1999 Pontiac GRAND AM: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
777 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
70,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1999 model year. Data snapshot: . 273 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip is the most frequently named component, appearing in 65 of 777 complaints (8.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 210 | 27.0% |
| Steering behavior | 75 | 9.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 39 | 5.0% |
| Engine operation | 33 | 4.2% |
| Transmission and shifting | 18 | 2.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 14 | 1.8% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 65 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor | 65 |
| Electrical System | 53 |
| Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls | 48 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc | 45 |
| Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs | 43 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 39 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 33 |
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 65; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor: 65; Electrical System: 53; Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls: 48; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc: 45; Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs: 43; Air Bags:Frontal: 39; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 33
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 22 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 59 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 66 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 70 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 43 |
| 150,000 and above | 13 |
Under 25,000: 22; 25,000 to 49,999: 59; 50,000 to 74,999: 66; 75,000 to 99,999: 70; 100,000 to 149,999: 43; 150,000 and above: 13
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (70). 504 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 |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 127 |
| 2001 | 129 |
| 2002 | 76 |
| 2003 | 105 |
| 2004 | 122 |
| 2005 | 60 |
| 2006 | 35 |
| 2007 | 23 |
| 2008 | 22 |
| 2009 | 15 |
| 2010 | 11 |
| 2011 | 7 |
| 2012 | 6 |
| 2013 | 4 |
| 2014 | 15 |
| 2015 | 8 |
| 2016 | 9 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2023 | 2 |
2000: 127; 2001: 129; 2002: 76; 2003: 105; 2004: 122; 2005: 60; 2006: 35; 2007: 23; 2008: 22; 2009: 15; 2010: 11; 2011: 7; 2012: 6; 2013: 4; 2014: 15; 2015: 8; 2016: 9; 2019: 1; 2023: 2
Pattern summary
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 210 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 75 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 39 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10000485 · 2003-01-03 (January 3, 2003)
THE DAY OF THIS ACCIDENT NEITHER ONE OF MY AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, I WAS WONDERING IF THAT WAS A DEFECT OR WHAT? TS
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10000485 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10000556 · 2003-01-06 (January 6, 2003)
I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE FOLLOWING REPAIRED: THE FAN REPLACED 2 TIMES, THE BRAKES REPAIRED 4 TIMES, THE RADIO REPLACED ONCE, THE WATER PUMP REPLACED ONCE AND THE BATTERY REPLACED TWICE. I AM ALSO HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION IT HAS BEEN SLIPPING. THE INTAKE GASKET NEEDS TO REPLACED BECAUSE ANTIFREEZE IS LEAKING OUT AND ONE OF THE LIFTERS IS KNOCKING. MOST OF THESE PROBLEMS STARTED AT ABOUT 30,000 MILES AND GRADUALLY THERE WAS JUST ONE PROBLEM AFTER ANOTHER. I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE TRANMISSION AT ABOUT 32,000 MILES AND…
Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000556 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10003538 · 2003-01-28 (January 28, 2003)
THIS IS FOR THE 99 PONTIAC GRAND AM SE....I AM SURE THIS HAS BEEN MENTIONED BEFORE...MYSELF AND ANYONE ELSE I KNOW WHO HAS THIS CAR HAS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM OVER AND OVER AGAIN. ON THE REGULATOR OF THE POWER WINDOW SYSTEM THERE ARE 2 CLIPS THAT ATTACH TO THE REGULATOR. ONE ON THE FRONT SIDE OF THE WINDOW AND ONE ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE WINDOW. THESE CLIPS ARE METAL WITH PLASTIC SLITS IN THEM FOR THE WINDOW TO SLIDE INTO....THEY MAKE THE WINDOW GO UP AND DOWN....UNFORTUNATELY THEY SEEM TO ONLY LAST ABOUT 3 MONTHS...I HAVE WENT THROUGH 3 SETS …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10003538 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10003539 · 2003-01-28 (January 28, 2003)
REAR WINDOW SHATTERED INTO PIECES (IMPLODED) WHILE DRIVING. GLASS COVERING THE INSIDE OF VEHICLE. POLICE OFFICER REPORTS 2 OTHER INCIDENTS THIS PAST WEEK , GLASS REPAIR FACILITY REPORTS 3 OTHER INCIDENTS WITH SAME S/N OF GLASS INVOLVED. COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH IF BABY OR OTHER OCCUPANTS RIDING AS REAR PASSENGERS IN VEHICLE. POSSIBLE CAUSES COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO EXPOSE DEFECT : 1)COLD TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE (0-20) 2) DEFROSTER ON INSIDE OF VEHICLE 3) DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING PROCESS OF GLASS. I HAVE CONTACTED THE INSURANCE COM…
Owner-reported narrative. 77,120 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003539 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10003914 · 2003-01-31 (January 31, 2003)
THE CONSUMER WAS SOLD A VEHICLE WITH ONLY A THIRD OF ITS BRAKES. THE CONSUMER REQUESTS THAT THE DEALER INSPECTS AND REMEDY THE BRAKE PROBLEM FREE OF CHARGE. (AN ALT NUMBER FOR THE CONSUMER IS [phone removed]) SCC
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10003914 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10004437 · 2003-01-22 (January 22, 2003)
VEHICLE WILL SHUT DOWN AND WILL NOT RESTART DUE TO THE POSITIVE POST INSIDE OF THE BATTERY LEAKING ACID. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS
Owner-reported narrative. 26,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10004437 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10004445 · 2003-01-22 (January 22, 2003)
CONSUMER STATED WHILE PULLING OUT OF PARKING SPACE CONSUMER NOTICED VEHICLE STEERING WHEEL HAD LOCKED UP. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004445 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10005307 · 2003-02-04 (February 4, 2003)
THE DIRECTIONALS WILL TURN OFF AND NOT WORK AT ALL, UNLESS I TURN OFF THE CAR AND START IT AGAIN.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10005307 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
3 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
00V140000 · Structure:Body
Reported: 2000-05-18 (May 18, 2000)
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.
Consequence: 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 campaign record ↗14V400000 · Electrical System:Ignition
Reported: 2014-07-03 (July 3, 2014)
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.
Consequence: 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 campaign record ↗98V320000 · Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar
Reported: 1998-12-15 (December 15, 1998)
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.
Consequence: 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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