I was driving down hiway the car died I turned it to the right to get off the hiway and the airbag on drivers side exploded, I had the car towed and was told the pass key system or theft system went bad in ignition switch and no explanation why air bag went off? Or how to fix any of it, this is now july and I am still having problems.
The worst 1996 Pontiac Grand Am problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Electrical122
- Airbags104
- Engine75
- Brakes64
- Visibility37
- Transmission33
- Suspension30
- Fuel system25
- Body24
- Lights21
- Steering19
- Acceleration9
- Tires8
- Seat belts5
- Seats4
- Wheels2
Specific symptoms reported on the 1996 Pontiac Grand Am
Stalling 27ABS 20Headlights 16Fire or smoke 14No deployment 13Ball joint 11Engine failure 10Loss of power 10Power windows 10Won't start 10Grinding brakes 9Airbag light 8Brake failure 8Jerking 8Transmission failure 8Check engine light 7Overheating 7
Recalls 4
Electrical system: ignition: switch
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- If the switch is damaged, a fire could occur in the steering column, even with the engine off and the key removed.
- Remedy
- 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.
Recall number 02V070000 · Recall details
Interior lighting
- What is wrong
- 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."
- Risk
- The interior lamps coming on unexpectedly could startle a driver causing a momentary loss of control increasing the risk of a vehicle accident.
- Remedy
- Dealers will run a diagnostic test on the lamp control module and, if necessary, replace it.
Recall number 98V027000 · Recall details
Steering: steering wheel/handle bar
- What is wrong
- The steering column lower pinch bolt was not properly tightened during assembly.
- Risk
- 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
- Dealers will inspect the steering column pinch bolt for correct torque and, if necessary, tighten the bolt to the specified torque.
Recall number 96V249000 · Recall details
Exterior lighting: hazard flashing warning lights
- What is wrong
- 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."
- Risk
- If these lamps were not flashing, other vehicles would not be aware that this vehicle was stopped increasing the risk of an accident.
- Remedy
- Dealers or vehicle owners will inspect for proper function of the hazard warning lamps. If necessary, dealers will replace the hazard lamp switch.
Recall number 96V250000 · Recall details
See all 4 recalls for the 1996 Pontiac Grand Am
Defect investigations
Power rack and pinion steering failure
Gm conducted a safety recall (the federal safety agency # 02v286) to address a steering defect pertaining to a lower pinion bearing (lpb) within the rack and pinion steering gear (r&p). The recall covered 1,159,156 model year 1997-1998 pontiac grand prix vehicles built between march 1, 1996 and october 31, 1997, 1996-1998 pontiac trans sport, chevrolet lumina apv, chevrolet venture, oldsmobile silhouette minivans, and chevrolet cavalier and pontiac sunfire sedans built between january 1, 1996 and october 31, 1997.odi opened this rq after receiving reports that other vehicles were exhibiting the same symptoms as the recalled vehicles.based on odi's review of technical and complaint data collected during the rq, the w-cars are associated with either a higher steering complaint rate or a higher lpb failure rate than the other vehicles investigated under the rq and are above or near the rates for the recalled vehicles.thus, odi will further examine the w-cars (1996-1997 oldsmobile cutlass supreme, 1996-1998 buick regal, chevrolet lumina, chevrolet monte carlo, 1997-1998 buick century, and 1998 oldsmobile intrigue) under a new investigation, engineering analysis (ea)03-019.
RQ03001
Oversensitive air bag deployments
On june 26, 1998, general motors begain a safety recall, 98v‑146, to recalibrate the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (sdm) in the 1996 and some 1997 j body cars, cavalier and sunfire.due to certain calibrations in the air bag sdm, there is an increased risk of inadvertent air bag deployment in a low speed crash or when an object strikes the floor pan.the recall population consists of 675,302 vehicles built from april 1995 through may 1997.odi has received 8 owner reports alleging inadvertent air bag deployment without a crash.the purposer of the rq is to determine whether gm should expand the recall to include these vehicles.closing resume note:as of august 5, 1999, odi received one additional complaint regarding the alleged defect.the incident rates for the subject vehicles are about one-thrid of the rates of the recalled vehicles (when the recall was initiated).based on the available information, a safety-related defect trend has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by the federal safety agency that a safety-related defect dose not exist.the agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by future circumstances.
RQ98013
Technical service bulletins for the 1996 Pontiac Grand Am 66
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Fuel system, gasoline
- This informational bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Procedures to Unlock Delco...
- Equipment: electrical: anti-theft devices
- This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy...
- Equipment
- This warranty administration bulletin provides policy information with the field action courtesy...
