2004 Pontiac Grand Am: won't start

Filed Mar 30, 2017 · Electrical · 184,980 miles · GA

Security light flushed 2 days ago, and when I turned the car engine off the car would not crank or start. Took the battery to be charged, and it still would not crank or start. I spent all night on the internet to find that the pontiac grand am's from 1999 - 2005 can have security passlock issues that cause the car not to crank or start. With the key turned on the lights will come on and the windows will go up and down, but you can't crank the car. I found a procedure that will temporarily bypass the security passlock, which involve following the sequence of turning the key to on position wait 10 - 12 min. Turn car to off (hopefully the security light in display will go off completely) then turn the key to start. That work for me, but the security light display in the dash panel did not go off. I have to hope that I will later be able to crank the car up again. I think this is ridiculous, and dangerous. You could be somewhere far away from others and stranded. Thus you could be in potential dangerous from the elements or environment or could become a victim of violence if the right person(s) approach you when you are stranded.

Filed Jul 20, 2016 · Electrical · 148,000 miles · KY

Takata recall. I was at work and I went out to start my car and it would not start. I had it towed to the dealer ship to have it worked on. They told me that I had a short in the wiring harness. I have talked to several people that has has a pontiac grand am and the same thing has happened to them and they didn't know what it was. All the symptoms of each car was the same. My car will not start, my temp guage doesn't work, my turn signals doesn't work, my horn doesn't work, at night when my lights are on my cruise control doesn't work, my for lights doesn't work,my security alarm doesn't chirp when u lock it,my RPM fluctuates up and down at idle. All this happened when my wiring harness got a short.

Filed Aug 22, 2015 · Driver assistance, Electrical · PA

Car runs great shut it off next morning won't start wants to but won't that was the 1st incident the 2nd time ishut it off go to start back up an half hour later and does same thing changed everything again still doesn't work tried resetting the computer myself still didn't work.

Filed Aug 5, 2015 · Electrical · 95,000 miles · NY

My daughter went to start her pontiac grand am 2004. It would not start, and the security light in dash was flashing. This happened 3 times in 1 and half hours. It was parked in front of the house 2 times, and once when I accompanied her to fill up for gas. This has happened 3 times with me driving her car in the past 8 months. And has happened atleast once a week with my daughter the past 4 months. I found out on line after doing some research into the problem that this is a recurring issue with the pontiac the car does not start, not even a click. The security light flashes. Reading up on this. You have to turn the key on and wait approximately 10 long minutes. In the cold and heat. My daughter is a new driver, and should not have to deal with this known gm problem. If it stalls or does not start and an emergency arises. Now she has to wait. This is unacceptable for anyone, let alone a young driver. Gm needs to own up and fix this issue.

Filed Jul 9, 2015 · Electrical · 92,000 miles · IL

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 pontiac grand am. The contact stated that when the ignition was turned to the on position, the vehicle did not start. The contact stated that the driver locked all of the doors and closed all of the windows. When the security light went off, the vehicle started. The failure recurred numerous times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the ignition coil failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 92,000.

Filed May 3, 2015 · Electrical · 95,000 miles · PA

Pontiac grand am 2004 - the vehicle's security passlock system is malfunctioning. There is also a warning light that indicates this and inconsistently by lighting "security." when this system is malfunctioning, the car will not start and is completely disabled / immobile. This causes many factors such as no use of necessities like heat, if you were in dangerous cold temps. You can not get away from a dangerous or potential dangerous situation. I believe this issue is widespread and should be a recall and fixed by gm. I've researched this issue online and found many, many other owner's of the same model with the same problem. This non-starting of the car can only be over ridden by turning the key to the "on" position for 10 minutes. Then the system will allow the car to start. I recently had a recall performed on my car "unintended key rotation" 14350 this recall does not deal with the passlock security system. But I think it is related because since that recall was completed it caused my security passlock system to fail more often. In conclusion I believe gm should issue a recall for "faulty security passlock system."

Filed Nov 5, 2014 · Driver assistance, Electrical · 147,868 miles · PA

I had all issues service , the vehicle continues to have electrical issue burning out fuses car wont start. There is no check engine to indicate cause if faulty fuse. Took the car to several mechanic no one can solve the issue car wont start.

Filed Jul 24, 2014 · Engine · 73,000 miles · AZ

My car will crank but won't turn over and start.

Filed Apr 28, 2014 · Electrical · 23,626 miles · NY

The car has approximately 34,000 miles. Twice I had to install a new ignition switch, most recently sept. 2013. Both times the car would not start and had to be towed. Last ignition installed 10/28/2013, mileage 32936

Filed Mar 6, 2014 · Driver assistance, Electrical · WI

Ignition switch failed. As I was driving down the interstate, the car turned off, and I had to fight to get the car safely to the side of the road without power steering. Luckily I was able to and no one was hurt, and no damage occurred to any car. The car would not start again and it had to be towed. The ignition switch had to be replaced.

Filed Jul 30, 2013 · Electrical · 59,547 miles · NV

Car did not start, security light flashing. Called mobile mechanic, he had no clue, cost $85. Decided not to tow the vehicle to dealer as recommended by user manual. Did my own research online, wow, a lot of people with the same issue! Used 10-minute fix seen online, which worked. This happened approx. 1xweek almost every wk., keep using 10-minute fix. 6 months later, while making a right turn in a parking garage, the engine stopped dead, the security light flashed - I almost hit another car as the steering went out. Afraid this will happen again on the road. Still having pass lock issues about once weekly, scary not knowing when it will occur or where. I cannot afford $1,000+ to get this 'fixed' (no guarantee I'm told); this is a product defect and should be recalled before someone gets hurt, whether by being stranded in a dangerous situation (night, weather, location) or in an accident while driving. Just because the car hasn't burst into flames doesn't mean this isn't dangerous.

Filed Jul 22, 2013 · Electrical, Engine · 86,000 miles · MO

Car randomly will not start. Passlock system if flawed, with time the electrical terminals/connections start failing and causes system to think you are trying to hotwire the car and it engages security override. Sometimes comes on while you are driving and you must pull over and turn your car off or else it will stop while you are driving. You must put in the key turn to the on position for 15min then start car, that doesn't always work either. Passlock system is bad and apparently from research the issue runs across the board for gm vehicles from this time frame.