Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
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 1995 Pontiac Grand Am submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 60 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.
The 25 most recent of 60, in the owner's own words
WHILE DRIVING THE OVERHEAT LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND ENGINE DIED. THE MECHANIC SAID IT IS A CRACKED HEAD GASKETS. I HAVE ALWAYS FOLLOWED THE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE IN OWNER MANUAL. OIL CHANGES EVERY THREE MONTHS ETC.*AK
1995 PONTIAC GRAND AM OVERHEATING. REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT FOUR TIMES AND FINALLY THE HEAD GASKETS WARPED. PAID FOR THE HEAD GASKET REPLACEMENT. CONTINUED TO OVERHEAT AND CALLED GENERAL MOTORS. MEDIATOR WAS OF VERY LITTLE HELP. TOOK IT BACK UNDER THE REPAIR WARRANTY, THEN THE RADIATOR BLEW BECAUSE THEY HAD REPLACED THE RADIATOR CAP WITH A HIGHER PRESSURE RATING. WE TOOK IT BACK AND THEY REPLACED THE RADIATOR, HOSES, HEATER CORE AND NUMEROUS OTHER THINGS. IT CONTINUED TO OVERHEAT. IN GENERAL WE HAVE SPENT ABOUT $2500.00 AND STILL HAVE THIS ISSUE. ADDITIONALLY, WE NOW HAVE THE ABS WARNING LIGHT COMING ON OCCASIONALLY AND I FOUND SOME ENGINE WIRES TWISTED UP OVER THE MANIFOLD. I HAVE SINCE MOVED THEM BACK TO THEIR ORIGINAL LOCATION AND HAD TO USE ELECTRICAL TAPE ON ANOTHER WIRE CONNECTION THAT THE LOCK (SNAP) WAS BROKE OFF. SINCE DOING THIS I HAVE NOT HAD THE CAR OVERHEATING AS OFTEN. ADDITIONALLY SINCE REPAIRS WERE MADE, WE NOW HAVE HEAVY CONDENSATION ON THE INTERIOR WINDSHIELD, (WINDOW WIPERS ON THE INSIDE COULD BE A SOLUTION...) ALONG WITH PUDDLES OF WATER ON THE PASSENGER FLOOR AND IN THE TRUNK....GOD ONLY KNOWS WHAT THEY DID TO MY CAR AFTER I CALLED GENERAL MOTORS, EVERYTHING JUST SEEMED TO GET WORSE FROM THERE.. COINCIDENCE, I THINK NOT. THEY ARE NOW BANKRUPT SO THERE IS NO RECOURSE IN MY CASE OF RETRIEVING MONEY NEEDLESSLY SPENT ON REPAIRS THEY SHOULD HAVE FIXED PROPERLY IN THE FIRST PLACE. AND WHILE I'M AT IT, I WONDER IF THEY EVER TOOK CAR OF THAT IGNITION RECALL? I AM STILL DRIVING THE CAR WHEN IT IS BEHAVING BUT I HAVE BEEN HAVING TO HOLD THE IGNITION SWITCH TO GET THE CAR TO START WHICH I HADN'T HAD TO DO BEFORE... ARE THEY WAITING FOR MY CAR TO CATCH ON FIRE DUE TO THIS IGNITION PROBLEM? THE SMARTEST THING WOULD BE TO TAKE IT TO SOMEONE ELSE BUT NO ONE WANTS TO TOUCH THE CAR AFTER FINDING OUT IT WAS AT THE OTHER DEALERSHIP SO WHERE DO I GO NOW? AND A REPLY ON THAT SURE WOULD BE A BIG HELP! *JB
I BOUGHT MY 1995 PONTIAC GRAND AM SE, USED IN 2001, NOT EVEN A MONTH AFTER HAVING IT, I HAD TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR. FROM THERE WENT MY COOLANT LINE, A DEALER PART I HAD TO PAY A FORTUNE FOR. THEN I ALSO HAVE SIGNIFICANT WATER DAMAGE THAT SOMEHOW GETS INTO MY CARAND I END UP WITH PUDDLES OF WATER ON THE FLOOR. MY HEATER CORE WENT, REPLACED THAT. THEN BALL JOINTS, REPLACED THAT. THEN THE RECALL ON MY IGNITION THAT I FAILED TO RECIEVE, WAS OUT WITH MY HUSBAND AND SON FOR THE DAY, GOT IN TO START MY CAR AND IT WOULDNT TURN OVER. TOOK THE KEY OUT, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR STARTED TO TURN OVER REPEDITILY. NEEDLESS TO SAY IF MY HUSBAND WASNT THERE MY SON AND I COULD HAVE DIED, I WOULDNT HAVE KNOW WHAT TO DO. MY SON WAS STRAPPED IN HIS CAR SEAT AND I POPPED THE HOOD, NEXT THING I KNOW SMOKE STARTS POURING INTO MY CAR FROM THE DASH. SO I GRAB MY SON OUT