1997 Pontiac Grand AM Vehicle Speed Control Problems

NHTSA component category: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL · data through 07/12/2026

24Vehicle Speed Control complaints

6.3%Of all 383 complaints

#5Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How vehicle speed control ranks on this vehicle

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP37 · 9.7%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH32 · 8.4%

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL28 · 7.3%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE26 · 6.8%

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL24 · 6.3%

Share of the 383 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1997 Pontiac Grand AM overview page.

What owners report

“WHILE TRAVELING AT SLOW SPEEDS (IN PARKING LOTS, ECT.) CAR WILL ACCELLERATE UNCONTROLLABLY. APPLYING BRAKES DOES NOT HELP, PUT IN NEUTRAL AND RPMS REV UP…”NHTSA complaint 715157 — filed 11/23/1999

“WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES. CONSUMER HAS TO HOLD FOOT ON BRAKE. ENGINE WILL RACE, AND THEN THE VEHICLE WILL SLOW DOWN…”NHTSA complaint 844274 — filed 08/04/1999

“THE ENGINE IDLES AT 2000RPM WHEN TURNED ON. THEN BRAKES HAVE TO BE APPLIED SO THAT VEHICLE DOES NOT TAKE OFF. DEALER CAN'T DUPLICATE THE…”NHTSA complaint 841865 — filed 07/08/1999

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Vehicle Speed Control complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 1997 Pontiac Grand AM have vehicle speed control problems?

Vehicle Speed Control is the #5 most-reported problem area on the 1997 Pontiac Grand AM: 24 of 383 complaints on file (6.3%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 1997 Pontiac Grand AM have in total?

383 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 32 involved a crash, 12 involved a fire, 36 reported injuries, and 3 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's vehicle speed control category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.