IllustrationBACK UP LIGHTS STARTED WORKING INTERMITTENTLY APPROXIMATELY TWO MONTHS AGO, AND NOW FAIL TO COME ON AT ALL. THIS CONSTITUTES A HAZARD WHEN MOVING VEHICLE IN REVERSE FROM PARKING SPACES. IN THAT OTHER DRIVERS ARE NOT AWARE OF YOUR INTENTIONS. *NM
2002 Pontiac Grand Am
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Grand Am years
Owner complaints for the 2002 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
240–25K
5125–50K
6350–75K
5875–100K
49100–150K
25150K+
270 reports with mileage · 125 unknown
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 148 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 97 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 54 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
22 crash reports3 fire reports16 injury reports
Exterior Lighting complaints
97 reportsWE PURCHASE A 2002 PONTIAC GRAND AM SE IN JULY OF 2005 FROM CHAMPION CHEVROLET IN BRIGHTON MICHIGAN, WE HAD IT IN TO DEALER WITHIN THE FIRST FEW WEEKS OF OWNING IT, WHICH THEY DIDN'T REPAIR THAT DAY BECAUSE WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE WOULD TAKE TO LONG SO IT WAS TAKEN IN THE FOLLOWING SAT. HAD THE ABS,TRAC CONTROL AND THE SERVICE EN…
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WE PURCHASE A 2002 PONTIAC GRAND AM SE IN JULY OF 2005 FROM CHAMPION CHEVROLET IN BRIGHTON MICHIGAN, WE HAD IT IN TO DEALER WITHIN THE FIRST FEW WEEKS OF OWNING IT, WHICH THEY DIDN'T REPAIR THAT DAY BECAUSE WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE WOULD TAKE TO LONG SO IT WAS TAKEN IN THE FOLLOWING SAT. HAD THE ABS,TRAC CONTROL AND THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON SENSOR WAS REPLACED AND THERE WAS A NOISE UNDER THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE WHICH WAS FIXED BUT CAME BACK A WEEK LATER THEY TOLD US THAT THE NOISE WAS NORMAL, I DON'T BELIEVE THIS AS NONE OF OUR OTHER CARS MAKE THIS NOISE NOT EVEN OUR CHEVY PICKUP TRUCK. WE ALSO HAD IT BACK IN AGAIN FOR THE SENSORS FOR THE ABS, TRAC CONTROL AND THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT THAT KEEPS COMING ON. WE CONT'D TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND STILL DON'T HAVE IT FIXED. WHEN THE LIGHTS COME ON I DON'T HAVE MY ABS BRAKES ANYMORE AND NO TRAC CONTROL. MY BLINKERS ALSO HAVE BEEN GIVING ME A PROBLEM AS SOMETIMES THEY WORK AND OTHER TIMES THEY DON'T. MOST OF THE TIME I CAN GET THEM TO WORK IF I PUT MY HAZARD LIGHTS ON FOR A FEW MINS. BUT I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO. I HAVE BEEN A GM PERSON ALL MY LIFE AS MY DAD HAS WORKED FOR GM FOR 35 SOMETHING YRS. BUT THEY NEED TO FIXS THESE PROBLEMS AS IT IS UNSAFE FOR ME, MY CHILDREN, MY HUSBAND OR WHOEVER ELSE MAYBE IN THE CAR AND THE OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD ESPECIALLY HERE IN MICHIGAN WITH SNOWY AND ICY ROADS. I ALSO HAVE READ SOME OF THE OTHER COMPLAINTS HERE AND IT SEEMS THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. I WAS ALSO TOLD TODAY WHILE GETTING MY OIL CHANGE DONE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE DEXCOOL IN THIS CAR TOO. I DID LOOK AROUND ON THE NET AND NOTICE THAT THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE NOT HAD THIS PROBLEM YET AS I ONLY HAVE 50,000 MILES ON MY CAR BUT SOME OF THE SIGNS THAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT I HAVE NOTICE SO IT WILL GO INTO A DEALER TO HAVE IT CHECKED AND I WILL BE KEEPING MY INVOICES AS I HOPE GM DOES THE RIGHT THING AND TAKES CARE OF THIS PROBLEM TO. *NM
TURN SIGNALS AND FLASHERS DO NOT WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THEY DON'T WORK MORE OFTEN THEN THEY DO. THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT DUPLICATE (DON'T THINK THEY REALLY TRIED) I AM CONCERNED THAT WHEN I REALLY NEED THE HAZARD FLASHERS THEY WONT WORK, IT IS DANGEROUS TO NOT USE BLINKERS AND HAND SIGNALS ARE HARDER TO SEE. *JB
I HAVE A 2002 PONTIAC GRAND AM IN WHICH THE BLINKER CONTINUES TO BLINK AFTER IT OIS TURNED OFF. THE DASH DOESN'T LIGHT UP, HOWEVER THE BLINKING SOUND IS A VERY FAST CONTINUOUS BLINK AND I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TO GET FIXED AND THEY WERE GOING TO CHARGE ME $500 TO FIX IT. THEY ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS A RECALL ON PREVIOUS…
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I HAVE A 2002 PONTIAC GRAND AM IN WHICH THE BLINKER CONTINUES TO BLINK AFTER IT OIS TURNED OFF. THE DASH DOESN'T LIGHT UP, HOWEVER THE BLINKING SOUND IS A VERY FAST CONTINUOUS BLINK AND I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TO GET FIXED AND THEY WERE GOING TO CHARGE ME $500 TO FIX IT. THEY ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS A RECALL ON PREVIOUS MODELS, AND THERE WAS NO RECALL YET FOR THE 2002 MODEL. *NM
