IllustrationFAILURE OF THE IGNITION WIRES & PLUGS FOR THE SECOND TIME IN 3 YEARS. *JB
1996 Pontiac Grand Prix
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Pontiac Grand Prix do not stand out strongly from 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: 11 of 79 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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
7 crash reports3 fire reports5 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
9 reportsVEHICLE ON 4TH ALTERNATOR AT 63,000 MILES. ALTERNATOR FAILURE IN THIS VEHICLE CAN OCCUR SUDDENLY, WITH LITTLE OR NO WARNING, AT ANY SPEED, LEAVING DRIVER WITH LIMITED ABILITY TO CONTROL VEHICLE. VOLUNTARY MANUFACTURER RECALL 8/99, SPARK PLUG WIRES REPLACED TO BETTER HANDLE ELECTRICAL LOADS. PROBLEM IMPROVED BUT NOT RESOLVED. …
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VEHICLE ON 4TH ALTERNATOR AT 63,000 MILES. ALTERNATOR FAILURE IN THIS VEHICLE CAN OCCUR SUDDENLY, WITH LITTLE OR NO WARNING, AT ANY SPEED, LEAVING DRIVER WITH LIMITED ABILITY TO CONTROL VEHICLE. VOLUNTARY MANUFACTURER RECALL 8/99, SPARK PLUG WIRES REPLACED TO BETTER HANDLE ELECTRICAL LOADS. PROBLEM IMPROVED BUT NOT RESOLVED. OTHER VEHICLE OWNERS HAVE SAME EXPERIENCE AND COMPLAINTS INCLUDING AT NHTSA WEBSITE. VEHICLE MODEL & YEAR WITH 3.4 LITRE ENGINE UNABLE TO SUSTAIN NORMAL ELECTRICAL LOADS. ALTERNATOR FAILURE OCCURS EVERY 1-2 YEARS, ALWAYS WHEN AIR CONDITIONER OPERATING. MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO COVER MOST RECENT REPLACEMENT UNDER "SECRET WARRANTY". REPAIRS WITH REBUILT ALTERNATOR COST NEARLY $800 EXCLUDING TOW, CAR RENTAL & CELL PHONE CHARGES. VEHICLE BLOCKING LANE OF TRAFFIC ON MAJOR ARTERIAL DURING RUSH HOUR. FREQUENCY OF ALTERNATOR FAILURE IS CLEARLY NOT NORMAL WEAR OR USE. RECEIVED NO WRITTEN RESPONSE FROM PRIOR WRITTEN COMPLAINTS TO PONTIAC. TS
CAR STALLS OUT WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE ALMOST KILLED MYSELF AN OTHER DRIVERS BECAUSE OF THIS. IT IS ALSO HARD TO START. *AK
VECHICLE ABS LIGHT CAME ON ALL INTERIOR AND EXTERNAL LIGHTS DIMMED, ONCE VECHICLE WAS SHUT OFF IT WOULD NOT RESTART. BATTERY WAS REPLACED IT WORKED FINE FOR ABOUT 1 WEEK. I WAS INFORMED THE ALTERNATOR WAS NOT PUTTING OUT ENOUGH AMPS, SO THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED AND 1 WEEK LATER SAME PROBLEM AGAIN SO ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED A …
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VECHICLE ABS LIGHT CAME ON ALL INTERIOR AND EXTERNAL LIGHTS DIMMED, ONCE VECHICLE WAS SHUT OFF IT WOULD NOT RESTART. BATTERY WAS REPLACED IT WORKED FINE FOR ABOUT 1 WEEK. I WAS INFORMED THE ALTERNATOR WAS NOT PUTTING OUT ENOUGH AMPS, SO THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED AND 1 WEEK LATER SAME PROBLEM AGAIN SO ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED A 2ND TIME. THAT SAME DAY THE PROBLEM WAS REPEATED. IT SEEMS WHEN THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON ALL THE POWER FROM THE BATTERY IS DRAINED.
HORN WORKS SOMETIMES.
