2006 Pontiac Grand Prix Problems, Recalls & Reliability
365 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 2 defect investigations. It scores 39/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 120,000 miles.
Below average
Where 2006 sits among all Grand Prix years
What owners report
“My low beams will go out without any warning, not consistent. This happens on highway or city. They will come back after a few minutes, or sometimes days. I still have high beams”— owner report to NHTSA, 2006 Grand Prix
“Steering: clicking noise when turning transmission has a light slip into 1st and sometimes hard shift into 2nd had this looked at in 2013 while it was still under warranty and the dealer didn't want to acknowledge there was a problem. This should be under recall since more people have this same…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2006 Grand Prix
“Went to the local convenience store to get some items, on the way back home the steering got very hard to turn. My brother investigated and found the power steering reseavore empty of fluid. He refilled it and looked under the car and found it leaking, (stream of fluid).”— owner report to NHTSA, 2006 Grand Prix
“About 5 minutes after the car was parked, the engine caught on fire. It was a total loss. There was a fire report made. The car had approximately 180,000 miles and was well maintained.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2006 Grand Prix
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 279 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 98,800 miles. Half of those reports fall between 58,110 and 137,000 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
703 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2006 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 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix reliable?
The 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix drew 365 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 39/100, scored against the model's worst year (1997).
What are the most common 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix problems?
The top reported problems for the 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix are electrical (114 complaints), transmission & drivetrain (61), and steering (44).
At what mileage do 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix problems show up?
Owners most often report 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix problems around 98,800 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 58,110 and 137,000 miles.
Does the 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 2006 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.