Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Steering216
- Exterior lighting149
- Engine and engine cooling136
- Electrical system88
- Visibility78
- Air bags56
- Engine45
- Service brakes, hydraulic42
- Power train32
- Suspension26
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 31 injuries and 2 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 8 1997 Grand Prix vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 5 people died inside them. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix failed the safety check 1.40% of the time — 13% less often than the average 1997 passenger car (1.60%). Median odometer at inspection: 114,871 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 3 variants: combined 11.4–12.5 L/100 km (about 19–21 mpg US), CO₂ 262–288 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Prix · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 13.4 | 8.9 | 11.4 |
| Grand Prix · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 13.6 | 8.7 | 11.4 |
| Grand Prix # · Mid-size · Premium gasoline | 14.8 | 9.7 | 12.5 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
6 Transport Canada recalls for the 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix.
| 2015501 23 Oct 2015 | Engine On certain vehicles equipped with a 3.8L engine, degradation of the front rocker cover gasket may result in eventual oil seepage. Under hard braking, drops of … |
| 2009105 8 Apr 2009 | Engine On certain vehicles equipped with a 3.8L naturally aspirated engine, degradation of the front rocker cover gasket may result in eventual oil seepage. Under har… |
| 2008081 5 Mar 2008 | Engine On certain Grand Prix GTP and Regal GS vehicles equipped with a 3.8L supercharged engine, degradation of the front rocker cover gasket may result in eventual oi… |
| 2002199 5 Nov 2002 | Steering On certain vehicles, the lower pinion bearings retainer tabs were not crimped properly. These and some other retainers used in vehicles assembled between Janua… |
| 2000002 4 Jan 2000 | Visual System On certain vehicles, the windshield wipers may stop working, usually after operation under heavy load conditions such as accumulated snow or ice, because of sep… |
| 1999083 12 May 1999 | Engine On certain vehicles, the spark plug wires may be causing the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) to be illuminated, as well as causing rough idle and poor performa… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 1998-1999 Chevrolet Lumina and Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1997-2004 Buick Regal and Pontiac Grand Prix, 2000-2004 Chevrolet Impala, and 1998-2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. The affected vehicles were previously repaired under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 to address the possibility that engine oil may drip onto the hot exhaust manifold.
GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING 1,497,516 MY 1997-2003 BUICK REGAL, MY 1998-2003 CHEVROLET LUMINA, MONTE CARLO AND IMPALA, MY 1998-1999 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE, MY 1997-2003 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 3.8L V6 NATURALLY ASPIRATED ENGINE. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH DROPS OF ENGINE OIL MAY BE DEPOSITED ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD THROUGH HARD BRAKING.
GM IS RECALLING 207,542 MY 1997-2003 BUICK REGAL AND PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 3.8L SUPERCHARGED V-6 ENGINE. THESE VEHICLES HAVE HIGHER FRONT ROCKER COVER GASKET TEMPERATURES, CREATING THE POTENTIAL FOR EARLIER DEGRADATION OF THE FRONT ROCKER COVER GASKET AND EVENTUAL OIL SEEPAGE.
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES AND MINI VANS HAVE LOWER PINION BEARINGS IN THE POWER RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY IN WHICH THE RETAINER TABS WERE NOT CRIMPED PROPERLY. THESE AND SOME OTHER RETAINERS USED IN VEHICLES ASSEMBLED BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997, COULD FAIL AND PERMIT THE BALL BEARINGS TO ESCAPE.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS MAY STOP WORKING DUE TO A SEPARATION BETWEEN THE DRIVE PIN AND CRESCENT IN THE CRANK ARM ASSEMBLY.
