Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. 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. 30 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 30, in the owner's own words
THE CONTROL ARM (A ARM) ON THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE HAS A BUSHING WHICH CAME LOOSE AND CAUSED AN AWFUL SOUND WHEN SLOWING DOWN. THIS WAS REPLACED LAST YEAR AT MY EXPENSE. NOW A YEAR LATER, THE SAME ARM HAS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. I'M SURE THAT I AM SPEAKING FOR MANY WHEN I SAY THAT I CAN NOT AFFORD TO FIX THE SAME PROBLEM EVERY YEAR. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
LOWER CONTROL ARM HAVE EXPERIENCED PREMATURE EXCESSIVE WEAR AND HAVE FALLEN OUT. HOLDING ON BY A METAL BAR UNDERNEATH THE BUSHINGS. ALSO WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED OR GOING OVER A BUMP THE VEHICLE GRINDS MAKING A METAL TO METAL SOUND.
BUSHINGS ON CONTROL ARMS DETERIORATED,CAUSING CONTROL ARM SEPARATION. ALSO STRUT MOUNT AND STRUT WORN OUT ON THE SIDE WITH THE SEPARATED CONTROL ARM. *AK
CONTROL ARMS BUSHING WEARS OUT, UNABLE TO REPLACE THE BUSHING WITHOUT REPLACING THE WHOLE CONTROL ARM. CAUSES TIRE TO MOVE, ALIGNMENT TO BE THROWED OFF, AND SEVERE JERKING WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. HAVE NOTICED THAT THE NEW CONTROL ARMS HAVE BEEN MODIFIED SO RUBBER BUSHING CANNOT COME OUT, UNLIKE THE ONE THAT WAS ORIGINALY ON THE CAR, REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FOR CONTROL ARMS WHICH ARE $160 A PIECE.*AK
CONTROL ARM BUSHING FELL OUT PREMATURELY AT 59K MILES, MAKING HANDING OF AUTO DIFFICULT, MECHANIC SAID HE DOES SEVERAL BUSHINGS A MONTH ON MY MODEL. *AK
LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS ARE EXPERIENCING EXCESSIVE WEAR AND HAVE DISINTEGRATED. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THIS IS DUE TO A FACTORY RELATED DEFECT. ALSO, FRONT STRUTS ARE NOISY AND SQUEAKY, A METAL TO METAL SOUND. *AK DEALER REPLACED TIE RODS WHEN CRUSHING SOUND IN FRONT END WAS FIRST HEARD. *SLC
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING COULD HEAR NOISE FROM VEHICLE. THEN, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID THAT BUSHINGS AND PINS HAD TO BE REPLACED TO REPAIR PROBLEM. *AK THE LOWER FRONT CONTROL ARM HAD WORN OUT, INCLUDING BUSHINGS AND PINS. *YH
CAR RUNS HOT. WHEN STARTING UP WINDOWS WOULD FOG, COULD SMELL ANTIFREEZE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED HEATER CORE, THEY SAID IT HAD A PIN HOLE IN IT. CONSUMER SAID CAR WASSTILL RUNNING HOT, CONSUMER COULD HEAR A FLAPPING NOISE, LIKE A HELICOPTER UNDER THE HOOD.*AK THE POPING FRONT RIGHT SUSPENSION WAS DUE TO SWAY BAR LINK FAILURE WHICH MADE STABLIZER BAR LOOSE. HORN MALFUNCTIONS DUE TO DIRTY CONTACTS. WINDOW DOES NOT GO UP OR DOWN PROPERLY DUE TO WINDOW MOTOR FAILURE. THE NOISE IN ENGINE AREA WHEN COLD WAS DUE TO ALTERNATOR FAILURE. WATER PUMP WAS LEAKING. TEMPERATURE GUAGE WAS INACCURATE. THE NOISE FROM FRONT AND REAR BRAKES WAS CAUSED BY WORN BRAKE PADS. DRIVER SIDE MIRROR CONTROL FELL INTO THE DOOR PANEL. *YH
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: )
BUSHING THAT HOLDS THE CONTROL ARM THAT IS CONNECTED TO THE CHASSIS MAY DEVELOP MORE WEAR AND TEAR. THIS COULD CAUSE IT TO BREAK OFF, AND RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
