IllustrationWHEN TRY TO START VEHICLE IT WON'T START,. HAVING PROBLEM WITH ENGINE STARTING JUST LIKE RECALL 00V287000, AND IGNITION DID NOT WORK, BURNING A BATTERY.*AK
1995 Pontiac Grand Am
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Grand Am years
Owner complaints for the 1995 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: 33 of 409 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.
- 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
What owners actually said
409 reportsVEHICLE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL FROM DRIVE, CAUSING SPEED TO BE REDUCED .*AK
BRAKES FAILED CAR TRAVELED INTO INTERSECTION NO TRAFFIC ACCIDENT AVOIDED. DEALER FOUND NO DEFECTS. CORP AMERICAN AHOLES.*AK
QUADRA 4 ENGINE; RUSTAND MUD IS GETTING INTO RADIATOR AND CLOGGING IT UP, CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT, AND RESULTING IN BLOWN HEAD GASKET. DEALER MUST TEAR DOWN ENTIRE VEHICLE JUST TO GET INTO THE HEAD GASKET AND RADIATOR.*AK
HAZARD LIGHTS AND 4-WAY FLASHERS FAILED. *SLC
PARENT WAS PLACING CHILD IN VEHICLE AND WHEN EXITING VEHICLE, CONSUMER'S KEYS SOMEHOW FELL DOWN INSIDE VEHICLE. CONSUMER CLOSED THE DOOR AND ALL THE DOORS AUTOMATICALLY LOCKED, TRAPPING THE CHILD INSIDE VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS ALSO INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL CRASH AT 15-20 MPH IN WHICH DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND SEAT BEL…
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PARENT WAS PLACING CHILD IN VEHICLE AND WHEN EXITING VEHICLE, CONSUMER'S KEYS SOMEHOW FELL DOWN INSIDE VEHICLE. CONSUMER CLOSED THE DOOR AND ALL THE DOORS AUTOMATICALLY LOCKED, TRAPPING THE CHILD INSIDE VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS ALSO INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL CRASH AT 15-20 MPH IN WHICH DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK IN PLACE, CAUSING DRIVER TO BE FORCED FORWARD. 2 PEOPLE WERE INJURED IN ACCIDENT. *SLC
CONSUMERS VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING SYMPTOMS OF RECALL (96V25) FOR 1996 GRAND AM'S OF THE HAZARD LIGHTS IN WHICH THE FRONT AND OR REAR HAZARD LIGHTS DO NOT FLASH WHEN THE HAZARD SWITCH IS ACTIVATED, CONSUMERS VEHICLE IS A 1995 GRAND AM.
CONSUMER TURNED KEY IN THE IGNITION TO START VEHICLE & IT STARTED SMOKING. CONSUMER TURNED VEHICLE OFF AND GOT OUT TO CALL SOMEONE. CONSUMER WAS NOTIFIED THAT VEHICLE HAD FLAMES COMING FROM IT. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. CONSUMER WILL BE CONTACTING THE MANUFACTURER.*AK
THE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILS WITH THE PEDAL GOING SOFT TO THE FLOOR. WHEN THE PROBLEM FIXES ITSELF THE BRAKES ARE STILL SOFT AND THEN YOU HAVE THE BRAKES TO THE FLOOR AND THE SYSTEM SLAMS ON THE BRAKES. THIS ONLY HAPPENS AT SPEEDS LESS THAN 15 MPH, ALL ABS SENSORS HAVE BEEN CHANGED AND IT STILL HAPPENS. ABS LIGHT COMES ON DASH, BUT …
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THE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILS WITH THE PEDAL GOING SOFT TO THE FLOOR. WHEN THE PROBLEM FIXES ITSELF THE BRAKES ARE STILL SOFT AND THEN YOU HAVE THE BRAKES TO THE FLOOR AND THE SYSTEM SLAMS ON THE BRAKES. THIS ONLY HAPPENS AT SPEEDS LESS THAN 15 MPH, ALL ABS SENSORS HAVE BEEN CHANGED AND IT STILL HAPPENS. ABS LIGHT COMES ON DASH, BUT TECH'S CAN'T FIND A PROBLEM. WHEN SLOW BACKING YOU CAN HEAR BRAKES WORKING THOUGH YOUR NOT TOUCHING THEM. FELL FREE TO CONTACT AT NUMBERS LISTED FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR TO GIVE INSIGHT AS TO PROBLEM AS TECH'S CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT. *MR *NLM *DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*730195
THERE IS A VERY STRONG FUEL SMELL THAT ENTERS PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. DEALER CANNOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
Official recalls
100V287000 · 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
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.