DT: 2002 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE HAZARD WARNING LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING. THE CONSUMER STATED THEY CAME ON AND WENT OFF AND THEY GOT STUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS LOOKED AT IN APRIL 2005 TO SEE WHY THIS WAS OCCURRING. AT THAT TIME, NOTHING WAS FOUND WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE CONSUMER CALLED PONTIAC…
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DT: 2002 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE HAZARD WARNING LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING. THE CONSUMER STATED THEY CAME ON AND WENT OFF AND THEY GOT STUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS LOOKED AT IN APRIL 2005 TO SEE WHY THIS WAS OCCURRING. AT THAT TIME, NOTHING WAS FOUND WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE CONSUMER CALLED PONTIAC, THEY STATED THERE WAS NO A RECALL. THE BULBS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE MUST HIT THE HAZARD SWITCH FOR THE LIGHTS TO WORK, SOMETIMES THIS DOES NOT WORK EITHER.*AK UPDATED 11/16/05. *JB
I HAVE A 2002 PONTIAC GRAND AM AND AM EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH MY TURN INDICATORS. I SEE SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN FILED FOR THE SAME ISSUE AND THAT YOU ARE INVESTIGATING FOR A POSSIBLE RECALL. *JB
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THERE IS A CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE DASH. THIS SOUNDS LIKE A BLINKER BUT THE BLINKER IS NOT ON. I HAVE HEARD SEVERAL THINGS ABOUT THIS DEFECT AND WONDERED WHY THERE ISN'T A RECALL? *NM
DT: THE CONTACT REPORTED THAT THE TURN SIGNAL WAS MAKING A CLICKING SOUND WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL WAS NOT BEING USED. THE LOCAL MECHANIC TOLD THE CONTACT THAT THE TURN SIGNAL COULD BE A FIRE HAZARD. THE VEHICLE IS A 2002 , PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE CONTACT HAD THE PROBLEM REPAIRED. GENERAL MOTORS WAS CALLED, AND THEY SAID THAT IF THE…
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DT: THE CONTACT REPORTED THAT THE TURN SIGNAL WAS MAKING A CLICKING SOUND WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL WAS NOT BEING USED. THE LOCAL MECHANIC TOLD THE CONTACT THAT THE TURN SIGNAL COULD BE A FIRE HAZARD. THE VEHICLE IS A 2002 , PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE CONTACT HAD THE PROBLEM REPAIRED. GENERAL MOTORS WAS CALLED, AND THEY SAID THAT IF THERE WAS A RECALL THEY WOULD REIMBURSE THE CONTACT. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR A YEAR, AND INTERMITTENTLY. *AK
DT: 2002 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE CONSUMER STATED THE TURN SIGNALS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED FOR A MONTH OR SO. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND NO ONE HAS LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER HAS DONE NOTHING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK
I HAVE BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH MY TURN SIGNALS ON MY 2002 PONTIAC GRAND AM. WHEN I USE MY SIGNALS, AFTER IT CLICKS OFF, IT STILL CLICKS AND ON 2 OCCASIONS THERE WAS SMOKE THAT CAME OUT OF MY STEERING WHEEL. MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, AND AFTER EXPLAINING WHAT WAS WRONG WITH…
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I HAVE BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH MY TURN SIGNALS ON MY 2002 PONTIAC GRAND AM. WHEN I USE MY SIGNALS, AFTER IT CLICKS OFF, IT STILL CLICKS AND ON 2 OCCASIONS THERE WAS SMOKE THAT CAME OUT OF MY STEERING WHEEL. MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, AND AFTER EXPLAINING WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR (THAT IS STILL UNDER GM WARRANTY) THEY TOLD US THAT WE STILL HAD TO PAY FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. I KNOW OF AT LEAST 3 OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME YEAR AND MODEL CAR AS I AND THEY HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I WAS INFORMED FROM MY MECHANIC THAT IF THE WIRING WORK IS NOT DONE SOON, THERE WILL MOST DEFINITELY BE A FIRE. I DON'T FEEL THAT I AS A CONSUMER AND WITH IT STILL BEING UNDER WARRANTY, SHOULD HAVE TO PAY OUT OF MY POCKET FOR REPAIRS THAT ARE CLEARLY THE MANUFACTURER'S FAULT. THIS DEFECT RISKS THE LIVES OF MY CHILDREN AS WELL AS MYSELF AND ANYONE ELSE WHO RIDES IN MY VEHICLE.*JB
Official recalls
114V400000 · Electrical System:ignition
Jul 3, 2014
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on July 3, 2014, that they are recalling 5,877,718 model year 2000-2005 Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, 1997-2003 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2005 Malibu Classic, 1999-2004 Oldsmobile Alero, 1998-2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1999-2005 Pontiac Grand Am and 2004-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 9, 2014. GM's number for this recall is 14350.
