Problems · NHTSA complaints

2003 Pontiac Grand Am problems

Owners filed 338 complaints about the 2003 Pontiac Grand Am with NHTSA between Apr 2002 and Aug 2025. The most-cited component is electrical system (135).

Complaints
338
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
28
Reported by owners
Fires
6
Reported by owners
Injuries
30
People reported injured
Deaths
8
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system135
  2. Exterior lighting65
  3. Vehicle speed control35
  4. Engine and engine cooling28
  5. Air bags20
  6. Engine17
  7. Structure17
  8. Steering16
  9. Visibility15
  10. Service brakes, hydraulic12
  11. Suspension10
  12. Fuel system, gasoline10
  13. Fuel/propulsion system8
  14. Service brakes7

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 Oct 28, 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
20021
200321
200417
200531
200628
200738
200825
200919
201015
201114
201215
201313
201450
201519
20166
20178
20187
20193
20201
20210
20220
20236
20240
20251

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

135 reports6 crashes5 fires1 related recall
“Engine has lost power from 150hp @ 3K RPM and 200ft·lb @ 4K RPM. It is now 50hp @ ½K RPM & 75ft·lb @ 2K revolutions per minute. Gear Shift Button has seperated from globe. Radio needs to be replaced or reset daily. Rear window defroster has seperated from window, and won’t retain position. Tire Pressure Monitoring System hasn’t worked to no avail. Turn signals are showing discrepancies when activated from switch.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 25, 2023Power train, Electrical system, EngineODI 11556788

Exterior lighting

65 reports2 fires2 related recalls
“Debra J. Westfall—neighbour—loves controversy, and won’t back down from expressing her anger or bafflement exhibited from half–assed parenting. Funny how she hates us snowflakes for sharing her entitled, materialistic narcissism. Five porch monkeys were using electric scooters on our street when one of them vandalised our driver side taillight. Turnpike commissions can confirm that latter in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Ohio. Debra Westfall hates people who aren’t genuine, and believes keeping us out of the loop justifies her behaviour. This leads to her central conflict and that mutability keeps gives that household insomnia. Tammy Pagareski, Louise Dobbins and Mark Westfall might confirm her character, if you can schmooze them into it. After two years of scooters driving around the city, this pilot program has finally ended according to local media stations. State leaders said the budget process slowed down any talks about continuing the pilot program in Pittsburgh. There are concerns about people leaving the scooters dumped in bad spots. State leaders acknowledge there have been issues, and if changes are going to be made. Samuel DeMarco III believes…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 16, 2023Exterior lighting, Structure, Lane departureODI 11532580

Vehicle speed control

35 reports3 crashes1 related recall
“**THIS IS NOT A STANDARD 2003 PONTIAC, SINGLE OWNER CURRENT MILEAGE OF 70,000** UPON VEHICLE REACHING OPERATING TEMPERATURE IT EXHIBITS THE SYMPTOMS OF RECALL #04092 124/ ACCELERATOR PEDAL ARM.FAILURE RESULTS IN LOSS OF RPM AND SPEED CONTROL.THIS ITEM WAS ADDRESSED ON 1-11-2004 BY APPROVED DEALER. CAR LAST FAILURE OCCURRENCE WAS ON 1/12/2020. THIS VEHICLE WAS ALSO INCLUDED IN RECALL#14350 IGNITION SWITCH. WHEN FAILURE OCCURS LOSS OF POWER,SPEED,AIR BAGS,ECT.. INITIAL RECALL REPAIR WAS ON 3-07-2014. AT THAT TIME A NEW KEY WAS CUT TO RESOLVE ISSUE. FAILURE HAS REOCCURED, LAST TIME BEING 12-23-19 WHILE DRIVING MID DAY NO EXCESSIVE TEMP OR DRIVING CONDITIONS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 13, 2020Air bags, Vehicle speed control, Unknown or otherODI 11299042

Engine and engine cooling

28 reports
“VEHICLE CONSTANTLY OVERHEATS COOLING FAN DOES NOT COME ON. FLUID LEVEL NEEDS REPLENISHED CONSTANTLY. ENGINE PRESSURE BUILD UP FROM THE OVERHEATING. STILL CANNOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM AND VERY COSTLY TO REPAIR IN THE SHOP. PLEASE DO SOMETHING WITH THESE CARS HAVE RESEARCHED LOTS OF THE SAME ISSUES ON THE INTERNET. ESTIMATED COST TO REPAIR 967.00. WHICH SOME PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD. THIS IS A MANUFACTURE ISSUE AS THE INTAKE MANIFOLD SEEM DEFECTIVE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 8, 2012Engine and engine coolingODI 10447115

Air bags

20 reports16 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HORN WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG MELTED ONTO THE ELECTRICAL PARTS INSIDE THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 19, 2016Electrical system, Air bagsODI 10897153

Engine

17 reports1 crash
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC GRAND AM. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND THE ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE DEALER WAS NOT CALLED. THE VEHICE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANI, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 148,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DEALER. THE FAILURE WOULD COST BETWEEN $600 AND $700 TO REPAIR. *JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 24, 2018EngineODI 11163307
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026

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