Is the 2004 Pontiac Grand Am a bad year?
293 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Grand Am years.
Keep it. You picked a good year.
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2004 Pontiac Grand Am are in line with other Grand Am years. Electrical system and exterior lighting stand out for this year: see below.
2th quietest of 6 Grand Am years by owner complaints (years with 7+ years on the road).
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2004 Grand Am owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 92,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical systemSTANDS OUT | 140 (48%) | 58k–130k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Exterior lightingSTANDS OUT | 53 (18%) | 50k–100k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Engine | 27 (9%) | 62k–121k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Air bags | 21 (7%) | 29k–131k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Body structure | 20 (7%) | 36k–100k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Brakes | 19 (6%) | 15k–100k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Steering | 15 (5%) | 32k–111k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Fuel system | 14 (5%) | 47k–121k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Visibility and wipers | 9 (3%) | 56k–121k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Speed control | 18 (6%) | 25k–89k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 11 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Stability control | 7 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Suspension | 7 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Tires | 6 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 92,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 293 complaints: 24 mention a crash · 7 mention a fire · 12 report an injury · 3 say the car was towed.
No complaints in the last 12 months; the newest was filed in Nov 2021.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
On several occasions the ignition switch failed to turn, which locked up the steering column, many times the key would not release from the ignition switch, therefore it would not turn off.
Regular occurrences started at 120k miles, these are all issues which previously complaints have been filed by current 2004 grand am owners but have not been corrected and I have called every 6 months filing these complaints.
Was driving normally down road on way to work. Approached intersection and depressed clutch to down shift and apply brake to stop vehicle.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 92,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2004 Pontiac Grand Am: 4
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine. If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." These lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors. Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
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 o'ring and retainer. Fuel may leak, possibly resulting in a fire.
Certain passenger vehicles may have been built with a fuel tank that does not meet specification. A weld on these fuel tanks may be insufficient, resulting in a fuel leak. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Pontiac: 122
Repair instructions Pontiac sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2004 Pontiac Grand Am. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Rough idle, Crank no start, extended crank or misfire, MIL with DTCs, and explains how Top Tier fuels should be used to reduce carbon build-up
Guidelines to replace Oil Cooler, Oil Cooler Lines and Oil Tank if the engine was replaced where large amounts of debris has flowed throughout the oiling system
Proper way to install the pistons in an engine
Will need to be provided to TAC to aid in diagnosing if a vehicle comes in with misfire and DTC Codes P0300 - P0308 and/or P050D
Neighbouring years
2003 Grand Am: 325 complaints, keep it · 2005 Grand Am: 102 complaints, keep it.
Every Pontiac Grand Am year
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · All Grand Am years side by side
Other Pontiac models: Pontiac Aztek · Pontiac Bonneville · Pontiac G5 · Pontiac G6 · Pontiac G8 · Pontiac GTO · Pontiac Grand Prix · Pontiac Montana · Pontiac Solstice · Pontiac Sunfire · Pontiac Torrent · Pontiac Vibe. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2004 Pontiac Grand Am a bad year?
293 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Grand Am years. At 92,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Pontiac Grand Am?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: electrical system (140), exterior lighting (53), engine (27), air bags (21), body structure (20).
How many recalls does the 2004 Pontiac Grand Am have?
4 recall campaigns list this model year: Electrical system (NHTSA 14V-400), Exterior lighting (NHTSA 09E012000), Fuel system (NHTSA 07E021000), Fuel system (NHTSA 04V-301). A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.