Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1998 record →
AT APPROX. 9200 MILES A SUDDEN INCREASE IN THE BRAKING DISTANCE AND THE PEDAL EFFORT REQUIRED TO STP. WHEN TAKING THE VEHICLE IN FOR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE AT 9510 MILES A NOISE IN THE FRONT END WAS NOTICED THAT INCREASED WHEN TURNING. THE NOISE WAS TRACED TO THE LEFT FRONT HUB WHICH WAS REPLACED. THE BRAKES WERE SAID TO BE IN SPECIFICATION ALTHOUGH NO QUANTIFIABLE MEASUREMENTS WERE TAKEN. THE ISSUE REMAINS UNRESOLVED. *AK
RATTLING NOISE FROM FRONT END.
ABS SYSTEM FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SKID, RESULTING IN ACCIDENTS. *YC
PERFORMANCE SHIFT SWITCH / HANDLE FAILED. *YC
COMPUTER IS NOT RESETTING PROPERLY WHEN IGNITION IS ON AND ENGINE NOT RUNNING, CONSUMER HAS TO PRESS ACCELERATOR THREE TIMES IN 5 SECONDS TO ENGAGE RESETTING, OIL LIGHT ILLUMINATES DUE TO FAILURE. MJS
RUBBER MOLDING AROUND WINDSHIELD FRONT RIGHTHAND SIDE CAME LOOSE.MGM
TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY FAILED. *YC
ENGINE EXPERIENCING A KNOCKING SOUND. *YC
TRANSMISSION IS MAKING NOISE AND SURGING. YH
LEFT REAR WINDOW MOTOR FAILED. YH
FUEL SENSOR FAILED. YH
FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLE INOPERATIVE. YH
CONSUMER HAS EXPRIENCED 6 TIMES FAILURE OF ALL LIGHTING. THERE IS NO PATTERN FOR THIS,IT HAPPENS AT ANY SPEED AND AT ANY TIME. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS, AND HAD SENSORS REPLACED/HEADLIGHT SWITCH REPLACED, BUT PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *AK
CONSUMER EXPERIENCING ONGOING PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE RUNNING OUT OF FUEL BEFORE THE TANK IS EMPTY. DEALER/MFR. NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE HAS AN 18 GALLON TANK AND RUNS OUT OF FUEL AFTER USING 14-15 GALLONS OF FUEL. *YH
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND HITTING A BUMP OR ANY OBJECT OR HITTING THE BRAKES, OBJECTS WILL FLY FROM THE BACK DUE TO THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT MALFUNCTIONING, HAS A DEFECT. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, CAUSING INJURIES AND LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. THERE WAS NO FRONTAL IMPACT OR WARNING LIGHT. MANUFACTURER STATED IT WAS NOT THE CONSUMER'S FAULT , BUT COULD DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN #. *AK
INTERMITTENT PROBLEM OF VEHICLE FAILING TO START/STALLING WHILE DRIVING AND NOT RESTARTING. AFTER A FAILURE, VEHICLE WILL NOT RESTART FOR AT LEAST 30 MINUTES. WHEN IT DOES RESTART, VEHICLE ACTS NORMALLY.
VEHICLE STALLS WHEN STOPPING AND THEN ACCELERATING.
POOR BUILD QUALITY AND ENGINEERING OF PARTS.
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO DOWN SHIFT OUT OF OVERDRIVE. THIS IS CAUSED BY A PROBLEM IN THE PROGRAMMING OF THE ELECTRONIC MODULE. THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE WILL NOW COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AFTER PULLING AWAY FROM A STOP SIGN.
THIS VEHICLE STALL UPON ACCELERATION AND ON ALL INCIDENTS EXCEPT ONE IT OCCURRED DURING A RIGHT HAND TURN AND ACCELERATION, THE OTHER INCIDENT OCCURED DURING THE TAKE OFF FROM A COMPLETE STOP, THESE INCIDENTS HAVE HAPPENED NOW ON SEVERAL OCCASSIONS AND HAVE RESULTED I 3 NEAR ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF STALLING IN FRONT OF TRAFFIC, ONE OTHER NOTE THAT THE SPEEDO NEEDLE OCCASSIONALLY ACCELERATES TO AROUND 90-100 MPH WHEN STARTING VEHICLE BUT THE ENGINE DOES NOT RACE WHEN THIS OCCURS. I CURRENTLY HAVE THE VEHICLE IN THE SHOP FOR THE 3RD TIME SINCE MY PURCHASE FOR THIS STALLING PROBLEM, IT IS TO THE POINT I AM AFRAID FOR THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY AND OTHERS, THAT THIS VEHICLE MAY END UP IN AN ACCIDENT AS A RESULT OF THIS PROBLEM.
HEADLIGHTS RETRIEVED WATER INSIDE, CAUSEING INADEQUACY LIGHTING. DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS CONDITION SHOULD CLEAR UP IN 2-6 HOURS OF DRY CONDITIONS. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN RESOVLD AT THIS TIME. *AK
VEHICLE WAS APPROACHING TRAFFIC LIGHT WHEN INCURRED A SURGE IN ACCELERATION. DRIVER APPLIED BRAKES BUT ALSO HAD TO SHIFT TO NEUTRAL TO AVOID HITTING OTHER VEHICLE. DROVE VEHICLE .7 MILES BY SHIFTING BETWEEN DRIVE AND NEUTRAL WITH ENGINE AT HIGH RPM. TURNED ENGINE OFF AND THEN PLUG WIRES AND WIRING HARNESS BURST INTO FLAMES.
WHILE DRIVING COMING OFF AN EXIT AT 15 MPH VEHICLE BURST INTO FLAMES. FIRE DEPARTMENT INDICATED PROBLEM WAS ELECTRICAL. *AK
DRIVER'S POWER WINDOW LOCK BUTTON INOPERATIVE.
UNSPECIFIED.
WHEN BRAKES ARE WET THERE IS LITTLE OR NO BRAKING POWER FOR SEVERAL SECONDS.
WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK
THE SEAT BACK LATCH DOES NOT WORK. IF A SUDDEN STOP IS MADE, THE SEAT BACKS FALL FORWARD. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE TWICE. *AK
AFTER PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO WET CONDITIONS BRAKES FADE. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP, IT SEEMS THAT IN FIRST INITIAL SECONDS BRAKES ARE ONLY HALF ENGAGING AND THEN BECOME FULLY ENGAGED.
WHEN DRIVING BELOW 45MPH THE ENGINE WILL TOTALLY DIE. VEHICLE WILL JERK SO HARD THAT THE CONSUMER IS THROWN FOWARD. THE TACKOMETER WILL REGISTER 0-RPM. ENGINE WILL DIE WHEN IN REVERSE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN SHOP APRIL 27TH COMPUTER WAS REPROGRAMED. PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN ON MAY 11TH. CONSUMER WAS DENIED SERVICE, AND AGAIN ON MAY 26TH. DEALER IS ORDERING A CLUSTER MODULE. MANUFACTURER STATES THAT THIS SHOULD WORK SINCE THE TACKOMETER WAS NOT THE PROBLEM. VEHICLE IS AT THE DEALERSHIP AT THIS TIME. CONSUMER IS BEING TOLD THAT THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. RONALDSON PONTIAC CHEVROLETDEALERSHIP--913-294-5375, PAYOLA, KANSAS. *AK
ABS BRAKES FAIL DURING RAINY CONDITIONS.
NO SUMMARY
ABS BRAKE PERFORMANCE GREATLY REDUCED IN RAIN.
ABS BRAKES FAIL WHILE TRAVELING ON WET SURFACES.
ABS BRAKES FAIL ON WET SURFACES.
WHILE ADDING OIL IN ENGINE OIL DROPS FELL ON THE MANIFOLD CAUSING FIRE.
WHEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IN THE RAIN THE BRAKES DO NOT ENGAGE FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AFTER APPLYING PEDAL.
WHILE MAKING MODERATELY HARD STOPS THE PASSENGER'S SEATBACK TILTED FORWARD, ALLOWING SEATBACK TO SLIDE FORWARD ON ITS FLOOR TRACK, CAUSING VIOLENT SLAMMING.
INTERMITTENT STALLING; ENGINE DIED 5 TIMES.
VEHICLE STALLED WHILE GOING 20 MPH. PULLED OVER AND RESTARTED ENGINE BUT LOST ALL POWER AND CONTROL OF VEHICLE.
RIGHT FRONT SEAT BELT RETRACTOR CONSTANTLY RETRACTS EVEN WHEN FULLY EXTENDED MAKING IT VERY UNCOMFORTABLE AND TOO TIGHT TO WEAR.
THE TRUNK INNER DECK LID HAS "ACCESS HOLES" FROM WHICH THERE ARE RAZORS LIKE POKING OUT OF THE HOLES WHICH INJURED THE OCCUPANT. *AK
ACCELERATOR CABLE CAME OUT OF THE NORMAL CHANNEL IN THE FIREWALL AND WAS STUCK IN A WIDE-OPEN POSITION , CAUSING SUDDEN ACCELERATION.
DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, WENT TO SLOW DOWN. APPLIED BRAKES, FELT VEHICLE CAUGHT. BRAKES WERE INOPERATIVE. WENT THROUGH INTERSECTION. STANDING ON BRAKE HEARD GRINDING NOISE, NO BRAKE REACTION. DEALER REPLACED BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER. THIS DEFECT CAN RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK
DESIGN OF SEATBELT CAUSES THEM TO REST ON THE NECK INSTEAD OF THE SHOULDER.
THERE IS A CONTINUOUS HISS OF AIR NOISE COMING FROM DRIVER'S SIDE EXTERIOR MIRROR AREA. *AK
WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT VEHICLE STALLS AND THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY STILL HAVE NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM, VEHICLE STILL STALLS. *AK
WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN THE VEHICLE CUT OFF, CAUSING STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK UP WHICH RESULTED IN SUSPENSION DAMAGE. OWNER RECEIVED NO INDICATION THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD CUT OFF. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix → · Every Grand Prix year → · How the figures are calculated →