IllustrationSTEERING WHEEL IS VERY LOOSE AND FITS POORLY ON STEERING COLUMN. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE FOR THIS PROBLEM, AND HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO REMEDY PROBLEM. *AK WHILE DRIVING, PINS INSIDE STEERING WHEEL BROKE. *SLC
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
What owners actually said
377 reportsLIGHTER WHEN USED BLOWS A FUSE WHICH AFFECTS THE DOOR LOCKS, AND OTHER COMPONENTSS. I HAVE TO KEEP REPLACEMENT FUSES AT ALL TIMES. SOMETIMES THE LIGHTER SHORTS WITHOUT BEING USED AND THIS OCCURS. THE DRIVER SIDE POWER WINDOW KEEPS COMING OFF TRACK AND HAS BEEN REPAIRED BY PINTIAC TWICE AND IS NOW IN THE SAME CONDITION. I HAVE HE…
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LIGHTER WHEN USED BLOWS A FUSE WHICH AFFECTS THE DOOR LOCKS, AND OTHER COMPONENTSS. I HAVE TO KEEP REPLACEMENT FUSES AT ALL TIMES. SOMETIMES THE LIGHTER SHORTS WITHOUT BEING USED AND THIS OCCURS. THE DRIVER SIDE POWER WINDOW KEEPS COMING OFF TRACK AND HAS BEEN REPAIRED BY PINTIAC TWICE AND IS NOW IN THE SAME CONDITION. I HAVE HEARD THESE TWO PROBLEMS REPORTED BY SEVERAL GRAND AM OWNERS.*AK
WHEN YOU TURN ON THE HIGH BEAMS THE INTERIOR AND HEADLIGHTS GO OUT AND THE HIGH BEAMS NEVER COME ON, WHEN YOU TURN THE HIGH BEAMS OFF, THE INTERIOR AND HEADLIGHTS COME BACK ON ONLY SOMETIMES. THE OTHER TIMES YOU HAVE TO TURN THE KIGHTS ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES TO GET ANY LIGHTS AT ALL BACK ON. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS IN THE MIDDL…
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WHEN YOU TURN ON THE HIGH BEAMS THE INTERIOR AND HEADLIGHTS GO OUT AND THE HIGH BEAMS NEVER COME ON, WHEN YOU TURN THE HIGH BEAMS OFF, THE INTERIOR AND HEADLIGHTS COME BACK ON ONLY SOMETIMES. THE OTHER TIMES YOU HAVE TO TURN THE KIGHTS ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES TO GET ANY LIGHTS AT ALL BACK ON. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT ON A LONG TRIP WITH MY 2 CHILDREN IN THE CAR! IT WAS NOT A FUN EPISODE AND THANK GOODNESS NOBODY WAS HURT. EVERYTIME SINCE THAT WE HAVE TRIED TO GET THE HIGH BEAMS TO WORK, THE SAME THING HAPPENS
WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT AND USING , HIGH BEAMS, THEY WOULD GO OUT COMPLETELY. HAVE TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP AND NOTHING WAS FOUND. CURRENTLY, HAVING PROBLEMS WITH REGULAR HEADLIGHTS GOING OUT. WOULD SWITCH FROM HIGH BEAMS TO HEADLIGHTS TO HIGH BEAMS TO GET THEM TO WORK.*AK
PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE THE CONSUMER HAD BEEN HAVING DIFFICULTY STARTING THE VEHICLE, THESE SYMPTOMS WERE SIMILAR TO THE ONES OUTLINED IN THE RECALL 00V-287, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO FIND THE PROBLEM THE DEALER REPLACED THE BATTERY, ALTERNATOR AND THE VEHICLE HAD A FEW TUNE-UPS. NLM
GMC IS DOING NOTHING TO HELP US THROUGH THIS! . NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK
SWITCHING FROM HIGH TO LOW BEAMS HEADLIGHTS SHUT OFF & USE OF HAZARD LIGHTS SHUT OFF TURN SIGNALS UNTIL CAR SITS OVERNIGHT
VEHICLE WAS PARKED, WHEN PIN FELL OUT OF TILT MECHANISM ON THE STEERING WHEEL. AFTER STARTING VEHICLE, WAS ABLE TO START IT AND DRIVE TO A MECHANIC. HAD DISASSEMBLED STEERING COLUMN, AND REPLACED RETAINER & SPRING KIT. MECHANIC ALSO PUSHED PIN BACK IN TILT. JAMES COLEMAN AT GM 5/17/01. *AK
CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 00V287000 NOTICE FOR IGNITION SWITCH THAT COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE A FIRE IN VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER HAS HAD SINCE DECEMBER TO GET PARTS, BUT STILL DID NOT HAVE THE PARTS AVAILABLE TO REPAIR DEFECT. ON MAY 20TH, 2001, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A STEERING COLUMN FIRE WHICH COULD BE RELATED TO RECAL…
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CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 00V287000 NOTICE FOR IGNITION SWITCH THAT COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE A FIRE IN VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER HAS HAD SINCE DECEMBER TO GET PARTS, BUT STILL DID NOT HAVE THE PARTS AVAILABLE TO REPAIR DEFECT. ON MAY 20TH, 2001, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A STEERING COLUMN FIRE WHICH COULD BE RELATED TO RECALL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
PRIOR TO RECALL NOTIFICATION (00V287000) CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL FAILURE AND IS NOW REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *JB
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.