1989 Pontiac Grand Prix: common problems

Owners of the 1989 Pontiac Grand Prix filed 139 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and structure. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 139
involving a crash: 6

What fails most often

1 Service brakes 45% of all complaints
2 Structure 13% of all complaints
3 Electrical system 10% of all complaints
4 Engine and cooling 10% of all complaints
5 Steering 9% of all complaints
6 Seat belts 6% of all complaints
7 Fuel system 5% of all complaints
8 Exterior lighting 4% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Service brakes: 63 complaints (45% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Structure: 18 complaints (13% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electrical system: 14 complaints (10% of all).
Engine and cooling: 14 complaints (10% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Steering: 12 complaints (9% of all).

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

2.8 L · petrol · 6 cyl
3.1 L · petrol · 6 cyl
3.1 L · petrol · turbo · 6 cyl
automatic, 4-speed
manual, 5-speed

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 139 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

rust, corrosion31 · 22%
seat belts9 · 6%
brake failure7 · 5%
stalls while driving6 · 4%
steering or power steering problems5 · 4%
knocking, grinding or other noise2 · 1%
smoke, burning smell, fire2 · 1%
door locks, latches, handles1 · 1%
fuel system, fuel smell1 · 1%
headlights and tail lights1 · 1%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Service brakes	63	3
Structure	18	1
Electrical system	14	0
Engine and cooling	14	1
Steering	12	0
Seat belts	9	1
Fuel system	7	0
Exterior lighting	6	0
Suspension	6	0
Powertrain	4	0
Seats	4	0
Wheels	3	0
Parking brake	2	0
Vehicle speed control	2	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

Rear brake calipers locked up and caused loss of brake pressure.
Service brakes · crash · 2000-09-05 · NHTSA complaint #728504
Driver side door mounted seat belts failed, lap belt also failed, door came open and passenger was ejected and killed. Tt
Seat belts · crash · 1995-12-05 · NHTSA complaint #976113
Tl* the contact owns a 1989 pontiac grand prix. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
Engine · 2015-12-17 · NHTSA complaint #10810910
Sometimes it is off all the time, other times only when headlights on, other times only when headlights are off. Speed, fuel odometer... Nothing can be seen.
Electrical system · 2010-03-15 · NHTSA complaint #10319667
Tl contact owns a 1989 pontiac grand prix. The contact stated that his brake light lamps would remain illuminated when the vehicle was not in operation. This caused the battery to fail.
Exterior lighting · 2008-12-26 · NHTSA complaint #10252825
When they tried to fix the recall they found that the cradle frame was rusted, and they refused to do the recall repairs. Consumer then spoke with the service manager and he was rude.
Structure · 2005-07-06 · NHTSA complaint #10127673
Consumer states that the dealership failed to replace all 4 bolts. Due to the 1 defected bolt being left on vehicle the steering is off. Mr
Wheels · 2002-10-15 · NHTSA complaint #8020838
Consumer stated that while driving the front cradle mounts broke resulting in loss of steering control. Nlm
Structure · 2002-09-30 · NHTSA complaint #8019866

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

199555
199623
199713
199810
19997
200017
20012
20026
20031
20052
20081
20101
20151

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 2,807 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 8% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Grand Prix has 187 complaints (29 years in the data). This year has 139, below average.

What to check before buying

Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1989 Pontiac Grand Prix?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, structure, electrical system. Total complaints: 139. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rust, corrosion (22%), seat belts (6%), brake failure (5%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1989 Pontiac Grand Prix?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 1989 Pontiac Grand Prix from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 1989 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.