18 of the 410 complaints about the 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix are about the transmission — 4% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 80,278 miles.
18
Complaints
1
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
POWER TRAIN
MY VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING TSB: 06-07-30-023D 4T65E: TRANSMISSION 1-2 SHIFT SHUDDER AT LIGHT TO MODERATE ACCELERATION. I CALLED PONTIAC RECALL CENTER GAVE MY VIN AND WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT COVERED. EVENTHOUGH I GOT THIS RECALL AFTER TAKING MY CAR TO A NJ INSPECTION CENTER.
NHTSA complaint #10526091 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD NOT LOCK PROPERLY AND THE FLOOR SHIFTER WOULD NOT REMAIN LOCKED IN ITS PROPER GEAR. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH AT THE COST OF OVER $400. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 118,000.
NHTSA complaint #10245563 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN AND WOULD NOT GO ABOVE 40 MPH. A MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND IT WOULD NOT SHIFT. THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AND WAS REPAIRED AT THE COST OF $2,217.97. THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT WITH PONTIAC (CASE NUMBER 71-655316876). THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,300 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,556. UPDATED 02-18-09 UPDATED 02/18/09.
NHTSA complaint #10238849 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PARK POSITION WITH THE ENGINE TURNED ON. WHILE THE CONTACT'S SON WAS MOVING FROM THE FRONT TO THE REAR SEAT, HIS FOOT STRUCK THE SHIFTER. THE GEAR SHIFTED INTO REVERSE AND THE VEHICLE MOVED IN A CIRCULAR MANNER BEFORE ROLLING BACKWARDS INTO A LIGHT POLE. THE FRONT BUMPER AND PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT WERE DAMAGED. THE APPROXIMATE SPEED AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH WAS 10 MPH. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC OR DEALER. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 101,000.
NHTSA complaint #10228176 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AFTER THE PURCHASE OF MY GRAND PRIX FROM MAC HAIK IN TEMPLE TEXAS THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO HAVE SOME PROBLEMS. THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO MAC HAIK WHERE THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPAIRED OR REPLACED. AFTER ONLY 3 YEARS AND HAVING ONLY LESS THAN 1,000.00 LEFT TO PAY THE TRANSMISSION IS GOING OUT AGAIN! NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED I JUST HAVE HAD ALOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE AND AM FRUSTRATED WITH THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM FOR THE 2ND TIME.
NHTSA complaint #10225706 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION SLIPPED INTO REVERSE FROM DRIVE WHILE GOING 40-50 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. IT DID THIS ON ITS OWN. LOST POWER AND BARELY MADE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AFTER STOPPING I WAS ABLE TO SHUT THE CAR OFF AND THEN RESTART IT. THE CAR TOOK OFF IN DRIVE AND HAS BEEN FINE SO FAR. I WAS JUST LUCKY THAT THE WAS ENOUGH MOVEMENT FROM THE CAR MASS TO GET IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.
NHTSA complaint #10214303 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
DEALERSHIP FOUND PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WHEEL BEARING FAILURE. DRIVER SIDE FRONT WHEEL BEARING AT MECHANICAL WEAR LIMIT. BOTH WERE REPLACED, AS WELL AS TRANSMISSION MAIN SEALS FROM AGE/WEAR/LEAKAGE AND FRONT PASSENGER SIDE LOWER BALL JOINT. ONE MONTH PRIOR TO THIS REPAIR, THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSION SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING AND NO ELECTRICAL WARNING OR LIGHTS WHILE BEING DRIVEN. BECAUSE RELATED OTHER PARTS WERE REPAIRED PREVIOSLY AND REPORTED DEFECTIVE VIA THIS SYSTEM ON ODI ID 10107847 AND 10148428 AND DURING THIS REPAIR REPORTED REPAIR TO PONTIAC, THE OTHER ASSOCIATED PARTS WERE IN SPECIFICATION. ONE LOWER PASSENGER SIDE BALL JOINT WAS AT THE MECHANICAL LIMIT DUE TO BAD LOCAL ROADS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE EDGE OF ROAD/POTHOLES AND PUBLIC UTILITY ACCESS PATCHES. WORN HUBS (FOR THE SECOND TIME HERE, LISTEN UP) ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION IF NEEDED. BOTH TIMES THIS OCCURRED, WE NOTICED THE FAILURES EITHER AUDIBLY (HUMMING) OR DURING STATE INSPECTION, OR BOTH, AND IN ALL CASES, THE REPAIR CONDITIONS WERE SET BY THE DEALERSHIP DURING THE INSPECTION PHASE. AT NO TIME DURING THE INSPECTION WERE APOLIGIES OFFERED, OR BETTER PARTS ENGINEERED, TO PREVENT THIS FROM RE-OCCURRING. JUST TOLD THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE, GOOD THING WE CAUGHT IT BEFORE WE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT (WE?) AND WE CANNOT OFFER A BETTER PART TO FIX THIS PROBLEM PERMANENTLY. THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE MATERIALS USED TO PRODUCE AND INVESTIGATE MANUFACTURED ITEMS FOR COMPLIANCE WITH MATERIAL(S) ENGINEERING AND SPECIFICATION, AS WELL AS WEAR TESTING DATA THAT MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY REPORTED TO PRESENT A FAVORABLE OUTCOME OF TEST FAILURE ANAYLSIS.
