Most common 2004 Pontiac Grand AM problems
Share of the 293 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Pontiac Grand AM complaints by model year
Best Grand AM years: 2005, 1998, 2004. Years to avoid: 1999, 2000. Compare all years →
2004 Pontiac Grand AM recalls (2)
Electrical system › Ignition
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 9, 2014.
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage
Certain passenger vehicles May have been built with a fuel tank that does not meet specification. A weld on these fuel tanks May be insufficient, resulting in a fuel leak.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the fuel tank, and replace it, if necessary. Owner notification began on June 23, 2004. Owners should contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668.
What 2004 Pontiac Grand AM owners say
Electrical system all 140 →
Driving my 2004 Pontiac Grand AM home form grocery shopping and tried to get into left hand turn only lane, but car wouldn`t slow down and I didn`t want to rear end the person ahead as there was a lot of traffic that day so I veered to the right to get into a parking lot to pull my emergency brakes, but was broad sided. I have over $2,300.00 worth of damage to my car and my mechanic said it is the ignition switch on the 2004 Pontiac Grand AM, and there should have been a full replacement of that when the recall was done regarding the ignition. All that was done for me was a plastic insert was adhered to my ignition key. GM needs to recall these cars and replace the ignition switches. They also owe me a lot in repairs done to my car.
Tl* the contact owned a 2004 Pontiac Grand AM. While the contact's daughter was driving and attempting to turn, the power steering failed without warning. The vehicle became difficult to steer and caused the driver to crash into a snowplow. The vehicle was destroyed and towed. A police report was filed. The air bags did not deploy and the front end of the vehicle was severely damaged. The driver did not receive any injuries. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 14V400000 (electrical system) after the failure occured. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000.
Lights all 54 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Pontiac Grand AM. The contact stated that while reversing, the ignition key was encountered and fell out of the ignition switch causing the vehicle to stall. The vehicle failed to restart and the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the ignition switch had no connection to the starter. As a result, the ignition switch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 14V400000 (electrical system). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 131,000. Updated 12/03/15; updated 4/10/18
Every year that we fix the intake valve on the car not even a month later the check engine light will come back on and it will be the same intake valve. This clogs all the valves in the system causing the car to sometimes it's slow or cut off. Car will not pass emissions even after you fix this issue. I have contacted GM and notified them of this issue and they state that it's not an issue. Also the blinkers will stop working you have to hit the hazardous blinkers for the blinkers to start working again this could cause a rear-end accident I also told the manufacturer about this issue and they are not wanting to fix it.
Engine & cooling all 29 →
Regular occurrences started at 120K miles, these are all issues which previously complaints have been filed by current 2004 Grand AM owners but have not been corrected and I have called every 6 months filing these complaints. 1) gas fumes are coming in the car when it is running or sitting still idling, 2) blinkers start blinking on their own around 80 degrees f outside temperature, mechanic said it was because grease in steering column becomes thin and shorts out other wiring causing the smoke (fire) which comes from steering column, this occurs every summer to fall when temps are 80 degrees or higher), 3) horn does not work, mechanic replaced horn mechanism but it did not fix the issue & I AM concerned the air bag system won't work either since they are inter twined in the steering column, 4) the dash is warping, cracking and breaking horribly, it causes a sticky haze (gas) on my …
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Pontiac Grand AM. While driving 55 MPH, the vehicle began to accelerate on its own. The contact exited the interstate and attempted to brake as the transmission made an abnormally loud sound. The contact pulled into a fuel station, raised the hood, and observed smoke coming from the engine. The vehicle was unable to be driven. The contact waited a while and then drove home with the brake pedal down to the floorboard. The contact's husband was a mechanic and diagnosed the vehicle, but no failure code was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000.
2004 Pontiac Grand AM engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 23 / 33 / 27 |
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 21 / 31 / 25 |
| 3.4L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 27 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2004 Pontiac Grand AM a good car?
Based on 293 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2004 Grand AM rates better than average: 51% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Grand AM at the same age. It is one of the best Grand AM years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2004 Pontiac Grand AM?
The electrical system — 140 complaints, 48% of all complaints for this model year, most often about ignition › anti-theft › control module. Next are the lights (54) and engine & cooling (29).
How many recalls does the 2004 Pontiac Grand AM have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2004 Pontiac Grand AM, the most recent from July 3, 2014 (ignition). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Pontiac Grand AM?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2005, 1998 and 2004. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1999 and 2000. See the full Pontiac Grand AM years comparison.
At what mileage do 2004 Pontiac Grand AM problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 75,000 miles; 30% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.