2007 Pontiac Grand Prix: common problems

Owners of the 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix filed 220 complaints with NHTSA, most often about exterior lighting and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 220
involving a crash: 15

What fails most often

1 Exterior lighting 42% of all complaints
2 Electrical system 31% of all complaints
3 Powertrain 13% of all complaints
4 Engine 13% of all complaints
5 Steering 10% of all complaints
6 Air bags 7% of all complaints
7 Service brakes 5% of all complaints
8 Tires 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.

Exterior lighting: 92 complaints (42% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electrical system: 68 complaints (31% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Powertrain: 29 complaints (13% of all).
Engine: 28 complaints (13% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Steering: 22 complaints (10% of all), 3 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 cyl
3.8 L · petrol · turbo · 6 cyl
5.3 L · petrol · 8 cylnamed in 1 complaints
automatic, 4-speed

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 220 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

headlights and tail lights66 · 30%
smoke, burning smell, fire18 · 8%
stalls while driving18 · 8%
warning lights, check engine18 · 8%
jerking, harsh shifts14 · 6%
steering or power steering problems12 · 5%
knocking, grinding or other noise11 · 5%
transmission slipping11 · 5%
won't start8 · 4%
airbag warning light6 · 3%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Exterior lighting	92	3
Electrical system	68	1
Powertrain	29	0
Engine	28	1
Steering	22	3
Air bags	16	6
Service brakes	10	2
Tires	8	1
Vehicle speed control	7	1
Visibility	6	0
Electronic stability control	4	0
Engine and cooling	4	1
Seat belts	4	2
Structure	4	1

What owners report

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

The air bags did not deploy and the seat belt snapped as the vehicle flipped. The contact and other driver were both evaluated at the scene. The contact later sought medical attention for a broken arm. A police report was filed. The vehicle was initially towed to a tow yard and then to the contact's home.
Air bags · crash · 2019-10-28 · NHTSA complaint #11271562
The air bags did not deploy and I was bale to start the car and drive off the highway. Surprisingly I had the ignition switch recall for my keys mailed to me in august of 2015 and had the cadillac dealer in reno nv modify my key and key ring on 10/31/2015.
Electrical system · crash · 2016-01-18 · NHTSA complaint #10820812
He hit head and was knocked out, chest pain and back and shoulder pain from this. Car is a complete loss to us.
Steering · crash · 2015-04-12 · NHTSA complaint #10705211
The front driver's side of the vehicle was impacted and the front end caught on fire. The fire department was called and was able to extinguish the fire. The driver of the vehicle sustained a concussion and a back injury. A police report was filed of the incident.
Engine · crash · 2014-03-18 · NHTSA complaint #10573141
The air bags failed to deploy and the front passenger was killed. The contact and a rear passenger sustained fractured ribs and bruising. The vehicle was destroyed. A police report was filed of the incident. The manufacturer was not notified of the air bag deployment failure. The vin was not available.
Air bags · crash · 2013-07-18 · NHTSA complaint #10525667
While driving 30 mph, the vehicle stalled and the brakes failed. The contact drove over a curb. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer and they replaced the pcm, fuse block, and the ignition switch. The vehicle was retrieved from the dealer on july 11, 2008 and then returned to them on july 15, 2008.
Service brakes · crash · 2008-07-22 · NHTSA complaint #10235296
The driver side air bag deployed; however, the passenger side air bag failed to deploy until 15 minutes after the crash occurred. There was no passenger in the seat and the air bag indicator was not illuminated. The vehicle sustained front end damage and was towed. A police report was filed.
Air bags · crash · 2007-11-09 · NHTSA complaint #10208486
2007 pontiac grand prix rear driver side tire blew out. As a result of the tire blowout, the consumer struck the guardrail. *ohio traffic crash report).
Tires · crash · 2007-06-29 · NHTSA complaint #10194658

When owners complained

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

20079
20086
20099
20106
201122
201224
201310
201446
201531
201629
20176
20184
20199
20202
20213
20221
20232
20241

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 1,832 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 220, above average.

What to check before buying

Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
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.
Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: exterior lighting, electrical system, powertrain. Total complaints: 220. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: headlights and tail lights (30%), smoke, burning smell, fire (8%), stalls while driving (8%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2007 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 2007 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 2007 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.