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: 11 of 79 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 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
7 crash reports3 fire reports5 injury reports
What owners actually said
79 reports
Mileage unknown · May 10, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling
ENGINE WAS OVERHEATING DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP AND REPLACED RADIATOR CAP BECAUSE OF A DEFECTIVE SPRING. THEN, WHEN TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, ENGINE STALLED SUDDENLY. TOOK ALL OF CONSUMER'S EFFORT TO BRING VEHICLE TO SIDE OF ROAD. DEALERSHIP STATED THAT HEAD G…
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ENGINE WAS OVERHEATING DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP AND REPLACED RADIATOR CAP BECAUSE OF A DEFECTIVE SPRING. THEN, WHEN TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, ENGINE STALLED SUDDENLY. TOOK ALL OF CONSUMER'S EFFORT TO BRING VEHICLE TO SIDE OF ROAD. DEALERSHIP STATED THAT HEAD GASKET WAS CONSIDERED TO BE DEFECTIVE WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO STALL. PRIVATE MECHANIC WAS CURRENTLY REBUILDING/REMANUFACTURING THE ENGINE. *AK
NHTSA ODI #887918
Mileage unknown · Mar 27, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling
WOULD BE DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN IT WOULD START TO HESITATE AT 40MPH. PROBLEM WAS SPORADIC. WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE. TOOK TO DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES FOR PROBLEM. MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE CAUSE.*AK
NHTSA ODI #884383
Mileage unknown · Mar 27, 2001
StructureCrash
I THINK THIS CAR WAS WRECKED BEFORE WE BOUGHT IT AND THE DEALER KNEW IT, AT THE TIME OF SALE. WE WERE NOT INFORMED OF IT AND HAVE JUST NOTICED IT. NO SAFETY DEFECT. *AK
NHTSA ODI #743155
Mileage unknown · Feb 26, 2001
Air BagsCrashInjury
VEHICLE HIT A TREE AT 40-45MPH. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, RESULTING IN MINOR INJURIES. VEHICLE WAS TATALLED. MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #881457
Mileage unknown · Jan 4, 2001
WheelsCrash
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 5MPH ON INTERSTATE AND WAS TURNING INTO HIS APARTMENT COMPLEX, AND DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE FELL OFF. TWO OF THE BOLTS WERE WARPED AND BROKEN OFF, AND AND/ RIM WERE BENT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. AND DEALERSHIP WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #877451
Mileage unknown · Dec 26, 2000
Exterior Lighting
BOTH HEADLIGHT LENSES HAVE FALLEN OFF, ONE WAS ORIGINAL THE OTHER WAS REPLACED PREVIOUSLY UNDER WARRANTY FOR THE SAME REASON. NLM
NHTSA ODI #785179
Mileage unknown · Dec 18, 2000
Electrical SystemService Brakes, Hydraulic
VECHICLE ABS LIGHT CAME ON ALL INTERIOR AND EXTERNAL LIGHTS DIMMED, ONCE VECHICLE WAS SHUT OFF IT WOULD NOT RESTART. BATTERY WAS REPLACED IT WORKED FINE FOR ABOUT 1 WEEK. I WAS INFORMED THE ALTERNATOR WAS NOT PUTTING OUT ENOUGH AMPS, SO THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED AND 1 WEEK LATER SAME PROBLEM AGAIN SO ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED A …
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VECHICLE ABS LIGHT CAME ON ALL INTERIOR AND EXTERNAL LIGHTS DIMMED, ONCE VECHICLE WAS SHUT OFF IT WOULD NOT RESTART. BATTERY WAS REPLACED IT WORKED FINE FOR ABOUT 1 WEEK. I WAS INFORMED THE ALTERNATOR WAS NOT PUTTING OUT ENOUGH AMPS, SO THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED AND 1 WEEK LATER SAME PROBLEM AGAIN SO ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED A 2ND TIME. THAT SAME DAY THE PROBLEM WAS REPEATED. IT SEEMS WHEN THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON ALL THE POWER FROM THE BATTERY IS DRAINED.
NHTSA ODI #737968
Mileage unknown · Jul 16, 2000
Structure
I JUST PURCHASED THE CAR ON JULY 3RD AND JULY 15TH WE HAD RAIN AND NOW THE WHOLE INSIDE OF THE TRUNK IS FLOODED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #725513
Mileage unknown · May 24, 2000
Air BagsInjury
10 SECONDS AFTER VEHICLE HIT CURB AT 12 MPH DRIVERSIDE AND PASSENGERSIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED UNEXPECTEDLY. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK *ML
NHTSA ODI #862459
Mileage unknown · May 23, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
BRAKE ROTORS RUSTED OUT, CAUSING THEM TO FLAKE AWAY WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, REPAIRED AT OWNER'S COST. *AK *ML
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES HAVE LOWER PINION BEARINGS IN THE POWER RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY IN WHICH THE RETAINER TABS WERE NOT CRIMPED PROPERLY. THESE RETAINERS COULD FAIL AND PERMIT THE BALL BEARINGS TO ESCAPE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS OCCURS, THE PINION SHAFT CAN BE FORCED UPWARD DURING LEFT TURNS AND BACK DOWN AS THE STEERING WHEEL IS MOVED BACK AND TO THE RIGHT. IF THE PINION SHAFT MOVES FURTHER, THE DRIVER WILL NEED TO EXERT MORE EFFORT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL, SIMILAR TO A VEHICLE WITHOUT POWER ASSISTED STEERING. IF THE PINION SHAFT MOVES EVEN FURTHER, THE DRIVER WILL REQUIRE MUCH HIGHER EFFORT TO TURN LEFT AND MAY NOT BE ABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL AS MUCH AS INTENDED. WITH THE MAXIMUM PINION SHAFT MOVEMENT, WHICH REQUIRES INTERNAL GEAR COMPONENT DAMAGE, THE DRIVER CAN ENCOUNTER HIGH RESISTANCE TO TURNING LEFT, FOLLOWED BY UNINTENDED POWER ASSIST TO THE RIGHT. IN ANY OF THESE CONDITIONS, A CRASH COULD OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW LOWER PINION BEARING UNLESS INSPECT OF THE EXISTING BEARING INDICATES THAT REPLACEMENT OF THE GEAR ASSEMBLY IS NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 5, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080; CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438; OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537; OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.
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
3
PE02050 · Engine Compartment Fires
Opened Jun 13, 2002 · Closed Oct 22, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
No summary supplied.
EA99026 · Inadvertent Air Bag Deployment
Opened Aug 31, 1999 · Closed Dec 28, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags
There is no summary currently available
EA96023 · Inappropriate Air Bag Deployment
Opened Sep 27, 1996 · Closed Feb 13, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags
THE FAILURE RATE (1.25/100K) ON THIS ISSUE IS LOW.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF THE AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITURE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO CLOSELY MONITOR THIS ISSUE.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS CLOSING REPORT IS INCLUDED IN THE PUBLIC FILE.
1996 Pontiac Grand Prix Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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