Tl* the contact owns a 2002 pontiac grand am. The contact stated that the key would not release from the ignition. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer where the shifter assembly was replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 96,680 updated 8/19/14
2002 Pontiac Grand Am electrical complaints
Page 3 of 6: complaints 41 to 70 of 148, newest first, as owners wrote them.
I bought my 2002 grand am about a year ago. About a week after I bought it, the turn signals made a buzzing noise coming from behind the radio it seems. Sometimes the signals work correctly. Other times they blink too fast, too slow, make a buzzing noise with no blinking or they buzz and blink. This is highly annoying. I have already gotten a ticket for failing to use my turn signal. It just buzzed with no blinking and when I went to prove it to the officer that there was a problem with them, it worked perfectly fine! How convenient! Also, sometimes when I go to start my car it wont turn over or crank. I've noticed the security light comes on around the time this happens. I have to leave my key on the on position for 15 mins and then it will start. From the research I've done this is a pass lock security feature which shuts down the fuel system.
This vehicle, along with many others according to what I have seen online, many others are affected by the same issue, the same model, just varying in years. The car will not start. The ignition switch fails to start the car whatsoever. And due to no problem being reported by general motors, mechanics have little idea of what the problem is. Causing a massive waste of money, this issue has plagued our car for over a year. And due to no issue being reported by general motors, multiple mechanics have said it is the fuel pump. We have wasted hundreds of dollars on false diagnosis when the issue is the ignition switch! I am doing this now because we have heard of all the recalls gm is doing with other vehicles dating back to their 2003 models. And when I see that our model isn't even on any of the lists, even for the newer years. It bugs me. Just a couple of weeks ago, because of the same issue, out car died in the middle of a busy interstate highway! We could have been killed! Luckily we were able to pull over, it took about a half an hour of using the ignition reset trick to get the car started again! Many others have this issue from what I've seen, I see other people with this car complaining. And online I see a whole lot of people dealing with this exact same issue! This problem could kill somebody!!!
I was driving my mothers car when I went to slow down coming up on a hill going down felt like brakes went to the floor. Coming down the hill is when I noticed my ebrake didn't even work. My brake light, oil light, trac off light and my security light were on. Then couldn't control the car went in wrong lane and hit head on with another car.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 pontiac grand am. The contact stated the vehicle failed to start until after numerous attempts at turning the key. The failure recurred daily over a period of six months. The vehicle was not taken for inspection or repairs. The manufacturer was notified of the defect. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000. Updated 5/19/14
This car was purchased on 02/14/2002 - I am the original owner - 70,000 original miles - this car has died (stopped running) going the a freeway going 65 to 70 MPH - it has died at red lights while idling - this car has died many many times - it has been towed into a gm dealership twice and been there for 7 days each time - why are pontiacs grand am(s) not on this recall list ??
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 pontiac grand am. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 MPH, there was a sudden hesitation as the engine stalled with the illumination of the trac warning indicator. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the dealer for diagnosis. The technician stated that the ignition lock cylinder, fuel pump and battery would need to be replaced. The vehicle was currently being repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 99,000.
I own a 2002 pontiac grand am gt. My blinker only works some times. I have replaced the fuses but it has not changed anything. As I tried to research this issue online for my make and model I was surprised to see a numerous amount of postings by people with pontiac grand sam's with the same issue. I was also surprised to see there was not yet a recall for this problem as were other owners as I read there complaints. This is a safety issue that needs to be addressed. I did not purchase my vehicle to have to worry about a risk of an accident or getting a ticket. Please this issue needs to be resolved.
In reference to the federal safety agency action number pe05055 (recall 03v327), turn signal/hazard switch policy, gm was to update the special policy to cover vehicles not covered under recall 03v327, for a no cost replacement. Letters to owners were supposed to go out june 2006. After contacting a local gm/pontiac dealer, I was told that the multi-function switch/turn signal and hazard switch was not covered under any special policy or recall. However, after researching this issue online it is clear that the hazard switch is not the main problem, it is the multi-function switch. Even if they had replaced a hazard switch it would not have fixed the issue, which is contaminated grease that had bridged the contacts of the multi-function switch. This is a serious safety issue and needs to be addressed immediately by gm/pontiac.
My car has a defective ignition switch in which it wont star an I continue to be stranded at the worst possible times. I have done research an found that this is a widespread problem with this particular vehicle an thank gm should be forced to pay people for their lack of effort in fixing the issue .
