2001 Pontiac Grand Am SE from North America - Comments

First, let me say that my first car was a hand-me-down 91 Grand Am that I loved dearly, so when I got a new car, it seemed great to get the new version.

Within 3 months, the blinkers didn't work unless you jiggle the hazard light button.

Within 6 months, the springs in the driver's seat back had popped loose and are now sticking out of the back of the seat.

The radio changes volume whenever it wants to, even when it is not set on the sound control setting.

SOmetimes the CD player doesn't work right, and I get a buzzing noise from the speakers in the back.

I had to change the brakes 3 times within the first year of owning it.

Sometimes the tank meter reads a half tank and it dies for no reason.

Today I found out that the gas I was smelling when I idle at stoplights is coming from a leak on the fuel rails.

Also, sometimes it won't catch when I am trying to start it, and it makes really loud clanging noises.

The seats are very comfortable, but I wish there were more room in the backseat for leg-space.

When the car is acting right, it works great, but I would never buy another Pontiac. I don't trust them now.

My main problems with the grand am are the blinkers and the drivers seat. I purchased the car new with 36 miles on it and a 3 year/36,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty.

At 30,000 miles, the blinkers would sometimes work (or not) unless you first used the hazard button. The car has been in the shop three times for this problem and they still sometimes don't work.

At 34,789 miles the drivers seat developed a popped spring in the back of the seat that has almost punctured a hole in the upholstery. Luckily, this will be covered under warranty. I now have 35,579 miles on the odometer.

I have complained about the slowness of the brakes, but my husband says this is normal for an anti-locking brake system.

The last complaint would be the way the car shifts. It seems to shift too hard. I think this will cause a transmission problem with the more miles accumulated.

I'm on my second GA in 6 years, I just bought 2001 GT 4dr about 5 months ago. I think from my own experience, the the hard shifting is caused by the way you actually drive your car. I've had a 4 cyl. before I got this 6 cyl. and to my surprise the transmissions have behaved almost exactly identical. Just before you reach 2500 RPM mark and shift to a new gear let go of the gas a little and the change is going to be a LOT less jumpy.

Brakes on this car must be done in accordance to the bulletin issued by GM. Shim is absolutely required for the brakes to stay pulse and noise free. Make sure you do this at a place that has already done this in the past, otherwise it won't help (waste of money) I suggest, rotor, pad replacement at the time you want to install the shims.

Now, you will like this one. Buy the cheapest rotors and pads you can find they will work just as well as the expensive stuff. This car eats a pair of pads easily in about 6 months to a 1 1/2 year period. That's something you will have to get used to. You don't have to replace rotors every time either.

I bought a Grand AM SE 2001 like 6 months ago. I am a first time buyer so I didn't think to check every little thing. The place I bought it from only fixed the front brakes and not the back brakes and the problem was with the rotors. when I braked hard one time to avoid getting in a wreak A big rig almost ran me off the road.. the front brakes started making noises and the time I got money saved up for the brakes they started to get worse they started making grinding noises. I had to replace the rotors and the front and back brakes I had to replace the windshield wipers which I didn't notice were messed up.. and when it rained I sure did.. it scratched my window not too bad.. but I wished never at all... and the blinkers didn't work right I had to mess with the hazard button.. to get the blinkers to work... I found out by taking it to Pontiac place that I would get the hazard switch replaced for free and my blinkers have worked perfect every since.. but the people that have owned my car before me. Took care of it very poorly.. I don't even know if my car has had everything that it needn't to have done.. it has 95,000 miles on it.. like getting tune-ups..I had to replace the spark plugs and the guy I had do it said they never been changed.. I love my car though it's a good car. It saves gas since I got the air filter and something else changed. When I got my oil changed and they told me I needed to have this replaced and I said OK how much? they said 5 bucks I am like OK. It didn't save gas though when I first got the car it drank it like crazy. my car just has had very bad owners.. and before I bought my car I checked on car-fax to see if it has been in any wreaks. No reports of it being in one wreak and I found out later it has been in a wreak... I had my headlight changed which caused the light to come on in the car to have the car serviced soon.. and the guy that replaced the headlight said the wiring was all in wrong.. and just the little things adding up... like the hood of my car its fading really badly and its only the hood. I doubt it was in that bad of a wreak, but still I don't know why it wasn't reported.. and my seats are also messing up.. the seat belt don't want to pull in the seat belts when you take them off, when you like take it off and the seats I have noticed the springs are trying to come through the seats.. and the little latch on the back bottom of the seats.. they have both came off.. so be careful with it I don't know if it is just the seats are falling apart or someone in the backseat was rough with it when they pulled it to get out of the car.. and the passenger seat it doesn't want to stay in one place hardly at all... Now I just have to fix the aliment and the shocks and have the tires replaces.. and down the line I do want to get the seats replaced..and the hood because my car is beautiful and the hood kinda ruins it.. from looking good..

I hoped I helped some.

That's like a, kinda, sorta, soporific comment.

Awesome.