FaultScore

2002 Pontiac Grand Prix steering problems

12 of the 410 complaints about the 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix are about the steering — 3% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 67,000 miles.

B

12

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Steering 10 83.3%
Linkages 1 8.3%
Rack 1 8.3%

Steering across every Pontiac Grand Prix year

1989 13 2.0%
1990 12 1.8%
1991 13 2.0%
1993 10 1.5%
1997 232 35.2%
1998 94 14.2%
1999 61 9.2%
2000 36 5.5%
2001 21 3.2%
2002 12 1.8%
2004 64 9.7%
2005 26 3.9%
2006 44 6.7%
2007 22 3.3%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 200,000 miles Reno, NV

STEERING

BOUGHT THE CAR IN APRIL OF 2017. HAD TO REPLACE RACK AND PINION. A FEW MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD WAS DRIVING CAR AND STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOOSE AND IT TURNED HALFWAY TO THE LEFT TO KEEP CAR STRAIGHT. RACK AND PINION BUSTED. REPLACED RACK AND PINION AGAIN PLUS STRUTS AND THE CAR WILL MAKE POPPING SOUNDS WHEN TURNING STEEERING WHEEL. THE FRONT END OF MY CAR HAS BEEN PRETTY MUCH REPLACED TWICE. SCARY TO DRIVE.

NHTSA complaint #11287812 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 67,000 miles Stockton, CA

STEERING

IN 04 I HAD MY RACK N PINION REPLACED CAUSE LEFT SIDE BROKE MATAGA OF STOCKTON DID IT THEY ALSO REPLACED POWER STEERING PUMP EVER SINCE THEN I'VE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING AND NOW IT'S WORSE I'VE REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP BUT IT STILL STEERS HARD ALSO THE STEERING DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT VERY SENSITIVE AT TIMES LIKES TO WANDER AND I HAVE TO USE THE BUTTON UNDERNEATH THE STEERING COLUMN TO RELEASE MY KEY I REPLACED THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT STILL DOESN'T FEEL SAFE I SAW IN 09 YOU HAD A RECALL ON STEERING KNUCKLES I NEVER RECEIVED IT CAN I GET A RECALL ON THAT TO GET REPLACED THANK YOU

NHTSA complaint #11253601 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 188,100 miles Royalton, MN

STEERING

CAR INTERMITTENTLY STALLS FROM SLOW SPEEDS (<30 MPH) OR AFTER STARTING FROM A COMPLETE STOP. COMPLETE AND ALMOST IMMEDIATE LOSS OF MOTOR AND POWER STEERING MAKING IT DIFFICULT, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE, TO STEER. WILL SOMETIMES NOT STAY RUNNING RIGHT AFTER STARTING. MIGHT TAKE TWO OR THREE ATTEMPTS TO GET VEHICLE TO START. CRANK SENSOR REPLACED, MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR CLEANED. NO CODES OR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT SO NO GOOD WAY TO TROUBLESHOOT. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS IT CAN STALL AT ANY TIME WITHOUT WARNING. WILL USUALLY START AGAIN WITHIN A MINUTE BUT THEN WILL STALL OUT AGAIN AT ANY MOMENT WITHOUT WARNING.

NHTSA complaint #10730271 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 32,000 miles Eden Prarie, MN

STEERING

I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED AND THE WARRANTY HAD RUN OUT AND THE IGNITION FROZE UP SO I COULD NOT GET THE KEY OUT THIS ONE DAY.I PLAYED WITH THE KEY AND TRIED TO MOVE THE SHIFT LEVER AND IT WAS FROZEN ALONG WITH THE STEERING WHEEL. I LEFT THE CAR ALONE FOR ABOUT AN HOUR CAME OUT AND THE KEY CAME OUT AND EVERYTHING WORKED GOOD. OVER THE YEARS THIS HAPPENED ALOT AND FINALLY I GOT ON THE INTERNET AND ONE GUY SAID THERE IS A HOLE BY THE IGNITION SWITCH THAT YOU CAN PUT A PENCIL IN VERY CAREFULLY AND IF YOU MOVE IT AROUND IT WILL RELEASE THE TUMBLER AND KEY. I DID THAT AND PUT A PENCIL IN THERE AND BROKE IT OFF AND IT HAS WORKED EVERY TIME BUT THE STEERING WHEEL DON'T LOCK AND YOU CAN TAKE THE KEY OUT WHILE DRIVING OR ANY TIME. I TALKED TO GM DEALERS OVER THE YEARS AND THEY WANTED TOO MUCH MONEY TO PUT A NEW IGNITION SWITCH IN$500-TO $600 . I COULD NOT AFFORD IT. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF GRAND PRIX PONTIACS LIKE MY YEAR AND MAKE ON THE INTERNET THAT COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. NOW THIS RECALL CONVENIENTLY MISSES THE 2002 GRAND PRIX PONTIAC. I'M JUST LUCKY I DID NOT HAVE A PROBLEM WHILE DRIVING AND I DON'T KNOW IF MY AIR BAGS WORK OR NOT.

