Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
ENGINE POWER REDUCED WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR HAS MINIMAL ACCELERATION NOT ALLOWING TO GO OVER 40 MPH. ANTILOCK BREAK AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS BOTH ON. BREAKING ISSUE WHEN THIS HAPPENS CAUSING BREAKS TO HESITATE. ALL ISSUES LISTED HAPPEN WHILE IN MOTION ON CITY STREET & HIGHWAY, WHILE GOING STRAIGHT & TURNING AND WHEN BREAKING. *TR
THE DOOR LOCKS ON THE 2008 MODEL DO NOT LOCK WITH REMOTE AND THE DRIVERS DOOR KEY ENTRY LOCK DOESN'T WORK.WON'T TURN LEFT OR RIGHT.ONLY ONE KEY ENTRY ON THE ENTIRE CAR SO YOU MUST USE THE DRIVERS SIDE KEY ENTRY.HAVE TO KEEP REPLACING CAR REMOTES AT $125.00 A PIECE ALMOST YEARLY. HAVE HAD CAR SINCE 2009.KEEP HAVING TO GET STRUTS REPLACED ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND REPLACE BRAKES ON THE FRONT WHEELS.THE LIGHTS ON THE GEAR PANEL KEEP GOING OUT AND ALSO THE LIGHTS WHERE THE RADIO STATION SHOWS IS DIMMED OR BURNING OUT.MY LEFT HEADLIGHT KEEPS GOING OUT.ELECTRIC IN THE CAR BASICALLY AN OVERALL ONGOING ISSUE.WHEN CAR IS PLACED IN REVERSE IT DOESN'T REVERSE SOMETIMES.I HAVE TO TURN IT OFF AND RESTART THE CAR THEN PLACE IT IN REVERSE BEFORE IT WILL REVERSE.THE CAR SHAKES AFTER GOING OVER 65MPH.SUSPENSION IS OFF.HAVE TO REPAIR TIRES CONSTANTLY BECAUSE INNER TIRES WEAR OUT QUICKLY.
FIRST TIME I NOTICED A PROBLEM I WAS MAKING A SHARP RIGHT TURN INTO A PARKING SPOT DRIVING ROUGHLY 5 MPH OR LESS. WHEN I PUSHED ON THE BRAKE IT JUST PULSATED MUCH LIKE THE ABS TAKING OVER BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP! I ALMOST HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF MY PARKING SPOT. I HAD IT IN A SHOP FOR OTHER REPAIRS AND MENTIONED THIS BUT SINCE AT THE TIME IT WAS INTERMITTENT THEY BLEW IT OFF AS I MUST HAVE BEEN BRAKING ON ICE. ONCE IT STARTED TO WARM UP IN THE SPRING AND IN THE SUMMER IT STARTED HAPPENING MORE AND MORE BUT ONLY WHEN TURNING. I HAD A FEW CLOSE CALLS WHERE I HAD ALMOST CRASHED. WHEN IT HAPPENS NOW THE DASH WILL DISPLAY SERVICE ABS AND SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM. IT DID NOT DISPLAY THAT BACK WHEN IT WAS INTERMITTENT. I HAVE SINCE PULLED THE ABS FUSE AND WHILE THE SAME SERVICE LIGHTS COME ON AT LEAST I HAVE BRAKES! I THINK IT WAS 5 OR SO MONTHS EARLIER THAT I HAD MY FRONT RIGHT WHEEL BEARING REPLACED BY A PONTIAC DEALER AND I HEAR THAT BECAUSE THE WHEEL BEARING AND SPEED SENSOR ARE ONE OF THE SAME THAT I MAY NEED THAT REPLACED AGAIN. THIS IS NOT SAFE AND THE MORE PEOPLE I TALK TO THEY HAVE HEARD OR EXPERIENCED THIS AS A COMMON ISSUE. *TR
WE GOT THIS 2008 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX FROM A SECOND HAND DEALER THAT SOLD 2008 OR NEWER, WE WERE ON A LEASE WITH THIS AUTO WE ALSO HAD A WARRANTY AS WELL. WE TOOK A SHORT TRIP TO OHIO AND WE CHECKED INTO THE HOTEL , WENT OUT GOT INTO THE CAR WAS HEADING TO THEIR CASINO FOR THE NIGHT WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 75 DOING ABOUT 72 MPH. WHILE I WAS IN THE FAST LANE I LOST ALL POWER DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPEN HAD TO TRY TO GET THE CAR ALL THE WAY OVER TO RIGHT SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. THIS WAS IN ON JUNE 26,2012 POLICE CAME I CALLED THE WARRANTY COMPANY THEY STATED THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO A GM DEALERSHIP SO WE DID, THE NEXT MORNING I GOT UP AND CALLED THE DEALER TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPEN WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR IT CRANKS AND DOES NOT START CHECK AND PLEASE ADVISE. WHILE WAITING ON THEM I CALLED THE LEASE COMPANY TO SEE WHAT KIND OF HELP WE COULD GET FROM THEM THE ANSWER WAS POINT BLANK NONE WAS NEVER LATE ON PAYMENTS WITH THEM THE CAR ONLY HAD 92152 MILES ON IT AT THIS TIME WE GOT IT BACK IN AUG.2009. SO THE DEALER CALLED BACK AND TOLD US THE THE CAR HAD A BAD IGNITION CONTROL MODULE AND COIL , THIS NOT THE KILLING PART WE HAD TO PAY $705.88 AND WOW GENERAL MOTORS SAYING THEY DON'T HAVE ANY RECALLS ON THIS MODEL OR YEAR. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET REIMBURSE FOR THE AMOUNT WE PAID TO HAVE THIS DONE, I KNOW THAT IT'S A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE OUT HERE THAT HAVE HAD SOME OF THE SAME ISSUES THAT I HAVE HAD BUT DIDN'T GET THEM REPAIRED. OTHER ISSUES (1) POWER STERRING(2) BRAKE LIGHTS STAYING ON ALOT OF THE TIME(3)AIRBAG ,AND THE LIST GOES ON. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED RANDOMLY WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC, WHO RECOMMENDED THAT THE CONTACT SPRAY WD40 ON THE BRAKES AND THEN REFERRED THE CONTACT TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD TO BE PUMPED IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE SEATBELT SENSOR ILLUMINATED AFTER THE SEATBELT WAS LATCHED AND THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR FLASHED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000.
BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE PRE CERTIFIED WITH WARRANTY WITH 22000 MILES. WITHIN 4 MONTHS THE POWER STEERING LINE BREAKS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. BRAKE SENSOR REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY FRONT LEFT TIE ROD REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THESE ARE PROBLEMS THAT OCCURRED WITHIN A 9 MONTH TIMESPAN. DURING THIS TIME YOU COULD PRESS ON THE GAS AND THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE/STALL/SHAKE AND TIMES LUNGE FORWARD AS YOU TRY TO EASE FORWARD. THIS OCCURRED THE ENTIRE TIME I HAD THE VEHICLE AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM WHEN IT WAS UNDER THE WARRANTY. DRIVING HOME THE STABILITY/TRACTION CONTROL SENSOR LIGHTS CAME ON,THEM REDUCED ENGINE POWER CAME ON AND THE CAR WOULD NOT DRIVE OVER 15 MILES. NOW AT 34000 MILES AND A INDICATOR LIGHT SHOWING THEY FIGURED IT WAS THE SENSOR ON THE GAS PEDAL ($360). OH FORGOT TO MENTION DEALERSHIP ALSO STATED DURING THAT WARRANTY TIMEFRAME UNLESS SOMETHING BREAKS OR A INDICATOR LIGHT COMES ON THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. AFTER THAT THEY FOUND I ALSO NEED A FRONT RIGHT OUTER TIE ROD ($285). CONTACTED GM BECAUSE I THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE PAID FOR THE GAS PEDAL. TO MAKE A LONG SHORT SHORT IT'S BEING EVALUATED AND SINCE I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE MY CAR THERE ANOTHER NIGHT OR PERHAPS OVER THE WEEKEND UNTIL THEY CONFIRMED WITH THE SALES MANAGER REIMBURSEMENT MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE. *TR ## VIN FAILED ##
