2005 Pontiac Grand Prix Problems, Recalls & Reliability
209 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 18/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 91,500 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2005 sits among all Grand Prix years
What owners report
“The car will not always start. Have to turn the key many times and then it finally starts. Sometimes it starts right up and then sometimes i have to turn the key many times to start.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Grand Prix
“I was driving down the road and all of a sudden my car lost power and said "reduced engine power" i was pressing the gas going 55 mph and it suddenly lost all rpms and speed dropped. I was almost rear ended by another vehicle traveling behind me. I was very upset on the side of the road with my…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Grand Prix
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 163 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 74,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 34,046 and 113,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (2)
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring.…
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 9, 2014.…
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…
Federal defect investigations
Technical service bulletins
578 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2005 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 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix reliable?
The 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix drew 209 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 18/100, scored against the model's worst year (1997).
What are the most common 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix problems?
The top reported problems for the 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix are electrical (48 complaints), transmission & drivetrain (41), and steering (26).
At what mileage do 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix problems show up?
Owners most often report 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix problems around 74,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 34,046 and 113,000 miles.
Does the 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 2005 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.