PROBLEM IS WITH FACTORY PASSENGER'S KEY II SECURITY SYSTEM. VEHICLE WILL MOST OF THE TIME, BUT WILL NOT START AT TIMES. THE OWNER'S MANUAL STATES THAT IF THIS OCCURS WAIT THREE MINUTES THEN IT WILL START EXACTLY THREE MINUTES LATER. I HAVE TALKED WITH SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE WHO OWN THE SAME TYPE OF VEHICLE AND HAVE OR HAVE HAD TH…
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PROBLEM IS WITH FACTORY PASSENGER'S KEY II SECURITY SYSTEM. VEHICLE WILL MOST OF THE TIME, BUT WILL NOT START AT TIMES. THE OWNER'S MANUAL STATES THAT IF THIS OCCURS WAIT THREE MINUTES THEN IT WILL START EXACTLY THREE MINUTES LATER. I HAVE TALKED WITH SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE WHO OWN THE SAME TYPE OF VEHICLE AND HAVE OR HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I SPOKE WITH A SERVICE DEPARTMENT SUPERVISOR AT A PONTIAC DEALER AND HE STATED THAT HE HAS REPLACED A "BARREL FULL" OF THE KEY CYLINDERS AND NOT THE SECURITY SYSTEM MODULE. IT APPEARS THAT IN AN AREA THIS SMALL WITH AN INCIDENT RATE THAT HIGH THAT THERE IS A DEFINITE PROBLEM IN WHICH PONTIAC NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE. *AK
ALTERNATOR FAILED.
HORN REQUIRES EXCESSIVE FORCE TO ACTIVATE.
INTERMITTENT STALLING AT VERY LOW SPEEDS WHILE TURNING/ WHEN SLOWLY ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. *AK
Official recalls
103V527000 · Steering:rack And Pinion
Dec 11, 2003
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES HAVE LOWER PINION BEARINGS IN THE POWER RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY IN WHICH THE RETAINER TABS WERE NOT CRIMPED PROPERLY. THESE RETAINERS COULD FAIL AND PERMIT THE BALL BEARINGS TO ESCAPE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS OCCURS, THE PINION SHAFT CAN BE FORCED UPWARD DURING LEFT TURNS AND BACK DOWN AS THE STEERING WHEEL IS MOVED BACK AND TO THE RIGHT. IF THE PINION SHAFT MOVES FURTHER, THE DRIVER WILL NEED TO EXERT MORE EFFORT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL, SIMILAR TO A VEHICLE WITHOUT POWER ASSISTED STEERING. IF THE PINION SHAFT MOVES EVEN FURTHER, THE DRIVER WILL REQUIRE MUCH HIGHER EFFORT TO TURN LEFT AND MAY NOT BE ABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL AS MUCH AS INTENDED. WITH THE MAXIMUM PINION SHAFT MOVEMENT, WHICH REQUIRES INTERNAL GEAR COMPONENT DAMAGE, THE DRIVER CAN ENCOUNTER HIGH RESISTANCE TO TURNING LEFT, FOLLOWED BY UNINTENDED POWER ASSIST TO THE RIGHT. IN ANY OF THESE CONDITIONS, A CRASH COULD OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW LOWER PINION BEARING UNLESS INSPECT OF THE EXISTING BEARING INDICATES THAT REPLACEMENT OF THE GEAR ASSEMBLY IS NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 5, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080; CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438; OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537; OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.
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
3PE02050 · Engine Compartment Fires
Opened Jun 13, 2002 · Closed Oct 22, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
No summary supplied.
EA99026 · Inadvertent Air Bag Deployment
Opened Aug 31, 1999 · Closed Dec 28, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags
There is no summary currently available
EA96023 · Inappropriate Air Bag Deployment
Opened Sep 27, 1996 · Closed Feb 13, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags
THE FAILURE RATE (1.25/100K) ON THIS ISSUE IS LOW.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF THE AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITURE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO CLOSELY MONITOR THIS ISSUE.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS CLOSING REPORT IS INCLUDED IN THE PUBLIC FILE.