IllustrationDELAYED ENGAGEMENT FROM A DEAD STOP, ENGINE REVVED, CAR DIDN'T MOVE AND THEN SLAMMED INTO FIRST GEAR. SINCE ORIGINAL DATE, IT DOES IT SPORADICALLY AS WELL AS SLIPS IN OTHER GEARS. PREPARING TO TAKE TO DEALER BUT FROM READING ONLINE, IT'S OBVIOUS THERE IS A KNOWN DEFECT IN THESE TRANSMISSIONS. *TR
2008 Pontiac Grand Prix
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2008 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
80–25K
1425–50K
1950–75K
3075–100K
29100–150K
12150K+
112 reports with mileage · 30 unknown
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.
- Electrical System. Review the 43 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports3 fire reports8 injury reports
What owners actually said
142 reportsPASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG WEIGHT SENSOR CYCLES ON AND OFF WHEN PASSENGER OF APPROX 150 LBS. IS IN SEAT. HAD DEALER CHECK, SAID WOULD COST APPROX $900 TO REPAIR.AS CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY (4YR). THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR ON A VITAL SAFETY DEVICE THAT SHOULD RELIABLE WELL BEYOND A 3 OR 4 YR PERIOD. *TR
I HAVE TWO ISSUES WITH MY TRANSMISSION. MY VEHICLE ONLY HAS 39,000 MILES. REV-AND-CLUNK STARTS AND NOT STARTING OFF FROM A STOP. THIS IS HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY AS THE MILES RACK UP. I HAVE A 2008 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GXP. *TR
I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED WITH LOW MILEAGE, AROUND 30,000 MILES IN NOVEMBER 2008. MY HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT WORKING ON DIM. THEY WORK FINE ON BRIGHT. SEEMS LIKE THIS COULD BE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM OR A SHORT, BECAUSE THE DIMS WORK AT TIMES AND THEN WILL GO OFF IF YOU HIT A BUMP. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR. …
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I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED WITH LOW MILEAGE, AROUND 30,000 MILES IN NOVEMBER 2008. MY HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT WORKING ON DIM. THEY WORK FINE ON BRIGHT. SEEMS LIKE THIS COULD BE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM OR A SHORT, BECAUSE THE DIMS WORK AT TIMES AND THEN WILL GO OFF IF YOU HIT A BUMP. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR. WARRANTY RAN OUT SO I TOOK IT TO AN INDIVIDUAL MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE DIMMER SWITCH. THAT DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OR TWO OF PURCHASING THIS CAR. *KB
UNDER HARD HIGH SPEED BRAKING THE FRONT BRAKES SHUDDER BADLY CAUSING A SEVERE FRONT END SHIMMY DUE TO WARPED ROTORS MAKING STOPPING DIFFICULT. IF PRESSURE ON PEDAL IS NOT RELEASED THIS COULD CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL AND A CRASH. IT IS WORSE IF GOING DOWNHILL. THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE ON GM CARS BUILD IN THE LAST 8 YEARS. THE…
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UNDER HARD HIGH SPEED BRAKING THE FRONT BRAKES SHUDDER BADLY CAUSING A SEVERE FRONT END SHIMMY DUE TO WARPED ROTORS MAKING STOPPING DIFFICULT. IF PRESSURE ON PEDAL IS NOT RELEASED THIS COULD CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL AND A CRASH. IT IS WORSE IF GOING DOWNHILL. THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE ON GM CARS BUILD IN THE LAST 8 YEARS. THERE ARE POSTS ALL OVER THE INTERNET ABOUT THIS. THE PROBLEM IS WITH POORLY MADE BRAKE ROTORS THAT WARP AT UNDER 15,000 MILES OF NORMAL USE. I HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH MY WIFE'S 2003 IMPALA. THESE CARS SHOULD BE RECALLED AND THE ROTORS REPLACED WITH PARTS OF ADEQUATE QUALITY. IF YOU CAN GET THE ISSUE ADDRESSED UNDER WARRANTY, THE DEALER WILL ONLY EITHER TURN THE DEFECTIVE ROTORS OR REPLACE THEM WITH THE SAME OEM JUNK. THE ONLY FIX I HAVE FOUND IT TO REPLACE THEM WITH AFTERMARKET ROTORS AND PADS. *TR
I HAVE A 2008 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX, THE AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON, I CHECKED WITH THE DEALER REPAIR SERVICE, THEY SAID IT WOULD BE $1,100 TO FIX IT. I CALLED GM AND THEY DID OFFER TO PAY FOR HALF THE COST TO FIX IT, BUT MY AIR BAGS WERE NOT ABLE TO WORK WITH THE SENSOR OUT. I HAD TO PAY $475 TO HAVE THE SENSOR REPLACED, IT WO…
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I HAVE A 2008 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX, THE AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON, I CHECKED WITH THE DEALER REPAIR SERVICE, THEY SAID IT WOULD BE $1,100 TO FIX IT. I CALLED GM AND THEY DID OFFER TO PAY FOR HALF THE COST TO FIX IT, BUT MY AIR BAGS WERE NOT ABLE TO WORK WITH THE SENSOR OUT. I HAD TO PAY $475 TO HAVE THE SENSOR REPLACED, IT WOULD SEEM THAT IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE COVERED FOR MORE THAN 3 YEARS, BEINGS THE CAR IS 3 YEARS OLD, NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, SO AS FAR AS I KNOW, THE AIRBAGS HAVE NEVER BEEN DEPLOYED, SO WHY WOULD I HAVE TO PAY $1,100 FOR THAT? THAT IS A SAFETY ISSUE, AND IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, THE AIRBAGS WOULD NOT HAVE WORKED. *TR
