Your vehicle report
1992 Pontiac Grand AM
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 168
- Received Jan 1995 to Jun 2010
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Head gasket leaks coolant into engine31 complaints · 18% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up12 complaints · 7.1% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Rear door latch fails to open or close11 complaints · 6.6% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #92V106000The vehicles were assembled with an incorrect suspension upper spring seat at the right-rear position. If the vehicle is involved in a rear impact accident, the right-hand rear wheel house flange could sever the fuel tank filler pipe and spill fuel.
- Recall #91V204000The bolts and nuts which attach the bearing-hub assembly to the rear axle flange are not sufficiently tightened on some vehicles.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 12 crashes, 4 fires, 12 people injured, 2 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
- Head gasket leaks coolant into engine
- Engine suddenly shuts off while driving
- Transmission fails or loses power while driving
1 more problem
Brakes
- Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up
- Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines
- Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly
1 more problem
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 29 |
| 1996 | 13 |
| 1997 | 18 |
| 1998 | 25 |
| 1999 | 35 |
| 2000 | 21 |
| 2001 | 16 |
| 2002 | 3 |
| 2003 | 4 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 168 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 31 | 18% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 12 | 7.1% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 11 | 6.6% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 10 | 5.9% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 7 | 4.2% | – | |
| Air conditioner blows hot air or fails | 7 | 4.2% | – | |
| Paint peels off roof and hood | 6 | 3.6% | – | |
| Water leaks into cabin during rain | 6 | 3.6% | – | |
| Horn fails with airbag warning light | 6 | 3.6% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 6 | 3.6% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 5 | 3.0% | – | |
| Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed | 5 | 3.0% | – | |
| Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly | 5 | 3.0% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 5 | 3.0% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 5 | 3.0% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 4 | 2.4% | – | NHTSA recall #92V106000 |
| Heater blows cold air, defroster fails | 4 | 2.4% | – | |
| Axle breaks while driving, wheel detaches | 4 | 2.4% | – | |
| Turn signals work intermittently or fail | 4 | 2.4% | – | |
| Frame rusts and corrodes through | 3 | 1.8% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #92V106000July 17, 199220 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly: filler pipe and cap
The vehicles were assembled with an incorrect suspension upper spring seat at the right-rear position. If the vehicle is involved in a rear impact accident, the right-hand rear wheel house flange could sever the fuel tank filler pipe and spill fuel.
These vehicles are not in compliance with FMVSS 301,fuel system integrity. Spilled fuel in a low speed accident Can result in afire.
Remedy
Inspect and replace incorrect upper spring seat with the correct part.
NHTSA recall #91V204000November 19, 1991272 vehicles affected
suspension: rear
The bolts and nuts which attach the bearing-hub assembly to the rear axle flange are not sufficiently tightened on some vehicles.
This would allow excessive movement of the bearing-hubassembly relative to the rear axle flange and could cause elongation andeventual separation of the attaching bolts from the rear axle flange. If thiswere to occur while the vehicle was in motion, the affected tire and wheel couldtrack erratically, eventually causing failure of the other attaching bolts. Thetire and wheel assembly could separate from the vehicle which could result in avehicle accident.
Remedy
Tighten rear axle bearing-hub assembly fasteners, and replace all the fasteners on a wheel if two or more bolts are found to be loose.
NHTSA recall #91V182000October 21, 19911,851 vehicles affected
seats: front assembly: recliner
The passenger's side easy-entry seat adjuster may fail fully lock into position after the seat back has been tilted forward and the seat slid forward, then returned to its original postition.
If the seat adjuster fails to lock into position, thepassenger seat would slide forward in the event of a sudden stop or accident.occupants of the passenger seat would face increased risk of serious injury.
Remedy
Replace the adjuster assembly on the seat.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1992 Pontiac Grand AM.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN