Pontiac Grand Prix Steering Problems
Owners have filed 607 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the Pontiac Grand Prix across 14 model years. The 1997 model year has the most (216). The words owners use most often: “rack pinion” (31% of reports).
- 607steering complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 44mention a crash
- 29mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $1,700typical repair cost reported by owners
- 19%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 188 of 607 complaints (31%)
- Turn steering: mentioned in 39 of 607 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical steering repair on the Pontiac Grand Prix at $1,700, and half of them between $1,100 and $2,300.
Based on 32 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2000–2015), 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 310 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 607 complaints, 44 mention a crash, 15 a fire, 29 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 (2)
Steering:rack and pinion
Model years: 1996
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.
Steering:rack and pinion
Model years: 1997, 1998
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.
The contact owns a 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, there was a sudden loss of power steering functionality. The contact coasted to a stop and restarted the vehicle with the ignition key. The contact stated that after restarting the vehicle, the…
steering wheel refusing to lock. therefore safety issue as car locks will not lock as a result. no messages or warning lights or behaviors. this happened once a year ago. and was able to lock steering by moving wheel and moving key in ignition.
got cutoff on a busy highway going 70mph and they slammed their brakes. i had 6 car lengths between us and immediately started braking but we were just skidding. I had the choice of hitting the vehicle or swerving left towards the median. I chose the latter. The steering locked up, the abs did NOT…
My power steering went out and when you try to go over 40 the car lunges forward and has a hard time shifting and will continue while in cruise control. I already had work done on the fuel line cause the line was clogged and the vehicle would lunge forward cause the fuel wasn't getting pushed…
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…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Pontiac Grand Prixs have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 607 owner complaints about steering for the Pontiac Grand Prix. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Pontiac Grand Prix steering?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix steering problems on the Pontiac Grand Prix?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,700 (half paid between $1,100 and $2,300), from 32 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about steering problems on the Pontiac Grand Prix?
The most frequent phrase is “rack pinion”, in 188 of 607 complaints, followed by “turn steering” (39).
Other Pontiac Grand Prix problems
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (795)
- Electrical System problems (737)
- Engine problems (574)
- Exterior Lighting problems (555)
- Power Train problems (367)
- Visibility problems (264)
- Air Bags problems (245)
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems (245)
See all Pontiac Grand Prix problems.