NHTSA — Electrical System Problems

1999 Pontiac Grand Am (Page 2 of 3)

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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 3
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
47,651 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

1999 Pontiac Grand Am electrical problems

electrical problem

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1999 Pontiac Grand Am Owner Comments (Page 2 of 3)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #33

Jan 132009

Grand Am

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The security light would come on and the car would not start. I was frequently late to appointments due to having to wait for the car to finally start. I finally had to take it to the dealer and yes..$500 later it is now repaired for the most part.

- Hutchinson, KS, USA

problem #32

Nov 032008

Grand Am

  • 76,000 miles
Had all window mechanisms replaced after enduring a wonderful garbage bag cover treatment for window beauty enhancement last winter 2007-08. Found my ignition refuses to start w/ 1 key. I started noticing the smell of antifreeze. Took to my mechanic of 22 years. Thought it was a crack in the actual container which houses antifreeze. This was replaced. Nope. Still leaking. Car never indicated on panel that it was above temp & overheated, stayed within the normal range. The car never once overheated. Mechanic couldn't find the problem. Said it was a faulty computer... indicates, tires need checking, flashing lights, ABS off/on...which by the way was causing me to not have my car pass inspection to add insult to injury!! found I was all of a sudden replacing antifreeze by the gallons. Was still paying off mechanic from previous issues. Don't ask, while trying to figure out the antifreeze problem! brought car in to have radiator checked by friends mechanic, fluid was literally pouring out of bottom of car. $1600. Later!! head gasket set, waterpump, serpentine belt, radiator hoses, thermostat & gaskets, crossoverpipes, airfilter...now" 1 1/2 months later? well hey.guess what? riding merrily to work last sat. Car stalled all the way...& yipee another visit, another mere 900. Bag of shells consisting of crank shaft, bearings. Can you believe it? I don't have it!!.....I thought this guy was putting me on...I've lost work since I'm 45 min. Away. I've spoken to Pontiac several times. They want nothing to do with this. Act dumb- the american way...weird, I've read more complaints about this issue, I'm surprised you guys don't demand some resolution for consumers. What gives" it's so incredibly obvious this is a real solid complaint about engine defect with all the evidence to back it up!! I think it was minnisota or Missouri that consumers actually won a class action suit against Pontiac for these specific complaints. Namely head gasket, engine related issues..

- Baldwin, NY, USA

problem #31

Jan 272009

Grand Am

  • 13,608 miles
When security light flashes on my 1999 Pontiac Grand Am, the fuel pump is disabled for 10 minutes. Has happened intermittently in the past. Today, it took over 2 hours to start.

- St. Petersburg, FL, USA

problem #30

Nov 162008

Grand Am

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

After shopping at wal mart I went out to my car to start it and the key wouldn't turn! I tried every key messed with the steering wheel everything I could possible think of. I tried for 4 hours while trying to find away home because I am new to the state and town I was in and don't know anybody. It was very aggravating and don't make any sense for the keys to just not work. I am 5 months pregnant and had to wait in 30 weather to find a ride while trying to fix my car. So far no one knows what is wrong with it. Now I have to tow my car to some kind of shop for them to figure it out when they have no idea! its a waste of my time and I have places to go and things to do! I have had many problems with Pontiac I didn't want the car to start with and I would never buy a Pontiac again!!!!! especially with no explanation of why this is happening and sitting in the freezing cold waiting to figure out how to get some where!!

- Jacksonville, NC, USA

problem #29

Oct 132008

Grand Am

  • 140,000 miles
The passlock system keeps the car from starting and you have to wait 10 minutes before the security light stops blinking. I have a 99 pont. Grand Am and this seems to be an ongoing problem in this car and others. It seems GM would like to satisfy its customers and repair this problem. With the economy the way it is now, they need all the satisfied customers they can get, whereas we might be more apt to repeat business with them if they would do the correct thing and recall this vehicle for this problem. This problem occurs at least once a day, everyday.

- Elizabethtown, KY, USA

problem #28

Jun 052006

Grand Am

  • 19,280 miles
5 speed fan motor relay switch failed after only 22,000 miles on a 1999 Pontiac Grand Am SE sedan. Four speeds will not work at all. 5th speed works, but is the highest speed. Lower speeds are needed for adequate ventilation of interior. Was told by dealership that replacement/repair of relay would cost $200 for labor and parts. I have read online of similar failure of this part from reading hundreds of complaints from other owners with the exact same occurrence happening to them. I was told that the 5th speed of this relay was "the only one hot wired", and that the others were not, so that the fan will fail eventually, no matter if it is turned on or not. I have never owned a car that the fan switch quit working, ever. I think this constitutes a safety hazard and should be covered by GM as a safety defect.

