Engine complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 24 | 17% | 81,000 miles |
| 2007 | 32 | 15% | 99,000 miles |
| 2006 | 38 | 16% | 127,000 miles |
| 2005 | 20 | 14% | 112,000 miles |
| 2004 | 136 | 30% | 124,000 miles |
| 2003 | 47 | 44% | 120,000 miles |
| 2002 | 147 | 45% | 121,000 miles |
| 2001 | 166 | 54% | 116,000 miles |
| 2000 | 223 | 48% | 127,000 miles |
| 1999 | 201 | 49% | 118,000 miles |
| 1998 | 122 | 24% | 119,000 miles |
| 1997 | 180 | 22% | 150,000 miles |
| 1996 | 13 | 16% | — |
| 1995 | 11 | 7% | 150,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
We purchased the vehicle from a dealer inthe tri-cities area of eastern washington in 2010. The car May have been a lease return. However one of the selling points with the car was the remote starter option. The weather in eastern oregon where we lived at the time was a life saver. However when the battery went dead and replaced at the dealer the remote start quit working. Not only quit working but it even disappeared from the vehicle dic. The remote start is even listed in the vehicle owners manual. But the dealer in medford, oregon, air port Chevy/caddi cant seem to figure it out. We have had the vehicle at the dealers in medford 6 times. Even during the recall for the key fob issues and ignition switch fires, the dealers also looked into the darn failure of the remote start but they never did fix anything nor do they have any ideas as to get the thing fixed.
My Grand Prix recently started to display a message stating reduced engine power. It has been happening randomly for the past week. It only happens as I am driving the car. The car slows dramatically, and does not accelerate at all. As I was driving yesterday, I was merging into traffic where the speed limit is 45 MPH, I had more than enough room to merge into traffic, the reduced engine power message displayed and the car would not accelerate. The traffic quickly caught up to me and I was almost hit due to the car not accelerating. I am curious after looking into this matter and finding so many complaints about the same issue, how many complaints need to be filed, or how many deaths need to occur before something is done? I am now scared to drive my own car.
On March 27th, 2023, the car was parked and off for only approximately 5 minutes when the engine caught fire. The engine and vehicle is a complete loss. A claim has been filed with Farm Bureau insurance. There were no engine warning lights, smells, or smoke during or after driving, until the 5 minutes passed when the car was turned off. I did not locate any engine recalls due to fire for a 2007 Grand Prix. I noticed earlier models recalled due to potential fire.
Tl* the contact owned a 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix. While driving 65 MPH, smoke emitted under the hood of the vehicle. The contact coasted over to the side of the road and was able to exit the vehicle without injuries. The engine caught fire. The contact extinguished the fire. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The VIN was unknown. The approximate failure mileage was 116,300.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix. After the vehicle was shifted into the on position, all the warning indicators illuminated. Upon inspection of the hood, the contact noticed black smoke coming from the engine compartment. The fire department was contacted and extinguished the fire. The vehicle was towed to betten baker Chevrolet, Buick, GMC (14120 north Land dr, big rapids, mi) where it was diagnosed that the fuse box and engine assembly would have to be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted regarding the failure and offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 182,000. Updated 7/17/18
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix. While the vehicle was parked, it caught fire. The fire was extinguished by the fire department, but they were unable to determine what caused the fire. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacture was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.
I was driving down the road when my engine started smoking I pulled over add a friend who was is mayor of the next town over to let it cool down so that I could look to see what it was when I walk to the garage I turned around and looked and there was flames shooting up from under my hood
Accelerating on the expressway in traffic up 40 MPH, dry conditions. Vehicle in front of me stopped quickly. When I depressed the brake hard, I had no ABS assist. Upon impact, the airbags did not deploy even though it was a high energy impact. The vehicle damage caused the vehicle to be scrapped and not fixed. Based on the vehicle speed and rate of deceleration, I would expect that the ABS system would have been engaged and the airbags should have deployed. If the ABS would have been engaged, I believe the vehicle would have stopped in time. The vehicle in question has been recalled for an ignition switch defect that causes the disabling of the ABS and airbags. Driver sustained a sprained ankle.
Related recalls (4)
Engine and engine cooling › Exhaust system › Manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 1998-1999 Chevrolet Lumina and Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1997-2004 Buick Regal and Pontiac Grand Prix, 2000-2004 Chevrolet Impala, and 1998-2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles.
Remedy: The remedy applied under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 did not adequately remove the safety risk. Under the improved remedy, dealers will replace the engine's front valve cover and gasket.
Engine and engine cooling › Engine
General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on April 2, 2015, that they are is recalling certain model year 2004 Buick Regal vehicles manufactured April 9, 2003, to June 1, 2003, 2004 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactured April 8, 2003, to June 23, 2003, and 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles manufactured April 7, 2003, to…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will remove the plastic cover and plastic oil fill tube extension and replace the front valve cover and gasket. These repairs will be done free of charge.
Engine and engine cooling
General motors is recalling 1,497,516 my 1997-2003 Buick regal, my 1998-2003 Chevrolet lumina, monte carlo and impala, my 1998-1999 Oldsmobile intrigue, my 1997-2003 Pontiac grand prix vehicles equipped with a 3.8l v6 naturally aspirated engine.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the engine's front valve cover and front-valve-cover gasket with new parts of an improved design and remove the engine's plastic cover and plastic oil-fill-tube extension, free of charge.
Engine and engine cooling
GM is recalling 207,542 my 1997-2003 Buick regal and Pontiac grand prix vehicles equipped with a 3.8l supercharged v-6 engine. These vehicles have higher front rocker cover gasket temperatures, creating the potential for earlier degradation of the front rocker cover gasket and eventual oil seepage.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the engine's front valve cover and front-valve-cover gasket with new parts of an improved design and remove the engine's plastic cover and plastic oil-fill-tube extension, along with the 1-3-5 spark…
NHTSA investigations
Engine compartment fires
Engine compartment fire
On January 29, 2007, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened a preliminary evaluation to investigate alleged non-crash fires originating in the engine compartment in certain model year (my) 1999-2002 Pontiac grand prix gtp vehicles equipped with the ?l67? Supercharged version of the general motors (GM) 3800 series ii v6 engine.to date, odi is aware of 121 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles…
Engine compartment fire
By letter dated March 12, 2008, general motors corp. (GM) has notified the agency that it will conduct a safety recall (identified by NHTSA recall number 08v-118) to address a defect in approximately 207,542 model year (my) 1997-2003 Buick regal gs and Pontiac grand prix gtp vehicles equipped with the l67 supercharged version of GM's 3800 series ii v6 engine.the recalled regal gs vehicles were built from August 1996…
Frequently asked questions
Which Pontiac Grand Prix years have engine problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2000 (223), 1999 (201), 1997 (180), 2001 (166) and 2002 (147) model years. Engine complaints make up 48% of all complaints for the 2000.
Is there a recall for Pontiac Grand Prix engine problems?
Yes — 4 recalls, including 15V-701 (manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe, Oct 26, 2015); 15V-201 (engine, Apr 6, 2015); 09V-116 (engine and engine cooling, Apr 8, 2009). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Pontiac Grand Prix engine problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 123,000 miles; 9% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the engine (172 mentions), followed by the engine › gasoline (105).
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.