NHTSA — Electrical System Problems

1999 Pontiac Grand Prix (Page 1 of 2)

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 16
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 2
Average Mileage:
110,033 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

1999 Pontiac Grand Prix electrical problems

electrical problem

Find something helpful? Spread the word.
Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

1999 Pontiac Grand Prix Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #31

Sep 012016

Grand Prix

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix. The contact stated that the key had become loosely connected from the ignition and fell out of the ignition several times. In addition, the vehicle stalled several times without warning. The contact noticed the failure after the dealer replaced a harmonic sensor. The vehicle was to be taken to a dealer for further diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was not available.

- Fort Smith, AR, USA

problem #30

Nov 012016

Grand Prix

  • miles
The cars headlights will randomly shut off or only high beams will work, the 3800 motor has many issues with parts malfunctioning over and over no matter what manufacturer that's used to supply the parts oem or aftermarket, I've replaced many maf, tps, iac, cps sensors over the brief amount of time owning pretty much any vehicle equipped with the 3800 series II V6, gauge clusters randomly stop working but that a known GM issue for multiple vehicles for several years, coolant corossian and internal rust from dex cool coolant

- Sikeston, MO, USA

problem #29

Mar 122014

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • 160,000 miles
The contact owned a 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix. While the vehicle was parked, it caught fire. The witness stated that the fire started underneath the hood of the vehicle. The fire department extinguished the fire and a fire report was filed. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The contact stated that there was no police or injury report. The vehicle was completely destroyed and was towed to a tow yard. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 09V116000 (engine and engine cooling) after the failure occurred. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000. Updated 01/06/17

- Michigan City, IN, USA

problem #28

Oct 262015

Grand Prix

  • 160,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owned a 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix. While driving 50 mph, the contact noticed smoke coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road where it caught fire. The contact exited the vehicle and the fire department arrived to extinguish the fire. A police report was filed and there were no injuries. The vehicle was destroyed and towed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000. Updated 04/13/16 consumer stated she has been without a car since the incident. Dealership did not fix recall parts on the car. Updated 06/05/18

- Frederick, MD, USA

problem #27

Jan 072015

Grand Prix

  • 123,057 miles
Started to making strange noises, so I went to get checked out. And it had at five things wrong..

- Charlotte, NC, USA

problem #26

Mar 032014

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • miles
I've had the car for about a year and within a year I've had numerous problems with a such as power steering the keys and the shifter locking up right now unless I hit the safety thing for the shifter it won't go into gear in my key is stuck in the ignition in the position I cannot take it out the person I bought it off of having problems I didn't really think anything of the problems now I just want to know what to do it's never went for any recalls.

- Hammond, IN, USA

problem #25

Dec 232014

Grand Prix

  • 240,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Car was parked in driveway after driving to town and back. About 20 minutes later my boyfriend heard a pop sound from inside the house. When he looked outside the car was on fire under the hood. Fire department was called to help put out the fire. Car was completely burned under the hood, tires/front part of car were also burned. Damage was a total loss, engine was burning so hot it was white. Nearly caused a house fire and luckily no one was injured. Car had some oil leakage in engine/manifold area but recall was fixed about 5 years ago for this issue. Car was in good condition and no serious problems before this fire occurred.

- Polson, MT, USA

problem #24

Jun 012014

Grand Prix

  • 110,000 miles
Since the beginning of June, the car has shut off while my son has been driving it six times. He has been on the interstate, on our local roads, etc. The car will start right back up. It is scary for a newer driver or anyone for that matter to be driving on the highway and the car just shut off.

- Hagerstown, MD, USA

problem #23

Aug 272012

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • 95,000 miles
According to witnesses car went straight when highway curved. Air bags never went off, had two fobs and multiple keys. There was dip in road just before curve. Ignition switch? the consumer's son was killed in an accident. The accident was classified as an unknown cause. Updated 10/27/14....updated 11/03/14 updated 4/28/2015

- Holland, MI, USA

problem #22

Nov 152013

Grand Prix

  • 102,000 miles
There was a loud boom and flames came to the windshield from under the hood. I pulled the car over and jumped out to safety. The engine burned and the front of the car was destroyed. Everything under the hood was destroyed. The brakes were also destroyed. The ignition didn't work but I was able to get the key out. There was no power the car.

- Marrero, LA, USA

problem #21

Apr 012014

Grand Prix

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Some times key cant be removed, after a while there will be a click and then key can be removed, while the key remains in collum the shift indicator in dash stays lighted.sigh.

- Concord, NC, USA

problem #20

Mar 082014

Grand Prix

  • 152,000 miles
Air bag light illuminates for approximately 5 seconds after blowing the horn then goes off. Dtc B0026 is stored in history. The vehicle has never been in an accident nor has any work been done inside the steering column. Vehicle is meticulously maintained. Original owner.

