1995 Pontiac Grand Prix: common problems

Owners of the 1995 Pontiac Grand Prix filed 169 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 169
involving a crash: 22

What fails most often

1 Service brakes 25% of all complaints
2 Powertrain 18% of all complaints
3 Air bags 11% of all complaints
4 Exterior lighting 11% of all complaints
5 Electrical system 9% of all complaints
6 Visibility 8% of all complaints
7 Vehicle speed control 8% of all complaints
8 Engine and cooling 7% 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: 42 complaints (25% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Powertrain: 31 complaints (18% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Air bags: 18 complaints (11% of all), 11 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Exterior lighting: 18 complaints (11% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electrical system: 15 complaints (9% 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 cylnamed in 1 complaints
3.4 L · petrol · 6 cyl
automatic, 4-speed

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 169 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

brake failure10 · 6%
seat belts10 · 6%
smoke, burning smell, fire10 · 6%
transmission slipping8 · 5%
headlights and tail lights6 · 4%
airbags did not deploy5 · 3%
knocking, grinding or other noise4 · 2%
vibration4 · 2%
rust, corrosion3 · 2%
A/C or heater2 · 1%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Service brakes	42	4
Powertrain	31	3
Air bags	18	11
Exterior lighting	18	1
Electrical system	15	1
Visibility	14	0
Vehicle speed control	13	1
Engine and cooling	11	0
Seat belts	11	2
Structure	8	0
Equipment	7	1
Seats	5	1
Steering	5	0
Latches, locks, linkages	4	0

What owners report

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

Consumer was involved in a collision, whereby consumer's vehicle was struck at 45 mph, and the air bags did not deploy.
Air bags · crash · 2005-01-11 · NHTSA complaint #10107221
Exterior lighting/tail lights - there is moisture build-up and heavy condensation in both tail lights, again . I've already had the tail light assembly replaced twice on both sides, and have to pay for it again. The cost for just one (1) tail light assembly is in excess of $250.00.
Exterior lighting · crash · 2003-10-14 · NHTSA complaint #10041809
While at a stop vehicle proceeded forward, another vehicle coming at 30mph hit consumer's vehicle head on, and airbags did not deploy, which did not protect the occupants in this crash. Also, the abs light came on. Please provide further information.
Service brakes · crash · 2000-05-08 · NHTSA complaint #861550
I was wearing my seatbelt but unfortunately it did not work & I hit the windshield. My airbag did deploy but I'm not sure if it even deployed properly. If one of them would of worked correctly I figure I would of not hit the windshield.
Seat belts · crash · 1999-12-14 · NHTSA complaint #716054
The air bag did deploy but my seatbelt failed causing me to hit the windshield. I sustained numerouse injuries. I currently have tmj, cervical radiculopathy, lost a tooth, headaches, etc etc. I feel the seatbelt & the air bag should of held me back. If they would of worked I would of not hit the windshield.
Seat belts · crash · 1999-12-05 · NHTSA complaint #715653
Vehicle was involved in a frontal collision at 25 mph, and airbags did not deploy. The driver sustained minor injuries. Manufacturer has been notified.
Air bags · crash · 1999-05-19 · NHTSA complaint #838155
While driving about 30-35 mph, no inclement weather, good road conditions, consumer experienced total brake failure while going downhill. Consumer lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a drainage ditch. Please describe details.
Service brakes · crash · 1999-02-17 · NHTSA complaint #827278
Due to location of the air bag it takes significant effort to activate the horn. Two accidents have occurred while vehicle was not in motion.
Electrical system · crash · 1997-06-16 · NHTSA complaint #813140

When owners complained

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

19959
199624
199718
199825
199927
200026
200117
20027
20032
20048
20054
20061
20082

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 2,374 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 169, about average.

What to check before buying

Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1995 Pontiac Grand Prix?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, powertrain, air bags. Total complaints: 169. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: brake failure (6%), seat belts (6%), smoke, burning smell, fire (6%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1995 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 1995 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 1995 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.