Problems · NHTSA complaints

2004 Pontiac Grand Am problems

Owners filed 293 complaints about the 2004 Pontiac Grand Am with NHTSA between Nov 2003 and Nov 2021. The most-cited component is electrical system (140).

Complaints
293
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
24
Reported by owners
Fires
7
Reported by owners
Injuries
18
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system140
  2. Exterior lighting53
  3. Air bags21
  4. Structure20
  5. Vehicle speed control18
  6. Engine17
  7. Steering15
  8. Engine and engine cooling12
  9. Power train11
  10. Service brakes, hydraulic11
  11. Visibility9
  12. Service brakes7
  13. Fuel/propulsion system7
  14. Electronic stability control (esc)7

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
20031
200415
200513
200612
200731
200833
200918
201026
201114
20129
201319
201442
201526
201612
20176
20188
20196
20201
20211

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

140 reports6 crashes5 fires1 related recall
“ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, I HAVE TO GO THROUGH A TIMELY SECURITY RE-SET PROCEDURE DUE TO THE SYSTEM DISABLING MY ABILITY TO START MY CAR. I HAVE READ THAT THIS IS A RECURRING ISSUE WITH OTHER CAR OWNERS LIKE MINE. THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY WHEN THIS HAPPENS. IT HAPPENS AT RANDOM TIMES. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 30, 2020Electrical systemODI 11331824

Exterior lighting

53 reports1 crash1 fire1 related recall
“FUEL SYSTEM RECALL , STRONG GAS SMELL INSIDE CAR EXTERIOR LIGHTING RECALL, HARD TO SEE WHILE DRIVING CAR AT NIGHT ELETRICAL SYTEM IGNITION RECALL POWER CUTS ON AND OFF”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 5, 2019Steering, Exterior lighting, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11218215

Air bags

21 reports13 crashes
“I WAS THE OWNER OF THE CAR AND SOMEONE ELSE WAS DRIVING AND FILED A CLAIM. I WANT TO KNOW WHY I DID NOT GET ANYTHING IN THE LAW SUIT HER NAME IS [XXX] AT THE TIME SHE LIVED AT [XXX]. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 17, 2019Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11232776

Structure

20 reports1 crash
“SECURITY LIGHT STAYS ON IN DASHBOARD. AT TIMES CAR DOES NOT WANT TO START. READ ON LINE NUMEROUS COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS ISSUE. HOWEVER, WHEN I PUT IN MY VIN NUMBER IT SAYS NO RECALL. ON ANOTHER SITE, THEIR IS A RECALL FOR 2004 PONTIAC GRAND AM HELP!!! I AM CONFUSED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 18, 2017Electrical system, StructureODI 10955457

Vehicle speed control

18 reports2 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PONTIAC GRAND AM. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. THE CONTACT EXITED THE INTERSTATE AND ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE AS THE TRANSMISSION MADE AN ABNORMALLY LOUD SOUND. THE CONTACT PULLED INTO A FUEL STATION, RAISED THE HOOD, AND OBSERVED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THE CONTACT WAITED A WHILE AND THEN DROVE HOME WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DOWN TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND WAS A MECHANIC AND DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE, BUT NO FAILURE CODE WAS FOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 27, 2019Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, EngineODI 11222967

Engine

17 reports1 fire
“EVERY YEAR THAT WE FIX THE INTAKE VALVE ON THE CAR NOT EVEN A MONTH LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL COME BACK ON AND IT WILL BE THE SAME INTAKE VALVE. THIS CLOGS ALL THE VALVES IN THE SYSTEM CAUSING THE CAR TO SOMETIMES IT'S SLOW OR CUT OFF. CAR WILL NOT PASS EMISSIONS EVEN AFTER YOU FIX THIS ISSUE. I HAVE CONTACTED GM AND NOTIFIED THEM OF THIS ISSUE AND THEY STATE THAT IT'S NOT AN ISSUE. ALSO THE BLINKERS WILL STOP WORKING YOU HAVE TO HIT THE HAZARDOUS BLINKERS FOR THE BLINKERS TO START WORKING AGAIN THIS COULD CAUSE A REAR-END ACCIDENT I ALSO TOLD THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND THEY ARE NOT WANTING TO FIX IT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 7, 2018Electrical system, Exterior lighting, EngineODI 11092248
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.