2005 Pontiac Grand Prix: common problems

Owners of the 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix filed 148 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 148
involving a crash: 11

What fails most often

1 Electrical system 30% of all complaints
2 Powertrain 27% of all complaints
3 Steering 16% of all complaints
4 Service brakes 11% of all complaints
5 Engine 9% of all complaints
6 Air bags 7% of all complaints
7 Engine and cooling 4% of all complaints
8 Structure 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.

Electrical system: 45 complaints (30% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Powertrain: 40 complaints (27% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Steering: 24 complaints (16% of all).
Service brakes: 16 complaints (11% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine: 14 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.

3.8 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 1 complaints
3.8 L · petrol · turbo · 6 cylnamed in 1 complaints
5.3 L · petrol · 8 cyl
automatic, 4-speed

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 148 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

stalls while driving13 · 9%
steering or power steering problems13 · 9%
jerking, harsh shifts11 · 7%
knocking, grinding or other noise11 · 7%
transmission slipping11 · 7%
warning lights, check engine10 · 7%
loss of power / limp mode7 · 5%
airbags did not deploy6 · 4%
won't start6 · 4%
smoke, burning smell, fire6 · 4%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Electrical system	45	2
Powertrain	40	2
Steering	24	0
Service brakes	16	4
Engine	14	1
Air bags	10	6
Engine and cooling	6	0
Structure	6	1
Electronic stability control	5	0
Tires	5	0
Vehicle speed control	5	0
Visibility	5	0
Exterior lighting	3	1
Fuel system	3	0

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 65 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The driver was unable to get the vehicle under control and the vehicle crashed into a ditch. The air bags failed to deploy. There was no police report filed and no injuries. The vehicle was towed to the contact's home. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer.
Electrical system · crash · 2016-04-04 · NHTSA complaint #10853266
The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The contact sustained bruising to the chest area which required medical attention. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was involved in two crashes with the same failure.
Electrical system · crash · 2014-10-09 · NHTSA complaint #10643718
While merging onto an exit ramp, the brakes failed and caused the vehicle to hydroplane, spin around, and crash into a pole. A police report was filed and no injuries were reported. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 179,000.
Service brakes · crash · 2014-09-18 · NHTSA complaint #10637253
Upon impact, the airbags did not deploy even though it was a high energy impact. The vehicle damage caused the vehicle to be scrapped and not fixed. Based on the vehicle speed and rate of deceleration, I would expect that the abs system would have been engaged and the airbags should have deployed.
Service brakes · crash · 2014-07-24 · NHTSA complaint #10615923
I was going between 35-45 mph and my air bags did not deploy ever though it was a head on collision. The car needs the whole front half replaced. The bumper cover, actual bumper, bumper absorber, bumper support, headlights, headlight bracket, fog lights, hood, and both fenders.
Air bags · crash · 2013-10-30 · NHTSA complaint #10550263
2005 pontiac grand prix gxp transmission failed on the freeway and this is the third time the transmission has been replaced there is obviously something defective on the car for this to happen.
Powertrain · crash · 2012-06-17 · NHTSA complaint #10461980
When the consumer exited the vehicle, it rolled backwards and crashed into another vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing but the technicians were unable to diagnose the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 5,000. Updated 02/14/12
Powertrain · crash · 2011-11-22 · NHTSA complaint #10436776
Thank you for your time and attention to this matter component: vehicle speed control 10051575 details: dt: the consumer experienced sudden acceleration. As a result, she crashed into her apartment. The gas meters were destroyed and electrical wires were cut. The speed was no more than 5-10 mph.
Service brakes · crash · 2006-03-12 · NHTSA complaint #10152537

When owners complained

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

20041
20056
20066
200710
20089
200914
20104
201114
20128
20139
201435
201513
20168
20172
20181
20192
20212
20223
20251

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 2,662 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 7% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Grand Prix has 187 complaints (29 years in the data). This year has 148, below average.

What to check before buying

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.
Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, powertrain, steering. Total complaints: 148. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (9%), steering or power steering problems (9%), jerking, harsh shifts (7%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2005 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 2005 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 2005 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.