1996 Pontiac Grand AM: recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 1996 Pontiac Grand AM. The newest campaign is 02V070000. NHTSA received the report on 6 Mar 2002. The NHTSA record gives the component Electrical System / Ignition / Switch. NHTSA has 450 complaints on file for this model year. 2 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, 02V070000, in the NHTSA record

Dealers will install a relay kit in these vehicles to prevent high current from flowing through the ignition switch. Owner notification began march 27, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, pontiac at 1-800-762-2737, buick at 1-800-521-7300, or oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537.

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. 2,109,806 units in total.

02V0700006 Mar 2002Electrical System / Ignition / Switch
98V02700017 Feb 1998Interior Lighting
96V25000017 Dec 1996Exterior Lighting / Hazard Flashing Warning Lights
96V24900017 Dec 1996Steering / Steering Wheel/Handle Bar

02V070000Received 6 Mar 2002. 1,589,948 units.
Electrical System / Ignition / Switch
Defect, in the NHTSA record
On certain passenger vehicles. If the engine fails to start and the driver holds the key in the "start" position for an extended period, high current flows through the ignition switch, and sometimes produces enough heat to melt internal switch parts.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
If the switch is damaged, a fire could occur in the steering column, even with the engine off and the key removed.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will install a relay kit in these vehicles to prevent high current from flowing through the ignition switch. Owner notification began march 27, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, pontiac at 1-800-762-2737, buick at 1-800-521-7300, or oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537.
Report filed by GENERAL MOTORS CORP.. Manufacturer campaign number 02008. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 27 Mar 2002.
98V027000Received 17 Feb 1998. 249,420 units.
Interior Lighting
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles were built with the potential for the interior lamps to come on unexpectedly while the vehicles are being driven. This does not meet the requirements of FMVSS no. 101, "controls and displays."
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
The interior lamps coming on unexpectedly could startle a driver causing a momentary loss of control increasing the risk of a vehicle accident.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will run a diagnostic test on the lamp control module and, if necessary, replace it.
Report filed by GENERAL MOTORS CORP.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 28 Feb 1998.
96V250000Received 17 Dec 1996. 270,014 units.
Exterior Lighting / Hazard Flashing Warning Lights
Defect, in the NHTSA record
The front and/or rear hazard warning lamps (four-way flashers) do not flash when the hazard switch is activated. This fails to comply with FMVSS no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
If these lamps were not flashing, other vehicles would not be aware that this vehicle was stopped increasing the risk of an accident.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers or vehicle owners will inspect for proper function of the hazard warning lamps. If necessary, dealers will replace the hazard lamp switch.
Report filed by GENERAL MOTORS CORP.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 30 Jan 1997.
96V249000Received 17 Dec 1996. 424 units.
Steering / Steering Wheel/Handle Bar
Defect, in the NHTSA record
The steering column lower pinch bolt was not properly tightened during assembly.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
An undertorqued pinch bolt can rattle and cause looseness in the steering system. If the pinch bolt backed out of the joint completely, rotation of the steering shaft against the connector could cause increasing looseness in the steering system and result in loss of steering and an accident.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will inspect the steering column pinch bolt for correct torque and, if necessary, tighten the bolt to the specified torque.
Report filed by GENERAL MOTORS CORP.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 6 Jan 1997.

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

450 complaints, 672 component mentions.

A complaint can name more than one component. Each component that a complaint names is one component mention. The figure per 1,000 component mentions shows how many of each 1,000 mentions name the component.

1996 Pontiac Grand AM
All 1996 vehicles

1996 Pontiac Grand AM: complaints by component, per 1,000 component mentions
Component	1996 Grand AM	All 1996 vehicles	Grand AM, all years	Mentions
Electrical System	214.3	84	208.1	144
Air Bags	160.7	66.9	55	108
Engine and Engine Cooling	122	140.9	126.5	82
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	99.7	120.9	122.1	67
Visibility	61	59	52.2	41
Power Train	50.6	97.9	35.7	34
Suspension	47.6	55	39.1	32
Structure	38.7	39.5	31.3	26
Exterior Lighting	31.3	22.9	89	21
Steering	29.8	48.9	46.4	20

The table shows the 10 components with the most mentions, of 23.

Complaints that report a crash: 33
Complaints that report a fire: 14
Injuries in the complaints: 69
Deaths in the complaints: 0
Date of the newest complaint: 7 Jul 2017

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 1996 Pontiac Grand AM, by the year NHTSA received them. The largest year is 2002, with 69 complaints.

Investigations

NHTSA investigations that name the 1996 Pontiac Grand AM
Number	Type	Subject	Component	Opened	Closed	Campaign
RQ03001	Recall query	POWER RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILURE	Steering	2 Jan 2003	15 Sep 2003
RQ98013	Recall query	OVERSENSITIVE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTS	Air Bags	26 Aug 1998	Open	98V146000

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 1996 Pontiac Grand AMThe recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.

Cite this page

Recall Register. 1996 Pontiac Grand AM: recalls and complaints. https://recallregister.com/vehicle/pontiac/grand-am/1996/. 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 1996 Pontiac Grand AM?: 2,109,806 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 1996 model year.
Which component do the complaints about the 1996 Pontiac Grand AM name most often?: Electrical System: 144 of 672 component mentions, or 214.3 per 1,000. For all 1996 vehicles the figure is 84 per 1,000.
Is an NHTSA investigation of the 1996 Pontiac Grand AM open?: 1 investigation has no closing date in the NHTSA file, of 2 that name this model year.