16 of the
236 complaints about the 1998 Pontiac Grand AM are about the
throttle and cruise control — 7% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
118,039 miles.
F
16
Complaints
3
Crashes
0
Fires
3
Injuries
Exactly what failed
Vehicle Speed Control
1381.3%
Cruise Control
212.5%
Accelerator Pedal
16.3%
Acceleration & Cruise Control across every Pontiac Grand AM year
I WAS DRIVING MY 1998 GT PONTIAC GRAND AM FROM PEORIA ILLINOIS ON HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH. SHE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN NO POWER NO NOTHING...PULLED OVER WAITED APPROXIMATELY 5MINUTES AND SHE STARTED RIGHT UP...PLEASE HELP!!! [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #10565453 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Moultrie, GA1 injured
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
PONTIAC GRAND AM AIR BAGS ARENT SAFE AT ALL MINE BUSTED OUT FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER IT BURNED MY ARM AND LEFT A BRUISE AND COULD'VE CAUSED A WRECK!
NHTSA complaint #10128604 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 100,400 milesRaleigh, NC
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
SEVERE ACCELERATION WHEN AUTO IS MOVING AT SLOW OR IDLE SPEED WHEN MOVING FROM A COLD START OR NEARLY COLD START. MOST NOTICEABLE WHEN AUTO IS MAKING A TURN AFTER A COLD START OR NEARLY COLD START. THE PROBLEM OCCUR 100% OF THE TIME WHEN DESCENDING FROM A PARKING DECK AND REACHING THE LOWER LEVEL OR LOWEST LEVEL OF THE PARKING DECK. MY ACTION IS TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL UNTIL IT DROP BACK TO A NORMAL IDLING SPEED, WHICH NORMALLY TAKE( AS A GUEST), ABOUT 45 TO 60 SECONDS.
NHTSA complaint #10096408 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 135,678 milesSiloam Springs, ARCrash2 injured
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING THROUGH A SCHOOL ZONE GOING LESS THAN 25 MPH AND CRUISE CONTROL KICKED IN. THE VEHICLE CROSSED INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND WENT DOWN AN EMBANKMENT. THE VEHICLE HIT A TREE AND IT WASN'T UNTIL THE VEHICLE STOPPED THAT THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. WHEN THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED THEY BLACKED THE PASSENGERS EYES. *AK
NHTSA complaint #10089196 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 65,000 milesJacksonville, FL
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
DOES NOT MATTER WHAT TIME OF DAY OR WHAT TEMP OUTSIDE, WHEN CAR IS STARTED, RPM'S RANGE FROM 2000 TO 3000. CAR WILL NOT GO TO NORMAL IDLE AT ANY TIME NO MATTER HOW LONG DRIVEN UNLESS CAR IS TURNED OFF AN THEN BACK ON. SOMETIMES IT TAKES DOING THIS SEVERAL TIMES. IF THIS IS NOT DONE AND IDLE IS LEFT AS IS, CAR IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STOP. ALMOST NECESSARY TO "STAND" ON THE BRAKES! DEALER SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG AND THAT IT IS A FACTORY PRESET.
NHTSA complaint #10058864 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Everett, WA
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR HAS FAILED THREE TIMES IN THIS VEHICLE, IN AS MANY YEARS. SUDDEN ACCELERATION OCCURS AND HAS ALMOST CAUSED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS, VERY FRIGHTENING. POTENTIALLY DEADLY.
NHTSA complaint #10039288 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
East Freetown, MA
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CONSUMER STATES WHEN TAKING FOOT OFF ACCELERATOR, VEHICLE STARTS TO PULSATE AND WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED IT TAKES APPROXIMATELY 3 TO 4 FEET TO STOP, WHILE VEHICLE IS BUCKING AS IF THE ABS ARE ENGAGING, RPM NEEDLE GOES CRAZY. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #561530 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Enosburg Falls, VT
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE AT A STOP VEHICLE IDLES VERY HIGH WHICH WHEN LETTING GO OF BRAKES VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY ACCELERATE AT A VERY HIGH SPEED. *AK THE VEHICLE'S RPM WAS HIGH, ESPECIALLY WHEN STARTING. THE DEALER WORKED ON IT BUT DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE. SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT COMING ON DUE TO EVAP PURGE VALVE AND SOLENOID FAILURE. PCM FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #876420 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fulton, NY
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN WITH THE FOOT ON THE BRAKES. BRAKES WERE RUINED. PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT. BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 DIFFERENT TIMES, BUT PROBLEM WOULD REAPPEAR AFTER REPAIRS WERE DONE.
NHTSA complaint #871360 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hubbardston, MI
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
WHILE DRIVING THE THROTTLE REMAINED STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS RELEASED. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.
NHTSA complaint #864947 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Quakertown, PACrash1 injured
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
HAD PROBLEMS WITH CAR SINCE BEGINNING. ACCELERATES ON ITS OWN AND LUNGES FORWARD WHEN STOPPING. ALSO THE BRAKES FAILED,CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. ROTORS HAVE WARPED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. DEALER CONTACTED 10-15 TIMES WITH NO PROBLEM FOUND. CAR IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD.
NHTSA complaint #719676 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Reinbeck, IA
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY FROM A STOP (USUALLY WHEN HUMID)
NHTSA complaint #713160 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Mulliken, MI
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SPEED UP UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #846573 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chicago, IL
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE IDLE SURGES UNCONTROLLABLY AT A STOP CAUSING VEHICLE TO LURCH FORWARD.
NHTSA complaint #710679 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Shenandoah, PACrash
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE DRIVING AT A REGULAR SPEED CAR ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN, HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE.MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND STATED THEY COULD RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #845614 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fort Bragg, CA
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
AFTER DRIVING THE CAR AND LETTING SIT FROM 30 MIN TO 4 HOURS(AT VARIOUS TEMPS) AND RESTARTING GOING@10 MPH, THE CARS RPMS FLUCTUATE BRIEFLY AND THEN ACCELERATE DRAMATICALLY TO 4000 RPM LUCKELY, I PUT IT INTO NETURAL OR MY SPEED KEEPS INCREASING, WHEN PUT INTO NEUTRAL, THE RPM'S INCREASED TO 4,000 AND STAYS UNTIL THE GAS IS PRESSED FIRMLY THEN IT WILL GO BACK TO IDLE. PRESSING THE BRAKE DOESN'T STOP THIS. A COUPLE OF TIMES THE RPMS FLUCTUATED THEN THE CAR DIED INSTEAD OF ACCELERATING.
NHTSA complaint #705180 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.