Problems · by component

2001 Pontiac Grand Prix engine problems

65 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix cite engine, 20% of all 319 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
65
20% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
44
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the engine

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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
“ENGINE STARTED SMELLING OF SMOKE AND UPON DRIVING TO WORK AND OR HOME THE CARS OIL LIGHT CAME ON TO FILL THIS CAR IT TAKES 4.2 QUARTS OF OIL, AFTER PUTTING 4 QUARTS OF OIL WITHIN THE MOTOR I NOTICED A LEAK COMING FROM THE OIL PAN AREA TO FIND OUT THE OIL PRESSURE SENSOR WAS DAMAGED AND WAS LEAKING 12 QUARTS OF OIL IN 25 MILES POTENTIAL OIL SPILL TO HIT HOT EXHAUST CAUSING COMBUSTION.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 29, 2020EngineODI 11367011
“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
“IT WAS DRIVING FINE AND I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AND NOTICED THAT THE STEERING BECAME REALLY HARD THEN SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING SO I PARKED THEN STARTED SEEING SMOKE COME FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD SO I OPENED IT AND SAW A SMALL FLAME TOWARD THE BACK OF THE ENGINE LUCKILY I HAD A JUG OF WATER IN THE TRUNK AND PUT IT OUT AND THERE WAS POWER STEERING FLUID SPARYED ALL OVER I'M ASSUMING THE FIRE MELTED A HOSE. THE CAR STILL START BUT IT DOESN'T SOUND GOOD PROBABLY MELTED THE SPARK PLUGS WIRES I'M SURE . * (RECALL RELATED INCIDENT) TS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 14, 2019Exterior lighting, EngineFire reportedODI 11289084
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, A BURNING ODOR WAS DETECTED COMING FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE CHANGE OIL WARNING INDICATOR PERIODICALLY ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE INTAKE GASKET WAS DRIPPING OIL ONTO THE EXHAUST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,697. *DT*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 15, 2019EngineODI 11280333
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE OIL CAP O RING FOR THE VALVE COVER LEAKED ONTO THE EXHAUST PIPES. THE FAILURE CREATED A POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD WHEN NEAR A HOT AREA. THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED AN ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE O RING LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER FOR AN UNKNOWN RECALL REPAIR BEFORE THE ORIGINAL LEAK AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE VALVE COVER GASKET AND VALVE COVER. THE DEALER AND THE CONTACT DID NOT AGREE ON EVERYTHING THAT WAS COVERED UNDER THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT MADE FURTHER REPAIRS ON HIS OWN BEFORE THE O RING LEAK OCCURRED. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR THE RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 189,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 4, 2019EngineFire reportedODI 11266168

Showing 6 of 65 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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