Research · complaint index

Pontiac Grand Am years to avoidWhat NHTSA complaint data does and doesn’t say

We compared 10 model years of the Pontiac Grand Am by owner complaints to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. 1999 stands out with at least twice the typical complaint rate.

01 —Complaint index

Complaints per year on the road

1.0 = typical year for this model
View as table
Model yearComplaints per year since release
199615
199713
19986
199931
200026
200121
200216
200314
200413
20055
YearComplaintsPer year on roadIndexRecallsCrashesSignal
200510250.3415Fewest complaints
2004293130.9424Typical
2003338141.0528Typical
2002404161.1422Typical
2001548211.5721Typical
2000691261.8843Typical
1999858312.1674Most complaints
199817960.4314Fewest complaints
1997394130.9432Typical
1996450151.0632Typical
  • 2005102 complaints · 4 recallsFewest complaints
  • 2004293 complaints · 4 recallsTypical
  • 2003338 complaints · 5 recallsTypical
  • 2002404 complaints · 4 recallsTypical
  • 2001548 complaints · 7 recallsTypical
  • 2000691 complaints · 8 recallsTypical
  • 1999858 complaints · 6 recallsMost complaints
  • 1998179 complaints · 3 recallsFewest complaints
  • 1997394 complaints · 4 recallsTypical
  • 1996450 complaints · 6 recallsTypical
Data from NHTSA Complaints & Recalls APIs · synced Oct 28, 2026

Fewest complaints for their age: 2005, 1998.

02 —FAQ

About this comparison

What Pontiac Grand Am years have the most complaints?

Adjusted for years on the road, 1999 drew at least twice the typical rate of NHTSA owner complaints among the 10 model years compared.

Is this a reliability rating?

No. These are counts of unverified owner complaints to NHTSA. They are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so a popular year can collect more complaints. Use them to find patterns, then read the reports.

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