Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Pontiac Grand AM owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was driving along I-90 east going through south dakota. The weather was bad and the road was icy and very slick. There was an 18 wheeler that rolled over on the road and I did not see it until it was too late. There were about 10 cars in back of the truck and I could not stop. I had a head on collision with the back end of a 1 ton truck. It did not do any damage to the truck but it completely totaled my car. I hit the windshield with my head , left arm and hand. I suffered serious injuries and my head hit the windshield and cracked it the size of a grapefruit before the air bags deployed. They did not deploy until after I was seriously injured which is bs. I was taken to the hospital and an xray of my head was never done. They took an xray of my arm and hand and said I had a contusion. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Pontiac Grand AM. While driving at 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled and the rear wheels seized. As a result, the contact lost control of the vehicle and the rear driver side crashed into a curb, deflating the tire. The air bags failed to deploy. The ABS and the check engine warning lights illuminated. The contact did not sustain any injures that required medical attention. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number: 14V400000 (electrical system). The failure mileage was 25,000.
Tl contact owns a 2002 Pontiac Grand AM. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicles decelerated and began to sputter without warning. Also, the contact stated that there was a foul smell in the vehicle. The vehicle was powered off and back on before it resumed normal function. The failure recurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 151,000.
Oil leak oil leaking on hot exhaust manifold causing fire while either running or driving May cause engine fire don't seem safe to me someone ownng and driving this car as I smell oil burning when I shut off car not safe to me if GM knows about this problem that's the way I wanna go car fire safty issue hmmmm.
I have had my car in numerous times to dealership and still have not been able to fix problem. When I travel down interstate the RPM locks in at around 2.6--every so often it will kick out and move past 3. This causes a jerking motion in car that is quite noticeable by everyone in car. I have assisted my dealership in finding the cause of this problem, by having a mechanic take if for test drives, applying scanning tool, and a data recorder to engine. I have put on over 600 miles trying to diagnosis problem. I have now been told that they really don't know what is causing the symptoms, but think it May a programming error. They state that the computer controlling the torque converter is not working properly. They state GMC has approx 13 other cars in us that is doing this, but they do not know what is causing the problem or how to fix it. …
I went to have my oil changed and car maintenance and the tech said that I have oil in my radiator. I was extremely shocked by this and he said that it could be a leaking gasket or worse that I should take it to a dealership right away. I took it to a local GM dealership and they took it in and the gaskets were leaking on my 2002 Pontiac Grand AM gt with only 56000 miles at the time. I had never heard of such a thing on such a low mileage car and well maintained. I knew I had to get it fixed so they fixed it GM said that they would pay 50% of the repair costs. I have further researched my car and the orange antifreeze and issues many others have had with this anti-freeze and how it eats gaskets and causes many other problems. GM does not want to admit to this and they are continuing to use this product even after all the findings. …
I have a 2002 Pontiac Grand AM. I bought the car one year ago. The car now has 38,000 miles on it. A few months back, the car started doing this thing where sometimes it would start, other times it would not. I was left stranded with my son in the car numerous times. But, when I would get the car towed to get fixed somewhere, the car would start right up. Finally after weeks of frustration, the locale Pontiac dealership replaced my passlock module. The car has been starting since. But now there is another problem. The car is overheating. I have had it in and out of the shop three times now, getting different things done, and it is still overheating. This car is just one problem after another. I have spent a total of 2000 on repairs, tows, and car rentals. …
This is a second vehicle with very limited mileage, which is driven by my wife. The car was purchased new from a Pontiac dealer so I can verify mileage and that it was maintained. The first indication of a problem was while I was driving on the expressway the temperature gauge shot into the red zone. Fortunately, I was near an exit and able to pull off the road before car stalled out. Since I had already started to slow down I was able to control car and to get it stopped safely without having power steering and power brakes. Car was towed to a local mechanic who pressure test cooling system and informed me of the problem and told me that GM was aware of problem and that they might help with repair cost. GM insisted that vehicle be checked by one of their dealers before anything could be done. …
I have had my car in the shop several times for problems and they can typically replicate the problem, but cannot fix it. I have had 3 brake jobs on my car, as well as the calipers rebuilt, and my brakes still do not work right. The ABS system fails constantly. I experience slides on dry surfaces even. I also have transmission, coolant, and fueling problems. I have had a fuel pump replaced finally, after the 3rd time of taking it in for not starting, 2 times prior there was nothing supposedly wrong. Also, I AM still getting only 125 miles on a tank of gas. They an reciprocate the problem but will not fix it. I also keep getting a low coolant and check engine message lights but they say nothing wrong. The power windows also drag and make marks on the window surfaces. They are very slow rolling up. …
When it rains, at take off the car stalls and will not run until it dries out. This has been going on for a year or more. I have almost been hit from behind several times as drivers behind me think I AM going and the call stalls. One time my husband was driving on the expressway at 70 and the car shut down. Most time it seems to be when coming to a stop then taking off it stalls. The car will start then as soon as you hit the gas or put it in gear it shuts down. My daughter has a 2003 alero that does the same thing. This is very dangerous and we have seen multiple posts online about this and nothing is being done. My husband took it to the car wash and it starting acting up so he decided to try to get it to an automotive, it barely made it there. The repair facility had it for 10 days and could not figure out what was causing it. …
Engine complaints in other Grand AM years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2002 Pontiac Grand AM?
NHTSA has 65 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2002 Pontiac Grand AM, 16% of the model year's 395 complaints. The component named most often is engine (16 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Pontiac Grand AM engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2002 Pontiac Grand AM, though it has 1 recall 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 2002 Pontiac Grand AM engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 67,000 miles, and 7% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to engine & cooling 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.