IllustrationWHILE TRAVELING AT 35 MPH, ANOTHER CAR TURNED IN FRONT OF CONSUMER'S CAR, IT HIT AND T-BONED OTHER DRIVER. UPON IMPACT, NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *AK *YD
1994 Pontiac Grand Prix
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Grand Prix years
Owner complaints for the 1994 Pontiac Grand Prix are substantially higher than 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: 10 of 213 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.
- Visibility. Review the 65 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 44 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
25 crash reports2 fire reports19 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
24 reportsI HIT A DEER AT 55MPH HOOD R FENDER HEADLIGHTS BUMPER COVER REPLACED PLUS RADIATOR. AT THIS SPEED THE AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED, HOWEVER, THEY DID NOT. *AK
TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 25-30 MPH WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLED IN FRONT SUDDENLY. SWERVED TO SIDE OF ROAD & HIT GUARDRAIL HEAD-ON. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER INJURED (BACK AND SHOULDER). *AK
AIR BAG SENOR LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER SHOP, WAS INFORMED THAT THE MODULE WAS DEFECTIVE AND THE AIR BAG WOULD NOT WORK.THIS WAS ON 10-JUL-98; ON THE 11-JUL-98, CONSUMER STARTED VEHICLE AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS CONDITION. *AK
AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DURING A HEAD-ON COLLISION.
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION, IMPACT 12:00 POSITION, NEITHER DRIVERS NOR PASSENGERS SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOIED, FRONT PASSENGERS SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED! ALONG WITH STEERING COLUMN SMOKES.
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN HEAD-ON COLLISION, IMPACT 12:00 POSITION, NEITHER DRIVERS NOR PASSENGERS SIDE AIRGABS DEPLOIED, FRONT PASSENGERS SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED! ALONG WITH STEERING COLUMN SMOKES.
DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30MPH DOWN THE ROAD, WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE COMING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION CROSSED THE CENTER LINE AN HIT THE VEHICLE HEAD-ON. THE AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK
STEERING WHEEL INSTALLED INCORRECTLY PROHIBITING AIR BAG TO DEPLOY DURING CRASH AND STEERING COLUMN SMOKES.
DRIVING AT APPROX 25-35 MPH REAR ENDED VEHICLE IN FRONT DUAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. $9000 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO FRONT END ALONE. *AK
Official recalls
197V017000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:switch/wiring
Feb 11, 1997
SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE A STRAINED OR SEPARATED WASHER/WIPER SWITCH POWER FEED WIRE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN CAUSE THE WINDSHIELD WASHER/WIPER TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY AND COULD ULTIMATELY RESULT IN INOPERATIVE WIPERS. IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR IN A SEVERE WEATHER SITUATION, DRIVER VISIBILITY COULD BE REDUCED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE OLD DESIGNED WASHER/WIPER SWITCHES WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED SWITCH.
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
2EA96010 · Windshield Wiper Failures
Opened Jun 18, 1996 · Closed Feb 19, 1997
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Visibility
BY LETTER DATED FEBRUARY 4, 1997, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT WAS GOING TO RECALL 349,331 MODEL YEAR 1994 AND 1995 W CAR VEHICLES.THE W CAR MODELS OF CHEVROLET, BUICK, OLDSMOBILE, AS WELL AS THE SUBJECT PONTIAC GRAND PRIX MODELS ARE INCLUDED.THE RECALL (97V-017) WILL INVOLVE REPLACING ALL THE OLD STYLE WINDSHIELD WIPER SWITCHES WITH THE LATER IMPROVED SWITCH, WITH THE LONGER WIRING HARNESS.DUE TO GM'S SAFETY-RECALL ACTION, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
PE96011 · Windshield Wiper Failure
Opened Feb 8, 1996 · Closed Jun 18, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Visibility
There is no summary currently available