PontiacGrand Am1999Overview/pontiac/grand-am/1999/base/

1999 Pontiac Grand Am

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1999 Grand Am.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 1999 Pontiac Grand Am is a passenger‑car model that requires 4.5 quarts of 5W‑30 API engine oil. It was subject to six recalls and its most reported problem area is the service brakes, hydraulic system. Across the 1990‑2005 span, the 1999 year recorded the highest owner‑complaint total at 909, far above the 56 complaints logged for the 1990 model. That peak places the 1999 Grand Am at the top of the model’s complaint curve, signaling a notably higher incidence of reported issues for this model year.

Model year200520042003200220012000199919981997

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 75 · 600 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731175. Note the factory fuel filter and front wiper blades are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 75 · 600 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnTAILOEM · verified
Tire sizeSE, SE1:P215-60R15OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter12731175 alt 12731172
Engine air filter25161977
Fuel filter25121293 discontinued
Spark plug19301813 alt 19301811
Front wiper blades22711468 discontinued · alt 22711469
Serpentine belt12588408 alt 88984195
Thermostat24507563 alt 24577288

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length186.2 in
Overall width70.5 in
Overall height55.1 in
Wheelbase106.7 in
Curb weight3049 lb
Track (front / rear)59.1 / 59.1 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)64/36

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Grand Am of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.7 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.70 sec — 1999 GT Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1999GT Sedan 3.4L V67.70 sec15.90 sec175 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts129 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts76 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts18 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts9.6 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine BoltsUpper: 18 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts12 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs

Ignition

Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance5,000-8,000 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance5000-7000 ohms
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Type41-942
Spark Plug Gap0.050 in
Spark Plug Torque13.0 ft-lbs
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap0.060 in

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.75 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity9.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number75
Standard BCI Cranking Performance600 cca
Standard BCI Group Number75

Service checks

Pressure Test15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature195 °F
Pressure Test15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature185-205 °F
Fuel Pump Pressure Minimumw/EGR: 47.0, w/out EGR: 58.0 psi
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)w/EGR: 40-47.0, w/out EGR: 52-58.0

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Torque Caliper to Bracket81 ft-lbs / 85 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle85 ft-lbs / 100 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.001 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0015 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.433 in / 1.031 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages
1Bolts 1-840 ft. lbs
2Bolts 9-1030 ft. lbs
390 degrees.90 degrees
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages
144 ft. lbs.44 ft. lbs
295 degrees.95 degrees

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miBrake System (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate) · Shift Linkage (inspect) · Steering Linkage (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel System (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect)
Every 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · EGR System (inspect)
Every 100,000 miSpark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1999 Pontiac Grand Am represents the peak of consumer complaints for this generation, recording 909 reports—a sharp increase from the 184 complaints seen in 1998. For the 1999 model year, the federal record shows 6 recalls, 3 investigations, and 162 Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs). The most frequent complaints centered on hydraulic service brakes (147), engine and engine cooling (92), electrical systems (77), and suspension (75), although the data does not specify the root causes for these failures. Additionally, the target year recorded 76 crash-related complaints and 13 fire-related complaints. While total complaints began a downward trend in the following years, starting with 703 in 2000, 1999 remains the most problematic year in the provided dataset. Given this spike in reported issues, this is not a good year to buy.

6
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
162
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
3
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
909
Owner complaints
76 involved a crash · 13 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 909 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic147
Engine & Engine Cooling92
Electrical System77
Suspension75
Visibility61
Air Bags59
Exterior Lighting56
Steering33

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 6 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

14V400000Electrical System:IgnitionReported 03/07/2014

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… Remedy: 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…

09E012000Exterior LightingReported 07/04/2009

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… Remedy: 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…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 162 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
17-NA-0732023-02-21EquipmentThis warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action…
PIP4723F2022-01-14Service Brakes, HydraulicThis Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
PIP4723D2020-01-31Electrical SystemThis Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
19NA2732019-12-02Electrical SystemThis informational bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Procedures to…
PIC4696E2019-11-22EquipmentThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Grand Am. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1999 Grand Am take?

4.5 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1999 Grand Am have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.