2002 Pontiac Grand Am problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Electrical System (55) · Exterior Lighting (35) · Engine And Engine Cooling (21)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Pontiac Grand Am model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
269 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (1)
Electrical System:ignition 2014-07-03 · campaign 14V400000 · 5,877,718 vehicles
Defect: 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, 1998-200
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
Service bulletins (457)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2025-07-18 · PIP5601C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this pi communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from tac.
Unknown Or Other 2025-02-20 · PIP5358D · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an unusual noise and is difficult to identify, isolate or pinpoint. technician should get record a sound clip or take a video of the noise for assessment by engineering. technician will need to
Electrical System 2024-10-25 · PIP4723J · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the tire pressure monitor, active fuel injector tester, multi media tester, pico scope, gr8 starting/charging tester and vehicle data recorder tools, giving website address and ste
Unknown Or Other 2024-09-12 · PIT5099H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that the heater-vent-air conditioning blows warm air. before calling general motors technical assistance center technician will need to have high and low pressures, outside temperature, humidity, and ven
Unknown Or Other 2024-09-12 · PIT5099H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that the heater-vent-air conditioning blows warm air. before calling general motors technical assistance center technician will need to have high and low pressures, outside temperature, humidity, and ven
Electrical System 2024-08-26 · General Communication · Service Campaign
vehicle wide programming (vwp) is a new process to update software on gm vehicles. it provides the ability via a single selection within techline connect to first identify which modules need updating and then proceed to updating affected modules (with some exceptions). the updating of modules is com
Showing the 6 most recent of 457 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2020-03-15 · Unknown Or Other · 179,486 mi“my pontiac grand am se 4ds 3.4 liter engine 2002 has a problem with the security light keeps coming on & stays on & then when i shut it off & then get back in car to start it , it wouldn't start the security light flashes & i have to wait 10 minutes or for it to go out leaving the car in on position for 10 minutes or more every time i get in the ca…”
2019-11-28 · Fuel/Propulsion System · 180,000 mi“i was diving down hwy 70 going to pick up my first delivery for the day when, i'm not sure how but the key came out of the on postion and fell out on floor, scared i was going to crash i hurriedly reached down and put it back in and noticed the security light had came on and within minutes it lost all power and shut off, luckily i am a good driver …”
2019-08-31 · Power Train“i replaced the clock spring back in 2018 but the air bag light still on it has to be a airbag control module since i purchased my first car since 2011 it needs to be turned off…”
2019-08-24 · Unknown Or Other · 127,000 mi“takata recall transmission - shifts hard, went out with out any warning lights. was at a stop light when i tried to go, it wouldn't go past 10 mph and went all the way up to 4th rpm. power steering leaks bad.…”
2019-01-04 · Fuel/Propulsion System · 220,000 mi“since the day i purchased the car it's had a strong gas odor that fills the inside of the car. it gets worse when you run the defrost and when the gas tank is on e. it's an everyday strong gas odor and most of the time it's everytime you drive it no matter how many times in one day or how long of a period at a time.…”
2018-11-26 · Exterior Lighting:turn Signal · 130,000 mi“tl* the contact owns a 2002 pontiac grand am. while driving approximately 55 mph, the contact attempted to make a turn, but the rear driver side turn signal indicator did not work. the contact replaced the rear tail light bulbs. when the hazard button was depressed, the turn signal indicator started to work again. the contact stated that the failur…”
2018-05-18 · Electrical System · 170,377 mi“tl* the contact owns a 2002 pontiac grand am. while driving approximately 45 mph, the vehicle stalled and the check engine and security warning indicators illuminated. the vehicle was able to coast to the side of the road, but failed to restart. the vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. the contact attempted to drive the vehicle, but it wou…”
2018-01-21 · Air Bags“'takata recall' deterioration of airbags due to the geographical location and the heat of the southern united states…”
2018-01-19 · Electrical System · 165,478 mi“tl-contact owns a 2002 pontiac grand am ---- vehicle has 165,478 miles contact was going 10mph when blinkers stopped working, in turn lane to turn off main road at night.. contact was driving home two nights ago when blinkers both went out and contact went online and looked up vin number and saw two recalls. contact stated she had called local gm …”
2017-02-22 · Exterior Lighting · 111,000 mi“tl* the contact owns a 2002 pontiac grand am. while operating the turn signal either right or left, the signal light failed to illuminate. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 111,000. …”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.