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Pontiac
Grand Prix
1993
Electrical System

1993 Pontiac Grand Prix electrical problems

39 of the 185 complaints about the 1993 Pontiac Grand Prix are about the electrical system — 21% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 115,000 miles.

Complaints

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Ignition 7 17.9%

Alternator/Generator/Regulator 6 15.4%

Fuses AND Circuit Breakers 5 12.8%

Interior/Under Dash 5 12.8%

Electrical System 5 12.8%

Switch 4 10.3%

Wiring 2 5.1%

Starter Assembly 2 5.1%

Front Underhood 1 2.6%

Horn 1 2.6%

Electrical System across every Pontiac Grand Prix year

1988 11 1.2%

1989 20 2.1%

1990 21 2.2%

1991 24 2.5%

1992 30 3.2%

1993 39 4.1%

1994 31 3.3%

1995 16 1.7%

1996 11 1.2%

1997 95 10.1%

1998 54 5.7%

1999 48 5.1%

2000 66 7.0%

2001 64 6.8%

2002 56 5.9%

2003 21 2.2%

2004 111 11.8%

2005 45 4.8%

2006 66 7.0%

2007 70 7.4%

2008 44 4.7%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Filed 14 Jan 2004 at 115,000 miles Osakis, MN Crash

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

SEVERAL PROBLEMS AT DIFFERENT TIMES.OLT FELL OUT OF REAR OF ENGINE CRADLE CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING. WENT INTO THE DITCH AND COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUS IF IT HAD HAPPENED AT A DIFFERENT LOCATION. SEVERE OIL LEAK IN ENGINE, ORIGIN UNKNOWN.ILTING MECHANISM IN STEERING COLUMN IS LOOSE WHICH CAUSED BRACKET TO BREAK AND ALLOWS STEERING WHEEL TO MOVE UP AND DOWN. WHILE STEERING WHEEL IS DOWN AND BEING TURNED, THE CAR DIES. SEAT TILT MECHANISM ON FRONT PASSENGER SEAT DOES NOT HOLD SEAT BACK IN UPRIGHT POSITION. WHITE SMOKE COMES OUT OF STEERING COLUMN AFTER THE CAR IS STARTED. REAR BRAKE CALIPERS RUST CAUSING BRAKES TO LOCK UP AND SCORE THE ROTOR.

NHTSA complaint #10053179 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 20 Sep 2003 Davisville, WV Fire 1 injured

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

THE STEERING COLUMN HAD BEEN SMOKING WHEN THE TURN SIGNALS WERE USED THEN ONE EVENING THE IGNITION SWITCH CAUGHT FIRE. THE WHOLE DASH AND STEERING WHEEL COLUMN, AND INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAD TO BE REPLACED. IF YOUR STEERING WHEEL SMOKES WHEN YOU USE YOUR SIGNALS HAVE IT CHECKED.

NHTSA complaint #10039209 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 10 Jul 2003 Massena, NY

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

1993 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX, SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN.

NHTSA complaint #10025825 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 31 Jan 2003 West Alexandria, OH

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

I OWN A 1993 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX THAT I PURCHASED USED IN 1998. 2 YEARS AGO, OCCASSIONALLY SMOKE STARTED TO COME OUT OF THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN I WOULD START THE CAR, FEARING IT WOULD CATCH ON FIRE, I WOULD ONLY DRIVE IT WHEN I REALLY HAD TO. I HAVE TALKED TO PONTIAC AND THEY SAID MORE COMPLAINTS WOULD HAVE TO COME IN FOR THEM TO DO ANYTHING. MY FATHER-IN-LAW BOUGHT A 2000 GRAND PRIX AND LAST WEEK IT DID THE SAME THING. CAN WE GET A RECALL ON THIS?

NHTSA complaint #10004992 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 15 Oct 2001 American Fork, UT

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS

SMOKE FREQUENTLY IS EMITTED FROM STEERING COLUMN. THERE SEEMS TO BE A POSSIBLE CONNECTION WITH THE HAZARD SWITCH (LIKE A SHORT).

NHTSA complaint #753098 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 15 Oct 2001 American Fork, UT Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS

SMOKE COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN MANY TIMES. SMELL BURNING WIRING. SMOKE EMITTED FROM SIDE NEAR HAZARD SWITCH. PLEASE ADDRESS THIS ISSUE!!!!.

NHTSA complaint #753100 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 23 Jul 2001 Springfield, IL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

SMOKE COMING FROM STEERING WHEEL WHEN CAR IS STARTED, AND WHEN IT IS BEING DRIVEN.

NHTSA complaint #748453 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 17 May 2001 Kokomo, IN

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS

CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN. FLASHERS AND TURN SIGNALS WEREN'T WORKING. CONSUMER HAD AN APPOINTMENT AT DEALER.

NHTSA complaint #888521 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 17 May 2001 Kokomo, IN

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN. FLASHERS AND TURN SIGNALS WEREN'T WORKING. CONSUMER HAD AN APPOINTMENT AT DEALER.

