Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Pontiac Grand Am

1…4547495051

Comments

  • burdawgburdawg Member Posts: 1,524
    I've never heard of that before, it sounds like some kind of aftermarket security system.
  • cherbear74cherbear74 Member Posts: 2
    Thanks I have been searching online for the past day and on all pontiac sites no one can tell me what it is. I wonder if im just S.O.L.
  • qdog99qdog99 Member Posts: 19
    Traction Control light keeps coming on i have a 2001 grand am se 2.4L 4 door automatic and the trac light keeps coming on while driving and once its on the transmission will bang while switching gears and if i push the trac button to cut the light off it stays on.To get it to go off so the car will drive properly i have to pull over and park the car and turn it off and restart the car.when i put it in drive it bangs the gear once and then it starts driving ok for a while i cant figure out whats making it do that. the only thing that needs to be changed is the fuel pressure regulator because it leaks once in a while :mad:
  • jerry79jerry79 Member Posts: 2
    I know, the price is kinda exaggerated and just for labor?? is about $1100 and the rest of parts.

    The warranty expired because i have more than 36000 miles and i didn't extend no warranty...big mistake. I have found another place where they charge me hella cheaper so i guess i might take it there.

    Thanks Burdawg for replying to my message and i hope they can fix this problem since its been going on for hella years.
  • chadderchadder Member Posts: 1
    I have never heard of any with a chip in thier key for the grand am, that is a passkey3 system and the grand am uses a passlock 1 or 2 system
  • nyilesnyiles Member Posts: 2
    I just recently picked up a 2004 Grand Am. I am very happy with it. Love the way it rides. Occasionally, I will turn it off and the key will get stuck. After a while, I hear a clicking sound (relay?) and the key can be removed. Anyone else experiance this problem? Is this something I need a dealer to fix or can I do it myself?

    Thanks!
    Larry in Waynewsboro, VA
  • hard_on_carshard_on_cars Member Posts: 8
    On my 16th Birthday, my parents bought me a 99grand am seV6, from a shady dealership. I know that an old lady drove it before i got it. And so did the guy that owned the dealership. This is my first car. It is pretty quick. i have beaten several other grand am GT's with ram air. (actually blew them away ). it all looks stock to me. but i cant find why it is so fast. People ask me and i dont know what to say. My fun ends at 107. Is there someway that i can get the gov, off my car. And i am quite pissed about the headgasket. if there is some many problems, then why isnt there a recall ? Last, I have been saving up money for a supercharger, what type or brand would be best for my car ?
  • burdawgburdawg Member Posts: 1,524
    Oh, but to be young and foolish again....sigh.
  • hard_on_carshard_on_cars Member Posts: 8
    Young I see, but where does foolish come from.
  • burdawgburdawg Member Posts: 1,524
    Don't get me wrong, I think it's great. Foolish comes from the desire to put a supercharger on an engine that you can't even get a high volume oil pump for, which has virtually no meaningful performance or heavy duty parts available. I learned, the hard way, almost 30 years ago that you build and engine from the bottom up, not from the top down.
    BTW, the biggest difference between the GT/ram air and the other models is the handling and high speed intake volume. Between the lights the GT is virtually the same, the ram intake doesn't have any effect until your speed forces a positive pressure into the ram intake behind the grille, and even then it's effect is minimum.
    Please keep us posted on your endeavors though.
  • hard_on_carshard_on_cars Member Posts: 8
    Thanks for the info. I just really like the grand am body and style and would like to see it perform better. You say to start from the bottom and work your way up. I agree that the 3400 does suck for performance. Assuming that you know alot more about engines then me, (my car = 101,000) was think about putting a used 3.8 GTP engine im my car. with my mannual trans. i got the monney to do it and got a friend that would do it also, would u suggest doing that for alot more power?
  • burdawgburdawg Member Posts: 1,524
    I have not personally seen that mod ever done, but I won't say it's not possible. I imagine there would be lot's of custom fitting involved with mounts, clutch, etc. The performance gains would probably not be as high as you might think, since the weight will increase somewhat from the larger, older design engine.
    I have seen a supercharger (Paxton) on a 3.4L Grand Am, but it was custom and I don't think a direct add-on is available.
  • dmac93dmac93 Member Posts: 1
    I just used the 'cut yellow wire' procedure, and so far so good. I'm a bit worried about disconnecting the battery now because I read somewhere that it may not turn on again. Anyone use this method have this problem?!
  • laravichlaravich Member Posts: 1
    I have a '99 Grand Am with almost 100,000 miles on it. Five mornings ago when I started it, a warning bell sounded and the gas gauge stayed on 'empty' even though I just filled up (no, there was no leak). After maybe 15 seconds of idling, the low fuel warning light went off and the indicator moved up to 'full'. It did the same thing each time I started it over the next several days. Now the warning bell and the gauge showing empty have stopped, but now the gauge still shows completely full even though I'm probably down to half a tank by now, and appears to be stuck on 'full'. Is the gauge broken or this an indication of another problem?
  • hard_on_carshard_on_cars Member Posts: 8
    i also have a 99 grand am and the gas gauge goes wild also. i believe that that the gauge needle is becoming stuck.. try hitting the top of the gauge a couple of times. that is what i do, to know how much gas i really have.. i think u might have an O2 sensor out.. not really sure thou. dont u just hate that dam warnging bell.. well give a tap on top and that should do it.
  • whatdidyousay9whatdidyousay9 Member Posts: 1
    i own a 1992 grand am SE. i was wondering where the governor is. and how to remove it
  • rev_sonrev_son Member Posts: 3
    Hey Everyone,
    Got a thing going on with our 97' Grand Am that I do not understand. Get this,.. when we crank the car, place on our seatbelts, place it in drive, the seatbelt warning buzzer goes off, the doors lock / unlock like we have a ghost in the car with us. After getting out on the road, the buzzer quit and also the door locks, but when I hit the brakes, there it goes again. Long as the car is in (P)it doesn't do it, but when placed in (D) it goes nuts. Checked the fuses in the interior and it was all good. Any ideas why the car would do such a thing?
    Please Help

