1985 Pontiac Grand AM: recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 1985 Pontiac Grand AM. The newest campaign is 87V124000. NHTSA received the report on 10 Aug 1987. The NHTSA record gives the component Structure. NHTSA has 4 complaints on file for this model year. 3 NHTSA investigations name this model year.

The NHTSA recall file shows no do-not-drive advisory and no park-outside advisory on these campaigns.

This page cannot show if a recall applies to one vehicle. The NHTSA VIN lookup shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle.

Remedy of the newest campaign, 87V124000, in the NHTSA record

Install inner and outer reinforcement plate on both left and right body pillars.

NHTSA VIN lookup

Complaint information entered into NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation vehicle owner's complaint database is used with other data sources to identify safety issues that warrant investigation and to determine if a safety-related defect trend exists.
NHTSA publishes these words. Source: NHTSA Datasets and APIs, section Complaints, read on 1 Oct 2026. Complaint file through 30 Sep 2026. Recall file through 30 Sep 2026.

Since the last update

No tracked figure of this page changed in a data update. What the log tracks

All updates to the register

Recall campaigns

4 campaigns, newest first. 408,126 units in total.

87V12400010 Aug 1987Structure
86V03000021 Feb 1986Vehicle Speed Control / Springs
84V14600020 Nov 1984Visibility / Windshield Wiper/Washer / Switch/Wiring
84V12400010 Oct 1984Steering / Linkages / Tie Rod Assembly

87V124000Received 10 Aug 1987. 261,171 units.
Structure
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Small cracks may develop in the body pillar around the door striker bolt hole.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Cracks would increase leading to difficulty in closingthe door and might allow door to come open during a crash, increasinglikelihood of injury to occupants.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Install inner and outer reinforcement plate on both left and right body pillars.
Report filed by GENERAL MOTORS CORP.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 27 Aug 1987.
86V030000Received 21 Feb 1986. 135,623 units.
Vehicle Speed Control / Springs
Defect, in the NHTSA record
The throttle return spring assembly may fail preventing the throttle from returning to the closed (idle) position when the accelerator pedal is released. Consequence of defect: engine speed may not decrease and loss of accelerator control could result in an accident without prior warning.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Replace throttle return spring.
Report filed by GENERAL MOTORS CORP.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 7 Mar 1986.
84V146000Received 20 Nov 1984. 973 units.
Visibility / Windshield Wiper/Washer / Switch/Wiring
Defect, in the NHTSA record
The switch used may not be compatible with the wiper motor. This system, although functional, is not in compliance with federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 104, "windshield wiping and washing system". The windshield wiper speed may remain nearly constant whether in high or low speed mode. The standard requires that the difference between high and low speed must be at least 15 cycles per minute to accomodate a variety of rain, snow, or wheel spray conditions.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Wiper switches will be replaced if necessary, without charge.
Report filed by GENERAL MOTORS CORP.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 27 Dec 1984.
84V124000Received 10 Oct 1984. 10,359 units.
Steering / Linkages / Tie Rod Assembly
Defect, in the NHTSA record
The tie rods are part of the steering linkage and transmit turning movements to the wheels. The bolts that fasten the tie rods to their adjusters may not be tight enough. This could allow the tie rod to loosen and detach itself from the adjuster.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
The tie rod end bolts will be tightened without cost to the owner.
Report filed by GENERAL MOTORS CORP..

The campaign number opens the NHTSA record. Each quotation is the text of the NHTSA recall file.

Recall campaign: One recall in the NHTSA recall file, with one campaign number. A campaign can name many makes, models and model years.

Units: The number of vehicles or products that a recall can include. The manufacturer or the firm reports the number to the agency.

Complaints by component

4 complaints, 8 component mentions.

A complaint can name more than one component. Each component that a complaint names is one component mention. This model year has fewer than 50 component mentions, so the table shows the number of mentions only.

1985 Pontiac Grand AM: component mentions in complaints
Component		Mentions
Electrical System		2
Engine and Engine Cooling		2
Visibility		2
Seat Belts		1
Interior Lighting		1

Complaints that report a crash: 1
Complaints that report a fire: 1
Injuries in the complaints: 1
Deaths in the complaints: 0
Date of the newest complaint: 15 Sep 1999

These figures are the entries of the persons who sent the complaints.

Complaint: A report about a possible safety problem that a person sends to NHTSA. This site shows the number of complaints and not their text.

Complaints about the 1985 Pontiac Grand AM, by the year NHTSA received them. The largest year is 1999, with 3 complaints.

Investigations

NHTSA investigations that name the 1985 Pontiac Grand AM
Number	Type	Subject	Component	Opened	Closed
EA91045	Engineering analysis	SEAT BELT SEPARATION	Seat Belts	7 Nov 1991	26 Oct 1992
PE88027	Preliminary evaluation	HEADLAMP SWITCH FAILURE	Exterior Lighting	9 Feb 1988	11 May 1988
EA86025	Engineering analysis	WINDSHIELD WIPERS	Visibility	25 Aug 1986	2 Mar 1988

Investigation: A study of a possible safety defect by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation with no closing date in the NHTSA file is open.

Other model years

The number under each year is the number of recall campaigns.

A year without a link has fewer than 2 campaigns and fewer than 25 complaints. It has no page.

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Official channels

NHTSA VIN lookupNHTSA shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle from its VIN or its license plate.
NHTSA: report a safety problemThe NHTSA form for a complaint about a vehicle, a tire, a child seat or equipment.
NHTSA page of the 1985 Pontiac Grand AMThe recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.

Cite this page

Recall Register. 1985 Pontiac Grand AM: recalls and complaints. https://recallregister.com/vehicle/pontiac/grand-am/1985/. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall, complaint and investigation files. Data through 30 Sep 2026.

Sources

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Licence: US government work, public domain
Recall file through: 30 Sep 2026
Complaint file through: 30 Sep 2026
First complaint in the file: 1 Jan 1995
Manufacturer in the recall file: GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

The NHTSA record is the authority. A complaint count is the number of different complaint numbers for the make, the model and the model year. How the register is made. Report an error.

Questions

How many units are in the recall campaigns for the 1985 Pontiac Grand AM?: 408,126 units in 4 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.
How many recall campaigns does the Pontiac Grand AM have for all model years?: NHTSA lists 40 recall campaigns for the Pontiac Grand AM, model years 1973 to 2005. 4 of them name the 1985 model year.
Which component do the complaints about the 1985 Pontiac Grand AM name most often?: Electrical System: 2 of 8 component mentions.
Is an NHTSA investigation of the 1985 Pontiac Grand AM open?: No. Each of the 3 investigations that name this model year has a closing date in the NHTSA file.