NHTSA complaint #888521 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 23 Mar 2001 Huntly, IL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

WHILE DRIVING DRIVER NOTICED A PUFF OF SMOKE COMING FROM STEERING WHEEL. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED.*AK THIS SMELL OF SOMETHING BURNING HAD OCCURED TWICE. THE DEALER INDICATED THE 1994'S WERE RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM AND IT SHOULD BE RECALLED NOW TOO.

NHTSA complaint #883933 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 6 Mar 2001 Hokes Bluf, AL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

CONTINOUS PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE, VEHICLE TOWED SEVERAL TIMES, HOWEVER VEHICLE IS STILL NOT DEPENDABLE, VEHICLE CHECK GAUGE LIGHT ILLUMINATES NOW, POSSIBLY RELATED TO ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. CJ

NHTSA complaint #559290 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 18 Sep 2000 SUN Prairie, WI

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

FAILURE OF EITHER THE BATTERY OR/AND ALTERNATOR AT LEAST THREE TIMES. I HAVE OWENED CAR SINCE NEW.

NHTSA complaint #730229 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 18 Sep 2000 ST. Peters, MO Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE AFTER SMOKE AND SHORTED OUT P/LOCKS, INTERIOR LIGHTS, BLINKERS

NHTSA complaint #730532 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 14 Sep 2000 SUN Prairie, WI

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

FAILURE OF EITHER THE BATTERY OR/AND ALTERNATOR AT LEAST THREE TIMES. I HAVE OWENED CAR SINCE NEW.

NHTSA complaint #730229 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 22 Aug 2000 Parma, OH

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

EXCESSIVE SMOKE AND HEAT FROM STEERING COLUMN WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA complaint #725768 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 18 Apr 2000 Dundalk ONT Canada, AK

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

UPON STARTING CAR SMOKE EMITS FROM STEERING COLUMN ON NUMEROUS OCCASSIONS.

NHTSA complaint #721217 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 7 Apr 2000 Toms River, NJ

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

PLEASE PROVIDE A FIX, TOO HARD TO KEEP REPLACING EVERY 2-3 MONTHS. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY.

NHTSA complaint #711150 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 15 Nov 1999 Glen Falls, NY

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK THE VEHICLE HAS TO BE JUMP STARTED BECAUSE IT JUST DIES. WHEN JUMP STARTING THE VEHICLE, SMOKE COMES FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP. VEHICLE WILL BE BROUGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP ON NOVEMBER 22ND FOR THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #852882 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 7 Aug 1999 Warner Robins, GA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

SMOKE COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN, BURNT ELECTRICAL SMELL

NHTSA complaint #709720 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 4 Aug 1999 North Bend, OR

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS

ON-GOING / INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH SMOKE COMING FROM HORN ASSEMBLY; INSPECTED BY DEALER ON TWO OCCASIONS, AND INFORMED THAT HORN MUST BE DISASSEMBLEDTO LOCATE THE PROBLEM WHICH WOULD BE AT CONSUMER'S COST. SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA IN THIS MATTER.

NHTSA complaint #844244 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 16 Jun 1999 Sunnyvale, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

THIS 3.4L DOHC IS KNOWN FOR FRYING ALTERNATORS. I'VE HEARD MANY CASES.

NHTSA complaint #707590 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 6 May 1999 Altus, OK

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

CAR CUTS OUT AND CHUGS - THERE WAS A EMISSIONS MODULE RECALL DONE ON THIS VECHILE IN LATE OCT-EARLY NOV. OF 98 SINCE THEN WE HAVE HAD THIS CHUGGING - IT FEELS LIKE THE CAR IS NOT GETTING GAS OR THAT THECAR IS HAVING COMPUTER PROBLEMS 2 WEEKS AFTER RECALL WAS DONE ON THIS CAR ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY WENT OUT , THAT WASN'T ALL THE BRAKES QUIT WE HAD TO REPLACE 3 ALTERNATORS BEFORE FINALLY IT STARTED WORKING RIGHT AGAIN . THEN APROX. A MONTH LATER IT STARTED CUTTING OUT WHILE YOU TRIED TO EXCEL. ANY AND ALL HELP WILL BE APPRECIATED

NHTSA complaint #706288 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 19 Apr 1999 Wayne, NJ Fire 1 injured

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

UPON STARTING THE CAR IN THE MORNING, SMOKE EMINATED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN/WHEEL ASSEMBLY FILLING THE INTERIOR WITH SMOKE AND A STRONG BURNT ELECTRICAL ODOR.

NHTSA complaint #705767 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 17 Feb 1999 Waltham, MA Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS

THE VEHICLE FILLED UP WITH SMOKE THAT CAME FROM THE STEERING COLUMN AREA WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP WHERE DEALER STATED THAT THE DIRECTIONAL ASSEMBLY SHORTED OUT AND MELTED THE WIRES, RESULTING IN A FIRE. THOSE PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #826911 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 5 Aug 1998 Cedarhurst, NY

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY

STARTER FAILED.