Comments: 1-15, 16-30, 31-45, 46-60, 61-75, 76-90, 91-105, 106-120, 121-135, 136-150, 151-158
In 2007 I bought a 2000 Grand Am GT. I have always wanted a Grand Am.
Everything was great with it until January 2008. Since than, my security light comes on and prevents the car from starting at least once a day. Once a week it does it 2-3 times a day.
I have had to have my rack and pinion replaced 2 times and it needs to be fixed again. The last time it was replaced and went bad again a week later. Before I had to have it replaced the last time, a pulley fell off and I had to get my power steering pump, pulley and belt replaced.
The mirror adjust control fell down inside the door.
The inside light on the ceiling drops down, even after the dealer ''fixed'' it.
Then the oil light stays on all the time as does the service engine, and trac control light.
The thing to top all that off: I was driving along, just got off the highway, and my air bags deployed. I didn't rear end anyone or hit anything, they just deployed.
I can't wait to get rid of this car.
Yup...this 2000 Grand Am is a true piece of garbage. Won't bore you with the details but everything other folks have commented on have happened to this POS.
Can't wait for GM to go under and drag the CAW with it!!!
Burn in hell GM!!!
How can one love a car so much, yet hate it so much at the same? Get a Grand Am. I bought my 2000 SE in 2002 from a rental company. First mistake.
Since then I have been dealing with all of the same problems that the rest of you have - power steering pump, wheel speed sensors, strut springs breaking, window regulators, "ghost" turn signal ticking, head gaskets, brakes, blah, blah, blah, whah, whah, whah.
I am NOT a mechanic, but over the years I have learned a lot by wrenching on my cars myself. A few years back I picked up a Haynes Repair Manual. Best 20 bucks I ever spent. I'm sure it's saved me a couple thousand $$$ on labour costs. Changed a head gasket myself. BIG job. Trust me, if you have the time & the patience, pick up a few basic tools & do the work yourself.
Godspeed fellow Grand Am owners.
I bought my 2000 Grand Am new. The only maintenance I did was regular oil changes and many brake jobs. I am fortunate to have a brother who did them. I bought the lifetime pads, and always changed them as soon as I heard them going.
The car now has 189,000 miles on it, and I gave it to my son 6 months ago, and I purchased another Pontiac because of how well the Grand Am worked.
We do have the problem with the fan speed, and now the car has left my son late for work twice due to it not starting. Both times, the car was towed to a mechanics. Both times after the car was unloaded, it started up right away. Hooked it up to the computer and nothing is wrong and no lights.
I loved the Grand Am when I drove it and never had a problem... hmm, unless of course when I rear-ended a truck and hit a deer that those problems were taken care of when things were replaced due to the accidents. Maybe that is the solution... LOL. Rear-end a truck!!!
After reading all these complaints, I will suggest not to dump in too much money into this car, but replace it with something else.
2000 GRAND AM GT.
Well I picked this thing up in 2005 as graduation present for myself at 60000 miles.
Girst problem was at the dealer. It would shift through the automatic gears, except it had to be slammed into first.
Now 2009 and at 116000 miles there hasn't been too many problems that I can recall.
The change oil light was an easy fix - sometimes after you get your oil changed, go into the manual and it will tell you how to turn it off.. do the steps twice...
The security light too is a just a degradation effect. It is telling your car that is is being stolen LOL. It is cutting off the gas to your engine. When you're trying to start it and the light for security is blinking, that is what is going on. All you have to do is turn it to standby for 10 minutes and it will start. Only way to get that fixed is to get your secure pass checked out by the Pontiac dealership. It is your security system built into the GT package that doesn't allow you to go..
The thing that I found that was funny is that the GT package for the car comes with a factory window tint... that is illegal in 48 states.. I got ticketed in VA, NE, GA, and CA for the tint on it. I tried to say it was with the package and still the ticket came... HAVE FUN.
