CYLINDER HEAD CRACKED AT BACK AND LEAKING COOLANT, REPAIRED ONCE AND FAILED AGAIN.
1993 Pontiac Grand Am
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Grand Am years
Owner complaints for the 1993 Pontiac Grand Am are substantially higher than the model-year median of 82.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Grand Am years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 11 of 204 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 54 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 51 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 43 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
204 reportsWHILE DRIVING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TRAVELS TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
PROBLEM RELATES TO INTERMITTENT FLASHING CHECK OIL LIGHT ON DASH. NOTED THAT SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER 93-8-2 MAY ADDRESS PROBLEM. HAVE REQESTED SERVICE BULLETIN VIA E-MAIL BUT NOT RECEIVED.
ENGINE HEAD GASKET WENT OUT ,CAUSING WATER TO GO INTO OIL,CAR NOT RUNNING. *AK
PONTIAC SENT A LETTER ON NOVEMBER 1995 ABOUT A SPECIAL WARRANTY FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF A CRACKED ENGINE HEAD PROBLEM. I EXPERIENCED THE LOSS OF COOLANT FROM A CRACKED HEAD IN JUNE 1997. THE MECHANICS WHO WORKED ON MY CAR ADVISED THAT I SHOULD REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINE INSTEAD OF FIXING JUST THE CRACKED HEAD BECAUSE THE DAMAGE W…
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PONTIAC SENT A LETTER ON NOVEMBER 1995 ABOUT A SPECIAL WARRANTY FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF A CRACKED ENGINE HEAD PROBLEM. I EXPERIENCED THE LOSS OF COOLANT FROM A CRACKED HEAD IN JUNE 1997. THE MECHANICS WHO WORKED ON MY CAR ADVISED THAT I SHOULD REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINE INSTEAD OF FIXING JUST THE CRACKED HEAD BECAUSE THE DAMAGE WAS TOO GREAT. PONTIAC REFUSES TO STAND BY WARRANTY. DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS CORRECT PLACE TO REPORT IT.
NOTE: THE VIN I LISTED IS CORRECT. HOWEVER, THE OTHER INFORMATION SUCH AS ENGINE SIZE, CYLINDERS, ETC. MAY BE INCORRECT). I AM THE OWNER OF A 1993 PONTIAC GRAND AM, VIN #[XXX]. PRESENTLY, MY VEHICLE HAS A CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD WHICH HAS CAUSED COOLANT TO LEAK OUT OVER THE ENGINE AND EVERYWHERE ELSE UNDER THE HOOD. THERE IS …
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NOTE: THE VIN I LISTED IS CORRECT. HOWEVER, THE OTHER INFORMATION SUCH AS ENGINE SIZE, CYLINDERS, ETC. MAY BE INCORRECT). I AM THE OWNER OF A 1993 PONTIAC GRAND AM, VIN #[XXX]. PRESENTLY, MY VEHICLE HAS A CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD WHICH HAS CAUSED COOLANT TO LEAK OUT OVER THE ENGINE AND EVERYWHERE ELSE UNDER THE HOOD. THERE IS A HORRIBLE ODOR EMITTED AND THE OIL LIGHT REPEATED FLICKS ON AND OFF EVEN THOUGH THERE IS SUFFICIENT OIL. THE VEHICLE HAS STALLED OUT ON ME AND CHUGS ALONG LIKE IT IS NOT GETTING GAS PROPERLY WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE. THE PLUGS WERE ALSO GETTING WET WITH COOLANT WHICH WAS ALSO WHY MY VEHICLE KEPT STALLING OUT. THE TECHNICIAN WHO EXAMINED MY VEHICLE FOUND A SERVICE BULLETIN (NO. 57-61-26A) IN WHICH HE FELT MY VEHICLE SHOULD BE COVERED. I THEN TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, ALONG WITH A COPY OF THIS BULLETIN TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE. I HAVE NOW BEEN TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE WILL NOT BE COVERED BY THE DEALER AND THAT THE COST FOR REPAIR IS APPROXIMATELY $4,000. I WAS TOLD THAT MY VIN IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE SERIES OF VIN NUMBERS LISTED IN THE BULLETIN. I AM LOOKING FOR HELP TO DETERMINE IF ANY OTHER BULLETINS HAVE BEEN ISSUED, AFTER THE ORIGINAL, THAT WOULD BE INCLUSIVE OF MY VEHICLE'S VIN. I FIND IT EXTREMELY HARD TO SWALLOW THAT MY VEHICLE HAS EVERY THING WRONG WITH IT THAT IS LISTED IN THE BULLETIN AND OTHER VEHICLES WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS ARE BEING REPAIRED AT NO COST AND JUST BECAUSE MY VEHICLE'S NUMBERS DON'T MATCH, I HAVE TO PAY ENORMOUSLY. