Your vehicle report
1997 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
- 383
- Received Oct 1996 to Jun 2020
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Airbags fail to deploy in crashes33 complaints · 8.6% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Ignition key sticks or will not turn24 complaints · 6.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Unintended acceleration despite braking16 complaints · 4.2% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #02V070000On certain passenger vehicles. If the engine fails to start and the driver holds the key in the "start" position for an extended period, high current flows through the ignition switch, and sometimes produces enough heat to melt internal switch parts.
- Recall #97V059000The protective cover for the underhood fuse center was omitted. Without this cover, the positive terminal bolt on the fuse block is exposed and can contact the insulated negative battery cable. If the insulation on the negative cable becomes sufficiently worn, an electrical short circuit can occur between the positive terminal and negative cable resulting in extremely high current flow.
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: 32 crashes, 12 fires, 37 people injured, 3 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
Brakes
- Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up
- Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines
- Brakes make grinding or squealing noise
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 |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 1 |
| 1997 | 16 |
| 1998 | 50 |
| 1999 | 51 |
| 2000 | 59 |
| 2001 | 42 |
| 2002 | 68 |
| 2003 | 33 |
| 2004 | 20 |
| 2005 | 8 |
| 2006 | 9 |
| 2007 | 6 |
| 2008 | 9 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 383 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 33 | 8.6% | – | |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 24 | 6.3% | – | NHTSA recall #02V070000 |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 16 | 4.2% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 16 | 4.2% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 16 | 4.2% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 14 | 3.7% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 13 | 3.4% | – | |
| Brakes make grinding or squealing noise | 13 | 3.4% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 12 | 3.1% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 11 | 2.9% | – | |
| Power window regulator fails and window drops | 11 | 2.9% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 9 | 2.4% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 8 | 2.1% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 8 | 2.1% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 7 | 1.8% | – | |
| Plastic intake manifold cracks and leaks coolant | 7 | 1.8% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 6 | 1.6% | – | |
| Air conditioner blows hot air or fails | 6 | 1.6% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 6 | 1.6% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 5 | 1.3% | – |
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 #02V070000March 6, 20021,589,948 vehicles affected
electrical system: ignition: switch
On certain passenger vehicles. If the engine fails to start and the driver holds the key in the "start" position for an extended period, high current flows through the ignition switch, and sometimes produces enough heat to melt internal switch parts.
If the switch is damaged, a fire could occur in the steering column, even with the engine off and the key removed.
Remedy
Dealers will install a relay kit in these vehicles to prevent high current from flowing through the ignition switch. Owner notification began march 27, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, Pontiac at 1-800-762-2737, Buick at 1-800-521-7300, or Oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537.
NHTSA recall #97V059000April 8, 19973,464 vehicles affected
electrical system: wiring: front underhood
The protective cover for the underhood fuse center was omitted. Without this cover, the positive terminal bolt on the fuse block is exposed and Can contact the insulated negative battery cable. If the insulation on the negative cable becomes sufficiently worn, an electrical short circuit Can occur between the positive terminal and negative cable resulting in extremely high current flow.
This high current flow Can cause arcing and result in an underhood fire.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect these vehicles for the presence of the protective cover and, if necessary, install a protective cover to the underhood fuse center.
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 1997 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