IllustrationPUFFS OF SMOKE EMIT FROM STEERING COLUMN RANDOMLY. *AK
1991 Pontiac Grand Prix
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1991 Pontiac Grand Prix do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 88.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Grand Prix years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 9 of 172 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 76 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports4 fire reports6 injury reports
What owners actually said
172 reportsTHE CRADLE BOLTS DETERIORATED CAUSING THE ENGINE TO DROP DOWN AND THE STEERING WHEEL TO LEAN. *MJS
WHILE DRIVING DURING DAY TIME VEHICLE WAS FINE. BUT, AT NIGHT NOTICED VEHICLE WOULD IDLE HIGH & START TO OVERHEAT. VEHICLE WOULD STUTTER LIKE IT WAS STALLING. APPLIED BRAKES & VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. ALSO, SMOKE WOULD BE COMING INSIDE OF VEHICLE FROM UNDER HOOD. PROBLEMS WERE INTERMITTENT. *AK
POWER STEERING FLUID IS LEAKING. *SLC
I ENTERED MY AUTO ON THE EVENING OF 10/4/00 AT 8:10PM AND TURNED KEY TO START. I DID NOT AT ANY TIME DEPRESS GAS PEDAL. AFTER ENGINE STARTED, I ALLOWED RPM'S TO SETTTLE DOWN AND PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. PUT TRANSMISSION IN "REVERSE" AND LET UP ON THE BRAKE. THE IMMEDIATELY STARTED MOVING IN REVERSE IN AN UNCONTROLLED ACCELE…
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I ENTERED MY AUTO ON THE EVENING OF 10/4/00 AT 8:10PM AND TURNED KEY TO START. I DID NOT AT ANY TIME DEPRESS GAS PEDAL. AFTER ENGINE STARTED, I ALLOWED RPM'S TO SETTTLE DOWN AND PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. PUT TRANSMISSION IN "REVERSE" AND LET UP ON THE BRAKE. THE IMMEDIATELY STARTED MOVING IN REVERSE IN AN UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION (S?). I SET MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. THE BRAKE PEDAL DID NOT MOVE. THE CAR KEPT SPEEDING UP UNTIL IT HIT A TREE, BROADSIDE. THE TOTAL DISTANCE WAS ABOUT 20-25 FEET, BUT THE CAR WAS "TOTALLED." THIS IS THE 2ND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED, EXCEPT ON THE PREVIOUS OCCASION, THE AUTO STOPPED IN ABOUT 3 FEET. TWO TIMES SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THE AUTO, I HAVE HAD TO STOP SUDDENLY AND, IT SEEMED TO ME, THAT THE BRAKES WORKED THE WAY ABS BRAKES ARE SUPPOSE TO, BUT I'M NOT SURE. A WITNESS WHO SAW THE ACCIDENT ESTIMATED THAT THE AUTOMOBILE WAS RACING IN REVERSE ABOUT 20-30 MPH,BEFORE IT STRUCK THE TREE, BUT ONLY A GUESS. (DOT NUMBER: N/A TIRESIZE: N/A)
EA#00-011; ENGINE CRADLE HAD SEPARATED, BOTH FRONT ENGINE CRADLE BOLTS HAD PULLED THROUGH THE RETAINERS DUE TO CORROSION. CONSUMER HAD LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE.*AK
THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN LISTED AS A COMMON PROBLEM ON CARPOINT.COM. HERE IS THE URL FOR THAT PROBLEM HTTP://CARPOINT.MSN.COM/VIP/USEDSINGLEYEAR/PONTIAC/GRAND%20PRIX/1991.ASP#ENGINE THE OTHER PROBLEMS LISTED HAVE ALSO OCCURRED WITH THE CAR. IT FIRST APPEARED ON JUNE 24 1997 AND THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT 20 MPH. THERE IS A COMPLET…
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THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN LISTED AS A COMMON PROBLEM ON CARPOINT.COM. HERE IS THE URL FOR THAT PROBLEM HTTP://CARPOINT.MSN.COM/VIP/USEDSINGLEYEAR/PONTIAC/GRAND%20PRIX/1991.ASP#ENGINE THE OTHER PROBLEMS LISTED HAVE ALSO OCCURRED WITH THE CAR. IT FIRST APPEARED ON JUNE 24 1997 AND THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT 20 MPH. THERE IS A COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKING DUE TO THIS. IT HAPPENS WITH LITTLE OR NO WARNING AT ALL. THE BRAKES ON THE CAR HAVE LESS THAN 20,000 MILES ON THEM. I WILL BE SENDING A LETTER TO PONTIAC AND GM WITHING 1 DAY.