WHILE LEAVING MY PARKING SPACE, TAPPED THE BRAKE PEDAL, BRAKE PEDAL SEEMED TO RESIST BEING APPLIED. WHILE STILL IN THE PARKING LOT, TRYING TO STOP, NOTICED THE BRAKES PULSATING AS IF THE ABS SYSTEM WAS TRYING TO KICK ON. WITH SIMILAR RESISTANCE AS BEFORE AS PULSATING CEASED. HAPPENS DAILY NOW. TODAY 9/4/12 THE ABS & TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS BOTH CAME ON SHOWING BOTH NEED SERVICED. EACH TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED, THE PAVEMENT HAS BEEN DRY WITHOUT ANY APPARENT GRAVEL AT THE LOCATIONS. *TR
BRAKELINE CONNECTION UNDER VEHICLE (IN FRONT OF WHERE DRIVER SITS) COULD BECOME CRACKED OR BROKEN IF KNOCKED BY ROAD DEBRIS, OR BUMPS IN THE ROAD. I NOTICED THIS ON MY 2008 GRAND PRIX GXP, SO NOT SURE IF THIS MODEL SITS LOWER TO THE GROUND THAN OTHER GRAND PRIX MODELS. WATCHING RESERVOIR FLUID LEVEL TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH IS LOST OVER A MONTH. I DISCOVERED AFTER NOTICING A BURNT FLUID SMELL IN THE CABIN AFTER 16 MAR 2012. PARTICULARLY STRONG AFTER HARD BRAKE SITUATION I WAS TOLD BY LOCAL DEALER THAT THERE WAS NO WARRENTY ON THIS VEHICLE, AND THAT THE PARTS MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE ANYMORE.
UNDER HARD HIGH SPEED BRAKING THE FRONT BRAKES SHUDDER BADLY CAUSING A SEVERE FRONT END SHIMMY DUE TO WARPED ROTORS MAKING STOPPING DIFFICULT. IF PRESSURE ON PEDAL IS NOT RELEASED THIS COULD CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL AND A CRASH. IT IS WORSE IF GOING DOWNHILL. THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE ON GM CARS BUILD IN THE LAST 8 YEARS. THERE ARE POSTS ALL OVER THE INTERNET ABOUT THIS. THE PROBLEM IS WITH POORLY MADE BRAKE ROTORS THAT WARP AT UNDER 15,000 MILES OF NORMAL USE. I HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH MY WIFE'S 2003 IMPALA. THESE CARS SHOULD BE RECALLED AND THE ROTORS REPLACED WITH PARTS OF ADEQUATE QUALITY. IF YOU CAN GET THE ISSUE ADDRESSED UNDER WARRANTY, THE DEALER WILL ONLY EITHER TURN THE DEFECTIVE ROTORS OR REPLACE THEM WITH THE SAME OEM JUNK. THE ONLY FIX I HAVE FOUND IT TO REPLACE THEM WITH AFTERMARKET ROTORS AND PADS. *TR
2008 GRAND PRIX GXP FRONT WHEEL CRACKED, LOSING AIR WITH 24K MILES. THE WEEK BEFORE IT WAS BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS. TOTAL OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES 1,200.00 IN TWO WEEKS. I FIND THIS ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE FOR A CAR WITH BUMPER TO BUMPER COVERAGE. JUST EXACTLY WHAT DO THEY COVER? LAST I CHECKED MY WHEELS WERE BETWEEN MY BUMPERS, AND IF GM CAN'T BUILD A CAR ROAD WORTHY OF A MICHIGAN WINTER THEY SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO SELL THEM HERE. THIS WOULD BE ALOT EASIER TO SWALLOW IF IT WERE A USED CAR, BUT NEW WITH 24K MILES IS ABSURD! *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THE PAINT BEGAN PEELING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY EXPOSURE TO ACID RAIN AND THEY OFFERED TO RE-PAINT THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO FELT A HARD VIBRATION WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL AND ACCELERATING TO 55-65 MPH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 400 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 800.
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .