2006 Pontiac Grand Prix

High concern

Owners filed 239 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the electrical system. It has been recalled 2 times.

When it fails
020k40k60k90k120k200k
92,000 milesMedian miles at failure

186 complaints record an odometer reading. Failures cluster around 150,000200,000 miles.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Electrical System48
1111
Power Train42
000
Exterior Lighting25
000
Engine21
050
Steering17
214
Air Bags15
10110
Power Train › Automatic Transmission12
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic6
000
Service Brakes5
103
Tires4
002

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Electrical System › Ignition14V400000
Filed Jul 3, 20145,877,718 vehiclesGeneral Motors Llc

Defect. This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on July 3, 2014, that they are recalling 5,877,718 model year 2000-2005 Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, 1997-2003 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2005 Malibu Classic, 1999-2004 Oldsmobile Alero, 1998-2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1999-2005 Pontiac Grand Am and 2004-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.

Risk. If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy. GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 9, 2014. GM's number for this recall is 14350.

Steering09E005000
Filed Feb 17, 2009979 vehiclesDorman Products, Inc.

Defect. DORMAN IS RECALLING 979 STEERING KNUCKLES, DORMAN P/NOS. 697-902 AND 697-903, SOLD UNDER DORMAN'S "OE SOLUTIONS<SUP>TM</SUP>" BRAND NAME, AND NAPA P/NOS. 7-8502 AND 7-8503 WHICH WERE SOLD FOR REPLACEMENT USE ON THE VARIOUS VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. A POTENTIAL MATERIAL OR DESIGN DEFECT COULD RESULT IN THE STEERING KNUCKLE BREAKING IN THE HUB AREA.

Risk. A BROKEN STEERING KNUCKLE COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND A POSSIBLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy. DORMAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE STEERING KNUCKLES FREE OF CHARGE AND REIMBURSE THE REPAIR FACILITY OR OWNER FOR LABOR. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 23, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DORMAN'S TOLL-FREE HOTLINE AT 1-800-523-2492 AND PRESS 5.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Electrical System
Filed Aug 3, 2023SC

My headlights quit working while I was driving with no warning

Engine
Filed Aug 30, 2022IL

Seems like a bad motor gasket cause it’s a constant burning oil smell with no visible leaks at all

Electrical System
Filed Feb 20, 2022SD

Unknown

Service BrakesCrash3 injured
Filed Jul 12, 2021MI

Got cutoff on a busy highway going 70mph and they slammed their brakes. i had 6 car lengths between us and immediately started braking but we were just skidding. I had the choice of hitting the vehicle or swerving left towards the median. I chose the latter. The steering locked up, the abs did NOT kick in and the airbags did NOT deploy. we hit a median at 70mph and no airbags?! I was point of impact. It hit the front drivers side, destroying the light and entire front. the car spun around and it hit again but this time it was the back passenger side/light. Again, NO airbags deployed. So my abs, steering, and airbags all had issues. We are so lucky no one is hurt in severeity but I am beyond fuming, scared, and confused why all of those locked up/failed to serve their purpose! Most severe injuries were me with contusions, strains, and a herniated disc in my neck (likely to cause chronic pain, per doctor.) cop already found me not at fault so no ticket/points, to give an idea. person kept driving. one person stopped and happened to be 4 cars behind us and verified what happened to us. The vehicle is totaled. We are sol on a car now as insurance said it wasn't worth having collision considering how old it was... never had an accident or ticket in 10+ years of driving. the car failed me.

Exterior Lighting
Filed May 7, 2021IL

MY VIHICLE TURNS OFF THE LOW BEAMS WHEN I AM DRIVING AND I CAN HAVE AN ACCIDENT

Exterior Lighting
Filed Mar 1, 2021218,000 milesKS

MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT AND WHEN YOU TRY TO GO OVER 40 THE CAR LUNGES FORWARD AND HAS A HARD TIME SHIFTING AND WILL CONTINUE WHILE IN CRUISE CONTROL. I ALREADY HAD WORK DONE ON THE FUEL LINE CAUSE THE LINE WAS CLOGGED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD LUNGE FORWARD CAUSE THE FUEL WASN'T GETTING PUSHED THROUGH. MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT AFTER MY BOYFRIEND PARKED IT. HE ONLY NOTICED IT WHEN HE TRIED DRIVING AWAY AND HE COULDN'T TURN THE WHEEL LIKE USUAL. THE CRUISE CONTROL DOES ITS THING WHILE IN MOTION. ALSO THE HEADLAMPS! THE BRIGHTS STAY ON, YOU HAVE TO HOLD THE DIMMER SWITCH BACK TO GET THE BRIGHTS TO TURN OFF BUT IF YOU LET GO OF THE SWITCH THEY TURN ON AND FLASH PEOPLE. IT ONLY TURNS OFF WHEN TURNING LEFT. THE AC COMPRESSOR BLEW TOO. I HAD BOUGHT THE VEHICLE 3 YEARS AGO DURING THE WINTER SO IT WAS BLOWING COLD AIR, BUT WHEN SUMMER HIT IS WHEN I NOTICED IT WAS ONLY BLOWING AIR FROM OUTSIDE INTO THE CAB. THE HEATER WORKS, BUT THE AC DOESN'T. MY BOYFRIEND WAS DRIVING HOME RECENTLY AND COULDN'T MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL AND ALMOST HAD A HEAD ON COLLISION BECAUSE OF THE POWER STEERING. THE POWER STEERING HAPPENED IN TOWN AT HIS PLACE OF WORK AND HAD TO DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY TO COME HOME. THE CRUISE HAPPENS ON THE HIGHWAY. THE HEADLAMPS IS A CONSTANT THING, WE PULLED THE FUSE THAT CONTROLS THE BRIGHTS AND THE DIMS WORKED JUST FINE, BUT IT'S HARD TO DRIVE AT NIGHT WITHOUT BRIGHTS.

