2005 Pontiac GRAND AM: complaints, problems and recalls

VEHICLE ACCELERATED UPON PARKING NEAR A STOP WITH FOOT OFF ACCELERATOR AND ON BRAKE PEDAL. CAR JUMPED OVER PARKING BUMP AND HIT A VEHICLES. NO FATALITIES OR INJURIES REPORTED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10090096 at NHTSA ↗

DT: THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION. AS A RESULT, SHE CRASHED INTO AN APARTMENT. THE SPEED WAS NO MORE THAN 5-10 MPH. WHEN SHE HIT THE BRAKE THE CAR WENT OUT OF CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS A RENTAL CAR. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10128603 at NHTSA ↗

DT: 2005 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE CONSUMER STATES WHEN HITTING A TELEPHONE POLE AT 55 MPH THE BATTERY THAT WAS BEING STORED IN THE TRUNK COME THROUGH THE BACK SEAT. THIS WAS NOT A FOLD DOWN SEAT. THE CONSUMER THOUGHT THE SEAT WAS NOT STRONG ENOUGH DURING A CRASH. THERE WERE NO INJURIES DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. THERE WAS A CRASH BUT NOT AS A RESULT OF THE BATTERY COMING THROUGH THE SEAT.*AK UPDATED 11/30/2005 - THE BATTERY LANDED ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 23,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10135459 at NHTSA ↗

MY HUSBAND AND I BOUGHT A 2005 PONTIAC GRAND AM IN DECEMBER 2005. SINCE THAT TIME, THE MAIN FUSE HAS BLOWN TWICE, LEAVING US STRANDED. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED WAS 37 DAYS AFTER WE BOUGHT IT AND IT WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN SAID IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION LOCK. IT HAS BEEN EXACTLY 48 DAYS SINCE WE GOT IT BACK AND THE SAME THING HAS HAPPENED AGAIN. WE ARE NOW FIGHTING WITH THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT TOWED AGAIN (IT HAS TO BE TOWED AS IT WON'T TURN OVER AT ALL) AND REPAIRED. WE ARE GETTING THE RUN AROUND FROM E…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10152393 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ALUMINUM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD WAS PITTED VERY BADLY WHICH CAUSED DUST TO COME FROM THE AREA. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED CONCERNED ABOUT THE HEALTH HAZARDS THIS COULD CAUSE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK UPDATED 7/18/2006 - THE WINDOW ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HESITATED WHILE GOING UP AND DOWN. THE CONSUMER FOUND RUST UNDER THE DASHBOARD. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 37,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10160806 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE ENGINE, THE IGNITION WIRES FROM THE STARTER TO THE IGNITION SWITCH MUST BE RUBBED TOGETHER TO START THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 00V287000 REGARDING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: STARTER ASSEMBLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED.

Owner-reported narrative. 153,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10165233 at NHTSA ↗

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN APRIL OF 2006. SEPTEMBER OF 2006 THE VEHICLE BEGAN LOCKING AND UNLOCKING BY ITSELF, WHETHER I'M DRIVING OR IN PARK. I CHANGED THE BATTERY IN THE REMOTE CAR ALARM, BUT THAT DID NOT HELP. I HAVE THREE CHILDREN AND I AM NOT COMFORTABLE RIDING IN A VEHICLE WITH THIS TYPE OF DEFECT. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 41,250 miles reported. Look up ODI 10170555 at NHTSA ↗

PONTIAC GRAND AM 2005, I BOUGHT THIS CAR IN JUNE 2006. SINCE JUNE I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS. I HAD TO HAVE THE WINDOW LOCK PANEL ON THE DRIVERS SIDE REATTACHED, BECAUSE IT FELL OUT. THE ENGINE STALLS AND WON'T START HALF THE TIME. DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WILL NOT ROLL DOWN. REAR PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW LEAKS AIR CONSTANTLY, AND WATER WHEN IT RAINS. BRAKES DON'T ALWAYS STOP AND MAKE A GRINDING NOISE. ALSO SOMETIME ACCELERATES WHEN HITTING BRAKE. ENGINE MAKES A SQUEAKING NOISE WHEN DRIVING IT. CRUISE CONTROL ONLY WORKS EVERY NOW AND THEN, …

Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10172087 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2005-02-14 (February 14, 2005)

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH REAR SUSPENSION KNUCKLE BOLTS THAT ARE NOT TO SPECIFICATION AND COULD FRACTURE UNDER HIGH LOADS THAT CAN OCCUR IN SOME DRIVING CONDITIONS.

Consequence: IF THE BOLT FRACTURE, THE REAR SUSPENSION LINKAGE COULD DETACH FROM THE KNUCKLE AND THE REAR WHEEL WOULD BE ABLE TO TURN INBOARD OR OUTBOARD. SUDDEN CHANGES IN VEHICLE HANDLING COULD OCCUR, PARTICULARLY AT HIGHER SPEEDS, AND THE DRIVER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH REAR SUSPENSION KNUCKLE BOLTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 9, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.

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.