1997 Pontiac Grand Prix Problems, Recalls & Reliability
1,064 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix, alongside 9 recall campaigns and 7 defect investigations. It scores 100/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 95,000 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 1990–1993, 1996, 2003, 2005, 2008.
Avoid
Where 1997 sits among all Grand Prix years
What owners report
“Consumer states while driving the head light cover fell off, which result in the bulb blowing, from the exposure.dealer contacted. Nlm”— owner report to NHTSA, 1997 Grand Prix
“While driving about 5 mph lost all power, steering rack and pinion needs to be replaced”— owner report to NHTSA, 1997 Grand Prix
“Engine replaced approx 12000 miles, now on 3rd alternator, 4th battery. Gas gauge replaced, wipers replaced 3 times before recall.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1997 Grand Prix
“It was raining when the right windshield wiper quite working and was very hard to see out at the time”— owner report to NHTSA, 1997 Grand Prix
“Driver pressed the brakes nad nothing happened, the vehicle di not slow at all causing a rear end collision.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1997 Grand Prix
“Worn out harness on the passenger side air bag caused the srs air bag light to illuminate. Nlm”— owner report to NHTSA, 1997 Grand Prix
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 256 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 101,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 71,950 and 160,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (9)
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 1998-1999 Chevrolet Lumina and Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1997-2004 Buick Regal and Pontiac Grand Prix, 2000-2004 Chevrolet Impala, and 1998-2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. The affected vehicles were…
Fix: The remedy applied under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 did not adequately remove the safety risk. Under the improved remedy, dealers will replace the engine’s front valve cover and gasket.…
DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY…
Fix: DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.
GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING 1,497,516 MY 1997-2003 BUICK REGAL, MY 1998-2003 CHEVROLET LUMINA, MONTE CARLO AND IMPALA, MY 1998-1999 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE, MY 1997-2003 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 3.8L V6 NATURALLY ASPIRATED ENGINE. SOME OF…
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ENGINE’S FRONT VALVE COVER AND FRONT-VALVE-COVER GASKET WITH NEW PARTS OF AN IMPROVED DESIGN AND REMOVE THE ENGINE’S PLASTIC COVER AND PLASTIC OIL-FILL-TUBE EXTENSION, FREE…
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY…
Fix: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
DORMAN IS RECALLING 979 STEERING KNUCKLES, DORMAN P/NOS. 697-902 AND 697-903, SOLD UNDER DORMAN'S "OE SOLUTIONS<SUP>TM</SUP>" BRAND NAME, AND NAPA P/NOS. 7-8502 AND 7-8503 WHICH WERE SOLD FOR REPLACEMENT USE ON THE VARIOUS VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. A POTENTIAL…
Fix: DORMAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE STEERING KNUCKLES FREE OF CHARGE AND REIMBURSE THE REPAIR FACILITY OR OWNER FOR LABOR. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 23, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT…
GM IS RECALLING 207,542 MY 1997-2003 BUICK REGAL AND PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 3.8L SUPERCHARGED V-6 ENGINE. THESE VEHICLES HAVE HIGHER FRONT ROCKER COVER GASKET TEMPERATURES, CREATING THE POTENTIAL FOR EARLIER DEGRADATION OF THE FRONT…
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ENGINE’S FRONT VALVE COVER AND FRONT-VALVE-COVER GASKET WITH NEW PARTS OF AN IMPROVED DESIGN AND REMOVE THE ENGINE’S PLASTIC COVER AND PLASTIC OIL-FILL-TUBE EXTENSION, ALONG…
CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, P/NOS. FP10020-11B1, FP10026-11B1, AND FP10027-11B1, SOLD AFTER JANUARY 9, 2007, AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE UNIVERSAL PRESSURE REGULATORS (UPR) WERE PRODUCED WITHOUT AN…
Fix: DELPHI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE UPR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 23, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT DELPHI AT 877-411-8770.
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES AND MINI VANS HAVE LOWER PINION BEARINGS IN THE POWER RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY IN WHICH THE RETAINER TABS WERE NOT CRIMPED PROPERLY. THESE AND SOME OTHER RETAINERS USED IN VEHICLES ASSEMBLED BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31,…
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW LOWER PINION BEARING UNLESS INSPECT OF THE EXISTING BEARING INDICATES THAT REPLACEMENT OF THE GEAR ASSEMBLY IS NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JANUARY 24, 2003.…
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS MAY STOP WORKING DUE TO A SEPARATION BETWEEN THE DRIVE PIN AND CRESCENT IN THE CRANK ARM ASSEMBLY.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THESE VEHICLES FOR THE PRESENCE OF A PLASTIC WATER DEFLECTOR AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE WIPER MOTOR CRANK ARM AND INSTALL A WATER DEFLECTOR. ON VEHICLES RECEIVING A…
Federal defect investigations
Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
Component: AIR BAGS
ON JUNE 26, 1998, GENERAL MOTORS BEGAIN A SAFETY RECALL, 98V-146, TO RECALIBRATE THE AIR BAG SENSING AND DIAGNOSTIC MODULE (SDM) IN THE 1996 AND SOME 1997 J BODY CARS, CAVALIER AND SUNFIRE.DUE TO CERTAIN CALIBRATIONS IN THE AIR BAG SDM, THERE IS AN INCREASED RISK OF INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT…
Model years named: 1997
Led to recall campaign 04V090000.
Led to recall campaign 02V286000.
Technical service bulletins
102 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and transmission & drivetrain — are on file for the 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 1997 Grand Prix TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix reliable?
The 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix drew 1,064 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 100/100, scored against the model's worst year (1997).
What are the most common 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix problems?
The top reported problems for the 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix are electrical (253 complaints), steering (232), and engine (184).
At what mileage do 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix problems show up?
Owners most often report 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix problems around 101,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 71,950 and 160,000 miles.
Does the 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix have recalls?
9 recall campaigns apply to the 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.