Problems · NHTSA complaints

1997 Pontiac Grand Prix problems

Owners filed 820 complaints about the 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix with NHTSA between Dec 1996 and Feb 2021. The most-cited component is steering (215).

Complaints
820
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
34
Reported by owners
Fires
109
Reported by owners
Injuries
32
People reported injured
Deaths
2
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Steering215
  2. Exterior lighting148
  3. Engine and engine cooling137
  4. Electrical system89
  5. Visibility78
  6. Air bags56
  7. Engine45
  8. Service brakes, hydraulic42
  9. Power train33
  10. Suspension24
  11. Equipment18
  12. Vehicle speed control16
  13. Structure16
  14. Fuel system, gasoline14

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 27, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19962
199732
199849
199956
200089
2001100
2002152
2003101
200459
200526
200611
20078
200823
200930
20109
20119
20126
20134
20145
201511
201628
20174
20182
20191
20202
20211

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Steering

215 reports15 crashes2 fires2 related recalls
“NOTE: I HAVE FILED A SAFELY COMPLAINT BEFORE WITH THE NHTSA ABOUT THIS SAFETY ISSUE ON NOV 9, 2020 REFERENCE NUMBER: 11373799. AND NOW DUE TO SAFETY NEGLIGENCE FROM THE INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT OF THE NHTSA ..EXCESSIVE HEAT COMING FROM THE EXTREMELY HOT OIL THAT'S DRIPPING OFF THE EXTREMELY HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD THAT'S LEAKING FROM THE VALVE COVER STARTED A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD AND ALSO LEAKED INTO THE CYLINDER CAUSING THE PISTON TO SLIT INTO NUMEROUS PIECES THEN VIOLENTLY BEING SHOT BACK AND FORTH STRIKING THE CYLINDER WALLS VIOLENTLY THEN BREAKING THROUGH THE ENGINE BLOCK AND OIL PAN, THEN SPILLING HOT OIL ON THE I-105 HIGHWAY AT HIGH WAY SPEED COMING UP ON A FORK, LOST OIL COMPRESSION AND STALLING OUT WITH HEAVY THICK CAN'T SEE IN MORE THEN 5 FEET IN FRONT OF YOU GREY/BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM BOTH ENDS OF THE VEHICLE. ALMOST COSTED ME MY LIFE”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 10, 2021Steering, Electrical system, EngineFire reportedODI 11395511

Exterior lighting

148 reports2 fires2 related recalls
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE CAUGHT FIRE FROM THE INSIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 137,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 4, 2014Exterior lightingFire reportedODI 10652487

Engine and engine cooling

137 reports2 crashes56 fires3 related recalls
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V701000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. UPDATED 05/31/2016*LJ”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 8, 2016Engine and engine coolingODI 10854460

Electrical system

89 reports2 crashes27 fires
“THE ENGINE LEAKS OIL ON THE MANIFOLD WHICH STARTED A FIRE AND ELECTRICAL SOME OF MY SENSOR CONNECTORS AND NOT WORKING.. THE FIRE STARTED AFTER I PULLED IN TO DRIVE WAY AND I CAN FEEL FROM THE INSIDE OF THE CAR THAT THE ENGINE WAS GETTING REAL HOT SO I POPPED THE HOOD AND THERE WAS A SMALL FIRE ON THE MANIFOLD. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 18, 2020Electrical system, EngineFire reportedODI 11325035

Visibility

78 reports1 crash1 related recall
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT TURNED ON THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE DID NOT FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE MOTOR CRANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED RECALL 99V348000 (VISIBILITY: WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER: LINKAGES) BUT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 7, 2011VisibilityODI 10381045

Air bags

56 reports14 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1997 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE MADE AN ILLEGAL LEFT TURN. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED HEAD, NECK, AND BACK INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 9, 2015Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10682052
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.