AFTER STARTING THE IGNITION, I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM FUSE BOX, BURNING PLASTIC DRIPPED ONTO THE CARPET, IGNITING ENTIRE INTERIOR. FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED, PUT OUT FIRE. TOTAL LOSS. NO PREVIOUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS.*AK
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 reportsTURN SIGNAL UNIT DOES NOT WORK.*AK
TILT STEERING WHEEL PIN FELL OUT WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING POOR CONTROL OF STEERING WHEEL. *AK
ENGINE HEAD FAILURE, LOSS OF COOLANT, COOLANT WARNING LIGHT COMES ON. TOOK TO DEALER ON TWO OCCASIONS. NEVER NOTIFIED OF SPECIAL SERVICED POLICY FOR REPAIR AND/OR REPLACEMENT OF THIS ENGINE PROBLEM PER SPECIAL POLICY BULLETIN NO:57-61-26A. POLICY GOOD FOR UP TO 100K. FOUND POLICY ON INTERNET ON DECEMBER 27TH 2000 AND CALLED T…
Read full complaint
ENGINE HEAD FAILURE, LOSS OF COOLANT, COOLANT WARNING LIGHT COMES ON. TOOK TO DEALER ON TWO OCCASIONS. NEVER NOTIFIED OF SPECIAL SERVICED POLICY FOR REPAIR AND/OR REPLACEMENT OF THIS ENGINE PROBLEM PER SPECIAL POLICY BULLETIN NO:57-61-26A. POLICY GOOD FOR UP TO 100K. FOUND POLICY ON INTERNET ON DECEMBER 27TH 2000 AND CALLED THE DEALER AND GM ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS SINCE THAT TIME. THEY CLAIM THAT THE TIME LIMIT ON MY VEHICLE HAS EXPIRED (AUGUST 21,2000). THEY WILL NOT HONOR THE WARRANTY PROGRAM EVEN THOUGH I SPOKE WITH TWO PONTIAC SERVICE DEPARTMENTS BEFORE THAT TIME AND WAS TOLD SPECIFICALLY THAT THERE WERE NO SPECIAL PROGRAMS FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE ENGINE IS A KNOWN LOOSER AND THE DEALERS CANT WIN BY WORKING ON IT AND, IN MY EXPERIENCE, TRY TO DISCURAGE ANY CONSIDERATION OF REPAIRS AND DO NOT DISCLOSE THE FREE REPLACEMENT POLICY. PONTIAC DOES NOT CARRY THESE POLICIES ON THEIR WEBSITE. THEY DO NOT NOTIFY OWNERS OF THE AVAILABILITY OF REPAIRS. MY VEHICLE HAS NO DENTS OR RUST AND THE BODY IS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION, BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN FOR MONTHS BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT TO INFLICT ANY ADDITIONAL ENGINE DAMAGE. I FIND AN INDICATION OF WATER ON MY DIPSTICK.
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
CAUSE OF FIRE IS UNKNOWN. CAR WAS STARTED AND FLAMES BLEW OUT OF BOTTOM, SIDE, & TOP OF ENGINE. *AK
VEHICLE HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO START AND CONSUMER BELIEVES IT'S DUE TO A FAULTY IGNITION DESIGN. NLM
I JUST NEED TO KNOW IF THIS PART HAS BEEN RECALLED OR NOT. I CAN'T FIND A USED DOOR "CRANK SHAFT" BECAUSE THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR A LOT OF THESES GRAND AM
PE00 020 ; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 70MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A NOISE. VEHICLE WAS VIBRATING. HE WAS ABLE TO PULL VEHICLE OVER TO SAFETY. RIGHT REAR PASSENGER TIRE TREAD HAD SEPARATED FROM VEHICLE. GOODYEAR, P205/65R16. *AK THREE TIRES FAILED. TWO OF THESE TIRES WERE GOODYEAR GA. *YH
NO SUMMARY
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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