2000 Pontiac Grand Prix Engine and Engine Cooling Problems

Source: NHTSA · Updated Mar 20, 2024 · 151 complaints analyzed

Owners have filed 151 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix, 33% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 91,582 miles. The words owners use most often: “caught fire” (20% of reports).

What owners describe

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

  • Caught fire: mentioned in 30 of 151 complaints (20%)
  • Engine compartment: mentioned in 28 of 151 complaints (19%)
  • Minutes later: mentioned in 13 of 151 complaints (9%)
  • Smoke hood: mentioned in 10 of 151 complaints (7%)

How much does it cost to fix?

Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine and engine cooling repair on the 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix at $1,550, and half of them between $1,400 and $1,650.

Based on 6 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2003–2008), 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 engine and engine cooling problems happen?

Based on 99 complaints that reported the odometer reading.

Under 10k miles3 · 3%
10k–25k miles1 · 1%
25k–50k miles11 · 11%
50k–75k miles21 · 21%
75k–100k miles17 · 17%
100k–150k miles35 · 35%
150k+ miles11 · 11%

How serious are the reports?

Of 151 complaints, 87 a fire.

Pontiac Grand Prix engine and engine cooling complaints by model year

Peak: 1999, with 152 complaints
1995: 111995111996: 131996131997: 13619971361998: 901998901999: 15219991522000: 15120001512001: 10220011022002: 622002622003: 162003162004: 412004412005: 6200562006: 6200662007: 4200742008: 520085

n = 795 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Model yearEngine and Engine Cooling complaintsShare of that yearMedian miles
2008 Grand Prix53%61,400
2007 Grand Prix42%98,590
2006 Grand Prix63%49,000
2005 Grand Prix64%11,000
2004 Grand Prix419%52,500
2003 Grand Prix1615%75,000
2002 Grand Prix6219%91,000
2001 Grand Prix10233%96,500
2000 Grand Prix15133%91,582
1999 Grand Prix15237%98,000
1998 Grand Prix9018%109,791
1997 Grand Prix13617%137,000
1996 Grand Prix1316%—
1995 Grand Prix117%123,250

When owners reported it

Peak: 2008, with 33 complaints
1999: 1199912000: 552001: 8200182002: 332003: 182003182004: 332005: 5200552006: 772007: 182007182008: 33332009: 182009182010: 882011: 102011102012: 442013: 1201312016: 99

n = 151 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.

2000 pontiac grand prix. Consumer writes in regards to vehicle fire/ totaled, towed to junk yard and consumer states still receives engine oil deposit onto manifold exhaust recall notice. *smd

Received Sep 22, 2016 · NHTSA complaint 10907893

2000 pontiac grand prix. Consumer writes in regards to engine fire due to oil leaks recall (15v701) fix was to reroute spark plug wires. Consumer states engine fires start on exhaust manifolds and not spark plugs wires. *smd the consumer stated plastic headlight lenses fogged up to the point that…

Received Sep 19, 2016 · NHTSA complaint 10907833

2000 pontiac grand prix. Consumer writes in regards to front valve cover gasket recall parts currently not available consumer states the engine plastic "beauty" cover should not be removed until redesign cover becomes available. *smd

Received Jun 21, 2016 · NHTSA complaint 10875118
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 2000 Pontiac Grand Prixs have engine and engine cooling problems?

No. NHTSA has 151 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix (33% of the 461 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 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix engine and engine cooling?

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

At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems start?

The median reported mileage is 91,582 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.

How much does it cost to fix engine and engine cooling problems on the 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix?

Owners report a typical cost of $1,550 (half paid between $1,400 and $1,650), from 6 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.

What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix?

The most frequent phrase is “caught fire”, in 30 of 151 complaints, followed by “engine compartment” (28).

Other 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix problems

See all 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix problems or engine and engine cooling problems across all Grand Prix years.