2006 Pontiac Grand Prix: common problems

Owners of the 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix filed 239 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 239
involving a crash: 17

What fails most often

1 Electrical system 27% of all complaints
2 Powertrain 26% of all complaints
3 Exterior lighting 20% of all complaints
4 Steering 18% of all complaints
5 Engine 13% of all complaints
6 Service brakes 10% of all complaints
7 Air bags 8% of all complaints
8 Suspension 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: 65 complaints (27% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Powertrain: 61 complaints (26% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Exterior lighting: 48 complaints (20% of all).
Steering: 42 complaints (18% of all), 7 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine: 32 complaints (13% 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 cylnamed in 3 complaints
automatic, 4-speed

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 239 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

headlights and tail lights34 · 14%
transmission slipping29 · 12%
steering or power steering problems20 · 8%
smoke, burning smell, fire18 · 8%
stalls while driving16 · 7%
knocking, grinding or other noise13 · 5%
warning lights, check engine13 · 5%
jerking, harsh shifts12 · 5%
airbags did not deploy11 · 5%
A/C or heater9 · 4%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Electrical system	65	3
Powertrain	61	1
Exterior lighting	48	0
Steering	42	7
Engine	32	1
Service brakes	23	4
Air bags	19	13
Suspension	10	1
Visibility	10	0
Vehicle speed control	9	0
Tires	7	0
Engine and cooling	6	0
Structure	4	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.

The steering locked up, the abs did NOT kick in and the airbags did NOT deploy. we hit a median at 70mph and no airbags?! I was point of impact. It hit the front drivers side, destroying the light and entire front. the car spun around and it hit again but this time it was the back passenger side/light.
Steering · crash · 2021-07-12 · NHTSA complaint #11424356
My airbag did not deploy and my vehicle was totalled. I sustained body injuries such as back and neck and financial hardship. I have never recovered from these injuries.
Powertrain · crash · 2017-11-29 · NHTSA complaint #11051221
During the incident the air bags did not deploy and the driver sustained injuries to both shoulders. The vehicle was destroyed and a police report was taken at the scene. The cause of the failure was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 90,000.
Air bags · crash · 2016-10-07 · NHTSA complaint #10914409
While driving 50 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed, but failed to engage. As a result, the contact's vehicle crashed into the rear of another vehicle, which then crashed into another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy.
Electrical system · crash · 2016-03-25 · NHTSA complaint #10851568
The air bags failed to deploy and the seat belt failed to secure the contact in place. A police report was filed. The contact was knocked unconscious and sustained injuries that required medical attention. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vin was invalid.
Air bags · crash · 2015-11-20 · NHTSA complaint #10795174
While traveling less than 15 mph to enter a drive thru, the steering wheel locked to the right and the vehicle crashed into a wall. The contact had extreme difficulty unlocking the steering wheel and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was unable to be driven.
Electrical system · crash · 2015-07-16 · NHTSA complaint #10734464
The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 mph, the vehicle veered to the right and the power steering failed and caused the vehicle to crash into a store. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The contact did not sustain any injuries. The vehicle was destroyed.
Steering · crash · 2014-11-06 · NHTSA complaint #10653087
The pickup truck cut me off and moved into my lane without checking his blind spot. I quickly swerved to the right into the lane for the upcoming exit to avoid being hit, and when I tried to correct to left in order to not hit exit sign the brakes felt as if they did not work right and I couldn't get control of the…
Steering · crash · 2014-10-08 · NHTSA complaint #10643432

When owners complained

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

20051
200711
200818
20099
201010
201118
201217
201316
201450
201531
201615
201713
20188
20198
20206
20215
20222
20231

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 1,699 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 5% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Grand Prix has 187 complaints (29 years in the data). This year has 239, above 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.
Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, powertrain, exterior lighting. Total complaints: 239. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: headlights and tail lights (14%), transmission slipping (12%), steering or power steering problems (8%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2006 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 2006 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 2006 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.