Problems · by component

2006 Pontiac Grand Prix steering problems

42 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix cite steering, 18% of all 239 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
42
18% of all complaints
Crashes
7
Reported by owners
Fires
4
Reported by owners
Injuries
8
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the steering

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“got cutoff on a busy highway going 70mph and they slammed their brakes. i had 6 car lengths between us and immediately started braking but we were just skidding. I had the choice of hitting the vehicle or swerving left towards the median. I chose the latter. The steering locked up, the abs did NOT kick in and the airbags did NOT deploy. we hit a median at 70mph and no airbags?! I was point of impact. It hit the front drivers side, destroying the light and entire front. the car spun around and it hit again but this time it was the back passenger side/light. Again, NO airbags deployed. So my abs, steering, and airbags all had issues. We are so lucky no one is hurt in severeity but I am beyond fuming, scared, and confused why all of those locked up/failed to serve their purpose! Most severe injuries were me with contusions, strains, and a herniated disc in my neck (likely to cause chronic pain, per doctor.) cop already found me not at fault so no ticket/points, to give an idea. person kept driving. one person stopped and happened to be 4 cars behind us and verified what happened to us. The vehicle is totaled. We are sol on a car now as insurance said it wasn't…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 12, 2021Steering, Air bags, Service brakesCrash reportedODI 11424356
“MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT AND WHEN YOU TRY TO GO OVER 40 THE CAR LUNGES FORWARD AND HAS A HARD TIME SHIFTING AND WILL CONTINUE WHILE IN CRUISE CONTROL. I ALREADY HAD WORK DONE ON THE FUEL LINE CAUSE THE LINE WAS CLOGGED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD LUNGE FORWARD CAUSE THE FUEL WASN'T GETTING PUSHED THROUGH. MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT AFTER MY BOYFRIEND PARKED IT. HE ONLY NOTICED IT WHEN HE TRIED DRIVING AWAY AND HE COULDN'T TURN THE WHEEL LIKE USUAL. THE CRUISE CONTROL DOES ITS THING WHILE IN MOTION. ALSO THE HEADLAMPS! THE BRIGHTS STAY ON, YOU HAVE TO HOLD THE DIMMER SWITCH BACK TO GET THE BRIGHTS TO TURN OFF BUT IF YOU LET GO OF THE SWITCH THEY TURN ON AND FLASH PEOPLE. IT ONLY TURNS OFF WHEN TURNING LEFT. THE AC COMPRESSOR BLEW TOO. I HAD BOUGHT THE VEHICLE 3 YEARS AGO DURING THE WINTER SO IT WAS BLOWING COLD AIR, BUT WHEN SUMMER HIT IS WHEN I NOTICED IT WAS ONLY BLOWING AIR FROM OUTSIDE INTO THE CAB. THE HEATER WORKS, BUT THE AC DOESN'T. MY BOYFRIEND WAS DRIVING HOME RECENTLY AND COULDN'T MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL AND ALMOST HAD A HEAD ON COLLISION BECAUSE OF THE POWER STEERING. THE POWER STEERING HAPPENED IN TOWN AT HIS PLACE OF WORK AND HAD TO DRIVE ON THE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 1, 2021Steering, Exterior lighting, Vehicle speed controlODI 11398596
“MY CAR STARTED ON FIRE WHILE ON A CITY ROAD BECAUSE OF THE POWER STEERING PUMP PULLEY COMPLETELY SPRUNG OFF SERPENTINE BELT MELTED COOLANT RESERVOIR MELTED FUSE BOX BE MELTED FROM THE FIRE HOW MANY OTHER THINGS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE POWER STEERING PUMP LEAKING FLUID AND HITTING MY EXHAUST CAUSING A FIRE IN MY CAR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 25, 2021Steering, Electrical system, EngineFire reportedODI 11389713
“WHEN I GO TO PRESS ON THE BRAKES IT WOULD PULL TO THE RIGHT ,AND WHEN I GO TO PUT ON MY SIGNAL LIGHT TO THE RIGHT MY BRIGHT LIGHTS COMES ON AND WHEN I TURN ON MY HEATER THE DOOR OR SOMETHING THE SHOP TOLD ME WAS NOT OPENING FOR MY HEAT TO COME OUT,AND THAT'S THE PROBLEMS I AM EXPERIENCING,WITH THE PONTIAC THEY ARE EXCELLENT CARS BUT HAS FEW ISSUES,CAN YOU PLEASE HELP WITH FIXING THESE PROBLEMS.I'VE REPORTED THE PROBLEM THREE AND A HALF YEARS AGO AND I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM ANYONE YET MY NUMBER IS [XXX]THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 25, 2021Steering, Suspension, Electrical systemFire reportedODI 11389842
“THE BRIGHT LIGHTS STAY ON, MY HORN DOESN'T WORK, THE INSTRUMENT CODES WILL BLINK OFF AND ON.. THERE IS A WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR THAT CAUSES A POWER SURGE THAT BLOWS OUT THE BLOWER MOTOR TO GO OUT.. IT HAS BURN MARKS..”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 16, 2019Steering, Electrical system, Exterior lightingFire reportedODI 11180485
“WENT TO THE LOCAL CONVENIENCE STORE TO GET SOME ITEMS, ON THE WAY BACK HOME THE STEERING GOT VERY HARD TO TURN. MY BROTHER INVESTIGATED AND FOUND THE POWER STEERING RESEAVORE EMPTY OF FLUID. HE REFILLED IT AND LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND FOUND IT LEAKING, (STREAM OF FLUID).”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 4, 2018SteeringODI 11076174

Showing 6 of 42 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

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

1 recall on this component

Steering

Free remedy

DORMAN IS RECALLING 979 STEERING KNUCKLES, DORMAN P/NOS. 697-902 AND 697-903, SOLD UNDER DORMAN'S "OE SOLUTIONS<SUP>TM</SUP>" BRAND NAME, AND NAPA P/NOS. 7-8502 AND 7-8503 WHICH WERE SOLD FOR REPLACEMENT USE ON THE VARIOUS VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. A POTENTIAL MATERIAL OR DESIGN DEFECT COULD RESULT IN THE STEERING KNUCKLE BREAKING IN THE HUB AREA.

SteeringReported Feb 17, 2009NHTSA 09E005000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 10, 2026

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