Problems · by component

1996 Pontiac Grand Am suspension problems

28 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1996 Pontiac Grand Am cite suspension, 6% of all 450 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
28
6% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the suspension

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 27, 2005SuspensionODI 10118542
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 17, 2002SuspensionODI 9005166
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 25, 2001SuspensionODI 749190
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 25, 2001Steering, SuspensionODI 889177
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 24, 2001SuspensionODI 878962
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 17, 2000Suspension, Service brakes, hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Visibility, Unknown or otherODI 868008

Showing 6 of 28 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.