NHTSA — Electrical System Problems

2004 Pontiac Grand Prix (Page 4 of 5)

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
12 / 15
Injuries / Deaths:
12 / 2
Average Mileage:
78,783 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.

2004 Pontiac Grand Prix electrical problems

electrical problem

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2004 Pontiac Grand Prix Owner Comments (Page 4 of 5)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #22

Jan 032008

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 55,000 miles

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

Loss of power. Loss of brakes. Fire in engine compartment without warning. Car was total loss. 3800 series supercharged engine.

- Oak Hill, WV, USA

problem #21

Aug 212006

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 54,000 miles
: the contact stated without warning, the vehicle stalled at various speeds and would not restart. The vehicle was towed to the dealership who replaced multiple components, but the problem persisted. The components that were replaced included the power train control module, oil pressure switch, crankshaft sensor, and ignition switch.

- Port Saint Lucie, FL, USA

problem #20

Jun 192006

Grand Prix

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Several issues with a 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix, ie. Right front wheel bearing 2X's in 1 year, computer issues (loss of ABS, variable steering and traction control), false tire pressure readings from computer, etc.

- De Pere, WI, USA

problem #19

Dec 202004

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 8,000 miles

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

I bought the car in March of 04. In December of 04 it started having electrical problems. Whenever the lights and the heat and the rear defroster were on, the car would start stalling and tell you "charging system failure". there was one incident where I was merging on the freeway during rush hour and the car actually stalled out and I had no control whatsoever. It has been in the shop at least seven times for the same problem. The car stalls out whenever you put it into reverse, drive backwards, stop and then shift into drive. It hesitates, chimes and displays "charging system failure". at one occasion, my fiance turned on the fan, and the went into a nose dive due to the engine cutting out. Both of us ended up having bad seat-belts burns and bruises from being thrown forward so suddenly.

- Warren, MI, USA

problem #18

Mar 182006

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 47,000 miles
HVAC blower motor becomes inoperative or works only intermittently. Also, blower speed may drop or become variable from its set position.

- Bronx, NY, USA

problem #17

Jan 132006

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 2,750 miles
Vehicle has stalled a total of five times and has had trouble idling and hesitation since it was new. Once on a busy highway where I had to run across a busy lane of traffic to safety and police needed to dispatch an emergency tow truck. The last time within a busy intersection. Nearly causing a crash. Since the last incident I have not driven the car and is in the process of having GM take the vehicle back. They are reluctant to take it back. Review other similar complaints.

- Highland Lakes, NJ, USA

problem #16

Oct 192005

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 47,000 miles

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

On 8/20/05, the traction and stability control lights came on while driving on the interstate with cruise control on. After stopping the car, turning it off, and turning it back on, the lights went out. Between that time and 8/23/05, this occurred 5 more time. On 8/23/05, the brakes locked up on the vehicle while driving on the interstate using cruise control. I took it to the dealer. They diagnosed it as codes C0187 & C0197, and replaced a faulty yaw sensor. I took it back to the dealership on 10/19/05 with the same problem, after occurring 3 times within a 2 day period. The dealership drove it and it occurred twice, but they cannot determine what is causing the problem. They have now had the car for 6 days. The dealership is jim hudson, and their phone # is 803-783-0110.

- Columbia, SC, USA

problem #15

Sep 012005

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • miles
2004 Pontiac Grand Prix developed problems with the electrical system and the transmission. Late last year, while the vehicle was parked on a nearly flat service, the vehicle jumped out of park, hitting and damaging another vehicle. The vehicle has repeatedly stalled on numerous occasions. (lawyer on behalf of owner of vehicle).