WHILE TRAVELING AND WHEN DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL VEHICLE WOULD CONTINUE TO TRAVEL, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
REAR BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON AFTER RELEASING BRAKE PEDAL. CAR WAS DROPPED OFF AT PALM PONTIAC SERVICE DEPARTMENT A TOTAL OF 9 TIMES FROM 11/4/99 TO 7/24/00. THE REPAIRS PERFORMED ON THSES 9 VISITS INCLUDED REPLACING ABS BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER, REPLACING BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, ADJUSTING BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH AND ADJUSTING BRAKE PEDAL. PR…
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REAR BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON AFTER RELEASING BRAKE PEDAL. CAR WAS DROPPED OFF AT PALM PONTIAC SERVICE DEPARTMENT A TOTAL OF 9 TIMES FROM 11/4/99 TO 7/24/00. THE REPAIRS PERFORMED ON THSES 9 VISITS INCLUDED REPLACING ABS BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER, REPLACING BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, ADJUSTING BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH AND ADJUSTING BRAKE PEDAL. PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS AS OF 9/5/00 WHEN I CONTACTED WAYNE TURNER, SERVICE DIRECTOR AT PALM PONTIAC AND HE ADVICED ME TO CONTACT PONTIAC CUSTOMER SERVICE. I CALLED PONTIAC CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT !-800-762--2737 AND SPOKE TO PATRICK CLEMMINS. HE GAVE ME A REQUEST # C01463354 AND SEND HE WOULD CHECK WITH HIS SUPERIOR AND CALL ME BACK.
THE ENGINE CRADLE SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE RESULTING IN A COLLSION. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO THE VIN. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DISQUALIFIED DUE TO THE VIN #, IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA THE VEHICLE WAS SOLD WHEN NE…
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THE ENGINE CRADLE SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE RESULTING IN A COLLSION. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO THE VIN. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DISQUALIFIED DUE TO THE VIN #, IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA THE VEHICLE WAS SOLD WHEN NEW. *YH
Official recalls
400V189000 · Structure
Jul 11, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, WHERE ROAD SALT USE IS HEAVY. A CONDITION WHERE ONE OR BOTH FRONT ENGINE CRADLE BOLTS CAN PULL THROUGH THE RETAINERS DUE TO CORROSION OF THE RETAINERS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF BOTH BOLTS PULL THROUGH, THE FRONT OF THE CRADLE WOULD NO LONGER BE SUPPORTED AT THE MOUNTING LOCATIONS AND THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT COULD SEPARATE FROM THE STEERING GEAR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT AND REAR FRAME/CRADLE BOLTS AND RETAINERS.
97V058000 · Structure
Apr 8, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES AND MINI VANS ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: CONNECTICUT, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MAINE, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT AND WISCONSIN. THE REAR CRADLE BOLTS PULL THROUGH THE RETAINERS DUE TO CORROSION OF THE RETAINER. IF BOTH BOLTS PULL THROUGH, THE REAR CRADLE WOULD NOT LONGER BE SUPPORTED AT THESE MOUNTING LOCATIONS AND THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT CAN SEPARATE FROM THE STEERING GEAR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD RESULT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR CRADLE BOLTS AND RETAINERS.
92V182000 · Electrical System:wiring:fuses And Circuit Breakers
Dec 15, 1992
THE FOG LAMPS, LOW BEAM HEADLAMPS, AND HIGH BEAM HEADLAMPS CAN BE OPERATED SIMULTANEOUSLY. THIS CAN CAUSE THE HEADLAMP CIRCUIT BREAKER TO OVERLOAD AND TRIP, RESULTING IN LOSS OF HEADLAMPS (LOW AND HIGH BEAM) AND FOG LIGHTS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: LOSS OF HEADLAMPS WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING REDUCES DRIVERVISIBILITY IN INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS OR AT NIGHT, AND COULD RESULT IN AVEHICLE ACCIDENT. IN ADDITION, THE USE OF MORE THAN FOUR (4) WHITE LIGHTS ON AVEHICLE AT THE SAME TIME VIOLATES THE LAW IN SOME STATES.
Remedy: INSTALL NEW FOG LAMP RELAYS, NEW CIRCUIT BREAKERS AND NEW CIRCUIT BREAKER TERMINALS. ALSO, MODIFY THE LIGHTING CIRCUIT TO PREVENT THE FOG LAMPS AND HIGH BEAM LAMPS FROM OPERATING SIMULTANEOUSLY.
92V003000 · Seat Belts
Jan 10, 1992
THE FRONT DOOR SHOULDER BELT GUIDE LOOPS MAY BE CRACKED AND ARE NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH FMVSS 208.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE SEAT OCCUPANT FACES INCREASED RISK OF INJURY IN THEEVENT OF A SUDDEN STOP OR ACCIDENT.
Remedy: INSTALL REINFORCING PLATES ON THE CRACKED SHOULDER BELT GUIDES.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
7RP01001 · Structure
Opened Nov 28, 2001 · Closed Jun 13, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure
There is no summary currently available
EA00011 · Engine Cradle Separation
Opened Apr 10, 2000 · Closed Jan 12, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
THE ENGINE CRADLE FRONT BOLTS AND/OR RETAINERS MAY FAIL, ALLOWING THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE CRADLE TO FALL, POSSIBLY SEPARATING THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT FROM THE STEERING GEAR, WITH COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL
RQ97017 · Cradle Bolt Failures
Opened Oct 2, 1997 · No close date supplied
Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Structure
There is no summary currently available
PE94063 · Corroded Rear Disk Brakes
Opened Aug 12, 1994 · Closed Dec 21, 1994
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
There is no summary currently available
EA92024 · Sticking Throttle
Opened Jun 26, 1992 · Closed Jan 31, 1994
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available
EA91049 · Jack Failure
Opened Nov 26, 1991 · Closed Oct 28, 1992
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Equipment
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PE91072 · Steering Wheel Separation
Opened May 1, 1991 · Closed Jul 8, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
There is no summary currently available