NHTSA complaint #10199344 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES
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.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES
TL* - THE CONTACT CALLED REGARDING A 2002 POINTAC GRAND PRIX. THE CONTACT STATED HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE AND WAS ADVISED BY THE REPAIR SHOP THAT THERE WAS A GASKET LEAK. THE GASKET WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,902. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE BELIEVED THE ANTIFREEZE CAUSED THE GASKET TO BE REPLACED THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,951.*AK UPDATED 04/12/07.
NHTSA complaint #10184403 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
HARD SHIFTING IN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. WAS IDENTIFIED IN JUNE 2005 AS A FAULTY PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID AND WAS FIXED. THE SAME PROBLEM HAS STARTED AGAIN IN OCTOBER OF 2006.
NHTSA complaint #10173243 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
I WAS DRIVING THE 2002 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GTP ON A HIGHWAY WITH 45-55 MPH SPEED LIMIT FOR APPROX. 45 MIN. THE CAR SHUT OFF 15 SEC. AFTER I HEARD THE ENGINE BACKFIRE. THE SPEEDOMETER WENT FROM 0 ALL THE WAY UP, AND BACK TO 0. I PULLED INTO THE NEAREST PARKING LOT AND POPPED THE HOOD. I DISCOVERED A FIRE NEAR THE INTAKE AND THE LOWER RIGHT SIDE OF THE VALVE COVER. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A PONTIAC DEALER. THEY REPLACED THE FUEL INJECTORS, THE LOWER INTAKE, VALVE COVER, SPARK PLUG WIRES, ELECTRICAL HARNESS AND MUCH MOTOR THE COST WAS APPROX. $5000. AFTER SAYING IT WOULD TAKE 2 WEEKS, IT TOOK THE SHOP 6 OR 7 WEEKS TO FIX, SO MY CAR RENTAL BILL WAS THOUSANDS MORE THAN INSURANCE WOULD COVER THE CAR WASN'T NEARLY AS RESPONSIVE AND HAD TROUBLE GOING UP EVEN THE SMALLEST INCLINES. ALSO, THE SHIFT-PARK INTERLINK STOPPED WORKING SO THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK AFTER THE FIRE. AND MY SUNROOF HASN'T WORKED SINCE. AND MY FAN FOR THE A/C AND HEATER ONLY WORKS WITH THE FAN ON 5. ALSO I HAVE NOTICED A WEIRD SOUND COMING FROM THE SPEAKERS ON OCCASION. ABOUT A WEEK OR TWO LATER THE CAR WAS IN THE SHOP BECAUSE THEY HAD NOT REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS; ONE OF THEM WAS CRACKED AND WAS MOST LIKELY CRACKED WHEN I GOT THE CAR BACK. THE CAR HAD ABOUT 90,000 MILES WHEN IT HAD CAUGHT FIRE. THEN ON JUNE 3, 2006-AFTER LESS THAN 2000 MILES, THE ENGINE LOCKED UP. THE DEALER SAID THE ONLY OPTION THEY CAN DO TO FIX IT IS PUT A NEW ENGINE IN--THE INITIAL ESTIMATE IS $5200. ALSO, I'M GOING TO BE OUT OF A CAR AGAIN AND WILL HAVE THE BURDEN OF RENTAL CAR COSTS AGAIN. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ, THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS FIRES INVOLVING THE GM 3.8. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE.
NHTSA complaint #10159167 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER
SHUDDER FROM TORQUE CONVERTER WHEN SHIFTING BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR. TORQUE CONVERTER WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED. WAS TOLD BY DEALER THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL.
NHTSA complaint #10142500 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AXLE HUBS
SUDDEN WHEEL HUB BEARING FAILURE. ROARING NOISE BECAME INCREASINGLY LOUDER. PASSENGER SIDE. DEALER REPLACED AT COST OF $439.00. DRIVER SIDE STARTING TO GO OUT NOW. 63,000 MILES.
