1999 Pontiac Grand Prix: common problems

Owners of the 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix filed 412 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and steering. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 412
involving a crash: 13

What fails most often

1 Engine and cooling 37% of all complaints
2 Steering 14% of all complaints
3 Engine 12% of all complaints
4 Electrical system 11% of all complaints
5 Visibility 8% of all complaints
6 Powertrain 6% of all complaints
7 Fuel system 5% of all complaints
8 Service brakes 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.

Engine and cooling: 152 complaints (37% of all).
Steering: 58 complaints (14% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine: 50 complaints (12% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electrical system: 47 complaints (11% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Visibility: 31 complaints (8% of all).

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
3.8 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 1 complaints
3.8 L · petrol · turbo · 6 cylnamed in 1 complaints
automatic, 4-speed

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 412 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

smoke, burning smell, fire128 · 31%
windows, sunroof31 · 8%
steering or power steering problems27 · 7%
stalls while driving24 · 6%
warning lights, check engine18 · 4%
overheating, coolant loss15 · 4%
A/C or heater11 · 3%
knocking, grinding or other noise11 · 3%
headlights and tail lights10 · 2%
rust, corrosion10 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Engine and cooling	152	0
Steering	58	2
Engine	50	1
Electrical system	47	1
Visibility	31	0
Powertrain	24	1
Fuel system	19	1
Service brakes	18	1
Air bags	14	8
Equipment	13	0
Suspension	10	0
Wheels	10	0
Exterior lighting	8	0
Vehicle speed control	8	2

What owners report

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

While driving 35 mph, the vehicle caught fire. The contact lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a pole. The contact was able to extinguish the fire. Neither a fire nor a police report were filed. There were no injuries. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence and later repaired.
Engine · crash · 2016-09-12 · NHTSA complaint #10905797
While driving vehicle suddenly accelerated on its own, resulting in a rear end collision.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2004-06-14 · NHTSA complaint #10076175
My car has been in 2 accidents where the air bags did not deploy. I hit a man from behind in the first one, and did over $5,000.00 worth of damage to my car, and no air bag.
Air bags · crash · 2003-08-05 · NHTSA complaint #10030865
Today, 7/13/03 I hit another vehicle while pulling into a car wash when I lost left turn power steering and could not avoid his car. I was turning off of a busy street and was almost rear ended as well. I am very angry, as this is the 5th time I was almost killed in my 1999 grand prix.
Steering · crash · 2003-07-13 · NHTSA complaint #10025994
While driving approx 55-60mph vehicle collided with an embankment wall and flew in the air. Upon impact,driver's air bag did not deploy. Consumer was badly injured.
Air bags · crash · 2002-08-15 · NHTSA complaint #8016473
I wore my seat belt but have injuries to my left side. My air bag never deployed. My speed was 35 mph.
Air bags · crash · 2001-05-25 · NHTSA complaint #745741
Sudden acceleration after making a left turn, caused vehicle to lose control, and vehicle hit a guardrail. Dealer/manufacturer notified. Feel free to provide any further details on this matter.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2001-05-14 · NHTSA complaint #888160
After the vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic and parked, it caught fire. The contact noticed black smoke under the hood and an abnormal fuel odor inside the vehicle. The mechanic was able to extinguish the fire. There were no injuries. The fire department was not notified and there was no fire report filed.
Engine · 2019-04-29 · NHTSA complaint #11204317

When owners complained

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

199914
200034
200121
200232
200368
200442
200514
200614
200725
200832
200919
201014
20118
20126
20135
201410
201517
201628
20173
20182
20192
20211
20221

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 944 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 3% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Grand Prix has 187 complaints (29 years in the data). This year has 412, above average.

What to check before buying

Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, steering, engine. Total complaints: 412. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (31%), windows, sunroof (8%), steering or power steering problems (7%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1999 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 1999 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 1999 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.