    Rev_Son
  • rev_sonrev_son Member Posts: 3
    Hey everyone, just new to the forum and have a good question to ask. We have a 1997 Grand Am SE with a little over 97K on it. I got a couple of things going on with it that I haven't been able to resolve. For one, I have water leaking off the back side of the engine, but does this on occassions. My temp light stays on constantly like it has no anti-freeze in it or water. I have to replace the water in the car every other day to make sure it has enough. I constantly look under the car everywhere we go and park to see if it has been leaking, and if it had, it's only very little. But I have to fill it up continously so I'll know that it has enough water in it. Even when filling it with water, the water drain out the tank as you're looking at it. No water stays in the coolant container. I thought that it was the heater core but the carpet is never wet inside the car. Anyone have any ideas or is this a losing battle and the car has won? Please help me with this......
    Thanks All
  • burdawgburdawg Member Posts: 1,524
    V6 or 4 cyl?
  • digitalquirkdigitalquirk Member Posts: 5
    Young and foolish, indeed. There are several reasons why you have "Blown away" several other grand am GT's with ram air, as I will list:

    1. They were not interested in engaging you in a race.
    2. They did not know you were trying to race them.
    3. Their car was not really a Grand Am GT; it's very common for people with non-GT Grand Am's to install the SC/T hood and front bumper to get the GT look.
    4. Their car had some sort of problem, whether it be a clogged air filter, bad spark plug, or some other mechanical problem.

    What makes the '99+ GT faster than your Grand Am SE is the fact that the transmission has a very aggressive 3.29:1 final drive ratio, which you do not have. The ram air intake functions more as a cold air intake at lower speeds, and the exhaust flows better.

    As for the 3400; it is a very stout power plant that can easily make more power than the transmission can handle with simple bolt-on mods, naturally aspirated. With just headers, a cat-back exhaust system, and a 62mm throttle body, it's possible to get upwards of 200 horsepower from the 3400. Get a port and polish, Corvette valve springs, a DHP PCM, and a hot cam, you're looking at getting the transmission beefed up to keep up with the power the 3400 will be making. Having a very strong bottom end, it takes well to boost once it's been tuned properly.

