Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (wheels, lug nuts, original-equipment tires, TPMS).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1999 Pontiac Grand AM owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The walmart douglas brand passenger car tires have numerous complaints found all over the internet. The douglas tire I purchased in 10/13 has now developed a noticeable bulge on the side wall underneath the tire valve stem area. However, walmart refuses to replace the defectively manufactured tire eventhough I explained that if I had not noticed the bulge, the tire could of blown on the fwy and cost me my life. But the employee said, sorry.. I asked the employee how old was the tire at the time I purchased it. But he could say. At the time of installation, the walmart mechanic / expert would of noticed the bulge which was minor at the time, as I had noticed but thought nothing of it since I AM not an expert. As this was the only tire size my walmart store had in stock for my car, I purchased it without consideration of brand. …
I was backing up slowly out of a parking spot. As I turned me wheel to the right, I heard a very loud noise. It sounded like a pop or a crack. It was midnight so I couldn't see anything wrong when I inspected my vehicle. As I was driving home I heard a loud scraping sound. As I would break it got louder and louder. It was scraping and tearing. I got home and still couldn't see anything. I checked the next day and I noticed that the front drivers side coil was completely cracked. Because of this cracked coil, the protruding piece of metal from the coil was jammed and resting on the tire wall. Because of having to drive the vehicle home, the coil has torn and ripped up my tire wall and I AM afraid to drive it. This has happened to me before with a cracked coil on the opposite side of my vehicle on the passenger side. This is craziness and completely unsafe! …
Without warning or physical impact/impairment right front coil spring fractured with a loud bang, and the jagged end pierced my tire sidewall, destroying tire. This occurred at approx 25 MPH, I was able to pull over without incident, had to be towed, new coil installed, new tire purchased, labor day plans ruined. Several months later, car was parked for 12 hrs in 70 degree weather, another huge bang, drivers side front coil fractured, c-shaped piece under the vehicle, again, the vehicle was towed, coil replaced, missed a day of work as this happened in connecticut, and I work in massachusetts.
Dt*: the contact stated a loud pop from the garage was heard while in the house. The vehicle was towed to an independent repair shop. The passenger side front coil spring had broken. The front coil spring and both front struts were replaced. Also, the tires on the vehicle were replaced a year and a half ago. The air must be refilled in the tires every 4-6 weeks. The tire dealership stated in order to remedy the problem the entire wheel assembly would have to be replaced. Updated 3/20/2006 -
1999 Pontiac Grand AM, unit 1 was westbound on the ohio turnpike in the center lane. Unit 1 began to swerve and lost control of the vehicle. Unit 1 went off the left side of the roadway and struck the cement median wall where it became disable. According to the police report, the tires were severely worn. (ohio traffic crash report # 10-0179-90) updated 04/22/11
While driving vehicle steers to the right unexpectedly, causing a crash. Rear lateral link bolt separated causeing left out ward movement of left rear wheel. The driver lost control and the vehicle went airborne and flipped over.
1999 Pontiac Grand AM 2.4 l auto severe brake failure---replacement of pads 8 times, rotors 3 times and calipers 2 times in 80,000 miles. Brakes occasionally lock up and make loud grinding and squealing noises steering shudders and vehicle pulls to left.. Participating Pontiac dealer failed to fix this problem since purchase at 11,000 miles. Under warranty replacement it has had 6 door panels due to peeling leather on top of panel, 5 gear shifters due to dealers improper installation, 2 factory cd/radio failures, 1 rack and pinion unit, 2 front strut assemblies due to knocking noise from front of car (went bad after 10,000 miles use), problem with hesitation at idle-cold start(unsuccessfully diagnosed by dealer) carpet loose in trunk around latch assembly(too short for trunk and was hot glued to back wall of car by dealer instead of replacement). …
We have had continuous problems with this vehicle. The door panels peeled off the two rear doors and were replaced, the tire pressure light continually comes on, the hinges on the driver door keep getting stuck and sometimes the door won't even shut, it will not shift into first gear, and now the rotors/brakes are out. It is currently in the shop again. We take it monthly if not more often. This is certainly a burden. The service department is not informative. They don't explain why these things happen nor do they tell us if they have ordered parts for the vehicle. We get cards in the mail when the parts are in and we must schedule yet another trip to the dealership. The vehicle is completely unreliable. The brake issue is extremely scary when we only have 16,000 miles on the vehicle. Never before have I owned such a lemon. …
The wheels make a rubbing sound when the car is turning or coming to a stop. The dealer said that the tire casing was rubbing the edge of the wheel rim. Similar to the consumer complaint #odi id 885314. The way it was presented to me was that the tire casing was physically riding on the wheel rim. This seems like a safety concern. The dealer and GM have said there is no fix for this problem. My concern is that if the tires are rubbing on the wheel rim in certain extreme conditions this could cause the tire bead to break and the tire lose all it's air, and cause a serious accident. I have tried to get GM to fix this, but they have stated there is no fix for the problem.
Rubbing heard on all 4 tires between tire and rim. Please help me get new tires to remedy this problem. I notified the service managers of roslyn and port jefferson station dealers. Problem was affirmed. They stated numerous people had the same problem. Coating rims does not solve problem. Nothing done as yet from Pontiac. (dot number: all 4 tire tiresize: 225-50-16)
Wheel & Tire complaints in other Grand AM years
Frequently asked questions
How common are wheel & tire problems on the 1999 Pontiac Grand AM?
NHTSA has 23 complaints about the wheels & tires of the 1999 Pontiac Grand AM, 3% of the model year's 849 complaints. The component named most often is hub (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Pontiac Grand AM wheel & tire problems?
No. NHTSA lists no wheels & tires recall for the 1999 Pontiac Grand AM, though it has 3 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1999 Pontiac Grand AM wheel & tire problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 78,000 miles, and 20% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to wheels & tires problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.