You all need to start taking better care of your cars. I have had a Grand Am since 2000, and bought it brand new. Haven't had a problem yet. Simple maintenance will save you money in the long run.
I'm an owner of a 2000 Pontiac Grand Am... and I can honestly say that security light is a pain in the butt... I went to the mall today, and when I was trying to go home, the security light turned on and my car wouldn't start... I had to wait 30 minutes for it to actually start.. This is a pain in the butt, especially for people who work..
GM needs to realize that it's their fault.. I mean I've already paid them for this problem twice, and each time they said they fixed it but apparently not.. they need to admit that it's their fault and just give everyone their money back...
I WILL NEVER EVER BUY ANOTHER PONTIAC AGAIN, IT'S A PIECE OF CRAP.
I bought my 2000 Pontiac Grand Am in 2006 with 80,000 miles on it. For the first year, the car ran phenomenally! But...
In January 2007, one of the springs broke on the front end. The spring and strut on the front end are unfortunately sold welded together and they are sold in pairs at the cost of $1200 (including labor). Then the back struts are bad, which they were brand new when I bought the car. For the last three months...
* I could not drive on the interstate because the car would randomly cut off. I would have to pull to the side of the road and let the car sit for 10-15 minutes, then it would start up again.
* Every now and then when stopped at a light or a stop sign, the oil light will blink or remain solid until I hit the accelerator. Had this checked - nothing wrong.
* No dashboard lights... checked bulbs, fuses, etc. to no avail.
* Driver's side window does not work.
* Heat/AC control used to only work on 3, 4 or 5 - now it does not work at all.
* Had to replace factory CD player because it would randomly eject CDs forcefully... one even cut the back seat it flew out so fast! Imagine how my kids felt - no one ever sat in the middle of the back seat.
* Now my fuel pump has decided to not work at the cost of $500.
*My driver's seat does not work anymore - at 5'3", trying to drive with the seat as far back as it will go and reclining is NOT FUN or safe!
* The covering on the inside of the back passenger door is peeling.
* The rear defrost works sometimes.
*The headlights sometimes fall out and the driver's side headlight is kind of foggy-looking.
* I believe there is power steering fluid leaking slowly from somewhere, because there is always a half dollar-sized spot on the ground in my garage when I leave for work, but when I come home it has evaporated and leaves no stain. Had this checked and no one can find any leaks or the source of this leak.
* The power steering whines when I am turning...
The list goes on. I have not had any of the ABS/Engine light problems or the security problem, but I am wondering are they in my future? Has anyone heard anything about any of this stuff being recalled? Today GM announced they are dumping the Pontiac brand! Hmmmm... I wonder why? Maybe GM lost money because people realize they bought LEMONS and vowed to never again buy another GM vehicle!!!
I've had a 2000 Grand Am since 2001. It has not been the most trouble-free car, for sure.
The security light came on, had to replace the ignition switch to fix that... $400. Water pump went out, and since the idiots who designed it made it so you have to remove the timing cover to change the pump, that cost me $700.
The tranny blew up, a $2 part in the guts of the thing broke, and they had to completely tear it down to replace the part... cost $3100.
Starter went out, took the alternator with it (in the middle of a vacation trip out of state), cost me $700 (plus I had to rent a car for 4 days), to replace those two in some podunk town in Idaho. A wheel speed sensor crapped out, and cost me ~ $375... this thing has not been cheap!
Wow, what can I say - I found this while doing a google search on having to replace my 2000 Grand Am's brakes 4 times in 9 years. Nice to know I'm not the only one having so many issues with this car!
I bought mine brand new, and after 2 years I had to replace the front brakes. The dealer told me they "rusted" out - whatever that means. Then just about every 18-20 months after that I have had the front brakes done, rotors replaced or resurfaced too. I also have the issue where the fan doesn't work on speeds 1 & 2. And I have the fun problem of the turn signal noise continuing even after the turn signal has stopped. The dealer just quoted me $1550 to replace the quirky signal and to redo the brakes AGAIN. There is no way I can keep sinking money into this car - HELP!!!
