If your engine is not overheating then I don't think you have a problem here. If you're getting good circulation and the car is not overheating, then you are fine. The bottom hose should be warm but not hot. When you say cold, I assume you mean when compared to the top hose. The thermostat not only regulates engine temperature, it also controls the speed of the coolant through the engine. If the coolant flows too fast, it won't pick up heat as efficiently as if it were moving slower. There's a basic principle at work in your cooling system. it's that when a fluid is heated, it rises. The "cold" (I'm talking relatively here) coolant is drawn into the engine from the bottom of the radiator. When the engine heats the coolant up, it rises up and "hot" coolant goes back in the top of the radiator. As it cools, it has the tendency to sink to the bottom of the radiator and the cycle starts again. Of course this is not enough to cool an engine without a water pump, but the engineers use this principle to work with nature, not against it. What is happening is the coolant is not that hot when it enters the radiator and when it is cooled, it cools it down to the point where it is almost actually cold.
Now, if the engine is overheating, then flush the radiator, replace the thermostat, top off the system with a 50/50 mix, and bleed all air from the system.
The thermostat has not opened yet.
On the bottom corner of the radiator is drain plug. With the engine cold. remove the top radiator cap and remove the bottom drain plug. Be sure to put a large pan underneath to collect the old fluid.
I can't say for sure where it is in your particular vehicle, but usually the are on the bottom right or bottom left side of the radiator. Some are hard to see and you have to feel it out. Just be sure to do it when the engine is cold.
there should be a pitcock on bottom of radiator to drain it. or take the bottom radiator hose with motor cold of course .
Remove radiator cap (when cold), open petcock valve at bottom of radiator (usually at the driver side bottom), drain. you'll wanna flush the system with some sort of over the counter flushing agent before you refill it. instructions are on the bottle.
The thermostat has not opened yet.
That means that the radiator is stoped up with trash and engine coolant is not flowing through the radiator.
It has not had time to go through the whole radiator
try testing the battery
Thermostat failed in open position or radiator fan permanently on
* With the engine cold remove the radiator cap * Move a large container under to catch the coolant as you drain it * Drain the radiator by opening the drain plug at the bottom on the left side
there may not be one if there is is it on the bottom side and if it is not you candrain it by removing the bottom rad hose The 1999 Pontiac Grand Am does not have a radiator drain valve. To drain the radiator, remove the lower radiator hose. The engine should be cold and the water fill cap removed for venting. I have a 2000 Pontiac Grand AM and radiator drain cock is located at the lower/front (not bottom) at the curbside of the radiator, you will need a hex key to back out petcock. .