RoadVitals

1989 Pontiac Grand Am Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
23
Latest Jan 15, 2004
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
52%
of 44 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
3
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1989 Pontiac Grand Am submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 23 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Jan 15, 2004
Crash reported

TRANSMISSION LOCKING TORQUE CONVERTER SOLENOID DOES NOT ALLOW TORQUE CONVERTER TO UNLOCK RESULTING IN ENGINE STALL WHEN STOPPING. REPLACED SOLENOID. REPLACED SLAPPING TIMING CHAIN AND TIMING CHAIN GUIDES. CHANGED OIL AFTER REPAIR. DROVE THE CAR ABOUT 100 MILES WHEN 3 ROD BEARINGS SPUN. ONE HALF OF THE BEARING SPUN INTO THE OTHER HALF RESULTING IN CRANKSHAFT DAMAGE AND PISTON TIPPING. REPLACED ENGINE WITH USED WHICH I REPAIRED BEFORE REPLACING. LOOKED LIKE OIL PUMP FAILURE. WAS TOLD THE ENGINE HAD BETWEEN 145-150 COMPRESSION.

NHTSA ID
10070435
Incident
Jun 15, 2002
Mileage
113,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jan 18, 2002
Fire reported

AFTER THE ENGINE OVERHEATED, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT #10-90-577) *YH

NHTSA ID
564044
Incident
Sep 30, 2001
Engine
Filed Dec 1, 2000
Fire reported

VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT SIDE OF HOUSE. CONSUMER WENT BACK INTO HOUSE, AND A FEW MINUTES LATER, A NEIGHBOR KNOCKED ON DOOR NOTIFYING HIM THAT VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. FIRE WAS COMING FROM ENGINE CARPARTMENT. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED, AND THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION. NO INJURIES TO REPORTED. *AK

NHTSA ID
875878
Incident
Nov 10, 2000
Engine
Filed Jun 6, 2000

THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH A QUAD 4 ENGINE. THROUGHOUT THIS PAST YEAR, THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN STALLING ON NUMEROUS OCCASSIONS AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR A WHILE. IN ADDITION, I SPENT ROUGHLY $2000 TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET AND CYLINDER HEAD. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
723658
Incident
Aug 28, 1999
ElectricalEngine
Filed May 4, 2000

ALTERNATOR FAILED. YH

NHTSA ID
552135
Engine
Filed Apr 4, 2000

THE ENGINE, RADIATOR AND OVERFLOW BUCKET WERE REPLACED.*ET

NHTSA ID
783723
Engine
Filed Mar 24, 1999

HEAD GASKET FAILED. *YC

NHTSA ID
545032
Engine
Filed Jan 21, 1999

THE HEAD GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED AND AFTER NUMEROUS REPAIRS STILL DIDN'T FUNCTION PROPERLY. RUNS ROUGH, DOESN'T IDLE PROPERLY, FUEL INJECTION DOESN'T FUNCTION PROPERLY, OIL TURNS FOAMY.

NHTSA ID
702456
Incident
Sep 10, 1994
Engine
Filed Sep 3, 1998

ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT.

NHTSA ID
540558
Incident
Aug 1, 1998
Engine
Filed Jan 8, 1998

CRACKED ENGINE GASKET.

NHTSA ID
527983
Incident
Dec 1, 1997
EngineInterior & seatsSteering
Filed Dec 11, 1997

HEAD GASKET FAILED, LEAKS OIL. ALSO, STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AND IS VERY HARD TO TURN WHEN VEHICLE IS COLD/MAKES NOISE. IN ADDITION, VINYL COVERING BUBBLED, AND CAME LOOSE ON BACKSEAT ARMREST UP TO ROOF.

NHTSA ID
526881
Incident
Sep 17, 1997
EngineInterior & seatsSteering
Filed Dec 11, 1997

ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILED LEAKING COOLANT/ SHAKES AND IS VERY HARD TO TURN. ALSO, STEERING WHEEL/VINYL COVERING BUBBLED AND CAME LOOSE ON BACKSEAT UP TO ROOF.

NHTSA ID
526840
Incident
Sep 17, 1997
Engine
Filed Jul 8, 1997

CYLINDER HEAD GASKET FAILED.

NHTSA ID
519187
Incident
Feb 4, 1997
Body & structureBrakesElectrical+1 more
Filed Mar 11, 1997

PAINT FLAKES OFF. DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET.

NHTSA ID
515591
BrakesElectricalEngine+1 more
Filed Mar 11, 1997

HEAD GASKET FAILED.

NHTSA ID
515502
Engine
Filed Feb 24, 1997

HAVE HAD TO REPLACE ENGINE HEAD GASKETS. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ID
809247
Engine
Filed Sep 9, 1995

REPLACE FAN MOTOR TWO TIMES IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS. TT

NHTSA ID
971905
Engine
Filed Jul 24, 1995

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS FAILED, LEAKED COOLANT INTO CYLINDER WALL OF ENGINE, PLEASE EXPLAIN. TT

NHTSA ID
969330
Incident
Jan 1, 1995
Engine
Filed Jul 21, 1995

HEAD GASKET BLOW AND THE ENGINE JUST STOPS WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

NHTSA ID
969232
Driver assistanceElectricalEngine+1 more
Filed Jul 16, 1995

REPLACED OXYGEN SENSOR.

NHTSA ID
484124
Incident
Apr 3, 1995
ElectricalEngine
Filed Jun 12, 1995

HEAD GASKETS FAILS INTERMITTENTLY. TT

NHTSA ID
966661
Incident
Apr 12, 1995
Engine
Filed Jan 17, 1995

THE HEAD GASKET WENT CAUSING THE ANTI-FREEZE TO GO INTO THE OIL. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

NHTSA ID
958862
Incident
Jan 13, 1995
Engine
Filed Jan 5, 1995

PURCHASED USED AND 2 1/2 MONTH CAR HAS BEEN IN TO THE DEALER ABOUT THREE TIMES. TT

NHTSA ID
958249
Incident
Oct 1, 1994

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Electrical10

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .