IllustrationWHEN THE CAR IS COLD AND CONSUMER ATTEMPTS TO START IT, A KNOCKING NOISE CAN BE HEARD. *AK *ML
1994 Pontiac Grand Am
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Grand Am years
Owner complaints for the 1994 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: 27 of 377 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 73 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 71 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 60 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
58 crash reports28 fire reports38 injury reports
What owners actually said
377 reportsCRACKED CYLINDER HEAD BY SPARK PLUG. ANTIFREEZE GOING INTO CYLINDER CAUSING SPARK PLUG FAILURE.
INTERMITTENT BRAKE FAILURE.PEDAL GOES STRAIGHT TO FLOOR WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. DEALER CONTACTED AND IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. NO WARRANTY. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH HAD FRONTAL IMPACT WITH A CHEVROLET BLAZER, AND DRIVER'S AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY WHICH DID NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN THE CRASH. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN COMPLETELY FELL OFF DUE TO PLASTIC GEAR THAT PREMATURLEY WORE OUT. *AK
BRAKES HAVE FAILED SINCE DAY ONE, I HAVE TAKEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER. THEY SAID IT HAD AN INTERNAL LEAKE. DID NOT SOLVE PROBLEM. WHEN STOPPING THE PEDEL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND A SQUEEKING NOISE CAN BE HEARD. THE CAR DOES NOT STOP. I REPLACED THE FRONT DISC BRAKES A FEW WEEKS AGO. THEY WERE …
Read full complaint
BRAKES HAVE FAILED SINCE DAY ONE, I HAVE TAKEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER. THEY SAID IT HAD AN INTERNAL LEAKE. DID NOT SOLVE PROBLEM. WHEN STOPPING THE PEDEL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND A SQUEEKING NOISE CAN BE HEARD. THE CAR DOES NOT STOP. I REPLACED THE FRONT DISC BRAKES A FEW WEEKS AGO. THEY WERE BROKEN APART IN LAYERS. THOUGHT THAT MAY HAVE BEEN THE PROBLEM BUT IT WAS NOT. HAD VEHICLE ANALIZED ON A COMPUTOR TO SEE IF ANY CODES CAME UP BUT THERE WERE NONE. I NOTICED A LOT OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS IN YOUR FILES. ALSO NOTICED A RECALL BY GM ON BLAZERS AND JIMMY'S AND S-10S FOR SIMILAR PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO RESOLVE PROBLEM OR GET ANY HELP FROM DEALER. WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP.
THE STARTER IN MY CAR APPARENTLY SHORTED OUT, RESULTING IN A FIRE AND A COMPLETE AND TOTAL LOSS OF MY VEHICLE AND ALL ITS CONTENTS. MY INSURANCE COMPANY IS NOT HELPING SO I AM DOING ALL I CAN TO FIND SOME ASSISTANCE. HAVE THERE BEEN RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEM? IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I CAN DO? *AK
THIS VEHICLE WAS IN A FRONT-END COLLISION 12/24/98. FIXED AND THEN FAILED ON 2/1/99. THE ENGINE VALVESWERE FOUND TO BE BENT DUE TO THE INPACT OF THE FRONT END COLLISION. METLIFE WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. AT ZERO SPEED TEH TIMING CHAIN JUMPED.
BRAKES FAILED DUE TO FAULTY MASTER CYLINDER. MJS
WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH VEHICLE FILLED UP WITH SMOKE, CAUSING CONSUMER TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN REPAIR SHOP FOUR TIMES, AND DEALER HAS REPLACES THE WIRING HARNESS. *AK
Official recalls
200V287000 · Electrical System:starter Assembly
Oct 2, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE ENGINE STARTER FAILS TO ENGAGE AND THE DRIVER HOLD THE KEY IN THE "START" POSITION FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD, HIGH CURRENT FLOWS THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH, PRODUCING HEAT THAT CAN MELT SWITCH PARTS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A FIRE COULD OCCUR IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND SPREAD TO THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A RELAY KIT AND VERIFY THAT THE VEHICLE WILL START WITH A PROPERLY CHARGED BATTERY IN GOOD OPERATING CONDITION (ADEQUATE RESERVE CAPACITY, OR COLD CRANKING AMPS). THIS CAMPAIGN DOES NOT COVER BATTERY REPLACEMENT OR UNRELATED STARTING SYSTEM OR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM REPAIRS.
94V122000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly
Jul 1, 1994
THESE VEHICLES WERE CONSTRUCTED WITH WELDS IN THE REAR COMPARTMENT PAN ASSEMBLY THAT ARE NOT SUFFICIENT TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS PERTAINING TO FUEL TANK LEAKAGE IN THE EVENT OF A REAR IMPACT COLLISION. THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLIES DO NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO. 301, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN RESULT IN AN INCREASED RISK OF A VEHICLE FIRE IN THE EVENT OF A REAR IMPACT COLLISION.
Remedy: DEALER WILL INSTALL RIVETS ADJACENT TO THE LOCATIONS WHERE THE SUSPECT WELDS ARE LOCATED.
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
2EA00007 · Steering Column Fires
Opened Mar 3, 2000 · Closed Feb 7, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
There is no summary currently available
PE99063 · Steering Column Fire
Opened Oct 7, 1999 · Closed Mar 3, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
ODI HAS EXPANDED THE SCOPE OF ITS INVESTIGATION OF STEERING COLUMN FIRES TO INCLUDE ALL MODELS BUILT ON THE N-PLATFORM.GM HAS INDICATED IN ITS RESPONSE THAT THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH A ROTARY IGNITION SWITCH THAT HAS BEEN IN USE IN A NUMBER OF VEHICLE MODELS SINCE 1991 ON BOTH THE N AND J-PLATFORMS.HOWEVER, THE 1994-1995 N-PLATFORM IS OVER REPRESENTED ACCOUNTING FOR 83 (81%) OF THE COMBINDED TOTAL OF 102 REPORTS DESPITE BEING ONLY 14.2% OF THE COMBINED POPULATION. OF THE 10 NEW REPORTS RECEIVED SINCE OPENING EA99-063, 7 INCLUDE ALLEGATIONS OF A NO START CONDITION WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ENGAGE THE STARTER.A FIRE IS CLAIMED TO HAVE ENSUED IN THE STEERING COLUMN IMMEDIATELY THERAFTER.GM ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) (NO. 433203) JULY 1994 WHIICH ADDRESSED OWNER COMPLAINTS THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH MAY NOT RETURN TO THE RUN POSITION AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS STARTED.THE TSB ADVISES THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH MOUNTING SCREWS MAY BE EXCESSIVELY TORQUED RESULTING IN DISTORTION OF THE SWITCH HOUSING.AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS WARRANTED TO DETERMINE THE ROOT CAUSE(S) AND TO DETERMIN IF A SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS.