IllustrationWHILE DRIVING 45MPH HAD EXTENDED STOPPING. TS
1993 Pontiac Grand Am
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Grand Am years
Owner complaints for the 1993 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: 11 of 204 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 54 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 51 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 43 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
10 crash reports20 fire reports9 injury reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
43 reportsCONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE BRAKES WILL SKID WHEN WET CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HAVE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED. MR
PROBLEM OCCURRED AFTER USED CAR WARRANTY EXPIRED. ROTORS LOOK AS THOUGH THEY WERE DIPPED IN ACID, ALL RUSTY AND FLAKING. BRAKING WAS AS THOUGH STOPPING ON RIBBED PAVEMENT. PURCHASED CAR USED AT A DEALER IN WINSTON-SALEM NC. IT WAS A TRADE IN FROM A DRIVER FROM NY. THE DEALER GAVE NO ADMISSION OF SEEING THE PROBLEM, AND WAS NO HE…
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PROBLEM OCCURRED AFTER USED CAR WARRANTY EXPIRED. ROTORS LOOK AS THOUGH THEY WERE DIPPED IN ACID, ALL RUSTY AND FLAKING. BRAKING WAS AS THOUGH STOPPING ON RIBBED PAVEMENT. PURCHASED CAR USED AT A DEALER IN WINSTON-SALEM NC. IT WAS A TRADE IN FROM A DRIVER FROM NY. THE DEALER GAVE NO ADMISSION OF SEEING THE PROBLEM, AND WAS NO HELP. EFFORTS TO CONTACT GM WENT UNANSWERED. WE HAVE REPLACED PADS 3 TIMES AND ROTORS ONCE. ROTORS NOW LOOK JUST LIKE THEY DID 4 YEARS AGO, AND PERFORMANCE IS LIKE STOPPING ON RIBBED PAVEMENT AGAIN. NEED TO KNOW IF THERE IS A RECALL OF DEFECTIVE ROTORS OR SUCH. MY WIFE IS AFRAID TO GO FAR WITH THEM IN THIS CONDITION. WE CAN'T AFFORD RIGHT NOW TO GO THROUGH ANOTHER ROTOR/ BRAKE REPLACEMENT AGAIN. PLEASE HELP. THANK YOU.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
I WAS DRIVING APX. 25-30 MPH ON SLUSH COVERED ROADS. I SAW THE CAR AHEAD OF ME BRAKING, SO I STARTED TO APPLY STEADY PRESSURE. I WAS APX 8-10 CAR LENGTHS BEHIND, BUT I STARTED TO SLIDE. SO APPLIED MORE FIRM PRESSURE, STILL NOTHING. SO FINALLY I REALIZED MY BRAKES WERE NOT DO ANYTHING SO I PUSHED THEM TO THE FLOOR AND SLOWLY …
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I WAS DRIVING APX. 25-30 MPH ON SLUSH COVERED ROADS. I SAW THE CAR AHEAD OF ME BRAKING, SO I STARTED TO APPLY STEADY PRESSURE. I WAS APX 8-10 CAR LENGTHS BEHIND, BUT I STARTED TO SLIDE. SO APPLIED MORE FIRM PRESSURE, STILL NOTHING. SO FINALLY I REALIZED MY BRAKES WERE NOT DO ANYTHING SO I PUSHED THEM TO THE FLOOR AND SLOWLY TURNED THE WHEEL TO THE RIGHT, TO GO IN THE DITCH. I CONTINUED TO SLIDE. MY ABS DID NOT WORK AT ALL. SOMEHOW MY CAR SLID LEFT AND I ENDED UP IN ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHERE I GOT HIT HEAD ON BY TWO DIFFERENT CARS, AND GOT HIT ON THE SIDE A COUPLE OF TIMES. MY CAR WAS TOTALED, BUT LUCKILY I WAS NOT HURT THAT BAD. *AK