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
1PE05055 · Turn Signal Failures
Opened Sep 27, 2005 · Closed Jan 13, 2006
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting:hazard Flashing Warning Lights:switch; Exterior Lighting:turn Signal:switch
IN DECEMBER 2004, GM ISSUED A SPECIAL POLICY FOR MY 1999-2000 ALERO, GRAND AM AND MALIBU VEHICLES NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL 03V327. THE POLICY COVERED TURN SIGNAL/HAZARD FLASHER FAILURE FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES (WHICHEVER OCCURRED FIRST) TO PROVIDE A NO COST REPLACEMENT OF THE HAZARD SWITCH. GM SENT LETTERS TO OWNERS STARTING DECEMBER 30, 2004.IN JANUARY 2006, GM WILL UPDATE THE SPECIAL POLICY TO INCLUDE MY 2002 ALERO, GRAND AM AND MALIBU VEHICLES NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL 03V-327.THE POLICY COVERS TURN SIGNAL/HAZARD FLASHER FAILURE FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES (WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST) TO PROVIDE A NO COST REPLACEMENT OF THE HAZARD SWITCH.GM WILL SEND LETTERS TO OWNERS STARTING LATE APRIL 2006.THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE MANUFACTURER IS SUFFICIENT TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FUTURE ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Exterior Lighting:hazard Flashing Warning Lights:switch
IN DECEMBER 2004, GM ISSUED A SPECIAL POLICY FOR MY 1999-2000 ALERO, GRAND AM AND MALIBU VEHICLES NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL 03V327. THE POLICY COVERED TURN SIGNAL/HAZARD FLASHER FAILURE FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES (WHICHEVER OCCURRED FIRST) TO PROVIDE A NO COST REPLACEMENT OF THE HAZARD SWITCH. GM SENT LETTERS TO OWNERS STARTING DECEMBER 30, 2004.IN JANUARY 2006, GM WILL UPDATE THE SPECIAL POLICY TO INCLUDE MY 2002 ALERO, GRAND AM AND MALIBU VEHICLES NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL 03V-327.THE POLICY COVERS TURN SIGNAL/HAZARD FLASHER FAILURE FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES (WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST) TO PROVIDE A NO COST REPLACEMENT OF THE HAZARD SWITCH.GM WILL SEND LETTERS TO OWNERS STARTING LATE APRIL 2006.THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE MANUFACTURER IS SUFFICIENT TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FUTURE ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
Exterior Lighting:turn Signal:switch
IN DECEMBER 2004, GM ISSUED A SPECIAL POLICY FOR MY 1999-2000 ALERO, GRAND AM AND MALIBU VEHICLES NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL 03V327. THE POLICY COVERED TURN SIGNAL/HAZARD FLASHER FAILURE FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES (WHICHEVER OCCURRED FIRST) TO PROVIDE A NO COST REPLACEMENT OF THE HAZARD SWITCH. GM SENT LETTERS TO OWNERS STARTING DECEMBER 30, 2004.IN JANUARY 2006, GM WILL UPDATE THE SPECIAL POLICY TO INCLUDE MY 2002 ALERO, GRAND AM AND MALIBU VEHICLES NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL 03V-327.THE POLICY COVERS TURN SIGNAL/HAZARD FLASHER FAILURE FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES (WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST) TO PROVIDE A NO COST REPLACEMENT OF THE HAZARD SWITCH.GM WILL SEND LETTERS TO OWNERS STARTING LATE APRIL 2006.THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE MANUFACTURER IS SUFFICIENT TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FUTURE ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.