2002 Pontiac Grand AM problems & reliability
395 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2002 Pontiac Grand AM, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
16 complaints report injuries (23 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2002 Pontiac Grand AM vehicles were involved in 20 fatal crashes with 19 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System → | 148 | 37% |
| Exterior Lighting → | 97 | 25% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling → | 54 | 14% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic → | 29 | 7% |
| Visibility → | 23 | 6% |
| Steering → | 22 | 6% |
| Air Bags → | 19 | 5% |
| Power Train → | 13 | 3% |
| Tires → | 12 | 3% |
| Engine → | 11 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 73,000 miles (middle 50% between 46,343 and 101,000 miles), based on 269 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“My pontiac grand am se 4ds 3.4 liter engine 2002 has a problem with the security light keeps coming on & stays on & then when I shut it off & then get back in car to start it , it wouldn't start the security light flashes & I have to wait 10 minutes or for it to go out leaving the car in on position for 10 minutes or…”
Unknown OR Other · filed Mar 15, 2020
“I was diving down hwy 70 going to pick up my first delivery for the day when, I'm not sure how but the key came out of the on postion and fell out on floor, scared I was going to crash I hurriedly reached down and put it back in and noticed the security light had came on and within minutes it lost all power and shut…”
Electrical System · filed Nov 28, 2019
“I replaced the clock spring back in 2018 but the air bag light still on it has to be a airbag control module since I purchased my first car since 2011 it needs to be turned off”
Power Train · filed Aug 31, 2019
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- TURN SIGNAL FAILURES
Preliminary Evaluation PE05055 · opened Sep 27, 2005 · closed Jan 13, 2006
Technical service bulletins
457 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2002 Pontiac Grand AM. The 10 most recent:
This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from TAC.
PIP5601C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 18, 2025
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an unusual noise and is difficult to identify, isolate or pinpoint. Technician should get record a sound clip or…
PIP5358D · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 20, 2025
This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8…
PIP4723J · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 25, 2024
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that the Heater-Vent-Air Conditioning blows warm air. Before calling General Motors Technical Assistance Center technician…
PIT5099H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 12, 2024
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that the Heater-Vent-Air Conditioning blows warm air. Before calling General Motors Technical Assistance Center technician…
PIT5099H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 12, 2024
Vehicle Wide Programming (VWP) is a new process to update software on GM Vehicles. It provides the ability via a single selection within Techline Connect to first identify which modules need updating and then proceed to…
General Communication · Service Campaign · issued Aug 26, 2024
This bulletin provides information for use on a Product Assistance Claim (PAC), which is formerly known as a Product Allegation Resolution (PAR) claim.
18-NA-099 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 17, 2024
This service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Service Programming System (SPS) Error Codes E4398, E4399, E4401, E4403, M4404, M4413, M6954, M6955, E4414, E4423, E4491, E4492, or E6961 and…
24-NA-098 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 6, 2024
This bulletin provides information for electrical ground repairs using new General Motors replacement fasteners with conductive finish.
10-08-45-001H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 28, 2024
This technical bulletin advises of a new fuel injection cleaner kit used for decarbonizing the intake valves to correct conditions of rough idle, Crank no start, extended crank or misfire, MIL with DTCs, and explains…
16-NA-383 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 13, 2024
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2002 Pontiac Grand AM has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2002 Pontiac Grand AM?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 73,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.