COMPONENT #1 (BRAKES)-BRAKES WEAR OUT EVERY THREE MONTHS REGARDLESS OF DRIVING CONDITIONS OR DRIVING HABITS, HAVE HAD ALL COMPONENTS ASSOCIATED WITH BRAKES REPLACED AND PROBLEM STILL OCCURS; COMPONENT #2 (IGNITION) - ALMOST EVERY TIME I ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE ENGINE HESITATES AND SHUDDERS FOR APPROXIMATELY 3-5 SECONDS REGAR…
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COMPONENT #1 (BRAKES)-BRAKES WEAR OUT EVERY THREE MONTHS REGARDLESS OF DRIVING CONDITIONS OR DRIVING HABITS, HAVE HAD ALL COMPONENTS ASSOCIATED WITH BRAKES REPLACED AND PROBLEM STILL OCCURS; COMPONENT #2 (IGNITION) - ALMOST EVERY TIME I ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE ENGINE HESITATES AND SHUDDERS FOR APPROXIMATELY 3-5 SECONDS REGARDLESS OF WEATHER CONDITIONS OR TEMPERATURE OF ENGINE; COMPONENT #3 (TRANSMISSION) - ON MOST RIGHT TURNS THERE IS A CLUNK THAT EMINATES FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE; COMPONENT #4 (WINDOW) - THE WINDOW ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO ROLL DOWN OR UP, ESPECIALLY IN COOLER WEATHER
ABS BRAKE PROBLEMS; WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES UNDER NORMAL STOPPING CONDITIONS AT ANY TYPE OF ROAD SURFACE, BACK BRAKES LOCKED UP. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. MECHANIC WAS NOT ABLE TO DETECT WHAT CAUSED THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURHTER INFORMATION. *AK
ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $143.00 PER ROTOR,(CURRENT GM PRICE FOR PART), NOT INCLUDING INSTALLATION. DESIGN/METAL DEFECT ALSO CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE FRONT BRAKE PADS WHICH WILL RESULT IN THE REPLACEMENT OF SAME AT AN ADDITIONAL EXPENSE. THESE PADS WERE JUST PUT ON THE VEHICLE IN 1998, LESS THAN 5000 MILES AGO.
WAS STOPPED BEHIND A 93 PONTIAC VAN, WAS STRUCK FROM THE REAR BY A 1995 FORD F-150...... THERE WAS A SUDDEN ACCELERATION WITH THE BRAKE STILL APPLIED....... THE INPACT TO THE FRONT CAUSED MORE DAMAGE THAT THE FORD TRUCK GOING 40 MILES PER HOUR ON IMPACT TO THE REAR....... BUMBER WAS NOT HIT IN THE FRONT IT ALL IT ABOVE THE BUMBE…
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WAS STOPPED BEHIND A 93 PONTIAC VAN, WAS STRUCK FROM THE REAR BY A 1995 FORD F-150...... THERE WAS A SUDDEN ACCELERATION WITH THE BRAKE STILL APPLIED....... THE INPACT TO THE FRONT CAUSED MORE DAMAGE THAT THE FORD TRUCK GOING 40 MILES PER HOUR ON IMPACT TO THE REAR....... BUMBER WAS NOT HIT IN THE FRONT IT ALL IT ABOVE THE BUMBER GRILL HOOD.
Official recalls
193V153000 · Electrical System:ignition:switch
Sep 14, 1993
THE NEUTRAL START SAFETY SWITCH COULD HAVE BEEN FRACTURED DURING INSTALLATION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A FRACTURED SWITCH CAN RESULT IN A NO-START CONDITION.ALSO, A VEHICLE WITH A FRACTURED SWITCH CAN BE STARTED IN GEAR, CAUSING THEVEHICLE TO MOVE UNEXPECTEDLY, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE NEUTRAL START SWITCH. THE MANUAL SWITCH OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE ASSEMBLY WILL BE INSPECTED AND REPLACED IF AN OVERSIZED CONDITION EXISTS.
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.