2000 Pontiac GRAND AM: complaints, problems and recalls

MY CAR HAS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. IT STARTED TWO WEEKS AFTER I PURCHASED MY 2000 GRAND AM BRAND NEW. IT STARTED WITH THE CHECK ENGINE SOON LIKE COMING ON AND GIVING A CODE THAT I WAS RUNNING THE CAR WITH THE FUEL CAP OFF. AFTER THE THIRD TIME THEY REALIZED IT IS AN ERROR. THEN THE DOORS STARTED LOCKING THEIRSELVES. I HAVE HAD 3 STEREOS INSTALLED, ALL HAVING ELECTRONIC PROBLEMS AND NOW MY AIRBAG LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON RANDOMLY AND NOT GIVING A CODE WHEN HOOKED UP TO READ IT. NO ONE CAN GIVE ME A STRAIGHT ANSWER. I HAVE BEEN INTO THE DEALER SO MANY …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10000352 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON THEN THE CONSUMER CAN HEAT A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001565 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER STATES HE STARTED HIS AUTO, AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 30 MILES AND HEARD A NOISE IN HIS ENGINE. HE DROVE THE AUTO HOME AND CALLED THE TOW TRUCK AND HAD IT TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO TOLD HIM THAT PONTIAC IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH HIS KIND OF MOTOR (3.4 ENGINE). CONSUMER STATES HE CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR ALONE, BECAUSE IT COST SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF $4000.00. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001610 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH A STRONG SMELL AT SMOKE. ALSO STATED THAT THE DRIVERS WINDOW WILL NOT GO DOWN. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND HAS SAID THAT THEY HAVE NOT FOUND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER ALSO STATED THAT SHE THINKS THAT THERE MUST BE A ELECTRICAL SHORT SOMEWHERE ON THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE RADIO ON THE VEHICLE DOESN'T WORK. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002186 at NHTSA ↗

2000 PONTIAC GRANDAM SE, PURCHASED FROM PASSPORT NISSAN OF ALEXANDRIA [phone removed] CONTACT PERSON EARL AND JEFF TANIER

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002863 at NHTSA ↗

ENGINE STALL WHILE AT EXPRESSWAY SPEEDS

Owner-reported narrative. 22,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002935 at NHTSA ↗

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURE CAUSING COOLANT LEAK ON 2000 GRAND AM GT.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004935 at NHTSA ↗

FRONT BRAKE ROTERS AND PADS HAD TO BE REPLACED LAST WEEK FOR OVER $400.00 AT A GM DEALER. THE VEHICLE IS LESS THAN 3 YEARS OLD AND THIS IS THE 2ND TIME THESE HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER SAYS THIS HAPPENS TO ALL OF THE PONTIAC GRAND AMS

Owner-reported narrative. 46,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005667 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2000-04-18 (April 18, 2000)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE BOLT THAT ATTACHES THE REAR SUSPENSION TRAILING ARM TO THE LEFT REAR KNUCKLE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TIGHTENED TO SPECIFICATIONS DURING ASSEMBLY.

Consequence: THE BOLT COULD BACK COMPLETELY OUT OF THE JOINT AFFECTING VEHICLE CONTROL.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THIS BOLT.

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.

Reported: 2000-11-13 (November 13, 2000)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSAXLES (RPO M86) FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 114, "THEFT PROTECTION." WHEN A DRIVER ATTEMPTS TO SHIFT FROM 5TH GEAR TO REVERSE, A SHIFT INHIBITOR CAUSES THE TRANSMISSION TO BE MECHANICALLY IN 4TH GEAR EVEN THOUGH THE SHIFT LEVER INDICATES REVERSE GEAR.

Consequence: IN THIS SITUATION, THE KEY CAN BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION WHILE THE TRANSMISSION IS IN A FORWARD GEAR, WHICH IS NOT PERMITTED BY THE STANDARD.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL DISABLE THE 5TH/REVERSE INHIBITOR BY REMOVING A RETAINING PIN AND REPLACE THE SHIFTER ASSEMBLY.

Reported: 2003-08-28 (August 28, 2003)

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES HAVE HAZARD WARNING SWITCHES THAT MAY EXPERIENCE SOLDER JOINT CRACKING CAUSED BY RAPID TEMPERATURE TRANSITIONS AND THE SOLDERING PROCESS. IF SOLDER JOINT CRACKING OCCURS AND RESULTS IN AN OPEN CIRCUIT, THE TURN SIGNALS/HAZARD LAMPS BECOME INTERMITTENT OR INOPERATIVE.

Consequence: WHEN THE TURN SIGNALS ARE INOPERATIVE, THE DRIVER CANNOT USE THEM TO SIGNAL INTENT TO TURN THAT COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HAZARD WARNING SWITCH. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 5, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537.

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.