RoadVitals

1983 Pontiac Grand Prix

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
2
Latest Sep 2, 2014
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
2
Latest Oct 24, 2007
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1
2 injuries, 1 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 2 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1983 Pontiac Grand Prix, most frequently naming the exterior lighting and seat belts categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 1 manufacturer communication is on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Exterior lighting150.0%
  • Seat belts150.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

2 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov

EQUIPMENT

Oct 24, 2007
121,680 units potentially affected
The defect: CERTAIN HONEYWELL FRAM RACING BRAND HP4 AND HP8 OIL FILTERS THAT WERE MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 25, 2006, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 14, 2007, AND SOLD FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR VEHICLES LIST ABOVE. THE AFFECTED FILTERS ARE MARKED WITH A DATE CODE A61451 THROUGH A72571 SEQUENTIALLY. THE DATE CODE AND PART NUMBER APPEAR ON THE FILTER HOUSING. FRAM RACING HP4 AND HP8 OIL FILTERS NOT BEARING A DATE CODE IN THIS RANGE ARE NOT AFFECTED BY THIS RECALL. THE GASKET OF THE OIL FILTER BECOMES MORE PLIABLE UNDER HIGH TEMPERATURES AND PRESSURES.
The risk: THIS CONDITION MAY CAUSE INADEQUATE SEALING AND LOSS OF ENGINE OIL, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.
The remedy: HONEYWELL WILL REPLACE THE AFFECTED OIL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN DURING NOVEMBER 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE TOLL-FREE AT 1-800-890-2075.
HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL, INC.View on NHTSA.gov

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

Oct 13, 1983
4,667 units potentially affected
The defect: THE MASTER CYLINDER REAR BRAKE PIPE, WHICH CARRIES BRAKE FLUID TO THE REAR BRAKES, MAY DEVELOP A LEAK DUE TO EXTENDED CHAFING ON THE AIR CLEANER RESONATOR BRACKET.
The remedy: IF UPON INSPECTION THE DEALER FINDS THAT THERE IS INADEQUATE CLEARANCE, THE PIPE WILL BE REFORMED TO OBTAIN THE NECESSARY THREE QUARTER INCH SPACE. ONLY THOSE PIPES SHOWING SIGNS OF WEAR WILL BE REPLACED.
GENERAL MOTORS CORP.View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Exterior lighting
Filed Sep 2, 2014

A COMPANY NAMED KINETECH (KINETECHLLC.COM) IS IN VIOLATION OF TITLE 49 USC, CHAPTER 301, MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY, PART 571 STANDARD NO. 108 (COMMONLY KNOWN AS FMVSS 108), BY MANUFACTURING, AND INTRODUCING INTO INTERSTATE COMMERCE, A PRODUCT THAT RENDERS REGULATED MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY EQUIPMENT INOPERATIVE. THIS PRODUCT IS THE "PULSE" (WWW.PULSEPROTECTS.COM), A DEVICE THAT THEY CLAIM "PULSES" THE CENTER HIGH MOUNTED STOP LAMP (CHMSL), BUT DESPITE THEIR DESCRIPTION, THE PRODUCT IS IN VIOLATION OF THE REQUIREMENT THAT BRAKE LAMPS ARE TO BE "STEADY BURNING". I SUBMIT THAT THIS PRODUCT RENDERS THE CHMSL INOPERATIVE. THE PRODUCT IS DESCRIBED ON THEIR WEBSITE HERE: HTTP://PULSEPROTECTS.COM/PRODUCT-INFO THERE, THEY CLAIM THAT IT "MEETS REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS FOR USE IN ALL 50 STATES", BUT THE VIDEOS (AT HTTP://PULSEPROTECTS.COM/VIDEOS) CLEARLY SHOW THE LAMPS ARE NOT "STEADY BURNING", WHETHER "PULSING" OR "FLASHING" (THE PERFORMANCE OF THE LAMP SEEMS TO VARY BY VEHICLE IN THE VIDEOS AND AS OBSERVED LOCALLY). IN ADDITION TO NONCONFORMITY WITH THE LAW, THE PRODUCT DOES NOT COMMUNICATE AN UNAMBIGUOUS MESSAGE AS STOP LAMPS SHOULD, AND MAY, DUE TO THE AMBIGUITY, ACTUALLY RESULT IN MORE REAR-END COLLISIONS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10630038
Incident
Sep 1, 2014
Seat belts
Filed Oct 18, 1999
Crash reported2 injuries reported1 death reported

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WHERE THE FRONT PASSENGER WAS KILLED DUE TO SEAT BELT FAILURE. *AK

NHTSA ID
848106
Incident
Aug 7, 1999

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

83-T-29

STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID

UNKNOWN

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Pontiac Grand Prix by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
20081421147.2
20072204054.2
20062392257.8
20051482153.5
20044549163.9
20031067065.6
20023307472.6
200130810474.1
20004619775.0
19994128673.2
19984998565.9
19978109767.8
1996792359.2
19951694159.5
19942132259.4
19931312158.7
19921142157.0
19911726762.8
199017691063.5
198913910960.4
198888121163.7
1987224
1986263
1985324
1984331
1983Viewing220
1982010
1981011
1980041
1979051
1978061
1977230
1976010
1974110
1973030
1972010
1970010
1966020
1965010

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.