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 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 635006 | INFORMATION ON SERVICING 4T65-E TRANSAXLE SPACER PLATE AND GASKETS FOR VARIOUS MODELS FROM 1997 THROUGH 2002. *TT |
| 634997 | INFORMATION ON SERVICING 4T65E TRANSAXLE SPACER PLATE AND GASKETS. *TT |
| 634985 | CONCERNS WITH SLIPS, HARSH UPSHIFT OR GARAGE SHIFTS, LAUNCH SHUDDERS, FLARES, ERRATIC SHIFTS AND INTERMITTENT CONCERNS, DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P1811 OR P0748 SET. *TT |
| 634813 | SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT ON A REPEAT ENGINE OIL PAN LEAK. *TT |
| 634708 | SUBJECT REGARDING REVISED LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD INSTALLATION. *TT |
| 628928 | SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT ON A TRANSMISSION OIL LEAK. *TT UPDATED *EH |
| 627538 | INFORMATION REGARDING ITCHING TYPE NOISE FROM REAR OF VEHICLE. *YH |
| 623963 | INFORMATION STATING THAT THE HEADLAMP CAPSULE CAN NOW BE PURCHASED SEPARATELY FROM THE PARKING LAMP AND FRAME ASSEMBLY. *TT |
| 623410 | CAMPAIGN INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM WILL BE SENDING OUT AN ADDITIONAL OWNER NOTIFICATION ON CAMPAIGN 99091 REGARDING INOPERATIVE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND INCORRECT PARK. *SLC |
| 623403 | THIS BULLETIN IS BEING ISSUED TO REVISE THE FASTENER REQUIREMENTS FOR THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKE CALIPER BRACKET REPLACEMENT PROCEDURES IN THE DISC-BRAKE SUB-SECTION OF BRAKES IN THE APPROPRIATE SERVICE MANUAL. *TT |
| 620835 | EXPERIENCING EXCESSIVE ENGINE COOLANT CONSUMPTION, OR AN ENGINE COOLANT LEAK NEAR OR UNDER THE THROTTLE BODY AREA OF THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD. *TT |
| 620810 | SUBJECT REGARDING POLYMER SERVICE PISTONS. *TT |
| 619792 | SUBJECT REGARDING REVISED FASTENER REQUIREMENTS FOR FRONT AND REAR BRAKE CALIPER BRACKET. *TT |
| 619370 | OWNERS OF SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDRA-MATIC 3T40, 4T60, 4T60-E OR 4T65-E TRANSAXLES MAY COMMENT ON A GRINDING AND / OR GROWLING NOISE THAT IS NOTICEABLE WHEN STANDING IN PARK ON A HILL OR SLOPE WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING AND THE PARKING BRAKE NOT APPLIED. *TT |
| 619369 | A CONDITION MAY EXIST IN WHICH THE FUEL GAUGE READS INCORRECTLY / FLUCTUATES, LOW FUEL CHIME SOUNDS PREMATURELY. *TT |
| 619360 | SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT ON DRIVEABILITY SYMPTONS OF LONG OR HARD STARTS, CHUGGLE, ROUGH IDLE AND LIGHT OR INTERMITTENT MISFIRE DUE TO CLOGGED FUEL INJECTORS. *TT |
| 619234 | CONCERNS WITH FRONT SEAT HEADRESTS THAT WALK UP. *TT |
| 619227 | INFORMATION ON REPLACING SUNROOF SUNSHADE STOPS. *TT |
| 619177 | SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT ON A REPEAT ENGINE OIL PAN LEAK. *TT |
| 619176 | ENGINE COOLANT CONSUMPTION OR COOLANT LEAK (INSPECT FOR MATERIAL DEGRADATION/REPLACE INTAKE MANIFOLDS) *TT UPDATED 11/02/07 *NJ |
| 615073 | SOME V6 ENGINES MAY, ON A VERY INFREQUENT BASIS, HAVE AN OIL ODOR CONDITION THAT IS GENERALLY ENCOUNTERED AFTER THE ENGINE'S OIL HAS BEEN CHANGED.TYPICALLY THE ODOR LASTS APPROXIMATELY 1000 MILES AFTER THE CHANGE OF OIL AND THEN DOES NOT REAPPEAR UNTIL THE NEXT CHANGE OF OIL. *TT |
| 609721 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS: 1) THE FUEL GAUGE READING INCORRECTLY. 2) LOW FUEL CHIME SOUNDS PREMATURELY. 3) FUEL GAUGE MAY FLUCTUATE FROM FULL TO EMPTY. *TT |
| 609639 | TRUNK MOUNTED 12 CD CHANGER EJECTS INTERMITTENTLY. YD |
| 609583 | AN ITERMITTENT TYPE HISS NOISE CANBE HEARD AT THE A PILLAR OR MIRROR AREA. THIS CONDITION MAY BE DUE TO AIR TURBULENCE AROUND THE MIRROR STYLING HOLE CAUSING THE OUTER BELT SEAL TO VIBRATE. YD |
| 6089996 | SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDRA-MATIC 3T40, 4T60 OR 4T60-E TRANSXALES MAY COMMENT ON A GRINDING AND / OR GROWLING NOISE THAT IS NOTICEABLE WHEN IN PARK ON INCLINE. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
POWER RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILURE
STEERING RACK AND PINION
WINDSHIELD WIPER
WINDSHIELD WIPER
OVERSENSITIVE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTS
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation