1996 Pontiac Grand AM Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Grand AM years
- About as many complaints as other years 4th of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 450 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Pontiac Grand AM. That ranks 4th out of 11 Grand AM model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (122 complaints, 27%), typically at around 107,350 miles. Complaints mention 33 crashes, 14 fires, 69 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 450owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 33complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 Pontiac Grand AM problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System problems | 122 | 27% | 107,350 | “ignition switch” (19%) | — |
| Air Bags problems | 104 | 23% | 125,299 | “air bag” (57%) | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 74 | 16% | 92,000 | “intake manifold gasket” (7%) | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 59 | 13% | 69,000 | “applying brakes” (20%) | — |
| Visibility | 37 | 8% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 33 | 7% | 90,177 | — | — |
| Suspension | 30 | 7% | 142,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 24 | 5% | 99,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 20 | 4% | 22,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 20 | 4% | 98,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 19 | 4% | 69,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 15 | 3% | 10,700 | — | — |
| Equipment | 14 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 9 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 8 | 2% | 28,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 6 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 5 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 5 | 1% | 62,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 3 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 0% | 149,571 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 0% | 10,700 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 0% | 136,141 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 Pontiac Grand AM recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system:ignition:switch
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles. If the engine fails to start and the driver holds the key in the "start" position for an extended period, high current flows through the ignition switch, and sometimes produces enough heat to melt internal switch parts.
Risk: If the switch is damaged, a fire could occur in the steering column, even with the engine off and the key removed.
Fix: Dealers will install a relay kit in these vehicles to prevent high current from flowing through the ignition switch. Owner notification began march 27, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, pontiac at 1-800-762-2737, buick at 1-800-521-7300, or oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537.
Interior lighting
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles were built with the potential for the interior lamps to come on unexpectedly while the vehicles are being driven. This does not meet the requirements of fmvss no. 101, "controls and displays."
Risk: The interior lamps coming on unexpectedly could startle a driver causing a momentary loss of control increasing the risk of a vehicle accident.
Fix: Dealers will run a diagnostic test on the lamp control module and, if necessary, replace it.
Steering: steering wheel/handle bar
Problem: The steering column lower pinch bolt was not properly tightened during assembly.
Risk: An undertorqued pinch bolt can rattle and cause looseness in the steering system. If the pinch bolt backed out of the joint completely, rotation of the steering shaft against the connector could cause increasing looseness in the steering system and result in loss of steering and an accident.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the steering column pinch bolt for correct torque and, if necessary, tighten the bolt to the specified torque.
Exterior lighting:hazard flashing warning lights
Problem: The front and/or rear hazard warning lamps (four-way flashers) do not flash when the hazard switch is activated. This fails to comply with fmvss no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Risk: If these lamps were not flashing, other vehicles would not be aware that this vehicle was stopped increasing the risk of an accident.
Fix: Dealers or vehicle owners will inspect for proper function of the hazard warning lamps. If necessary, dealers will replace the hazard lamp switch.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Oversensitive air bag deployments (RQ98013) — opened Aug 26, 1998, still open, led to recall 98V146000.
- Power rack and pinion steering failure (RQ03001) — opened Jan 2, 2003, closed Sep 15, 2003.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
I was driving down hiway the car died i turned it to the right to get off the hiway and the airbag on drivers side exploded, i had the car towed and was told the pass key system or theft system went bad in ignition switch and no explanation why air bag went off? Or how to fix any of it, this is now…
Air bag when off when i was waiting to pull aut off parking lot. Have injury to my shoulder.
Driver air bag deployed without warning. *tr
I was leaving my place of employment, had just backed out of my parking spot and put the car in drive. Started moving forward and the driver's side airbag deployed. No bumps, no contact with another vehicle. Just deployed. Steering wheel parts hit my arm, bruised it pretty well. Have since…
Car would not start. Steering locked and transmission stuck in park.key would not turn. Towed car home. Removed the ignition switch and found the ignition lock had melted. The obvious fire hazard prompted a recall search for the make and model finding an ignition recall has been issued. I contacted…
Other Pontiac Grand AM years
← 1995 Grand AM · 1997 Grand AM →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 Grand AM | 102 | 2 |
| 2004 Grand AM | 293 | 2 |
| 2003 Grand AM | 325 | 2 |
| 2002 Grand AM | 395 | 1 |
| 2001 Grand AM | 538 | 4 |
| 2000 Grand AM | 675 | 5 |
| 1999 Grand AM | 849 | 3 |
| 1998 Grand AM | 172 | 1 |
| 1997 Grand AM | 383 | 2 |
| 1996 | 450 | 4 |
| 1995 Grand AM | 409 | 1 |
See all Pontiac Grand AM problems by year, every Pontiac model, or the VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Pontiac Grand AM?
Owners most often report electrical system, air bags, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 122 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Pontiac Grand AM?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1996 Pontiac Grand AM a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Grand AM model years, the 1996 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.