13th Nov 2011, 08:03

Fuel gauge moving back and forth; 1999 Grand Am 2.4 SE.

13th May 2012, 14:42

If the car's mileage is over 130,000 and the car is shaking when you drive it, it's the torque converter gear in the transmission, which causes the transmission to jerk.

Usually what that means is that the transmission has to be rebuilt for the problem to go away, but in the meantime, when it happens again, immediately pull the car over and wait for 1 minute, and then return back to the road to your destination.

26th May 2012, 23:43

Hi there. I have and LOVE a 2002 Grand Am GT, 6 cylinder, 3.4L. I have owned the car just over a year, and currently have right about 150,000 miles.

Problem is, the day after I bought it, I noticed a "squeaking" that seemed to go away once the car was fully warmed up. If I press in the gas, the faster the pulleys turn, the faster the "squeak" is. Actually, after all this time, I have concluded it is not so much of a squeak as it is a chirp. I mean it sounds like a cricket in the engine compartment.

Anyway, many mechanics have tried to solve this chirping noise. I have replaced the water pump, serpentine belt (3 times already!!!), both idler pulleys, tensioner pulley, power steering pump (and a new PS pulley), radiator, thermostat, coolant overflow tank and the battery. Literally just changed the PS pump and pulley yesterday. The chirp is still there!! I am going nuts!!! What else can it be?

I have no warning lights on at all. The car always starts, has never stalled on me. I am now thinking that although the car exhibits no other symptoms, maybe it is bearings in the alternator?

Any comments/suggestions would be greatly appreciated, as I am determined to find the cause of the chirp for once and for all!! I can be reached at MissiDH@aol.com

Thank you!!!

28th May 2012, 21:40

To 23:43: Why on Earth are you so concerned about a minor noise? All cars develop little quirky noises over the years. A very wise fellow mechanic once told me his best advice on these things is to just crank up the stereo a bit louder.

It's like those silly (and totally meaningless) "check engine" lights. People freak out over them, but they virtually never mean anything. The light has been on in my wife's car for six years and on one of my cars for three years. Both run flawlessly and have no hint of a problem. We just ignore them. If you haven't noticed any difference in performance in two weeks you can forget and and drive another couple of hundred thousand miles. Same with the chirp. If it IS a problem, it will eventually make itself known. If not, ignore it.

13th Jan 2013, 07:42

Remove plug wires from coil packs and check for rust. That is a common problem, which can be cleaned with a wire brush.

5th Feb 2013, 11:05

I too have a Pontiac 2002 Grand Am GT with the same problem.

I have replaced the belt, pulleys, tensioner, etc. many times. My mechanic is going crazy trying to fix this. I have not replaced the power steering pump; however, the squeaking/chirping sound seems to be coming from that area. I know the comment you received before says to do nothing if nothing is wrong with the car, but this noise is awful. When I am driving and other people are beside me, the sound is so loud that they give me strange looks. This sound is very annoying. I love the car, and it seems to be running fine; however, doesn't someone know what the problem is with this noise?

Help!

5th Feb 2013, 11:12

Please note that I just responded to the comment regarding the noise that this other person is having with his Pontiac, 2002 Grand Am GT. I am in the same boat as that person is. The car runs fine, but the noise has gotten really loud. I have replaced everything the other person has, except the power steering pump. The noise sounds like it may be coming from the area of the power steering pump.

The noise is a squeaking/chirping sound. It is loud and annoying. People sitting next to me at stop lights, when the car is idling, or while I am driving, look at me strange. The sound is so loud, they can hear it.

This sound started a year or so ago, and many parts have been replaced, including the belt 3 times as well. Nothing has went out on the car so far, but believe me, the sound drives you nuts, and you cannot enjoy driving the car.

I need to get this fixed, so if you or others have any other ideas, they would be appreciated. Thank you.

6th Feb 2013, 14:48

I encountered a similar problem with my 2001 Grand Am. I sprayed the drive belt and all the pulleys with belt dressing, and it solved the problem. Sometimes some sort of residue can build up in the grooves on the pulleys and cause the squeaking sounds, even if the belt is new. I have had this problem on several cars, and now apply a good dose of belt dressing every six months or so to all my cars. I have had no further squeaking or chirping.

7th Feb 2013, 10:58

Thanks for your comment. My mechanic has done all of the things you have done. However, he has got some additional information that the pulley by the power steering pump needs to be moved by 1/4". I am not sure if I have this right, but he going to move something 1/4" today to see if that solves the problem. He found 4 mechanics that have had this problem. The sound goes away when a lot of the parts, including the belt, are replaced, but after a few hundred miles, the sound comes back. I'll let you know if this works, so if your sound comes back, it may help.

8th Feb 2013, 17:04

A pulley that is out of alignment can definitely cause the chirping/squeaking noise. It allows the belt to scrub heavily along one edge of the pulley groove, and it is like a tire burning rubber. It will also shorten the belt life a bit due to excessive wear and flexing. I hope you get the problem solved. I think the Grand Am is an awesome car and a tremendous used car bargain. Don't let a quirky problem turn you off to an otherwise great car. At some point someone may have installed something improperly that has caused the pulley to be misaligned.

24th Feb 2014, 11:56

I have a 99 Grand Am 2.4. Cold start it's fine, but when hot the engine shakes, and if I turn it off it takes a few tries to start, and still shakes... I've changed coils, coil cover, spark plugs, idle sensor, and nothing changed.

20th May 2014, 16:15

I also have a 2001 Pontiac Grand Am V6, and it makes this crazy loud screaming chirp when I step on the gas to go faster, but when I take my foot off it stops.

I have replaced the gas filter, belt, water pump and pulley, and I still have the same loud chirp; it sounds like it comes out of the water pump, but I just replaced it.

Please help. I have had 3 days trying to figure it out.

27th Jan 2015, 21:32

Check the pulley on the harmonic balancer. I had to replace mine on a 1999 Grand Am after listening to the squeaking for a while.

11th Feb 2015, 06:17

I have had the same problems. And I was told that when the car shakes like that, it could be the throttle system. I have a 1999 Grand Am. It could be clogged.

2nd Jun 2016, 03:04

Very good possibility it's a wheel sensor. Take it to Advance, they will do a check for free and possibly tell you exactly where the problem is.

9th Jul 2017, 03:21

I also have a 99 Grand Am SE. My wife has had it for a while now and we have no problems with the car at all; it runs and drives great, even with high miles. The only thing we have done to the car is oil change and brakes etc. The only problem with our car is the fuel gauge doesn't read right; if I can fix that I'll be happy.