2001 Pontiac Grand AM problems
NHTSA has received 759 complaints about the 2001 Pontiac Grand AM, and 32% of them involve electrical system. After that come lighting (14%) and brakes (10%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 759 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Electrical system 32% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 30 and 6
- Injuries and deaths
- 27 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 70,000 miles 479 complaints with mileage
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%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 47 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 60 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 81 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 88 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 57 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 42 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 47 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 30 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 9 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 3 |
| 200k+ miles | 15 |
What the data shows
Among the 479 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 70,000 miles. For electrical system specifically, the median reported mileage is about 85,000 miles (178 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 30 complaints mention a crash; 6 complaints mention a fire; 27 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2001 ranks 3rd most-complained-about out of 16 model years of the Pontiac Grand AM with enough data (439 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 4 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.
While traveling approximately 65 MPH another vehicle crashed into consumer's vehicle's front/right fender, and both frontal air bags failed to deploy. One passenger suffered a broken clavicle, and another passenger sustained an elbow injury. Vehicle had not been examined to determine if air bags should have deployed. Please provide any additional information / attachments.
I was involved in a car accident as a passenger on 10/25/2001 in which the steering column locked up on our 2001 grand am as we were driving causing us to lose control of the car and flip down hill. My father and my brother were front passengers and I was the rear seat passenger of the car and was ejected out of the back window. The airbags never deployed.
Three big issues with this car: 1) the worst-I've had problems with the security system shorting three times. Each time, the car turns over but will not start. The security light flashed twice, but did not come on the third time. The first time the dealer adjusted the system (whatever that means) which was covered under warranty. The second time (two months later), my car would not start at 2am outside of a bar, so I had to have it towed. This time the whole system was replaced under my warranty.
The security light on my 2001 pontiac grand am gt remains on and the vehicle does not start. The car has left me stranded time and time again in the cold and in the heat while waiting for the passlock system to reset. I have replaced the locking cylinder twice and it is still not working properly. According to information viewed on the internet, this is a reoccurring problem with these type vehicles.