IllustrationWE HAVE OIL IN THE COOLING SYSTEM AND WATER IN THE OIL NOTE: THIS WAS NOT DUE TO A CRASH AS INDICATED IN REPORT PROVIDED. *AK
1992 Pontiac Grand Am
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Grand Am years
Owner complaints for the 1992 Pontiac Grand Am are substantially higher than the model-year median of 82.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Grand Am years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 5 of 168 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 62 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 33 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
12 crash reports4 fire reports8 injury reports
What owners actually said
168 reportsON MARCH OF 1999, THE FIRST PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE OCCURED. THE CAR WAS SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY, NO KEY IN THE IGNITION, AND IT BEGAN TO TRY TO START BY ITSELF. I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE THIS, AND BY THE TIME IT FINISHED, MY BATTERY WAS DRAINED AND I HAD TO PURCHASE A NEW BATTERY. THE SECOND TIME I HAD AN IGNITION PROBLEM WAS IN …
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ON MARCH OF 1999, THE FIRST PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE OCCURED. THE CAR WAS SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY, NO KEY IN THE IGNITION, AND IT BEGAN TO TRY TO START BY ITSELF. I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE THIS, AND BY THE TIME IT FINISHED, MY BATTERY WAS DRAINED AND I HAD TO PURCHASE A NEW BATTERY. THE SECOND TIME I HAD AN IGNITION PROBLEM WAS IN NOVEMBER OF 2000 WHEN MY CAR WOULDN'T START UNLESS IT WAS PLACED IN NEUTRAL GEAR. I HAD THE IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED, AND SIX WEEKS LATER, THE SAME INCIDENT HAPPENED WITH TRYING TO START THE CAR. EVER SINCE I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE, I HAVE HAD IT IN THE REPAIR SHOP NUMEROUS TIMES, AND FRANKLY I BELIEVE THE DEALERSHIP THAT SOLD ME THE VEHICLE, SOLD ME A LEMON.*AK
WHILE APPROACHING A INTERSECTION WHERE I INTENDED ON TURNING, HALF-WAY INTO THE TURN THE ADJUSTABLE STEERING COLUMN BECAME UNLOCKED AND WAS ABLE TO MOVE UNINTERRUPTED BOTH UP AND DOWN, WHILE THIS DID NOT STOP MY ABILITY TO TURN...ANOTHER DRIVER WHO MIGHT CONCENTRATE ON THE MOVEMENT VICE COMPLETING THE TURN WOULD MOST LIKELY HAVE…
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WHILE APPROACHING A INTERSECTION WHERE I INTENDED ON TURNING, HALF-WAY INTO THE TURN THE ADJUSTABLE STEERING COLUMN BECAME UNLOCKED AND WAS ABLE TO MOVE UNINTERRUPTED BOTH UP AND DOWN, WHILE THIS DID NOT STOP MY ABILITY TO TURN...ANOTHER DRIVER WHO MIGHT CONCENTRATE ON THE MOVEMENT VICE COMPLETING THE TURN WOULD MOST LIKELY HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE REVIEW YOUR DATABASE FOR ANY OTHER OCCURANCES AND ANY POSSIBLE RECALLS. WHILE THIS IS A '92, IT ONLY HAS ONE SCRATCH (NON-ACCIDENT) AND TO ME...IS WORTH MUCH MORE THAN WHATEVER "BLUE BOOK" SAYS IT IS...I HAVE FOUND THREE (3) "STEERING COLUMN" PROBLEMS, WHILE NOT REPORTED FOR '92S, THEY MAY BE RELATED; 91VO18000, 96V249000, 98V320000. THANK YOU. I WILL BE FORWARDING THIS PROBLEM TO THE MANUFACTURER BUT I WOULD LIKE A REPLY AT YOUR EARLIEST CONVIENCE - IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER STEERING COLUMN PROBLEMS. APPRECIATE THE JOB YOU DO !.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
CRACKED HEAD, COOLANT LEAK, HIGH TEMP, OIL PUMP FAILUREC - 4TH TIME!!
