IllustrationCONSUMER 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
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 reportsRECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 00V287000. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP. TOOK VEHICLE ON APPOINTED DATE AND HAD RECALLED IGNITION REPAIRED. SINCE REPAIR, REMEDY FOR IT HAD FAILED , AND CAUSED MORE PROBLEMS. *AK
CONSUMER STATED THE THERMOSTAT WAS REPLACED 3 TIMES, DUE TO THE VEHICLE OVERHEATING, HOWEVER CONSUMER IS STILL EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS.*JB
IGNITION SWITCH BURNED OUT IN STEERING COLUMN STARTER. VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO OPERATE, UPON STARTING SMOKE EMMITTED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. MECHANIC REPLACED STARTER AND IGNITION. *JG
VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF WHEN SMOKE CAME FROM UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL. SECONDS LATER IT WAS IGNITED, BUT DIDN'T SPREAD. CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. CONSUMER WILL CONTACT DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK
PRIOR TO THE RECALL NOTICE THE CONSUMER HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION SYSTEM. THE DEALER INSTALLED A NEW RELAY KIT. THE CONSUMER IS ASKING FOR REIMBURSMENT. *YH
WAS TRAVELING ON A SIDE STREET AND HEARD A BANGING NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. SHE PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND VEHICLE WOULDN'T START BACK UP. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 40 MPH MICHELIN TIRES EXPLODED AND SEPARATED, DAMAGING AUTOMOBILE. CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY MICHELIN DEALER THAT THEY WOULD NOT HELP HIM BECAUSE TIRE WAS OLD, AND DID NOT HAVE A 60, 000 WARRANTY. CONSUMER DID NOT HAVE AN ACCIDENT, BUT CAME VERY CLOSE.*AK
HEADLIGHT SWITCH ON THESE VEHICLES ARE OF A BAD DESIGN OR HAVE A WIRE IN THE WRONG PLACE (CAUSING IT TO GET CUT) . THE HEADLIGHTS CAN GO OUT AT ANY TIME, POSSIBLY CAUSING A CRASH. I HAVE TALKED TO OTHER GRAND AM OWNERS AND THEY TOO ARE HAVING OR HAVE HAD A PROBLEM SIMILAR TO MINE.*AK
A CRACKED INTAKE MANIFOLD CAUSED THE COOLANT LIGHT TO COME, THE CONSUMER VHANGED THE COOLANT BUT THE LIGHT STILL ILLUMINATED, THE CONSUMER FOUND THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOD CRACKED CAUSING COOLANT TO MIX WITH OIL, AS A RESULT OF THE CRACKED INTAKE THE CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED TH…
Read full complaint
A CRACKED INTAKE MANIFOLD CAUSED THE COOLANT LIGHT TO COME, THE CONSUMER VHANGED THE COOLANT BUT THE LIGHT STILL ILLUMINATED, THE CONSUMER FOUND THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOD CRACKED CAUSING COOLANT TO MIX WITH OIL, AS A RESULT OF THE CRACKED INTAKE THE CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THERE HAD BEEN NO RECALL AND NOTHING COULD BE DONE.*AK *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.