IllustrationMileage unknown · Aug 20, 2000
Exterior Lighting
NO SUMMARY
NHTSA ODI #728490
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 reportsNO SUMMARY
THE AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR FAILED, REPLACEMENT CONDENSOR WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND THE DRIVE BELT WAS CUT OFF DUE TO THE THE HOSE CLAMPS THAT WERE PUT ON THE HIGH PRESSURE LINES AT THE AIR CONDITIONER.
MOTOR IN THE POWER WINDOW ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE IS BEING REPLACED FOR THE SECOND TIME. WINDOW GOES DOWN SLOWLY, AND TAKES ABOUT 6 ATTEMPTS BEFORE GOING BACK UP. ALSO, WHEN STEERING WHEEL IS MOVED DOWN OR UP,TURN SIGNAL DOES NOT ALWAYS WORK. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP. *AK
FUEL TANK HAS COLLAPSED 5 OR MORE TIMES, WAS TOLD TO REPLACE THE GAS CAP AND NOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN DONE THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS AND CONSUMER IS DRIVING WITHOUT A GAS CAP.
WHILE DRIVING STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP DUE TO THE RUBBER SEAL OR BUSHING ON THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER WHICH BECOMES JAMMED. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT GAS TANK WAS DEFECTIVE BUT COULD NOT BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE, CONSUMER CALLED CUSTOMER SERVICE WHO SAID THAT THEY WOULD SHIP AN AFTER MARKET TANK TO DEALER WITHIN 24 HOUR, NO TANK ARRIVED AND CONSUMER IS WITHOUT A VEHICLE. NLM
GETTTING INTO THE VEHICLE TO START IT UP AND SMELLED SMOKE. TRIED TO START AGAIN, AND VEHICLE WOULDN'T START. WENT INTO THE HOUSE, CAME BACK OUT, AND VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. FIREMAN CAME OUT TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. INSURANCE DETERMINE IT WAS A ELECTRICAL FIRE FROM THE STEERING COLUMN.*AK
BUCKET SEAT FRAME TEARS LIKE PAPER INSTEAD OF METAL, LEAVING THE SEAT LOOSE AND NOTHING HOLDING IT. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD, CONTACTED DEALER. BUT THEY SAID CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO GO TO AN UPHOLSTERY SHOP. *AK
VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE. CONSUMER WENT OUT TO START VEHICLE, AND AFTER THREE ATTEMPTS THOUGHT THAT THE BATTERY WAS DEAD. THEN, THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. CONSUMER USED FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO PUT OUT FIRE. *AK
CONSUMER HAS HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM/WIRING, WHICH HAS CAUSED BURNING OF WIRES DUE TO POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL SHORTING. NLM
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.