4th Jul 2008, 08:05

I have a 99 Grand Am GT as well. Love the car. Never had any problems with it until now.

Every time I go to the shop, it cost me $400-$500. With that said I've never had problems with it until it hit about 170 thousand clicks.

I've had great luck with this. Love the look of it and love how it drives. If I could find the same vehicle new I'd buy it again.

Issues I've had lately include driver's side regulator, coil springs on passenger side, passenger side bearing, passenger side mount, brake lines in the back, and a few sets of rotors and pads. Seems all my problems are the passenger side.

Worked good up until a few months ago though. Now I seem to be putting to much money into it. Still love the car though. Her name is Big Bertha if anyone's wondering.

7th Jul 2008, 13:23

99grand am <----- Busted Intake Manifold gasket.. Next time anybody gets the next oil change be sure to tell them to flush out the radiator and add the normal anti-freeze and NOT the dexi-cool.. $600 fix.

1st Aug 2008, 19:27

I own a 99 Pontiac Grand Am since 2003. I fixed it many times I'm already tired of doing it.

This year only I had to change: manifold gaskets (it's the second time, I did it 3 years ago as well), the ABS bearing on the front left (I did the right side 3 years ago), and few week's ago one of the coil spring on the back broke, punching the tire, so I changed coil springs on the back plus 2 new tires. The front coil springs I had them changed 4 years ago too. Last year I needed a new battery (the second one in the last 5 years), a new water pump, a new timming belt.

Now I realized I have a strange noise when I'm turning... I guess is not something good : (

I won't buy another GM car ever!!

3rd Aug 2008, 01:17

This is quite hilarious reading all of this. I have a 99 Grand Am SE as well. What a piece.

First problem, intake manifold and water pump replaced at 60,000 miles. Then I found out it had the intake manifold already replaced once before at 35,000 miles. One of the comments above stated to remove Dex-cool and replace it with the regular green anti-freeze -- and that is EXACTLY right. The MORONS at Pontiac made the intake manifold out of PLASTIC. And the Dex-Cool EATS and CORRODES the plastic until it springs leaks and goes out. IF you have this problem, make sure to use an after market intake manifold and flush the entire system out then replace it with the regular old green anti-freeze. Cost was $680 I think... which was a decent price. (by the way, the mechanic who replaced the manifold for me said, "pontiac keeps me in business.")

Second problem, brakes. Crunching sound -- replaced the calipers. ($200)

Third problem. Rear left window regulator breaks. I take it apart to see the absolute CRAP that Pontiac uses in their cars. Some vital pieces of the regulator are made of WEAK, CHEAP PLASTIC. ($90)

Fourth problem. Driver side window regulator. Replaced that too. ($90)

Fifth problem. Replaced calipers... AGAIN. ($200)

Sixth problem. STARTER. $250.

Seventh problem. This is one that I haven't seen on here yet... the clicking sound the turn signals make is HAYWIRE. Immediately after a turn, the blinker signal turns off but the clicking still goes at a rapid rate... than clicks intermittently whenever it feels like it. Completely random. I found some site that show how to fix this problem by cleaning something in the steering column. I hope it is an easy fix.

Eight problem... the ad in the paper to sell my car doesn't begin until next tuesday. I will take the FIRST OFFER I GET for this car.

Pontiac should be ashamed of themselves for selling such unbelievable garbage. I honestly don't see how they can compete with Honda and Toyota. If only more people know they sucked so terribly they would go out of business very quickly.

7th Aug 2008, 23:15

I had a 1999 Grand Am until 3 months ago. I purchased the car in 2001. Three weeks after I bought it the fuel gauge quit working. Needed a new sender which was repaired by dealer goodwill. Six months later the brakes began pulsating- needed new rotors and pads. Shortly after that the alternator fried and needed to be replaced. The brakes continued to be a problem and needed repair every six months or so.

The front headlight assembly was made of cheap plastic- which broke. Changing the headlight bulb consisted of removing a plastic shroud under the hood and pulling out (with some difficulty) a metal bracket which held the headlamp in place. Once the plastic assembly broke I had held the headlight assembly in place with a piece of wire.

Further problems- lower intake manifold and head gasket needed to be replaced- which lasted a year and a half. When the head gasket let go again I traded the car off.

This car was cheaply built. Far too much cheap plastic components and sloppy assembly. Do not buy one of these if you are looking for a used car. You will only be keeping your mechanic happy.

11th Aug 2008, 20:30

I have a 1999 Grand AM. I also have the problem with the fast clicking sound. Thought it was a light out but none are blown. I then traced down the clicking sound to the hazard switch, but the hazards work fine. When I use the turn signals it sometimes makes the fast clicking sound and other times it don't.

I'm going to try and replace the switch.

17th Aug 2008, 00:46

I myself just bought a 99 Grand Am SE. If only I would have read this site first, I have had all of the same problems as everybody else, and have not even had the car for a month right now, and the lower intake manifold is being replaced, and as soon as they are done with that, it is going up for sale. I do not recommend anyone to buy one of these cars!

8th Sep 2008, 23:42

I have a 99 Grand Am GT, and I have the click noise. I believe it's the rear struts and springs. It makes the most sense or I need my tires rebalanced.

I don't know about everyone else, but I've also replaced the motor twice because of a head gasket problem. It has an 04 Grand Am GT engine it now and it works fine.

Fun fun, it's an alright car. I've put a lot of money into it and I like it.