RoadVitals

1991 Pontiac Grand Am Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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.
82
Latest Nov 13, 2014
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
14
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Jan 10, 1995

What this page shows

Our database holds 82 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1991 Pontiac Grand Am. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

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

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–25 of 82 · page 1 of 4

Engine
Filed Nov 13, 2014
Crash reported2 injuries reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1990 (NA) PONTIAC GRAND AM. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30-40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED CHEST INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE OTHER DRIVER SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID
10654779
Incident
Jan 21, 2001
Filed Apr 18, 2006
1 injury reported

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ELASTIC BANDS THAT HOLD THE PADDING TO THE SHELL OF THE SAFETY SEAT HAS BEEN PULLED LOOSE BY THE CHILD ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE CHILD HAS CHOKED AND BEEN SMACKED BY THE BANDS. THE MANUFACTURER SENT NEW PADDING, BUT THERE WAS NO IMPROVEMENT TO THE PADDING SENT. THIS IS A COSCO 22-130-WAL MANUFACTURED FEBRUARY 17, 2005.

NHTSA ID
10155598
Incident
Apr 18, 2006
Mileage
72,000 mi
BrakesSeat belts
Filed Mar 8, 2005
Crash reported1 injury reported

THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER. VEHICLE HIT THE GUARD RAIL. AND AS A RESULT, DRIVER'S FACE HIT THE WINDSHIELD BECAUSE THE SEAT BELT DID NOT OPERATE AND LOCK. DEALER WAS INFORMED BY CONSUMER.*AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE HIT THE BRAKE AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN. *TC

NHTSA ID
10111039
Incident
Jan 22, 2005
Suspension
Filed Feb 7, 2005

DURING INSPECTION DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER ABOUT LOOSE LOWER BALL JOINT. DEALERSHIP REPAIRED THE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID
10110972
Incident
Jan 11, 2005
Mileage
83,000 mi
Heating & air conditioning
Filed Sep 8, 2004

MY CAR WILL CRANK UP AND DRIVE FOR HOURS BUT IF I STOP AND TURN IT OFF IT WILL NOT CRANK UP FOR 3-4 HOURS. ALSO, MY AIR CONDITIONER WAS RUNNING GREAT BUT WHEN I TURNED IT ON ONE DAY IT JUST STOPPED BLOWING COLD AND IT IS FULL OF COOLANT AND ANTIFREEZE. *AK

NHTSA ID
10090625
Incident
Jul 10, 2004
Visibility
Filed Jun 8, 2003
Fire reported

WHILE DRIVING, THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR PANEL CAUGHT ON FIRE. CONSUMER IS AWARE OF SAFETY RECALL FOR POWER WINDOW CONTROL MODULE REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN WITH NO INSIDE DOOR PANEL (BARE METAL EXPOSED). THE WINDOW WAS BEING HELD UP WITH PLASTIC TAPE, AND THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE LOCKED DUE TO THE FIRE DAMAGE TO THE DOOR. ALSO THE VEHICLE HAS THE STENCH OF SMOKE FROM THE FIRE IN THE DOOR. WE THINK THIS MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE POWER WINDOW DEVICE. *TT

NHTSA ID
10021240
Incident
May 15, 2002
Transmission
Filed Apr 18, 2003

TRANSMISSION DIP STICK FOR MANUAL TRANSMISSION (ISUZU) TYPE SHRINKS CAUSING FLUID LEAKAGE AND TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *NLM

NHTSA ID
10016169
Incident
Mar 27, 2003
Mileage
150,000 mi
Interior & seats
Filed Jul 29, 2002

WHILE SLOWING DOWN AND THEN TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT DRIVER'S SEATBACK FAILED WITH NO WARNING. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
8014918
Tires & wheels
Filed May 15, 2002

DISCOVERED A LARGE BULGE ON SIDEWALL OF TIRE AT ONLY 2000 MILES. FIRESTONE SAID IT WAS IMPACT RELATED BUT IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID
761936
Incident
Apr 15, 2002
Steering
Filed May 9, 2002
Crash reported1 death reported

MY BROTHER WAS KILLED THEY HAD A RECALL ON STEERING FOR THE 1991 PONTIAC GRAND AM I NEED TO FIND OUT IF THE RECALL WAS DONE ON HIS CAR PONTIAC HASNT BEEN MUCH HELP.

NHTSA ID
761718
Steering
Filed Mar 6, 2002
Crash reported1 death reported

I NEED TO FIND OUT IF THIS CAR WAS TAKEN IN FOR THE STEERING RECALL 91V018000 CONCERNING STEERING COLUMN THEY HAD ON THIS YEAR....PLEASE LET ME NO MY BROTHER OWNED THE CAR WAS WAS KILLED 12082001. THANK YOU LAURA SMART HIS SISTER. *AK

NHTSA ID
758979
Incident
Dec 8, 2001
Interior & seats
Filed Feb 25, 2002

WHILE DRIVING PASSENGER'S SEAT WILL SLIDE BACK AND FORTH WITHOUT APPLYING PRESSURE ON LATCH SYSTEM OF SEAT.*AK

NHTSA ID
8004466
Brakes
Filed Jan 23, 2002
Crash reported

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
757243
Driver assistance
Filed Dec 15, 2000

