Owners filed 82 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine and engine cooling › engine. It has been recalled 3 times.
What fails
Component
Reports
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
11
0
0
0
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
6
1
2
0
Visibility › Power Window Devices and Controls
5
0
1
0
Unknown or Other
5
0
0
1
Visibility › Windshield
3
0
0
0
Vehicle Speed Control
3
0
0
0
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings
3
0
0
0
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components
3
1
0
0
Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly
3
0
0
0
Structure › Body
2
0
0
0
3 safety recalls
Part 573 reports
Fuel System, Gasoline06E043000
Filed May 19, 200688,303 vehiclesHoneywell International, Inc.
Defect. CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18, 2005, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2006, SOLD FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE AND ON CERTAIN SCHOOL BUSES. (TO SEE THE SCHOOL BUS ENGINE SIZES, CLICK ON "DOCUMENT SEARCH" AND THEN "BUS APPLICATIONS"). THE CONNECTOR ON THE FUEL FILTER WAS NOT MANUFACTURED TO HONEYWELL'S SPECIFICATION. AS A RESULT, THE O-RING MAY NOT SEAT CORRECTLY ON THE FUEL LINE.
Risk. THIS CONDITION MAY CAUSE AN INADEQUATE SEAL AT THE CONNECTION, POTENTIALLY LEADING TO A FUEL LEAK. IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE COULD OCCUR.
Remedy. HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION 1).
Visibility › Power Window Devices and Controls92V043000
Defect. MOISTURE CAN ENTER THE EXPRESS-DOWN ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE AND CAUSE A SHORT CIRCUIT THAT CAUSES WINDOW OPERATION WITHOUT OPERATOR CONTROL, AND LEAVES THE WINDOW IN THE DOWN POSITION.
Risk. THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WILL FAIL FROM OVERHEATINGAND COULD RESULT IN A FIRE HAZARD INSIDE THE DOOR PANEL.
Remedy. REPLACE THE WINDOW EXPRESS-DOWN ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE.
Steering › Steering Wheel/Handle Bar91V018000
Filed Jan 4, 199135 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.
Remedy. REPLACE STEERING COLUMN ASSEMBLY.
What owners reported
Newest filings
EngineCrash2 injured
Filed Nov 13, 2014NY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1990 (NA) PONTIAC GRAND AM. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30-40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED CHEST INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE OTHER DRIVER SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
Unknown or Other1 injured
Filed Apr 18, 200672,000 milesIN
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ELASTIC BANDS THAT HOLD THE PADDING TO THE SHELL OF THE SAFETY SEAT HAS BEEN PULLED LOOSE BY THE CHILD ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE CHILD HAS CHOKED AND BEEN SMACKED BY THE BANDS. THE MANUFACTURER SENT NEW PADDING, BUT THERE WAS NO IMPROVEMENT TO THE PADDING SENT. THIS IS A COSCO 22-130-WAL MANUFACTURED FEBRUARY 17, 2005.
Seat Belts › FrontCrash1 injured
Filed Mar 8, 2005IN
THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER. VEHICLE HIT THE GUARD RAIL. AND AS A RESULT, DRIVER'S FACE HIT THE WINDSHIELD BECAUSE THE SEAT BELT DID NOT OPERATE AND LOCK. DEALER WAS INFORMED BY CONSUMER.*AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE HIT THE BRAKE AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN. *TC
Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Ball Joint
Filed Feb 7, 200583,000 milesWI
DURING INSPECTION DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER ABOUT LOOSE LOWER BALL JOINT. DEALERSHIP REPAIRED THE PROBLEM.*AK
Equipment › Appliance › Air Conditioner
Filed Sep 8, 2004TX
MY CAR WILL CRANK UP AND DRIVE FOR HOURS BUT IF I STOP AND TURN IT OFF IT WILL NOT CRANK UP FOR 3-4 HOURS. ALSO, MY AIR CONDITIONER WAS RUNNING GREAT BUT WHEN I TURNED IT ON ONE DAY IT JUST STOPPED BLOWING COLD AND IT IS FULL OF COOLANT AND ANTIFREEZE. *AK
Visibility › Power Window Devices and ControlsFire
Filed Jun 8, 2003ND
WHILE DRIVING, THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR PANEL CAUGHT ON FIRE. CONSUMER IS AWARE OF SAFETY RECALL FOR POWER WINDOW CONTROL MODULE REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN WITH NO INSIDE DOOR PANEL (BARE METAL EXPOSED). THE WINDOW WAS BEING HELD UP WITH PLASTIC TAPE, AND THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE LOCKED DUE TO THE FIRE DAMAGE TO THE DOOR. ALSO THE VEHICLE HAS THE STENCH OF SMOKE FROM THE FIRE IN THE DOOR. WE THINK THIS MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE POWER WINDOW DEVICE. *TT
Power Train › Manual Transmission
Filed Apr 18, 2003150,000 milesMO
TRANSMISSION DIP STICK FOR MANUAL TRANSMISSION (ISUZU) TYPE SHRINKS CAUSING FLUID LEAKAGE AND TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *NLM
Seats › Front Assembly › Recliner
Filed Jul 29, 2002MI
WHILE SLOWING DOWN AND THEN TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT DRIVER'S SEATBACK FAILED WITH NO WARNING. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
Tires › Sidewall
Filed May 15, 2002PA
DISCOVERED A LARGE BULGE ON SIDEWALL OF TIRE AT ONLY 2000 MILES. FIRESTONE SAID IT WAS IMPACT RELATED BUT IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM.*AK
Steering › Steering Wheel/Handle BarCrash1 killed
Filed May 9, 2002MO
MY BROTHER WAS KILLED THEY HAD A RECALL ON STEERING FOR THE 1991 PONTIAC GRAND AM I NEED TO FIND OUT IF THE RECALL WAS DONE ON HIS CAR PONTIAC HASNT BEEN MUCH HELP.