    The beautiful thing about the GT is the fact that nothing needs to be done to the brakes or chassis to handle the extra power you can make. Unlike the SE, the GT already handles and brakes as good as it can from the factory.
  • kristenn16kristenn16 Member Posts: 2
    Hi Ric,

    Does this seriously work!!! I can't take it anymore. If it truely works I'll try it.
  • alucard61354alucard61354 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1994 Grand Am. When we bought it, the cigarette lighter never worked and I think it is because the inside of the jack is all rusty. Does anybody know how to remove the old jack so I can install a new one? Thank you
  • hard_on_carshard_on_cars Member Posts: 8
    1. I raced my sisters boyfriend that has a 99 GT. with ram air.
    2. We did race and i won by about 2 1/2 car lenghts at 100 mph.
    3. ram air is nothing untill there is a postive force coming into the engine. i just took off.
    4. I Love Grand AMS, but they are sort of pigs. they are so heavy.
    5. i honestly one the race. like i said before.. i know there is some mods inside. but i can not notice.
    6. Yes i agree that the GT sould win 100 % of the time. but like i said.
    7. timed 0- 60 in 7.14
    8. thanks for the tips
    9. it just seems that grand ams are alway getting crap.
    10. there should have been a special edition.. like 3.8 eaton 90 suppercharger. that would be awesome. factory black cat and headers with a 5 speed man. who wouldn't want that.
    11. how much runs for a change over of to a 5 speed man
  • loydsloyds Member Posts: 1
    I HAVE A 1993 GRAND AM AND I FOUND THAT THE WATER WAS COMING IN THOUGH THE HEATER BOX. AND THOUGH THE FLOOR VENT UNDER THE SEATS THUS WATER ON THE FLOOR IN BACK SEAT AND FRONT SEAT.I FOUND THE PROBLEM IS FROM A RUBBER FOAM THAT IS UNDER THE BODY PANEL THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE IN. YOU HAVE TO REMOVE THE WIPERS AND THIS BODY PANEL. THE FOAM RUBBER IS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND IS SUPPOSED TO STOP THE WATER FROM GOING INTO THE TOP OF THE HEATER BOX.I REPLACED THE RUBBER WITH NEW ONE SIDE STICKY FOAM WEATHER STRIPPING THIS WAS THE PROBLEM.THE HEATER BOX WAS NOT MADE SMARTLY WITH THE AIR HOLE BEING AT THE TOP. I ALSO MADE A PLASTIC SHIELD SO IF WATER GETS PASS THAT RUBBER AGAIN IT CANNOT GO INTO THE HEATER BOX. REMEMBER YOU CANNOT COMPLETELY BLOCK OR RESTICT THE AIR IN TAKE TO THE HEATER BOX. HOPE THIS HELPS YOU.
  • mattd3742mattd3742 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 97 Pontiac grand am. I drove to work today, drove home and everything was fine. An hour later I got in the car started it the battery light came on like it stalled out but it didn't. The car was still running but the wheel wouldn't turn and the engine did not sound right. I can't move the car since the wheel won't move but the car will idle. Anyone have any idea what is wrong?
  • hard_on_carshard_on_cars Member Posts: 8
    bad gas sounds like it. i had simalar problems. turns out i got 3.00$ a gallon for half gas.
  • burdawgburdawg Member Posts: 1,524
    When you say the wheel won't move do you mean the steering lock is not disengaging?
  • leviwoodleviwood Member Posts: 1
    i have just recently purchased a 94 grand am. when i first got it the abs light wasnt on, and now it constantly is. i attempted to put in a cd player, and now it only turns on and then right off and is dead, along with i now have no interior lights. i have checked the fuse box and it isnt blown. i do not have an exact guide to the fuse box, or stereo wiring system, if anyone has any answers for me it would be much appreciated.
  • andzgrlandzgrl Member Posts: 1
    Need to get 4 new tires. Wondering if anyone had any suggestions on what brand/style tires will look the best. What do you have on your Grand Am? Wondering, also, how they perform. By the way, the car is red. The rims are OEM, the really shiny ones, I don't know what they're called. I do know they are not the ones that resemble stars. Any help??? Thanks.
  • jim73jim73 Member Posts: 3
    how much will a repair shop charge to change raidiator hoses on a 96 se.they are soft
  • rev_sonrev_son Member Posts: 3
    It's a V6 3100,...hope you have an idea about what'z going on with it.
  • digitalquirkdigitalquirk Member Posts: 5
    1. You raced a 7 year old car, which leaves open plenty of possibilities...fouled spark plug(s), dirty air filter, leaky gasket, poor compression, etc. In other words, you didn't do a base-line run on the GT to see if it was running in top shape. A dirty air filter is sufficient to bring the power down quite a bit at the mid range to top end.
    2. Good for you, you beat one paticular '99 Grand Am GT which, for all we know, was running with an original air filter from '99.
    3. The 3.29:1 final drive ratio is what gives the GT most of its great low-down power on launch.
    4. At 3091 lbs., the GT is lightweight when compared to a comparable V6 Honda Accord, at 3236 lbs., a comparible Mazda6 at 3311 lbs., or a comparible Nissan Altima at 3273. Don't forget, the Grand Am GT is not a sub-compact car, and is actually very light for the class and size of car that it is. GM even used aluminum brake calipers to bring the weight down. With highway mileage pegged at 29 mpg, it can hardly be considered a pig, as it easily beats the imports for highway fuel economy.
    5. If there are mods, but you cannot see them or know what they are, then you are speculating at best.
    6. If it's maintained and running 100% at it's best, but as I said, even a dirty air filter will hurt performance a lot. A lot of dirt gets in thanks to the ram air intake.
    7. Timed using the stock spedometer, by the seat-of-your-pants cheap wrist watch stopwatch, I presume. Again, hardly accurate, since the combination of your own reaction time and the amount your speedo could be off can put you off by more than a second.
    8. You're welcome.
    9. Probably by the amount of mis-information that's spread about them being heavy pigs.
    10. There's a lot that GM could've done to make this car faster, but it wasn't like sales were hurting and the performance is more than sufficient for most people.
    11. More than it's worth. Money is better spent building up the stock auto tranny and going with some sort of forced induction with supporting mods.
  • digitalquirkdigitalquirk Member Posts: 5
    I'm getting Coopers put on today. I've had good experience with Coopers in the past; I'll post my experience with them later after I've put some miles on them.
  • burdawgburdawg Member Posts: 1,524
    On later model GT's you can get the carbon fiber hood which brings the weight down even more. I didn't opt for it myself because I don't like the way it looks.
    I had a 99 SE before the 04 GT, I don't notice a huge difference in power off the line, but there is a noticable one. The biggest difference is the handling.
  • hard_on_carshard_on_cars Member Posts: 8
    well i am not saying that they are pigs but could def. be lighter. yes timing could be off. air flow is huge. i clean it about every 4 months or so. i just have only one question. How do u just know ? i am just saying that if we lined up every stock grand am. i think i would win. its just got balls. dont say it cant happen because it can. i dont have lots of money to mod my car. and i am happy with what i have now. why do u have to be so cocky when u reply to everything. do u even have a grand am.
  • digitalquirkdigitalquirk Member Posts: 5
    I am saying that you are young and foolish. You do not even account for the multitude of variables at play. Once you've matured, you'll realize there's only one place where you can truly test the capabilities of your car, and that's at the track. You think your car has balls because you haven't been in anything faster (goes with being young and inexperienced). You think every other Grand Am GT is just as slow as the one you raced because you haven't knowingly raced against any other Grand Am GT (again, shows your youth and inexperience).

