FaultScore

1991 Pontiac Grand Prix engine problems

19 of the 242 complaints about the 1991 Pontiac Grand Prix are about the engine — 8% of everything reported for this model year.

D

19

Complaints

2

Crashes

2

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Engine 10 52.6%
Gasoline 5 26.3%
Engine AND Engine Cooling 2 10.5%
Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe 1 5.3%
Cooling System 1 5.3%

Engine & Cooling across every Pontiac Grand Prix year

1989 16 1.1%
1990 20 1.3%
1991 19 1.3%
1992 17 1.1%
1993 15 1.0%
1994 23 1.5%
1995 11 0.7%
1996 21 1.4%
1997 184 12.2%
1998 128 8.5%
1999 207 13.7%
2000 229 15.1%
2001 174 11.5%
2002 148 9.8%
2003 48 3.2%
2004 140 9.2%
2005 20 1.3%
2006 38 2.5%
2007 32 2.1%
2008 24 1.6%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Lexington, NC

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX STE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILS TO START UNLESS THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED IN A CERTAIN POSITION. SHE ALSO STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WILL NOT WORK UNLESS THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ACTIVATED. AS A RESULT, FUSES HAVE BLOWN AND THE VEHICLE OCCASIONALLY OVERHEATS. SHE NOTIFIED THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE CONTACT REFERENCED RECALL # 92V182000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS). THE ENGINE SIZE, POWERTRAIN, AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 150,647.

NHTSA complaint #10192527 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Sevenpoints, TX

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

CAR DOES NOT RUN.... CRACKED RADIATOR BAD HEAD GASKET. POSSIBLE WARPED HEAD. HEAD GASKET LEAKS. SOMETHING DRAINING BATTERY.

NHTSA complaint #10069582 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Johnson City, NV

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON THEN THE CONSUMER CAN HEAR A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. DEALER NOTIFIED. NLM

NHTSA complaint #8019858 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cumberland, WI

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

ENGINE HEAD HAD BEEN REPLACED ONCE, AND HAD CRACKED ONCE AGAIN. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE ALUMINUM AND STEEL DO NOT WORK TOGETHER AND THAT WHEN THE STEEL HEATS UP THE ALUMINUM WILL CRACK, THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO RUN POORLY AND OVERHEAT.

NHTSA complaint #898236 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Dryden, NY

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH BOTH BOTTOM REAR CRADLE MOUNTS FAILED DUE TO CORRISION, CAUSING MOTOR TO FALL AND DISCONNECT STEERING MECHANISM, RESULTING IN A CRASH. CONSUMER CONTACTED GMC, AND GMC INSISTED THAT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE DID NOT FALL UNDER RECALL 00V189000 BECAUSE IT WAS MANUFACTURED AFTER SPECIFIED DATE. FRONT MOUNTS ALSO SHOWED INDICATION OF FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #893251 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Roseville, MI Fire

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

AFTER PLACING VEHICLE IN THE PARK POSITION WHILE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES, CONSUMER SMELLED SMOKE COMING FROM OUTSIDE. WENT OUTSIDE TO INQUIRE, AND CONSUMER SAW SMOKE AND FLAMES COMING FROM VEHICLE. CAUSE OF FIRE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. *AK CONSUMER STATES HE DROVE A LONG DISTANCE THAT DAY. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #892438 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pittsburgh, PA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

WHILE DRIVING DURING DAY TIME VEHICLE WAS FINE. BUT, AT NIGHT NOTICED VEHICLE WOULD IDLE HIGH & START TO OVERHEAT. VEHICLE WOULD STUTTER LIKE IT WAS STALLING. APPLIED BRAKES & VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. ALSO, SMOKE WOULD BE COMING INSIDE OF VEHICLE FROM UNDER HOOD. PROBLEMS WERE INTERMITTENT.

NHTSA complaint #875432 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cumberland, WI

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

MECHANIC SAID THERE WERE 14 CRACKS IN THE HEAD OF THE MOTOR. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE WOULD LOSE POWER/OVERHEAT. SMOKE AND DRIPPING WATER WERE COMING OUT OF THE TAILPIPE. *AK

NHTSA complaint #863595 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Hamler, OH Fire

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

SMALL ENGINE FIRE MELTED PLASTIC AT FRONT OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT)

NHTSA complaint #552201 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Elysian, MN

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

WHILE DRIVING THE MOTOR MOUNTS BROKE CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HEAR A LOUD NOISE AND UPON INSPECTING THE VEHICLE FOUND THAT THE MOTOR HAD FALLEN TO THE GROUND AND DISCONNECTED THE STEERING COLUMN. NLM

NHTSA complaint #551814 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Chaplan, MN Crash

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

REAR CRADLE BOLTS HAVE ROTTED OUT DUE TO SALT CORROSION, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKE CONTROL. SAME DEFECT AS 97V058000, BUT STATE OF MINNESOTA IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. APPROXIMATELY 675,000 VEHICLES ARE AFFECTED. *AK

NHTSA complaint #856667 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Kentwood, MI

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

WHILE DRIVING AT 5 MPH TWO ENGINE MOUNTS SNAPPED OFF, AND THE ENGINE DROPPED TO THE GROUND.

NHTSA complaint #849980 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Goshen, IN

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

ENGINE FALL OUT OF THE CAR WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVE. THERE ARE ONLY 2 MOTOR MOUNTS ON BOTTOM OF ENGINE

NHTSA complaint #710275 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Apple Vall, MN

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

HEAD BOLTS BROKE ALLOWING ANTIFREEZE TO GO INTO THE OIL PAN THROUGH THE OIL RETURN. QCAW

NHTSA complaint #539886 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Duluth, MN Crash

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

THE FRAME BROKE WHILE STEERING A CORNER AT AN INTERSECTION GOING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH. GAS PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND COULDN'T STOP VEHICLE FOR AT LEAST 3/4 OF A BLOCK. ALSO REPLACED ENGINE CRADLES.

NHTSA complaint #824147 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Evansville, IN

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

WATER PUMP FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #505115 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cloverport, KY

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TEMPERATURE GAUGE ILLUMINATED.

NHTSA complaint #505751 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Flushing, MI

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

REPAIRED MUFFLER.

NHTSA complaint #484402 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Manitowoc, WI

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

TIMING BELT BROKE.

NHTSA complaint #481138 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1991 Pontiac Grand Prix problems

← Full 1991 Pontiac Grand Prix report