1992 Pontiac Grand AM problems
NHTSA has received 304 complaints about the 1992 Pontiac Grand AM, and 18% of them involve engine. After that come brakes (16%) and electrical system (12%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 304 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Engine 18% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 15 and 4
- Injuries and deaths
- 16 and 2
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
What the data shows
Safety-related details: 15 complaints mention a crash; 4 complaints mention a fire; 16 injuries reported; 2 deaths reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 1992 ranks 12th most-complained-about out of 16 model years of the Pontiac Grand AM with enough data (140 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 3 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Cause of sudden acceleration: I had a pontiac grand am 1992 and the vehicle did accelerate by itself. The cause is a little piece of rubber that slides off the pressure valve, causing the vehicle to maintain an average of 30m/ph, regardless of which gear the car is in. The main reason the plastic slides off is if the car has been floored. In other words, if you drive too fast and press the gas too hard, then the rubber will slowly slip off, causing loss of pressure and automatic acceleration.
GMC sent their investigator to read the sensory diagnostic modular. He reported that the air bag sensor were on aswer the seatbelts. He also reported that they "acted appropriately". However even though the seatbelts were on, they did not restrain the passenger or the driver. The airbags did not deploy at 45 MPH. This is not appropriate!
I have a letter from pontiac date nov, 1995. Which states that 2.3l quad ohc engine have a defect of cracking cylinder that allows coolant to leak from the cylinder heads. The letter also states.. Do not bring your vehicle to the dealer unless this occurs. The stated if this condition occurs within seven years or 100,000 miles they will replace the cylinder head free of charge.. My car is 8 years old now and has only 79000 miles on it. Neither the dealer or pontiac corp.
Coolant leaked from underneath the vehicle while driving about 50 MPH which caused the vehicle to overheat. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where they determined that the radiator hose had a split in it. The same week the vehicle was purchased the brake line broke. About 2 months later the brake pedal went to the floor while braking. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the incorrect brake parts were installed and that the radiator clamps were loose.