U.S. public vehicle records

2008 Pontiac GRAND PRIX problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

142 owner complaints analyzed

1 distinct recall campaigns

81,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2008 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 112 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 40 of 142 complaints (28.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Electrical and battery issues	21	14.8%
Braking behavior	19	13.4%
Engine operation	15	10.6%
Transmission and shifting	14	9.9%
Steering behavior	14	9.9%
Fuel system concerns	2	1.4%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Electrical System

Exterior Lighting

Air Bags

Engine

Power Train

Steering

Vehicle Speed Control

Service Brakes

Electrical System: 40; Exterior Lighting: 27; Air Bags: 20; Engine: 19; Power Train: 14; Steering: 9; Vehicle Speed Control: 9; Service Brakes: 8

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 8; 25,000 to 49,999: 14; 50,000 to 74,999: 19; 75,000 to 99,999: 30; 100,000 to 149,999: 29; 150,000 and above: 12

75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (30). 30 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2024

2025

2026

2008: 3; 2009: 3; 2010: 5; 2011: 10; 2012: 9; 2013: 6; 2014: 48; 2015: 27; 2016: 8; 2017: 9; 2018: 3; 2019: 3; 2020: 3; 2021: 1; 2024: 2; 2025: 1; 2026: 1

Pattern summary

Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 21 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 19 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 15 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10425553 · 2011-09-15 (September 15, 2011)

I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED WITH LOW MILEAGE, AROUND 30,000 MILES IN NOVEMBER 2008. MY HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT WORKING ON DIM. THEY WORK FINE ON BRIGHT. SEEMS LIKE THIS COULD BE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM OR A SHORT, BECAUSE THE DIMS WORK AT TIMES AND THEN WILL GO OFF IF YOU HIT A BUMP. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR. WARRANTY RAN OUT SO I TOOK IT TO AN INDIVIDUAL MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE DIMMER SWITCH. THAT DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OR TWO OF PURCHASING THIS CAR. …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10425553 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10596436 · 2014-06-05 (June 5, 2014)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE REDUCED ENGINE, STABILITY AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT WATER PENETRATED INSIDE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, CAUSING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TO FAIL. THE TECHNICIAN SEALED THE AREA BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WATER DAMAGE CAUSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO FAIL AN…

Owner-reported narrative. 107,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10596436 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10234403 · 2008-07-15 (July 15, 2008)

I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AND MY FOOT SLIPPED OFF BRAKE AND I HIT A CURB. THE AIRBAGS WENT OFF WHICH ALSO SHATTERED THE WINDSHIELD. MY INSURANCE AND BODY SHOP SAID THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH DAMAGE TO THE CAR TO CAUSE THE AIRBAGS TO GO OFF. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 8,597 miles reported. Look up ODI 10234403 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10247614 · 2008-11-03 (November 3, 2008)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THE PAINT BEGAN PEELING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY EXPOSURE TO ACID RAIN AND THEY OFFERED TO RE-PAINT THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO FELT A HARD VIBRATION WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL AND ACCELERATING TO 55-65 MPH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 400 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 800.

Owner-reported narrative. 400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10247614 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10379644 · 2011-01-31 (January 31, 2011)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 2008 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING IN APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE ENGINE RESTARTED AND THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN AT A DIFFERENT TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT DEALER WHERE THE CAMSHAFT SENSOR AND RACK AND PINION WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ONE WEEK AFTER THE REPAIR SO THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. A DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WAS PERFORMED WHICH FAILED TO DETECT A TROUBLE CODE. …

Owner-reported narrative. 63,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10379644 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10499745 · 2013-02-23 (February 23, 2013)

BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE PRE CERTIFIED WITH WARRANTY WITH 22000 MILES. WITHIN 4 MONTHS THE POWER STEERING LINE BREAKS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. BRAKE SENSOR REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY FRONT LEFT TIE ROD REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THESE ARE PROBLEMS THAT OCCURRED WITHIN A 9 MONTH TIMESPAN. DURING THIS TIME YOU COULD PRESS ON THE GAS AND THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE/STALL/SHAKE AND TIMES LUNGE FORWARD AS YOU TRY TO EASE FORWARD. THIS OCCURRED THE ENTIRE TIME I HAD THE VEHICLE AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM WHEN IT WAS UNDER THE WARRANTY.…

Owner-reported narrative. 23,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10499745 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10383418 · 2011-02-20 (February 20, 2011)

AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP THEN ACCELERATING THE TRANSMISSION HAS A 'SHUDDER'. OCCURS A FEW TIMES A MONTH. NOTHING HAD BEEN DONE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. CAR ONLY HAS 36,300 MILES ON IT. ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION FLUID AS WELL. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 36,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10383418 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10389689 · 2011-03-10 (March 10, 2011)

2008 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GXP. SLIPPING TRANSMISSION, STILL UNDER WARRANTY, DEALER SAYS CANNOT REPLICATE ISSUE. CAR VIBRATES HORRIBLY, SLIPS INTO EVERY GEAR. DEALER WILL NOT FIX UNTIL TRANSMISSION STOPS WORKING ALL TOGETHER. CAR HAS BEEN TURNED IN FOR THIS ISSUE 6 TIMES. GM NEEDS TO FIX IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 61,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10389689 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10451986 · 2012-03-16 (March 16, 2012)

HAD TO REPLACE POWER STEERING PUMP IN 2010, AND NOW IN 2012 REPLACED AGAIN. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10451986 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10597879 · 2014-06-12 (June 12, 2014)

I LEFT HOME ONE MORNING LAST YEAR WITH MY GAS TANK ON A FOURTH OF A TANK OF GAS. WHEN I GOT TO WORK (20 MILES AWAY), THE GAS HAND WAS ON "E". WHEN I LEFT WORK THAT EVENING, THE GAS HAND WAS BACK ON A FOURTH OF A TANK. BEFORE I COULD GET HOME(20 MILES AWAY), THE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON THAT I NEEDED FUEL, HOWEVER THE HAND WAS STILL ON A FOURTH OF A TANK. THE NEXT MORNING, IT WAS JUST BELOW A FOURTH SO I STARTED TO WORK. I RAN OUT OF GAS AND THE GAS HAND WAS NOT EVEN IN THE DANGER AREA. THE GAS TANK HAS BEEN OFF EVERY SINCE WHENEVER THE GAS GETS LO…

Owner-reported narrative. 90,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10597879 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10659613 · 2014-11-20 (November 20, 2014)

I PURCHASED A 2008 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX IN MARCH 2014 AND SHORTLY AFTER WHEN I TRIED TO START IT IT DIDN'T WANT TO START. THIS HAS HAPPENED PROBABLY 10-15 TIMES A MONTH GIVE OR TAKE MAYBE MORE SEEING AS I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO DRIVES IT SO I DON'T KNOW BUT I KNOW IT'S ABOUT 10-15 TIMES A MONTH FOR ME. WHEN THIS HAPPENS I HAVE TO GIVE IT GAS TO GET GOING SO I'M NOT STRANDED SOMEPLACE AND I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AN IGNITION PROBLEM OR A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL PUMP I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S GOING ON BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME ANSW…

Owner-reported narrative. 78,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10659613 at NHTSA ↗