- Spencer , WV, USA

problem #14

Jan 302004

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 7,000 miles
I own a 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix GT2, the door locks will try to re-lock after each time that I slow down and restart, stop and restart. I took it to my local Pontiac service center and they gave me a bulletin regarding this case, but didn't fix it. They told me to turn off the auto lock, if you do that the doors will not lock at all when you place it in gear. The information panel has been re-wired once due to the radio shorts it out. They still haven't replaced the radio and I feel that the radio that is in may be causing a short or malfunction again. They are refusing to fix it. I want something done about my cars repairs I have had since Dec 2003 and have it in the shop for the same thing like 3 times always something they won't or didn't fix to make me have to keep returning for the same problems. I have 3 kids and a shift working husband and I work full time and they will not offer me a loaner while it is being worked on and have put me in a bad situation several times. I feel that the service center needs to be taken care of and I need another vehicle.

- Pampa, TX, USA

problem #13

Aug 292004

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 15,000 miles
Twice now the computer module has failed on my 2004 Grand Prix. The first time (when the car was less than a year old with around 15,000 miles) the fan to the air conditioner would not shut off when switch turned off. Attempts were made to pull fuses connected to the system but the fan continued on even with the key out of the ignition. The battery had to be disconnected to prevent completely running the battery dead. The car was towed to the dealership and after them having the car for about a week they returned it to me. Stating, "the computer module was bad and had malfunctioned. There was over a two week waiting period to get a new computer module from the factory, so we pulled one out of a car off of the lot." Now, less than a year later (10 months later to be exact) the same exact thing has happened. The fan turned on this time by itself. Again the only way to shut it off was to disconnect the battery. The car has about 30,000 miles on it now.

- Falls City, NE, USA

problem #12

Jun 272005

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 20,000 miles

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

I bought a 2004 Grand Prix with an electrical problem that started around 20,000 miles where the car would hesitate on acceleration to the point of no reaction. The problem progressed to two incidents of the car completely shutting off in the passing lane of a major highway. The car hesitated and then completely shut off with in seconds and without warning. This problem has happened regardless of the amount of gas in the tank or the weather outside. I have brought the car to the dealership at least 5 times and they have not corrected the problem. The first action theytried was to reprogramed the powertrain control module, then I had a recording device attached after the problem happened to the technician. The problem actually erased the computer recorded so they replace the entire control module. The car has been test driven for hundreds of miles and now it still has the problem bad enough to stall out on the highway with everything in the car shutting off. This problem is very dangerous as it is completely unpredictable but likely at the worst possible time, passing on the highway.

- Asbury, NJ, USA

problem #11

May 302005

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 25,444 miles
2004 Pontiac Grand Prix engine shuts down while driving. Immediate failure of power steering (impossible to make a turn while driving= scary!); electric/ electronic failure also. Then, after a complete stop, and key off ignition, the car restarts like nothing happens. The car when twice to the dealership, and did not find anything. They think that we don't know how to drive a car! this is a serious matter, and very dangerous! if someone dies from this occurrence, investigation will not concluded to this problem, but more likely to the lost of control of the driver! it happens 3 times to us already, and once with a grand-prix rental. Please check it.

- Miami, FL, USA

problem #10

Dec 292004

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 10,200 miles
Owner parked the vehicle and walked away. Before actually leaving the scene owner was alerted that the vehicle was smoking. Owner went to the vehicle, opened the hood, and vehicle was on fire. The fire department was called to the scene. After the fire was extinguished the fire investigator stated the fire was electrical. Vehicle was totaled. A GM had representative came and inspected the vehicle. Neither the manufacturer nor dealership claimed any responsibility for the damage.....the vehicle's primary electrical wiring at battery exhibited no evidence of electrical activity or malfunction. There was no evidence of a malfunction associated with fuel injection system, nor was there evidence of a fuel line leak. Fire department investigator, therefore, concluded that fire was an accident, and a result of non-specific electrical faiure in the engine compartment.

