2004 Pontiac Grand prix
The Verdict
The 2004 Pontiac Grand prix has 453 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are engine (143 complaints) and body (128 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 30/100, it earns a "Check Engine" rating. If you're shopping for a Pontiac Grand prix, consider the 2003 model year which has 73% fewer complaints.
Safe Bet
The 2003 has 73% fewer complaints
View the 2003 Pontiac Grand prix dashboard →
Klunk Score: Check Engine
More complaints than most vehicles. Known issues exist — budget for potential repairs.
How is this calculated?
The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.
Recalls 2
Active safety recalls from NHTSA for this vehicle year.
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES HAVE A CONDITION WHERE THE FRONT FRAME REAR BODY MOUNT BRACKET MAY FRACTURE.
Risk
IF IGNORED, THE BRACKET WOULD FRACTURE AND DEGRADE TO THE POINT WHERE THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT COULD SEPARATE, RESULTING IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FRONT FRAME ASSEMBLY AND REPLACE IT IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 16, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.
Reported Apr 11, 2026
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 135, "PASSENGER CAR BRAKING SYSTEMS." ON SOME OF THESE VEHICLES, THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE H...
Risk
IF ENOUGH FLUID LEAKS, THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL BE LOWER THAN NORMAL, AND STOPPING DISTANCES WILL BE LONGER. IF THIS OCCURS WHEN STOPPING DISTANCE IS LIMITED, A CRASH COULD OCCUR.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE HOSE FITTING TO THE PROPER TORQUE SPECIFICATION, AND ADD BRAKE FLUID IF NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 28, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT PONT...
Reported Dec 9, 2003
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Under the Hood
Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.
By Category
By Severity
Worst Problems
Complaints
The contact owned a 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix. The contact stated that the "Low Oil" message was displayed monthly, requiring oil to be added to the engine. While driving at approximately 5 MPH, the contact noticed smoke in the cabin near the floor on the passenger’s and driver’s sides, extending towards the dashboard. After stopping and exiting the vehicle, the contact noticed fire underneath the driver's side door, near the rear of the tire extending up towards the dashboard. The contact stated that the fire quickly spread from the engine to the cabin of the vehicle. The Fire Department was called and responded; however, it took a considerable amount of time to extinguish the fire in the engine compartment. The vehicle was subsequently towed from the scene and declared a total loss. A Fire report and Police report were filed. The contact linked teh failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V201000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact had not sustained any injuries. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 200,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING ENGINE OIL WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT OCCASIONALLY WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP AS DESIGNED, CAUSING THE BRAKING DISTANCE TO BE EXTENDED. THE CONTACT STATED THE ABS WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE BRAKE HUBS, REAR BRAKES, OXYGEN SENSOR, AND FUEL GAUGE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 229,000.
THE IGNITION KEY GETS SUCK AND WON'T TURN AND LEAVES MARKS ON KEY. SOMETIMES THE KEY WON'T START THE CAR
OIL LEAKING ,TRACTION CONTROL KEEPS SHUTTING ON AND OFF,EVAC LEAK,IN MOTION,SMOKE AND OIL STAINS COMING FROM CAR. SCANNER READS MISFIRE NEEDS PLUGS AND WIRES BUT JUST GOT PLUGS AND WIRES.
ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS ARE ILLUMINATED. SOMETIMES WHILE BRAKING, A WEIRD HYDRAULIC SOUND IS HEARD AND THE BRAKES DONT WANT TO STOP THE CAR. THE PEDAL WONT GO DOWN FURTHER UNLESS SOMETIMES YOU FORCE IT AND LOCK UP THE TIRES AND BRAKES. NO CODES ARE SHOWING FOR THE ABS OR TRACTION CONTROL. BEEN HAPPENING SPORADICALLY FOR A YEAR.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 24 MPH, A CLICKING SOUND WAS HEARD IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITH THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DROVE TO A BUSINESS PARKING LOT AND PARKED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 200,000.
FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID MY CAR BURNED UP COLD IN THE YARD ELECTRICAL FROM THE FUSE BOX PASSENGER SIDE. THE ALARM WENT OFF I LOOKED OUTSIDE FLAMES WAS GOING THRU WINDSHIELD THRU THE DASH TIRES WAS BURNING CALLED FIRE DEPT. 02/04/2020. CAR IS TOTALLED. I NEVER HAD ANY ISSUES WITH THE CAR..IT JUST BURST INTO FLAMES. IT HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN, ENGINE WAS COLD. IT WAS PARKED HAD BEEN PARKED OVER 24 HOURS. GROVE FIRE DEPT RESPONDED STARR SC. I WILL JUST HAVE TO SEND A PICTURE LATER. IT'S DARK NOW
ON FEBRUARY 8, 2019, MY MOTHER WAS PULLING INTO A MAINTENANCE GARAGE TO GET AN OIL CHANGE. UPON PULLING INTO THE GARAGE, SHE WAS UNABLE TO STOP AND HER VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD. AS A RESULT, HE VEHICLE HIT AN EMPLOYEE, WENT THROUGH THE MAINTENANCE GARAGE DOOR, THROUGH THE PARKING LOT, ACROSS A FOUR LANE STREET, AND EVENTUALLY STOPPED IN A FIELD ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE OIL CHANGE VENUE. THIS IS AN APPROXIMATE DISTANCE OF 300 FEET. UPON FURTHER REVIEW BY MY MECHANIC, IT WAS DISCOVERED THE ABS SYSTEM WAS MALFUNCTIONING CAUSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO DROP IN THE CAR, AND THE CAR NOT TO STOP. THE WIRING HARNESS ALSO WAS CRACKED RESULTING IN A CUT TO THE ABS WIRE, CAUSING THE ABS MALFUNCTION RESULTING IN THE CAR TO NOT STOP, AND THE ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION WHICH CAUSED THE CAR TO SPEED FORWARD. GENERAL MOTORS WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DENIED RESPONSIBILITY OF THIS CLAIM.
