Problems · by component

2001 Pontiac Grand Am electrical system problems

235 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2001 Pontiac Grand Am cite electrical system, 43% of all 548 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
235
43% of all complaints
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the electrical system

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC GRAND AM. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY SHUT OFF. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 22, 2019Electrical systemODI 11190982
“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
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC GRAND AM. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE LEFT TURNING LANE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE TURN SIGNALS DID NOT WORK. THE TURN SIGNALS SEEMED TO OPERATE AFTER THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH WAS MANEUVERED SEVERAL TIMES. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE CONTACT CALLED ETTLESON BUICK GMC AT (708) 215-7213 (LOCATED AT 6201 S LA GRANGE ROAD, HODGKINS, IL 60525), BUT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,000. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. *TT *JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 13, 2018Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 11119732
“ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS IN THE PAST TWO MONTHS, MY VEHICLE HAS TURNED OFF WHILE DRIVING. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND THE CAR TURNED OFF. ON ALL THREE OCCASIONS I WAS COMING EITHER TO A STOP SIGN OR TRAFFIC LIGHT WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, ABOUT TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN. THANKFULLY, I WAS NOT YET IN THE INTERSECTION WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I BELIEVE THE ISSUE IS RELATED TO THE IGNITION SWITCH RECALL ISSUED BY GM. SOME TIME IN 2015 I DID MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH NORTHSTAR CHEVROLET IN CLIFTON PARK, NY TO HAVE THE ISSUE RESOLVED, ASSUMING THAT THEY WERE ACTUALLY GOING TO REPAIR THE IGNITION. I NOTIFIED THEM THAT I DID HAVE ISSUES WITH TURNING THE KEY WHEN TRYING TO TURN THE CAR ON. THEY SAID IT WAS NOT RELATED, THAT IT WAS AN OLD CAR AND THE IGNITION HAD WORN A CERTAIN WAY - THAT'S WHY THE KEY DIDN'T ALWAYS TURN EASILY. THEY SAID THE RECALL REPAIR WAS TO MAKE THE HOLE IN THE KEY SMALLER SO THAT I COULDN'T HAVE HEAVY ITEMS ATTACHED TO MY KEY. THEY LOOKED AT WHAT I DID HAVE ON MY KEY CHAIN AND SAID THE WEIGHT SHOULD BE FINE, IT WAS MAINLY FOR PEOPLE THAT HAD DOZENS OF KEYS OR VERY HEAVY ITEMS ON THE KEY RING. I LEFT WITHOUT ANY CHANGES TO MY KEY. NOW, IN MARCH AND…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 22, 2017Electrical systemODI 10979922
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC GRAND AM. WHILE DRIVING, THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE TURN SIGNALS FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 6, 2017Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 10970996

Showing 6 of 235 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

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

1 recall on this component

Electrical system: ignition

Free remedy

This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on July 3, 2014, that they are recalling 5,877,718 model year 2000-2005 Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, 1997-2003 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2005 Malibu Classic, 1999-2004 Oldsmobile Alero, 1998-2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1999-2005 Pontiac Grand Am and 2004-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.

Electrical systemReported Jul 3, 2014NHTSA 14V400000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Oct 28, 2026

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