    I'm not being cocky, but I've been around and I've heard it all. You need to remember, I was once in your shoes. It doesn't cost much money to run your car at the local track. Run a quarter mile; if you can run better than a mid to high 15 second run, then you have some definite proof that you have something unusual under your hood. Until then, it's all just talk, and talk is cheap, my friend.
  • rubeyremrubeyrem Member Posts: 1
    I have a 96 Pontiac Grand Am SE and a week ago my alternator went bad. My battery was completely dead so I had it jump started a week ago too and it started fine, but th ebattery would not charge and it eventually died. So yesterday I replaced the alternator and now The car cranks but it won't turn over and ignite to start the engine. I have checked all the wires and terminals and I have everything hooked back up but it still isn't doing anything. Any suggestions?
  • white03gtwhite03gt Member Posts: 1
    I have the same car except white !! It had new Nitto Extreme Performance 450 on it 225x50x16. they are incredible :) So far I've managed to take right hand turns at 35 mph and it stick the whole way. You won't be disappointed, though they are pricey.
  • rebelmanrebelman Member Posts: 3
    hey i found one of those vortec cyclones that are supposed to make the air coming through your intake spiral through the intake hose which lets even more air through. its also supposed to help with combustion and gives about 5-7 hp. i have a k&n air intake and i was wondering if these things really work or if they are a big scam?
  • kmajorskmajors Member Posts: 17
    You have to pay taxes where you license the car.

    You should be careful about involving more than three different states. If you have a DL in CT and the car is licensed in NY but insured in FL you could have a big problem if you have an accident.