NHTSA complaint #10620988 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Holt, MI

STEERING

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE FROM A LADY SHE WAS SELLING IT. A COUPLE WEEKS LATER I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE IGNITION. WHEN I TRY TO TURN MY CAR OFF BY TURNING THE KEY BACKWARDS IT GETS STUCK AND I HAVE TO SIT THERE ANDAND CONSTANTLY JIGGLE THE KEY UNTIL I'M ABLE TO GET IT TO RELEASE. THIS HAPPENS ABOUT ONCE A WEEK BUT SOMETIMES TWICE A DAY THERE IS EVEN TIMES I CAN'T GET THE KEY OUT SO I'M FORCED TO LEAVE IT LIKE THAT REQUIRING A JUMP THE NEXT DAY. I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF MY CAR IS ON THE RECALL LIST FOR THE FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH.

NHTSA complaint #10604580 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 42,000 miles Pottsville, PA

STEERING

CAN NOT START UP AGAIN AFTER SHUT DOWN HAVE TO WAIT TILL CARS COOLS DOWN.

NHTSA complaint #10547089 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 110,000 miles Baltimore, MD

STEERING

THE STEERING ON MY 2002 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #10291179 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Benton Harbor, MI

STEERING

FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS I HAVE NOTICED MY CAR STEERING TO THE RIGHT SIDE FROM TIME TO TIME AND I WAS NOT SURE WHAT THAT COULD BE. IT IS RANDOM. IT FELT LIKE IT WAS TO THE RIGHT AND I COULD NOT CONTROL IT.

NHTSA complaint #10265584 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Richmond, VA

STEERING

I WOULD LIKE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE GEAR SHIFT ASSEMBLY IN MY 2002 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. FOR THE PAST SIX MONTHS, I HAVE EXPERIENCED SITUATIONS WHERE I CANNOT GET THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION ONCE I HAVE PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE I CAN ENVISION ONE DAY NOT BEING ABLE TO GET THE KEY OUT AT ALL. THE GM DEALER SAYS THAT THE COMPUTER IS NOT RECOGNIZING THAT THE CAR IS IN PARK. WHAT IS THE COMPUTER SHIFTS GEARS WHILE I AM DRIVING? COULD THIS BE A COMPUTER GLITCH OR DEFECT. I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN BEFORE ON ANY CAR I HAVE OWNED. GM SAYS THE GEAR ASSEMBLY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. HAS THERE BEEN A RECALL ON THIS GEAR ASSEMBLY OR OTHER SUBSTANTIAL COMPLAINTS ON THE GEAR SHIFT IN THESE CARS? THE PROBLEM IS ON-GOING.

NHTSA complaint #10265256 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 75,000 miles Millville, UT

STEERING:LINKAGES

MAJOR WINDOW FAILURE, ONLY ONE WINDOW WORKS, AND TOO EXPENSIVE TO FIX. MY CAR HAS 70,000 MILES AND I HAVE HAD FUEL PUMP FAILURE, TOTAL RADIATOR FAILURE, AND TWO HEAT EXCHANGER FAILURES RESULTED IN RADIATOR FLUID ALL OVER PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR DUE TOO CHEAP CRIMPS ON HEAT EXCHANGER WHICH REQUIRES A HUGH DASH DISMANTLE TO FIX, WINDOW FAILURE, DASH HEAT AND A/C CONTROL FAILURE. THE CAR GETS DRIVEN 11 MILES A DAY TO WORK AND BACK AND WE HAVE PUT $1000'S INTO THIS PIECE OF CRAP. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER COULD CARE LESS AND WANT THIS WEBSITE REMOVED. NO ONE IS WILLING TO DO A THING. WILL BE SWITCHING BRANDS ASAP TO DODGE OR CHRYSLER.

NHTSA complaint #10186252 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 51,288 miles Casnovia, MI 1 killed

STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK

SUDDEN POWER STEERING LOSS ON LEFT HAND SIDE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TURN.

NHTSA complaint #10164029 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 64,347 miles Waterville, OH

STEERING

WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING A LEFT TURN THE VEHICLE LOST STEERING. IT WAS DIFFICULT TO MAKE LEFT TURN. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS.

NHTSA complaint #10097556 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix problems

← Full 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix report