1997 Pontiac Grand Am from North America - Comments

The envy of my friends when I pulled into my driveway with my new car caused an immeasurable sense of satisfaction. I have since regretted having that feeling, God must have seen my satisfaction and decided to teach me a lesson. God proceeded to push the self-destruct button on my car.

At first it appeared to be a very appealing site with lots of little convenient buttons to make my life easier. It has a sporty look and I love it’s sunroof.

I do not remember in what order some of the following problems occurred, but I know that most of them still exist.

I recall driving when my dashboard lit up and the car died in the middle of nowhere. My alternator needed to be replaced oh…. and the battery goes right with the alternator too. After replacing both, my window progressively moved up and down slower and slower until it would only move down. I eventually got it to go back up where it remains to this day. This is not a convenient problem when Chicago has more tollbooths then I can fathom. Since I need to physically open my door now to pay I gave my car yet another opportunity to embarrass me. The door decided it was not going to close any more after I paid a toll in Chicago traffic. After looking stupid trying to close my door on the side of a toll way for about 10 minutes, where people continuously honked at me, I had to drive home while holding my door closed. My passenger window is starting to go now.

Oh…that sunroof that I loved so much stopped functioning after about a month.

At first I figured out a way to grip my radio knob to where I would have at least a fifty percent chance of it doing what I want. (Slightly pulling on it while turning it) This trick no longer works along with its ability to play 95% of any CDs. The radio constantly is ejecting CDs. The words are all rubbed of everything and the clock occasionally displays satanic symbols instead of time.

The plastic grid piece that covers the driver side speaker decided to fall off so I kept it in a plastic pocket in the driver side door molding until I can get it fixed. The molding is now starting to detach from the door.

The carpeting on the driver side is shot as well as the carpeting in the trunk. I only get to see this carpeting when I am changing the many tire blowouts I have had. I don’t understand how the carpet in the trunk wears because I rarely put anything in it.

Other small things that bother me that are not worth fixing includes the plastic piece that covers a seatbelt mechanism is M.I.A. My lighter does not work any more, the 12-15 rapid clicks that seem to come from the passenger airbag, my rattling window, the driver side mirror adjuster is broken courtesy of the dealer while investigating my window motor, my horn may or may not work when pressed, my rotors are warped which makes stopping an adventure in itself, and the chipping paint. It was not to long ago that I came to my car to find the adhesive gave out that holds my rear view mirror on the windshield.

My neighbor is a mechanic and replaced my MAP sensor yesterday after informing me of having bad spark- plug wires and that a pump somewhere under the hood it spitting fluid up and onto the hood underside. My neighbor was able to borrow the computer that hooks up to diagnose problems, one of the many reasons my check engine light is on is because the computer has determined that the transmission is slipping. I had the oil changed yesterday and the receipt informed me that I have an oil leak.

I really did like this car for a while, I don’t beat on it and maintain it regularly. After just very recently discovering that I have a very normal 97 Grand AM. I get to look forward to the almost certain water pump failure and necessary belt replacement.

If I won the lottery I would purposely drive my car into a large tree to put it out of it’s own misery. It only has around 100K miles I give it another 15 miles before I find my next headache.

It is a great car to drive down the highway if you don’t mind having the entire dashboard moderately shaking at you (This only occurs at 75-80MPH and only sometimes) and if you love surprises and looking like an ass on the side of the road you can buy mine from me.

Wow...I could have sworn that you have been secretly been driving MY car! But I live in Austin, TX. Seems everything you describe my car has also done to me! I especially love the surprises it gives me while on the Crazy Texas Freeways or feeder roads where the drivers actually drive 75 mph!!! I also... have had the window/sunroof challenges plus the enjoyable treat to find a Lake in the Drivers side if I inadvertently park the car in the driveway with an incline... Strange I find if the car is parked in it's 'favorite' position heading west on the street there is less water... a one towel wiper upper as opposed to a bucket bailing! Unfortunately, I am now experiencing sudden 'I don't want to go no mo... usually in heavy mean traffic' the car engine doesn't actually die, but with the accelerator on the floor I can actually get somewhere between 1-1.5,000/RPM which means if I am lucky 20 mph that is if I am going downhill! I have experienced so many weird problems that I fear buying another car that it will just be more of the same! Thanks for the opportunity to vent!

It seems that most of our Grand Am's must have been rolled out from the assembly line on the same day. I have had to have my alternator replaced twice, only 73,000 miles on the car. I have had the ignition switch replaced twice, and the motors on the windows replaced once. They have since slowed down, and I usually have to start putting the windows up before I actually get to where I'm going. I hope by the time I get there, the three that still work will be finished making their journeys.

I never knew what the bottom of a car looked like under the carpet until now. The carpet is missing in several places on the driver side, and has started on the passenger size.

I have had the radio replaced twice, and the volume knob three times. I no longer adjust the side mirrors, because after having the little stick replaced twice, I have decided to give it a final resting place inside the door frame. My antenna looks great super glued in place, otherwise, it is a nice accessory hanging on the side of the car while driving down the highway.

My latest problem occurred this morning, when I tried to rinse the pollen off the windshield. When turning the wipers off, they decide to stop right in the middle of the windshield, creating a nice obstacle in my line of sight. I guess this is what Pontiac considers, "Driving Excitement"

And actually, if anyone knows of this problem, please help me...thanks!

I have a 97 ga SE. I bought this car like 8 months ago.

It's a nice solid car. The rotors going out is common on these Ga's. I'm getting drilled/slotted rotors so they won't heat up and worp. I got to replace a high pressure power steering line here soon so it will stop leaking. The carpet balding spots are really common I've seen them in the 01 models already. I have almost a 163,000 miles on this car and is still runs smoother then my grandmas Cadillac. All cars have there problems...Ga's are a good deal and they last!

Check out this website and see how good they are.

Www.gaownersclub.com Thanks for reading my post.

Hey, I've been looking for parts for my 97 grand am. I think its awesome that we can all do a little group therapy, cause as much as I love Molly (my grand am), I know she don't love me.

Wipers: I'm relieved to hear someone else is having trouble with their wipers.

I'm burdened by having to inform you that it will only get worse, and down-right dangerous when you get caught in a flash thundershower on the highway. I'm currently trying to find the most reasonable way to fix my wipers, since I've also gone through 2 alternators, a water pump, (evidently it was a good call for me to let them take care of the timing belt, phew), and replaced the motors in all 4 windows... just to have them go again within 2 months.

I'm thinking maybe, ritual sacrifice of livestock. Or a junk yard with a few Grand Am's. Best of luck all.

Before complaining about you Pumps going bad and brakes wearing out you should really look up this stuff. Water pumps usually only last about 60 to 90K miles, it all depends on where you live, what deposits are in the liquids flowing in them. I have lived in the desert and in the northeast. I have a 97 Grand Am. This car has held up very well. Brakes go bad, depends on driving conditions and temp. Batteries go bad, depends on if you have the correct battery for the correct climate, when I moved to the desert I had to replace all this stuff, they hold up different there then in the northeast. Remember to check your recalls, some of this stuff is already know by the dealer and if you don't get it fixed, then that is your fault not the dealers, they are trying to help by issuing recalls if you don't follow them, well DUH.

Well all of your comments sound like my car too... so far I have replaced the gages, steering hose, and now have to replace the other one too. I need a map sensor, paint job, new radio, and I'm missing 2 a/c knobs. this car is costing me more to fix than I paid for it.

I have 1997 Grand Am. I bought this car new and had all my maintenance done at the dealer from day one. I live in Canada and replaced my alternator and hoses here and there. I did replace my transmission last year at three hundred thousand KM. YES That's RIGHT. I now have three hundred and forty thousand Km on the car. I am Going tell you if they tell you to change your transmission oiL... DO NOT DO IT. I WAS WORKING FINE UNTILL SOME IOL CHANGE GUY TELLS ME TO GET A TRANSMISSION SERVICE. Some things you don't do on older cars. Over all happy with the car its been paid for for over five years. Getting a new one this year and keeping my Grand Am too. If you get rough idle and check engine light comes on when at an idle. Just change your coil packs. I have the 3.1 V6 SE model.

Dave

maxpower610@hotmail.com.

"and the clock occasionally displays satanic symbols instead of time"

Funniest quote ever!