1996 Pontiac Grand Prix problems
NHTSA has received 116 complaints about the 1996 Pontiac Grand Prix, and 17% of them involve engine. Next are brakes (16%) and electrical system (9%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 116 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Engine 17% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 10 and 4
- Injuries and deaths
- 8 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 39,000 miles 13 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 3 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 5 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 2 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 0 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 0 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 1 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 2 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 0 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 0 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Of the 13 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 39,000 miles.
Safety-related details: 10 complaints mention a crash; 4 complaints mention a fire; 8 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 1996 ranks 17th most-complained-about out of 19 model years of the Pontiac Grand Prix with enough data (81 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 1 safety recall campaign.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
My husband and myself were involved in a high impact rear end collision. Due to the seat back failure my seat belt did not restraint me. I am now a grand maul epileptic due to my head injuries. I also suffer from neck and shoulder pain.
While driving about 50 MPH , vehicle was involved in a collision and the restraints did not retract upon impact. Passenger was injured. The dealer and manufacturer have been notified.
After stopping at a stop sign, lost control of steering while making left turn. Car continued, ran over a mail box and came to rest in a flower bed. When tow truck arrived and picked car up, tow truck driver noticed that engine cradle had fallen down and disabled the steering. Mechanic and insurance adjuster later agreed that the engine cradle bolts had sheared off.
Seat belt buckle failure, two of three in back seat have failed in last 4 months now today front passenger seat failed. Luckly these were discovered before an accident or other incident occurred that could have resulted in sever injury or death to someone.