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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 →
377Owner complaints

Model-year median: 82

2Recall campaigns

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2Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
82
1991168
1992204
1993377
1994409
1995450
1996383
1997
Compare all Grand Am years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Engine And Engine Cooling
73Electrical System
71Service Brakes, Hydraulic
60Steering
56Air Bags
38
All reported categories
Exterior Lighting
23Power Train
22Visibility
21Suspension
15Fuel System, Gasoline
12Seat Belts
12Seats
12Structure
10Latches/locks/linkages
8Vehicle Speed Control
8Unknown Or Other
6Equipment
5Tires
5Service Brakes, Air
4Fuel System, Other
2Wheels
2Back Over Prevention
1Electronic Stability Control
1Engine
1Interior Lighting
1Parking Brake
1Service Brakes
1

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

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

73 reports
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Mileage unknown · Dec 30, 2000
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

CAR HAD TOUGH TIME TO ACCELERATE, AFTER THREE VISITS TO REPAIR SHOP, PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE TERMINALS FROM THE MAIN COMPUTER TO THE 02 SENSOR WERE BAD. HAD TO REPLACE COMPUTER AND SENSOR. HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING, TAKEN IN TO BE REPAIRED AND FOUND OUT THAT THE ENGINE HEAD ITSELF WAS CRACK WHERE #2 CYLINDER IS LOCATED. RE…

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CAR HAD TOUGH TIME TO ACCELERATE, AFTER THREE VISITS TO REPAIR SHOP, PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE TERMINALS FROM THE MAIN COMPUTER TO THE 02 SENSOR WERE BAD. HAD TO REPLACE COMPUTER AND SENSOR. HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING, TAKEN IN TO BE REPAIRED AND FOUND OUT THAT THE ENGINE HEAD ITSELF WAS CRACK WHERE #2 CYLINDER IS LOCATED. REPAIR SHOP STATED IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH QUAD FOUR GRAND AMS. HAD TO PAY APPROX. $2,500 IN REPAIRS

NHTSA ODI #738527

Mileage unknown · Dec 11, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE HEAD CRACKED, CAUSING THE WATER TO LEAK, AND A ROUGH RIDE IN VEHICLE. DEAELR HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #876284

Mileage unknown · Nov 14, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE HEAD CRACKED ON THE ENGINE. AFTER TALKING WITH SEVERAL DEALERS THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE AMONG GRAND AM'S. PLEASE INQUIRE SILENT RECALL.*AK

NHTSA ODI #736265

Mileage unknown · Oct 31, 2000
Engine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, HydraulicStructure

POWER WINDOWS STOPPED WORKING AND HEATER COIL WENT OUT, AND RADIATER BROKE AND STEERING WILL AND PUT SOMETHING IN THE STEERING COLUMN HAD WHEEL CYLINDER REPLACED HEAD GASKET , AND CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING. *AK

NHTSA ODI #735522

Mileage unknown · Aug 31, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

CYLINDER HEAD CRACKED AT 48,000 MILES CAUSING COOLANT TO MIX WITH THE ENGINE OIL. PONTIAC'S ATTITUDE IS THAT "THE PROBLEM IS MINE, NOT THEIRS" AND UNWILLING TO RESOLVE.

NHTSA ODI #729694

Mileage unknown · Apr 14, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

UPON SHUTTING OFF CAR IT STARTED TO STEAM, TOOK TO A MECHANIC AND THEY SAID THE HEAD GASKET WAS CRACKED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #860327

Mileage unknown · Mar 30, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE WATER PUMP FAILED. YH

NHTSA ODI #551696

Mileage unknown · Feb 11, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE HEAD CRACKED. NO ACCELERATION, STALLED OUT AT LIGHTS. VEHICLE RESTARTED & REMAINED PARKED FOR 3 MONTHS. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP & INFORMED ENGINE HEAD WARPED & CRACKED. TWO INDEPENDENT MECHANICS LOOKED AT ENGINE & INDICATED HEAD WAS CRACKED. ALSO, EXHAUST WAS THICK/WHITE & SMELLED BADLY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #856769

Mileage unknown · Feb 8, 2000
Engine And Engine CoolingSuspension

CONSUMER HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO A TECHNICIAN FOR VIBRATION, AND TECHNICIAN FOUND OUT THAT PROBLEM WAS WITH HEAD GASKET CRACKING. *AK

NHTSA ODI #856520

Mileage unknown · Feb 2, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE WOULD NOT START, OWNER LEFT VEHICLE TO CALL FOR ASSISTANCE AND WHEN RETURNED TO VEHICLE FOUND IT ON FIRE, DUE TO POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE. *MJS

NHTSA ODI #550646

Official recalls

2

00V287000 · 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

2

EA00007 · 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.