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW WHO DETERMINES WHAT VEHICLE NUMBERS WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE BULLETINS. I HOPE THAT SOMEONE CAN HELP MET OUT. I AM PRESENTLY FINANCIALLY UNABLE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS NECESSARY TO GET MY VEHICLE RUNNING AGAIN. AT THE SAME TIME I CANNOT BE WITHOUT A VEHICLE SINCE I HAVE A FOUR-YEAR OLD THAT I MUST TRANSPORT BACK AND FORTH BEFORE AND AFTER I RETURN FROM WORK. YOUR ASSISTANCE IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U
THE WATER PUMP FAILED AT 99500MILES AND THE CYLINDER HEAD CRACKED AT 99800. I LET THE DEALER AND PONTIAC KNOW THE CAR AT THE TIME I BOUGHT IT WAS WARRANTED 100,000 MILES OR 7 YEARS. THEY TOLD ME ONLY CERTAIN VIN NUMBERS WERE UNDER THAT RECALL/WARRANTY. COULD YOU PLEASE INVESTIGATE I AM A RETIREE AND YOUR HELP WOULD BE GREATLY AP…
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THE WATER PUMP FAILED AT 99500MILES AND THE CYLINDER HEAD CRACKED AT 99800. I LET THE DEALER AND PONTIAC KNOW THE CAR AT THE TIME I BOUGHT IT WAS WARRANTED 100,000 MILES OR 7 YEARS. THEY TOLD ME ONLY CERTAIN VIN NUMBERS WERE UNDER THAT RECALL/WARRANTY. COULD YOU PLEASE INVESTIGATE I AM A RETIREE AND YOUR HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPREACIATED. THANK YOU JOETTA GILL
ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $143.00 PER ROTOR,(CURRENT GM PRICE FOR PART), NOT INCLUDING INSTALLATION. DESIGN/METAL DEFECT ALSO CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE FRONT BRAKE PADS WHICH WILL RESULT IN THE REPLACEMENT OF SAME AT AN ADDITIONAL EXPENSE. THESE PADS WERE JUST PUT ON THE VEHICLE IN 1998, LESS THAN 5000 MILES AGO.
WHILE DRIVING AT 15 MPH AND MAKING A TURN THE STEERING COLUMN BROKE, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL. CONSUMER HELD THE STEERING COLUMN VERY HARD TO GET THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN SO THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T LOCK UP. *AK
WAS STOPPED BEHIND A 93 PONTIAC VAN, WAS STRUCK FROM THE REAR BY A 1995 FORD F-150...... THERE WAS A SUDDEN ACCELERATION WITH THE BRAKE STILL APPLIED....... THE INPACT TO THE FRONT CAUSED MORE DAMAGE THAT THE FORD TRUCK GOING 40 MILES PER HOUR ON IMPACT TO THE REAR....... BUMBER WAS NOT HIT IN THE FRONT IT ALL IT ABOVE THE BUMBE…
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WAS STOPPED BEHIND A 93 PONTIAC VAN, WAS STRUCK FROM THE REAR BY A 1995 FORD F-150...... THERE WAS A SUDDEN ACCELERATION WITH THE BRAKE STILL APPLIED....... THE INPACT TO THE FRONT CAUSED MORE DAMAGE THAT THE FORD TRUCK GOING 40 MILES PER HOUR ON IMPACT TO THE REAR....... BUMBER WAS NOT HIT IN THE FRONT IT ALL IT ABOVE THE BUMBER GRILL HOOD.
Official recalls
193V153000 · Electrical System:ignition:switch
Sep 14, 1993
THE NEUTRAL START SAFETY SWITCH COULD HAVE BEEN FRACTURED DURING INSTALLATION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A FRACTURED SWITCH CAN RESULT IN A NO-START CONDITION.ALSO, A VEHICLE WITH A FRACTURED SWITCH CAN BE STARTED IN GEAR, CAUSING THEVEHICLE TO MOVE UNEXPECTEDLY, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE NEUTRAL START SWITCH. THE MANUAL SWITCH OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE ASSEMBLY WILL BE INSPECTED AND REPLACED IF AN OVERSIZED CONDITION EXISTS.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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