QUICKLY AS MY HUSBAND POPPED THE HOOD, AND SEEN SPARKS AND RIPPED THE POWER CORD OFF OF THE BATTERY WHICH STOPPED THE SPARKS WHICH WAS IN THE PROCESS OF STARTING A FIRE. AFTER REPLACING THAT, MY POWER STEERING WENT, HAD TO REPLACE THOSE LINES. THEN MY COOLANT WAS LOW FOR NO REASON AT ALL, THE NEXT WEEK, TWO WEEKS AFTER AN OIL CHANGE, OIL LIGHT COMES ON. NO OIL IN THE ENGINE. PUT OIL IN AND WAS FINE FOR ABOUT AN HOUR UNTIL CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND I HAD TO PULL OF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO FIND OUT THAT I HAVE A BLOWN HEAD GASKET PLUS OTHER PROBLEMS CAUSED BY THIS THAT CAUSED MY MOTOR TO NO LONGER BE IN RUNNING ORDER. I STILL OWE $2000 ON MY CAR AND WAS TOLD TODAY BY NUMEROUS SPECIALISTS THAT THIS CAR WITH THE BLOWN HEAD GASKETS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM IN THESE CARS, AND FOR SOME REASON GM FAILS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS AND LETS THESE CARS REMAIN ON THE ROAD. YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING. SO NOW I HAVE NO CAR WITH A BABY, AND A MAJOR PROBLEM. LIKE I SAID YOU NEED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. *AK
INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS DETERIORATED, CAUSING FUEL AIR MIXTURE FUMES TO ENTER INTO THE CAB. *AK THE INTAKE MANIFOLD ALLOWED OIL AND ANTIFREEZE TO LEAK OUT OF THE ENGINE. AT CERTAIN POINTS OF ACCELERATION AND DECELERATION THE FUEL AIR MIXTURE WOULD EXPEL INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE ODOR HAD BECOME STRONGER. *SC *JB
1995 PONTIAC GRAND AM SE OVERHEATING PROBLEMS SINCE I GOT THIS CAR. HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 10 TIMES. OVER $4500 WORTH OF REPLACED PART- INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS, BEARINGS, HEAD GASKETS, THERMOSTATS, WATER PUMPS ETC. YET ONCE AGAIN IT HAS OVERHEATED AND IS AGAIN IN THE SHOP. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE I KNOW HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. ALSO HAVE CHECKED OUT SEVERAL COMPLAINT WEB SITES AND LOW AND BEHOLD IT SEEMS THE REST OF THE PONTIAC WORLD HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. MY SUGGESTION TO PONTIAC IS TO STOP PRODUCTION OF ALL PRODUCTION OF NEW VEHICLES AND WORK ON FIXING THE PROBLEM BEFORE SPREADING IT EVEN MORE LIKE A VIRUS.*AK
ABOUT A YEAR AGO I PURCHASED A 95 PONTIAC GRAND AM SE FROM PRICE POINT USED CAR SUPER CENTER. WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR I WAS TOLD BY THE PERSON SELLING IT TO ME THAT IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR A KID GOING TO COLLEGE THAT IT WAS RELIABLE AND SUCH... WELL I GOT THE CAR, NOT ONLY IS IT NOT RELIABLE IT KEEPS BREAKING DOWN ON ME. FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR OF OWNING THE CAR IT HAS OVERHEATED TOO MANY TIMES TO COUNT... I CONTACTED THE DEALER BUT THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO BECAUSE OF BEING BOUGHT AS IS... SO I TOOK IT TO AN A PLACE CALLED AUTO LAB... THEY SAID THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM OF IT OVERHEATING SAID IT WAS A HEAD GASKET BLOWN... SO AFTER IT WAS FIXED IT WORKED FOR ABOUT A WEEK THEN STARTED OVERHEATING AGAIN... I PROMPTLY TOOK IT BACK THEY SAID THAT I HAD BLOWN THE WATER PUMP AND FIXED IT A WEEK LATER AFTER GETTING IT BACK IT OVERHEATED AGAIN... THEY FINALLY DID A FINE INSPECTION OF IT AND SAID I NEEDED A NEW RADIATOR I FIGURED FINE GOT ONE AND IT STILL OVER HEATS THE