2002 Pontiac GRAND AM problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
395 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
73,393 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: . 270 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 100 of 395 complaints (25.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 53 | 13.4% |
| Steering behavior | 47 | 11.9% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 36 | 9.1% |
| Engine operation | 28 | 7.1% |
| Fuel system concerns | 21 | 5.3% |
| Transmission and shifting | 9 | 2.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 100 |
| Exterior Lighting | 39 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 26 |
| Electrical System:Ignition:Anti-Theft:Control Module | 21 |
| Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal | 21 |
| Exterior Lighting:Hazard Flashing Warning Lights:Switch | 20 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 16 |
| Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal:Switch | 13 |
Electrical System: 100; Exterior Lighting: 39; Engine And Engine Cooling: 26; Electrical System:Ignition:Anti-Theft:Control Module: 21; Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal: 21; Exterior Lighting:Hazard Flashing Warning Lights:Switch: 20; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 16; Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal:Switch: 13
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 24 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 51 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 63 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 58 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 49 |
| 150,000 and above | 25 |
Under 25,000: 24; 25,000 to 49,999: 51; 50,000 to 74,999: 63; 75,000 to 99,999: 58; 100,000 to 149,999: 49; 150,000 and above: 25
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (63). 125 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 24 |
| 2003 | 31 |
| 2004 | 42 |
| 2005 | 38 |
| 2006 | 42 |
| 2007 | 41 |
| 2008 | 28 |
| 2009 | 20 |
| 2010 | 24 |
| 2011 | 10 |
| 2012 | 7 |
| 2013 | 9 |
| 2014 | 38 |
| 2015 | 20 |
| 2016 | 10 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 1 |
2002: 24; 2003: 31; 2004: 42; 2005: 38; 2006: 42; 2007: 41; 2008: 28; 2009: 20; 2010: 24; 2011: 10; 2012: 7; 2013: 9; 2014: 38; 2015: 20; 2016: 10; 2017: 2; 2018: 4; 2019: 4; 2020: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 53 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 47 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 36 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10011821 · 2003-03-14 (March 14, 2003)
THE FRONT BRAKES DID NOT HOLD, WHICH CAUSED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10011821 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10024340 · 2003-07-10 (July 10, 2003)
WHEN THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED, THE TIRES LOCKED UP, AND THE VEHICLE HYDROPLANED LIKE IT WAS ON A WET SURFACE.*AK THE SEAT BACK FALLS DOWN UPON ACCELERATION WHEN DRIVING. *TS. THE CONSUMER FELT THE ABS WAS NOT PERFORMING AS DESIGNED. THE SEAT COLLAPSED WHILE DRIVING, AND THE FRONT ROTORS WERE RESURFACED. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 13,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10024340 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10002642 · 2003-01-13 (January 13, 2003)
THE VEHICLE IS A 2002 PONTIAC GRAND AM SE1 SEDAN WITH THE ECOTEC 2.2L ENGINE. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THERE WAS SOME SNOW AND MAYBE A SLIGHT AMOUNT OF ICE IN AREAS. AND THE CAR INFRONT OF ME LOST CONTROL. IN ORDER TO AVOID HITTING IT I HAD TO MAKE A SHARP LEFT HAND TURN. WHILE MAKING THIS LEFT HAND TURN I HAD MY POWER STEERING DISSENGAGE. MY DASHBOARD LIGHTS ALL THEN LIT UP AND THE ENGINE AND ALL THE VEHICLES POWER WENT DEAD. I ENDED UP GOING OFF THE ROAD AND WAS AIRBORNE AND CAME FLYING DOWN INTO THE METAL HIGHWAY DIVIDER. CAUSING SEVERE …
Owner-reported narrative. 11,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002642 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10002928 · 2003-01-18 (January 18, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE RIGHT KNUCKLE SEPARATED CAUSING THE RIGHT WHEEL TO BREAK AND TURN ONTO ITS SIDE WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. THE CAPABILITY OF STEERING WAS GONE AND THERE WAS NO WAY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CAR TURNED OVER ONTO ITS TOP IN A DITCH. THIS ACCIDENT TOTALED THE VEHICLE.