- Boynton Beach, FL, USA

problem #9

Feb 022005

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 8,250 miles
My 2004 Grand Prix GT has had an acceleration hesitation or stall (engine shuts down) since purchase (August /04). Two different sensors have been replaced, but it has failed again. Recently when leaving work; engine relatively cold, had to accelerate to enter highway traffic and engine stalled and died. Dealerships have been unable to duplicate since it is extremely intermittent.

- Garden City, GA, USA

problem #8

Nov 022004

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 6,897 miles
While driving at 45 mph in rush hour traffic the car completely shut down with no warning and would not re-start. I had no brakes, power steering and had to cut across two lanes of traffic to get off roadway. Car was towed to dealership and remained therefor seven days. The accerater cable was replaced. One day after getting the car back the same occurance happened again. While driving between 45 and 50 mph the car completely shut down on a highway at night nearly causing a serious accident. The car was returned to dealership and kept for another seven days and the computer module was replaced. After having the car back for two days, the car completely shut down for a third time. This time I was at a stop light and not moving. There was no warning the car just stopped and when tried to re-start, every system went black. The car was again towed to dealership and the fuse relay was replaced. The original shut-down happed with less than 7000 miles on the vehicle. The dealership stated this problem had not occurred before on this make and model of car and there was a "case study" being set up on my car. On reading other complaints on this car, I see there have been other similar shut downs on the same make and model car. I have had the car back for 20 days and so far no further complete shut downs have occurred but I have no confidence in the car and drive it only when absoutely necessary and definitely not on expressways or major highways. When I picked up the car the third time and asked it they thought it was fixed, the only answer I received is "we're doing what GM engineering told us to do.

- Bartlett, TN, USA

problem #7

Dec 102004

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
When I first purchased the car it wouldn't start. The dealership had to jump the car. I made it 11 mile and had to have the car towed back to the dealership and they had to replace the battery. (which is supposed to last the lifetime of the car. That is what they said) since then I have had to have the car jumped many times. 3 times in the past 2 weeks. I have had the car for just a little over a year now.

- No. St. Paul, MN, USA

problem #6

Dec 102004

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
When I first purchased the car it wouldn't start. The dealership had to jump the car. I made it 11 mile and had to have the car towed back to the dealership and they had to replace the battery. (which is supposed to last the lifetime of the car. That is what they said) since then I have had to have the car jumped many times. 3 times in the past 2 weeks. I have had the car for just a little over a year now.

- No. St. Paul, MN, USA

problem #5

Jan 302004

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 2,648 miles
The car accelerates without the operator depressing the accelerator pedal. Here were two near miss crashes when the car was being driven in town and accelerated by itself. One incident was when my preganant wife nearly struck a train. The actual date of the incident below is not correct, I do not have that information with me. I do know that the first time was in January of 2004.

- Humeston, IA, USA

problem #4

Jul 162004

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 5,600 miles
While driving down road, smoke started to come out from center of dash, pulled vehicle over and turned off ignition, exited drivers side and proceeded to passenger front to inspect under dash, when got to passenger side (10 seconds from driver side) could see fire under dash and plastic dripping from under dash, got away from vehicle, and within approximately 2 minutes entire interior of vehicle was engulfed by flames. I was driving at night with headlights on/ no fog/S, and only had fan blowing outside air in, no other electrical accessories running, such as radio, interior lights). Vehicle is complete loss, and fireman says this was worst car fire he had ever seen for short amount of time vehicle was on fire. So far insurance company is investigating, but indications show electrical fire possibly from ignition switch, which happens to be in dash by heater controls. No injuries occurred w/ vehicle fire, very happy that seat belt did not fail/stick. Only had vehicle for 5 months, bought new at Pontiac dealer, 5600 miles. Vehicle was 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix GT2 w/ optional leather seats.

- Brookpark, OH, USA

problem #3

Mar 012004

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
The day of the week does not match the date. I have tried several times to reset the date, and it still displays the wrong day of the week. Contacted the dealer and they stated they could reset the system but it is a known problem with no long term fix yet.

- Camby, IN, USA

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