ENGINE IS A 2.5 LITER QUAD 4.. ITS BEEN A YEAR NOW AND I HAVE YET BEEN ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO STOP OVERHEATING EVEN IN WINTER... AS A LAST DITCH EFFORT I AM WRITTING TO YOU WONDERING IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO FOR ME... I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT MY PARENTS HAVE PUT IN WELL OVER $3,000 INTO THIS CAR IN VEHICLE REPAIRS ALONE AND IT STILL HAS FAILED TO WORK. EACH TIME I TOOK IT BACK TO AUTO LAB THEY HAD IT FOR A LEAST A WEEK, AND OVER A MONTH STRAIGHT DURING THE SUMMER. I AM STILL PAYING ON THIS VEHICLE AND IT IS BLEEDING ME DRY.*AK
WE HAVE HAD THE CRANK SHAFT SENSOR REPLACED ,AND THAT COST US TWO TRIPS TO A MECHANIC TO FIGURE THAT PROBLEM OUT. THE TIMING BELT CHANGED TWICE, ANOTHER MOTOR PUT IN THIS YEAR, NEW ALTENATOR, NEW RADIATOR, FUEL PUMP, WATER PUMP,AND A NEW THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. WE STILL HAVE AN OIL LEAK, WE NEED NEW STRUTS AND WE CONTINUALLY HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. NOT TO LEAVE OUT THAT WHEN WE BOUGHT THE CAR WE HAD TO HAVE THE HEATER COIL REPLACED. THE DOOR LOCK DOES NOT WORK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND THE MOTOR MOUNT IS BROKE. I AM SURE THERE ARE OTHER THINGS I HAVE LEFT OUT BUT I CAN NOT THINK OF EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW. WHAT GOT ME TO THE POINT OF SENDING A COMPLAINT IS THAT WE JUST REPLACED THE RADIATOR 08/02/03, AND WE SEEM TO HAVE TO REPLACE SOMETHING EVERY MONTH OR SO, AND THERE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE ONE PART ON THIS CAR THAT DOES NOT COST A BUNDLE. IS THERE ANYWAY TO GET ANY OF MY MONEY BACK FOR ALL OF THIS? I'M SURE NOT BUT THERE OUGHT TO BE A WAY TO LET OTHER PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT PONTIAC GRAND-AM QUAD 4 (2.3) IT'S A PIECE OF _ _ _ _ !!!!!
I HAVE REPLACED THESE ITEMS OR HAD THEM REPLACED. 1.HEATER CORE 2.BELT TENSIONER 3.ALTERNATOR TWICE 4.FULEPUMP 5.BREAKS BACK BREAKS ARE NEVER RIGHT. CAUSES RIGHT BACK TO STOPE ROLLING 6.GAS HAND DOES NOT WORK 7.CAR LOSES POWER THAN REGAINS POWER AND SURGES 8.AFTER STARTING CAR THERE IS A LOUD KNOCKING UNDER CAR, POSSIBLY TORQ CONVERTER 9.STARTER SOUNDS BAD WHEN CAR IS GETTING STARTED 10.RIGHT FRONT AXEL IS BAD WOBBLES AND RUINS TIRE 11. CLEAR COAT PAINT IS CHIPPING 12.POWER LOCKS DO NOT WORK 13.WINDOW TRACK ON DRIVERSIDE BAD 14.SEAL IN TRUNCK IS BAD LEAKS
CAR BOUGHT IN 1995. HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP OVER 10 TIMES FOR MAJOR REPAIRS. CAR IS AGAIN IN THE SHOP DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO ACCELERATE OVER 30 MILES PER HOUR. ENTIRE ENGINE SHAKES VERY BADLY.*AK
CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKED ANTIFREEZE INTO THE ENGINE, AND THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK
95 PONTIAC GRAND AM SE 3.1L V6, AUTOMATIC TRANS. WITH 113,264 MILES. CAR LOST POWER, STARTING SMOKING VERY BADLY, CAR WAS PULLED OFF HIGHWAY AND STOPPED IMMEDIATELY. REPAIR SHOP INSPECTED AND FOUND OIL FILTER GASKET BLEW OUT, ALLOWING ENGINE OIL TO BE EXPELLED. THIS COULD CAUSE AN ENGINE FIRE, BUT DID NOT THIS TIME. OIL CHANGE SHOP INSPECTED FILTER AND CLAIMS REGULATOR IN OIL PUMP CAUSED OIL TO BE OVER-PRESSURIZED, BLOWING OUT THE GASKET AND CLAIMS NO RESPONSIBILITY. ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED ACCORDING THE REPAIR SHOP. I BOUGHT CAR NEW AND MAINTAINED IT REGULARLY AND AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE APPARENT POOR QUALITY OF THIS GM PRODUCT. *JB