Owner-reported narrative. 36,145 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002928 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10008075 · 2003-02-25 (February 25, 2003)
WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NOT START IN TWO TO THREE DAYS, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS SOME HOW DRAINING THE BATTERY. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE BATTERY ON THREE OCCASIONS SO FAR. THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER STATED THAT IF THE VEHICLE IS NOT STARTED WITHIN TEN DAYS, THE BATTERY WILL LOSE ITS CHARGE. WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURS, THE REMOTE LOCKS WILL NOT WORK. THERE IS NO POWER TO ANY OF THE INSTRUMENT PANELS. CAR WILL NOT START. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10008075 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10087330 · 2004-08-05 (August 5, 2004)
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED ON ITS OWN. CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. THEN, FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER THE VEHICLE STARTED. DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER SIDE ELECTRICAL WINDOWS ROLLED UP AND DOWN ON THEIR OWN. ALSO, TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE SHIFTING. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER FOR AN APPOINTMENT FOR THESE PROBLEMS. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10087330 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10001200 · 2002-12-19 (December 19, 2002)
WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED. THE DEALERSHIP RAN A DIAGNOSTIC ON THE VEHICLE, AND INDICATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP AND MAIN COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS
Owner-reported narrative. 27,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10001200 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10032038 · 2003-12-10 (December 10, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN AND WOULD NOT START AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALER. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK THE SES (SERVICE ENGINE SOON) LIGHT WAS INTERMITTENT, THE DAY LIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE AND THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE. THE SOLUTION WAS A LOOSE FUEL CAP SEAL. WHEN THE VEHICLE DIDN'T START, THE SOLUTION WAS REPROGRAMMING THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE. ON ANOTHER OCCASION WHEN THE VEHICLE DIDN'T START THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED. T…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10032038 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10014529 · 2003-04-17 (April 17, 2003)
I HAVE A 2002 PONTIAC GRAND AM THAT IS NOT SO GRAND. AT 1100 MILES THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AFTER FIGHTING WITH PONTIAC. THEY FINALLY AUTHORIZED THE DEALERSHIP TO DROP THE TRANSMISSION PAN AND THEY FOUND METAL SHARDS IN IT FROM THE TRANSMISSION. I HAD THE MOLDING AROUND THE REAR WINDOW REPLACE, BOTH ELECTRIC MIRRORS FIXED BECAUSE THEY GET "STUCK." THE IGNITION HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES SINCE I GOT THE CAR, TWICE IN THE LAST 4 WEEKS. THE KEY WILL NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION AND THE STEERING WHEEL IS NOT LOCKED. THIS REALLY AFFECTS T…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10014529 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10050948 · 2003-12-22 (December 22, 2003)
I HAVE HAD MY CAR IN THE SHOP SEVERAL TIMES FOR PROBLEMS AND THEY CAN TYPICALLY REPLICATE THE PROBLEM, BUT CANNOT FIX IT. I HAVE HAD 3 BRAKE JOBS ON MY CAR, AS WELL AS THE CALIPERS REBUILT, AND MY BRAKES STILL DO NOT WORK RIGHT. THE ABS SYSTEM FAILS CONSTANTLY. I EXPERIENCE SLIDES ON DRY SURFACES EVEN. I ALSO HAVE TRANSMISSION, COOLANT, AND FUELING PROBLEMS. I HAVE HAD A FUEL PUMP REPLACED FINALLY, AFTER THE 3RD TIME OF TAKING IT IN FOR NOT STARTING, 2 TIMES PRIOR THERE WAS NOTHING SUPPOSEDLY WRONG. ALSO, I AM STILL GETTING ONLY 125 MILES…
Owner-reported narrative. 45,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10050948 at NHTSA ↗