RoadVitals

1997 Pontiac Grand Prix Body & structure Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Body & structure 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 Apr 25, 2005
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.
2%
of 810 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.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 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 body or structure

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

Body & structure
Filed Apr 25, 2005

ROCKER PANEL IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. CONTACTED PONTIAC AND THEY WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. MY CAR IS A '97 AND I HAVE OLDER CARS THAT DID NOT RUST AS BAD AS THIS. *AK

NHTSA ID
10118396
Incident
Sep 1, 2004
Body & structureBrakesEngine+3 more
Filed Jan 15, 2004

THIS IS THE WORST AUTOMOBILE I HAVE EVER OWNED. IT IS NICKEL AND DIMING ME TO DEATH. BOTH BACK WINDOWS ARE BEING HELD UP IN PLACE BY STICKS THAT I HAVE PROPED UNDER THEM. THE FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW I PAID $300 TO HAVE REPAIRED. THE STEERING LOCKED UP ON ME AND I HAD TO DISH OUT $500 TO GET THAT REPAIRED, GM RECALLED IT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AFTER THAT, THANK GOD I GOT SOME OF MY MONEY BACK FOR THAT REPAIR. THE PASSENGERS SIDE HEAD LIGHT LENS COVER FELL OFF $75 TO REPLACE THAT. I AM PRESENTLY WORKING ON THE BRAKE TRANSMISSION SHIFT INDICATOR WHICH I JUST CALLED THE DEALER FOR A PRICE ON THE PART AND AM TOLD IT WILL BE $224.07 FOR THE PART AND PROBABLY $115 FOR THE LABOR. THE ENGINE LEAKS OIL I HAD MY WIFE TAKE IT TO THE SHOP FOR THEM TO TAKE A LOOK AT AND THEY TOLD HER THAT NO LEAKS WERE EVIDENT. WELL THE OIL IN MY DRIVEWAY IS COMING FROM SOMEWHERE. I WILL NEVER OWN ANOTHER GM PRODUCT IN MY LIFE AGAIN. NOT EVEN IF IT IS GIVEN TO ME AND 10,000 TO USE TOWARD THE REPAIRS OF IT.

NHTSA ID
10070584
Incident
Jul 15, 2003
Mileage
80,000 mi
Body & structureElectricalEngine+3 more
Filed Oct 7, 2002

CONSUMER STATES THE VEHICLE'S FRONT HEAD LIGHT LENSES DROPPED AND THE DEALER REPLACED BOTH LAMP ASSEMBLIES. *YH

NHTSA ID
567744
Body & structure
Filed Jan 12, 2002

APPEARS TO BE SOME SORT OF TAPE ON DIVIDER FRAMES BETWEEN FRONT AND BACK WINDOWS IS SLOWLY PEELING OFF, EXPOSING BARE METAL THAT IS SLOWLY RUSTING. ALSO, TAPE IS DETERIOTATING ON SMALL WINDOW FRAME DIVIDER IN BACK SEAT, EXPOSING BARE METAL AS WELL. THESE ARE OUTSIDE THE CAR, THUS THEY ARE SLOWLY RUSTING.

NHTSA ID
756770
Incident
Jan 8, 2002
Body & structure
Filed Dec 27, 2001

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
756092
Body & structure
Filed Oct 4, 2001

POWER LOCKS WOULD CONTINUALLY LOCK AND UNLOCK BY THEMSELVES WHEN DRIVING UNDER 45 MPH. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK *YH

NHTSA ID
897354
Incident
Jan 1, 2001
Body & structureExterior lighting
Filed Dec 2, 2000

LENS COVER, WAS INDICATED NOT TO BE COVERED BY THE WARRANTY WHEN IT WAS AN OBVIOUS DESIGN DEFECT, IN THAT THE GLUE CHOSEN TO ATTACH THE LENS COVER WAS NOT ABLE TO HANDLE THE HEAT OF THE HALOGEN LIGHT BULB AND/OR SOLAR HEAT COMBINED; THE GLUE BECAME BRITTLE AND CRACKED. BOTH FACIA ON THE FRONT DOOR PANELS HAVE COME LOOSE ON THE END. WHEN THE DOOR IS OPENED THIS FACIA BENDS THE QUARTER PANEL IT HITS AND AFFECTS THE ABILITY OF THE CAR DOOR TO BE OPENED. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM ON BOTH FRONT DOORS AND NEWER MODELS HAVE BEEN ALTERED TO ALLOW FOR A CLEARANCE BETWEEN THESE PARTS THAT IS NOT ON THE 1997 GRAND PRIX.

