1999 Pontiac Grand Prix Engine Problems

Source: NHTSA · Updated Dec 12, 2022 · 50 complaints analyzed

Owners have filed 50 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix, 12% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 160,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “engine cooling” (48% of reports).

What owners describe

Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.

  • Engine cooling: mentioned in 24 of 50 complaints (48%)
  • Caught fire: mentioned in 15 of 50 complaints (30%)
  • Injuries destroyed: mentioned in 6 of 50 complaints (12%)
  • Noticed smoke: mentioned in 6 of 50 complaints (12%)

At what mileage do engine problems happen?

Based on 31 complaints that reported the odometer reading.

Under 10k miles0 · 0%
10k–25k miles1 · 3%
25k–50k miles0 · 0%
50k–75k miles0 · 0%
75k–100k miles1 · 3%
100k–150k miles11 · 35%
150k+ miles18 · 58%

How serious are the reports?

Of 50 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 34 a fire.

Pontiac Grand Prix engine complaints by model year

Peak: 2004, with 98 complaints
1997: 451997451998: 331998331999: 501999502000: 732000732001: 652001652002: 862002862003: 312003312004: 982004982005: 142005142006: 322006322007: 282007282008: 19200819

n = 574 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Model yearEngine complaintsShare of that yearMedian miles
2008 Grand Prix1913%81,000
2007 Grand Prix2813%90,000
2006 Grand Prix3213%137,000
2005 Grand Prix149%120,000
2004 Grand Prix9822%145,000
2003 Grand Prix3129%156,000
2002 Grand Prix8626%146,000
2001 Grand Prix6521%153,000
2000 Grand Prix7316%170,000
1999 Grand Prix5012%160,000
1998 Grand Prix337%125,000
1997 Grand Prix456%171,750

When owners reported it

Peak: 2016, with 22 complaints
2013: 4201342014: 3201432015: 132015132016: 222016222017: 2201722018: 2201822019: 2201922021: 1202112022: 120221

n = 50 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Related recalls (3)

Engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe; engine and engine cooling:engineOct 26, 2015 · NHTSA campaign 15V701000 · 1,003,556 vehicles

Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 1998-1999 Chevrolet Lumina and Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1997-2004 Buick Regal and Pontiac Grand Prix, 2000-2004 Chevrolet Impala, and 1998-2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. The affected vehicles were previously repaired under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 to address the possibility that engine oil may drip onto the hot exhaust manifold.

Risk: Engine oil that drips onto the hot surface of the exhaust manifold may result in a fire.

Fix: The remedy applied under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 did not adequately remove the safety risk. Under the improved remedy, dealers will replace the engine’s front valve cover and gasket. Vehicles that are covered by recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, or 15V-201 that have not yet received the original remedy will instead receive the improved remedy under the original recall number. The recall began on February 19, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Oldsmobile customer service at 1-800-442-6537 and Pontiac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 15757. Note: Until the improved remedy has been applied, owners are advised to park their vehicle outside since the fire risk exists even when the vehicle is unattended.

Engine and engine coolingApr 8, 2009 · NHTSA campaign 09V116000 · 1,497,516 vehicles

Problem: General motors is recalling 1,497,516 my 1997-2003 buick regal, my 1998-2003 chevrolet lumina, monte carlo and impala, my 1998-1999 oldsmobile intrigue, my 1997-2003 pontiac grand prix vehicles equipped with a 3.8l v6 naturally aspirated engine. Some of these vehicles have a condition in which drops of engine oil may be deposited on the exhaust manifold through hard braking.

Risk: If the manifold is hot enough and the oil runs below the heat shield, it may ignite into a small flame and may spread to the plastic spark plug wire channel and beyond increasing the risk of an engine compartment fire.

Fix: Dealers will replace the engineâ’s front valve cover and front-valve-cover gasket with new parts of an improved design and remove the engineâ’s plastic cover and plastic oil-fill-tube extension, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during may 2016. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537, and pontiac at 1-800-620-7668 or http://www.pontiac.com or http:www.gmownercenter.com.

Engine and engine coolingMar 12, 2008 · NHTSA campaign 08V118000 · 207,542 vehicles

Problem: Gm is recalling 207,542 my 1997-2003 buick regal and pontiac grand prix vehicles equipped with a 3.8l supercharged v-6 engine. These vehicles have higher front rocker cover gasket temperatures, creating the potential for earlier degradation of the front rocker cover gasket and eventual oil seepage.

Risk: Certain underhood fires may be caused by drops of engine oil, from seepage or spillage, being deposited on the exhaust manifold through hard braking. If the manifold is hot enough and the oil runs below the heat shield, it may ignite into a small flame and, in some instances, the fire may spread to the plastic spark plug wire channel and beyond.

Fix: Dealers will replace the engineâ’s front valve cover and front-valve-cover gasket with new parts of an improved design and remove the engineâ’s plastic cover and plastic oil-fill-tube extension, along with the 1-3-5 spark plug wire retainers, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during may 2016. , free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during may 2016. Until the remedy is completed, gm strongly recommends that owners observe the following important precautions (1) that owners do not park their vehicle in a garage, car port, or other structure; (2) if owners notice a burning odor, they should have their dealer inspect the vehicle. The dealer will inspect the vehicle without charge; (3) use premium fuel (91 octane or higher) in the vehicle as recommended in the vehicle's owner manual. Owners may contact buick at 1-866-608-8080 or pontiac at 1-800-620-7668, or through their website at <a href=http://www.gmownercenter.com>http://www.gmownercenter.com</a> .

What owners report

Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.

1999 pontiac gran prix. Consumer writes seeking reimbursement for vehicle repairs made related to nhtsa safety recall.

Received Dec 12, 2022 · NHTSA complaint 11497002

valve covers leaks oil on to the exhaust and started a lil fire

Received Dec 7, 2021 · NHTSA complaint 11443019

Tl* the contact owned a 1999 pontiac grand prix. After the vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic and parked, it caught fire. The contact noticed black smoke under the hood and an abnormal fuel odor inside the vehicle. The mechanic was able to extinguish the fire. There were no injuries. The…

Received Apr 29, 2019 · NHTSA complaint 11204317
Pontiac Grand Prix
2004-2007 Pontiac Grand Prix photographed in USA.. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Frequently asked questions

Do all 1999 Pontiac Grand Prixs have engine problems?

No. NHTSA has 50 owner complaints about engine for the 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix (12% of the 412 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 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix engine?

Yes: 3 safety recalls list engine. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.

At what mileage do engine problems start?

The median reported mileage is 160,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.

What do owners say about engine problems on the 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix?

The most frequent phrase is “engine cooling”, in 24 of 50 complaints, followed by “caught fire” (15).

Other 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix problems

See all 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix problems or engine problems across all Grand Prix years.