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1988 Pontiac Grand Am

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1988 Grand Am.

The 1988 Pontiac Grand Am was a compact sedan that required 4 quarts of oil with a recommended viscosity of 10W-30 or 5W-30, and among the 35 owner complaints recorded for this model year—the lowest in the model's tracked history spanning 1990 to 2005—the Engine & Engine Cooling system represented the most frequently cited issue area, alongside three separate recalls, suggesting that while this particular model year performed comparatively well in terms of reliability relative to later iterations that would peak at 909 complaints in 1999, it nonetheless exhibited the engine-related teething problems that would become a signature concern for the platform throughout its production run.

Model year2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1988

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-30OEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 12737092. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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.

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	12737092 alt 12731175
Engine air filter	25096763 alt 25040881
Fuel filter	25171792 discontinued
Spark plug	19302733 alt 05614046
Front wiper blades	22155381
Serpentine belt	88984195 alt 11502376
Thermostat	10192505 alt 22545290

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	177.6 in
Overall width	66.5 in
Overall height	52.4 in
Wheelbase	103.5 in
Curb weight	2493 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)	65/35

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.

8.6–11.0 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.60 sec — 1996 SE Sedan

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1980	Coupe 4.9L V8	11.00 sec	18.10 sec	145 hp	RWD
1996	SE Sedan 2.4L I-4	8.60 sec	16.50 sec	150 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-30 engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity	4 qt
Engine Oil	10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity	4 qt
Power Steering Fluid	USE GM PART NO. 1050017 OR EQUIVALENT

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 3,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 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 3,000 mi	Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
At 7,500 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	Distributor Cap (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Ignition Timing (inspect)
Every 100,000 mi	Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)

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 provided federal year-by-year record does not include 1988; it begins in 1990, so direct numerical comparison of the 1988 Pontiac Grand Am against adjacent model years is not possible from this dataset. Across the 1990–2005 generation arc, complaints trended upward from 56 in 1990 to a peak of 488 in 1996, fell to 184 in 1998, then spiked to 909 in 1999 before declining to 102 by 2005, while TSBs climbed steadily from 1 to 499 and recalls peaked at 8 in 2000. Because 1988 predates this documented trajectory, it sits outside the escalating complaint pattern that defines the later years. The 1988-specific data that is available shows modest complaint volume: 13 engine/cooling reports, 6 seat belt, 4 steering, 3 vehicle speed control, 3 crash-related, and 2 fire-related complaints, with no recalls, investigations, or TSB counts provided for that year. The data does not specify root causes for these complaints. Given the limited but relatively low complaint counts and its position before the generation's documented reliability decline, 1988 appears to be a comparatively reasonable year to consider, provided a thorough pre-purchase inspection confirms the condition of the engine, seat belts, and steering systems.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

3 involved a crash · 2 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 35 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling13

Seat Belts6

Steering4

Vehicle Speed Control3

Electrical System2

Steering,Structure1

Fuel System, Other1

Suspension1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

06E043000Fuel System, GasolineReported 19/05/2006

CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18… Remedy: HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION…

90V042000Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And FittingsReported 05/03/1990

FRONT FUEL FEED HOSE ASSEMBLY COULD CRACK OR SEPARATE AT THE COUPLING ON THE ENGINE END OF THE HOSE ASSEMBLY, ALLOWING FUEL TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. Remedy: REPLACE FRONT FUEL FEED HOSE ASSEMBLY.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 3 of 3 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
000524001	2000-04-01	Service Brakes, Hydraulic	INFORMATION REGARDING SNOW INTRUSION INTO REAR DRUM BRAKE ASSEMBLIES. **MR
476147A	1995-01-01	Engine And Engine Cooling	RATTLING NOISE/ENGINE OVERHEATING. *TW
476147	1994-12-01	Engine And Engine Cooling	RATTLING NOISE/ENGINE OVERHEATING. *TW

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.

Vehicles taking 4 qt Engine oil filter 12737092 Engine air filter 25096763 Fuel filter 25171792 Spark plug 19302733

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1988 Grand Am take?

4 qt of ABOVE 40 degrees F: 30, ABOVE 0 degrees F: 10W-30, BELOW 60 degrees F: 5W-30, per the factory manual.

Does the 1988 Grand Am have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.