2005 Pontiac Grand Am Problems, Recalls & Reliability
143 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2005 Pontiac Grand Am, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 12/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 68,960 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2005 Pontiac Grand Am has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2005 sits among all Grand Am years
What owners report
“All lighting comes on but car will not start. After it has been running for a while, then it will not start”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Grand Am
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 115 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 88,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 49,000 and 117,880 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (4)
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring.…
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 9, 2014.…
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY…
Fix: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, P/NOS. FP10020-11B1, FP10026-11B1, AND FP10027-11B1, SOLD AFTER JANUARY 9, 2007, AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE UNIVERSAL PRESSURE REGULATORS (UPR) WERE PRODUCED WITHOUT AN…
Fix: DELPHI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE UPR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 23, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT DELPHI AT 877-411-8770.
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH REAR SUSPENSION KNUCKLE BOLTS THAT ARE NOT TO SPECIFICATION AND COULD FRACTURE UNDER HIGH LOADS THAT CAN OCCUR IN SOME DRIVING CONDITIONS.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH REAR SUSPENSION KNUCKLE BOLTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 9, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.
Technical service bulletins
498 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2005 Pontiac Grand Am. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2005 Grand Am TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2005 Pontiac Grand Am reliable?
The 2005 Pontiac Grand Am drew 143 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 12/100, scored against the model's worst year (1999).
What are the most common 2005 Pontiac Grand Am problems?
The top reported problems for the 2005 Pontiac Grand Am are electrical (56 complaints), fuel system (15), and engine (12).
At what mileage do 2005 Pontiac Grand Am problems show up?
Owners most often report 2005 Pontiac Grand Am problems around 88,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 49,000 and 117,880 miles.
Does the 2005 Pontiac Grand Am have recalls?
4 recall campaigns apply to the 2005 Pontiac Grand Am. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.