IllustrationNO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
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
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
73 reportsDRIVING CAR AT 55MPH AND CAR APPEARED TO SHIFT TO NEUTRAL, COASTED TO STOP. SPRAQUE ASSEMBLY FAILED PER MECHANIC, COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF TRANSMISSION. CAR WOULD APPEAR TO HESITATE AND SURGE AT AROUND 55 MPH, DIAGNOSTICS REPORTED ENGIN E HEAD GASKET LEAK OR BAD HEAD, FOUND TO HAVE EXTERNAL CRACKS TO HEAD AND CRACK BY PLUG. MECHA…
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DRIVING CAR AT 55MPH AND CAR APPEARED TO SHIFT TO NEUTRAL, COASTED TO STOP. SPRAQUE ASSEMBLY FAILED PER MECHANIC, COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF TRANSMISSION. CAR WOULD APPEAR TO HESITATE AND SURGE AT AROUND 55 MPH, DIAGNOSTICS REPORTED ENGIN E HEAD GASKET LEAK OR BAD HEAD, FOUND TO HAVE EXTERNAL CRACKS TO HEAD AND CRACK BY PLUG. MECHANIC DESCRIBED AS LATENT DEFECT IN HEAD. CAR HAD NEVER OVERHEATED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING DOWN ON HIGHWAY AT HWY SPEED AND WHEN ACCELERATING VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE OR BUCK. WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THIS WAS A RESULT OF COOLANT LEAKING ON SPARK PLUGS, AND CAUSING TO NOT FIRE CORRECTLY. CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. *AK
HEAD GASKET CRACKED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BUCK. ANTI-FREEZE IS LEAKING INTO THE GASKET. *AK
COMPLETE REPLACEMENT OF BRAKES TWICE, OIL PAN ONCE AND CONTINUE HAVING PROBLEMS MAINTAINING OIL PRESSURE
I HAD TO PAY FOR LEGAL FEES AND FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF MY CARS CRACKED HEAD BECAUSE THE WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER IT WITH OUT IT BEING CAUSED BY A LUBRICATED PART, I FOUND OUT THAT ALL QUAD 4 ENGINE HEADS ARE KNOWN FOR THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE BEEN CHANGED TO A DIFFERENT MATERIAL, I THINK PONTIAC SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMEN…
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I HAD TO PAY FOR LEGAL FEES AND FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF MY CARS CRACKED HEAD BECAUSE THE WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER IT WITH OUT IT BEING CAUSED BY A LUBRICATED PART, I FOUND OUT THAT ALL QUAD 4 ENGINE HEADS ARE KNOWN FOR THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE BEEN CHANGED TO A DIFFERENT MATERIAL, I THINK PONTIAC SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT SINCE THEY KNEW OF THIS PROBLEM. *AK
DUE TO A DEFECTIVE EGR VALVE, WHICH HAS BEEN TO REPLACED 3TIMES WHILE DRIVING OVER 55 MPH, VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLED. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. ALSO, VEHICLE SUDDEN ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED VEHICLE IS VIBRATED AND SHUT DOWN, AND THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. *AK
WHEN THE CAR IS COLD AND CONSUMER ATTEMPTS TO START IT, A KNOCKING NOISE CAN BE HEARD. *AK *ML
CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD BY SPARK PLUG. ANTIFREEZE GOING INTO CYLINDER CAUSING SPARK PLUG FAILURE.
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.