NHTSA — Exterior Lighting: Headlights Problems

1998 Pontiac Grand Prix (Page 1 of 4)

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
9,029 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.

1998 Pontiac Grand Prix lights problems

lights problem

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1998 Pontiac Grand Prix Owner Comments (Page 1 of 4)

problem #74

May 012007

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 58,000 miles

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

The exterior lighting lenses of the headlight have fallen out and have broken from the headlight. He states that the vehicle produces projectiles as well. He states that he has contacted the manufacturer and filed a complaint and they have not offered any assistance to him (71532337325-GM complaint case number).he states that there about 20 people that have reported this issue to General Motors. He states that when he took the vehicle to the dealer, they stated that there is corrosion on the chrome of the seal of the headlight. According to the contact, the service manager stated that this was a cosmetic concern and that there is nothing that they could do. The failure mileage is 58,000 and the current mileage is 103,000.--ds updated 09/18/07

- Spring House, PA, USA

problem #73

Jan 012005

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 120,000 miles
On two separate occasions the headlight lens came off. How they came was undetermined? dealer was notified. The dealer informed the consumer that part was not covered under a recall.

- Bowling Green, OH, USA

problem #72

Aug 062004

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 77,000 miles
Headlights on 98 Grand Prix GT are fogging up and getting moisture inside the protective cover and reducing the light the headlight is sending out. This is making night time driving very difficult and dangerous. Noone has been injuried yet and the number of failures is daily because the lamps never clear up. Happened after warranty expired and should not be placed on the owner to fix, because this is a fault caused by the failure of parts.

- Browns Mills, NJ, USA

problem #71

May 062000

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 42,340 miles

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

Front headlight lenses fell out without being jarred or bumped. Apparent failure of adhesive holding lens to assembly body.

- Ashburn, VA, USA

problem #70

Feb 042004

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Both headlight lenses fell off in less than 6 months of each other. Also the cooling system fails to keep the car cool in moderate weather.

- Cisco, IL, USA

problem #69

Dec 172003

(reported on)

Grand Prix

  • miles
While traveling consumer noticed headlights fell off, resulting in poor visibility. Dealer was contacted, and headlights were replaced twice.

- Jamestown, SC, USA

problem #68

Dec 012003

Grand Prix

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles

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

The rubber molding around the front windshield on the right hand side has come loose. The window on the passenger side in the front only works occasionally. I have had to replace the headlamp on my car twice (one actually fell off on the highway while driving) and the condensation/moisture is horrible inside the headlamps making for poor visibility.

- Jamestown, SC, USA

problem #67

Nov 032003

(reported on)

Grand Prix

  • 55,000 miles
Headlight plastic covers, on separate occasions, fell off while driving. The entire headlight assembly needed to be replaced, per dealership.

- Springfield, IL, USA

problem #66

Mar 012003

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 60,000 miles
My 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix has the same windshield wiper parking problems as the 1997 were recalled for. They park in the middle of the windshield, causing restricted vision when driving. GM acknowledges that the 1997's were recalled for the same problem, but they will not fix the 1998's, and we have had to have them fixed twice. Also two headlight lenses have popped out, causing the headlights to burn out, leaving us unexpectedly with no lights at night.

- Davison, MI, USA

problem #65

Jul 202003

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 95,000 miles
I have lost both lens cover to headlights, causing the bulbs to go out. Had to pay $70 for replacement of entire light component. Dealer said lens cover was not available"??"

- Santo, TX, USA

problem #64

Jul 042003

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 40,000 miles

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

Both headlight lenses on my wifes 1998 Grand Prix went flying through the air at different times while driving down the freeway.

- Alma, MI, USA

problem #63

Jun 242003

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 90,950 miles
Right side headlight lens separation. Left side lens has water inside of it. This is a known problem by GM, but GM refuses to address it. They have even mfg'd a new part that, in theory, does not have this problem. This should be recalled, as the expense in repairing it is roughly 150$ in parts alone. In addition, this problem can (and did in my case) cause the halogen bulb to explode from water impacting it.

- Gaithersburg, MD, USA

problem #62

Mar 212003

Grand Prix

  • miles
This winter I had noticed that the moisture (fogging) problem in the headlights was particularly bad. Within a 4 weeks period, both headlight covers came off and the light bulb blew out. Cost to repair $160 each.

- Beaverton, OR, USA

problem #61

Mar 142003

Grand Prix

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Clear plastic headlight lens cover on the driver's side fell off. It appears the adhesive failed. The other headlight is showing signs of moisture entry.

- Bellbrook, OH, USA

problem #60

Nov 052002

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • miles
On the exterior lights, the light lense cover has fallen off on the drivers side. I called the Pontiac dealer and was told "yes, we have them in stock, they fall off all the time". the bargain price was $70, which I have replaced with plastic for now because of budget purposes, only to have the left side fall off 2 months later. Shouldn't this be a recall if it "happens all the time"??

- Windsor Locks, CT, USA

problem #59

May 092002

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Headlight face falls off and then I loose the use of the headlight until it is replaced. This has happened with both of my headlights

- Madison, WI, USA

problem #58

Apr 011999

Grand Prix

  • miles
I had brought my car in because you couldn't drive it at night due to vapors on the inside of lenses on both sides of car. The water vapors on the lense was so great that the headlights gave off a blur so as not a clear lighting of the road was visable. As it went on the outside lense fell off and the dealership finally replaced the full section of the headlight. I then asked them about the other headlight and the service man told me that there was a recall on the headlights and when I got a notice they would replace the other headlight. I called Pontiac and they told me that there was no recall on the headlights at all. In August of 1999 the other lense fell off the other headlight and they finally did replace the other headlight. Now I have a problem with the headlights a night as you can't drive it still due to the position of the lights. On coming traffic turn on their high beams because they think we have our on. I have asked to have them fixed every time I go in for service and still no satisfaction. As a matter of fact my husband took it over yesterday 12/2/2002 and they told him it would be a 2 1/2 hr. Wait just to have our headlights checked. It is to dangerous to drive at night so we avoid it as much as possible.

- Middleboro, MA, USA

problem #57

Nov 132002

Grand Prix 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 29,872 miles
Consumer walked out to start vehicle and noticed the drivers side lense that covers headlight had fallen off vehicle. Consumer stated when water would get inside head light, it would short out, which would cause vehicle to have no lights, the headlight assembly was replaced at owners expense.ts

- Charlotte, NC, USA

problem #56

Jul 122002

Grand Prix

  • miles
Second headlight failure customer service referred me to dealer, dealer offerer $9.80 toward second expendature by me. When I expressed dissatisfaction with the offer dealer referred me back to customer service. No one wants to accept responsibility for head light assemblies that simply fall apart without warning.

- Long Valley, NJ, USA

problem #55

Apr 192002

(reported on)

Grand Prix

  • miles
1997-1998 Pontiac Grand Prix headlights are defective. The lens cover falls off. This happens on both front headlamps. I have read that a defective sealant is the cause. Both covers have fallen off of my vehicle, with the last at nighttime during a rainstorm. This caused the bulb to become wet and explode during driving. This happened within a month of the first failure. If both had fallen off at the same time, I would have had no vision. Performing a search on the internet, I find that this is a common problem that I am sure Pontiac knows about. I know this may sound like a minor problem, but if possible I would like to request an investigation into this problem and a possible recall. New headlamps installed cost consumers $130 each.

- Apex, NC, USA

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