    It is best to license and insure the car in the same state you have your DL in.
  • kmajorskmajors Member Posts: 17
    I put the Goodyear triple treads on mine. They look good and drive good.
  • kmajorskmajors Member Posts: 17
    I think it is a scam. Volume is volume. You can only push so much air through a given size hose swirling or not. Just my opinion.
  • rebelmanrebelman Member Posts: 3
    hey i was looking into getting a performance chip or mod for my 2001 grand am se 2.4L. i dont want to pay 300$++ for a jet chip but i found oone of those diablo performance modules. they arent a resistor that tricks your computer but i was wondering if anyone had any experience or knowledge of this particular part. i dont want to buy some piece of crap that wont work or will hurt the engine ANY! any info on this would be very appreciated!
  • glak150glak150 Member Posts: 1
    I need to change spark plugs in my 99 Grand Am 6 cyl.any plugs better than than other ? bosch+4, bosch+2, platinum,champion copper + ???????
  • arcturusarcturus Member Posts: 4
    I gave up on ever getting Ford to properly repair my V-8 Mustang, so I grudgingly traded it for a beautiful fire engine red 2001 Grand Am SE-1 with the 4-cylinder engine. I have never owned a better car, and we have owned over 35, including some from all of the "big three" as well as two Japanese and one German car. The car is smooth, quiet, feels very solid, and after nearly 6 years of hard use has yet to have even one problem. The Grand Am is the first car I have ever owned that has never developed even ONE rattle or squeak.
    I was surprised at how fast and responsive the little twin-cam 4 is, and my fuel mileage has been exactly DOUBLE what I got with my Mustang (30 versus 15). The car is actually more fun to drive because the softer ride doesn't jar the fillings out of my teeth. There is some sacrifice in cornering, but the smoother ride more than compensates for it. The acceleration of the 4 cylinder Pontiac is actually faster than my V-6 truck and our 275 horsepower SUV. Getting onto freeways is certainly not a problem, nor is cruising at any legal interstate speed limit. With skyrocketing gas prices, I love having the good fuel economy without a great sacrifice in performance.
    What sold me on the Grand Am was the "Buck Rogers" styling and the (much maligned) body cladding. The car did not look like all the other ugly little compacts out there. It has a very sporty and distinctive look and the cladding is wonderful protection from parking lot dings.
    I have test driven two new G-6's, and I am very disappointed. I'm sure they are very high-quality vehicles with excellent build quality, but they are just plain boring. The styling is plain and dull, and Pontiac does not even offer the G-6 in any sporty colors. Even the sleek coupe is not available in red. There is an ugly burgundy, but no real red. I decided to keep my sporty Grand Am another 100,000 miles and hope that somewhere down the line Pontiac will once more build a sporty and exciting compact. Their motto used to be "We build excitement". It now appears that "We build BORING" would be more appropriate.
  • burdawgburdawg Member Posts: 1,524
    Does the 01 have a quad 4 or ecotec 4? I can't remember. We still own our 95 SE quad 4. My daughter used it all through 4 years of college and 3 years in law school, and is still using it. It has needed some repairs over the years, but nothing major. Regular maintenance is the key with N-body cars, typically they get neglected since they are inexpensive (well, usually). Then they break down and the owner wants to blame the manufacturer.
    I have an 04 GT, my neighbor across the street has an 05 G6 (kind of a copper metallic color). I'm sure there's some refinements in the G6, but it's smaller and I also agree it looks dull.
  • hard_on_carshard_on_cars Member Posts: 8
    I Could not agree more! I got a 99 sev6 and its beautiful. its metallic blue. a more rare color. The price u pay, performance, no problems, and style, its the best car u can get. The average Joe can afford. i have had no problems and i am reaching the 115,000 mark. and great on gas. i agree, the car just feels tight to your hands. i really wish Pontiac would maybe changed a few options on it, instead of stop making them. Because the G^6 Blows. i small block V8 and stick, they would have not been able to make them fast enough
  • enphanenphan Member Posts: 23
    I saw a short film in TV they sturdy about this swirl air intake, supposed to increase vehicle power. It doesn't work.
  • gyatesgyates Member Posts: 55
    I am looking at a 95 Grand Am Se with 2.3l for my daughter. The car has 59k on it, clean Carfax report, one owner. Asking price is $3900, and is firm. Through a dealer. Anything I should look out for on this model car? Is this a fairly reliable car? Thanks for any advice.
  • lmurfieldlmurfield Member Posts: 4
    I had a '95 (traded it for an '02). I loved it! Only problems I had were with the fuel release door- often times it wouldn't release. Guess that's why they got rid of it! Didn't have to replace battery or tires until '01. The reason I traded it in was that I was having trouble starting it, and the dealer couldn't figure out what was wrong.
Sign In or Register to comment.

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles