IllustrationTHE RECALL 00V-287 FOR THE STARTER HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED YET BECAUSE THERE WILL BE NO PARTS AVAILABLE UNTIL MARCH 2001, THE CONSUMER HAS REPLACED TWO BATTERIES AND ONE ALTERNATOR AND THINKS THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD REIMBURSE HER FOR THE ALTERNATOR. NLM
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
What owners actually said
409 reportsCAR WAS PARKED, CONSUMER TRIED TO START CAR AND COULD HEAR A CLICKING NOISE IN STEERING, AND THEN THERE WAS NOTHING. VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. CONSUMER WENT INTO HOUSE FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES, CAME BACK OUT, AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN. THEN, SAW FLAMES ON STEERING. TOWED VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC. *AK
INTERMITTENTLY HEADLIGHTS BECOME INOPERABLE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK WHEN THE VEHICLE HITS BUMP, THE HEAD LIGHTS AND SIGNAL LIGHT GOES OFF. *YH
RECALL 00V287000/ IGNITION SWITCH: VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH A CLICKING SOUND UPON STARTING VEHICLE,AND ASKED DEALER TO INSPECT VEHICLE. SERVICE MANGER MR. RON CAPALDI REPLIED THAT IF DIAGNOSTIC SHOWED THAT PROBLEM WAS NOT PART OF RECALL CONSUMER WOULD BE BILLED FOR THAT INSPECTION. THIS HAPPENED AT BURNS PONTAIC I…
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RECALL 00V287000/ IGNITION SWITCH: VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH A CLICKING SOUND UPON STARTING VEHICLE,AND ASKED DEALER TO INSPECT VEHICLE. SERVICE MANGER MR. RON CAPALDI REPLIED THAT IF DIAGNOSTIC SHOWED THAT PROBLEM WAS NOT PART OF RECALL CONSUMER WOULD BE BILLED FOR THAT INSPECTION. THIS HAPPENED AT BURNS PONTAIC IN MARLTON, NJ; PHONE # 856/ 983-1115. SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA IN THIS MATTER. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK
IGNITION MELTED WHICH ALMOST CAUSED A FIRE. BUT, PONTIAC STATED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 00V287000 ALTHOUGH IT HAD SAME PROBLEM, CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE 1 WEEK AFTER THE DEALER STATED THE RECALL WAS VIN NUMBER SPECIFIC, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC
I HAVE HAD A LOT OF TROUBLE WITH SQUEAKY STEERING COLUMN,NOW IN ADDITION RECENTLY,MY HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OUT AND MOST LIKELY IS A CONTACT WITHIN THE OPERATIONS STICK ON THE STEERING WHEEL.I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH CLUNKING NOISES ON FRONT LEFT AND ALL MECHANICS TELL ME MY SHOCKS ARE FINE.MY HEATER CORE HAS TAKEN A DUMP,ALONG WITH A BA…
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I HAVE HAD A LOT OF TROUBLE WITH SQUEAKY STEERING COLUMN,NOW IN ADDITION RECENTLY,MY HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OUT AND MOST LIKELY IS A CONTACT WITHIN THE OPERATIONS STICK ON THE STEERING WHEEL.I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH CLUNKING NOISES ON FRONT LEFT AND ALL MECHANICS TELL ME MY SHOCKS ARE FINE.MY HEATER CORE HAS TAKEN A DUMP,ALONG WITH A BATTERY,ALONG WITH A FUEL PUMP,ALL OF WHICH SEEM VERY PREMATURE ALL FROM 40000 MILES TO 55000 MILES.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OPERATED ERRATICALLY. *AK
WE WERE DRIVING ON RT 28 IN ALLEGHENY COUNTY WHEN OUR FRONT RIGHT TIRE HAD A BLOW OUT. THE NEXT DAY WE TOOK OUR CAR TO A LOCAL GARAGE. THE FRONT TIRE HAD A HUGE HOLE IN IT EVEN THOUGH WE DID NOT HIT ANYTHING. UPON INSPECTION OF ALL FOUR TIRES, IT WAS FOUND THAT ALL FOUR TIRES WERE SPLIT ON THE INSIDE. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROU…
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WE WERE DRIVING ON RT 28 IN ALLEGHENY COUNTY WHEN OUR FRONT RIGHT TIRE HAD A BLOW OUT. THE NEXT DAY WE TOOK OUR CAR TO A LOCAL GARAGE. THE FRONT TIRE HAD A HUGE HOLE IN IT EVEN THOUGH WE DID NOT HIT ANYTHING. UPON INSPECTION OF ALL FOUR TIRES, IT WAS FOUND THAT ALL FOUR TIRES WERE SPLIT ON THE INSIDE. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THE TIRES ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKED FINE, BUT THE INSIDE OF ALL FOUR TIRES WERE SPLIT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS WAS AN OBVIOUS DEFECT IN THESE TIRES. WE HAVE KEPT THESE TIRES IN THE EVENT THEY ARE NEEDED FOR ANY FURTHER INSPECTION. *AK
SEE NHTSA CAMPAIGN #00V287000 - MY STARTER SWITCH FAILS INTERMITTENTLY. WOULD LIKE IT FIXED PRIOR TO CAUSING A FIRE.*AK
WE FIRST HAD PROBLEMS IN JUNE WITH CAR RUNNING ROUGH TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE AND PAID 700.00 FOR MANIFOLD GASKET BLOWN. NOW AFTER DRIVING ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON CAR HAS ALREADY OVERHEATED. TOWED HOME TO BE REPAIRED AT GM FACILITY NOV22. NOW ANOTHER 1000.00 OR MORE TO REPLACE HEAD. *AK
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.