IllustrationVEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF WHEN SMOKE CAME FROM UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL. SECONDS LATER IT WAS IGNITED, BUT DIDN'T SPREAD. CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. CONSUMER WILL CONTACT DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK
1995 Pontiac Grand Am
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Grand Am years
Owner complaints for the 1995 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: 33 of 409 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.
- Electrical System. Review the 120 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 75 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. 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.
59 crash reports41 fire reports45 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
120 reportsPRIOR TO THE RECALL NOTICE THE CONSUMER HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION SYSTEM. THE DEALER INSTALLED A NEW RELAY KIT. THE CONSUMER IS ASKING FOR REIMBURSMENT. *YH
WE PURCHASED THE CAR IN JUNE OF 2001. THE CAR HAD PROBLEMS RIGHT AWAY WITH THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCKS AND THE SIGNAL LIGHTS. THE SIGNAL LIGHTS WOULD NOT WORK AFTER USING THEM ONCE EACH TIME THE CAR STARTED. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE SIGNAL LIGHTS. IN SEPTEMBER OF 2001 THE CAR BEGAN HESITATING TO START. IT SOMETIMES TAKES AN EX…
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WE PURCHASED THE CAR IN JUNE OF 2001. THE CAR HAD PROBLEMS RIGHT AWAY WITH THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCKS AND THE SIGNAL LIGHTS. THE SIGNAL LIGHTS WOULD NOT WORK AFTER USING THEM ONCE EACH TIME THE CAR STARTED. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE SIGNAL LIGHTS. IN SEPTEMBER OF 2001 THE CAR BEGAN HESITATING TO START. IT SOMETIMES TAKES AN EXTRA FEW SECONDS TO BEGIN TO START. ONE DAY IT REFUSED TO START AFTER SOME ERRANDS. IT ALSO HAD A VERY FOUL SMELL. THAT EVENING IT STARTED AGAIN. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO CHECKED THE CHARGING SYSTEM AND OTHER MISC. IDEAS AND COULDN'T FIND THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. IT'S STILL HESITATING TO START MOST OF THE TIME. THE ELECTRIC WINDOWS ALSO SHORT OUT NOW.*AK
VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE STARTING AT STEERING COLUMN. *AK
CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 00V287000 IN MAIL, AND DEALERSHIP PERFORMED SERVICE. DEALERSHIP WILL NOT RELEASE VEHICLE UNTIL CONSUMER PAYS A $60.00 DIAGNOSTIC FEE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
THE FAULTY STARTER CAUSED THE IGNITION COIL TO BURN, THIS FAILURE OCCURED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE 00V-287, THE CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMT BUT HAS NOT RECIEVED ANY COMPENSATION YET. NLM
CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS TOWED INTO DEALERSHIP DUE TO A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH THAT WAS BEING RECALLED FROM MANUFACTURER, CONSUMER STATED THE RECALL STATED THAT THE NEW SWITCH WOULD BE REPLACED AND INSTALLED FREE OF CHARGE, DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE AND STATED THEY WOULD HONOR RECALL, ON JUNE 13,2001 VEHICLE WAS READY TO BE PICKED UP AN…
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CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS TOWED INTO DEALERSHIP DUE TO A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH THAT WAS BEING RECALLED FROM MANUFACTURER, CONSUMER STATED THE RECALL STATED THAT THE NEW SWITCH WOULD BE REPLACED AND INSTALLED FREE OF CHARGE, DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE AND STATED THEY WOULD HONOR RECALL, ON JUNE 13,2001 VEHICLE WAS READY TO BE PICKED UP AND CONSUMER WAS GIVEN A BILL FOR $311.31 CONSUMER STATES THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN NO CHARGE FOR LABOR OR PARTS BECAUSE THE INSTALLATION WAS FREE, THE CHEMICAL AND MATERIAL DISPOSAL FEE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN CHARGED BECAUSE THE PARTS WERE ASKED TO BE GIVEN BACK, AN OIL FILTER WAS REMOVED IN THE PROCESS IN ORDER TO REACH CERTAIN WIRES, BUT A CHARGE FOR DISPOSING IT AND ITS OIL IS COVERED BY THE RECALL BECAUSE IT IS PART OF THE OVERALL INSTALLATION, CONSUMER FEELS SHE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN BILLED FOR A RECALL.*JB
RECALL 00V287000/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 0079; VEHICLE DOESN'T START, AND WHEN TRYING IT SENDS POWER SURGES, CAUSING IT TO SMOKE. RELAY IS BAD AND WILL BE REPLACED BY MANUFACTURER. CONSUMER WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR IGNITION SWITCH ALTHOUGH THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL. *AK
THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DISPLAYS THE CHECK OIL LIGHT GUAGE AS ON EVEN THOUGH THE OIL LEVEL IS FINE. I CONTINUE TO CHECK THE OIL BUT I HAVE ALWAYS MAINTAINED MY CAR IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. THIS IS DANGEROUS THOUGH BECAUSE THE USER WILL NOT BE ABLE TO KNOW IF THE CAR DID DEVELOP A LARGE OIL LEAK. THE CHECK OIL LIGHT WOULD BE ON …
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THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DISPLAYS THE CHECK OIL LIGHT GUAGE AS ON EVEN THOUGH THE OIL LEVEL IS FINE. I CONTINUE TO CHECK THE OIL BUT I HAVE ALWAYS MAINTAINED MY CAR IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. THIS IS DANGEROUS THOUGH BECAUSE THE USER WILL NOT BE ABLE TO KNOW IF THE CAR DID DEVELOP A LARGE OIL LEAK. THE CHECK OIL LIGHT WOULD BE ON BUT IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN ON. THE ENGINE COULD SEIZE OR AN ACCIDENT COULD OCCUR. I DO KNOW THAT THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ALREADY PUBLISHED WHICH DESCRIBES THIS SAME PROBLEM ON THIS YEAR AND MAKE OF PONTIAC.
THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE DEFECTIVE IGNITION THE THE VEHICLE WHICH CAUSED IT TO SMOKE IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO RECALL 00V-287, THE COMPONENT FAILED PRIOR TO NOTIFICATION AND THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT BUT WAS TOLD THAT SHE WAS NOT ENTITLED TO REFUND. NLM
Official recalls
100V287000 · 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.
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.