1997 Pontiac Grand Prix Steering Problems
Owners have filed 216 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix, 27% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 86,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “rack pinion” (43% of reports).
- 216steering complaints
- 86,500median miles at failure
- 15mention a crash
- 9mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $2,100typical repair cost reported by owners
- 11%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Rack pinion: mentioned in 92 of 216 complaints (43%)
- Turn steering: mentioned in 17 of 216 complaints (8%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical steering repair on the 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix at $2,100, and half of them between $1,400 and $2,400.
Based on 15 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2000–2006), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 46 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 216 complaints, 15 mention a crash, 3 a fire, 9 an injury.
Pontiac Grand Prix steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 Grand Prix | 9 | 6% | 93,080 |
| 2007 Grand Prix | 22 | 10% | 60,200 |
| 2006 Grand Prix | 42 | 18% | 100,000 |
| 2005 Grand Prix | 24 | 16% | 62,000 |
| 2004 Grand Prix | 64 | 14% | 69,933 |
| 2003 Grand Prix | 2 | 2% | 133,500 |
| 2002 Grand Prix | 12 | 4% | 67,000 |
| 2001 Grand Prix | 21 | 7% | 73,500 |
| 2000 Grand Prix | 35 | 8% | 54,000 |
| 1999 Grand Prix | 58 | 14% | 64,000 |
| 1998 Grand Prix | 89 | 18% | 97,000 |
| 1997 Grand Prix | 216 | 27% | 86,500 |
| 1996 Grand Prix | 8 | 10% | 40,000 |
| 1995 Grand Prix | 5 | 3% | 151,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Steering:rack and pinion
Problem: 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.
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 january 24, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, pontiac at 1-800-762-2737, or oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Note: i have filed a safely complaint before with the nhtsa about this safety issue on nov 9, 2020 reference number: 11373799. And now due to safety negligence from the investigation department of the nhtsa ..excessive heat coming from the extremely hot oil that's dripping off the extremely hot…
Fuel gage doesnt work always reads full- shows over full when its hot out-oil and radiator leak- followed last engine recall-new radiator hoses etc 1250$-air bag? I got recall work done last year
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 pontiac grand prix. The contact stated that the engine rpms increased excessively once the vehicle was started. In addition, coolant was leaking from the tail pipe and the front end of the vehicle. The contact stated that engine oil was also leaking from the vehicle. The…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1997 Pontiac Grand Prixs have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 216 owner complaints about steering for the 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix (27% of the 810 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix steering?
Yes: 1 safety recall list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do steering problems start?
The median reported mileage is 86,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix steering problems on the 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix?
Owners report a typical cost of $2,100 (half paid between $1,400 and $2,400), from 15 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix?
The most frequent phrase is “rack pinion”, in 92 of 216 complaints, followed by “turn steering” (17).
Other 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix problems
See all 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix problems or steering problems across all Grand Prix years.