THE CAR HAS BEEN A GOD CAR, BUT I HAVE READ AND TALKED WITH MANY OTHER THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS. WHAT CAN BE DONE? NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED WITHIN SUMMARY. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
WHEN A/C IS FIRST TURNED ON THE CONSUMER SMELLS ODOR FROM A/C DURING HUMID DAYS. *ET
TRANSMISSION EXPERIENCED A SLIP DUE TO "REPL 2ND CLUTCH INPUT CLUTCH" AND HAD TO BE COMPLETELY OVERHAULED. MECHANIC STATED THAT PROBLEM COULD ONLY BE LINKED TO MECHANICAL FAILURE. THERE WAS NO POSSIBLE WAY THAT HUMAN INTERFERANCE COULD HAVE CAUSED THE MALFUNCTION. A TRANSMISSION KIT, VALVE, PISTON, AND 12 ATF'S HAD TO BE PURCHASED FOR A TOTAL OF $861.49 IN PARTS AND $1224.00 IN LABOR. FRONT SUSPENSION IS ALSO LOOSE. ENTIRE FRONT END IS "LOOSE AS A TOOTH" ACCORDING TO DEALER MECHANIC. ALSO STATED THAT PROBLEM SHOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED AT ONLY 40,000 MILES. NEED TO BALANCE WHEEL, ALIGN FRONT, AND PERFORM A TUNE-UP. LABOR IS ESTIMATED AT $200.00 WITH ADDITIONAL COSTS FOR PARTS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING UPHILL CAR MADE A LOUD NOISE AND THE FRONT END WAS SHIFTING TO THE RIGHT. ALSO, ENGINE HAD EXPLODED AND VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK
THE PAINT PEELING ON THE MIRRORS AND THE FRONT SUSPENSION SQUAK HAS BEEN REPAIRED ONCE BY THE MANUFACUTER AND THEY REFUSE TO FIX THE REPAIRS NOW. THE COLD START RATTLE HAS NEVER BEEN FIXED, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM.
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ONE FOR A DAY AND GO OFF DID THIS 3 TIMES BEFORE TOTAL FAILURE OF ALTERNATER & BATTERY/FRONT END/STEERING/BRAKES(ABS) ABD SHOCKS. CAR WILL PULL HARD TO THE LEFT WHILE BRAKING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. HAVE TO FIGHT STEERING WHEEL TO KEEP CAR IN LANE. HAD BRAKES CHECKED AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. ( FRONT BRAKES WERE VERY HOT) HIT SMALL BUMP OR POTHOLE OR TAKING TURN OR GOING DOWN THE STREET/HIGHWAY AND CAR WILL WANDER LEFT AND RIGTH WHILE YOU ARE HOLDING THE WHEEL. SOMETIMES IT IS BAD ENOUGH TO HAVE TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION TO KEEP GOING STRAIGHT. NHTSA RECALL #96V249000 MY CAR DOES NOT FALL IN THE MANFACTURED DATE OF JULY 96 CAN I STILL HAVE CHECKED NO CHARGE? I WAS TAKING WAX OF MY CAR WITH KEYS IN THE IGNITION CAR OFF, THE POWER DOOR LOOKS LOCKED CAR. I HAVE SEEN MORE COMPLAINTS IN YOUR CONSUMER COMPLAINT SECTION OF THESE ISSUES I HAVE JUST REPORTED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND GOING OVER ANY TYPE OF BUMP OR HOLE IN THE STREET VEHICLE GRINDS DUE TO LOWER CONTROL ARM MALFUNCTIONING. CONSUMER HAD LOWER CONTROL ARM ON THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDES REPLACED. *AK,
FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS PIVOT IN AWAY TO FORCE OUT BUSHINGS. *AK
BRAKES SQUEAL AND DO NOT STOP APPROPRIATELY.
SHOCKS FAILED.
STRUTS FAILED.
OWNER STATES THAT HER VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 14 TIMES FOR HER STEERING, STEERING WHEEL LOCKS WHILE MAKING A TURN AND DEALERS ARE UNABLE TO CORRET PROBLEM; ALSO, THE FRONT END SHAKES. *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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