- Livonia, MI, USA

problem #27

Feb 012008

Grand Am

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Ignition shorting out causing problems with other electric parts not working or working when shouldn't be when call to order switch told by rep that its probably the cylinder not switch due to many complaints it not working and causing things to short out.

- Erie, PA, USA

problem #26

Aug 092007

Grand Am 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 100,000 miles
The contact owns a 1999 Pontiac Grand Am. While driving 35 mph, the vehicle completely shut off. The contact pulled over and the vehicle was able to immediately be restarted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, but they could not correct the failure. The current mileage was approximately 110,000 and failure mileage was 100,000. Updated 03-07-08 the consumer stated various lights illuminate on the instrument panel such as: Oil pressure light, air bag, engine light ABS. The security passlock system was inoperative. The hazard and turn signal lights did not work properly. There was hesitation upon acceleration. The traction conrol was inoperative

- Eureka, CA, USA

problem #25

Jul 132007

Grand Am 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
I have owned my 1999 Pontiac Grand Am for over 3 yrs and I am going on my third BCM body control module I find it very unfair that this runs me $450 every time it happens I understand that I bought a used car and it is my property and I have to maintain it but if this is a common problem with the Grand Am I think some action should be taken.. at least a solution to prevent this part from breaking..

- Miles City , MT, USA

problem #24

Feb 132007

Grand Am 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
While at work..car( 99 Pontiac Grand Am) sat for approx 10 hrs during work shift...let car idle for approx 5-10 min to warm up..smelt smoke learned car was fully engulfed in flames, car locked self and could not get into car, ,car was a total loss!!!!!!!!!

- Potsdam, NY, USA

problem #23

Nov 302006

Grand Am 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 119,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Passlock system engaging when you turn key and are starting vehicle. Causes personal problems late appts. Serious problem and should be addressed by General Motors.

- Elizabethtown, KY, USA

problem #22

Sep 202006

Grand Am 4-cyl

  • miles
My 1999 Pontiac Grand Am has a ticking sound on the dash board which sounds like the blinker going nuts. This mostly occurs when you have just used the turn signal. I am not the original owner of the vehicle, but I do know that the previous owner had some type of a switch replaced and the problem went away for a while. Now it is back and getting increasingly worse. I found an internet forum with a bunch of people with different Grand Am model years and they all have the same problem. Some of them have had the hazard and multi function switch replaced to fix the problem. The cost of repairs is huge. I have a student driver now using this vehicle and I'm very concerned about the distraction this ticking noise is causing while he is learning how to drive. Many people have complained to Pontiac, but no recall has been made.

- Menomonee Falls, WI, USA

problem #21

Jun 162006

Grand Am 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
While parked in driveway, car caught on fire. Car had been sitting for approximately 1 hour after being driven a short distance. Completely engulfed and was a total loss.

- Palmetto, FL, USA

problem #20

Mar 022006

Grand Am 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 61,000 miles
: the contact stated while driving 60 mph all the lights on the dash failed and the engine stalled. The vehicle was pushed to the side of the road. After the vehicle was restarted, it was taken to the dealership for inspection. They replaced the ignition switch and cylinder, which remedied the problem.

- Bronx, NY, USA

problem #19

Sep 092005

Grand Am 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 117,239 miles
Started with warning lights on dash coming on and off intermittently, took to local garage and they put it on the computer but nothing showed up. Husband bought new battery and new alternator. Did not have the problem for three months and than I was coming home from work and one by one the warning lights came on, speedometer, gas gauge, odometer, etc...went to 0 and the car just stops. This happens in the span of approximately 2 minutes. First time this happened I was in the outside lane of a 4 lane highway. Fortunately traffic was light and no one hit me. Car would not start again. Truck driver pulled his truck behind me with flashers until we could get my car across traffic and safely to the shoulder. This happened 9/9/2005. Took my car to local GMC repair shop and they said it was a fuse box that was corroded due to a leak and replaced it. Recommended that I have my car checked for leaks which I did and there was none which at the time I thought was odd but my car seemed to be better. 12/9/2005 same thing happened again only this time when it started I worked my way to the shoulder prior to my car stopping. Took back to same garage, they put it on the computer and could not figure out what was wrong so they called the company for guidance. First they thought it was the ignition switch, replaced this but did not stop the drain on my battery. Than they thought it was the one side of the middle fuse box but after replacing it, discovered that was not it, than they replaced my instrument panel cluster. In the meantime I went on line and discovered that I was not the only one to have this happen and that it appeared to be a defect in the electrical system but GMC is not receptive to acknowledging the problem. I wrote them a letter and they called and said I had to log my complaint with you. I have the first fuse box that was replaced but they did not give me the old parts the second time. I did get the repair sheet with codes and comments.

