1999 Pontiac Grand Am Problems

Severe Issues

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 1999 Pontiac Grand Am.

19982000
Complaints
1,318
Crashes
99
Fires
15
Injuries
94
Fatalities
18
Recalls
1

Worst 1999 Pontiac Grand Am Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#172 complaints

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip

Avg mileage:49,963 mi
Crash-related:5
#268 complaints

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor

Avg mileage:41,688 mi
Crash-related:1
#354 complaints

Electrical Faults

Avg mileage:87,087 mi
Crash-related:1
Fires:3
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 1999 Pontiac Grand Am.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
72
complaints
Crashes
5
Fires
Avg Miles
49,963
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor
68
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
41,688
Electrical Faults
54
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
3
Avg Miles
87,087
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc
53
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
10,000
Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls
52
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
73,514
Air Bags:Frontal
51
complaints
Crashes
35
Fires
Avg Miles
77,329
Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs
43
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
69,042
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
34
complaints
Crashes
Fires
2
Avg Miles
58,399
Suspension:Front
32
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
80,042
Engine & Cooling
28
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
64,358
Airbags
27
complaints
Crashes
12
Fires
Avg Miles
116,550
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System
27
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
118,761
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline
26
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
78,426
Suspension Failures
22
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
68,505
Structure:Body:Door
20
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
32,024
Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator
19
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
70,225
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe
19
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
68,878
Exterior Lighting:Hazard Flashing Warning Lights:Switch
18
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
61,980
Steering Defects
18
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
115,400
Unintended Acceleration
17
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
78,000
Hydraulic Brakes
15
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
63,001
Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery
14
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
73,270
Equipment:Electrical:Radio/Tape Deck/Cd Etc.
14
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
11,000
Automatic Transmission
14
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
46,000
Steering:Rack And Pinion
14
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
53,667
Body Structure
14
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
68,000
Engine Problems
13
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
136,760
Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal
13
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
38,832
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components
13
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 1999 Pontiac Grand Am. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 1999 Pontiac Grand Am

1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting ~5,877,718 vehicles.

14V400000Electrical System:ignition
~5,877,718 affected

This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on July 3, 2014, that they are recalling 5,877,718 model year 2000-2005 Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, 1997-2003 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2005 Malibu Classic, 1999-2004 Oldsmobile Alero, 1998-2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1999-2005 Pontiac Grand Am and 2004-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.

Other Pontiac Grand Am Years

1999 Pontiac Grand Am — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 1999 Pontiac Grand Am reliable?
Verdict: Severe Issues. The 1999 Pontiac Grand Am has 1,318 NHTSA complaints, 99 crash-related, and 1 recall campaign. The most common issue is Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip with 72 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 1999 Pontiac Grand Am?
Top reported problems: Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip (72 complaints, avg 49,963 mi); Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor (68 complaints, avg 41,688 mi); Electrical Faults (54 complaints, avg 87,087 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 1999 Pontiac Grand Am?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 65,605 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 1999 Pontiac Grand Am?
NHTSA complaints for the 1999 Pontiac Grand Am include 99 crash-related reports, 15 fire reports, 94 injuries, and 18 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 1999 Pontiac Grand Am have any recalls?
Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 5,877,718 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 1999 Pontiac Grand Am?
Proceed with extreme caution. The 1999 Pontiac Grand Am shows significantly more complaints than average for its class. If you're buying one, a pre-purchase inspection and a VIN history check are essential — skip them and you're gambling.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Pontiac Grand Am reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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