IllustrationVEHICLE HAD A COOLANT LEAKAGE. DEALER CONTACTED, AND DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS A CRACKED ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD. VEHICLE ALSO CONTINUOUSLY RAN HOT. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. REPAIRWORK WOULD BE AT OWNERS EXPENSE, EST. $1,000.00. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
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 reportsWE HAVE CONTACTED THE PONTIAC DEALER AND HELP LINE BUT WITH NO HELP AT ALL, I DONOT THINK THIS IS A HAZARD, BUT I THINK THAT THE PAINT PEELING OFF OF A CAR THAT IS ONLY 7 YRS. OLD MAY BE A HEALTH HAZARD IF SOME GETS INTO OUR WATER IT WILL BE. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. *AK
EXT PAINT IS CHIPPING AWAY ON HOOD & DOOR MOLDINGS - CAR IS ONLY A 92 W/ LESS THAN 100,000 MILES! NO SAFETY DWFECT. *AK
PONTIAC PRIDES ITSELF ON DRIVING EXCITEMENT, IT SHOULD ACTUALLY BE THAT IT IS A DRIVING NIGHTMARE. THIS CAR HAS HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS. THIS IS THE LIST OF CURRENT AND PAST PROBLEMS WHICH INCLUDES: THE TRUNK LEAKS/ INCORRECT SPEEDOMETER THAT CAUSED TWO SPEEDING TICKETS/DRIVER'S FLOOR AND UNDER THE FRONT RIGHT SEAT ARE ALWAYS WET…
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PONTIAC PRIDES ITSELF ON DRIVING EXCITEMENT, IT SHOULD ACTUALLY BE THAT IT IS A DRIVING NIGHTMARE. THIS CAR HAS HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS. THIS IS THE LIST OF CURRENT AND PAST PROBLEMS WHICH INCLUDES: THE TRUNK LEAKS/ INCORRECT SPEEDOMETER THAT CAUSED TWO SPEEDING TICKETS/DRIVER'S FLOOR AND UNDER THE FRONT RIGHT SEAT ARE ALWAYS WET. ALSO,REPLACED BATTERY TWICE/ALTERNATOR/STARTER/ RADIATOR AND ALL HOSES AFTER A SUDDEN "EXPLOSION." IN ADDITION, THERMOSTAT HAD BEEN REPLACED AT LEAST 4 TIMES AND MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR ONCE. THE REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER NO LONGER WORKS, RIGHT SIDE POWER WINDOW DOES NOT GO BACK UP/THE TAPE DECK IS BROKEN, FRONT LUMBAR I SEAT BROKE AROUND 40,000 MILES. THE FRONT RIGHT AND LEFT WHEEL BEARINGS HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES/TIE RODS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONCE ON THE RIGHT AND TWICE ON THE LEFT/ ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED AND FRONT BRAKES WORE OUT WITH IN 15,000 (TYPICAL OF MOST PONTIACS JUST GOING BY THE COMMENTS OF OTHER PONTIAC OWNERS THAT I KNOW. THIS LIST IS QUITE LONG AND EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTING, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE CAR IS NOT PAID FOR YET AND ONLY HAS 125,000 MILES ON IT AND IS A 1992 MODEL. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 205/55/R16 )
STARTING IN 1996 APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR AFTER THE PURCHASE OF THE CAR A LEAK DEVELOPED IN THE FUEL TANK, THE TANK WAS REPLACED. APPROXIMATELY 8 MONTHS LATER ANOTHER LEAK DEVELOPED; THE TANK WAS PATCHED THEN EVENTUALLY REPLACED. TWO ADDITIONAL TANKS WERE REMOVED AND REPLACED WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR. THE DEALER PROVIDING SERVICE N…
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STARTING IN 1996 APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR AFTER THE PURCHASE OF THE CAR A LEAK DEVELOPED IN THE FUEL TANK, THE TANK WAS REPLACED. APPROXIMATELY 8 MONTHS LATER ANOTHER LEAK DEVELOPED; THE TANK WAS PATCHED THEN EVENTUALLY REPLACED. TWO ADDITIONAL TANKS WERE REMOVED AND REPLACED WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR. THE DEALER PROVIDING SERVICE NOTED IN EACH CASE THAT THE TANK HAD BEEN STRUCK BY AN OBJECT, CAR LIFTS HAD PRESSED UP ON THE TANK FROM BELOW OR THAT THE GAS CAP WAS DEFECTIVE. IT HAS BEEN MY OPINION THAT STRESSES THE FUEL TANK CAUSED THE LEAK TO OCCUR DUE TO TANK DEFECTS, POOR INSTALLATION OR BY THE FACT THAT AT EACH DEVELOPMENT OF A LEAK THE FUEL TANK HAD JUST BEEN FILLED.
CYLINDER HEAD GASKET FAILED CAUSING THE ENGINE TO STOP AFTER RELEASING A PUFF OF SMOKE.
WATER PUMP REPLACED WHILE VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY - BUT DEALER STILL CHARGED $50 DEDUCTIBLE WHICH SUGGESTS THEY DON'T STAND BEHIND THERE CARS!
HORN WOULD NOT SHUT OFF - PULLED FUSE TO TURN OFF - LOW-NOTE HORN WENT OUT BEFORE FUSE PULLED -
BRAKES APPLIED AT PARKING LOT SPEED AND LOCKED UP 3 TIMES IN SAME APPLICATION - ONLY HAPPENS IN COLD SNOWY OR WET WEATHER
DOOR LATCHES DO NOT CATCH WHEN SHUTTING THE FRONT DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE DOORS. THIS CAUSES THE DOORS TO FLY OPEN WHILE DRIVING. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN. *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.