Electrical System. Review the 120 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 75 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. 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.

59 crash reports41 fire reports45 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

60 reports

Clear category filter

113,264 miles · Sep 10, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

Read full complaint

95 PONTIAC GRAND AM SE 3.1L V6, AUTOMATIC TRANS. WITH 113,264 MILES. CAR LOST POWER, STARTING SMOKING VERY BADLY, CAR WAS PULLED OFF HIGHWAY AND STOPPED IMMEDIATELY. REPAIR SHOP INSPECTED AND FOUND OIL FILTER GASKET BLEW OUT, ALLOWING ENGINE OIL TO BE EXPELLED. THIS COULD CAUSE AN ENGINE FIRE, BUT DID NOT THIS TIME. OIL CHANGE SHOP INSPECTED FILTER AND CLAIMS REGULATOR IN OIL PUMP CAUSED OIL TO BE OVER-PRESSURIZED, BLOWING OUT THE GASKET AND CLAIMS NO RESPONSIBILITY. ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED ACCORDING THE REPAIR SHOP. I BOUGHT CAR NEW AND MAINTAINED IT REGULARLY AND AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE APPARENT POOR QUALITY OF THIS GM PRODUCT. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10037605

110,000 miles · Jun 9, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE KEEPS OVER HEATING EVEN AFTER BEING IN A REPAIR SHOP OVER 6 TIMES. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10021294

Mileage unknown · Jun 8, 2003

Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK. CAR HAD 55,000 ORIGINAL MILES. PISTON SLAP ALSO BEGUN TO OCCUR. TRANSMISSION HAD PROBLEMS, ONLY REVS TO 4K RPM, WILL NOT GO HIGHER THAN 4K RPM. *TT

NHTSA ODI #10021247

Mileage unknown · Apr 22, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE READ THE VEHICLE OVER HEATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON 1/21/03 WHO STATED THERE A BLOCKAGE IN THE ENGINE, AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10017383

96,000 miles · Feb 3, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING THE OVERHEAT LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND ENGINE DIED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD CRACKED. PH SCC

NHTSA ODI #10006242

95,000 miles · Dec 31, 2002

Engine And Engine Cooling

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKING ON A GM 3100 ENGINE.

NHTSA ODI #10000657

Mileage unknown · Sep 3, 2002

Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING HEARD A VERY LOUD NOISE, HAD VEHICLE SERVICED. TIMING CHAIN WAS LOOSE, AND IF IT BREAKS, IT WILL DESTROY ENTIRE ENGINE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8017737

Mileage unknown · Aug 23, 2002

Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING AT 55MPH ON FLAT SURFACE AND WITH NO WARNING HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT, AND IT HAD CAUSED VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. CONSUMER HAD TO PULL OVER. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8017092

Mileage unknown · May 3, 2002

Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING TEMPERATURE GOES UP AND VEHICLE STARTS MAKING NOISE. VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK

NHTSA ODI #8009145

Mileage unknown · Apr 18, 2002

Engine And Engine Cooling

CONSUMER STATES WHEN DRIVING WITH A/C ON YOU CAN SMELL GAS FUMES INSIDE THE VEHICLE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *NLM SOMETIMES THE SMELL IS SO BAD THAT THE CONSUMER HAS TO TURN OFF THE AIR AND ROLL DOWN THE WINDOWS. *MJ

NHTSA ODI #8007958

Official recalls

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.

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

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.