1991 Pontiac Grand Prix: common problems

Owners of the 1991 Pontiac Grand Prix filed 172 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and structure. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 172
involving a crash: 9

What fails most often

1 Service brakes 45% of all complaints
2 Structure 17% of all complaints
3 Electrical system 13% of all complaints
4 Engine and cooling 11% of all complaints
5 Exterior lighting 9% of all complaints
6 Steering 8% of all complaints
7 Fuel system 5% of all complaints
8 Vehicle speed control 3% 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: 77 complaints (45% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Structure: 30 complaints (17% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electrical system: 22 complaints (13% of all).
Engine and cooling: 19 complaints (11% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Exterior lighting: 16 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.

2.3 L · petrol · 4 cyl
3.1 L · petrol · 6 cyl
3.4 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 1 complaints
automatic, 3-speed
automatic, 4-speed
manual, 5-speed

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 172 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

rust, corrosion31 · 18%
brake failure13 · 8%
smoke, burning smell, fire11 · 6%
steering or power steering problems11 · 6%
overheating, coolant loss7 · 4%
headlights and tail lights5 · 3%
warning lights, check engine5 · 3%
stalls while driving3 · 2%
fuel system, fuel smell2 · 1%
knocking, grinding or other noise2 · 1%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Service brakes	77	2
Structure	30	3
Electrical system	22	0
Engine and cooling	19	2
Exterior lighting	16	0
Steering	13	1
Fuel system	8	0
Vehicle speed control	5	3
Suspension	4	0
Visibility	4	0
Seats	3	1
Wheels	3	0
Powertrain	2	0
Seat belts	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.

Driver swerved to avoid a deer, vehicle started swaying. Driver lost control of vehicle, vehicle rolled a few times. The washer of a rusty k frame bolt was missing. Vehicle was totaled. Ts
Structure · crash · 2002-12-27 · NHTSA complaint #10001539
Steering wheel locked up while driving 40-50 mph. This caused vehicle to rollover, resulting in minor injuries.
Steering · crash · 2002-01-07 · NHTSA complaint #8001616
Rear cradle bolts have rotted out due to salt corrosion, causing loss of steering and brake control. Same defect as 97v058000, but state of minnesota is not included in the recall. Approximately 675,000 vehicles are affected.
Engine and cooling · crash · 2000-02-10 · NHTSA complaint #856667
While leaving the driveway the vehicle accelerated suddenly and would not stop when the abs brakes were applied.please describe.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 1996-07-12 · NHTSA complaint #986803
Tl* the contact owns a 1977 (na) pontiac grand prix equipped with sigma regent tires, size 235/75r/15 (na). While driving approximately 75 mph, the front driver side tire experienced tread separation and caused damage to the driver side of the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure.
Tires · 2015-06-15 · NHTSA complaint #10725227
Donut spare tire rim failed after driving through a 1/2-inch deep pot hole within 10 feet of where I had a flat with the full size tire. Rim was bent beyond repair. If I would have had the spare tire on the highway I would have damaged car.
Wheels · 2008-08-25 · NHTSA complaint #10239594
During a routine maintenance check, the repair shop stated that the engine cradle brackett corroded. There is a recall for the structure (nhtsa campaign #00v189000) however; the manufacturer stated that the vin was not included. The current and failure mileages were 168,000.
Structure · 2007-08-07 · NHTSA complaint #10198781
The contact stated that the vehicle fails to start unless the steering wheel is turned in a certain position. She also stated that the brake lights will not work unless the headlights are activated. As a result, fuses have blown and the vehicle occasionally overheats.
Electrical system · 2007-06-06 · NHTSA complaint #10192527

When owners complained

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

199542
199620
199711
199818
199921
200017
200112
200213
20034
20043
20052
20062
20073
20081
20101
20151
20161

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 2,337 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 6% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Grand Prix has 187 complaints (29 years in the data). This year has 172, about 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 1991 Pontiac Grand Prix?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, structure, electrical system. Total complaints: 172. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rust, corrosion (18%), brake failure (8%), smoke, burning smell, fire (6%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1991 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 1991 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 1991 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.