Your vehicle report

1999 Pontiac Grand AM

The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.

NHTSA data through October 2026View original NHTSA data Change vehicle

Your vehicle at a glance

Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.

Owner complaints
849
Received Jul 1998 to Jul 2023
Official recalls listed
3
Naming this model year; check your VIN for applicability
BrakeNews flagged problems
0
Statistical signals, not official defect findings or recalls

Owner reports

Most reported problems

  1. 1
    Front brake rotors warp and wear early97 complaints · 11% of this vehicle’s complaints
  2. 2
    Airbags fail to deploy in crashes60 complaints · 7.1% of this vehicle’s complaints
  3. 3
    Coil springs break and puncture tires54 complaints · 6.4% of this vehicle’s complaints
See all reported problems

Official NHTSA records

Recalls to check

  • Recall #14V400000This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on July 3, 2014, that they are recalling 5,877,718 model year 2000-2005 Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, 1997-2003 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2005 Malibu Classic, 1999-2004 Oldsmobile Alero, 1998-2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1999-2005 Pontiac Grand Am and 2004-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.
  • Recall #00V140000Vehicle description: these vehicles do not comply with the occupant protection requirements of FMVSS no. 201, "occupant protection in interior impact." the console cover on these vehicles does not stay closed when a specified vertical load is applied.
View recall details

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 identified

Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 73 crashes, 13 fires, 60 people injured, 4 deaths.

Explore by system

Where do owners report problems?

Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.

Schematic car with five system shortcutsGeneric side view, with the front on the left. Numbered links explore engine, brakes, steering, electrical, and body complaints. Text controls below provide the same choices.12345FRONTSCHEMATIC VIEW

Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.

View selected problems

Showing all 20 listed problems by system.

Engine & powertrain

Brakes

Electrical & lights

2 more problems

Airbags, belts & seats

Steering, suspension & tires

1 more problem

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

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Complaint history

When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.

Complaints received about the 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
129
Show as a table
YearComplaints
199812
199960
2000127
2001129
200276
2003105
2004122
200560
200635
200723
200822
200915
201011
20117
20126
20134
201415
20158
20169
20170
20180
20191
20200
20210
20220
20232
20240
20250
2026 (to Oct 2026)0
Total849

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.

ProblemComplaintsShareShare ratioStatus
Front brake rotors warp and wear early9711%–
Airbags fail to deploy in crashes607.1%–
Coil springs break and puncture tires546.4%–
Plastic intake manifold cracks and leaks coolant475.5%–
Power window regulator fails and window drops354.1%–
Turn signals work intermittently or fail333.9%–
Head gasket leaks coolant into engine283.3%–
Ignition key sticks or will not turn263.1%–NHTSA recall #14V400000
Brakes make grinding or squealing noise242.8%–
Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed212.5%–
Seat belt fails to latch or retract182.1%–
Engine suddenly shuts off while driving182.1%–
Vehicle catches fire from wiring161.9%–
Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines151.8%–
Power steering rack leaks fluid151.8%–
Glass shatters or cracks without impact141.7%–
Horn fails with airbag warning light131.5%–
Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps131.5%–
Side mirrors give poor rear visibility111.3%–
Headlights dim or fail at night101.2%–

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 #14V400000July 3, 20145,877,718 vehicles affected

    electrical system: ignition

    This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on July 3, 2014, that they are recalling 5,877,718 model year 2000-2005 Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, 1997-2003 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2005 Malibu Classic, 1999-2004 Oldsmobile Alero, 1998-2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1999-2005 Pontiac Grand Am and 2004-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.

    If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy

    GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 9, 2014. GM's number for this recall is 14350.

  • NHTSA recall #00V140000May 18, 2000487,400 vehicles affected

    structure: body

    Vehicle description: these vehicles do not comply with the occupant protection requirements of FMVSS no. 201, "occupant protection in interior impact." the console cover on these vehicles does not stay closed when a specified vertical load is applied.

    In the event of a crash, the console cover could open and the cover or items stored under it could injure an occupant.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace the console latch mechanism.

  • NHTSA recall #98V320000December 15, 1998217 vehicles affected

    steering: steering wheel/handle bar

    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The steering wheel Can come loose from the steering shaft because the steering wheel retaining nut could have been improperly tightened.

    This condition could cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will inspect the steering wheel retaining nut for correct tightness and tighten if necessary.

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 1999 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