1999 Pontiac Grand Am Problems: 1 Issues Every Owner Should Know
1999 model year · NHTSA recalls, manufacturer TSBs, and owner forum reports · Updated May 2026
According to Au7o's research across NHTSA recalls, manufacturer TSBs, and owner forum reports, the 1999 Pontiac Grand Am has 1 documented known issues, with 1 rated critical. The most serious is Grand Am 3.4L V6 Upper/Lower Intake Gasket Failure ($500-$1,200 repair). Across all issues, repair costs range from $500 to $1,200. DIY maintenance guides at au7o.io.
All 1 Known Issues
On the 1999-2005 Pontiac Grand Am 3.4L LA1 V6, the 3.4L LA1 "3400 SFI" V6 in 1999-2005 Grand Am, Alero, Malibu, Venture, Montana, Aztek, Rendezvous, Impala has a notorious upper/lower intake gasket failure mode similar to the 3800 V6 but with a different gasket part. Coolant leaks externally (under the throttle body area), into the lifter valley, and/or onto the timing cover. Often co-fails with the plastic upper intake plenum cracking.
Common Symptoms
- coolant under intake
- coolant loss
- rough idle
- milky oil
- overheating
How to Fix
Updated Fel-Pro MS98010T LIM gasket (metal-reinforced) plus the matching UIM gasket and plenum repair/replacement. $500-$900 at independent. Replace coolant temperature sensor and thermostat at the same time. Drain Dex-Cool, switch to G-05.