Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1997 Pontiac Grand Am, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Electrical system105
- Engine and engine cooling83
- Service brakes, hydraulic69
- Air bags41
- Vehicle speed control36
- Visibility34
- Suspension26
- Power train22
- Steering21
- Fuel system, gasoline19
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 37 injuries and 3 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 6 1997 Grand Am vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 4 people died inside them, and 2 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1997 Pontiac Grand Am failed the safety check 1.20% of the time — 25% less often than the average 1997 passenger car (1.60%). Median odometer at inspection: 105,434 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 3 variants: combined 10.4–11.2 L/100 km (about 21–23 mpg US), CO₂ 239–258 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Am · Compact · Regular gasoline | 12.3 | 8.0 | 10.4 |
| Grand Am · Compact · Regular gasoline | 12.2 | 8.5 | 10.5 |
| Grand Am · Compact · Regular gasoline | 13.2 | 8.8 | 11.2 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
3 Transport Canada recalls for the 1997 Pontiac Grand Am.
| 2003162 24 Jun 2003 | Airbag Certain vehicles, after being exposed to substantial amounts of water, may experience deployment of either the driver or passenger front airbag without a crash.… |
| 2002041 6 Mar 2002 | Electrical 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 throu… |
| 1997078 14 Apr 1997 | Electrical THE PROTECTIVE COVER FOR THE UNDERHOOD FUSE CENTRE MAY HAVE BEEN OMITTED ON THESE VEHICLES. WITHOUT THIS COVER, THE POSITIVE TERMINAL BOLT ON THE FUSE BLOCK IS … |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
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.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Pontiac told its dealers about the 1997 Pontiac Grand Am: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 634845 | SERVICE MANUAL UPDATE REGARDING REVISED BRAKE SPECIFICATIONS. *TT |
| 634708 | SUBJECT REGARDING REVISED LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD INSTALLATION. *TT |
| 631899 | SUBJECT REGARDING REVISED IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER OR IGNITION SWITCH ASSEMBLY REPLACEMENT. *SLC |
| 628890 | SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT ON LEAKAGE OF A FEW DROPS OF COOLANT AFTER PARKING THEIR VEHICLE. *TT |
| 622945 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY WANT TO TOW THEIR VEHICLE BEHIND ANOTHER VEHICLE WITH ALL FOUR TIRES ONT HE GROUND. THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES INFORMATION REGARDING RECREATIONAL (DINGHY) TOWING FOR CERTAIN VEHICLES INCLUDING THE 1996 THROUGH 2000 TOYOTA CAVALIER. *TT |
| 620810 | SUBJECT REGARDING POLYMER SERVICE PISTONS. *TT |
| 619370 | OWNERS OF SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDRA-MATIC 3T40, 4T60, 4T60-E OR 4T65-E TRANSAXLES MAY COMMENT ON A GRINDING AND / OR GROWLING NOISE THAT IS NOTICEABLE WHEN STANDING IN PARK ON A HILL OR SLOPE WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING AND THE PARKING BRAKE NOT APPLIED. *TT |
| 619360 | SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT ON DRIVEABILITY SYMPTONS OF LONG OR HARD STARTS, CHUGGLE, ROUGH IDLE AND LIGHT OR INTERMITTENT MISFIRE DUE TO CLOGGED FUEL INJECTORS. *TT |
| 615073 | SOME V6 ENGINES MAY, ON A VERY INFREQUENT BASIS, HAVE AN OIL ODOR CONDITION THAT IS GENERALLY ENCOUNTERED AFTER THE ENGINE'S OIL HAS BEEN CHANGED.TYPICALLY THE ODOR LASTS APPROXIMATELY 1000 MILES AFTER THE CHANGE OF OIL AND THEN DOES NOT REAPPEAR UNTIL THE NEXT CHANGE OF OIL. *TT |
| 613590 | INFORMATION REGARDING SNOW INTRUSION INTO REAR DRUM BRAKE ASSEMBLIES. **MR |
| 6089996 | SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDRA-MATIC 3T40, 4T60 OR 4T60-E TRANSXALES MAY COMMENT ON A GRINDING AND / OR GROWLING NOISE THAT IS NOTICEABLE WHEN IN PARK ON INCLINE. *TT |
| 604343 | SOME OWNERS MAY EXPERIENCE A DRIVEABILITY SYMPTOM OF LONG OR HARD STARTS, CHUGGLE, ROUGH IDLE AND LIGHT OR INTERMITTENT MISFIRE. *TT |
| 602983 | CONCERNS OF DOOR HANDLES ON WHITE PAINTED VEHICLES TRUNING YELLOW. *YC |
| 602826 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ABOUT A SQUEAK/ SQUAWK TYPE NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN AREA WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. *YC |
| 601915 | COMMENTS ON A TICKING TYPE NOISE THAT BEGINS SHORTLY AFTER COLD ENGINE START-UP AND GRADUALLY DIMINISHES AS THE ENGINE WARMS UP. *YC |
| 601912 | CONDITIONS REGARDING WEAK OR DISCHARGED BATTERY, SLOW STARTING, GEN OR MIL LAMP ON, VARIOUS DRIVEABILITY SYMPTOMS. *YC |
| 601412 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE A MIL (MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP) LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE VEHICLE'S INSTRUMENT PANEL. *YC |
| 601114 | SEAT BELT LATCH SLIDES TO SEAT BELT ANCHOR SLEEVE. *YC |
| 600282 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE A DRIVEABILITY SYMPTOM OF LONG OR HARD STARTS, CHUGGLE, ROUGH IDLE AND LIGHT OR INTERMITTENT MISFIRE. *YC |
| 600221 | COMMENTS THAT THE REAR BRAKES MAY DRAG/HEAT UP OR REAR OF CAR IS SQUATTING DUE TO AGGRESSIVE REAR BRAKE. *YC |
| 54419 | COMMENT THAT THE ABS LIGHT IS ON WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTC'S) 46 AND 86 SET AS CURRENT OR HISTORY. *YC |
| 54418 | SOME VEHICLES EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTIES TO DEPRESS ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND/OR AN ACCELERATOR CABLE SEPARATION. *YC |
| 54329 | COMPLAINTS THAT THE ABS INDICATOR LAMP IS "ON". *YC |
| 54191 | EXPERIENCING A SQUEAK/SQUAWK NOISE COMING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE STEERING COLUMN. *YC |
| 54066 | SUBJECT PERTAINING TO DRIVEABILITY SYMPTOMS DUE TO FUEL INJECTOR DEPOSITS. *YC |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
POWER RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILURE
OVERSENSITIVE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTS
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation