Problems · NHTSA complaints

2001 Pontiac Grand Am problems

Owners filed 548 complaints about the 2001 Pontiac Grand Am with NHTSA between Jan 2001 and Nov 2023. The most-cited component is electrical system (235).

Complaints
548
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
21
Reported by owners
Fires
4
Reported by owners
Injuries
16
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system235
  2. Exterior lighting100
  3. Engine and engine cooling78
  4. Service brakes, hydraulic59
  5. Visibility33
  6. Equipment32
  7. Fuel system, gasoline25
  8. Steering24
  9. Structure16
  10. Suspension16
  11. Tires15
  12. Air bags14
  13. Power train13
  14. Vehicle speed control11

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
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
200111
200233
200376
200487
200554
200652
200747
200839
200913
201032
201112
201219
20136
201433
201513
20167
20177
20182
20191
20201
20211
20221
20231

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.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Electrical system

235 reports3 crashes3 fires1 related recall
“WAS DRIVING DOWN CITY STREET CAR WAS IN MOTION AND CAR DIED LEAVING ME WITH NO STEERING OR POWER. HAS NOT STARTED SINCE. HAVE NARROWED DOWN TO IGNITION OR SECURITY IT HAS KILLED A BATTERY. TURNS OVER BUT WILL NOT START. GETTING VERY COSTLY.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 7, 2020Electrical system, Unknown or other, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 11337863

Exterior lighting

100 reports1 crash3 related recalls
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC GRAND AM. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE TURN SIGNALS FAILED TO OPERATE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY OVER THE COURSE OF THREE MONTHS. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE CONTACT ENGAGED THE HAZARD LIGHTS TO TEMPORARILY CORRECT THE FAILURE. A DEALER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT WAS PROVIDED WITH SERVICE REQUEST NUMBER: 8-470-818-4180. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 220,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 10, 2018Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 11139399

Engine and engine cooling

78 reports2 crashes1 fire
“WE HAVE RECEIVED THE RECALL LETTER DATED OCTOBER 2014. WE HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE AS IT SHUT OFF AS WE WERE GOING DOWN THE INTERSTATE ACROSS A BRIDGE WHICH HAS A BUMP ON IT WE LOST ALL POWER AND WAS LIKE OLD FASHION STEERING. WE COASTED TO THE END OF THE EXIT RAMP AND HAD TO PLAY WITH THE KEY AND AFTER AWHILE IT STARTED AND THIS CONTINUED OFF AND ON AND THEY TOLD US HAD TO TURN KEY FOR 10 MIN ON AUX TILL LIGHT BLINKED AND RESET ITSELF THEY TOLD US WOULD RESET SECURITY SYSTEM AND START. WHICH IT DID MOST OF THE TIME WAS A PAIN AN INCONVENIENT. WE GOT RID OF IT IN 06 OR 07. IT WAS INTERESTING AND GM SAID IT WAS OUR PROBLEM. HAVEN'T PURCHASED ANOTHER GM VEHICLE. HAD A LOT OF CLOSE CALLS WITH THIS VEHICLE....BUT WAS OUR ISSUE THEY TOLD US.... *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 23, 2014Engine and engine coolingODI 10660350

Service brakes, hydraulic

59 reports2 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE AND TIME WHEN BRAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED SHE COULD HEAR A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE SUSPENSION FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 28, 2011Suspension, Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10433124

Visibility

33 reports1 crash
“3 WINDOW REGULATOR ARE BROKEN ON DRIVER SIDE, AND PASSENGER. THE REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER ONLY DEFROST HALF THE WINDOW, INTERIOR LIGHTS DO NOT GO OFF WHEN THE SWITCH IS ON AUTO, ENGINE OVERHEATS, TURN SIGNALS DO NOT WORK, THE ENGINE IS HARD TO START . I HAVE NOT FIXED THE WINDOWS BUT I BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE OVERHEATING AND I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO PROBLEMS. I HAD TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD NOT START. THESE ISSUES BEGAN OVER A YEAR AGO. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 1, 2008Engine and engine cooling, Visibility, EquipmentODI 10250229

Equipment

32 reports1 related recall
“VATS THE ANTI THEFT THAT LOCKS UP GM CARS BECAUSE OF THE SERCUITY CHIP THAT'S IN THE KEY PEOPLE HAVE GOT ROBBED SITTING IN A PARKING LOT WAITING ON THEY CAR TO START OR FOR SOME ONE TO COME GET THEM. *TT”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 6, 2011Electrical system, EquipmentODI 10417735
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.