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1993 Pontiac GRAND PRIX: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

90 owner complaints analyzed

1 distinct recall campaigns

130,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1993 model year. Data snapshot: . 6 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip is the most frequently named component, appearing in 10 of 90 complaints (11.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior3741.1%
Steering behavior2730.0%
Electrical and battery issues77.8%
Transmission and shifting22.2%
Engine operation11.1%

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.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
10
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components
10
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Caliper
10
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc
7
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor
5
Electrical System
4
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch
4
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Pads
4
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip10
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components10
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Caliper10
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc7
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor5
Electrical System4
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch4
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Pads4

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 10; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components: 10; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Caliper: 10; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc: 7; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor: 5; Electrical System: 4; Electrical System:Ignition:Switch: 4; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Pads: 4

Reported problems by failure mileage

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

Under 25,000
0
25,000 to 49,999
0
50,000 to 74,999
0
75,000 to 99,999
1
100,000 to 149,999
3
150,000 and above
2
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0000
25,000 to 49,9990
50,000 to 74,9990
75,000 to 99,9991
100,000 to 149,9993
150,000 and above2

Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 3; 150,000 and above: 2

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (3). 84 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.

1995
17
1996
21
2000
16
2001
16
2002
5
2003
5
2004
3
2005
1
2007
4
2008
1
2009
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
199517
199621
200016
200116
20025
20035
20043
20051
20074
20081
20091

1995: 17; 1996: 21; 2000: 16; 2001: 16; 2002: 5; 2003: 5; 2004: 3; 2005: 1; 2007: 4; 2008: 1; 2009: 1

Pattern summary

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 37 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 27 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 7 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.

Examples from the source records

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

Owner report 10004992 · 2003-01-31 (January 31, 2003)

I OWN A 1993 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX THAT I PURCHASED USED IN 1998. 2 YEARS AGO, OCCASSIONALLY SMOKE STARTED TO COME OUT OF THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN I WOULD START THE CAR, FEARING IT WOULD CATCH ON FIRE, I WOULD ONLY DRIVE IT WHEN I REALLY HAD TO. I HAVE TALKED TO PONTIAC AND THEY SAID MORE COMPLAINTS WOULD HAVE TO COME IN FOR THEM TO DO ANYTHING. MY FATHER-IN-LAW BOUGHT A 2000 GRAND PRIX AND LAST WEEK IT DID THE SAME THING. CAN WE GET A RECALL ON THIS?

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004992 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10019722 · 2003-05-13 (May 13, 2003)

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT WITH IT'S REAR CRADLE BOLTS AS STATED IN RECALL # 97 V 058 000. THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 108,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10019722 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10020737 · 2003-05-30 (May 30, 2003)

I OWN A 1993 GRAND PRIX. EVER SINCE I BOUGHT IT USED IN 2001, I HAVE HAD TO PULL THE TURNING SIGNAL MECHANISM FORWARD TO MAKE THEM OPERABLE. ABOUT A MONTH AGO, MY 19-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER WAS BORROWING THE CAR. WHEN SHE USED THE TURNING SIGNAL IT STARTED TO SMOKE. THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN CAUGHT FIRE AND FLAMES SHOT UP THROUGH THE VENTS IN THE CAR. FORTUNATELY, SHE WAS CLOSE TO HOME SO WE COULD EXTINGUISH IT WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY. I HAVE SINCE HEARD OF VARIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS MODEL.…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10020737 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10025825 · 2003-07-10 (July 10, 2003)

1993 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX, SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10025825 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10039209 · 2003-09-20 (September 20, 2003)

THE STEERING COLUMN HAD BEEN SMOKING WHEN THE TURN SIGNALS WERE USED THEN ONE EVENING THE IGNITION SWITCH CAUGHT FIRE. THE WHOLE DASH AND STEERING WHEEL COLUMN, AND INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAD TO BE REPLACED. IF YOUR STEERING WHEEL SMOKES WHEN YOU USE YOUR SIGNALS HAVE IT CHECKED. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10039209 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10053179 · 2004-01-14 (January 14, 2004)

SEVERAL PROBLEMS AT DIFFERENT TIMES.OLT FELL OUT OF REAR OF ENGINE CRADLE CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING. WENT INTO THE DITCH AND COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUS IF IT HAD HAPPENED AT A DIFFERENT LOCATION. SEVERE OIL LEAK IN ENGINE, ORIGIN UNKNOWN.ILTING MECHANISM IN STEERING COLUMN IS LOOSE WHICH CAUSED BRACKET TO BREAK AND ALLOWS STEERING WHEEL TO MOVE UP AND DOWN. WHILE STEERING WHEEL IS DOWN AND BEING TURNED, THE CAR DIES. SEAT TILT MECHANISM ON FRONT PASSENGER SEAT DOES NOT HOLD SEAT BACK IN UPRIGHT POSITION. WHITE SMOKE COMES OUT OF STEERING COLUM…

Owner-reported narrative. 115,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10053179 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10061276 · 2004-03-03 (March 3, 2004)

DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE BROKE OFF WITHOUT ANY FORCE BEING USED. CONSUMER THEN TRIED TO OPEN THE DOOR USING THE HANDLE ON THE INSIDE WHICH ALSO BROKE OFF. THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLE ROD BROKE, AND THE DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 153,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10061276 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10069213 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)

FOUND OUT THAT MY MAIN PROBLEM WITH MY STEERING AND SUSPENSION IS THAT THE CRADLE THAT HOLDS THE ENGINE IS CRACKED AND RUSTED OUT READY TO BREAK I REPLACED THE CRADLE IN JUNE 2003 BUT I HAD IT WELDED IN JAN OF 2002 THESE IS SAME DEFECT AS IN GM GEOGRAPHIC RECALL FOR 1991 MODEL

Owner-reported narrative. 150,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10069213 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

93V035000 · Seats

Reported: 1993-03-09 (March 9, 1993)

THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER FRONT SEAT MANUAL RECLINING MECHANISMS DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 207, "SEATING SYSTEMS." THE SEAT BACK MECHANISMS WILL NOT LATCH UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS.

Consequence: THE SEATS MAY RECLINE WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, RESULTINGIN A HAZARD TO SEAT OCCUPANTS AND POSSIBLE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.

Remedy: REPLACE THE MANUAL SEAT RECLINER MECHANISM WITH A MECHANISM THAT COMPLIES WITH FMVSS 207.

NHTSA campaign record ↗