1997 Pontiac Grand Prix problems
NHTSA has received 1,064 complaints about the 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix, and 22% of them involve steering. Next are engine (16%) and lighting (15%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 1,064 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Steering 22% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 52 and 123
- Injuries and deaths
- 42 and 2
- Typical mileage
- 101,000 miles 258 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 | 7 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 19 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 25 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 23 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 46 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 27 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 20 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 26 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 22 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 17 |
| 200k+ miles | 26 |
What the data shows
Of the 258 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 100,000 miles. For steering specifically, the median reported mileage is about 86,000 miles (49 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 52 complaints mention a crash; 123 complaints mention a fire; 42 injuries reported; 2 deaths reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 1997 ranks 1st most-complained-about out of 19 model years of the Pontiac Grand Prix with enough data (572 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 5 safety recall campaigns.
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.
On the day indicated my 2yr old and I were traveling on the freeway when the car suddenly caught fire. After the fire department put out the fire it was determined the fire started with in the engine compartment. The car had no problems and I maintained all needed service to the vehicle.
Tl* the contact owned a 1997 pontiac grand prix. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH, the vehicle caught on fire. The fire department extinguished the fire. The contact sustained injuries that did not require medical attention. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling) after the fire occurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 200,000.
While driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle was run off the road into a revine then hit several trees head-on , and the vehicle swung around and hit trees on the side. Neither air bag deployed.
Problems with power steering pump, alternator, rack and pinion, power windows, and head gaskets. The power steering pump had suddenly gone out in traffic, the vehicle stopped abruptly in the middle of traffic(the alternator was replaced), the consumer discovered that the windshield wipers were inoperative upon start due to the failure of the wiper linkage under the cowl, the steering skipped as the consumer made right hand turns(the rack and pinion was replaced along with the power steering pump), the headlight…
While driving intake manifold leaked coolant fluid. Dealerships mechanic had been notified, but the mechanic did not resolve the problem.