AC & Heater complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (air conditioning, heater, defroster, HVAC controls).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Tl contact owns a 2005 Pontiac Grand prig. While the vehicle was parked she turned on the heat and it failed to function. She stated had automatic climate control on the vehicle and when she turned the heater on no matter what temperature it was set to the heat was minimal and luke warm. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic for the failure who advised her that the HVAC control head needed to be replaced and that the part was on back order from the manufacturer. The contact stated that the manufacturer could not give them a delivery date. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 81,648 and the current mileage was 81,736. Updated 03/31/11 updated 05/06/11
Tl contact owns a 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix. When the window defogger is activated and the windshield wipers are engaged, the vehicle shuts down. While driving 70 MPH, the vehicle stalls and loses power. The mechanic stated that the o-ring was missing, which causes the vehicle to lose power due to lack of heat. The mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. When the contact took her vehicle to the dealer, it was still under warranty. However, when she picked up her vehicle from the dealer, she noticed that 100 miles had been added, which put the vehicle out of warranty. The failure persists. The current mileage is 37,000 and failure mileage was 35,000.
Tl contact owns a 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix. While driving 30 MPH in rainy conditions, smoke appeared from the vents approximately two minutes after the defogger was activated. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact turned the vehicle off for 20 minutes. When he restarted it, smoke began to engulf the vehicle. He stated that none of the components worked inside the passenger compartment. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and they informed him that the A/C motor malfunctioned and melted, which destroyed the electrical wiring system. The vehicle has not been repaired and the manufacturer was not notified. The powertrain was unknown. The current and failure mileages were 83,000.
I own a 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix that I purchased brand new. This morning, I found my car with it's interior burned out. A fire started under my seat on the drivers side at the electric seat wiring harness box. My concern is Pontiac customer service wants me to wait 2 days, or until next Tuesday because it is a Friday, for a return phone call. My life does not stop because Pontiac feels my problem is not worthy of a quick solution even though I am sure there are thousands of Pontiac Grand prixs sitting under garages that could catch on fire just as mine did and possible destroy homes or lives. The firemen said the fire was so hot that it melted the steering column and melted out the top interior and the frame around the sunroof. …
There were several problems with my car beginning with rear defrost not working. The air would only work on high. Then as I was driving home one night I turned the fan to the air/heat off and my headlights went out nearly causing me to run off the road. Then at some point my car would not start and I would have to keep trying. Then it would not start at all. At first I was told it was the starter so I had that replaced, only to find out it was not the starter. Finally the problem was solved amazingly enough it was the ignition switch. There should be recalls on all these vehicles before more people are injured or killed because of a faulty product.
Problem with bouncing front end originally. Had wheels balanced, didn't fix problem. Then hard to turn as if power steering wasn't working and also a clunking noise when turning the steering wheel. First they replaced a tie rod assembly, but this did not correct the hard steering problem. Had to leave the vehicle at the dealer for more than a week for them to get parts to fix the rack and pinion steering. Also had a problem with water inside my heater/ac causing an accumulation of water and malfunctioning of the fan and causing water on the passenger side floor. Have also had to have a side mirror motor replaced. I fortunately have an extended warranty. I purchased my vehicle new in feb 2000. I only has 25,000 miles on it and there sure has been a lot of things happening to it. …
Numerous issues 1. Heater core went out around 60,000 miles. 2. Dexcool "gelled" and caused the above. 3. Stereo has malfunctioned since 36,000 miles. 4. Tie rod end wore out around 30,000 miles-took to dealership a couple of times and "they couldn't determine cause" of "noise and rattling". I took it to a tire company/service center and they fixed the problem. 5. Numerous interior floodings-water comes in at the firewall and floods the interior carpet-has mold, and deterioration from it. 6. Headlamps are yellow and nontransparent-the lights are not working properly because it can't shine through. 7. Headlamp assemblies are holding water. 8. Fog lamps went out right after purchasing the car and one of them burned the plastic assembly that holds it causing it to not work at all, disfigured now. 9. …
My fiance and I both have the same 1999 Grand Prix and we have both had the same problem at different times with the air conditioning leaking all over the passenger floor. The entire floor is soaked. The belt squeals extremely loud in both cars still when the fan is on whether it is the heat, air conditioning or just the fan on. This has been going on in his car for 6 months now and just started in my car about a month ago. I just find it ironic that they both came from different dealerships at different times with the same problem. I already checked into a recall and have not found one. Please contact me with any information you May have on this problem. Thank you. My fiance's VIN # is [redacted] for reference purposes.
Frequently asked questions
Which Pontiac Grand Prix years have ac & heater problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1998 (11), 2000 (11), 1999 (10), 2004 (9) and 1997 (8) model years. AC & Heater complaints make up 2% of all complaints for the 1998.
Is there a recall for Pontiac Grand Prix ac & heater problems?
No. NHTSA lists no a/c & heater recall for any Pontiac Grand Prix model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Pontiac Grand Prix ac & heater problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 71,000 miles; 54% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the appliance › air conditioner (29 mentions), followed by the defroster/defogger/hvac system (20).
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.