1988 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 1988 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
- Engine1236.4%
- Seat belts618.2%
- Driver assistance39.1%
- Steering39.1%
- Body & structure26.1%
- Electrical26.1%
- Fuel system26.1%
- Suspension13.0%
- Transmission13.0%
- Visibility13.0%
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
ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT. *AK
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?
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED IN A COLLISION.
THE DRIVER'S SIDE LAP AND SHOULDER BELT DOES NOT RETRACT OUT OF THE DOOR. *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
CAR STALLS WHILE GOING SLOWER CITY SPEEDS. *AK
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
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
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
COLD STEERING. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
PAINT IS CHIPPING OFF THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE. *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
ALTERNATOR FAILED.
INTERMITTENT STALLING. *SKD
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
FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR/VALVE FAILED CAUSING FIRE WHICH RESULTED IN PROPERTY DAMAGE AND INJURIES. *YC
OWNER STATES WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLS, OWNER INDICATED THAT SHE HAS HAD WORK DONE ON THIS VEHICLE, INCLUDING REPLACING THE FUEL PUMP. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
ALTERNATOR FAILED.
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 SWITCH FAILED CAUSING ENGINE TO SMOKE/INTERMITTENT STALLING. *AW
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL TO CUT OFF. *SD
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 .