To 10:47: Your dealer is taking you for a ride. Find a GOOD mechanic. My 9-year-old Grand Am has cost me a whopping $27 so far. I replaced my front brake pads in 15 minutes during a lunch break at a cost of $17. It's about as easy as changing a light bulb. That was at 70,000 miles. The rear pads are STILL the originals. I also replaced a light bulb at 73,000 miles at a cost of $10 (actually that took LONGER than doing the brakes!!).
The turn signal noise is the flasher unit. It costs about $25 at AutoZone. Also, the fan motor control can sometimes be fixed by using a can of spray air like you clean your computer keyboard with and spraying it in and up behind the fan motor control switch. I had this problem and it was apparently a speck of dust. After cleaning it it works perfectly.
I'm a mechanic and I really hate to see hard-working people being taken advantage of. PLEASE, buy a manual on your car and learn some basics so you won't be at the mercy of DISHONEST mechanics. $1550 for the items you mentioned is nothing short of highway robbery. They're basically charging you about $50 for parts and $1500 for a few MINUTES of labor.
Another pointer. MANY disreputable dealers and virtually ALL brake shops will tell you you need new brakes when you probably have 50-80% wear left on them. Even if the pad wears to the metal, your car will STILL STOP. Unscrupulous mechanics will tell you a car is "dangerous" to scare you into paying them THOUSANDS for work you DON'T NEED. Wise up. Learn something about your car's workings. A $20 repair manual will pay for itself in the first minor repair you do yourself.
I just bought a 2000 Grand Am SE 2.4, and I love it. It's only got 99 000 on it, and all these problems I can't really see having as long as you take good care of it, but I'll keep you all posted in the near future. Thanks.
To 18:21: Congrats on the Grand Am. I highly recommend these cars. They are one of the best buys in a used car. I know reading some of the negative comments on here can be scary, but many of the problems are the result of abuse or neglect (either before or after the car was purchased).
My 2.4 has never had a single problem. I do all my own work and servicing and I encourage buyers of ANY used vehicle to purchase a repair manual and learn to do your own work. It will save you a fortune and keep you from being taken advantage of by unscrupulous shops who tell you you need work you really don't need.
One thing I have added to my 2.4 is a cold-air induction system. It has upped the horsepower very noticeably. I made the system myself using a 6" tube and an aftermarket cone air filter. The air shroud I made out of cut sheet metal flashing material topped with 1/4" rubber hose slit and glued over the sharp metal edges. It is an inexpensive way to give the 2.4 more punch and a nice snarl under hard acceleration.
I have a 2003 Grand Am, and this site basically describes all the work I have had to do to my car. I take very good care of my car and always do all the maintenance with performance parts. The brakes in this car are terrible at very best. I have over 140K on my car now and I tell people the car NEEDS an annual brake job. If you just got a GA and you plan to keep it for a while, I would strongly urge you to spend the money to get a big brake system; it's expensive, but it will save you money in the long run. I have spent thousands on brakes alone, and I wish I had done that.
The security light is a real pain. It's caused by a faulty ignition switch, not the fuel pump. Do not replace any parts! If you pull the radio out, there is a wire you can cut that will disable that thing for good. Do a quick Google search, the repair will save you about $500 and will take about 10 minutes or so.
All of you out there that say you don't have problems because you keep up with the maintenance... HA enjoy it while it lasts! I said the same thing. Buy a service manual, you will need it unless you have tons of money to spend on repairs, but then again if you have tons of money to spend on repairs, get a new car now! You have been warned.
"I have spent thousands on brakes alone, and I wish I had done that."
That hardly seems possible. I replaced my front pads at 70,000 miles at a cost of $17. The rear pads (and every other part of the brake system) is STILL original. You can replace every single part in the brake system on these cars from bumper to bumper for under $500 (including the lines and all the other parts). It sounds like someone has been taking you for a ride.