1992 Pontiac Grand Prix: common problems

Owners of the 1992 Pontiac Grand Prix filed 114 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 114
involving a crash: 8

What fails most often

1 Service brakes 35% of all complaints
2 Electrical system 26% of all complaints
3 Engine and cooling 12% of all complaints
4 Exterior lighting 9% of all complaints
5 Powertrain 8% of all complaints
6 Steering 5% of all complaints
7 Structure 5% of all complaints
8 Vehicle speed control 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: 40 complaints (35% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electrical system: 30 complaints (26% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine and cooling: 14 complaints (12% of all).
Exterior lighting: 10 complaints (9% of all).
Powertrain: 9 complaints (8% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.

Engines and transmissions

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

3.1 L · petrol · 6 cyl
3.4 L · petrol · 6 cyl
automatic, 3-speed
automatic, 4-speed
manual, 5-speed

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 114 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

smoke, burning smell, fire26 · 23%
brake failure7 · 6%
rust, corrosion6 · 5%
transmission slipping5 · 4%
stalls while driving4 · 4%
warning lights, check engine4 · 4%
seat belts3 · 3%
windows, sunroof3 · 3%
won't start2 · 2%
loss of power / limp mode2 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Service brakes	40	2
Electrical system	30	2
Engine and cooling	14	0
Exterior lighting	10	0
Powertrain	9	1
Steering	6	1
Structure	6	1
Vehicle speed control	5	2
Visibility	4	0
Seat belts	3	0
Suspension	3	1
Wheels	3	0
Equipment	2	0
Parking brake	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.

I was lucky and didn't cross the center line or involve any cars but did end up in the ditch with damage to my car due to loss of steering secondary to engine cradle body bushings giving away. This exact part was recalled on similar vehicals up to 1990 models.
Steering · crash · 2003-09-09 · NHTSA complaint #10037501
The front struts that held by four rivets broke off, causing an accident. Cause unknown. Please provide details.
Suspension · crash · 1999-02-17 · NHTSA complaint #827455
While driving a vehicle turned in front of the vehicle, brakes hard, could not stop while traveling 40mph, result in hitting the other car and seat belts did not catch and steering wheel broked after pushing on it.
Service brakes · crash · 1998-03-23 · NHTSA complaint #512005
The car keeps accelerating and has been in three accidents because of this last one totaled the car. Please describe. Tt
Vehicle speed control · crash · 1995-06-21 · NHTSA complaint #967375
The contact stated that the transmission failed ,and the vehicle will not go in reverse, the failure began in early november. The contact stated that neither weather nor speed were contributing factors.
Powertrain · 2007-01-02 · NHTSA complaint #10177594
The steering column on my 92 pontiac had started to smoke three times since I've owned it. The first time was in 1994. The second was around 1996. The last time was last month. The last time was the worst. Each time I shut off the key and it would stop smoking.
Electrical system · 2006-07-17 · NHTSA complaint #10162609
Dt: the contact owns a 1992 pontiac grand prix. While driving passenger side front wheel cracked all the way around the lugs: nuts causing the wheel to fall off. Vehicle is still in the repair shop. This did not cause a crash, but had the vehicle towed.
Wheels · 2005-06-22 · NHTSA complaint #10126247
Vehicles runs rough and hesitates due to an ignition module failure. Consumer has replaced the ignition module once before, and a couple of months later problem recurred.
Electrical system · 2004-04-22 · NHTSA complaint #10070720

When owners complained

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

199518
199621
199717
19988
199912
20009
200112
20024
20036
20043
20051
20062
20071

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 3,263 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 9% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Grand Prix has 187 complaints (29 years in the data). This year has 114, below average.

What to check before buying

Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
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.
Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1992 Pontiac Grand Prix?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, electrical system, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 114. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (23%), brake failure (6%), rust, corrosion (5%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1992 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 1992 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 1992 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 2026-11-06.