Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1988 Pontiac Grand Prix, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Service brakes, hydraulic47
- Structure10
- Electrical system8
- Suspension6
- Parking brake5
- Steering4
- Seats4
- Engine and engine cooling4
- Seat belts3
- Power train3
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 2 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Recalls in Canada
10 Transport Canada recalls for the 1988 Pontiac Grand Prix.
| 2001028 8 Feb 2001 | Suspension Vehicles located in the high corrosion provinces east of the Manitoba/Ontario border. Certain vehicles may exhibit a condition in which the frame/cradle retain… |
| 1995100 16 Jun 1995 | Suspension On certain vehicles, cracks may develop in the wheel mounting surface, and, should the cracks become severe enough, the wheel could completely separate from the… |
| 1995010 31 Jan 1995 | Steering On certain vehicles, the rear engine cradle bolts may pull through due to corrosion of the retainers. If this should occur, the cradle would no longer be suppor… |
| 1994042 1 Mar 1994 | Suspension On certain vehicles, the steel wheels may develop cracks in the wheel mounting surface and, should the cracks become severe enough, the wheel could completely s… |
| 1990044 15 Mar 1990 | Seats And Restraints Certain vehicles do not comply with CMVSS 210 - Seatbelt Assembly Anchorages. Anchor bolt may pull through the upper anchorage plate. Correction: Nut assembly … |
| 1988157 17 Nov 1988 | Brakes Certain vehicles do not comply with CMVSS 105 - hydraulic brake systems. (grade holding requirements of parking brake.) |
| 1988052 14 Apr 1988 | Structure THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH MAY NOT PROPERLY ENGAGE ON THESE VEHICLES. IF THE PRIMARY HOOD LATCH WERE TO DISENGAGE, THE HOOD COULD UNEXPECTEDLY OPEN. IF THIS WERE … |
| 1988047 6 Apr 1988 | Seats And Restraints THE FRONT SHOULDER BELT GUIDE LOOP ATTACHED TO THE UPPER REAR CORNER OF THE DOOR, MAY INTERFERE WITH GARNISH MOULDING ON SOME VEHICLES. IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICL… |
| 1988045 28 Mar 1988 | Powertrain A POTENTIAL INTERFERENCE BETWEEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE AND THE PRNDL BELLCRANK CLIP CAN RESULT IN DISENGAGEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION CABLE FROM THE STEERI… |
| 1988022 18 Feb 1988 | Suspension VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN ASSEMBLED WITH THE WHEEL LUG NUTS NOT TORQUED TO SPECIFICATION. THIS COULD ALLOW THE LUG NUTS TO LOOSEN AND/OR COME OFF THE WHEEL STUDS. … |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, WHERE ROAD SALT USE IS HEAVY. A CONDITION WHERE ONE OR BOTH FRONT ENGINE CRADLE BOLTS CAN PULL THROUGH THE RETAINERS DUE TO CORROSION OF THE RETAINERS.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES AND MINI VANS ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: CONNECTICUT, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MAINE, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT AND WISCONSIN. THE REAR CRADLE BOLTS PULL THROUGH THE RETAINERS DUE TO CORROSION OF THE RETAINER. IF BOTH BOLTS PULL THROUGH, THE REAR CRADLE WOULD NOT LONGER BE SUPPORTED AT THESE MOUNTING LOCATIONS AND THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT CAN SEPARATE FROM THE STEERING GEAR.
CRACKS DEVELOP IN THE WHEEL MOUNTING SURFACE. IF THESE CRACKS BECOME SEVERE ENOUGH, THE WHEEL WILL COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE.
CRACKS DEVELOP IN THE WHEEL MOUNTING SURFACE. IF THESE CRACKS BECOME SEVERE ENOUGH, THE WHEEL WILL COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE.
BRAKE STOPLAMPS MAY NOT ILLUMINATE OR, IN SOME CASES, STOPLAMPS MAY NOT STAY ILLUMINATED ALL THE TIME WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED DUE TO A FAULTY STOPLAMP SWITCH. ALSO, IN VEHICLES WITH CRUISE CONTROL, A FAULTY STOPLAMP SWITCH CAN RESULT IN RESUMPTION OF THE CRUISE CONTROL FUNCTION UPON RELEASE OF THE BRAKE PEDAL.
FRONT SHOULDER BELT GUIDE LOOP ATTACHMENT FASTENER MAY PULL THROUGH DOOR MOUNTED ANCHOR PLATE.
THE PARKING BRAKE CABLE MAY BE DISCONNECTED FROM THE LEFT REAR BRAKE CALIPER.
THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH MAY NOT PROPERLY ENGAGE.
THE FRONT SHOULDER BELT GUIDE LOOP ATTACHED TO THE UPPER REAR CORNER OF THE DOOR MAY INTERFERE WITH THE GARNISH MOLDING.
AN INTERFERENCE BETWEEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE AND THE BELLCRANK CLIP IN THE STEERING COLUMN CAN RESULT IN DISENGAGEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION CABLE.
WHEEL LUG NUTS WERE NOT PROPERLY TORQUED TO SPECIFICATIONS.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Pontiac told its dealers about the 1988 Pontiac Grand Prix: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 6088680 | CUSTOMERS MAY COMPLAIN OF GRINDING / SCRAPING / GROANING NOISE FROM REAR SUSPENSION. *TT |
| 37954 | RATTLING NOISE/ENGINE OVERHEATING. *TW |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
STRUCTURE
ENGINE CRADLE SEPARATION
CRADLE BOLT FAILURES
CORRODED REAR DISK BRAKES
STICKING THROTTLE
BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FAILURE
W-CAR HINGE PIN FAILURE
STEERING WHEEL SEPARATION
FAILURE STOP LAMP SWITCH
PARKING BRAKE CABLE
THROTTLE NON-RETURN
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation