1992 Pontiac Grand AM: common problems

Owners of the 1992 Pontiac Grand AM filed 168 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 168
involving a crash: 12

What fails most often

1 Engine and cooling 37% of all complaints
2 Service brakes 20% of all complaints
3 Electrical system 17% of all complaints
4 Powertrain 10% of all complaints
5 Structure 9% of all complaints
6 Steering 8% of all complaints
7 Visibility 8% of all complaints
8 Seats 5% 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: 62 complaints (37% of all).
Service brakes: 34 complaints (20% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electrical system: 28 complaints (17% of all).
Powertrain: 16 complaints (10% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Structure: 15 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.

2.3 L · petrol · 4 cylnamed in 1 complaints
3.3 L · petrol · 6 cyl
automatic, 3-speed
manual, 5-speed

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 168 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

brake failure10 · 6%
overheating, coolant loss8 · 5%
smoke, burning smell, fire8 · 5%
door locks, latches, handles6 · 4%
stalls while driving6 · 4%
A/C or heater5 · 3%
rust, corrosion5 · 3%
seat belts5 · 3%
windows, sunroof5 · 3%
transmission slipping4 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Engine and cooling	62	0
Service brakes	34	3
Electrical system	28	0
Powertrain	16	2
Structure	15	0
Steering	14	1
Visibility	14	0
Seats	9	0
Vehicle speed control	9	3
Suspension	8	0
Equipment	7	0
Fuel system	7	0
Seat belts	5	3
Exterior lighting	4	0

What owners report

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

Cause of sudden acceleration: I had a pontiac grand am 1992 and the vehicle did accelerate by itself. The cause is a little piece of rubber that slides off the pressure valve, causing the vehicle to maintain an average of 30m/ph, regardless of which gear the car is in.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2005-11-11 · NHTSA complaint #10142456
The vehicle suddenly accelerated and crashed into a pole. * ph. The consumer was injured in the accident.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2003-02-07 · NHTSA complaint #10006743
He reported that the air bag sensor were on aswer the seatbelts. He also reported that they "acted appropriately". However even though the seatbelts were on, they did not restrain the passenger or the driver. The airbags did not deploy at 45 mph. This is not appropriate!
Seat belts · crash · 2002-07-24 · NHTSA complaint #764472
While traveling down the highway at a speed of 35 mph axle came apart, causing the consumer to lose control of the vehicle, hitting other cars and crashing into a truck.
Powertrain · crash · 1999-09-28 · NHTSA complaint #848889
Vehicle was involved in a collision and the seat belt broke, causing the driver to be thrown out of the vehicle.
Seat belts · crash · 1997-12-16 · NHTSA complaint #820023
While driving vehicle tried to apply the brakes (abs), vehicle did not slow up, turned vehicle into a parking lot, trying to brake steering went, lost control of vehicle, no brakes, hit pole; driver had seat belt on, also replaced pitted rotors.
Service brakes · crash · 1996-09-23 · NHTSA complaint #801613
Vehicle accelerated when put into drive, causing loss of control/accident.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 1996-04-25 · NHTSA complaint #488797
Abs: anti lock system interfered with normal braking; caused total brake failure; pedal went to floor; vehicle stopped after hitting snowbank. Tt
Service brakes · crash · 1996-02-07 · NHTSA complaint #978842

When owners complained

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

199528
199614
199716
199825
199937
200019
200117
20023
20035
20041
20051
20071
20101

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 2,387 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 7% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Grand AM has 233 complaints (24 years in the data). This year has 168, below average.

What to check before buying

Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1992 Pontiac Grand AM?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, service brakes, electrical system. Total complaints: 168. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: brake failure (6%), overheating, coolant loss (5%), smoke, burning smell, fire (5%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1992 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 1992 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 1992 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.