1997 Pontiac Grand AM Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 83 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the 1997 Pontiac Grand AM, 22% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 89,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “intake manifold” (6% of reports).
- 83engine and engine cooling complaints
- 89,500median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $4,400typical repair cost reported by owners
- 21%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Intake manifold: mentioned in 5 of 83 complaints (6%)
- Water pump: mentioned in 5 of 83 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine and engine cooling repair on the 1997 Pontiac Grand AM at $4,400, and half of them between $3,850 and $5,300.
Based on 5 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2000–2009), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 24 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 83 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 1 an injury.
Pontiac Grand AM engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 Grand AM | 2 | 2% | 54,550 |
| 2004 Grand AM | 12 | 4% | 61,599 |
| 2003 Grand AM | 24 | 7% | 38,000 |
| 2002 Grand AM | 54 | 14% | 56,937 |
| 2001 Grand AM | 75 | 14% | 61,000 |
| 2000 Grand AM | 111 | 16% | 55,000 |
| 1999 Grand AM | 133 | 16% | 65,000 |
| 1998 Grand AM | 23 | 13% | 80,000 |
| 1997 Grand AM | 83 | 22% | 89,500 |
| 1996 Grand AM | 74 | 16% | 92,000 |
| 1995 Grand AM | 60 | 15% | 103,401 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine and engine cooling for the 1997 Pontiac Grand AM. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Coolant levels in reserve tank always would drop below minimum levels, and we would continue to add coolant. Last oil change in june 2009 review no problem. November 2009, while son was driving home from college (approximately 80 miles) car began to overheat with temp gauge reading in the red. Had…
Cooling system is failing all the time on all pontiacs have the same problem intake manifold blow 5 times at 50.00 miles oil mixes with the coolant and all the smoke from that goes in the air it is a major problem and than the cars are junk so than everybody who buys pontiac they are buying a lemon…
Ignition won't turn to the off position. I have to disconnect the battery so i don't drain it. I have to leave my kids in the hot car while i do this. Or pay $200 that i don't have to get it fixed. I have found many other people that have the same problem. I was told it could be the sensor on the…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1997 Pontiac Grand AMs have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 83 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the 1997 Pontiac Grand AM (22% of the 383 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Pontiac Grand AM engine and engine cooling?
No recall currently lists engine and engine cooling for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems start?
The median reported mileage is 89,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine and engine cooling problems on the 1997 Pontiac Grand AM?
Owners report a typical cost of $4,400 (half paid between $3,850 and $5,300), from 5 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the 1997 Pontiac Grand AM?
The most frequent phrase is “intake manifold”, in 5 of 83 complaints, followed by “water pump” (5).
Other 1997 Pontiac Grand AM problems
See all 1997 Pontiac Grand AM problems or engine and engine cooling problems across all Grand AM years.