Electrical SystemFire
Filed Jan 25, 2021160,240 milesMT

MY CAR STARTED ON FIRE WHILE ON A CITY ROAD BECAUSE OF THE POWER STEERING PUMP PULLEY COMPLETELY SPRUNG OFF SERPENTINE BELT MELTED COOLANT RESERVOIR MELTED FUSE BOX BE MELTED FROM THE FIRE HOW MANY OTHER THINGS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE POWER STEERING PUMP LEAKING FLUID AND HITTING MY EXHAUST CAUSING A FIRE IN MY CAR

Electrical SystemFire
Filed Jan 25, 2021100,000 milesOH

WHEN I GO TO PRESS ON THE BRAKES IT WOULD PULL TO THE RIGHT ,AND WHEN I GO TO PUT ON MY SIGNAL LIGHT TO THE RIGHT MY BRIGHT LIGHTS COMES ON AND WHEN I TURN ON MY HEATER THE DOOR OR SOMETHING THE SHOP TOLD ME WAS NOT OPENING FOR MY HEAT TO COME OUT,AND THAT'S THE PROBLEMS I AM EXPERIENCING,WITH THE PONTIAC THEY ARE EXCELLENT CARS BUT HAS FEW ISSUES,CAN YOU PLEASE HELP WITH FIXING THESE PROBLEMS.I'VE REPORTED THE PROBLEM THREE AND A HALF YEARS AGO AND I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM ANYONE YET MY NUMBER IS [XXX]THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Engine
Filed Oct 14, 2020192,000 milesAR

BAD ENGINE HAD WHILE DRIVING ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BAD KNOCKING NOISE WITHIN THE MOTOR DO TO FAULTY PARTS MECHANIC SAYS A PART FAILED WHILE DRIVING CAR STARTS BUT HAS BAD NOISE WITHIN THE ENGINE AND NOW VEHICLE IS RENDERED USELESS.

Exterior Lighting
Filed Sep 6, 2020TN

BOUGHT THE CAR IN JANUARY THE LOW BEAM WILL NOT WORK HAVE REPLACED BULBS AND MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH

Electrical System
Filed Jun 25, 2020TX

YOU CAN TURN THE KEY ON AND HAVE COMPLETE POWER INSIDE THE CAR THE DASH EVERYTHING BUT NO POWER TO THE MOTOR. THEN YOU CAN SOMETIMES TURN THE KEY AND THE CAR WILL HAVE THREE TO FIVE SECOND DELAY CRANKING. OR YOU CAN TURN THE KEY OFF AND THERE'S A 3 5 SECOND DELAY IN THE CAR DYING. YOU CAN BE GOING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE CAR WILL DIE. IT TAKES IT 5 TO 45 MINUTES TO CRANK. MY FRIEND WHO IS AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER FIGURED OUT THE ISSUE AND ADDED A NEW WIRE TO SUPPLY POWER TO THE MOTOR. THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE WITH THE KEY IGNITION. I NEED THIS FIXED. I HAVE A TWO-YEAR-OLD GRANDSON AND I DOORDASH. IT HAPPENS CONSTANTLY. *TR

Engine
Filed Jun 15, 202095,000 milesPA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED UPON DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. NEITHER THE MANUFACTURER NOR THE DEALER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 95,000.

EngineFire
Filed Apr 10, 2020MO

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND UNOCCUPIED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO USE A FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OR POLICE WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TOWED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Electrical System
Filed Jan 27, 2020134,000 milesMI

MY 2006 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX EXPERIENCES HEADLAMPS TURNING OFF WITHOUT WARNING WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, AND NOT BEING ABLE TO GET THEM TO TURN BACK ON AGAIN. I DRIVE COUNTRY ROADS HOME FROM WORK AT NIGHT WHERE THERE ARE NO STREETLIGHTS AND THE SPEED LIMIT IS 45-50 MPH. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD ! ! ! IT IS SOCIALLY IRRESPONSIBLE FOR GM TO IGNORE THIS ISSUE. FOR SOME REASON 2006 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX IS NOT PART OF GMS PRODUCT SAFETY RECALL (RECALL NUMBER: 14291 WHICH ONLY REPLACES THE HEADLAMP DRIVER MODULE HDM FUSE). I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE HDM RELAY TWICE ALREADY, WHICH ONLY LASTS FOR ABOUT 4 MONTHS BEFORE BURNING OUT AGAIN. OBVIOUSLY THE PROBLEM IS NOT JUST WITH THE FUSE BUT LIKELY WITH THE ELECTRICAL WIRING OR THE FUSE BOX ITSELF. THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM MUST BE INVESTIGATED MORE THOROUGHLY BEFORE SOMEBODY IS KILLED. I DID READ THAT 2006 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX WAS OFFERED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY PROGRAM FOR PROBLEMS STEMMING FROM THE HEADLAMP MODULES FOR 12 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES, WHICHEVER HAPPENS FIRST. UNFORTUNATELY, THE HEADLAMP PROBLEM JUST BEGAN FOR ME IN 2019 AT WHICH POINT THE CAR WAS 13 YRS OLD AND WAS NOT COVERED BY THE EXTENDED WARRANTY PROGRAM OR THE SAFETY RECALL, WHICH IS SIMPLY ABSURD ! AT THE VERY LEAST GM SHOULD NOW INCLUDE THE 2006 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX MODEL IN THE 14291 PRODUCT SAFETY RECALL. BUT GM REALLY NEEDS TO RELEASE A PERMANENT FIX FOR THE PROBLEM RATHER THAN A TEMPORARY FUSE REPLACEMENT EVERY COUPLE MONTHS. HAS ANYONE INVESTIGATED IF THESE OVERHEA

Engine
Filed Nov 9, 2019135,000 milesCA

ENGINE DIES ABRUPTLY WITHOUT WARNING AT ANY SPEED LEAVING THE DRIVER WITHOUT BRAKES OR POWER STEERING; VERY DANGEROUS DOWN HILL, ON CURVES, CHANGING LANES, AT SIGNALS, AT STOPS, DURING T;URNS, ETC.

Exterior Lighting
Filed Jul 26, 2019290,000 milesMI

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS BECAME INOPERABLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GRAFF CHEVROLET (LOCATED AT 3636 WILDER RD, BAY CITY, MI 48706, (989) 391-5231) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LIGHTING MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER TWO MONTHS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 290,000.

Unknown or Other
Filed Jun 27, 2019160,000 milesIA

YESTERDAY DRIVING HOME, MY CAR A 2006 PONATIC GRAND PRIX, 3.6 SUPERCHARGED " ENGINE REDUCE POWER" CAME ON. TO FIND OUT IT WAS MY THROTTLE BODY, MECHANIC SAID ITS COMMON, WHEN I WENT TO LOOK ALSO ONLINE TO FIND OUT ITS COMMON WITH ABOUT EVERY CAR..

Electrical System
Filed Jun 17, 2019IL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THERE WAS A DRASTIC REDUCTION IN SPEED, THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER INDICATOR FLASHED, AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT EXCEED 30 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER WHEN THE FAILURES OCCURRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WERE 14 DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES AND STATED THAT FURTHER DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WAS REQUIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND HAD NOT ISSUED A RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Electrical System
Filed May 13, 2019137,000 milesNC

ENGINE SHUTS OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING AND SAYS STARTING DISABLED DUE TO ELECTRIC THROTTLE CONTROL, REDUCED ENGINE POWER, ABS TRACTION CONTROL OFF. THIS HAPPENS WHILE MOVING AT THE CORRECT SPEED ON THE HIGHWAY, STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT IN THE CITY, AND WHILE MAKING TURNS. SOMETIMES WHEN IT HAPPENS I LOSE POWER STEERING AND HAVE ALMOST O CONTROL OF WHERE MY CAR GOES. AT FIRST THIS ONLY HAPPENED ABOUT ONCE A WEEK, BUT NOW IT CAN HAPPEN UP TO 10+ TIMES A DAY

EngineFire
Filed Apr 25, 2019180,000 milesKS

ABOUT 5 MINUTES AFTER THE CAR WAS PARKED, THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. IT WAS A TOTAL LOSS. THERE WAS A FIRE REPORT MADE. THE CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 180,000 MILES AND WAS WELL MAINTAINED.

20 of 239 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1997
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
2008142131Fatalities reported
20072204182Fatalities reported
2006 — this page2392210High concern
2005148250Routine
20044549582Fatalities reported
20031067370High concern
20023307961Fatalities reported
2001308101068Fatalities reported
200046191620High concern
199941281252Fatalities reported
19984998601Fatalities reported
199781091082Fatalities reported
199679230Routine
1995169441Fatalities reported
1994213220Above average
1993131281Fatalities reported
1992114260Routine
1991172640Routine
1990176910Routine

Compare every Grand Prix year →

Reading this record

A high number of complaints describe fires or crashes.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Jul 3, 2014. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.