Owner-reported complaints naming the interior system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Pontiac Grand Am submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 16 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
DOME LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY FLASHES ON OR STAYS ON FOR A LONG TIME. LIGHTS CAUSE A DISTRACTION AT NIGHT WITH DRIVING. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR CONTROL DISPLAY RECALL 96-V-257-000, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS CHECKED AND THE TECHNICIAN FOUND A LOT OF SPLICES IN THE IGNITION. *JG
INTERIOR LIGHTS COME ON INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING, THERE ARE RECALLS 88V927000 AND 96V257000; BUT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT AFFECTED DUE TO VIN. *AK THE INVOICE STATES THAT THEY CHECKED THE RECALL/CAMPAIGN-THEY HAD TO INSTALL ENGINE WIRING HARNESS, REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE STEERING COLUMN TILT LEVER. *SCC
SERVICE ADVISOR COMMENTS LEAD ME TO SUSPECT THAT SHORTNESS OF ALTERNATOR WIRING HARNESS CAUSED ELECTRICAL SHORTS WHICH CAUSED THREE ALTERNATOR FAILURES AND ONE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILURE. INTIAL ALTERNATOR FAILURE RESULTED IN SUDDEN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHUTDOWN ON I-880 AT THE SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS SUMMIT, A NEAR SAFETY MISHAP. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER. ON THE OTHER TWO ALTERNATOR FAILURES, WARNING LIGHTS GAVE US ENOUGH NOTICE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. *AK
CONSUMER WAS INSIDE OF VEHICLE . STARTED VEHICLE UP, AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING UNDERNEATH THE DASHBOARD. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED.*AK
THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN MADE GRINDING NOISES WHEN MY 1996 GRAND AM SE WAS DRIVEN. THE NOISES EVEN PERSISTED AFTER THE GRAND AM WAS RETURNED TO THE ORIGINAL DEALERSHIP IN WASHINGTON, D.C. WHERE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED FROM FOR SERVICE/REPAIR IN DECEMBER 1999. THE SERVICE MANAGER INFORMED ME THE NOISES FROM THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN COULD NOT BE FIXED AND SINCE THE CAR WAS "OLDER"- ONLY 3 YEARS OLD, ANY NOISES IN THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN SHOULD BE EXPECTED AND ARE NORMAL FOR A 3 YEAR OLD CAR. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME HE WOULD LOOK AT THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN AS WELL AS THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENETS UNDER THE DASHBOARD TO INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE MANAGER INFORMED ME THAT HE DID THE BEST HE COULD DO TO FIND AND REPAIR THE NOISES IN THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. APPROXIMATELY THREE MONTHS LATER, AND CONTINUED TO HEAR GRINDING NOISES FROM THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN, ON MARCH 31, 2000, AFTER DROPPING MY INFANT TO THE DAYCARE CENTER, I ATTEMPTED TO START THE CAR AND IT WOULD NOT START. THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN IN ADDITION TO THE TURN SIGNAL CHAMBER ON THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN BEGAN TO SMOKE. FLAMES BEGAN TO APPEAR FROM THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN AND A STEADY FLOW OF SMOKE. THE ELECTRICAL FIRE INCREASED IN SIZE AND WAS FINALLY BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL BY TWO FIRE ENGINE COMPANIES. MY 1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM WAS TOWED, ASSESSED FOR DAMAGES AND FINALLY DEEMED UNSALVAGEABLE- A TOTAL LOSS. MY 1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM SE WAS ONLY THREE YEARS OLD. THIS INCIDENT SHOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED.*AK( DOT NUMBER: )
WHEN DRIVING WITH HEADLIGHTS ON,THEY FLICKER OFF/ON. ALSO, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS TURN OFF, CAUSING POOR DRIVER'S VISIBILITY. HIGH BEAM LIGHTS ARE THE ONLY OTHER OPTION. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. CONSUMER HAS YET TO HAVE THE PROBLEM CORRECTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
CONTINUALLY DISREGARDED BY DEALERSHIPS AND CORPORATE OFFICES
ALSO SEE ODI ID 706555. THIS COMPLAINT IS IN ADDITION TO THAT ONE. AGAIN, THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SEAT MOVED FORWARD ON ITS TRACK WHEN I HAD TO BRAKE SUDDENLY WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH. OCCUPANT IN SEAT WAS THE SAME AS WHEN THE SEAT FAILED BEFORE. OC. *AK
UNDERDASH WIRING HARNESS FAILURE CAUSED VEHICLE FIRE. MJS
WHEN MAKING SUDDEN STOP WHILE GOING ONLY 5 MPH, FRONT PASSENGER SEAT MOVED FORWARD A FEW INCHES ON ITS TRACK WHILE OCCUPANT WAS IN IT. OCCUPANT WAS BELTED AS WELL, AND THE SEATBELT DID LOCK UP (LIKE IT SHOULD HAVE), BUT HOWEVER, THE SEAT MOVING FORWARD ON ITS TRACK CAUSED OCCUPANT IN THAT SEAT TO BE "PUSHED" AGAINST THE LOCKED UP SEATBELT (CAUSING SOME STOMACH PAIN). WORRIED THAT IN A REAL CRASH, SEAT WILL MOVE FORWARD AND CAUSE BELTED OCCUPANT TO BE INJURED MORE THAN IF THE SEAT STAYED IN POSITION LIKE IT SHOULD (TRANSLATION: OCCUPANT COULD BE KILLED IN AN OTHERWISE SURVIVABLE ACCIDENT FOR VEHICLE TYPE). NOTICED THAT FRONT RIGHT PASSENGER SEAT WAS A LITTLE WOBBLY WHEN YOU WOULD SIT IN IT WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT IT, BUT DEALER SAID IT WAS "NORMAL" FOR THIS CAR. WILL REQUEST DEALER TO REPLACE SEAT WITH NEW ONE.