- Swartz Creek, MI, USA

problem #19

Mar 212012

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • 174,621 miles
Car was driven less than 2 miles. Parked and when returned 15 minutes later troy NY fire dept had hood up and put out a small fire under engine cover. They said it appeared to be electrical in nature. This car had a recall issued and work completed to correct a engine fire issue on 9/24/2010 at 172,221 miles. I contacted Pontiac and they gave me a case # and said they would take a look at the car. A couple of weeks later they sent me out a denial letter stating that nys only requires a 4 year from in service date warranty and that I was well past that timeframe. My concern is that their recall did not remedy the situation and that the work was completed before I even put three thousand miles on the car.

- Scotia, NY, USA

problem #18

Apr 132004

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • 50,000 miles
The car damaged the plenum three times, this cause multiple missfire until the car wont start; there is corrosion on spark cables, damaged the coils. All power window machinery and/or motors also damaged.

- Barranquitas, PR, USA

problem #17

Apr 112011

Grand Prix

  • 161,813 miles
Early Monday morning got into car as normal to go to work, turned the key to start and immediatly there was a loud thump then smoke started pouring out of hood area, I opened the hood and the engine was engulfed in flames, the noise was so loud it woke my family in which they called the fire department by then I had already ran to my boat to retrieve my fire extinguisher to put the fire out, luckily I had the extinguisher and was able to cancel fire department call and put the fire out by myself, now I am awaiting estimate from mechanic to see if engine can be salvaged or if it is a total loss

- West Chazy, NY, USA

problem #16

Jun 152010

Grand Prix

  • miles
My 1999 Grand Prix gtp drives fine, then it will cut off sporadically. The most recent, I was driving 60 mph on the highway, cuts off, battery light on, and oil light on, loses power steering and braking. Go to the shoulder. Put the car in park, turn the ignition off. A minute later starts back, driving on the highway for 5 minutes, does the same thing. It will stall at stop lights also, or when I'm going 20 mph, whenever it wants. One time it would not start back up for 10 minutes. I have it at the dealership, they have found nothing, I've had 2 other mechanics look at it, they found nothing. I have googled the problem and found other complaints, but no recalls. And this has occurred 10 times or so in the past year. And has occurred in the previous years since I bought the car in 2007. It is frustrating when the mechanics tell me there is no error code in the cars computer.

- Denver, CO, USA

problem #15

Apr 282010

Grand Prix

  • 173,000 miles
1999 Pontiac Grand Prix GT. Turn on blower motor to positions 1-4 and headlights go out and blower motor does not run. Turn to position 5 and blower motor runs and lights come on. I have replaced the blower motor resistor and the results have not changed. There are a number of discussion groups and threads on the internet indicating this is a well known problem with Pontiac and the ignition switch.

- Bloomington, MN, USA

problem #14

Jan 011999

Grand Prix

  • 1 miles
Car over heats in stalled traffic. I have reviewed the overheating and car fire complaints in the "defects data base" and believe the main problem has not been identified: 'the computer will not call for full fan power' unless the A/C iis running.. driving the car with the windows down on a warm day in stalled traffic, will raise the engine temperature as the cooling fans are both running in slow speed and will not go to the "high cool mode". but, turning the A/C on will speed up the fans to high and cool the engine. The computer should recognize the need for additional cooling with out the A/C having to be turned on. The increased engine heat due to this 'cooling system logic failure' will contribute to the oil leaks and engine fires that have already been reported to this Agency. My vehicle, the radiator, fans, relays are all working as designed, and there are no diagnostic codes. Thus I am advising that this is a defect in logic with regard to controlling the high speed function of the radiator cooling fans. Having installed a new radiator recently and resealed the valve cover pans, I remain convinced that the problem is with the 'cooling circuit logic".

- Chicago Heights, IL, USA

problem #13

Feb 252009

Grand Prix

  • 135,533 miles
The contact owns a 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix. Within two weeks of purchasing the vehicle, the brake line failed. The contact pulled into her driveway and noticed that she was no longer able to brake. She took the vehicle back to the sales dealer and they repaired the failure, although she noticed in March of 2009 that the battery failed. The contact purchased another battery. The same day, the fuel pump and fuel filter malfunctioned, which the contact noticed when the vehicle was shut off. The contact had the failures replaced, but the vehicle still would not remain on. She had not taken the vehicle to the dealer or spoken with the manufacturer. The current mileage was approximately 135,700 and failure mileage was 135,533.

- Cleveland, OH, USA

problem #12

Oct 302007

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 100,000 miles
Car caught on fire.

- Lawrenceville, GA, USA

Read the next 11 complaints »

Not what you are looking for?