IllustrationTHE STEERING COLUMN HAD BEEN SMOKING WHEN THE TURN SIGNALS WERE USED THEN ONE EVENING THE IGNITION SWITCH CAUGHT FIRE. THE WHOLE DASH AND STEERING WHEEL COLUMN, AND INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAD TO BE REPLACED. IF YOUR STEERING WHEEL SMOKES WHEN YOU USE YOUR SIGNALS HAVE IT CHECKED. *JB
1993 Pontiac Grand Prix
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1993 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: 6 of 131 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 57 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
11 crash reports8 fire reports9 injury reports
What owners actually said
131 reports1993 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX, SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. *AK
I OWN A 1993 GRAND PRIX. EVER SINCE I BOUGHT IT USED IN 2001, I HAVE HAD TO PULL THE TURNING SIGNAL MECHANISM FORWARD TO MAKE THEM OPERABLE. ABOUT A MONTH AGO, MY 19-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER WAS BORROWING THE CAR. WHEN SHE USED THE TURNING SIGNAL IT STARTED TO SMOKE. THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN CAUGHT FIRE AND FLAMES SHOT UP THROUGH THE …
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I OWN A 1993 GRAND PRIX. EVER SINCE I BOUGHT IT USED IN 2001, I HAVE HAD TO PULL THE TURNING SIGNAL MECHANISM FORWARD TO MAKE THEM OPERABLE. ABOUT A MONTH AGO, MY 19-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER WAS BORROWING THE CAR. WHEN SHE USED THE TURNING SIGNAL IT STARTED TO SMOKE. THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN CAUGHT FIRE AND FLAMES SHOT UP THROUGH THE VENTS IN THE CAR. FORTUNATELY, SHE WAS CLOSE TO HOME SO WE COULD EXTINGUISH IT WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY. I HAVE SINCE HEARD OF VARIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS MODEL. I FRIEND REPORTED THAT HER 1993 GRAND PRIXS TURNING SIGNALS WERE SMOKING BEFORE SHE TRADED IT IN. I HAVE CONTACTED GMS LITIGATION DEPARTMENT. THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN INVESTIGATING THE PROBLEM ANY FURTHER. THEY TOLD ME BECAUSE OF THE HIGH MILES AND BECAUSE I WAS THE SECOND OWNER OF THE CAR THEY CANNOT MAKE A DETERMINATION. I HAVE ONLY LOST A CAR, WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE, IT IS MY HOPE IN CONTACTING THIS OFFICE THAT A LIFE WILL NOT BE LOST DUE TO WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE A SAFETY DEFECT IN GM S PRODUCT.
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT WITH IT'S REAR CRADLE BOLTS AS STATED IN RECALL # 97 V 058 000. THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *NLM
I OWN A 1993 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX THAT I PURCHASED USED IN 1998. 2 YEARS AGO, OCCASSIONALLY SMOKE STARTED TO COME OUT OF THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN I WOULD START THE CAR, FEARING IT WOULD CATCH ON FIRE, I WOULD ONLY DRIVE IT WHEN I REALLY HAD TO. I HAVE TALKED TO PONTIAC AND THEY SAID MORE COMPLAINTS WOULD HAVE TO COME IN FOR THEM TO…
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I OWN A 1993 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX THAT I PURCHASED USED IN 1998. 2 YEARS AGO, OCCASSIONALLY SMOKE STARTED TO COME OUT OF THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN I WOULD START THE CAR, FEARING IT WOULD CATCH ON FIRE, I WOULD ONLY DRIVE IT WHEN I REALLY HAD TO. I HAVE TALKED TO PONTIAC AND THEY SAID MORE COMPLAINTS WOULD HAVE TO COME IN FOR THEM TO DO ANYTHING. MY FATHER-IN-LAW BOUGHT A 2000 GRAND PRIX AND LAST WEEK IT DID THE SAME THING. CAN WE GET A RECALL ON THIS?
AFTER CONSUMER STARTED THEIR VEHICLE, PUT VEHICLE IN DRIVE GEAR IT ACCELERATED AT A SPEED OF 70 MPH WITHOUT CONSUMER APPLYING GAS. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS
WHILE DRIVING REAR BRAKES WENT OUT CAUSING CONSUMER TO PULL THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, AND IT WILL BE HARD TO STOP VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
WHEN STOPPED, IN NEUTRAL OR REVERSE VEHICLE WILL MOVE FORWARD, VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN EXAMINED BY DEALER.*AK VEHICLE HAS BEEN FIXED AT OWNERS EXPENSE. *JG
CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, THE BRAKES LOCKED UP ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT, VEHICLE SKIDDED TO A STOP.*JB
I AM SHOCKED AT THE PROBLEMS I HAVE ENCOUNTERED WITH MY GRAND PRIX, BRAKE FAILURE. *AK
Official recalls
193V035000 · Seats
Mar 9, 1993
THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER FRONT SEAT MANUAL RECLINING MECHANISMS DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 207, "SEATING SYSTEMS." THE SEAT BACK MECHANISMS WILL NOT LATCH UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE SEATS MAY RECLINE WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, RESULTINGIN A HAZARD TO SEAT OCCUPANTS AND POSSIBLE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.
Remedy: REPLACE THE MANUAL SEAT RECLINER MECHANISM WITH A MECHANISM THAT COMPLIES WITH FMVSS 207.
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
1PE94063 · 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