Problems · NHTSA complaints

2002 Pontiac Grand Prix problems

Owners filed 339 complaints about the 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix with NHTSA between Oct 2001 and Oct 2025. The most-cited component is engine (86).

Complaints
339
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
19
Reported by owners
Fires
96
Reported by owners
Injuries
19
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine86
  2. Engine and engine cooling64
  3. Electrical system58
  4. Exterior lighting27
  5. Visibility20
  6. Service brakes, hydraulic20
  7. Power train18
  8. Fuel/propulsion system12
  9. Steering12
  10. Suspension12
  11. Air bags11
  12. Structure10
  13. Fuel system, gasoline10
  14. Vehicle speed control7

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
20011
20028
200312
200419
200521
200626
200724
200831
200918
201020
201116
201210
20138
201429
201525
201642
20175
20189
20198
20202
20211
20222
20231
20240
20251

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

86 reports52 fires
“I had just drove about 30 miles home and when I arrived my engine was was smoking a little more than was usual because of oil burn off. So I popped the hood and a fire started in the back of the engine where I was having problems previously with the power steering pump. Obviously when I opened the hood it helped the fire and it grew. Took 30 minutes to put out. Car is now out of commission and I don't know what to do.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 2, 2022EngineFire reportedODI 11487499

Engine and engine cooling

64 reports1 crash32 fires3 related recalls
“The contact owns a 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V701000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the vehicle could not be serviced because it was an older vehicle, and the dealer informed the contact that the recall part had been discontinued. The contact was referred to the manufacturer for assistance. The vehicle was then taken to Christian Brothers Automotive, where it was serviced, and the contact was informed that engine oil was leaking onto the exhaust manifold. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 38,500.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 9, 2025Engine and engine coolingODI 11692342

Electrical system

58 reports2 crashes11 fires
“II HAD A NO ENGINE CRANK-NO DASHBOARD LIGHTS, INTERMINTENT START. CWAS PARKED NAD NOT MOVING. THE PROBLEM I CAUSED BY THE THE IGNITION SWITCH AND PASS KEY SYSTEM. GM HAD THIS PROBLEM IN 2004 ON THE COLBOLT. 6DEATHS DUE TO LOSS OF ENGINEPOWER, STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. I WILL NOT DRIVE THIS CAR,TILL IGET IT REPAIRED. I AM THE ORIGIONAL OWNER WITH 40000 MILES USE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 7, 2019Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11266767

Exterior lighting

27 reports1 crash2 related recalls
“THE MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH HAS MALFUNCTIONED THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE ON THESE CARS. THE MALFUNCTION OF THIS SWITCH HAS MEANT THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT WORK CAUSING SOMEONE TO RUN INTO THE BACK OF MY CAR AS I WAS SLOWING IN TRAFFIC. THE SHIFT LEVER LOCK WILL NOT ENGAGE LEAVING THE KEYS UNABLE TO BE REMOVED AND THE SHIFTER CAN BE MOVED OUT OF PARK WITHOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL BEING PRESSED. THE IGNITION SWITCH AND HARNESS MALFUNCTION CAUSING THE FAN TO NOT WORK IN ANYTHING BUT 5. LOOK AT THE MESSAGE BOARDS ALL THREE A COMMON OCCURRENCE AND WORSE GM KNOWS OF THESE PROBLEMS AND HAVE REFUSED TO ADDRESS THEM. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 29, 2014Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Vehicle speed control, Service brakesCrash reportedODI 10606841

Visibility

20 reports1 crash
“DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, BACK DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW COMES CRASHING DOWN INTO CAR DOOR, FOR NO REASON. THEN BACK PASSENGER WINDOW STOPS WORKING COMPLETELY, A FEW WEEKS LATER. DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW STARTS SLIDING DOWN AS CAR IS IN MOTION AFTER TURNING CORNER, I GRABBED WINDOW TRYING TO HOLD ONTO IT, SO IT WOULDN'T DROP ALL THE WAY DOWN INTO THE DOOR, RUSHING HOME SO MY HUSBAND COULD TAPE UP THE WINDOW TILL WE COULD GET IT FIXED. NOW THE FRONT ELECTRONIC PASSENGER WINDOW WILL NOT MOVE UP OR DOWN. THIS HAS HAPPENED WITHIN A FEW MONTHS OF EACH OTHER FOR " NO EXPLAINABLE REASON". MY HUSBAND AND I ARE IN OUR 50'S, WITH NO CHILDREN OR PASSENGER'S IN THE CAR, AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN TO ANY CAR WE'VE OWNED IN THE PAST. HELP, WE KNOW THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND NOT NORMAL! *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 26, 2014Electrical system, VisibilityODI 10628617

Service brakes, hydraulic

20 reports2 crashes1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 138,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 11, 2014Service brakes, hydraulic, Electrical systemODI 10609791
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.