The 1996 Pontiac Grand Am has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 2,109,806 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 672 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the air bags. Last updated July 5, 2026.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE ENGINE FAILS TO START AND THE DRIVER HOLDS THE KEY IN THE "START" POSITION FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD, HIGH CURRENT FLOWS THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH, AND SOMETIMES PRODUCES ENOUGH HEAT TO MELT INTERNAL SWITCH PARTS.
Consequence
IF THE SWITCH IS DAMAGED, A FIRE COULD OCCUR IN THE STEERING COLUMN, EVEN WITH THE ENGINE OFF AND THE KEY REMOVED.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A RELAY KIT IN THESE VEHICLES TO PREVENT HIGH CURRENT FROM FLOWING THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 27, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD…
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR THE INTERIOR LAMPS TO COME ON UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE THE VEHICLES ARE BEING DRIVEN. THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 101, "CONTROLS AND DISPLAYS."
Consequence
THE INTERIOR LAMPS COMING ON UNEXPECTEDLY COULD STARTLE A DRIVER CAUSING A MOMENTARY LOSS OF CONTROL INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL RUN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST ON THE LAMP CONTROL MODULE AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE IT.
THE FRONT AND/OR REAR HAZARD WARNING LAMPS (FOUR-WAY FLASHERS) DO NOT FLASH WHEN THE HAZARD SWITCH IS ACTIVATED. THIS FAILS TO COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Consequence
IF THESE LAMPS WERE NOT FLASHING, OTHER VEHICLES WOULD NOT BE AWARE THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS STOPPED INCREASING THE RISK OF AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy
DEALERS OR VEHICLE OWNERS WILL INSPECT FOR PROPER FUNCTION OF THE HAZARD WARNING LAMPS. IF NECESSARY, DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HAZARD LAMP SWITCH.
STEERING96V2490001996-12-17424 affected
Defect
THE STEERING COLUMN LOWER PINCH BOLT WAS NOT PROPERLY TIGHTENED DURING ASSEMBLY.
Consequence
AN UNDERTORQUED PINCH BOLT CAN RATTLE AND CAUSE LOOSENESS IN THE STEERING SYSTEM. IF THE PINCH BOLT BACKED OUT OF THE JOINT COMPLETELY, ROTATION OF THE STEERING SHAFT AGAINST THE CONNECTOR COULD CAUSE INCREASING LOOSENESS IN THE STEERING SYSTEM AND RESULT IN LOSS OF STEERING AND AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE STEERING COLUMN PINCH BOLT FOR CORRECT TORQUE AND, IF NECESSARY, TIGHTEN THE BOLT TO THE SPECIFIED TORQUE.
Complaints by component
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
63
19crashes35injuries
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
37
5crashes3injuries
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
36
2fires
AIR BAGS
35
1crashes2fires15injuries
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
33
1crashes2fires
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
26
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
25
1crashes1fires4injuries
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
21
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
19
1fires
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
18
1crashes3injuries
Total complaints672
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“I was driving down hiway the car died I turned it to the right to get off the hiway and the airbag on drivers side exploded, I had the car towed and was told the pass key system or theft system went bad in ignition switch and no explanation why air bag went off? Or how to fix any of it, this is…”
“I was driving down hiway the car died I turned it to the right to get off the hiway and the airbag on drivers side exploded, I had the car towed and was told the pass key system or theft system went bad in ignition switch and no explanation why air bag went off? Or how to fix any of it, this is…”
“I was driving down hiway the car died I turned it to the right to get off the hiway and the airbag on drivers side exploded, I had the car towed and was told the pass key system or theft system went bad in ignition switch and no explanation why air bag went off? Or how to fix any of it, this is…”
“I was leaving my place of employment, had just backed out of my parking spot and put the car in drive. Started moving forward and the driver's side airbag deployed. No bumps, no contact with another vehicle. Just deployed. Steering wheel parts hit my arm, bruised it pretty well. Have since…”
“Car would not start. Steering locked and transmission stuck in park.key would not turn. Towed car home. Removed the ignition switch and found the ignition lock had melted. The obvious fire hazard prompted a recall search for the make and model finding an ignition recall has been issued. I…”
“Car would not start. Steering locked and transmission stuck in park.key would not turn. Towed car home. Removed the ignition switch and found the ignition lock had melted. The obvious fire hazard prompted a recall search for the make and model finding an ignition recall has been issued. I…”
“Tl* the contact owns a 1996 pontiac grand am. The contact stated that while driving 35 mph, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis where it was advised to the contact that the sensor was disconnected and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not…”
“I started my car in a parking lot and was driving approx 10mph when the car died almost immediately, after restart, it did it again. Then, it wouldn't even turn over. I had it towed to a mechanic who told me that it was probably a bad fuel pump. Turns out it was the pontiac anti-theft device that…”
Defect investigations
InvestigationRQ03001 Opened 2003-01-02 · closed 2003-09-15
POWER RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILURE
GM CONDUCTED A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA # 02V286) TO ADDRESS A STEERING DEFECT PERTAINING TO A LOWER PINION BEARING (LPB) WITHIN THE RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR (R&P). THE RECALL COVERED 1,159,156 MODEL YEAR 1997-1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES BUILT BETWEEN MARCH 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997, 1996-1998 PONTIAC TRANS…
InvestigationRQ03001 Opened 2003-01-02 · closed 2003-09-15
POWER RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILURE
GM CONDUCTED A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA # 02V286) TO ADDRESS A STEERING DEFECT PERTAINING TO A LOWER PINION BEARING (LPB) WITHIN THE RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR (R&P). THE RECALL COVERED 1,159,156 MODEL YEAR 1997-1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES BUILT BETWEEN MARCH 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997, 1996-1998 PONTIAC TRANS…
InvestigationRQ98013 Opened 1998-08-26 · open
OVERSENSITIVE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTS
ON JUNE 26, 1998, GENERAL MOTORS BEGAIN A SAFETY RECALL, 98V-146, TO RECALIBRATE THE AIR BAG SENSING AND DIAGNOSTIC MODULE (SDM) IN THE 1996 AND SOME 1997 J BODY CARS, CAVALIER AND SUNFIRE.DUE TO CERTAIN CALIBRATIONS IN THE AIR BAG SDM, THERE IS AN INCREASED RISK OF INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT IN A LOW SPEED CRASH…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1996 Pontiac Grand Am as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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