1996 Pontiac Grand Prix Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Grand Prix years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 14th of 14 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 79 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Pontiac Grand Prix. That ranks 14th out of 14 Grand Prix model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (16 complaints, 20%). Complaints mention 7 crashes, 3 fires, 6 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
- 79owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 7complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 Pontiac Grand Prix problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 16 | 20% | — | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 13 | 16% | — | — | — |
| Electrical System | 9 | 11% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 8 | 10% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 7 | 9% | 39,153 | — | — |
| Power Train | 5 | 6% | 39,153 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 6% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 4 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 5% | 34,149 | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 5% | 14,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 4 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 4 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 3 | 4% | 220 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 4% | 93,375 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 Pontiac Grand Prix recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Steering:rack and pinion
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles have lower pinion bearings in the power rack and pinion assembly in which the retainer tabs were not crimped properly. These retainers could fail and permit the ball bearings to escape.
Risk: If this occurs, the pinion shaft can be forced upward during left turns and back down as the steering wheel is moved back and to the right. If the pinion shaft moves further, the driver will need to exert more effort to turn the steering wheel, similar to a vehicle without power assisted steering. If the pinion shaft moves even further, the driver will require much higher effort to turn left and may not be able to turn the wheel as much as intended. With the maximum pinion shaft movement, which requires internal gear component damage, the driver can encounter high resistance to turning left, followed by unintended power assist to the right. In any of these conditions, a crash could occur.
Fix: Dealers will install a new lower pinion bearing unless inspect of the existing bearing indicates that replacement of the gear assembly is necessary. Owner notification began on february 5, 2004. Owners should contact buick at 1-866-608-8080; chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438; oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537; or pontiac at 1-800-620-7668.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Engine compartment fires (PE02050) — opened Jun 13, 2002, closed Oct 22, 2002.
- Inadvertent air bag deployment (EA99026) — opened Aug 31, 1999, closed Dec 28, 2001, led to recall 00V171000.
- Inappropriate air bag deployment (EA96023) — opened Sep 27, 1996, closed Feb 13, 1998.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 pontiac grand prix. While driving 25 mph, the power steering malfunctioned. It was extremely difficult to turn the steering wheel to the left. The contact had to exert force upon the steering wheel. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made…
After stopping at a stop sign, lost control of steering while making left turn. Car continued, ran over a mail box and came to rest in a flower bed. When tow truck arrived and picked car up, tow truck driver noticed that engine cradle had fallen down and disabled the steering. Mechanic and…
Tl*the contact owns a 1999 pontiac grand prix. The vehicle caught fire twice where drops of engine oil fell on the exhaust manifold. The fires occurred three days after purchasing the vehicle. The contact was responsible for the repair cost of $2000. The contact was not aware of recall# 09v116000…
Dt: around september 21, 2005 the consumer started experiencing difficulty turning to the right. It was like the steering wheel was locked. The problem was ongoing when trying to turn right. When the consumer took vehicle to be repaired, the mechanic told her that the rack and pinion needed…
On three separate occasions (twice while driving down the highway once on side street) my gas pedal pushed down under my foot and my car accelerated by it self. I had to have the mechanic disconnect the cruise control. Lucky no one was hit but it was close. *jb
Other Pontiac Grand Prix years
← 1995 Grand Prix · 1997 Grand Prix →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 Grand Prix | 143 | 1 |
| 2007 Grand Prix | 220 | 3 |
| 2006 Grand Prix | 239 | 1 |
| 2005 Grand Prix | 148 | 1 |
| 2004 Grand Prix | 454 | 7 |
| 2003 Grand Prix | 106 | 3 |
| 2002 Grand Prix | 330 | 3 |
| 2001 Grand Prix | 308 | 6 |
| 2000 Grand Prix | 461 | 5 |
| 1999 Grand Prix | 412 | 4 |
| 1998 Grand Prix | 499 | 4 |
| 1997 Grand Prix | 810 | 5 |
| 1996 | 79 | 1 |
| 1995 Grand Prix | 169 | 3 |
See all Pontiac Grand Prix problems by year, every Pontiac model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Pontiac models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Pontiac Grand Prix?
Owners most often report service brakes, hydraulic, engine and engine cooling, electrical system problems. The top one, service brakes, hydraulic, accounts for 16 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Pontiac Grand Prix?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1996 Pontiac Grand Prix a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Grand Prix model years, the 1996 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.