Problems · NHTSA complaints
1997 Pontiac Grand Am problems
Owners filed 394 complaints about the 1997 Pontiac Grand Am with NHTSA between Oct 1996 and Jun 2020. The most-cited component is electrical system (105).
Complaints
394
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
32
Reported by owners
Fires
13
Reported by owners
Injuries
37
People reported injured
Deaths
3
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Electrical system105
- Engine and engine cooling82
- Service brakes, hydraulic66
- Air bags42
- Vehicle speed control36
- Visibility34
- Suspension24
- Steering22
- Power train21
- Fuel system, gasoline18
- Equipment15
- Exterior lighting13
- Tires10
- Structure10
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
1
18
50
51
59
42
70
33
20
14
9
7
9
1
2
2
1
1
2
0
1
0
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 1 |
| 1997 | 18 |
| 1998 | 50 |
| 1999 | 51 |
| 2000 | 59 |
| 2001 | 42 |
| 2002 | 70 |
| 2003 | 33 |
| 2004 | 20 |
| 2005 | 14 |
| 2006 | 9 |
| 2007 | 7 |
| 2008 | 9 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Electrical system
105 reports2 crashes9 fires2 related recalls
“THE THEFT WARNING SYSTEM KEEPS THE IGNITION SWITCH FROM ENGAGING. THE CAR WILL NOT START UNLESS THE KEY IS IN THE "ON" POSITION FOR FIFTEEN MINUTES AND RESETS THE SYSTEM. *TR”
Engine and engine cooling
82 reports2 crashes1 fire
“COOLANT LEVELS IN RESERVE TANK ALWAYS WOULD DROP BELOW MINIMUM LEVELS, AND WE WOULD CONTINUE TO ADD COOLANT. LAST OIL CHANGE IN JUNE 2009 REVIEW NO PROBLEM. NOVEMBER 2009, WHILE SON WAS DRIVING HOME FROM COLLEGE (APPROXIMATELY 80 MILES) CAR BEGAN TO OVERHEAT WITH TEMP GAUGE READING IN THE RED. HAD CAR TOWED TO LOCAL SHOP AND REPORTED THAT COOLANT HAD LEAKED INTO CORE, ENGINE DESTROYED (ESTIMATED REPAIR - NEED NEW/REMANUFACTURED ENGINE $2500-3000). SEEMS WHILE REVIEWING THIS SUBJECT ONLINE AND W/NHTSA WEB SITE THAT THIS HAS BEEN A RE-OCCURRING PROBLEM WITH 1997 PONTIACS 4 AND 6 CYLINDER ENGINES. *TR”
Service brakes, hydraulic
66 reports3 crashes2 fires
“1) FRONT ABS BEGAN TO PULSATE AS IF THE VEHICLE WERE IN A SKID HOWEVER THIS HAPPENED DURING NORMAL DRIVING AND BRAKING WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP. 2) ABS WIRING HARNESS WAS FAULTY DUE TO WEAR AND TEAR FROM TURNING THE WHEEL 3) HAD TO REPLACE BOTH FRONT RIGHT AND LEFT ABS WIRING HARNESSES THIS BRAKING SYSTEM IS FAULTY AND CAN LEAD TO SERIOUS BRAKING ISSUES. *TR”
Air bags
42 reports19 crashes
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 PONTIAC GRAND AM. WHILE TRAVELING 70 MPH, BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER FRONT SIDE AIRBAGS HAD DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 189,000. UPDATED 02/01/118 LJ THE CONSUMER AND HER PASSENGER WERE INJURED DUE TO THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAGS. UPDATED 03/18/11 *JB”
Vehicle speed control
36 reports
“NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS REGARDING A 1997 PONTIAC GRAND AM FOR REPAIRS/ REPLACEMENTS OF PARTS. DOOR WINDOWS DO NOT FUNCTION, MOTOR HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED BY FORMER OWNER, WE HAVE REPAIRED MOTORS ON DOOR WINDOWS SEVERAL TIMES ON OUR OWN, WINDOWS WOULD NOT GO UP AND DOWN AT ALL, COST TO REPAIR AT MECHANICS WAS OVER 400 AND WAS DONE BY FIRST OWNER AT LEAST ONCE. CAR SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, HAD TO REPLACE ENTIRE COMPUTER SYSTEM AND NOW SAME PROBLEM IS HAPPENING AGAIN, CAR IDLES HORRIBLY, SOUNDS LIKE IT WILL BE BLOWING UP, AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. PRIOR TO THE REPLACEMENT OF THE COMPUTER CAR FREQUENTLY STALLED OUT WHILE DRIVING IN MID TURN OR WHILE GOING FORWARD, AND CAR FREQUENTLY WAS DIFFICULT TO START, EVENTUALLY NEEDING TO BE TOWED TO A REPAIR FACILITY WHO HAD TO REPLACE ENTIRE COMPUTER. CAR HAS WHEEL BEARINGS THAT MAKE A LOT OF NOISE, SOUNDS LIKE WHEEL IS GOING TO FALL OFF. CAR HAS ACCELERATED ALL ON ITS OWN WITHOUT THE DRIVER STEPPING ON GAS PEDAL OR DOING ANYTHING AT ALL WITH ACCELERATOR, CAR RANDOMLY DECIDES BY ITSELF TO LUNGE FORWARD AND TRY TO DRIVE ITSELF. THIS STOPPED BRIEFLY AFTER THE COMPUTER WAS REPLACED AND IS NOW HAPPENING AGAIN. *JB”
Visibility
34 reports1 fire
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 PONTIAC GRAND AM. WHILE DRIVING 30-35 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND ON THREE DIFFERENT TIMES. THE WINDOWS WOULD NOT ROLL UP AND DOWN PROPERLY UNLESS CONTROLLED BY THE DRIVER'S SIDE CONTROL SWTICH. THE FOG LIGHTS DO NOT WORK AS WELL AND THE FUSES ARE CHARRED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 128,728.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.