Problems · NHTSA complaints

2001 Pontiac Grand Prix problems

Owners filed 319 complaints about the 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix with NHTSA between Apr 2001 and Sep 2022. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (105).

Complaints
319
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
14
Reported by owners
Fires
106
Reported by owners
Injuries
11
People reported injured
Deaths
8
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine and engine cooling105
  2. Engine65
  3. Electrical system63
  4. Power train23
  5. Steering21
  6. Exterior lighting20
  7. Visibility20
  8. Fuel system, gasoline14
  9. Air bags11
  10. Equipment11
  11. Tires11
  12. Fuel/propulsion system9
  13. Vehicle speed control9
  14. Service brakes, hydraulic8

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 Nov 10, 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
200110
200219
200320
200425
200520
200616
200729
200830
200921
201011
201110
201212
20133
201419
201521
201633
20175
20186
20194
20203
20210
20222

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

Engine and engine cooling

105 reports1 crash45 fires3 related recalls
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE LOW OIL INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. WHEN THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE, SHE NOTICED OIL ON THE GROUND LEAKING FROM THE ENGINE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT AN OIL LEAK WAS DETECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VALVE COVER GASKETS WERE LEAKING, WHICH COULD CAUSE A FIRE AND RENDER THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VALVE COVER GASKETS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V701000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) IN APRIL OF 2016 AT BALLAS BUICK GMC (5715 CENTRAL AVE, TOLEDO, OH 43615, (567) 202-1198). THE CONTACT CALLED BALLAS BUICK GMC REGARDING THE RECENT FAILURE, BUT THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY SERVICED UNDER THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 249,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 23, 2018Engine and engine coolingODI 11081036

Engine

65 reports44 fires
“Not sure if the problem is in the engine or engine or the fuel but I but I smell Exhaust or gas when the engine is running. With the headlights I can barely see at night. Having my brights on Is like having your regular lights on.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 23, 2022Exterior lighting, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11486131

Electrical system

63 reports20 fires
“I AM DRIVING DOWN HWY 311 IN HOUMA, LA. I WENT AROUND ANOTHER VEHICLE AND AS MY CAR WENT INTO PASSING GEAR I HEAR A NOISE FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I STOPPED AND PUT GAS IN MY CAR. AS I'M DRIVING DOWN SAVANNE ROAD I HEAR THE NOISE AGAIN. AS I'M DRIVING THE NOISE GETS LOUDER AND WORSE. ON JUNE 10, 2020 THE CAR STARTS GETTING HOT SO I PULL OVER AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. SMOKE STARTS COMING OUT THE HOOD AND WATER IS ALL OVER THE GROUND. CAN'T FIND WHERE THE WATER SPEWED OUT AT OR A CRACK OR ANYTHING. FANS ARE CONSTANTLY NOT WORKING. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENS. CAR WOULDN'T START. GET IT STARTED AND IMMEDIATELY WENT STRAIGHT HOME. THE BEARINGS ARE GOING OUT IN THE ENGINE. I BOUGHT THE CAR IN FEBRUARY 2013 AND HAVE HAD PROBLEMS SINCE MARCH 2013. AC GOES OUT. I FIX IT. IT WORKS A WEEK OR 2 AND STOPS AGAIN. ABS LIGHT IS ON BUT A MECHANIC CANNOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON NO MATTER WHAT. THE PIECES ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE DOORS HAVE FALLEN OFF, ONCE WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I ALWAYS HAVE TROUBLE STARTING IT. CHANGED THE BATTERY 3 TIMES. THE HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT BRIGHT AND THE HOUSINGS FOR THEM ARE HORRIBLE. THE SUNROOF LEAKS INTO THE DOME LIGHT.…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 11, 2020Electrical system, Seat belts, EngineODI 11328279

Power train

23 reports1 crash1 fire
“AFTER HAVING THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED 2 TIMES BY DEALERSHIP, WE HAD TO REPLACE IT AT 99,000 MILES AGAIN OUT OF OUR POCKETS. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD EXPLODED IN MY HUSBANDS FACE IN 2012! WE ALSO HAD THAT FIXED FOR $480.00 OUT OF OUR POCKETS. THEN ON FEBRUARY 22,2013 AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE , THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE WITHIN MINUTES AND COMPLETELY ENGULFED THE CAR!( WE HAD TAKEN IT IN FOR THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE RECALL AT OUR PONTIAC DEALERSHIP PREVIOUSLY TO BE FIXED.) FIRE WAS SO SEVERE IT WENT UNDER THE CAR AND DOWN THE STREET. WE HAVE 4 CHILDREN AND THIS HAS BEEN NOT ONLY A CONSTANT INCONVENIENCE FOR US, BUT A DANGER TO MY FAMILY! IT IS TIME THAT THIS BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 2, 2013Power train, EngineFire reportedODI 10501021

Steering

21 reports1 crash1 related recall
“CURRENTLY, I'M HAVING SOME ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH MY VEHICLE WITH THE POWER WINDOWS AND HAZARD LIGHTS. ALSO, I'M HAVING AN ISSUE WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM THIS STARTED OCCURRING THREE MONTHS AGO AND I FEEL IT'S NOT SAFE, AT TIMES WITH ALL ISSUES THAT MY CAR HAS IT CAN BE TERRIFYING TO DRIVE BUT I CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS OR BUY A NEW CAR. THERE ARE A FEW LEAKS COMING FROM MY CAR AS WELL I KNOW ONE LEAK IS DUE TO THE POWER STEERING AND THE OTHER THE FUEL TANK, THERE MIGHT BE ANOTHER LEAK. MOST OF THE ISSUES I HAVE FIGURED OUT WHEN MY CAR WAS PARKED BUT SOME LIKE THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND FUEL ISSUES, I'VE NOTICED EITHER TURNING OR DRIVING ON THE MAIN HIGHWAY.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 11, 2017Steering, Electrical system, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11004297

Exterior lighting

20 reports1 fire2 related recalls
“THE MAP LIGHTS WONT TURN OFF. ITS NOT REGISTERING MY DOOR BEING SHUT I HAVE REPLACED EVERYTHING ON THE DOOR BUT IT STILL GIVES ME THIS PROBLEM. ITS DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY WHEN DRIVING.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 28, 2020Exterior lightingODI 11311995
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

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