- Equipment: electrical: anti-theft devices
- Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
- ABS pump running when not needed
- 4T40E or 4T45E will not shift no diagnostic trouble codes
1996 Pontiac Grand Am fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4‑cyl | FWD | 19-20 | 29-30 | 23 |
| 3.1L 6‑cyl | FWD | 18 | 27 | 21 |
What 1996 Pontiac Grand Am owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Air bag when off when I was waiting to pull aut off parking lot. Have injury to my shoulder.
Driver air bag deployed without warning.
I was leaving my place of employment, had just backed out of my parking spot and put the car in drive. Started moving forward and the driver's side airbag deployed. No bumps, no contact with another vehicle. Just deployed. Steering wheel parts hit my arm, bruised it pretty well. Have since purchased another vehicle.
Car would not start. Steering locked and transmission stuck in park.key would not turn. Towed car home. Removed the ignition switch and found the ignition lock had melted. The obvious fire hazard prompted a recall search for the make and model finding an ignition recall has been issued. I contacted pontiac customer service. The representative asked me if my VIN was covered. I have confirmed the VIN is on the recall list although the rep. Failed to acknowledge this. The seriousness of the recall, potential fire hazard and validity of my complaint was ignored and [xxx] (pontiac rep.) would not assist me further. I am stuck now with trying to resolve getting my car repaired in a timely manner. Please advise. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 pontiac grand am. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis where it was advised to the contact that the sensor was disconnected and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000.
I started my car in a parking lot and was driving approx 10mph when the car died almost immediately, after restart, it did it again. Then, it wouldn't even turn over. I had it towed to a mechanic who told me that it was probably a bad fuel pump. Turns out it was the pontiac anti-theft device that was keeping it from starting. When your key starts getting worn and rounded off, (as most keys do after some use!) the theft system locks your car up. There is no fix for this problem other than replacing the ecu, ignition system, key tumbler, or a combination of the same, and reprogramming it, which costs upwards of 1000.00 this anti theft system is preventing me from using my lawfully owned car! The only way to fix it is to have a dealership replace defective pontiac parts. An anti theft system should be a preventative measure to keep crooks from boosting your car, not something that will cost the owner more money later when their key wears down! Worse yet, if the car is disabled on a highway and the steering wheel locks up, you risk killing yourself or others on the road! This has got to be a safety violation and a red flag for a recall. I'm going to probably sell this rat-trap for scrap/crush value to a junk yard and buy another car, so although this complaint won't benefit me, hopefully my comment will help someone else who is having problems with their pos pontiac.
While driving home from the park, driver side air bag went off, burst of powder and horn blowing, scraped right hand. Was able to pull to side of road and undo fuse to horn. Found out by going online many others have had this happen is there any recourse to this that I can follow up on? Note: it seems gmc has known about this and really should have recalled these vehicles or taken them off the road, serious injury or death could have happened if these blow without cause.
I had just turned my car on and put it in reverse to back out of a parking spot. I only moved about two inches backwards, not even going over 5 MPH, when the air bag randomly deployed without warning. It hit me on the left side of my head/neck, chest, and arm resulting in cuts, burns, and bruises in those areas. My left ear started ringing and I momentarily lost hearing on that side. I did not hit anything with my vehicle nor did something hit me. My car did not even leave the parking spot before this incident occurred. After I gained composure and realized what had just happened, I made my way out of the car and a man who witnessed everything walked me to the fire department near by. My cuts were tended to and I was transported to the hospital by ambulance for further treatment and examining.
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 pontiac grand am. The contact stated that the front driver side air bag deployed inadvertently while the contact was seated in the front driver side seat. The air bag was on fire and ignited the jacket that the contact was wearing. The contact was able to extinguish the fire and shut the vehicle off. The fire department reported to the scene and a fire report was filed. The fire department taped the air bag into the dashboard in order for the contact to be able to drive the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer for diagnostics or repairs. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was unknown.
Compare the 1996 Pontiac Grand Am
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Questions about the 1996 Pontiac Grand Am
Is the 1996 Pontiac Grand Am reliable?
Owners have filed 449 complaints about the 1996 Pontiac Grand Am, 1.4 times a typical Grand Am model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1996 Pontiac Grand Am?
Electrical system, with 122 complaints, typically around 107,350 miles. Next is airbags (104).
How many recalls does the 1996 Pontiac Grand Am have?
4 recalls, covering electrical system, interior lighting and steering.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Pontiac Grand Am electrical?
Yes, 1 recall: 02V070000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Pontiac Grand Am have the most electrical problems?
The Pontiac Grand Am model years with the most electrical complaints are 2001 (232 complaints), 2002 (148 complaints) and 2004 (140 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 1996 Pontiac Grand Am get?
Official estimates for the 1996 Pontiac Grand Am range from 21 to 23 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.4L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 19-20 city and 29-30 highway.
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