1987 Pontiac Grand Am Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1987 Pontiac Grand Am, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine925.0%
- Seat belts616.7%
- Electrical513.9%
- Steering411.1%
- Transmission38.3%
- Fuel system38.3%
- Interior & seats25.6%
- Driver assistance25.6%
- Heating & air conditioning12.8%
- Brakes12.8%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P195/70/14 )
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P195/70/14 )
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE DESIGN OF THE LAP BELTS MOUNTED IN THE DOOR DOES NOT PROPERLY PROVIDE ENOUGH PROTECTION IN AN EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. CONSUMER WAS DRIVING 40MPH AND WAS STRUCK ON THE DRIVER SIDE. *AK
THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATBELT BUCKLE BROKE, CAUSING BOTH TO BE INOPERATIVE, WHICH OFFERED NO PROTECTION FOR THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. CONSUMER CLAIMS THERE IS A BULLETIN AND THERE IS NO RECALL.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE HAVING TROUBLE STARTING. CONSUMER CHARGED BATTERY AND WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL FAILURE RESUTING IN INJURY TO DRIVERS HANDS.
MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR FAILED. ALSO REPLACED ELECTRONIC IGNITION/WATER PUMP/ALTERNATOR/CRANKSHAFT/LOCKED TORQUE CONVERTER. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE RACK AND PINION MALFUNCTION. VEHICLE IS VERY HARD TO STEER.
'COLD POWER STEERING' PREVENTS RIGHT HAND TURN FOR FIRST FIVE MINUTES OF VEHICLE OPERATION. *DH
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. FUEL INJECTOR STARTS WHEN IT FEELS LIKE IT FOR THE LAST YEAR. STARTED ONE WEEK. SEAT BELT LOCKS UP ON DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES CAUSING THE DRIVER TO GET BURNED ON THE NECK WHEN STOPPING.
MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR FAILED. ALSO REPLACED ELECTRONIC IGNITION/WATER PUMP/ALTERNATOR/CRANKSHAFT/LOCKED TORQUE CONVERTER. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. FUEL INJECTOR STARTS WHEN IT FEELS LIKE IT FOR THE LAST YEAR. STARTED ONE WEEK. SEAT BELT LOCKS UP ON DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES CAUSING THE DRIVER TO GET BURNED ON THE NECK WHEN STOPPING.
MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR FAILED. ALSO REPLACED ELECTRONIC IGNITION/WATER PUMP/ALTERNATOR/CRANKSHAFT/LOCKED TORQUE CONVERTER. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
MY DIGITAL ODOMETER STOPPED WORKING AT 199,999 MILES. I WAS TOLD BY PONTIAC THAT IT WAS DEFECTIVE, AND THAT NORMALLY IT WOULD CONTINUE ON TO 200,000. THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT THE LCD DISPLAY WILL ONLY SHOW A "1" IN THE ONE HUNDRED THOUSANDS PLACE. TECHNICAR, THE COMPANY WHO FIXES INSTRUMENT CLUSTERS, SAYS THEY ALL STOP AT THAT MILEAGE, AND THE CHIP IN THE BACK HAS TO BE REPLACED. I WENT THROUGH A LENGTHY PROCESS OF COMPLAINTS AS WELL AS WRITING A LETTER ONLY TO GET A STATEMENT SAYING MY CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I DON'T SEE HOW THEY CAN DESIGN AN ODOMETER TO FAIL, MANY PROBLEMS RESULT - MAINTENANCE, TITLE, VALUE, ETC. HAD I GOTTEN THE ANALOGUE VERSION, IT WOULD STILL BE GOING. I NEED AN EXPLANATION. THANKS.
BOTH FRONT SEATS HAVE SEPARATED FROM TRACKING, FELL ONTO REAR SEATS. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED ,GOING OVER A SMALL HILL THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND WOULD NOT DISENGAGE WHEN PUSHING THE BRAKE OR STEERING COLUMN SWITCH. TURNED OFF IGNITION TO STOP VEHICLE. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER WHO COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING ALONG A 4-LANE STREET, THE GAS PEDAL WENT TO FULL THROTTLE, VEHICLE ACCELERATED FROM 50 MPH TO PASS A BUS. ENGINE WAS THEN TURNED OFF, CAUSING A LOSS OF POWER STEERING. UNABLE TO STEER, VEHICLE BRUSHED UP AGAINST ANOTHER VEHICLE , WENT UP ON CENTER OF MEDIAN AND STOPPED WHEN IT HIT A SIGN POST.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Heating & air conditioning
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE FIRE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
DISC BRAKES FAIL TO STOP VEHICLE EFFECTIVELY, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING/INOPERATIVE.EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE TO ROLL DOWNHILL INTO A CAR.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .