Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Pontiac Grand Am submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 22 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
TAKATA RECALL TRANSMISSION - SHIFTS HARD, WENT OUT WITH OUT ANY WARNING LIGHTS. WAS AT A STOP LIGHT WHEN I TRIED TO GO, IT WOULDN'T GO PAST 10 MPH AND WENT ALL THE WAY UP TO 4TH RPM. POWER STEERING LEAKS BAD.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHE TURNED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, THE ENGINE FAILED TO START THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED PER AN UNKNOWN IGNITION SWITCH RECALL. IT TOOK OVER TEN MINUTES FOR THE VEHICLE TO START. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,848. UPDATED 05/17/17*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO HAVE ALL THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS REPLACED. UPDATED 09/20/2017*JS
MY PONTIAC'S IGNITION KEY HAS FALLEN OUT OF THE IGNITION ON AT LEAST THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHILE I'M DRIVING/TURNING. IN ADDITION TO THE KEY FALLING OUT OF THE IGNITION, THE STEERING WHEEL BECOMES HARD TO STEER AND I HAVE TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP. THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT TOOK PLACE ONE DAY AFTER MY CAR WAS SERVICED AT A LOCAL GM DEALER IN RELATION TO THE 14350 UNINTENDED IGNITION KEY ROTATION POST CARD I RECEIVED IN THE MAIL. I DID CALL THE GM DEALER TO REPORT THAT THE CAR WAS PRODUCING THE SAME HIGH RISK ISSUES AND THAT I COULD COME UP THERE AND SHOW THEM THIS SAME PROBLEM WHILE THEIR STAFF IS ALSO IN THE CAR. I WAS TOLD " WE FIXED THE RECALL PROBLEM YOU MUST HAVE ANOTHER ISSUE THAT IS NOT COVERED UNDER THIS RECALL." I AM WILLING TO RECORD AND UPLOAD VIDEO FOOTAGE TO YOUTUBE OR A GM SITE THAT ACCEPTS VIDEOS SO GM CORPORATION CAN ASSESS MY ISSUES REMOTELY. THANKS IN ADVANCE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHICH FLIPPED OVER AND CRASHED INTO A DITCH. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
I WAS DRIVING MY MOTHERS CAR WHEN I WENT TO SLOW DOWN COMING UP ON A HILL GOING DOWN FELT LIKE BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR. COMING DOWN THE HILL IS WHEN I NOTICED MY EBRAKE DIDN'T EVEN WORK. MY BRAKE LIGHT, OIL LIGHT, TRAC OFF LIGHT AND MY SECURITY LIGHT WERE ON. THEN COULDN'T CONTROL THE CAR WENT IN WRONG LANE AND HIT HEAD ON WITH ANOTHER CAR. *TR
STEERING LOCKED UP WHILE TURNING AND BRAKES FAILED. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO LOWER THE TILT OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND IT SUDDENLY BECAME STUCK IN THE HIGH POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS UNCOMFORTABLE TO DRIVE. HE HAS NOT HAD THE VEHICLE INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC OR THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,200.
LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET REPLACE FOR LEAKAGE 5/06 WATER PUMP REPLACED FOR LEAKAGE 9/06 POWER STEERING RACK AND PINION REPLACED FOR LEAKING 2/08 MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH STILL MALFUNCTIONING ALL WORK PERFORMED AT DEALERSHIP AND RECORDS HAVE BEEN RETAINED. ALL MAINTENANCE ON CAR IS UP TO DATE WITH RECORDS TO VALIDATE. *TR
2002 GRAND AM GT HAD RACK AND PINION STEERING COLUMN REPLACED MAY 9, 2007. NINE DAYS LATER, PART FAILED. GENERAL MOTORS SAID IT WAS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT IN THE PARTS. RACK AND PINION SYSTEM WAS REPLACED AGAIN ON 5-24-07. PROBLEM REMAINS AND HAVE TO TAKE TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSIS. OTHER DEALERSHIP PRELIMINARY DIAGNOSIS IS SAME PROBLEM. SAFETY CONCERN!!!. STEERING BECOMES DIFFICULT. I HAVE A 6-YEAR OLD AND DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY OFTEN WITH HER. THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED FOR SAFETY CONCERNS.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE AT LOW SPEED, THERE WAS A LOSS OF ALL STEERING. THE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK. AFTER INITIAL INSPECTION BY THE CONTACT, IT WAS DETERMINED THE STEERING RACK AND PINION FRACTURED. THE DEALER WAS ALERTED.
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY SNAPPED UPWARD, AS IF HITTING THE TILT LEVER TO GET OUT OF THE CAR, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. NOW THE TILT LEVER IS NOT FUNCTIONING AT ALL AND WHEEL IS LOCKED IN THE UPWARD POSITION.
