7th Apr 2008, 13:44

I have a 1999 Pontiac Grand AM GT and have had it for almost three years now. About a month after I bought it, the alternator went out. About a year ago, it overheated and the temperature gauge went all the way up and the red light came on. When I was getting it fixed, they replaced the water pump and the thermostat. It seemed to run fine for about a month and ever since then it keeps running hot. I have tried to get it fixed twice, but noone seems to know why it is overheating. I have had two water pumps, three different thermostats and two radiator caps. It doesn't seem to be a cracked head or anything... at least that's what I'm told. I am tired of spending money and keep having the same problems. I have also had the radiator flushed to make sure all the junk is out of the radiator, not making any obstructions. Recently my coolant has nasty brownish looking crap all in it (it used to have dex-cool in it, but I had that flushed out and had the regular green stuff put in it). But I have no idea why this nasty stuff is showing up in my coolant.

I have lights go out on my car all the time. A few times my car has decided to not start and the security light comes on... whatever that means. Something on the inside of my driver side door cracked and now my car makes an annoying pop everytime I open it. This has actually caused part of the front end of my car to shift forward... my headlight is starting to pop out and the stripping around my windshield is falling off.

My brakes are horrible. I have had the brakes/rotars changed twice in two years and they sound horrible ALL the time. I feel like it does not stop correctly and it's a little scary on the highway.

The alloy rims suck! Air will never ever stay in my tires. They leak all the time and that stupid check tire pressure light comes on and it's just a pain in the butt. I have to put air in my tires about every three or four days and it gets really low... like 20 pounds of pressure low! crazy! If I don't keep up with putting air in it, my car feels so out of control when I am driving, it's scary.

I love my car... when it's not having problems. I am so tired of all of the little things I have to deal with over and over. It's annoying and frustrating. I can't wait to get a new car!!!

17th Apr 2008, 18:17

My 2002 Grand Am GT has developed a clicking noise from the right rear wheel. It speeds up with the faster rotation of the wheel and can't be heard at highway speeds. Does anyone have an idea what this is? I recently had new brakes (rotors included) installed at a local shop.

27th Apr 2008, 19:23

I have a 99 Grand Am SE 2 with a 3.4 V6, sunroof, steering wheel audio controls... etc... all the good stuff...

The volume button on the stereo doesn't work to go down.

The sunroof switch will barely work sometimes.

The switch inside the steering column went out and made it burn, which before it went out it made an awful clicking sound like the sound when the blinkers are on.

The passenger window motor went out once, the driver... twice.

The front brakes have went bad about 6 times in the last year, and I finally bought everything for the brakes and put on it (calipers, hoses, rotors, expensive ceramic pads...).

Power steering pump went out.

Water pump went out.

Right axle went bad.

Right and left tie rod ends went bad.

Now something makes it get a sliding feeling when turning (I think it may be the ball joint). I put one new axle on it and now it and the other one is bad...

Now mine has trouble starting and gets to where it will idle very high, sometimes as much as idling on 3000 RPMs.

I paid $4,300 for it with 116,000 miles, and now has 151,000 a year and 3 months later, I WOULD NOT ADVISE ANYONE TO BUY A GRAND AM FROM 99 TO 2004!!! Unless you want a bad car for the money...

4th May 2008, 22:00

Wish I would have seen this site a week ago.

Just bought a 99 Grand Am SE (2.4 Quad) for my son. Bought it from a private party for $2500 with 149,000 miles on it. Started seeing a few problems instantly and started to search the web for answers. Talk about misery enjoying company; I was astounded by what I was reading from this site!

To start with we have the infamous noise coming from the front drivers side. I'm going to throw in a bearing tomorrow.

Then my boy tells me someone almost ran into him because his turn signal didn't work. (I was doubting him as I found nothing wrong when I first checked it) Since then it works when it wants to. Guess I'm going for one of those Hazard switches that are supposed to be on recall. From what I've read Pontiac will replace till 150000 miles or ten years.

Next my son tells me his A/C don't work on low setting. Sure enough no speeds 1-2, but the higher speeds work. So I guess I'll have to grab a resistor card while I'm out.

My son also washed and waxed car shortly after we got it a few days ago, and we had a major water leak from drivers side window in front. I took off seal and cleaned and put it back in with RTV.. And his dash is peeling away at the windshield... Guess I still have the brake problem to look forward to.

My windows haven't fallen out because they are manual and my radio works because it's a Sony.. Man I wish I would have seen this site last week. Such a nice looking car when its PARKED.

19th May 2008, 11:29

I have a 2000 Grand Am GT. It's been in my family since it was brand new (first belonged to my mother in 2000 and then I purchased it from her in 2004). Within the last 2 years, or so, I've had many of the issues that you all are describing. At the moment, my car has nothing on it that didn't come factory installed.

~ My radio volume button doesn't work very well, although the button on the steering wheel works fine.

~ The CD player randomly changes volume on a song while it's playing.

~ The dashboard panel seems to be 'curling' up away from the area beneath it.

~ The same dashboard type area along the front windshield, on the left, is also 'curling' away from the windshield area.

~ The seals around the back windows are coming loose, so the wind whistles through them at speeds over about 40.

~ The head gasket had to be completely replaced, last year.

~ One of my back window motors had to be replaced, last year. The other back window just broke, a few days ago, and the passenger side window isn't sounding good, either.

~ The wires running from the dash panel lights & steering wheel controls coroded and had to be replaced (the lights weren't indicative of anything, but none of the steering wheel controls would work, including cruise control).