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Pontiac Grand Am Starting/Stalling Problems

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Comments

  • plumcrazy72plumcrazy72 Member Posts: 4
    my 04 grandam won't start. can't get it to crank at all. the battery is good, i swapped the relays and i can make the starter turn with a screwdriver. but when i turn the key, nothing. not even a click.
  • ramareno1983ramareno1983 Member Posts: 2
    You need too check the key switch and theses cars are known for problems with steering column especially if it has tilt wheel try moving tilt around while turning key hope this may help also try starting car in neutral
    RamaReno1983 :)
  • amccormick1386amccormick1386 Member Posts: 2
  • amccormick1386amccormick1386 Member Posts: 2
    My dad's 2004 Grand Am occasionally will have an issue where it just won't start. Fuel pump & filter were replaced 6 months ago to correct the problem when it first occured. A few months back after it did it again a mechanic had him replace the fuel pump relay fuse and it did the trick. Now its not starting and replaced fuse and it works intermittently.

    Maybe its not a fuse afterall? Something else?
  • ggj411ggj411 Member Posts: 1
    Just wanted to give other grand am drivers some hope. Out of the blue my 2002 grand am stalled one day then restarted right away. A few days later it just wouldn't start. After taking it to one mechanic costing 400 he just said I don't know what is wrong so it was sent to the gm dealership. There they replaced the battery, although I don't think there was anything wrong with it, that didn't work so the next thing you know they say it's the ignition switch and relay. Meanwhile, there is a service engine light on, abs and brake light and trac light on. No answer to why that was so, anyway that was all replaced for about 600. I didn't have any issues for about 2 weeks until I take a road trip and while stopped in a road construction zone, the car just stalled, and each time I started it as soon as I put it in gear it stalled. It did this 3 times. Finally I got it running and got off the express way and went to an auto parts store. They checked the lights and said there were no codes, then the car just stalled. It took about 30 mins before it would start again. I found a mechanic in Brazil Indiana, McCullough's Automotive Care Specialists, they put it on a machine and found a code that said it was caused by the Body Control Module. Although this cost another $491, this was money well worth spent, all the lights are now off on the dash, and the car does not stall out anymore!
  • rick2165rick2165 Member Posts: 4
    2003 Grand Am GT1... I replaced the key cylinder, fix the issue for 2 days. The new cylinder locked up like the old one. Seems that the steering not locking must be related. Since the new cylinder requires damaging to remove, I am hesitant to install another cylinder until identifying the real root cause of the issue. Anyone have any ideas?
  • ramareno1983ramareno1983 Member Posts: 2
    Rick did you try cutting a new factory key not a cheap key from wal mart a numbered key laser cut from factory specs by local locksmith had this problem with a toyota before Good luck let me know :)
  • rick2165rick2165 Member Posts: 4
    I tried both keys I had for the original lock cylinder, then replaced with a new lock cylinder. After 2 days, the keys for the new cylinder would not turn. These keys were new. I am thinking that the fact the steering will not lock is a clue. I have read several posts describing this same situation (key won't turn, steering won't lock), but can't find what the eventual solution was. I found a post yesterday of a person that had the same issue a couple days after replacing the cylinder (as I am having). I have another new cylinder, don't want to install it until I understand the problem because if it happens again, I will have to destroy another new $170 cylinder.
  • abixbyabixby Member Posts: 1
    I drive a 2004 Grand AM. I am having starting issues. Went thru the changing of the ignition switch. Relearning the new keys. On a cold start the engine will crank but will not fire. I can disconnect the battery momentarily then the car will start. It will continue to start as long as I restart it with in a 2 hour window. if it sits for longer it will not start. it sounds like a relay sticking issue an I on the right track?
  • chris345chris345 Member Posts: 1
    My 2002 Grand am GT 3.4l has been nothin but a problem. After buying it the head gasket went (i replaced it), then I've had the security issues eveyone else has delt with, and on top of the security issues after driving the car i would go to a store shut the car off go shopping then try to start the car and it will trun over but not start after leaving the car for a few hours it will start(note i just replaced fuel pump and had the security issues delt with) the car will try to start with starting fluid and most of the time it start from a cold start. I just started the car let it run till it got up to temp. shut it off and tried to start it and it will just trun over. Also sometimes when driving the car and i'm at a stop sign it will idle to 1000rpms and drop to almost stalling. Can anyone put me in the right direction. :lemon:
  • kimijokimijo Member Posts: 3
    These are great cars! The only thing is a lot of mechanics dont know the ins and outs. They are not their cars so they dont care. I have had problems with mine as well. I have a new ignition switch, alternator, battery etc. After the auto parts person said the ignition switch was so complicated i needed a professional. I went home and changed it.Get a manual, search the internet then fix your own car.
  • fontino2010fontino2010 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2001 grand am se 3.4 v6, car has high kilometers 295.000, the issue I'm having is that when I go to start the car sometimes it will start right away no problem but once its at full running temp it cranks over a lot before starting, the fuel pump always turns on so its getting fuel and when that happens after it cranking a lot before starting u smell gas, I live in winnipeg canada so over night in -25 weather starts fine in morning but once warm it cranks a lot and when fired I smell gas, I've changed the plugs and fuel filter but engine light is on and reads catalyst system, could it be cause the catalyc converter is clogged?? Cause it does idle kind of rough when started and seems to be over fuelling itself upon cranking hence the gas smell any help would be great ???? Thank you
  • lumtaylorlumtaylor Member Posts: 2
  • lumtaylorlumtaylor Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2000 Pontiac Grand Am GT that has been sitting unused in my driveway for most of this past winter, I replaced the back tires yesterday and went to jump the car (as it was obviously dead from sitting around for so long) after a bit I tried to start the car, giving it gas, etc. It chugged a bit and eventually there was a popping sound and a bit of smoke/steam/something I have no idea ghosted up out of my open hood.

