1986 Pontiac Grand AM: common problems

Owners of the 1986 Pontiac Grand AM filed 11 complaints with NHTSA, most often about steering and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 11
involving a crash: 1

What fails most often

1 Steering 27% of all complaints
2 Electrical system 18% of all complaints
3 Seat belts 18% of all complaints
4 Structure 18% of all complaints
5 Powertrain 9% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Steering: 3 complaints (27% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electrical system: 2 complaints (18% of all).
Seat belts: 2 complaints (18% of all).
Structure: 2 complaints (18% of all).
Powertrain: 1 complaints (9% of all).

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

2.5 L · petrol · 4 cyl
3 L · petrol · 6 cyl
automatic, 3-speed
manual, 5-speed

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 11 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

seat belts2 · 18%
warning lights, check engine2 · 18%
headlights and tail lights1 · 9%
loss of power / limp mode1 · 9%
rust, corrosion1 · 9%
smoke, burning smell, fire1 · 9%
steering or power steering problems1 · 9%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Steering	3	1
Electrical system	2	0
Seat belts	2	0
Structure	2	0
Powertrain	1	0
Other	2	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

The vehicle hit a bump in the road and caused the owner to lose control of the car and the car crashed and exploded. Please describe.
Steering · crash · 1996-05-16 · NHTSA complaint #984528
Water collection under plastic body moldings is causing body panel to rust.
Structure · 1997-12-23 · NHTSA complaint #527525
Under the hood compartment fire, driving the vehicle smelled fuel fumes and vehicle caught on fire , vehicle completely burned, will provide fire report.
Electrical system · 1996-12-30 · NHTSA complaint #806880
Vehicle hit a bump on the road resulting in vehicle explosion.
Structure · 1996-06-28 · NHTSA complaint #505391
Loss of power steering control, usually at slow speeds and/or during cold weather.
Steering · 1996-05-30 · NHTSA complaint #985023
Failure of the driver side seat belt retractor, belt will not retract.
Seat belts · 1996-04-23 · NHTSA complaint #983319
Passenger side seat belts have failed, replaced entire seat belt because it would not retract. Tt
Seat belts · 1995-11-22 · NHTSA complaint #975334
Car is 6 cylinder 3. Litre replace ignition module about four times within a year and three months . Tt transmission leak.
Electrical system · 1995-10-04 · NHTSA complaint #973031

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

19953
19965
19973

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 10,520 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 29% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Grand AM has 233 complaints (24 years in the data). This year has 11, below average.

What to check before buying

Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1986 Pontiac Grand AM?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: steering, electrical system, seat belts. Total complaints: 11. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (18%), warning lights, check engine (18%), headlights and tail lights (9%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1986 Pontiac Grand AM?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 1986 Pontiac Grand AM from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 1986 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.