NHTSA ID
737197
Incident
Nov 15, 2000
Body & structure
Filed Sep 21, 2000

PASSENGER'S DOOR SLID FORWARD/FRAME SHIFTED. PRESENTLY, THE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN, AND NOT FLUSH WITH FENDER. WHEN OPENING DOOR THE BODY CAVED IN. SHE HAS CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP. *AK

NHTSA ID
871208
Incident
May 1, 2000
Body & structureBrakesExterior lighting
Filed Mar 14, 2000

SPECIFICALLY ASKED DEALER IF CAR HAD BEEN WRECKED AND WAS TOLD NO (WITH WITNESS) - MY CONCERNS ARE THAT CAR MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED BEYOND ACCEPTABLE SAFETY LIMITS OR REPAIRS WERE NOT DONE PROPERLY, AS WELL AS MISREPRESENTATION AT TIME OF SALE (CAR WAS PRESENTED AND PRICED AS NON-WRECKED) AND NON-CONCERN WHEN I SHOWED THEM THE DAMAGE SIGNS WITHIN A MONTH AFTER THE SALE - I WOULD LIKE TO CHECK PREVIOUS TITLES FOR SALVAGE CLAIMS....HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY POPPED OFF WITHOUT WARNING....ABS SYSTEM STARTS CYCLING DURING NON-PANIC BRAKING MAKING IT HARD TO STOP, ALMOST CAUSING REAR-END ACCIDENTS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS....ROTORS BECAME DANGEROUSLY WARPED, I REPLACED THEM WITH NEW PADS (ALL FOUR) AND ROTORS ARE NOW WARPED AGAIN. *AK

NHTSA ID
720093
Incident
Apr 15, 1999
Body & structureBrakesElectrical+6 more
Filed Mar 8, 2000

VEHICLE WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM (DRIVERS) CREAKING NOISE (I BELIEVE A RECALL IS UNDERWAY). LOOSE TRIM THROUGHOUT. REARVIEW MIRROR REPLACED, BATTERY DIED (CAR WAS TOWED), POWER WINDOW FAILED (DEALER REPLACED), HEADLIGHTS ADMIT MOISTURE, ASHTRAY OPENS BY ITSELF, SEAT SQUEAKS, DASH RATTLES, RATTLE ALSO COMES FROM REAR OF CAR, VEHICLE VIBRATION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, SEATBELTS DO NOT RETRACT, LEATHER ON SEATS IS CRACKING, KEY KNOB HAS TOO SHORT A RANGE, STICHING IS COMING OFF THE LEATHER WRAPPED STEERING WHEEL, ALSO THE CLUB LOCK BURNS INPRINTS INTO WHEEL IF LEFT ON IN THE SUMMER SUN, HEADLIGHTS TURN ON IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY, BRAKES STOP WORKING IN HEAVY RAIN OR WHEN COMING OUT OF THE CAR WASH, THE POWER DOOR LOCK SWITHCH ON THE PASSENGERS DOOR FELL INTO THE DOOR, VARIOUS RETAINING CLIPS HAVE BROKEN OFF TRIM, ETC.

NHTSA ID
719842
Incident
Aug 28, 1999
Body & structure
Filed Dec 8, 1999

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
715819
Incident
Apr 26, 1998
Body & structure
Filed Oct 13, 1999

TRUNK LID SPOILER MAKING DIRECT CONTACT WITH TRUNKLID AND CAUSING PAINT UNDERNEATH THE SPOILER AND ON THE TRUNKLID TO CRACK , PEEL, FLAKE OFF, RESULTING IN PREMATURE RUSTING PROBLEMS , YET TO BE A TSB TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM BY PONTIAC MOTOR DIVISION. I AM CURRENTLY A MEMBER OF A 2500 MEMBERSHIP STRONG PONTIAC GRAND PRIX CLUB NATIONWIDE, THAT FACES THE SAME EXACT DILEMMA AS I AM GOING THROUGH. WE NEED A QUICK FIX METHOD OF REPAIR TO ELEVIATE THE PROBLEM FROM OCCURING AGAIN. PLEASE HELP, AS NOBODY HAS A SOLUTION TO OUR PROBLEM ON THESE $25,000 PLUS CARS.

NHTSA ID
713228
Incident
Oct 11, 1999
Body & structure
Filed Sep 1, 1999
1 injury reported

BETWEEN THE REAR SEAT AND THE TRUNK THERE WAS NOTHING DEVIDING THE TWO. A 2 LITER BOTTLE IN THE TRUCK IMPACTED INTO A CHILDS BACK SEATED IN THE REAR SEAT CAUSING AN INJURY

NHTSA ID
710799
Incident
Aug 2, 1997
Body & structureVisibility
Filed Feb 1, 1999

REAR VIEW MIRROR CONTROL SWITCH FAILED. MJS

NHTSA ID
608109
Body & structureSuspension
Filed Nov 18, 1998

VEHICLE CONTINUALLY DRIFTS WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS CAUSING POOR CONTROL.

NHTSA ID
542681
Incident
Oct 6, 1998
Body & structure
Filed Jul 9, 1998

THE PASS THROUGH, BETWEEN THE TRUNK AND THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, DESIGN DOES NOT KEEP ITEMS STORED IN THE TRUNK FROM CRASHING THROUGH INTO PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WHEN VEHICLE IS STOPPED SUDDENLY.

NHTSA ID
538247
Incident
Aug 30, 1996
Body & structureVisibility
Filed Mar 20, 1998

DOORS LEAK AIR AND MOISTURE INTO VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID
532933
Body & structure
Filed Sep 16, 1997

REAR BUMPER IS VERY FLIMSY AND LOOSE, THE CONSUMER FEELS IT CAN OFFER NO PROTECTION IN CASE OF ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID
522133
Body & structureInterior & seats
Filed Mar 25, 1997

REAR SEAT JARRED AND MOVED OUT OF PLACE.

NHTSA ID
515937

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 .