2008 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GXP V8 TRANSMISSION FAILURE. CAR SHUDDERS, TRANSMISSION SLIPS, CAR SHAKES AT ALL SPEEDS. DEALER BLAMED IT ON TIRES, TIRES BEEN REPLACED AND BALANCED. HAVE BALANCING PAPER WORK TO PROVE IT. *TR
2008 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GXP. SLIPPING TRANSMISSION, STILL UNDER WARRANTY, DEALER SAYS CANNOT REPLICATE ISSUE. CAR VIBRATES HORRIBLY, SLIPS INTO EVERY GEAR. DEALER WILL NOT FIX UNTIL TRANSMISSION STOPS WORKING ALL TOGETHER. CAR HAS BEEN TURNED IN FOR THIS ISSUE 6 TIMES. GM NEEDS TO FIX IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *TR
AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP THEN ACCELERATING THE TRANSMISSION HAS A 'SHUDDER'. OCCURS A FEW TIMES A MONTH. NOTHING HAD BEEN DONE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. CAR ONLY HAS 36,300 MILES ON IT. ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION FLUID AS WELL. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 2008 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING IN APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE ENGINE RESTARTED AND THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN AT A DIFFERENT TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT DEALER WHERE THE CAMSHAFT SE…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 2008 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING IN APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE ENGINE RESTARTED AND THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN AT A DIFFERENT TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT DEALER WHERE THE CAMSHAFT SENSOR AND RACK AND PINION WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ONE WEEK AFTER THE REPAIR SO THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. A DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WAS PERFORMED WHICH FAILED TO DETECT A TROUBLE CODE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THEY PERFORMED A FUEL INDUCTION CLEANING WHICH DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 63,000. UPDATED 03/15/11*LJ UPDATED 1/3/11 *CN
Official recalls
114V400000 · Electrical System:ignition
Jul 3, 2014
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
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
1RQ17002 · Loss Of Headlights
Opened Apr 24, 2017 · Closed Mar 29, 2021
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting:headlights
The subject vehicles are model year (MY) 2002-2009 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, 2004-2007 Buick Rainier, 2003-2008 Isuzu Ascender, 2005-2009 Saab 9-7X, 2002-2004 Oldsmobile Bravada, 2003-2006 Chevrolet SSR, 2005-2009 Buick Lacrosse, and 2006-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix. This scope includes the Trailblazer/Envoy variants: 2002-2006 Envoy XL/Trailblazer EXT and 2004-2005 Envoy XUV. The original scope of this investigation was expanded to include all vehicles equipped with the subject Headlight Driver Module (HDM). The focus of the investigation was to determine whether actions performed by General Motors adequately addressed any unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety in the subject vehicles concerning the headlights and the HDM that controls them.Under normal electrical load and environmental conditions, the HDM can overheat inside the Underhood Electrical Center (UEC). This can cause the module to fail and result in a simultaneous loss of both low beam headlights and both daytime running lights (DRLs), often with no warning or prior detectability to the driver. This failure can be intermittent or permanent. No other exterior lights are affected. High beams, turn signals, brake lights, and reverse lights are still operational.General Motors addressed this issue with 2 recalls (14V755 & 15V519) and a special coverage program (N172091910). In view of the recalls and special coverage program implemented by GM and the vehicle high beams continuing to operate, ODI has tentatively concluded that the actions taken by GM mitigate any unreasonable risk to safety posed by HDM failure in the subject vehicles.Accordingly, the investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances.The ODI reports cited above are available for review online at NHTSA.gov under the identification numbers in the attached document.