1987 Pontiac Grand AM: common problems

Owners of the 1987 Pontiac Grand AM filed 28 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 28
involving a crash: 4

What fails most often

1 Engine and cooling 32% of all complaints
2 Electrical system 21% of all complaints
3 Seat belts 21% of all complaints
4 Steering 14% of all complaints
5 Fuel system 11% of all complaints
6 Powertrain 11% of all complaints
7 Vehicle speed control 7% of all complaints
8 Equipment 4% of all complaints

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

Engine and cooling: 9 complaints (32% of all).
Electrical system: 6 complaints (21% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Seat belts: 6 complaints (21% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Steering: 4 complaints (14% of all).
Fuel system: 3 complaints (11% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.

Engines and transmissions

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

2 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
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 28 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

seat belts5 · 18%
smoke, burning smell, fire2 · 7%
steering or power steering problems2 · 7%
brake failure1 · 4%
oil leak or consumption1 · 4%
loss of power / limp mode1 · 4%
rollaway, parking brake1 · 4%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Engine and cooling	9	0
Electrical system	6	1
Seat belts	6	1
Steering	4	0
Fuel system	3	1
Powertrain	3	0
Vehicle speed control	2	1
Equipment	1	0
Parking brake	1	1
Seats	1	0
Service brakes	1	1
Other	1	0

What owners report

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

Engine was then turned off, causing a loss of power steering. Unable to steer, vehicle brushed up against another vehicle , went up on center of median and stopped when it hit a sign post.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 1999-01-22 · NHTSA complaint #523336
Consumer purchase a brand new car was driving car and it cut off and consumer had an accident was rear end because car cut off. Tt
Electrical system · crash · 1995-05-04 · NHTSA complaint #964798
Disc brakes fail to stop vehicle effectively, causing extended stopping/inoperative.emergency parking brake failed causing vehicle to roll downhill into a car.
Parking brake · crash · 1995-01-19 · NHTSA complaint #958898
No summary listed for above vehicle. ( dot number: tire size: p195/70/14 )
Engine and cooling · 2000-08-23 · NHTSA complaint #726264
My digital odometer stopped working at 199,999 miles. I was told by pontiac that it was defective, and that normally it would continue on to 200,000. The only problem is that the lcd display will only show a "1" in the one hundred thousands place.
Electrical system · 2000-06-30 · NHTSA complaint #724806
Consumer charged battery and while driving vehicle caught on fire due to possible electrical failure resuting in injury to drivers hands.
Electrical system · 1999-03-15 · NHTSA complaint #544233
The driver and passenger seatbelt buckle broke, causing both to be inoperative, which offered no protection for the driver and passenger. Please provide further information. Consumer claims there is a bulletin and there is no recall.
Seat belts · 1999-01-15 · NHTSA complaint #833618
The rack and pinion malfunction. Vehicle is very hard to steer.
Steering · 1999-01-13 · NHTSA complaint #529673

When owners complained

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

199510
19963
19986
19996
20003

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 7,081 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 19% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Grand AM has 233 complaints (24 years in the data). This year has 28, below average.

What to check before buying

Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
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.
Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1987 Pontiac Grand AM?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, electrical system, seat belts. Total complaints: 28. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (18%), smoke, burning smell, fire (7%), steering or power steering problems (7%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1987 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 1987 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 1987 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.