AI Damage1991 Pontiac Lemans: common problems
Owners of the 1991 Pontiac Lemans filed 24 complaints with NHTSA, most often about seat belts and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 24
- involving a crash
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Seat belts 50% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 17% of all complaints
- 3 Service brakes 17% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 8% of all complaints
- 5 Engine and cooling 8% of all complaints
- 6 Suspension 8% of all complaints
- 7 Vehicle speed control 8% of all complaints
- 8 Latches, locks, linkages 4% of all complaints
- Seat belts: 12 complaints (50% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 4 complaints (17% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 4 complaints (17% of all).
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (8% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 2 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.
- 1.6 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 2 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 3-speed
- manual, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 24 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seat belts | 12 | 2 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Right rear axle broke, causing loss of control/accident.
Drivers seatbelt did not restrain in an accident. Please explain. Tt
Door on driver's side did not stay closed because the latching mechanism broke. A rope had to be tied around the door to keep it from opening. Gmc was notified about the problem. Owner was told that part was no longer made, and to try a junk yard. Please provide any further information.
Motorized seat belt sticks on track at temperatures of 30 degrees or less, releases once temp warms up and vehicle is turn on/off.
Vehicle experienced unwanted acceleration when releasing accelerator pedal and braking, vehicle would not slow down.
Right after turning off the igntion vehicle caught on fire in the dash area. Owner was able to put out the fire. The problem was reported to the dealership. Vehicle is being repaired. Also, windshield wiper motor/transmission and wires are being replaced.
Experineced brake failure a number of times. While driving approximately 40-50mph consumer applies brakes and vehicle did not stop. Consumer turned the ignition switch off, and let vehicle drift to side of road. Vehicle had to be towed. Please add vin#.
Front exterior door locks, driver and passenger side will not operate normally.also, motorized driver's side shoulder belt operates erratically sometimes will not function at all.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 7,585 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 21% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Lemans has 17 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 24, above average.
What to check before buying
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1991 Pontiac Lemans?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: seat belts, powertrain, service brakes. Total complaints: 24. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (21%), brake failure (8%), smoke, burning smell, fire (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1991 Pontiac Lemans?
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 1991 Pontiac Lemans 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 1991 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.