WHILE DRIVING, CRUISE CONTROL CAME ON AND ACCELERATED VEHICLE UP TO 90MPH. DRIVER HAD TO PUT VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL, AND EXCESSIVELY APPLY BRAKES. WHEN STARTING VEHICLE RIGHT BACK UP, CRUISE CONTROL WOULD TAKE OVER AGAIN, UNLESS VEHICLE SAT FOR AT LEAST 20-30 MINUTES. MECHANIC DISABLED CRUISE CONTROL. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID
876563
Filed Jul 10, 2000

I REPORTED THIS LONG BEFORE MY WARRANTY EXPIRED BUT NOTHING WAS DONE ABOUT IT AND AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED I FOUND OUT THAT THE PRIMER USED ON THE CAR WAS DEFECTIVE AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING TO BE DONE ABOUT IT SINCE THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. NO SAFETY DEFECT DISCUSSED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK

NHTSA ID
725191
Incident
Jan 1, 1994
Seat belts
Filed Apr 18, 2000
Crash reported1 injury reported

SEAT BELT FAILED

NHTSA ID
9000755
Incident
Mar 22, 2000
Body & structure
Filed Apr 15, 2000

THERE IS A LEAK IN THE CAR EVERY TIME IT RAINS BOTH OF THE FRONT FLOOR BOARDS ARE FULL OF WATER MY NEIGHBOR OWNS A 91 GRAND AM ALSO AND HIS DOES THE SAME WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS BUT THE FLOOR BOARDS ARE RUSTING AND IT IS GOING TO COST ME TO FIX IT I KNOW THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN WRECKED AND MY NEIGHBORS CAR DOES THE SAME SO IT MUST BE A DESIGN PROBLEM I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT I HAVE TO DO TO GET THIS RESOLVED SO THERE WILL BE NO FURTHER DAMAGE TO MY CAR PLUS IT IS MOLDING MY CARPET AND SMELLS. *AK

NHTSA ID
721488
Steering
Filed Mar 22, 2000

CALL TO PONTIAC RESULTED IN THEY CLAIMING THERE WAS NO PREVIOUS REPORTED PROBLEMS, I FOUND A RECALL NOTICE PERTAINING TO STEERING FOR WHEN THIS CAR WAS MANUFACTURED AND LOTS OF SERVICE BULLETINS EACH WHICH DESCRIBED THE VERY SAME NOISE WE HEARD AT THE TIME OF THE BREAKDOWN. THIS WAS A POTENTIAL SAFETY RISK IF THE CAR HAD BEEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. TOW SERVICE INDICATED THAT WE WERE LUCKY THAT NO ONE WAS HURT.*AK

NHTSA ID
720488
Incident
Mar 17, 2000
BrakesEngineVisibility
Filed Feb 7, 2000

VEHICLE EXPERIENCES CONTINUED STALLING CONDITIONS, REPLACEMENT OF SEVERAL COMPONENTS (SENSORS, IGNITION CONTROL, HEAD GASKET), HOWEVER ENGINE STILL STALLS. *MJS

NHTSA ID
550764
Engine
Filed Nov 13, 1999

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
714731
Electrical
Filed Nov 12, 1999
Fire reported

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY FOR ONLY 10 MI NUTES IT WAS ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. FIRE DEPARTTMENT CAME TO PUT FIRE OUT. CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER ALSO DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
852808
Incident
Nov 11, 1999
Electrical
Filed Nov 9, 1999
Fire reported

WHILE DRIVING TO THE STORE ABOUT A HALF OF MILE AWAY, HEARD A HISSING SOUND IN THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. CONSUMERR THEN SAW SMOKE, AND STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND GOT OUT. THEN THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WENT UP IN FLAMES. THERE WAS NO WARNING BEFORE. POLICE SAID THAT IT MAY HAVE BEEN THE ELECTRICAL PANEL INSIDE OF THE DOOR. *AK

NHTSA ID
852732
Incident
Nov 7, 1999
Powertrain (other)
Filed Sep 2, 1999

CONUMER BELIEVES VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN ODOMETER TAMPERING BECAUSE WHEN SHE LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE IT HAD 76527 BUT THE NEXT DAY SHE RETURNED TO PURCHASE IT HAD 84,000 PLUS MILES ON IT. NLM

NHTSA ID
548326
Incident
Jul 30, 1997
Fuel system
Filed Aug 18, 1999

THE FUEL TANK IS BREAKING APART INTERNALLY

NHTSA ID
710169
Incident
Aug 4, 1999
Driver assistance
Filed Jul 22, 1999

THERE ARE TOO MANY INCIDENTS TO REPORT. I HAVE SPENT HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TRYING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM OF THE CAR SURGING. HAVE HAD SEVERAL NEAR ACCIDENTS, MOST RECENTLY ON 7/19/99. COPING WITH THE PROBLEM BY HITTING THE BRAKES, BUT RECENTLY I HAD TO PULL INTO ANOTHER LANE TO KEEP FROM HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE FROM THE BACK. THE CAR RAN PERFECTLY SINCE 1994 UNTIL THIS PROBLEM OF THE LAST 12 MONTHS. CAR IS UNSAFE AND PERFORMS UNPREDICTABLY. PLEASE ADVISE ON WHAT TO DO.

NHTSA ID
709019
Incident
Jun 30, 1999

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.

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