NHTSA complaint #10132809 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
DEALERSHIP INSPECTION REVEALED WORN/FAILED PARTS. BOTH FRONT HUB BEARINGS AND DRIVER SIDE DRIVE AXLE INBOARD CV BOOT TORN/GREASE ESCAPING. BRAKES OBSERVED WORN FRONT BOTH SIDES. PARTS REPLACED WITH NEW/REMANUFACTURED PARTS. OTHER PARTS ON FRONT NOT EFFECTED BY WORN COMPONENTS. OLD HUBS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION, DRIVE AXLES RETURNED TO REMAN. FACILITY FOR CORE RETURN. FRONT HUB BEARINGS BUILT "SEALED FOR LIFE" SHOWED SIGNS OF BOTH GREASE SEAL FAILURE (BOTH SIDES) AND WEAR IN THE VERTICAL PLANE WITH NO MOTION DETECTED HORIZONTALLY, SOME SLIGHT WEAR INWARD AND OUTWARD ON BEARING. WHILE REMOVING OLD PARTS, DETECTED SAME WEAR PATTERN ON BOTH HUB BEARINGS BOTH SIDES FRONT, AND DETECTED SIGNS OF BURNISHED/BLUED SURFACE ON MATING SPLINE OF DRIVE AXLE ASSEMBLY (DRIVERS SIDE ONLY). DETECTED BOTH DRIVE AXLES CV BOOTS RUBBER LOSING THEIR PLIABILITY AND BECOMING VERY BRITTLE. VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATELY 76,000 MILES ON IT AND WAS USED PRIMARILY HIGHWAY MILES CITY DRIVING. MAJORITY OF MILES ON VEHICLE ON STRAIGHT LEVEL PAVEMENT. NOTICED ON OCCASION SOME STALLING CONDITIONS ON HARD LEFT TURNS (MAX. RADIUS) WHICH HAVE SOMETIMES CAUSED A COMPLETE SHUTDOWN OF ENGINE. SINCE REPLACEMENT OF SAID PARTS, ENGINE/DRIVE TRAIN SEEMS TO BE MECHANICALLY "FLUID" WITH LESS HESITATION/SHIFTING DEMANDS ON THE TRANS AXLE ASSEMBLY. FLUID/FILTER REPLACEMENT IN TRANS AXLE REVEALED HIGHER THAN AVERAGE WEAR INDICATED BY SOFT FORM METALS IN THE PAN AND FILTER CAUSING A NEAR COMPLETE CLOGGING CONDITION. HEAVY FORMATIONS.
NHTSA complaint #10107847 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
SHIFTING SOLENOID B CIRCUIT.
NHTSA complaint #10082352 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
SUSPENSION - WHEEL BEARING FAILURE - REPLACED WHEEL HUB TRANSMISSION - CAR TRYING TO GO INTO REVERSE AND DRIVE AT SAME TIME. GEAR IN TRANSMISSION FAILURE. REPLACED TRANSMISSION PAINT - SEVERAL AREAS ON CAR PAINT COMING OFF AND RUSTING. WET SANDED SOME AREAS AND BRUSH TOUCHED UP LEAVING GLOBS OF PAINT IN THESE AREAS. EFFORTS TO REMOVE ETCHING RESIDUE ON TRUNK RESULTED IN DEALER PAINT DEPT. SCRATCHING TRUNK AND SPOILER. I NOTIFIED MANAGER. ATTEMPTS TO REMOVE SCRATCHES WERE UNSUCCESSFUL CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME WITH SCRATCHES. PAINT ON HOOD COMING OFF AND RUST STARTING. WERE SUPPOSED TO REPAIR BUT FAILED TO DO SO. INFORMED PAINT MANAGER I WAS DISSATISFIED BUT HIS HANDS ARE TIED BECAUSE OF USED CAR MANAGER. I INFORMED THEM I WOULD BE CONTACTING GM. THE REPLY WAS DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO. DEALERSHIP IS TWIN CITY IN PORT ARTHUR, TX
NHTSA complaint #10070472 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING TRANSMISSION WILL NOT PULL OVER.
NHTSA complaint #10025029 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES
260 MILES ON ODOMETER - SEVERE SLOSHING NOISE IN FUEL TANK - NOT NOTICEABLE ON OTHER GRAND PRIX'S - AT 233 MILES, FITTING ON TRANSMISSION COOLER FAILED, CAUSING LOSS OF TRANSMISSION FLUID AND FUNCTION. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. DIAGNOSIS - IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF FITTING.
NHTSA complaint #753040 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.