MY MOST RECENT PROBLEM INCLUDED TRANSMISSION FAILURE, AND ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC THIS HAD BEEN HAPPENING FOR A VERY LONG TIME. THE FOURTH GEAR OF THE TRANSMISSION AND THE CLUTCH WERE BURNED OUT. I'VE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE A WATER PUMP ON THE VEHICLE. IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASE, I NOTICED ANTI-FREEZE LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE WOULD JUST DIE WHILE DRIVING ALONG. I ATTEMPTED TO GET THE DEALER TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AND DID GET HIS VERBAL AGREEMENT HOWEVER, HE LIED AND WOULDN'T FOLLOW THROUGH. I SUPPOSE BECAUSE HE KNEW HE'D SOLD ME A LEMON AND WAS MORE THAN EAGER TO STATE HIS CASE, THAT HAD NO LEMON LAW. THERE ARE VARIOUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ESPECIALLY WITH THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND I SUPPOSE IT MAY BE SOMETHING ELECTRICAL THAT CAUSES MY VEHICLE TO DIE WHILE DRIVING ALONG. THERE IS NO WARNING, THE VEHICLE JUST GOES DEAD. DURING STOPS IT SEEMS THAT AT TIMES THE REAR END JUST HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN; ALMOST AS IF IT WANTS TO KEEP GOING WHILE THE FRONT END HAS STOPPED - IT'S SORT OF LIKE A SKIPPING EFFECT. OTHER ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS INCLUDE THE PASSENGER DOOR LOCK NOT OPERATING WITH THE POWER DOOR LOCK, THE RADIO DISPLAY IS LIT AT TIMES AND SOMETIMES IT'S NOT, SINCE I'VE HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPAIRED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND ETS LIGHTS WHICH HAVE BEEN ON SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, ARE NO LONGER LIT. DURING THE WATER PUMP FAILURE THE DEALERSHIPS REMEDY FOR IT WAS TO DISCONNECT THE ELECTRICAL WIRING WHICH PROMPTED ME THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THIS SYSTEM. THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ARE NUMEROUS. MY CAR IS A LEMON!
AT ANY SPEED LIGHTS ON CONTROL PANEL WOULD ILLUMINATE, AND CAR WOULD SUDDENLY DIE OUT. INCIDENT OCCURRED FOUR TIMES. DEALER CONTACTED AND ATTEMPTED TO REMEDY PROBLEM BY INSTALLING NEW COMPUTER. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
REAR SEAT BACKS FAILED IN ACCIDENT, ALLOWING ITEMS IN TRUNK TO COME THROUGH.
(5) TIMES WHILE DRIVING THE HEADLIGHTS AND THE DASH LIGHTS WENT OFF AND THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT WILL COME ON AND THE VEHICLE WILL STALL OUT. PROBLEM IS HARD TO DUPLICATE WHILE AT DEALERSHIP. CAN NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. *AK
DRIVER'S SEAT RELEASE LEVER SHAPED LIKE A HOOK CAUGHT PANT'S CUFF, CAUSING DRIVER TO FALL.
WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT SUDDENLY DASH AND HEADLIGHTS BLINK ON AND OFF, DLR CAN'T FIX, DLR REQUESTED TECH. INFO FROM MFG FOR THE THIRD TIME.*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
Data on this page last refreshed .