RoadVitals

1991 Pontiac Grand Prix Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints 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.
19
Latest Jun 6, 2007
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
11%
of 172 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
4
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1991 Pontiac Grand Prix submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 19 reports on file name it.

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

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

ElectricalEngine
Filed Jun 6, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX STE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILS TO START UNLESS THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED IN A CERTAIN POSITION. SHE ALSO STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WILL NOT WORK UNLESS THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ACTIVATED. AS A RESULT, FUSES HAVE BLOWN AND THE VEHICLE OCCASIONALLY OVERHEATS. SHE NOTIFIED THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE CONTACT REFERENCED RECALL # 92V182000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS). THE ENGINE SIZE, POWERTRAIN, AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 150,647.

NHTSA ID
10192527
Incident
Apr 1, 2007
ElectricalEngine
Filed Jan 15, 2004

CAR DOES NOT RUN.... CRACKED RADIATOR BAD HEAD GASKET. POSSIBLE WARPED HEAD. HEAD GASKET LEAKS. SOMETHING DRAINING BATTERY.

NHTSA ID
10069582
Incident
Feb 15, 2003
Engine
Filed Sep 30, 2002

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON THEN THE CONSUMER CAN HEAR A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. DEALER NOTIFIED. NLM

NHTSA ID
8019858
Incident
Aug 11, 2002
Engine
Filed Oct 25, 2001

ENGINE HEAD HAD BEEN REPLACED ONCE, AND HAD CRACKED ONCE AGAIN. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE ALUMINUM AND STEEL DO NOT WORK TOGETHER AND THAT WHEN THE STEEL HEATS UP THE ALUMINUM WILL CRACK, THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO RUN POORLY AND OVERHEAT. *JB

NHTSA ID
898236
Incident
Oct 1, 2001
Body & structureEngine
Filed Aug 2, 2001

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH BOTH BOTTOM REAR CRADLE MOUNTS FAILED DUE TO CORRISION, CAUSING MOTOR TO FALL AND DISCONNECT STEERING MECHANISM, RESULTING IN A CRASH. CONSUMER CONTACTED GMC, AND GMC INSISTED THAT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE DID NOT FALL UNDER RECALL 00V189000 BECAUSE IT WAS MANUFACTURED AFTER SPECIFIED DATE. FRONT MOUNTS ALSO SHOWED INDICATION OF FAILURE. *AK

NHTSA ID
893251
ElectricalEngine
Filed Jul 11, 2001
Fire reported

AFTER PLACING VEHICLE IN THE PARK POSITION WHILE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES, CONSUMER SMELLED SMOKE COMING FROM OUTSIDE. WENT OUTSIDE TO INQUIRE, AND CONSUMER SAW SMOKE AND FLAMES COMING FROM VEHICLE. CAUSE OF FIRE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. *AK CONSUMER STATES HE DROVE A LONG DISTANCE THAT DAY. *SLC

NHTSA ID
892438
Incident
Jun 21, 2001
BrakesElectricalEngine
Filed Nov 24, 2000

WHILE DRIVING DURING DAY TIME VEHICLE WAS FINE. BUT, AT NIGHT NOTICED VEHICLE WOULD IDLE HIGH & START TO OVERHEAT. VEHICLE WOULD STUTTER LIKE IT WAS STALLING. APPLIED BRAKES & VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. ALSO, SMOKE WOULD BE COMING INSIDE OF VEHICLE FROM UNDER HOOD. PROBLEMS WERE INTERMITTENT. *AK

NHTSA ID
875432
Engine
Filed Jun 14, 2000

MECHANIC SAID THERE WERE 14 CRACKS IN THE HEAD OF THE MOTOR. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE WOULD LOSE POWER/OVERHEAT. SMOKE AND DRIPPING WATER WERE COMING OUT OF THE TAILPIPE. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID
863595
Incident
Jun 1, 2000
Engine
Filed Apr 20, 2000
Fire reported

SMALL ENGINE FIRE MELTED PLASTIC AT FRONT OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT)

NHTSA ID
552201
Incident
Mar 4, 2000
Engine
Filed Apr 10, 2000

WHILE DRIVING THE MOTOR MOUNTS BROKE CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HEAR A LOUD NOISE AND UPON INSPECTING THE VEHICLE FOUND THAT THE MOTOR HAD FALLEN TO THE GROUND AND DISCONNECTED THE STEERING COLUMN. NLM

NHTSA ID
551814
Incident
Jan 1, 2000
Engine
Filed Feb 10, 2000
Crash reported

REAR CRADLE BOLTS HAVE ROTTED OUT DUE TO SALT CORROSION, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKE CONTROL. SAME DEFECT AS 97V058000, BUT STATE OF MINNESOTA IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. APPROXIMATELY 675,000 VEHICLES ARE AFFECTED. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID
856667
Incident
Feb 7, 2000
Engine
Filed Nov 9, 1999

WHILE DRIVING AT 5 MPH TWO ENGINE MOUNTS SNAPPED OFF, AND THE ENGINE DROPPED TO THE GROUND. *AK

NHTSA ID
849980
Incident
Oct 4, 1999
Engine
Filed Aug 20, 1999

ENGINE FALL OUT OF THE CAR WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVE. THERE ARE ONLY 2 MOTOR MOUNTS ON BOTTOM OF ENGINE

NHTSA ID
710275
Engine
Filed Sep 10, 1998

HEAD BOLTS BROKE ALLOWING ANTIFREEZE TO GO INTO THE OIL PAN THROUGH THE OIL RETURN. QCAW

NHTSA ID
539886
Incident
Nov 27, 1995
Body & structureDriver assistanceEngine
Filed Sep 3, 1998
Crash reported

THE FRAME BROKE WHILE STEERING A CORNER AT AN INTERSECTION GOING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH. GAS PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND COULDN'T STOP VEHICLE FOR AT LEAST 3/4 OF A BLOCK. ALSO REPLACED ENGINE CRADLES. *AK

NHTSA ID
824147
BrakesEngineFuel system+2 more
Filed Jun 6, 1996

FAULTY BRAKE LIGHTS, CAUSES BATTERY TO DIE. ALTERNATOR HAS ALSO FAILED 3 TIMES.

NHTSA ID
505115
Incident
May 17, 1996
BrakesEngineFuel system
Filed May 18, 1996

FUEL GAUGE INOPERATIVE. *SD

NHTSA ID
505751
Incident
May 18, 1996
BrakesDriver assistanceEngine+2 more
Filed Mar 2, 1995

REPAIRED MUFFLER.

NHTSA ID
484402
Incident
Jun 10, 1993
BrakesElectricalEngine
Filed Feb 7, 1995

TIMING BELT BROKE. *AW

NHTSA ID
481138
Incident
Feb 7, 1995

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .