Problems · by component

1997 Pontiac Grand Am visibility problems

34 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1997 Pontiac Grand Am cite visibility, 9% of all 394 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
34
9% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the visibility

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 12, 2008Electrical system, Exterior lighting, VisibilityFire reportedODI 10217821
“PURCHASED CAR NEW AT END OF 97 MODEL YEAR. WITHIN FIRST SIX MONTHS RETURNED CAR SIX TIMES DUE TO DEFECTIVE SWAY BAR BUSHINGS. PROBLEM HAS NEVER BEEN CORRECTED. CAR CLUNKS AS IT IS EITHER TURNED TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT OR TRAVELS (SLOWLY) OVER SPEED BUMPS. ALSO HAVE EXPERIENCED PAINT PEELING FROM OUTSIDE MIRRORS, RADIO VOLUME CONTROL PROBLEMS, RADIO/CLOCK DISPLAY WORKS ONLY PART OF THE TIME, RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SEAT MOUNTING BROKE AND SLID PASSENGER INTO DASHBOARD, 2 DOOR SPORT COUPE-BOTH POWER WINDOWS MOTORS HAVE BROKEN AND BEEN REPLACED. THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW JUST BROKE FOR THE SECOND TIME IN TWO YEARS. PASSENGER WINDOW HAS ALSO STARTED TO ACT SLUGGISH. DISCOVERED LEAKY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. ANOTHER EXPENSIVE REPAIR. RAIN LEAKS INTO CAR AROUND WINDOW GASKETS WHICH ALSO MAKE A HISSING SOUND AT SPEEDS OVER 45 MPH. CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN WITH CARE FOR NINE YEARS(ODOMETER=80,000 MILES) AND HAS HAD OIL CHANGES, TIRE ROTATIONS, ETC. COMPLETED ACCORDING TO SCHEDULE. OWNER CANNOT AFFORD ADDITIONAL COSTLY REPAIRS ESPECIALLY SINCE IT SEEMS TO BE GOING DOWNHILL FROM HERE. DISGUSTED WITH PROBLEMS AS WELL AS WITH LACK OF SERVICE FROM SEVERAL DIFFERENT PONTIAC DEALERS.…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 25, 2006Suspension, Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Visibility, Structure, Seats, Equipment, Unknown or otherODI 10169247
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 28, 2006Suspension, Electrical system, Visibility, Vehicle speed controlODI 10166688
“IN 2001, DRIVER SIDE WINDOW MOTOR DOES NOT OPERATE ANYMORE. REPLACED IT. ($150). IN 2003, DRIVER WINDOW MOTOR AND PASSENGER AND REAR PASSENGER MOTOR DIES ONCE AGAIN. REPLACED ALL MOTORS, NOW THEY ARE DEAD AGAIN. ESPECIALLY WHEN MY AC DOES NOT WORK EITHER. IN 2004, HEATER CORE AND WATER PUMP BROKEN. REPAIRED. NOW I HAVE A WATER LEAK IN THE DRIVER'S FLOOR AREA WHICH RUINED MY CARPET AND THAT HAS TO BE REPLACED! ANOTHER $200. IT SEEMS IT ALL EVOLVES AROUND ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. *NM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 31, 2006Visibility, Structure, EquipmentODI 10154312
“THIS IS THE WORST CAR (LEMON) I HAVE EVER HAD. I BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM A USED CAR DEALER SHIP CALLED NEW CAR ALTERNATIVE IN LIVONIA MI. I AM NOW ON MY THIRD ENGINE IN THE CAR. THE FIRST 2 FAILED DUE TO THE HEAD GASKETS BLOWING AND ANTI-FREEZE WAS MIXING WITH OIL IN THE ENGINE CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE. ALL CAR WINDOW MOTORS HAVE BE REPLACED 4 OR 5 TIMES EACH AND STILL DON'T WORK. BACK TWO DOORS ARE BROKE ONE WONT OPEN THE OTHER WONT CLOSE. THE SUNROOF WONT CLOSE THE DEALER TOLD ME 1500 TO REPLACE MOTOR AND PUT BACK ON TRACKS. LOL I HAVE THE BRAKES REPLACED 3 TIMES IN 5 YEARS. I BOUGHT THE CAR DEC OF 99 AND HAVE HAD ALL THESE PROBLEMS SINCE. I DON'T RECOMMEND ANYONE TO BUY A GRAND AM OR A CAR FROM THIS DEALERSHIP THEY WERE NO HELP AT ALL. THE FIRST ENGINE WAS COVERED BY WARRANTY SECOND ONE WAS AT MY COST OF 3500. THEN ANOTHER 1500 FOR NEW RADIATOR AND HEATER CORE. THEN ALTERNATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER THAT I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION HOSE. THIS IS SUCH BULL CRAP. WHAT A LEMON! PLUS I WAS PULLING OUT OF A GAS STATION ONE DAY AND MY AIR BAG DECIDED TO COME OUT ON IT OWN NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED AND HIT ME IN THE FACE RESULTING IN INJURIES AND I HAD TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 2, 2005Service brakes, hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Electrical system, Visibility, Air bags, Latches/locks/linkages, EquipmentODI 10131095
“(1)POWER WINDOWS-INTERMITTENT TO COMPLETELY INOPERATIVE (2)DEALERSHIP LOOKED AT THE WINDOWS TWICE AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG WHEN THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY, AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED THEY FOUND THE PROBLEM. (3)NOTHING WAS DONE DO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME I NEED 3 MOTORS FOR THE WINDOWS AND TO REPAIR EACH WINDOW WITH A PROBLEM WOULD BE $425. *NM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 24, 2005VisibilityODI 10107819

Showing 6 of 34 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.