The 1997 Pontiac Grand Am is a compact car that came with a choice of 2.4L 4-cyl and 3.1L 6-cyl engines. At 29 years old, many are reaching the point where repairs cost more than the car is worth. Running or not, we'll make you an offer and tow it away for free.
| Body style | Compact Cars |
|---|---|
| Engines | 2.4L 4-cyl, 3.1L 6-cyl |
| Transmissions | Automatic 4-spd, Manual 5-spd |
| Drive | Front-Wheel Drive |
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
| Fuel economy | 18–20 city / 27–30 highway / 21–23 combined MPG |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $2,900–$3,200 a year (EPA estimate at current fuel prices, 15,000 miles) |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 386–423 grams per mile |
| Versions tested by EPA | 3 configurations |
| Age | 29 years |
Specs, fuel cost and emissions from the EPA's fueleconomy.gov data. Your car's exact equipment may differ.
NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls covering the 1997 Pontiac Grand Am. Open recalls don't stop you from selling or junking the car, but check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which apply to yours.
On certain passenger vehicles. If the engine fails to start and the driver holds the key in the "start" position for an extended period, high current flows through the ignition switch, and sometimes produces enough heat to melt internal switch parts.
Risk: If the switch is damaged, a fire could occur in the steering column, even with the engine off and the key removed.
The protective cover for the underhood fuse center was omitted. Without this cover, the positive terminal bolt on the fuse block is exposed and can contact the insulated negative battery cable. If the insulation on the negative cable becomes sufficiently worn, an electrical short circuit can occur between the positive terminal and…
Risk: This high current flow can cause arcing and result in an underhood fire.
Owners have filed 383 complaints about the 1997 Pontiac Grand Am with NHTSA. 32 reports involved a crash and 12 reports involved a fire. Owners reported 36 injuries.
Complaints are reports from owners and aren't verified by NHTSA. One complaint can list several components. Mileage is the median odometer reading owners reported for that component.
Manufacturers have filed 67 technical service bulletins and communications with NHTSA covering the 1997 Pontiac Grand Am. These are repair instructions for known issues, not recalls.
This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tes
This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tes
This informational bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Procedures to Unlock Delco Radio with Theftlock.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get t
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins).
NHTSA opened 2 defect investigations covering the 1997 Pontiac Grand Am.
Power rack and pinion steering failure
Gm conducted a safety recall (NHTSA # 02v286) to address a steering defect pertaining to a lower pinion bearing (lpb) within the rack and pinion steering gear (r&p). The recall covered 1,159,156 model year 1997-1998 Pontiac grand prix vehicles built between march 1, 1996 and october 31, 1997, 1996-1998 Pontiac trans sp
Oversensitive air bag deployments
On june 26, 1998, general motors begain a safety recall, 98v-146, to recalibrate the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (sdm) in the 1996 and some 1997 j body cars, cavalier and sunfire.due to certain calibrations in the air bag sdm, there is an increased risk of inadvertent air bag deployment in a low speed crash o
‹ Sell a 1996 Grand Am · Sell a 1998 Grand Am › · All Pontiac Grand Am years
It depends on its condition, whether major parts like the engine, transmission and catalytic converter are still there, and current scrap and parts prices where you live. Its parts make up much of its value. Enter your ZIP code above for a free offer on your specific car.
Yes. We buy 1997 Grand Ams that don't start, were in an accident, failed inspection or have a blown engine or transmission. Towing is always free.
Yes. Open recalls don't prevent a junk sale. NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 1997 Pontiac Grand Am; you can check whether any are still open on yours with the VIN lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Usually the title and a photo ID. Rules differ by state, including what to do with your plates and whether to file a notice of sale. Check our state-by-state car title guides for the official forms.
Data retrieved October 2026.
Get a free offer in minutes. Towing is always free and you get paid at pickup.