DEFECTIVE HEAD IS CAUSING DAMAGE TO ENGINE DUE TO POOR MANUFACTURING OF HEAD.*AK
WATER KEEPS MIXING INTO OIL, CAUSING ENGINE TO BLOW. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK HEAD GASKET CRACKED. THE CONSUMER FOUND FIFTEEN COMPLAINTS OVER THE SAME PROBLEM ON THE SAME MODEL VEHICLE. *YH
HAD CAR LESS THAN YEAR,ENGINE REPLACED TWICE.WATER IN OIL BLOWN HEAD GASKET.PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
HEAD GASKET FAILURE WITH JUST 68,300 MILES CAUSING COOLANT INTO THE ENGINE. ESTIMATE TO REPAIR IS $1700.00. I SEE FROM THE INTERNET THIS HAS BEEN A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. *AK
I HAVE REBUILTED MY TRANSMISSION FOR THE SECOND (2) TIME (EACH TIME COSTING OVER $1200.00). SOMETHING MUST BE WRONG HOW THEY ENGINEERED THE TRANSMISSION. I ALWAYS CHANGE MY TRANSMISSION FLUID EVERY 20,000-30,000. I DO NOT DRAG RACE WITH MY VEHICLE OR MISTREAT MY VEHICLE. *AK
Official recalls
392V106000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly:filler Pipe And Cap
Jul 17, 1992
THE VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH AN INCORRECT SUSPENSION UPPER SPRING SEAT AT THE RIGHT-REAR POSITION. IF THE VEHICLE IS INVOLVED IN A REAR IMPACT ACCIDENT, THE RIGHT-HAND REAR WHEEL HOUSE FLANGE COULD SEVER THE FUEL TANK FILLER PIPE AND SPILL FUEL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THESE VEHICLES ARE NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH FMVSS 301,FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY. SPILLED FUEL IN A LOW SPEED ACCIDENT CAN RESULT IN AFIRE.
Remedy: INSPECT AND REPLACE INCORRECT UPPER SPRING SEAT WITH THE CORRECT PART.
91V204000 · Suspension:rear
Nov 19, 1991
THE BOLTS AND NUTS WHICH ATTACH THE BEARING-HUB ASSEMBLY TO THE REAR AXLE FLANGE ARE NOT SUFFICIENTLY TIGHTENED ON SOME VEHICLES.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS WOULD ALLOW EXCESSIVE MOVEMENT OF THE BEARING-HUBASSEMBLY RELATIVE TO THE REAR AXLE FLANGE AND COULD CAUSE ELONGATION ANDEVENTUAL SEPARATION OF THE ATTACHING BOLTS FROM THE REAR AXLE FLANGE. IF THISWERE TO OCCUR WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, THE AFFECTED TIRE AND WHEEL COULDTRACK ERRATICALLY, EVENTUALLY CAUSING FAILURE OF THE OTHER ATTACHING BOLTS. THETIRE AND WHEEL ASSEMBLY COULD SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE WHICH COULD RESULT IN AVEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: TIGHTEN REAR AXLE BEARING-HUB ASSEMBLY FASTENERS, AND REPLACE ALL THE FASTENERS ON A WHEEL IF TWO OR MORE BOLTS ARE FOUND TO BE LOOSE.
91V182000 · Seats:front Assembly:recliner
Oct 21, 1991
THE PASSENGER'S SIDE EASY-ENTRY SEAT ADJUSTER MAY FAIL FULLY LOCK INTO POSITION AFTER THE SEAT BACK HAS BEEN TILTED FORWARD AND THE SEAT SLID FORWARD, THEN RETURNED TO ITS ORIGINAL POSTITION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE SEAT ADJUSTER FAILS TO LOCK INTO POSITION, THEPASSENGER SEAT WOULD SLIDE FORWARD IN THE EVENT OF A SUDDEN STOP OR ACCIDENT.OCCUPANTS OF THE PASSENGER SEAT WOULD FACE INCREASED RISK OF SERIOUS INJURY.
Remedy: REPLACE THE ADJUSTER ASSEMBLY ON THE SEAT.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.