IllustrationPRIOR TO RECALL NOTIFICATION(00V287000) CONSUMER HAD REPAIRS DONE BECAUSE AIR CONDITION CEASED AND IT WAS DISCOVERED AT THAT POINT THAT IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED,FAILURE OF THE RECALL COMPONENT CAUSED THE AIR CONDITIONER TO FAIL, CONSUMER IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR IGNITION SWITCH. *JB
1994 Pontiac Grand Am
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Grand Am years
Owner complaints for the 1994 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: 27 of 377 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 73 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 71 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 60 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
58 crash reports28 fire reports38 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
71 reportsPUT KEY IN IGNITION AND IT WOULD NOT TURN, IN 1998, CONSUMER HAD TO GET ANOTHER IGNITION SWITCH, CONSUMER STATES A 3RD TIME CAR CUT OFF BY ITSELF. THEN, CONSUMER COULD NOT TURN SWITCH. *AK
DEALERSHIP IS CONTINUALLY TELLING CONSUMER THEY DO NOT HAVE PARTS AVAILABLE TO FIX RECALL 00V287000/ IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE. *AK *SLC
WHEN TRYING START VEHICLE IGNITION SWITCH STICKS, AND KEEPS TRYING TO TURN OVER. AK CONSUMER STATES EVER SINCE WIRING HARNESS WAS INSTALLED IT BLOWS OUT FUSES AND THERE IS A BURNT SMELL OF THE WIRING, CONSUMER STATES SHE DID NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM UNTIL WIRING HARNESS WAS INSTALLED.*JB
VEHICLE WOULD NOT START, HOOKED UP CHARGER TO BATTERY, SURGE WENT THROUGH AND MELTED CHARGER. SINCE THEN BATTERY LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF. *AK
BRAKE FAILED. NLM. CONSUMER STATES PRIOR TO RECALL, A NEW STARTER WAS NEEDED AS WELL AS A NEW ENGINE AND ALSO A NEW LIGHTING SWITCH, CONSUMER HAS ALSO HAD TO GET NEW TIRES. *JB
CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 00V287000/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL00079FOR ENGINE STARTER. DEALER DID NOT KNOW WHEN PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE. CONSUMER WILL HAVE TO CALL BACK IN TWO WEEKS TO SEE IF PARTS WERE AVAILABLE.*AK
ABS BRAKE LIGHT AND THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION IN SYSTEM, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK PRIOR TO ABS LIGHT AND ENGINE LIGHT PROBLEM, THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED. *YH
RECALL NUMBER 00V287000. CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL INFORMATION CONCERNING ENGINE STARTER. CONTACTED DEALER, NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE TO REMEDY PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
AFTER RECEIVING RECALL NOTICE 00V-287 RELATED TO HIGH CURRENT FLOW THROUGH THE IGNITION, CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER ABOUT A PROBLEM THE VEHICLE WAS HAVING WITH OVERHEATING WIRES WHICH MAKES THE STEERING COLUMN TOO WARM TO TOUCH, THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS PROBLEM IS RELATED TO THE RECALL BUT THE DEALER IS UNSURE. NLM
Official recalls
200V287000 · Electrical System:starter Assembly
Oct 2, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE ENGINE STARTER FAILS TO ENGAGE AND THE DRIVER HOLD THE KEY IN THE "START" POSITION FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD, HIGH CURRENT FLOWS THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH, PRODUCING HEAT THAT CAN MELT SWITCH PARTS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A FIRE COULD OCCUR IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND SPREAD TO THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A RELAY KIT AND VERIFY THAT THE VEHICLE WILL START WITH A PROPERLY CHARGED BATTERY IN GOOD OPERATING CONDITION (ADEQUATE RESERVE CAPACITY, OR COLD CRANKING AMPS). THIS CAMPAIGN DOES NOT COVER BATTERY REPLACEMENT OR UNRELATED STARTING SYSTEM OR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM REPAIRS.
94V122000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly
Jul 1, 1994
THESE VEHICLES WERE CONSTRUCTED WITH WELDS IN THE REAR COMPARTMENT PAN ASSEMBLY THAT ARE NOT SUFFICIENT TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS PERTAINING TO FUEL TANK LEAKAGE IN THE EVENT OF A REAR IMPACT COLLISION. THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLIES DO NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO. 301, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN RESULT IN AN INCREASED RISK OF A VEHICLE FIRE IN THE EVENT OF A REAR IMPACT COLLISION.
Remedy: DEALER WILL INSTALL RIVETS ADJACENT TO THE LOCATIONS WHERE THE SUSPECT WELDS ARE LOCATED.
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
2EA00007 · Steering Column Fires
Opened Mar 3, 2000 · Closed Feb 7, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
There is no summary currently available
PE99063 · Steering Column Fire
Opened Oct 7, 1999 · Closed Mar 3, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
ODI HAS EXPANDED THE SCOPE OF ITS INVESTIGATION OF STEERING COLUMN FIRES TO INCLUDE ALL MODELS BUILT ON THE N-PLATFORM.GM HAS INDICATED IN ITS RESPONSE THAT THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH A ROTARY IGNITION SWITCH THAT HAS BEEN IN USE IN A NUMBER OF VEHICLE MODELS SINCE 1991 ON BOTH THE N AND J-PLATFORMS.HOWEVER, THE 1994-1995 N-PLATFORM IS OVER REPRESENTED ACCOUNTING FOR 83 (81%) OF THE COMBINDED TOTAL OF 102 REPORTS DESPITE BEING ONLY 14.2% OF THE COMBINED POPULATION. OF THE 10 NEW REPORTS RECEIVED SINCE OPENING EA99-063, 7 INCLUDE ALLEGATIONS OF A NO START CONDITION WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ENGAGE THE STARTER.A FIRE IS CLAIMED TO HAVE ENSUED IN THE STEERING COLUMN IMMEDIATELY THERAFTER.GM ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) (NO. 433203) JULY 1994 WHIICH ADDRESSED OWNER COMPLAINTS THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH MAY NOT RETURN TO THE RUN POSITION AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS STARTED.THE TSB ADVISES THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH MOUNTING SCREWS MAY BE EXCESSIVELY TORQUED RESULTING IN DISTORTION OF THE SWITCH HOUSING.AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS WARRANTED TO DETERMINE THE ROOT CAUSE(S) AND TO DETERMIN IF A SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS.