IllustrationVEHICLE FAILS TO START PERIODICALLY.
1994 Pontiac Grand Prix
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Grand Prix years
Owner complaints for the 1994 Pontiac Grand Prix are substantially higher than the model-year median of 88.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Grand Prix years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 10 of 213 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Visibility. Review the 65 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 44 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
25 crash reports2 fire reports19 injury reports
What owners actually said
213 reportsDRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30MPH DOWN THE ROAD, WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE COMING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION CROSSED THE CENTER LINE AN HIT THE VEHICLE HEAD-ON. THE AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK
STEERING WHEEL INSTALLED INCORRECTLY PROHIBITING AIR BAG TO DEPLOY DURING CRASH AND STEERING COLUMN SMOKES.
ABS PROBLEM; WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES DURING NORMAL BRAKING, NO INCLEMENT WEATHER, SMOOTH ROAD SURFACE, THE PEDAL TRAVELS TO THE FLOORBOARD AND THERE IS NO BRAKING ABILITY. THE PEDAL IS ALSO SPONGY. DEALER NOT ABLE TO LOCATE PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES. DRIVER REAR ENDED A SEMI-TRAILER NEXT DAY BECAUSE OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM. THE VEH…
Read full complaint
ABS PROBLEM; WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES DURING NORMAL BRAKING, NO INCLEMENT WEATHER, SMOOTH ROAD SURFACE, THE PEDAL TRAVELS TO THE FLOORBOARD AND THERE IS NO BRAKING ABILITY. THE PEDAL IS ALSO SPONGY. DEALER NOT ABLE TO LOCATE PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES. DRIVER REAR ENDED A SEMI-TRAILER NEXT DAY BECAUSE OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. *AK
REPLACED OIL PAN GASKET DUE TO AN OIL LEAK OF UNDETERMINED SOURCE.
VEHICLE STALLING DUE TO FAILURE OF THE PCM, IGNITION CORE RETURN AND CAM SENSOR.
ENGINE OLI LEAK. ALSO, ALTERNATOR/REAR STRUTS/IDLE SPEED CONTROL MOTOR/BATTERY AND DRIVER'S SIDE POWER WINDOW FAILED.
THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKE ROTORS DETERIORATE, CAUSING THE BRAKING SYSTEM TO MALFUNCTION INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. *AK
ALTERNAT0R WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND HAD GONE OUT THREE TIMES. CONSUMER SAID IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO BE REPLACE IT BECAUSE NOT MANY DEALERS CARRY THIS PRODUCT. *AK
THE BRAKE CALIPERS LOCKED UP. THE BRAKE SHOP HAS REPAIRED THE BRAKES THREE TIMES, AND STATED THAT THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW FOR THE PARTS FOR THIS PARTICULAR MODEL OF BRAKES. DEALER IS UNAWARE OF ANY PROBLEMS AND CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Official recalls
197V017000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:switch/wiring
Feb 11, 1997
SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE A STRAINED OR SEPARATED WASHER/WIPER SWITCH POWER FEED WIRE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN CAUSE THE WINDSHIELD WASHER/WIPER TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY AND COULD ULTIMATELY RESULT IN INOPERATIVE WIPERS. IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR IN A SEVERE WEATHER SITUATION, DRIVER VISIBILITY COULD BE REDUCED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE OLD DESIGNED WASHER/WIPER SWITCHES WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED SWITCH.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2EA96010 · Windshield Wiper Failures
Opened Jun 18, 1996 · Closed Feb 19, 1997
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Visibility
BY LETTER DATED FEBRUARY 4, 1997, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT WAS GOING TO RECALL 349,331 MODEL YEAR 1994 AND 1995 W CAR VEHICLES.THE W CAR MODELS OF CHEVROLET, BUICK, OLDSMOBILE, AS WELL AS THE SUBJECT PONTIAC GRAND PRIX MODELS ARE INCLUDED.THE RECALL (97V-017) WILL INVOLVE REPLACING ALL THE OLD STYLE WINDSHIELD WIPER SWITCHES WITH THE LATER IMPROVED SWITCH, WITH THE LONGER WIRING HARNESS.DUE TO GM'S SAFETY-RECALL ACTION, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
PE96011 · Windshield Wiper Failure
Opened Feb 8, 1996 · Closed Jun 18, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Visibility
There is no summary currently available