RoadVitals

1998 Pontiac Grand Am Driver assistance Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Driver assistance 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.
16
Latest Feb 22, 2014
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.
9%
of 172 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.
4

What this page shows

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 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.

Owner reports naming driver-assistance

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

Driver assistanceElectricalEngine
Filed Feb 22, 2014

I WAS DRIVING MY 1998 GT PONTIAC GRAND AM FROM PEORIA ILLINOIS ON HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH. SHE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN NO POWER NO NOTHING...PULLED OVER WAITED APPROXIMATELY 5MINUTES AND SHE STARTED RIGHT UP...PLEASE HELP!!! [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID
10565453
Incident
Feb 3, 2014
Mileage
161,470 mi
AirbagsDriver assistance
Filed Jul 13, 2005
1 injury reported

PONTIAC GRAND AM AIR BAGS ARENT SAFE AT ALL MINE BUSTED OUT FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER IT BURNED MY ARM AND LEFT A BRUISE AND COULD'VE CAUSED A WRECK!

NHTSA ID
10128604
Incident
Jul 13, 2005
Driver assistance
Filed Oct 26, 2004

SEVERE ACCELERATION WHEN AUTO IS MOVING AT SLOW OR IDLE SPEED WHEN MOVING FROM A COLD START OR NEARLY COLD START. MOST NOTICEABLE WHEN AUTO IS MAKING A TURN AFTER A COLD START OR NEARLY COLD START. THE PROBLEM OCCUR 100% OF THE TIME WHEN DESCENDING FROM A PARKING DECK AND REACHING THE LOWER LEVEL OR LOWEST LEVEL OF THE PARKING DECK. MY ACTION IS TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL UNTIL IT DROP BACK TO A NORMAL IDLING SPEED, WHICH NORMALLY TAKE( AS A GUEST), ABOUT 45 TO 60 SECONDS. *AK

NHTSA ID
10096408
Incident
Oct 24, 2004
Mileage
100,400 mi
AirbagsDriver assistance
Filed Aug 18, 2004
Crash reported2 injuries reported

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING THROUGH A SCHOOL ZONE GOING LESS THAN 25 MPH AND CRUISE CONTROL KICKED IN. THE VEHICLE CROSSED INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND WENT DOWN AN EMBANKMENT. THE VEHICLE HIT A TREE AND IT WASN'T UNTIL THE VEHICLE STOPPED THAT THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. WHEN THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED THEY BLACKED THE PASSENGERS EYES. *AK *NM

NHTSA ID
10089196
Incident
May 10, 2004
Mileage
135,678 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Feb 24, 2004

DOES NOT MATTER WHAT TIME OF DAY OR WHAT TEMP OUTSIDE, WHEN CAR IS STARTED, RPM'S RANGE FROM 2000 TO 3000. CAR WILL NOT GO TO NORMAL IDLE AT ANY TIME NO MATTER HOW LONG DRIVEN UNLESS CAR IS TURNED OFF AN THEN BACK ON. SOMETIMES IT TAKES DOING THIS SEVERAL TIMES. IF THIS IS NOT DONE AND IDLE IS LEFT AS IS, CAR IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STOP. ALMOST NECESSARY TO "STAND" ON THE BRAKES! DEALER SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG AND THAT IT IS A FACTORY PRESET. *AK

NHTSA ID
10058864
Incident
Jan 1, 2003
Mileage
65,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Sep 22, 2003

THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR HAS FAILED THREE TIMES IN THIS VEHICLE, IN AS MANY YEARS. SUDDEN ACCELERATION OCCURS AND HAS ALMOST CAUSED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS, VERY FRIGHTENING. POTENTIALLY DEADLY. *JB

NHTSA ID
10039288
Incident
Aug 3, 2003
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Jun 11, 2001

CONSUMER STATES WHEN TAKING FOOT OFF ACCELERATOR, VEHICLE STARTS TO PULSATE AND WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED IT TAKES APPROXIMATELY 3 TO 4 FEET TO STOP, WHILE VEHICLE IS BUCKING AS IF THE ABS ARE ENGAGING, RPM NEEDLE GOES CRAZY. *SLC

NHTSA ID
561530
Incident
Mar 4, 2000
Driver assistanceTransmission
Filed Dec 13, 2000

WHILE AT A STOP VEHICLE IDLES VERY HIGH WHICH WHEN LETTING GO OF BRAKES VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY ACCELERATE AT A VERY HIGH SPEED. *AK THE VEHICLE'S RPM WAS HIGH, ESPECIALLY WHEN STARTING. THE DEALER WORKED ON IT BUT DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE. SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT COMING ON DUE TO EVAP PURGE VALVE AND SOLENOID FAILURE. PCM FAILED. *YH

NHTSA ID
876420
Incident
Jun 1, 1998
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Sep 24, 2000

VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN WITH THE FOOT ON THE BRAKES. BRAKES WERE RUINED. PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT. BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 DIFFERENT TIMES, BUT PROBLEM WOULD REAPPEAR AFTER REPAIRS WERE DONE.*AK

NHTSA ID
871360
Incident
Apr 2, 1998
Driver assistance
Filed Jul 7, 2000

WHILE DRIVING THE THROTTLE REMAINED STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS RELEASED. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK

NHTSA ID
864947
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Mar 4, 2000
Crash reported1 injury reported

HAD PROBLEMS WITH CAR SINCE BEGINNING. ACCELERATES ON ITS OWN AND LUNGES FORWARD WHEN STOPPING. ALSO THE BRAKES FAILED,CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. ROTORS HAVE WARPED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. DEALER CONTACTED 10-15 TIMES WITH NO PROBLEM FOUND. CAR IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD. *AK

NHTSA ID
719676
Incident
Feb 3, 2000
Driver assistance
Filed Oct 11, 1999

CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY FROM A STOP (USUALLY WHEN HUMID)

NHTSA ID
713160
Incident
Jul 20, 1998
Driver assistance
Filed Sep 2, 1999

THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SPEED UP UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK

NHTSA ID
846573
Driver assistance
Filed Aug 29, 1999

VEHICLE IDLE SURGES UNCONTROLLABLY AT A STOP CAUSING VEHICLE TO LURCH FORWARD.

NHTSA ID
710679
Incident
Feb 1, 1999
Driver assistance
Filed Aug 23, 1999
Crash reported

WHILE DRIVING AT A REGULAR SPEED CAR ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN, HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE.MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND STATED THEY COULD RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
845614
Incident
Aug 18, 1998
Driver assistance
Filed Apr 1, 1999

AFTER DRIVING THE CAR AND LETTING SIT FROM 30 MIN TO 4 HOURS(AT VARIOUS TEMPS) AND RESTARTING GOING@10 MPH, THE CARS RPMS FLUCTUATE BRIEFLY AND THEN ACCELERATE DRAMATICALLY TO 4000 RPM LUCKELY, I PUT IT INTO NETURAL OR MY SPEED KEEPS INCREASING, WHEN PUT INTO NEUTRAL, THE RPM'S INCREASED TO 4,000 AND STAYS UNTIL THE GAS IS PRESSED FIRMLY THEN IT WILL GO BACK TO IDLE. PRESSING THE BRAKE DOESN'T STOP THIS. A COUPLE OF TIMES THE RPMS FLUCTUATED THEN THE CAR DIED INSTEAD OF ACCELERATING. *AK

NHTSA ID
705180
Incident
May 15, 1998

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

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .