2002 Pontiac Grand Prix Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Oct 9, 2025 · 330 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Grand Prix years
More complaints than other years 6th of 14 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 330 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix. That ranks 6th out of 14 Grand Prix model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (86 complaints, 26%), typically at around 146,000 miles. Complaints mention 19 crashes, 96 fires, 19 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 4 defect investigations involving it.

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.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Engine86 · ~146,000 mi
Engine and Engine Cooling62 · ~91,000 mi
Electrical System56 · ~85,000 mi
Exterior Lighting24 · ~70,200 mi
Service Brakes, Hydraulic20 · ~65,000 mi
Visibility19 · ~61,000 mi
Power Train18 · ~80,278 mi
Fuel/propulsion System12 · ~132,000 mi
Steering12 · ~67,000 mi
Suspension12 · ~80,500 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Engine problems8626%146,000“engine cooling” (37%)—
Engine and Engine Cooling problems6219%91,000“fire department” (21%)—
Electrical System problems5617%85,000“ignition switch” (25%)—
Exterior Lighting247%70,200——
Service Brakes, Hydraulic206%65,000——
Visibility196%61,000——
Power Train185%80,278——
Fuel/propulsion System124%132,000——
Steering124%67,000——
Suspension124%80,500——
Air Bags113%110,000——
Fuel System, Gasoline103%75,000——
Structure103%91,000——
Unknown or Other93%132,000——
Vehicle Speed Control72%60,000——
Seat Belts62%168,000——
Service Brakes62%87,000——
Wheels41%119,000——
Equipment31%92,200——
Tires31%100,863——
Fuel System, Other21%94,000——
Latches/locks/linkages21%123,100——
Electronic Stability Control (esc)10%———
Interior Lighting10%———
Parking Brake10%65,000——
Seats10%———
Visibility/wiper10%90,942——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2016, with 42 complaints
2001: 120012002: 82003: 1220032004: 182005: 1920052006: 252007: 1920072008: 312009: 1820092010: 202011: 1620112012: 102013: 820132014: 292015: 2520152016: 42422017: 520172018: 92019: 820192020: 22021: 120212022: 22023: 120232025: 1

n = 330 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2002 Pontiac Grand Prix recalls (3)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

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> .

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 fire (EA07008) — opened Jun 12, 2007, closed May 1, 2008, led to recall 08V118000.
  • Engine compartment fire (PE07006) — opened Jan 29, 2007, closed Jun 12, 2007.
  • Loss of brake lamp illumination (PE07001) — opened Jan 17, 2007, closed Apr 30, 2007.
  • Engine compartment fires (EA02030) — opened Oct 22, 2002, closed Mar 9, 2004, led to recall 04V090000.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

The contact owns a 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V701000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the vehicle could not be serviced because it was an older vehicle, and the dealer…

Engine and Engine Cooling · received Oct 9, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11692342

On May 27th 2023 just three days ago I went to start my car but it would not start, I tried two times then I smelled gas so I let it sit over night then the next day my friend went out to start it for me and it made a loud bang and the intake manifold exploded causing a fire and debris went…

Fuel/propulsion System · received May 29, 2023 · NHTSA complaint 11524339

I had just drove about 30 miles home and when I arrived my engine was was smoking a little more than was usual because of oil burn off. So I popped the hood and a fire started in the back of the engine where I was having problems previously with the power steering pump. Obviously when I opened the…

Engine · received Oct 2, 2022 · NHTSA complaint 11487499

I was driving a red 2002 Pontiac. While sitting at a stop sign and the driver of a 2012 Ford Fiesta was going 55-60 MPH and ran in the back of my vehicle.

Air Bags · received Jan 10, 2022 · NHTSA complaint 11446831

The night of the incident I was driving to my brother's house when I pulled over lifted the hood it burst into flames

Fuel/propulsion System · received Nov 25, 2021 · NHTSA complaint 11441669

Other Pontiac Grand Prix years

← 2001 Grand Prix · 2003 Grand Prix →

See all Pontiac Grand Prix problems by year, every Pontiac model, or the VIN decoder.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix?

Owners most often report engine, engine and engine cooling, electrical system problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 86 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix?

Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2002 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 2002 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.