Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
On the afternoon of August 24th. When parking in my driveway I suddenly noticed my brake pedal become mushy and drop all the way to the floor. When I exited the car, I noticed puddles of brake fluid on the pavement. I immediately brought the car to an auto shop for repair. He said I had a corroded brake line that burst and caused the leak of brake fluid and the brakes to fail. I was charged $140.00 for this repair. I drove the car for 1 day and then proceeded to vacation for a week. Upon my return I used the car again for another day without any issues. On the morning of September 3rd I proceeded to go shopping with the car. After completing my shopping on the way home I noticed the brake pedal becoming mushy again. As the drive home progressed I noticed the brake pedal going all the way down like it did the previous week. I proceeded to bring the car to the mechanic again. …
After installing a aftermarket indiglo reverse gauge overlay ABS light appeared on instrument cluster and never went off. Car was stationary. Checked fuses, tried to reset by turning ignition to the on position and pumping the brakes three times worked once then came back on. Then try disconnecting the battery for 20 minutes but it did not work. O'reilly's auto did he scan coach with pointing towards the asb sensor brakes feel good and normally. I included two images one with the old overlay on the instrument cluster the other picture is when I took the old one off to put the new one on which is when the light came on
While driving 30 MPH and attempting to avoid an accident, the driver slammed on the brakes. The brakes failed and a result the vehicle dipped down in the from and crash under a trucks rear crash bar. On impact the driver hit his chest on the steering wheel. The seat belt did not restrain him properly nor did either of the frontal air bags deploy. The passenger's seat belt didn't lock until it had already come out about 1 1/2 feet. The driver sustained a fractured sternum and chest trauma. The passenger sustained sever hand injuries and chest trauma. The consumer had all four seat belts replaced.
The multi function switch has malfunctioned this is a common occurrence on these cars. The malfunction of this switch has meant that the brake lights do not work causing someone to run into the back of my car as I was slowing in traffic. The shift lever lock will not engage leaving the keys unable to be removed and the shifter can be moved out of park without the brake pedal being pressed. The ignition switch and harness malfunction causing the fan to not work in anything but 5. Look at the message boards all three a common occurrence and worse GM knows of these problems and have refused to address them.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix. While the vehicle was being inspected by an independent mechanic, the tires were unable to be rotated due to a severely corroded subframe. In addition, the rear sway bar link fractured and the brake pedal was hesitant when depressed. The independent mechanic replaced the rear sway bar link and brake lines however, the sub frame was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 115,000.
My brakes had to be repaired in August, 2005 and again today. The car has only 19145 miles on it . In August the dealer replaced the rotors and brake pads , the paperwork said it was done on the front brakes, they said that they never seen rotors in that bad of shape (rusted and pitted). I had 15990 miles on the car at that time. It was still covered by warranty. Now today I had to pay 191.69 to replace the front brake pads (which were completely separated from their backing) I also had to have the rotors turned down . When I told them that they had just replaced the front brakes in aug.(3000 miles earlier) they told me that they made a mistake on the work order paperwork and they had actually replaced the rear brakes in August. I ask them why they didn't check all of the brakes or find the problem then . I have got the brakes pieces that they took off today . …
Dt: 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix. The consumer stated the caliper trusted from the inside out. They were getting too hot and warping the rotors. General motors was not willing to help with the problem. The brakes were replaced by the dealer in July 2004. The brakes needed to be replaced again in May 2005. Other service centers told the consumer GM puts junk parts on their vehicles. The vehicle shook when the problem was happening. The consumer stated the vehicle sounded like it was stuck in third gear. The transmission needed to be replaced. It was fixed under warranty. The problems started after the consumer's husband had an accident.
Dt*: the contact stated while applying brake pressure at 5 MPH there was a loud grinding noise. The vehicle was seen by an authorized dealer, where it was determined the rotors were rusted and needed to be replaced. The dealer suggested rusted rotors were attributing to the lack of driving of the vehicle rather than road salts. The last incident occurred at an annual state inspection, the brakes did not pass state inspection due to the rust on the rotors. The vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop and the mechanic suggested replacing the entire antilock brakes to correct the problem.
After driving to several stores, upon starting my car I noticed the brake pedal went almost to the floor. I started to pull from the parking space and it took me a long time to stop. I parked and had my car taken to a repair shop. The brake line was rusted through. The mechanic said that should not have happened to a car with only 69,000 miles on it and was a poor design as the brake line runs over the wheel well. He said there are others that will also fail soon. I am going to have them all replaced. My parking brake cable also broke a few weeks ago. Luckily this did not cause an accident.
Tl contact owns a 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix. The contact was driving approximately 35 MPH, approaching a stop sign when the brakes were engaged; however, the vehicle failed to slow down. After numerous attempts the vehicle eventually came to a stop. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for inspection and they stated that the fuel line and brake lines were completely corroded as a result of rust. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 68,329. Updated 5/24/11 the consumer stated the vehicle was repaired at his expense. Updated 06/10/11
Brake complaints in other Grand Prix years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix?
NHTSA has 26 complaints about the brakes of the 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix, 8% of the model year's 330 complaints. The component named most often is antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix, though it has 3 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 68,000 miles, and 22% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 1 fire and 3 injuries to brakes problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.