2001 Pontiac Grand Am GT 3.4 V6

Summary:

A good buy for the price

Faults:

I noticed a grinding noise in the front end at 27,000 miles.

General Comments:

To all the Grand Am owners out there that are having problems with a grinding noise cause by a tire problem and not a brake/rotor problem, try writing a letter to the BBB and send a copy to GM in Michigan and your local dealer. When I got tired of taking my car to the dealer, I wrote a letter and within a month I got a call from GM wanting to know what they could do to get my case settled. I didn't know that when you write a letter to the BBB, they contact the Attorney General and open a case and will help you resolve the problem. My local dealer only wanted to reimburse me for two tires, but with the help of the BBB, I am getting reimbursed for all four tires. (I went to an independent tire dealer and have had no noise since the new tires were put on my GT. Good luck to all who read this. Hope you have as much success as I did.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 15th September, 2003

21st Dec 2003, 19:13

You are absolutely right. I experienced the same grinding noise coming from the front of my 02 GT1. Sounds like a brake/rotor problem, but it was the tires. Took it back to the dealer and they replaced all 4 tires for free as my car was still under warranty. Most people would ignore this problem, unfortunately if nobody complains about it, GM would be unaware of the problem. Point is, if you are in tune with your vehicle and you notice something isn't right, take it back to the dealer, no matter how small the problem.

2001 Pontiac Grand Am GT Ram Air

Summary:

An expensive non-reliable lemon!

Faults:

When braking, experienced a front-end vibration of the car and steering wheel.

Took to dealer and learned that there was a Service Bulletin for front brakes and rotors. All were replaced free of charge.

Headlights from time of purchase would light up the signs on the road at night and shine into the trees on high beam.

Took to dealer. The housing was never installed properly at factory.

Have had to dealer three times and high beams still make white "X's" in the road and light beams cross over one another in the road at night.

Started the car after it sat in garage all night. It revved up without using accelerator as when passing a car.

It eventually dropped back to normal and I drove 2 miles. Started the car again from the parking lot, it revved up very fast, came home.

Started the car, it made strange sounds: One sound was like air going in and out; one sound was the radio playing and it was off; one sound was a loud thumping sound and the car did not start.

Tried to start the car again, got a "click" when turning the key. Car will not start.

Opened hood (second latch too far away for short-fingers on woman's hand and hard to move anyway).

Took off fuse box cover. Looked at #1 30-amp green fuse. Tried to get white clothes pin-type gizmo out to use to pull out the fuse. It would not budge.

Put cover back on and gave up.

Car overheats and dealer tells me it's "normal."

When going over a raised lip drive into a parking lot, left front (brake?) noise that is unbelievable. Dealer can't make it happen.

When starting, transmission "jumps" and car is in park.

Trunk lid will not open all the way when using the inside door button or key-less entry button (FOB).

Cruise control will not "hold" when going down 6% grade. This is intermittent. Dealer cannot duplicate.

This is a new car! It is babied, never abused or loaned out! What is the problem with our manufacturers?

I've had better luck with Japanese cars!

General Comments:

I think, judging by older cars of days gone by:

1. Starter relay problem, or

2. Blew up a circuit board, or

3. Blew the #1 fuse for the starter.

I am a single woman, opened the hood to find an opposing engine with lots of tanks for fluids and never could find the relay. Maybe it's under the dash?

I find this car to be worthless, troublesome, hard to steer (not rack and pinion (?) ), with endless problems that never get fixed.

With it being Labor Day, the dealer will not be open until Tuesday morning, therefore, I will miss work to take a car in that won't start, and worry how to get to my job 30 miles from the dealer!

It costs $120 for the service manual that used to come with cars! I would like to know about the mechanics and technology of this car so that I might speak intelligently with the dealer.

On another note, one dealer told me I have a rear axle with caster/camber for aligning while another dealer told me I do not! Since my car is a front-wheel drive, why would the rear axle be a "drive axle"?

I am thinking of trading this car--and eat the loss--for another Subaru.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 31st August, 2003

18th Nov 2003, 12:58

I have had troubles with all the above. But I took care of it and my car runs great. I found that the A/C clutches can get noisy (whinny) but it doesn't affect the performance of the air conditioning (sounds like air passing through) so I left it alone. Intake gasket leaked at 130,000km, so I replaced all engine gaskets. The lights are troublesome, not the greatest night vision. The brake rotors went at 50,000kms and so did the pads. I figured since the engine was gonna be loud and whinny, I might as well soup it up. Now I have polished intake and exhaust ports and hi flow headers, along with a straight pipe exhaust. I got roughly 300hp at the engine and it sounds mean. Drowns out the loud A/C clutch too.

31st Oct 2007, 11:20

I understand all of the comments posted, I purchased my 2001 Grand am Gt in November of 2000 for my 21st birthday. The car was in the shop often off and on for the first 30,000 miles. I've replaced warped rotors, hub bearing assembly front left and right side, Heat blower, thermostat. But now I have 149,000 miles and counting very clean car never missed an oil change. Its riding good. But understand these cars are put together quick And if you purchase new go with the best warranty. If you buy used ask for receipts!

19th Sep 2008, 23:15

I have dealt with some of the problems listed above. I also hate the headlight "x" that cross over.

Mine also jumps when I start it, even when I have the parking brake set. I don't understand it either.