    After this it got worse, with the battery still hooked up to jumper cables, after several attempts at starting, the car began trying to start itself, and opened the trunk by itself, even with the key out of the ignition. When the jumper cables are removed, even after 20+ minutes of charging off another car, all power in the Grand Am dies instantly, so I guess the battery isn't holding charge.

    I have no idea what this is, and really don't want to tow the thing (I'll probably have to tow the thing) haven't been able to find any answers to this problem anywhere on the internet, anybody help me?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    You really can't diagnose anything until you get a fresh battery in there--your car's various computers will go nuts with low voltages in the electrical system.

    You can't charge up a battery in 20 minutes anyway, and it's not a good idea to jump start a completely dead battery anyway--it could explode--so either remove your battery and have it charged overnight, slowly and then load-tested, or get yourself a new battery and then take it from there.
  • anitaaanitaa Member Posts: 6
    hello my pontiac granam wouldn't start yesterday and i didnt hear fuel pump buzzing until my son hit tank several times it started drove it 2 miles came back turned it off and the same problem. what could be the problem?
  • lindaodonnelllindaodonnell Member Posts: 1
    My son has a 2005 Grand Am that developed an "intermittent starting" problem, as is being discussed in this forum. After spending over $500 in tows and repairs that didn't work, he brought the car to a mechanic who seems to have found the problem. It was a short in a wire that ran from the back of the car to the front. They had to remove both seats to fix it. The mechanic kept the car for a couple of days and kept starting and stopping it at various intervals to make sure the problem was fixed. The cost of the repair, including labor, was around $300.

    It's been eight days since the car was repaired, and so far it's been working fine.
  • K_D_RK_D_R Member Posts: 2
    10 years since the last post was here, but Grand Ams are still on the road and I own one, 2002 V6 3.4L Ram air Edition with 170k miles on it. Car has ran great for the 3 years I've had it. But these last few months I have ran into a major problem, this winter the car stalled in the driveway when my brother tried to use it, brake pedal was stiff, starter wouldn't make any sound yet the lights and dash would light up. The starter had gone bad, got that replaced for ~$500 and it ran great for 3 months. Now last night I am out delivering pizzas, (for pizza hut) I park the car, turn it off and give the customer their order. I go to leave, the car starts no problem, there is a empty driveway to the left of where I'm parked, so I go ahead and attempt a 3 point turn, I pull up and put it straight from drive into reverse without fully stopping, then the car locks up again, no weird sounds from the engine, it just stops. Now I was able to get back and go home. There are multiple possibilities of what caused that, is it a sign that my fuel pump is starting to go bad? Is it the battery dying and the alternator working harder?
  • thecardoc3thecardoc3 Member Posts: 5,737
    K_D_R said:

    I pull up and put it straight from drive into reverse without fully stopping, then the car locks up again, no weird sounds from the engine, it just stops. Now I was able to get back and go home. There are multiple possibilities of what caused that, is it a sign that my fuel pump is starting to go bad? Is it the battery dying and the alternator working harder?

    I'm not sure what you mean by "Now I was able to get back and go home". Did the engine stall during the K-turn and you were able to restart it with no other issues? There is no way to know for certain why that happened just from the description. Possible causes of a similar symptom would be a dirty throttle plate, or a momentary loss of a critical sensor signal. Someone will have to test and prove what is going on if it happens more frequently.


  • K_D_RK_D_R Member Posts: 2
    I was able to restart with no issues, though the warning sound came on, that is what I'm wondering about, and the service engine soon light is on. This morning I had it looked at with a error code reader and the most notable error code is P0420 for the catalyst system.

    I was also asked if it had ever reached or gone above 200, it never has reached that it tends to hang around 100-150.

    Another thing to note is that the power steering has looses it's fluid over time and the power steering pump whines when it's levels are low, I doubt that issue has anything to do with my current issue, thought I would put that in for context with my car's current state.
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