Ongoing problems with the security passlock system. Security light comes on and within the next few times starting the vehicle it will not start. Spent a lot of money over the years at gm authorized dealerships attempting to fix the problem. Gm mechanics do not know how resolve the problem and they tell you the fix is replacing the ignition lock sensor, have the body control module reprogrammed, etc and they are just guessing and wasting my money. A quick internet search on this problem shows an unbelievable amount of "hits" and so many other vehicle owners are experiencing the same problem. It is frustrating that gm offers no solution to a very common problem that ultimately is a safety issue. This is a safety issue if the vehicle owner cannot start their vehicle and they are stranded in the middle of nowhere, extremely cold weather, a bad neighborhood, etc.
My car started to stall out on me as I was crossing a very busy highway. I barely managed to get over to the other end and pull over before the car died completely. The battery light came on as the car stalled out. After trying to restart the car a few times, the key would turn and it would sound like it would try to start the engine, but never enough power to get it going. After having the car sit in idle for half an hour, waiting for a tow truck to get there, the car would make a clicking sound when the key is turned, but it wouldn't start. Also, the security light stays on when the key is turned to "on". So far I have replaced the battery thinking that was the problem, checked all the fuses, fuel pumps, got a new alternator, and new oil pressure sensor. This seems to be a very common problem that has to do with security bypass in pontiacs. Gm customer service wasn't at all helpful. I understand they will not do a recall because this common issue is not considered to be a safety issue, but in my case, the car died on me as I was crossing a busy highway, and I could've easily cause an accident. I'm sure my case that involved safety is not an isolated one.
As I was driving my girlfriends pontiac grand am 2002 on the high way the car just shut down and the security light came on..... This has been going on for quite a while and I had been able to fool the system into resetting itself by waiting the 10 minutes for it to reset and then it would work but now it doesn't seem to work. I have looked online and it seems like alot of people are having the same problem not only with grand ams but impalas etc..... What they offer at the dealership is to replace the security system because is faulty which has a cost of $400.
After having the 2nd catalytic converter in 2 yrs put on the electrical went haywire. The ABS,trac off & service engine lights come & stay on for no apparent reason. I've had it serviced and nobody knows why this is happening. I had the brakes inspected and given a clean bill of health so to speak & yet at random times I have no brakes even after having them inspected by professionals. The car now overheats due to the dex cool I was told to use because it ate thru the cheap gaskets put on by the dealership which they will not cover. The blinkers have a mind of their own and only work during the daylight hours, I've had those checked & new ones installed as well and they still only work in the daytime and finally the plastic window clips on the passenger side(both) break constantly. I've had everything replaced even he engine! This car has cost me over 20,000.
In reference to the federal safety agency action number pe05055 (recall 03v327), turn signal/hazard switch policy, I had my car taken in and looked at for the same problem, and they switch out a multi-function switch. They would not fix it under the recall 03v327. The dealer said that it is the hazard switch that is covered and not the multi-function/turn signal switch. However, after researching this issue online it is clear that the hazard switch is not the main problem, it is the multi-function switch. Even if they had replaced a hazard switch it would not have fixed the issue, which is contaminated grease that had bridged the contacts of the multi-function switch.
Turn signals operate intermittently. Clicking sound inside car. Gm has special issuance for repair. Dealership replaced hazard switch. Problem still exists.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 pontiac grand am. The contact stated the security system failed and the vehicle would not start and the security light began flashing when the failure occurred. The contact took the vehicle to a mechanic, but they were unable to determine what caused the failure. The vehicle was not inspected by the dealer. The failure mileage was unknown, but the current mileage was 112,000.
Tl*the contact owns a 2002 pontiac grand am. The contact stated the turn signals malfunctioned and began to function sporadically. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer. The dealer confirmed the wiring harness needed to be replaced and replaced it. After the vehicle was repaired, the turn signal malfunctioned again and the vehicle was taken back to the dealer. The dealer stated the multi-switch controller needed to be replaced. The contact stated the failure could cause a crash due to the faulty turn signal. The failure mileage was 150,000.
Sometimes but not always the security light will come on. When you turn the car off, when you go to restart it the car will not turn over. All the lights are fine I had the alternator and battery checked, they were fine. I tried to jump the starter from the battery and that wouldn't work. After loading the car on the trailer and bringing it home I tried to start the car one last time to drive it off the trailer and it started just fine. I shut it off and tried again and it works normal. Approximately one month later I was on my way to close on my house leaving the bank the car wouldn't start. The next day I started looking online about 2002 grand am gt wont start and got many results. They say to solve the problem leave the key on acc for 10 min. And the passlock security system will reset. I also read that if you have it replaced that it will still do the same thing. It has since happened to me again all within 3 months and I tried the 10 min. Acc trick and it worked. But that doesn't mean anything to me if I have to drive my child somewhere in an emergency. With that being said I also read reports od peoples cars turning off while driving. This needs to be looked into. I typed 2002 grand am gt wont start into yahoo and got 4,740,000 results. I understand its the internet but that's a big problem. So far I have only been a little late for things that can wait, but I do not want to have to wait for 10 minutes when I have to take my wife to the hospital for her to have our baby. Thank you.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 pontiac grand am gt. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start and was taken to an authorized dealer where they repaired the ignition switch. The failure recurred approximately four years later. The contact allowed the vehicle to sit idle for fifteen minutes before successfully restarting the vehicle. The dealer advised the contact to bring the vehicle in for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The current mileage was 73,850 and the failure mileage was 44,000.
