RoadVitals

1996 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.
13
Latest Sep 1, 2009
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.
16%
of 79 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.
3
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 1996 Pontiac Grand Prix submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 13 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

Engine
Filed Sep 1, 2009
Fire reported

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE TWICE WHERE DROPS OF ENGINE OIL FELL ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. THE FIRES OCCURRED THREE DAYS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COST OF $2000. THE CONTACT WAS NOT AWARE OF RECALL# 09V116000, COMPONENT: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD RESEARCH THE FAILURE AND CALL HIM; HOWEVER, HE HAS NOT RECEIVED A CALL. WHEN THE THIRD FIRE OCCURRED THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE; ALTHOUGH, HE COULD HAVE BEEN INJURED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS RENDERED INOPERABLE AND TO TOW IT TO A DEALER. THE CONTACT REQUESTED THAT THE DEALER ASSUME THE TOWING COST; HOWEVER, THEY DENIED TO DO SO. THERE WAS NO REPORT FILED WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. HE HAS MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO SPEAK WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND HAS BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID
10282511
Incident
Apr 3, 2006
Engine
Filed Mar 8, 2002

CONSUMER COMPLAINS THE HEATING SYSTEM HAS BECOME INOPERABLE. INSPECTION OF THE FAILURE LED TO THE DISCOVERY THAT THE VEHICLE IS IN NEED OF A NEW ENGINE. MECHANIC CAN NOT EXPLAIN WHY THIS OCCURED. *JG

NHTSA ID
785652
Engine
Filed May 10, 2001

ENGINE WAS OVERHEATING DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP AND REPLACED RADIATOR CAP BECAUSE OF A DEFECTIVE SPRING. THEN, WHEN TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, ENGINE STALLED SUDDENLY. TOOK ALL OF CONSUMER'S EFFORT TO BRING VEHICLE TO SIDE OF ROAD. DEALERSHIP STATED THAT HEAD GASKET WAS CONSIDERED TO BE DEFECTIVE WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO STALL. PRIVATE MECHANIC WAS CURRENTLY REBUILDING/REMANUFACTURING THE ENGINE. *AK

NHTSA ID
887918
Incident
Mar 7, 2001
Engine
Filed Mar 27, 2001

WOULD BE DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN IT WOULD START TO HESITATE AT 40MPH. PROBLEM WAS SPORADIC. WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE. TOOK TO DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES FOR PROBLEM. MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE CAUSE.*AK

NHTSA ID
884383
ElectricalEngineFuel system
Filed Sep 29, 1999

VEHICLE HESITATES ON ACCELERATION DUE TO EGR VALVE FAILURE. YH

NHTSA ID
548613
Incident
Oct 30, 1998
Engine
Filed Jun 29, 1999

I BEGAN TO HAVE ENGINE PROBLEMS WITH MY VEHICLE AT 36,000 MILES. I DECIDED TO TRACE THE VIN # THROUGH CARFAX. WHEN I DID I FOUND THAT THE ODOMETER HAS BEEN ROLLED BACK 71,000 MILES OR MORE. THE CAR DEALER DOES NOT WANT TO HANDLE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
708017
Engine
Filed Jul 1, 1998
Fire reported

ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE. ALSO, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON.

NHTSA ID
780047
Incident
Mar 20, 1998
Engine
Filed Jul 1, 1998

VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING POWER BRAKES AND POWER STEERING FAILURE.

NHTSA ID
537676
Engine
Filed Jul 22, 1997

CAR ENGINE CUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING TO ANOTHER LOCATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
813567
Incident
Nov 20, 1996
Engine
Filed Jul 15, 1997

ENGINE USES UP TO ONE TO TWO QUARTS OF OIL BETWEEN OIL CHANGES. NO OUTWARD SIGNS OF LEAK.

NHTSA ID
520815
Incident
May 20, 1997
Engine
Filed Nov 19, 1996

INTERMITTENT STALLING.

NHTSA ID
511492
Incident
Jul 1, 1996
BrakesHeating & air conditioningEngine+1 more
Filed Jul 25, 1996

OXYGEN SENSOR REPLACED.

NHTSA ID
506637
Incident
Feb 15, 1996
Engine
Filed Jul 1, 1996
Fire reported

CAR WAS PARKED AND CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE WHICH CAME FROM THE TRUCK , PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK

NHTSA ID
986353

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

Brakes17Electrical10Steering8

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .