2003 Pontiac Grand AM: common problems

Owners of the 2003 Pontiac Grand AM filed 325 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and exterior lighting. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 325
involving a crash: 27

What fails most often

1 Electrical system 41% of all complaints
2 Exterior lighting 20% of all complaints
3 Vehicle speed control 11% of all complaints
4 Engine and cooling 7% of all complaints
5 Air bags 6% of all complaints
6 Service brakes 6% of all complaints
7 Engine 5% of all complaints
8 Visibility 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.

Electrical system: 134 complaints (41% of all), 6 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Exterior lighting: 65 complaints (20% of all).
Vehicle speed control: 35 complaints (11% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine and cooling: 24 complaints (7% of all).
Air bags: 20 complaints (6% of all), 16 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.

2.2 L · petrol · 4 cylnamed in 1 complaints
3.4 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 3 complaints
automatic, 4-speed
manual, 5-speednamed in 2 complaints

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 325 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

won't start43 · 13%
stalls while driving28 · 9%
warning lights, check engine23 · 7%
smoke, burning smell, fire18 · 6%
fuel system, fuel smell15 · 5%
windows, sunroof14 · 4%
airbags did not deploy13 · 4%
knocking, grinding or other noise11 · 3%
headlights and tail lights9 · 3%
overheating, coolant loss6 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Electrical system	134	6
Exterior lighting	65	0
Vehicle speed control	35	3
Engine and cooling	24	0
Air bags	20	16
Service brakes	19	5
Engine	17	1
Visibility	16	0
Steering	14	5
Structure	14	1
Fuel system	12	0
Suspension	9	1
Fuel/propulsion system	8	1
Powertrain	6	0

What owners report

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

My family owned a 1999 same model vehicle, and the brakes failed us in an accident from itsâ left driver seal being punctured. Here is whatâs going on with the 2003 aside from the latter mentioned. Exhaust from manifold to catalytic converter followed by muffler rusted out by 175,ÃÃÃ miles and now broke apart.
Electrical system · crash · 2023-07-16 · NHTSA complaint #11532576
The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The contact sustained injuries that required medical attention. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the vehicle needed a new fuel pump and ignition lock cylinder switch.
Electrical system · crash · 2015-07-13 · NHTSA complaint #10733585
The cost for the ignition cylinder was $327.00 I was struck by a utility truck while stopped at a red light in 2013 and the airbag did not deploy. At approximately 58,000 miles the car won't start.again towed to a pontiac dealer. Told I need a new ignition cylinder for a cost of $447.82.
Electrical system · crash · 2015-05-06 · NHTSA complaint #10715017
The contact stated that there was a sudden loss of power and the steering wheel became extremely tight and difficult to turn. The contact applied force to the brake pedal which did not stop the vehicle, causing the contact to veer to the right and crash into a curb and then a stop sign. The air bags did not deploy.
Air bags · crash · 2015-03-30 · NHTSA complaint #10702555
The contact stated while driving over a bump at approximately 25 mph, the steering wheel seized and the brakes failed. As a result, the contact side swiped another vehicle on the passenger side and crashed into a concrete ridge before coming to a stop.
Service brakes · crash · 2014-11-10 · NHTSA complaint #10653891
The contact stated while driving approximately 10 mph, the engine stalled and the steering and brakes seized. As a result, the check engine light illuminated and the vehicle crashed into a pole. No police report was filed. The failure recurred twice. The vehicle was not repaired.
Engine · crash · 2014-11-07 · NHTSA complaint #10653434
The contact mentioned that the check engine and oil warning lights illuminated. The front driver side air bag did not deploy. A police report was filed. The front passenger and the contact sustained head and chest injuries that required medical attention.
Air bags · crash · 2014-11-03 · NHTSA complaint #10652093
The contact stated that while driving at 40 mph, the steering wheel seized and the brake pedal was depressed but the brakes failed to respond causing the vehicle to crash into a garage. A police report was filed.
Service brakes · crash · 2014-11-03 · NHTSA complaint #10652191

When owners complained

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

200321
200415
200528
200626
200733
200825
200919
201015
201114
201215
201313
201450
201519
20166
20178
20187
20193
20201
20236
20251

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 1,237 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 3% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Grand AM has 233 complaints (24 years in the data). This year has 325, above average.

What to check before buying

Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2003 Pontiac Grand AM?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, exterior lighting, vehicle speed control. Total complaints: 325. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: won't start (13%), stalls while driving (9%), warning lights, check engine (7%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2003 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 2003 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 2003 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.