The contact owns a 2002 pontiac grand am. Whenever the key was inserted in the ignition it will start sometimes and another times it will not. The vehicle was taken to the dealer previously and was charged $500 and they replaced the pass lock. About a year later the same failure occurred and the vehicle was taken to mechanic shop who repaired the lock again because the computer did not recognized the key to start the vehicle. All four windows had to be replaced because they would not go down they jammed at all times. The manufacturer was not contacted. The VIN was unavailable. The failure mileage was unknown.
Blinkers sporadically work. I have read online forums about the same problem in grand am 2002, but no recall is issued for my vehicle year. There is one for the 2001 grand am, but since mine is a 2002, gm will not fix the problem under the recall. This is a major safety issue, especially at night.
The security light has been going on and off since I bought the car used back at the end of june. I went to go pay a bill shut the car off paid the bill and returned back to the car. I went to put the key in the ignition and the car would not turn on and the security light was blinking. I then had to have it towed to the dealership and they told me that the passlock sensor was at fault and they had to replace the sensor assembly and ignition sensor which ended up costing me almost 600 bucks!
I put the key in the ignition and turn it to the start position but it wouldn't start. There is a work around that is detailed in the 2002 pontiac grand am owner's manual on page 2-18 that says "after attempting to start the engine, if the security light flashes or stays on, wait ten minutes with the key in on until the light goes off. Then turn the ignition to off before attempting to start the engine again." I did that and it worked but it shouldn't be necessary. The car should start right away. This is the second time this has happened to me but it isn't an isolated incident. There have been many other people that have had this problem and this website includes comments from other people who have had this problem: http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f0f6220/0 this failure has not been corrected yet.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 pontiac grand am. The contact stated that the vehicle would not start. In order to get the vehicle to start, he would turn the ignition to the start position and wait for 10 minutes before turning it back off and then on again. The failure recurs intermittently. The vehicle was not taken to be examined for the cause of the failure. The failure mileage was 54,000 and the current mileage was 66,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 pontiac grand am. The contact stated that the engine on his vehicle, at times, will not start. The owner stated this is a safety issue due to not being able to move his vehicle if needed. The weather or the temperature of the engine makes no difference. The vehicle was taken to a dealer but they cannot diagnose they failure. The failure mileage 19,000. The current mileage was 39,653. Updated 11/03/10. *lj updated 12/22/10 *bf the consumer stated the problem was the passlock security was defective which caused the vehicle not to start. Updated 12/30/10
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 pontiac grand am gt. The contact stated that when the vehicle was parked, the anti-theft system would engage without warrant. The doors would automatically lock and the anti-theft system alarm would engage without warrant. The dealer advised the failure was not a safety issue. The contact had experienced the failure before and the dealer replaced the ignition cylinder and reset the theft system. There were no additional repairs performed on the vehicle. The failure mileage was 60,000 and the current mileage was 85,000.
Tl*-the contact owns a 2002 pontiac grand am. The contact attempted to start the ignition, the engine failed to start. When the ignition key was turned to the acc position on the ignition switch the engine would start after waiting for a period of ten to twenty minutes. The failure occurred on five separate occasions. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for inspection. The technician was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. The failure and current mileages were 132,000.
I have a 2002 pontiac grand am that has a defective turn signal relay, or emergency flasher. Sometimes the signal will work, sometimes not, which is pretty dangerous when driving on the freeway. I have researched this issue on the internet, and see that gm is aware of this problem with their vehicles. I called the 1‑800‑620‑7668 and was told no recalls were on my car. It is a safety hazard.
2002 grand am there has been a short in my multifunction switch for quite some time. That's what the dealership told me it was. When I took it to them and I was aware of the tsb but they said it was not covered because it's not a safety issue. Something linked to that is clicking in the dash. If I depress the hazard button 1/2 way it stops but I can't exactly drive around like that. It's not constant and as far as I can tell the signals are working fine when I use them.
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