IllustrationTHIS VEHICLE WAS IN A FRONT-END COLLISION 12/24/98. FIXED AND THEN FAILED ON 2/1/99. THE ENGINE VALVESWERE FOUND TO BE BENT DUE TO THE INPACT OF THE FRONT END COLLISION. METLIFE WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. AT ZERO SPEED TEH TIMING CHAIN JUMPED.
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 reportsCAR EXPERIENCES INTERMITTENT STALLING PROBLEMS IN THE HEAT OF THE DAY,ESPECIALLY WHEN COMING TO A STOP. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN THE REPAIR SHOP FOR THIS PROBLEM 5 TIMES TO NO AVAIL.
CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD - FOUND BY MECHANIC UPON INSPECTION DURING OIL CHANGE. REPORTED TO PONTIAC AS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT, THEY WOULD NOT ACCEPT BLAME OR HELP DEFER COST OF REPAIR DUE TO MILEAGE. *AK
CYLINDER HEAD CRACKED. FOUND BY MECHANIC UPON INSPECTION DURING OIL CHANGE, REPORTED TO PONTIAC, THEY WERE UNINTERESTED IN MY REPORTING THE PROBLEM AND WOULD NOT HELP WITH THE EXPENSE OF THE REPAIR. *AK
AT 65,000 MILES THE CYLINDER HEAD CRACKED CAUSING COOLANT TO MIX WITH THE ENGINE OIL. SINCE THE CYLINDER HEAD WAS REPLACED, THE CAR RUNS VERY POORLY IN COLD WEATHER. NOW A LITTLE OVER A YEAR LATER, AT 88,000 MILES, COOLANT IS ONCE AGAIN MIXING WITH THE OIL.
THERE IS A WIRING SHORT AND THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WILL GO OFF AND SOMETIMES THE HEADLIGHTS. USUALLY HAPPENS WHEN USING TURN SIGNAL. ALSO WHEN TURNING ON FLASHERS THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON. THE RIGHT INTERIOR TURN SIGNAL LIGHT STAYS ON WHEN LIGHTS ARE ON. ALSO THE STEERING COLUMN VINYL COVERING OVER THE AIRBAG HAS SPLIT DOWN THE PONTI…
Read full complaint
THERE IS A WIRING SHORT AND THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WILL GO OFF AND SOMETIMES THE HEADLIGHTS. USUALLY HAPPENS WHEN USING TURN SIGNAL. ALSO WHEN TURNING ON FLASHERS THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON. THE RIGHT INTERIOR TURN SIGNAL LIGHT STAYS ON WHEN LIGHTS ARE ON. ALSO THE STEERING COLUMN VINYL COVERING OVER THE AIRBAG HAS SPLIT DOWN THE PONTIAC SYMBOL EXPOSING THE AIRBAG.
CRACKED HEAD LEAKING ANTIFREEZE INTO CYLINDER NUMBER TWO, CAUSEING THE SPARK PLUG TO FOUL AND NOT FIRE. CAUSING THE CAR TO HESITATE AND NOT GET UP TO SPEED.
THE ENGINE ROCKS HARD BACK AND FORTH CAUSING OIL LINES TO WEAR HOLES, ALSO CAUSING WIRE HARNESS WEAR PROBLEMS AT BACK OF ENGINE NEAR FIRE WALL, ALSO CAUSING A/C LINES TO WEAR PREMATURELY, THE ENGINE ROCKS WHEN FORWARD AND REVERSE GEARS ARE CHANGED.
ENGINE HEAD CRACKED BETWEEN SPARK PLUG & REAR OF HEAD; OIL ON TOP OF PLUG; COOLANT LEAKS ONTO EXAUST MANIFOLD--CATALYTIC CONVERTER BEING PLUGGED UP CAUSES EXAUST PIPE TO SEPERATE FROM REAR OF ENGINE & VERY HOT EXAUST GOES DIRECTLY INTO ATMOSPHERE & MELTS INSULATION AROUND WIREING IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40 WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET LEAKED OUT COOLANT, AND THE CASTING CRACKED, SPILLING COOLANT ON THE WIRES. *AK
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.