AROUND 37,000 MILES I NOTICED A LITTLE MOVEMENT IN THE STEERING WHEEL. AT 40,000 MILES THE STEERING RACK WAS MAKING A LOT OF NOISE WHEN MOVED. I CALLED MY DEALERSHIP AND THEY COULD NOT GET IT IN THAT WEEK. WHEN I DID BRING IT IN THE POWER STEERING RACK WAS GONE. THIS IS A 2002 CAR THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. I ALSO OWNED A PONTIAC GRAND AM 1999 AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO THIS CAR AROUND THE SAME MILEAGE. THERE IS DEFINITELY A PROBLEM!!!
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER LOST POWER STEERING. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK IT WAS STATED THAT POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED. POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED. *LA
MY WHEEL BROKE OFF WHILE DRIVING, HAD NO STEERING AND NO BRAKES, NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT LET GO, WAS TOLD COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND THEN AFTER THE CAR WAS FIXED BY THE DEALERSHIP THE DEALERSHIP SAID I HAD TO PAY, AS THIS COULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. COMPANY SIDED WITH DEALERSHIP AND SAID WOULD HAVE SOMEONE FROM THE COMPANY MEET WITH ME AND LOOK INTO THE MATTER BUT HAS NOT. I'VE BEEN WAITING SINCE NOV02.
PROBLEMS WITH SUSPENSION AND POWER STEERING.*MR IN ADDITION, FAILED SUSPENSION. INSPECTED VEHICLE FOR POPPING TYPE OF NOISE WHEN TURNING RIGHT AT LOW SPEEDS, SUCH AS PARKING LOT TURNS. VEHICLE WAS AT DEALERSHIP ONCE FOR POWER STEERING SYSTEM AND FOUR TIMES FOR SUSPENSION. CONSUMER FEELS SHE'S ENTITLED TO ANOTHER VEHICLE OR COMPENSATION FOR A "LEMON" CALCULATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LEMON LAW. *PH
2002 PONTIAC GRANDAM GT-1 HAS CONTINUOUS GRINDING, RUBBING, AND POPPING SOUNDS FROM THE FRONT STEERING. ALSO HAS UNCONTROLED POWER STEERING WHERE THE CAR COULD GO OFF THE ROAD. DEALERSHIPS CAN OR WILL NOT TRY TO FIND THESE SERIOUS DEFECTS, THEY SAY THAT IT IS THE TIRES THAT IS CAUSING THESE DEFECTS.THIS IS THE SECOND NEW GT-1 WITHIN THE PAST THREE YEARS WITH THE SAME DEFECTS THAT I HAVE OWNED.
I WAS MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN INTO A PARKING SPACE AND MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT CAUSING ME TO HIT THE CAR NEXT TO ME. MY CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP AT LEAST 4 TIMES TO TRY TO GET THE PROBLEM FIXED WITH THE POWER STEERING AND THEY SAY THERE IS NO PROBLEM. YET THE POWER STEERING HAS GONE OUT 7 TIMES 2 OF THOSE TIMES CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THE FIRST ACCIDENT WAS AROUND 7,000$ THE 2ND ONE WAS MINOR AND ESTIMATES ARE BEING DONE NOW. *JB
WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE RIGHT KNUCKLE SEPARATED CAUSING THE RIGHT WHEEL TO BREAK AND TURN ONTO ITS SIDE WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. THE CAPABILITY OF STEERING WAS GONE AND THERE WAS NO WAY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CAR TURNED OVER ONTO ITS TOP IN A DITCH. THIS ACCIDENT TOTALED THE VEHICLE.
THE VEHICLE IS A 2002 PONTIAC GRAND AM SE1 SEDAN WITH THE ECOTEC 2.2L ENGINE. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THERE WAS SOME SNOW AND MAYBE A SLIGHT AMOUNT OF ICE IN AREAS. AND THE CAR INFRONT OF ME LOST CONTROL. IN ORDER TO AVOID HITTING IT I HAD TO MAKE A SHARP LEFT HAND TURN. WHILE MAKING THIS LEFT HAND TURN I HAD MY POWER STEERING DISSENGAGE. MY DASHBOARD LIGHTS ALL THEN LIT UP AND THE ENGINE AND ALL THE VEHICLES POWER WENT DEAD. I ENDED UP GOING OFF THE ROAD AND WAS AIRBORNE AND CAME FLYING DOWN INTO THE METAL HIGHWAY DIVIDER. CAUSING SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF MY CAR AND MINOR DAMAGEIN THE REAR. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THERE WERE NO SERIOUS INJURIES. THIS HOWEVER HAS OCCURED NOW 4 TIMES IN THIS VEHICLE SINCE PURCHASE. THE DEALERSHIP STATED TWICE BEFORE THE ACCIDENT "CAN NOT DUPLICATE OWNERS CONCERN" AND SENT ME AWAY WITH NO WORK PERFORMED. I THEN CONTACTED PONTIAC CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER BEFORE THE ACCIDENT AND THEY DIDNT OFFER ANY HELP EITHER.
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY THERE IS A WINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *MR
STEERING COLUMN TILT IS BROKEN WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. NLM
STEERING FELT LOOSE, ALIGNMENTS WERE DONE, BUT DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER 4 TIMES, COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, AND WENT OFF THE ROAD. *AK. THERE WERE 2 INJURIES.*YD
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 .