Steering › Steering Wheel/Handle BarCrash1 killed
Filed Mar 6, 2002MO
I NEED TO FIND OUT IF THIS CAR WAS TAKEN IN FOR THE STEERING RECALL 91V018000 CONCERNING STEERING COLUMN THEY HAD ON THIS YEAR....PLEASE LET ME NO MY BROTHER OWNED THE CAR WAS WAS KILLED 12082001. THANK YOU LAURA SMART HIS SISTER. *AK
Seats › Front Assembly › Recliner
Filed Feb 25, 2002IA
WHILE DRIVING PASSENGER'S SEAT WILL SLIDE BACK AND FORTH WITHOUT APPLYING PRESSURE ON LATCH SYSTEM OF SEAT.*AK
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation ComponentsCrash
Filed Jan 23, 2002VA
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Dec 15, 2000ID
WHILE DRIVING, CRUISE CONTROL CAME ON AND ACCELERATED VEHICLE UP TO 90MPH. DRIVER HAD TO PUT VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL, AND EXCESSIVELY APPLY BRAKES. WHEN STARTING VEHICLE RIGHT BACK UP, CRUISE CONTROL WOULD TAKE OVER AGAIN, UNLESS VEHICLE SAT FOR AT LEAST 20-30 MINUTES. MECHANIC DISABLED CRUISE CONTROL. *AK *SLC
Unknown or Other
Filed Jul 10, 2000PA
I REPORTED THIS LONG BEFORE MY WARRANTY EXPIRED BUT NOTHING WAS DONE ABOUT IT AND AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED I FOUND OUT THAT THE PRIMER USED ON THE CAR WAS DEFECTIVE AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING TO BE DONE ABOUT IT SINCE THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. NO SAFETY DEFECT DISCUSSED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK
Seat BeltsCrash1 injured
Filed Apr 18, 2000AZ
SEAT BELT FAILED
Structure › Body
Filed Apr 15, 2000TX
THERE IS A LEAK IN THE CAR EVERY TIME IT RAINS BOTH OF THE FRONT FLOOR BOARDS ARE FULL OF WATER MY NEIGHBOR OWNS A 91 GRAND AM ALSO AND HIS DOES THE SAME WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS BUT THE FLOOR BOARDS ARE RUSTING AND IT IS GOING TO COST ME TO FIX IT I KNOW THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN WRECKED AND MY NEIGHBORS CAR DOES THE SAME SO IT MUST BE A DESIGN PROBLEM I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT I HAVE TO DO TO GET THIS RESOLVED SO THERE WILL BE NO FURTHER DAMAGE TO MY CAR PLUS IT IS MOLDING MY CARPET AND SMELLS. *AK
Steering › Hydraulic Power Assist › Power Steering Fluid
Filed Mar 22, 2000MN
CALL TO PONTIAC RESULTED IN THEY CLAIMING THERE WAS NO PREVIOUS REPORTED PROBLEMS, I FOUND A RECALL NOTICE PERTAINING TO STEERING FOR WHEN THIS CAR WAS MANUFACTURED AND LOTS OF SERVICE BULLETINS EACH WHICH DESCRIBED THE VERY SAME NOISE WE HEARD AT THE TIME OF THE BREAKDOWN. THIS WAS A POTENTIAL SAFETY RISK IF THE CAR HAD BEEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. TOW SERVICE INDICATED THAT WE WERE LUCKY THAT NO ONE WAS HURT.*AK
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Feb 7, 2000OR
VEHICLE EXPERIENCES CONTINUED STALLING CONDITIONS, REPLACEMENT OF SEVERAL COMPONENTS (SENSORS, IGNITION CONTROL, HEAD GASKET), HOWEVER ENGINE STILL STALLS. *MJS
Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.
Most recent recall on file: May 19, 2006. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.