VEHICLE KEEPS OVER HEATING EVEN AFTER BEING IN A REPAIR SHOP OVER 6 TIMES. *AK
INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK. CAR HAD 55,000 ORIGINAL MILES. PISTON SLAP ALSO BEGUN TO OCCUR. TRANSMISSION HAD PROBLEMS, ONLY REVS TO 4K RPM, WILL NOT GO HIGHER THAN 4K RPM. *TT
THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE READ THE VEHICLE OVER HEATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON 1/21/03 WHO STATED THERE A BLOCKAGE IN THE ENGINE, AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *JB
WHILE DRIVING THE OVERHEAT LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND ENGINE DIED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD CRACKED. PH SCC
INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKING ON A GM 3100 ENGINE.
WHILE DRIVING HEARD A VERY LOUD NOISE, HAD VEHICLE SERVICED. TIMING CHAIN WAS LOOSE, AND IF IT BREAKS, IT WILL DESTROY ENTIRE ENGINE.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 55MPH ON FLAT SURFACE AND WITH NO WARNING HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT, AND IT HAD CAUSED VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. CONSUMER HAD TO PULL OVER. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
WHILE DRIVING TEMPERATURE GOES UP AND VEHICLE STARTS MAKING NOISE. VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK
CONSUMER STATES WHEN DRIVING WITH A/C ON YOU CAN SMELL GAS FUMES INSIDE THE VEHICLE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *NLM SOMETIMES THE SMELL IS SO BAD THAT THE CONSUMER HAS TO TURN OFF THE AIR AND ROLL DOWN THE WINDOWS. *MJ
CONSUMER STATED THE RADIO WAS INOPERATIVE.*JB
WAS TRAVELING ON A SIDE STREET AND HEARD A BANGING NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. SHE PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND VEHICLE WOULDN'T START BACK UP. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT INTO SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF DEALERSHIP FOR A REBUILT TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN FOR THREE WEEKS BEFORE IT HAD TO BE PUT BACK IN THE SHOP FOR A BROKEN WATER PUMP. DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR AT NO CHARGE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHUR DETAILS.*AK
THIS CAR WAS BOUGHT USED IN 1998, IT IS A 1995. WE HAVE REPLACED HEATER CORE AND THE POWER WINDOW MOTOR. THE POWER WINDOW WAS TAKEN CARE OF BY THE DEALER, ONCE ALREADY. IT IS FAULTY STILL. NOW WE CANNOT SAFELY DRIVE THE CAR, DUE TO THE POSSIBLE BLOWN HEAD GASKET. TWO TRUSTED MECHANICS HAVE TOLD US IF WE HAVE TO REPAIR INSTEAD OF REPLACE, WE REALLY SHOULD REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINE, A COST OF 5600, WITH AN EXPECTED LIFE OF 3 YEARS. HAVEN BEEN TAKEN BY THE DEALER, WE STILL OWE 5400. WE CANNOT AFFORD ANOTHER CAR, OR THE REPAIRS. UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO AFFORD THE REPAIRS AND A RENTAL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER FOR A RECALL ON IGNITION. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT PARTS WOULD NOT BE IN UNTIL MARCH 2001. CONSUMER WAITED 3 MONTHS, UNABLE TO DRIVE IN FEAR OF AN IGNITION FIRE, THEN, OIL PUMP WENT OUT. TOOK IT TO DEALER. DEALER SAID THEY NEEDED TO FIX OIL PUMP BEFOR E THEY COULD FIX IGNITION BECAUSE OF SAFETY REASONS. *AK
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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