- Beverly, WV, USA

problem #18

Sep 131999

Grand Am 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 6,000 miles
Replacement of the following parts on 99 Pontiac Grand Am, R&R fuel strainer & filter/fuel filter/fuel pump/fuel injection/water pump/ECM/2brake jobs/thermostat/also I am having problems with coolant system overheating/ loss of coolant/ fog window/ smell of coolant/ loss of power/ low coolant continually I have to add coolant every week.

- Camden, AR, USA

problem #17

Sep 052005

Grand Am 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 106,000 miles
I bought my 1999 Grand Am in Oct' 04. The first 2 mo. Of owning it my alternator went out. A few months later I had to replace my front brakes. Shortly after that my(2nd) alternator and A/C pump went out not to mention the battery too. Oh and not only has the service engine light been on most of the time, a second service engine light came on! I have never known a vehicle to have 2 service engine lights on at the same time!! was this some kind of premonition!? as soon as I got the car back, I went and picked my kids up to go to the fair. We were not even 2 miles out of town yet when my engine started overheating. I had to pull over and wait for quite sometime before I could make it home safely with my children. Now my car that I've spent a lot of money on, not just purchasing the car, but also in parts is currently in the shop for either a blown head gasket or the engine block is damaged. The mechanic told me this is happening to a lot of these specific cars or should I say engine type. Nevertheless, this is costly and very dangerous to everyone who owns one of these lemons!!!! something needs to be done real quick with these problems or the manufacture of these vehicles will be paying for more than just parts!

- Cumberland, WI, USA

problem #16

Nov 012004

Grand Am 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
I own a 1999 Grand Am SE. Ever since I bought the car in Oct '04 I have been having nothing but problems with it. This past June I had to replace the engine. Leading up to that the car would die at least once a week. I would bring it to the dealer (more like tow it) and I would always be told nothing is wrong. Then yet again it would die. After that the stalling began. I would be driving and the car would shut off. It would usually take up to 10 minutes to turn back on. Once the dealer went "well maybe its your lights, you leave them on." My response was how do I leave on automatic lights? I have had to replace my alternator 3 times and have had to replace my battery twice. It got to the point that once I shut off my car the only way to start it was by taking out the mail relay chip for 2 minutes than replacing it. Than the car would start up. Finally I was on the high way and out of no where you head a loud pop. There went the header, pistons, oil gasket. The engine blew. However it was never a effect of the oil. I was always checking it and getting it changed once ever other month (I commuted a lot). So I got a rebuilt engine put in and the problems went away... or so I thought. Last night I was driving and all of a sudden my car started shaking. It went from a little to a great amount. The muffler is making an odd puff puff noise and the exhaust smells like windshield washer fluid (only was to describe it). I pulled it into my driveway and on went the trac off light and the service engine soon lights. Thank you. Also prior to the new engine my cds would no longer play. I would get the E20 error and the cds would spit out. Another problem is my rear passenger windows have scratches up the middle of them. I can not figure out where the marks are coming from.

- Wappingers Falls, NY, USA

problem #15

Jun 172001

Grand Am 6-cyl

  • 38,800 miles
There seems to be a elecrtical malfunction with my 99 Grand Am SE/4dr.the dome light seems to work once in a while.also there has been ignition problem.meaning a few times while driving the gauges, as well as, all the warning lights come on.the car drives well during this malfunction.also the rear defogger has stopped working.I had read the owners manaul and flowed the directions, but found no fuse in the relay box pretianing to the rear defogger.there seems to be problem with starting the car.meaning: It doesn't always seem to start right away.

- Peoria, IL, USA

problem #14

Feb 022005

Grand Am 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 36,890 miles
The ABS/no trac light came on I returned the car to the dealer for repair they stated that it was the sensor and replaced it not even two months later when the car is now out of warranty it happened again I have been trying to contact the dealer with no luck of returned phone calls. I am now having trouble of going through snow and up hills in my area. Which lead me into a ditch with my 2 children ages 1 and 4. I have also the problem of my windows being completely scratched and I was told it was my tint I went to get new tint and it is my windows also my led light on my radio keeps going on and off and all scrambled the dealer has done nothing in regards to this complaint.

- Colden, NY, USA

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