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.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →

395Owner complaints

Model-year median: 82

1Recall campaigns

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1Investigations

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Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

2002 Pontiac Grand Am

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 395 owner complaints · 1 recall campaigns · 1 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

Electrical System: 148 reports
Exterior Lighting: 97 reports
Engine And Engine Cooling: 54 reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 29 reports
Visibility: 23 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

14V400000 — Electrical System:ignition

Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year

Compare all Grand Am years →

Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Electrical System

148Exterior Lighting

97 Engine And Engine Cooling

54 Service Brakes, Hydraulic

29 Visibility

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

0–25K

25–50K

50–75K

75–100K

100–150K

150K+

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

Power Train complaints

13 reports

Clear category filter

20,000 miles · Sep 24, 2003

EquipmentPower TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

2002 PONTIAC GRANDAM GT-1 HAS CONTINUOUS GRINDING, RUBBING, AND POPPING SOUNDS FROM THE FRONT STEERING. ALSO HAS UNCONTROLED POWER STEERING WHERE THE CAR COULD GO OFF THE ROAD. DEALERSHIPS CAN OR WILL NOT TRY TO FIND THESE SERIOUS DEFECTS, THEY SAY THAT IT IS THE TIRES THAT IS CAUSING THESE DEFECTS.THIS IS THE SECOND NEW GT-1…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #10039429

1,100 miles · Apr 17, 2003

Electrical SystemPower TrainStructure

Read full complaint

I HAVE A 2002 PONTIAC GRAND AM THAT IS NOT SO GRAND. AT 1100 MILES THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AFTER FIGHTING WITH PONTIAC. THEY FINALLY AUTHORIZED THE DEALERSHIP TO DROP THE TRANSMISSION PAN AND THEY FOUND METAL SHARDS IN IT FROM THE TRANSMISSION. I HAD THE MOLDING AROUND THE REAR WINDOW REPLACE, BOTH ELECTRIC MIRRORS FIXED BECAUSE THEY GET "STUCK." THE IGNITION HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES SINCE I GOT THE CAR, TWICE IN THE LAST 4 WEEKS. THE KEY WILL NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION AND THE STEERING WHEEL IS NOT LOCKED. THIS REALLY AFFECTS THE USAGE OF THE CAR. I AM WAITING TO GET STRANDED SOMEWHERE BECAUSE THE CAR WON'T START. I HAVE SPOKEN TO A PONTIAC REP SEVERAL TIMES, BEEN LIED TO AND BRUSHED ASIDE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10014529

Mileage unknown · Sep 12, 2002

Electrical SystemPower Train

WHILE DRIVING 45MPH GAUGES/ODOMETER, AND TAIL LIGHTS GO OUT.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8018569

Recall campaigns

14V400000 · 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 ↗

Defect investigations

PE05055 · 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

Exterior Lighting:turn Signal:switch

An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.