2005 Pontiac Grand AM: common problems

Owners of the 2005 Pontiac Grand AM filed 102 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and exterior lighting. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 102
involving a crash: 15

What fails most often

1 Electrical system 39% of all complaints
2 Exterior lighting 12% of all complaints
3 Fuel system 11% of all complaints
4 Air bags 10% of all complaints
5 Engine 10% of all complaints
6 Steering 8% of all complaints
7 Visibility 7% of all complaints
8 Electronic stability control 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: 40 complaints (39% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Exterior lighting: 12 complaints (12% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Fuel system: 11 complaints (11% of all).
Air bags: 10 complaints (10% of all), 9 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine: 10 complaints (10% 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.

2.2 L · petrol · 4 cyl
3.4 L · petrol · 6 cyl
automatic, 4-speed

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 102 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

won't start12 · 12%
stalls while driving9 · 9%
fuel system, fuel smell8 · 8%
smoke, burning smell, fire8 · 8%
windows, sunroof8 · 8%
airbags did not deploy6 · 6%
headlights and tail lights5 · 5%
knocking, grinding or other noise5 · 5%
warning lights, check engine4 · 4%
engine failure or replacement2 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Electrical system	40	2
Exterior lighting	12	1
Fuel system	11	0
Air bags	10	9
Engine	10	1
Steering	8	1
Visibility	7	1
Electronic stability control	5	1
Vehicle speed control	5	2
Fuel/propulsion system	4	0
Structure	4	2
Latches, locks, linkages	3	0
Seat belts	3	0
Suspension	3	0

What owners report

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

While driving approximately 10 mph, the vehicle stalled and crashed into a curb. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries reported. The vehicle was previously repaired under nhtsa campaign number: 14v400000 (electrical system) however, the failure recurred on numerous occasions.
Electrical system · crash · 2015-10-05 · NHTSA complaint #10779733
The contact stated that while making a left turn, another vehicle crashed into the contact's vehicle and the air bags failed to deploy. The vehicle stalled after impact and no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact sustained unknown injuries that required medical attention.
Air bags · crash · 2015-01-28 · NHTSA complaint #10679431
While driving approximately 20 mph, the vehicle shut off and caused the power steering and the power brakes to fail. As a result, the contact crashed into the guardrail and the air bags failed to deploy. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed.
Electrical system · crash · 2014-11-17 · NHTSA complaint #10658688
The contact stated that the air bags failed to deploy after crashing into another vehicle. No injuries were reported and a police report was filed. In addition, the contact stated on another occasion while driving 40 mph, the vehicle stalled as the service engine soon warning light illuminated.
Air bags · crash · 2014-11-12 · NHTSA complaint #10654327
My daughter just left house drove down street hit a tree air bags did not deploy car was wrecked do we get compensated for this since the car has been recalled for ignition recall#14350 she said it locked up luckily she was not on the highway thank you for your time.
Air bags · crash · 2014-09-28 · NHTSA complaint #10639670
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 pontiac grand am. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35 mph, the entire instrument panel illuminated intermittently. In addition, the steering wheel failed to respond and the vehicle crashed into a concrete wall.
Steering · crash · 2014-09-16 · NHTSA complaint #10633572
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 pontiac grand am. While driving 40 mph, the vehicle spun out of control and crashed into an embankment. A police report was filed. The contact sustained injuries that required medical attention.
Electronic stability control · crash · 2014-09-15 · NHTSA complaint #10633300
Dt: 2005 pontiac grand am. The consumer states when hitting a telephone pole at 55 mph the battery that was being stored in the trunk come through the back seat. This was not a fold down seat. The consumer thought the seat was not strong enough during a crash. There were no injuries due to this problem.
Seats · crash · 2005-09-06 · NHTSA complaint #10135459

When owners complained

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

20041
20052
20067
20076
200812
20094
20105
20119
20124
20131
201427
20159
20166
20173
20182
20192
20202

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 3,514 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 10% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Grand AM has 233 complaints (24 years in the data). This year has 102, below 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.
Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2005 Pontiac Grand AM?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, exterior lighting, fuel system. Total complaints: 102. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: won't start (12%), stalls while driving (9%), fuel system, fuel smell (8%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2005 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 2005 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 2005 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.