Your vehicle report

2004 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
293
Received Nov 2003 to Nov 2021
Official recalls listed
2
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
    Ignition key sticks or will not turn59 complaints · 20% of this vehicle’s complaints
  2. 2
    Turn signals work intermittently or fail27 complaints · 9.2% of this vehicle’s complaints
  3. 3
    Engine won't start or cranks intermittently17 complaints · 5.8% 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 #04V301000Certain passenger vehicles may have been built with a fuel tank that does not meet specification. A weld on these fuel tanks may be insufficient, resulting in a fuel leak.
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: 24 crashes, 7 fires, 18 people injured, 1 death.

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

1 more problem

Brakes

Electrical & lights

2 more problems

Airbags, belts & seats

Steering, suspension & tires

Body, doors & glass

1 more problem

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 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
42
Show as a table
YearComplaints
20031
200415
200513
200612
200731
200833
200918
201026
201114
20129
201319
201442
201526
201612
20176
20188
20196
20201
20211
20220
20230
20240
20250
2026 (to Oct 2026)0
Total293

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
Ignition key sticks or will not turn5920%–NHTSA recall #14V400000
Turn signals work intermittently or fail279.2%–
Engine won't start or cranks intermittently175.8%–
Airbags fail to deploy in crashes113.8%–
Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline82.7%–NHTSA recall #04V301000
Vehicle catches fire from wiring82.7%–
Unintended acceleration despite braking82.7%–
Headlights dim or fail at night72.4%–
Glass shatters or cracks without impact51.7%–
Steering wheel clunks or clicks when turning51.7%–
Water leaks into cabin during rain41.4%–
Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly41.4%–
Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines41.4%–
Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps41.4%–
Manual clutch wears out or fails early41.4%–
Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail31.0%–
Seat belt fails to latch or retract31.0%–
Rear door latch fails to open or close31.0%–
Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips31.0%–
Automatic emergency braking applies without reason31.0%–

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 #04V301000June 30, 20042,857 vehicles affected

    fuel system, gasoline: storage

    Certain passenger vehicles may have been built with a fuel tank that does not meet specification. A weld on these fuel tanks may be insufficient, resulting in a fuel leak.

    Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.

    Remedy

    Dealers will inspect the fuel tank, and replace it, if necessary. Owner notification began on june 23, 2004. Owners should contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668.

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 2004 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