IGNITION STARTED SMOKING WHILE TRYING TO TURN KEY IN IGNITION. MR

20020710FatalSTEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

WHILE PUTTING STEERING IN DOWN POSITION STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT MOVE UP OR DOWN. *AK THE STEERING WHEEL WAS IN THE TOP POSITION AND COULD NOT BE MOVED. WHEN CONSUMER TOOK THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION THE STEERING WHEEL DID NOT LOCK IN POSITION. *JG

20010620FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, EARLY MORNING START AND VEHICLE FAILED TO START. CONSUMER MADE A SECOND ATTEMPT TO START AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, FIRE STARTED IN THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED ,AND EXTINGUISHED FIRE BEFORE ANYMORE DAMAGE WAS DONE TO VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. *AK

20000928CrashPOWER TRAIN

THIS ALMOST KILLED MY WIFE THE CARS SPEDOMITOR IS STILL STUCK ON 70, AND PONTIAC AND THE DEALER ARE NOT INTERESTED AT ALL, I WILL NEVER BUY AMERICAN AGAIN! MEAN WHILE WE ARE PAYING FOR A CAR WE CANNOT AND WILL NOT DRIVE AGAIN.

20000304CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR

HAD PROBLEMS WITH CAR SINCE BEGINNING. ACCELERATES ON ITS OWN AND LUNGES FORWARD WHEN STOPPING. ALSO THE BRAKES FAILED,CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. ROTORS HAVE WARPED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. DEALER CONTACTED 10-15 TIMES WITH NO PROBLEM FOUND. CAR IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD. *AK