Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 7 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1998 Pontiac Pontiac, most frequently naming the fuel system, electrical and engine categories. 7 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 1998 | 1 | 1 |
| Feb 1999 | 1 | 2 |
| Jan 2004 | 2 | 4 |
| May 2005 | 1 | 5 |
| Mar 2007 | 1 | 6 |
| Jun 2007 | 1 | 7 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
CAR WAS DRIVEN TO A FRIENDS HOUSE. AFTER BEING IN THE HOUSE FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 MIN. WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT OUR CAR'S ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS ON FIRE. EVERYTHING IN THE COMPARTMENT WAS MELTED OR DISTORTED. INSURANCE COMPANY TOTALED THE CAR.
I OWN A 98 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX,BLACK,FOUR DOOR AUTOMATIC.I HAVE BEEN PAYING FOR THIS CAR FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS.I WENT TO START MY CAR AND IT WAS DEAD SO WE HOOKED IT UP TO A POWER SAVE JUMPER CABLE BOX(THE ONE THAT DOESNT NEED ANOTHER CAR TO CHARGE THE BATTERY) IT STILL WOULDNT START SO MY STEP FATHER (WHO IS A MECHANIC) CAME OVER TO HELP, WE HOOKED IT BACK UP TO THE JUMPER CABLES AND HE TRYED TO TURN IT OVER, NOTHING.... I LEANED IN TO TRY AND TURN IT OVER AND MY FUEL INJECTOR MANIFOLD EXPLODED. THE PLASTIC CASING BLEW ABOUT 20 FT DOWN THE ROAD AND THE WHOLE TOP OF MY ENGINE WAS ON FIRE.THE FIRE BLEW MY MANIFOLD APART,MY FUEL INJECTOR IS COMPLETELY MISSING THE WHOLE PART WHERE MY SPARK PLUGS ARE IS BURNED AND SO ON THERE IS ALOT OF DAMAGE!!!I HEARD FROM MY INSURANCE COMPANY THAT THERE IS AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION INTO THE PONTIAC GRAND PRIX.I HAVE TRYED TO RECEIVE ANY INFORMATION THAT WOULD HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHY THIS HAPPENED. I HAVE CONTACTED GM PERSONALLY AND AM HAVING IT LOOKED AT BY A GM SPECIALIST(SUPPOSEDLY).IM JUST VERY THANKFUL THAT MINE NOR MY STEPFATHERS FACE WAS UNDER THAT HOOD OR ONE OF US WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY BADLY INJURED.
HEADLIGHT LENS POPPED OUT.
POWER STEERING WAS RECALLED BEFORE I PURCHASED THE CAR AND WAS NEVER FIXED, CAUSED AN AUTO WRECK. *LA
NOTICED ENGINE WAS OVERHEATING. OWNERS MANUAL SAID CHECK COOLANT TANK AND IF EMPTY SERVICE AND SEE IF THAT FIXES THE PROBLEM. SERVICED COOLANT TANK AND WHEN I STARTED THE CAR AFTER ABOUT THREE MINUTES RUNNING THE THERMOSTAT OPENED UP AND THE CAR STARTED TO SPUTTER AND RUN ROUGH. I SHUT OFF THE CAR AND WHEN I TRIED TO RESTART IT FOR THE MECHANIC IT HYDRO-LOCKED AND BROKE THE STARTER WHICH ALSO HAD TO BE REPLACED. COOLANT HAD ENTERED THE ENGINE CYLINDERS. MECHANIC FOUND INTAKE PLENUM WARPED. HE SAID THEY CHANGE THESE ALL THE TIME.
CD CHANGER MALFUNCTIONING. *YC
BACK SEAT FAILED DURING COLLISION CAUSING INJURY.
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
INFORMATION REGARDING J 44551 A/C SUCTION SCREEN KIT REPAIR RECOMMENDATIONS AND PROCEDURES AFTER CATASTROPHIC COMPRESSOR FAILURES FOR PASSENGER CARS AND LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS WITH DELPHI HD6, HU6 AND HT6 COMPRESSORS. *TT
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LOCK
THIS BULLETIN INFORMS DEALERSHIPS ABOUT THE TRAP RESISTANT REAR COMPARTMENT (TRUNK) KIT. *TT
SEATS
GENERAL MOTORS BEGAN PROVIDING CHILD RESTRAIN SEAT TOP TETHER HARDWARE PACKAGES TO CUSTOMERS IN THE UNITED STATES WHO REQUESTED THEM. *TT
AIR BAGS:ON-OFF SWITCH ASSEMBLY
INFORMATION REGARDING SWITCHES TO TURN OFF AND ON FRONTAL AIR BAGS FOR PASSENGER CARS AND TRUCKS. *TT
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
SOME J-CAR AND S-TRUCK MODELS MAY EXHIBIT INCREASED OIL CONSUPTION ON ENGINE BUILT BEFORE OCTOBER 27, 1997. *TT
STRUCTURE:BODY
MODEL YEAR 1994-99 PASSENGER CARS AND TRUCKS , BUMPS OR RUST COLORED SPOTS IN THE PAINT DUE TO RAIL OR IRON DUST. YD
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.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Issue Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 40.1 |
| 2002 | 9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2001 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 26.2 |
| 2000 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 39.5 |
| 1999 | 9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1998Viewing | 7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1997 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 38.7 |
| 1996 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1995 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1994 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1993 | 3 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1992 | 2 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1991 | 1 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1990 | 0 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1989 | 0 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1988 | 4 | 0 | 2 | — |
| 1987 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — |
| 1986 | 1 | 0 | 4 | — |
| 1985 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — |
| 1984 | 1 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1983 | 0 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1982 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1973 | 0 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1971 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1969 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1968 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1967 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — |
| 1965 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
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.