2000 Pontiac Grand Prix: common problems

Owners of the 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix filed 461 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and engine. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 461
involving a crash: 10

What fails most often

1 Engine and cooling 33% of all complaints
2 Engine 16% of all complaints
3 Electrical system 14% of all complaints
4 Powertrain 9% of all complaints
5 Steering 8% of all complaints
6 Service brakes 6% of all complaints
7 Fuel system 5% of all complaints
8 Visibility 5% 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: 151 complaints (33% of all).
Engine: 73 complaints (16% of all).
Electrical system: 63 complaints (14% of all).
Powertrain: 43 complaints (9% of all).
Steering: 35 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 cylnamed in 3 complaints
3.8 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 3 complaints
3.8 L · petrol · turbo · 6 cylnamed in 3 complaints
automatic, 4-speed

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 461 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

smoke, burning smell, fire175 · 38%
stalls while driving24 · 5%
steering or power steering problems21 · 5%
warning lights, check engine21 · 5%
knocking, grinding or other noise19 · 4%
oil leak or consumption19 · 4%
A/C or heater16 · 3%
windows, sunroof15 · 3%
headlights and tail lights10 · 2%
fuel system, fuel smell9 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Engine and cooling	151	0
Engine	73	0
Electrical system	63	0
Powertrain	43	0
Steering	35	1
Service brakes	28	0
Fuel system	25	0
Visibility	23	0
Exterior lighting	22	0
Suspension	16	0
Structure	13	1
Air bags	11	9
Equipment	11	0
Vehicle speed control	8	0

What owners report

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

My car was not damage that bad but my car caught on fire later that day and totally burned. A total lost. Once I received the recall notice I realized that is why my car possibly caught on fire due to hard braking. I was approaching an stop light and a large box truck was moving in reverse quickly.
Structure · crash · 2016-07-13 · NHTSA complaint #10884587
The air bag failed to deploy. The contact sustained bruises on the head which required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or independent mechanic for a diagnosis. The manufacture was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 108,000.
Air bags · crash · 2015-01-26 · NHTSA complaint #10679026
The contact stated that while driving 55 mph, the power steering seized and caused the steering wheel to lock. As a result, the contact lost control of the vehicle and crashed. The contact sustained injuries to the spine and pelvis, which required medical attention. A police report was filed.
Steering · crash · 2014-12-16 · NHTSA complaint #10664631
The driver frontal air bag did not deploy and the seat belt failed to restrain him. He hit his head on the dash board and was unconscious for a few minutes. The insurance company confirmed that the vehicle was destroyed. The new holland police department case 852 was filed.
Air bags · crash · 2010-02-25 · NHTSA complaint #10314076
Upon impact, the air bags did not deploy. The contact sustained facial injuries, including the loss of 13 teeth and shoulder damage. The vehicle sustained major damage. A complaint has been filed with gmc with no satisfaction.
Air bags · crash · 2007-04-12 · NHTSA complaint #10187697
The contact stated that after driving and parking the vehicle, flames were present coming from under the vehicle. The flames were extinguished by the owner. No injuries were reported. No fire report was taken regarding the incident. The cause of the failure was not determined.
Engine · 2020-11-05 · NHTSA complaint #11373126
Transmission failure at 180k miles. Car will not shift on it own I have to force car into gear by speeding up hearing transmission whine and then letting off the gas pedal so transmission shifts gears. This is on all road conditions. So many complaints have been made why has gm not issued a recall on this matter.
Powertrain · 2020-07-20 · NHTSA complaint #11340504
I took my pontiac gtp to burlingame putnam in ca because I checked on here nhtsa if I had a recall and I did which was fire wall compartment recall so when I went to the dealer and had my car serviced I picked it up and once I got home I noticed one valve cover was replaced which was only one valve cover facing the…
Engine · 2020-01-04 · NHTSA complaint #11297091

When owners complained

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

19992
200012
200136
200219
200347
200440
200525
200624
200740
200844
200925
201015
201114
201214
201310
201414
201523
201647
20172
20183
20191
20203
20241

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 828 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 2% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Grand Prix has 187 complaints (29 years in the data). This year has 461, above average.

What to check before buying

Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
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.
Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, engine, electrical system. Total complaints: 461. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (38%), stalls while driving (5%), steering or power steering problems (5%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2000 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 2000 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 2000 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.