MY VEHICLE IGNITION TURNS TO ON MODE WHEN DRIVING AND I LOOSE ALL POWER. I HAVE ALREADY HAD THE RECALL REPLACED. THIS CAR HAS DIED ON ME SEVERAL TIMES ON THE HIGHWAY, ON THE STREETS AND JUST PULLING UP IN MY OWN DRIVEWAY. I NOW CANT ENJOY MY CAR BECAUSE FOR ME THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. GM SHOULD HAVE REPLACED THE ENTIRE IGNITION SWITCH.
MY LEFT SIDE SIGNAL DOESN'T WORK MY WHOLE LEFT SIDE OF MY CAR HAS A ELECTRICAL ISSUE BACK BRAKE LIKE PARK LIGHT SIGNAL.
I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR THE 2015 RECALL FOR THE VALVE COVER ON 3/1/16. IT WAS ABOUT 63,000 AT THE TIME THIS RECALL SERVICE WAS PERFORMED. HOWEVER, EVEN AFTER THE RECALL WAS DONE, OIL AND ENGINE COOLANT STILL LEAKS FROM THE VALVE COVER AND FROM THE FRONT EXHAUST MANIFOLD. I WENT IN TO GET IT CHECKED AT THE SAME GM SERVICE LOCATION THAT PERFORMED THE RECALL IN 2015 BECAUSE THE CAR HEATS UP AND THEY SAID IT WOULD COST OVER $900 TO REPAIR THE MANIFOLD LEAK. THIS RECALL DID NOT REPAIR THE ISSUE AS DESCRIBED AND CONTINUES TO BE A SAFETY CONCERN. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FROM THE MANUFACTURER TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE EITHER.
PONTIAC OIL LEAK RECALL I BOUGHT A PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. I WAS DRIVING IT HOME ONE DAY WHEN I LOOKED IN THE MIRROR AND SAW SMOKE SO I PULLED OVER AS SOON AS I COULD. I HAD AN ISSUE WITH RPMS FALLING AS I WAS TRYING TO FIND A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY. UPON STOPPING THE VEHICLE THE VEHICLE TURNED OFF ON ITS OWN. I HOPPED OUT AND WHEN I OPENED THE HOOD. THIER WAS A FIRE THAT WAS GOING UNDER THE HOOD OF MY CAR. I PUT IT OUT AS FAST AS I COULD. UPON IT GOING OUT I WAS ABLE TO SEE THAT THE FIRE WAS STARTED BY AN OIL LEAK. THE FIRE DID A FAIR AMOUNT OF DAMAGE AND HAS CAUSED ME TO LOSE MY JOB BY ME NOT BEING ABLE TO GET TO WORK. I RECIEVED THE RECALL NOTICE ABOUT THE OIL LEAK 4 MONTHS AFTER I HAD PURCHASED IT AND AFTER THE RECALL CAUSED THE LOSS OF MY VEHICLE. I HAVE CONTACTED GMS PONTIAC CUSTOMER SERVICE TO SEE WEATHER OR NOT THEY WILL BE REPLACING OR REIMBURSING FOR THE LOSS DUE TO THIER DEFECT. I CANT REMEMBER THE EXACT DATE OFF HAND WHICH IS WHY I AM PUTTING MAY 2ND AS THE DATE.
ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE AS I WAS COMING HOME I PUT IT OUT WITH WATER .CAR DROVE JUST FINE HAS FRESH OIL CHANGE
RECALL N140574, CASE #[XXX] ON 2/7/19, MY SON'S CAR GOT STUCK 2 BLOCKS FROM HOME ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET. THE GRAND PRIX WAS DRIVEN THERE TO SEE IF HE COULD BE PUSHED OUT, AND GOT STUCK - ALONG WITH 4 OTHER CARS. WE TRIED TO PUSH THE CAR OUT, BUT IT WOULDN'T MOVE. WE LEFT THE CAR RUNNING WHILE TRYING TO PUSH THE OTHER VEHICLES. WHILE WALKING FROM THE CAR, WE HEARD POPPING SOUNDS, AND SAW A FLAMES UNDER THE HOOD - PASSENGER'S SIDE. MY FRIEND REACHED IN AND SHUT IT OFF. I CALLED THE POLICE. FIRE TRUCKS PUT OUT THE FIRE, AND A TOW TRUCK WAS CALLED TO GET THE CAR OFF THE SNOW ROUTE AND TAKEN TO AN ACCIDENT IMPOUND. THE NEXT DAY, I CALLED GM AND WAS ASSIGNED A CASE. A WEEK LATER, I WAS ASSIGNED A PAC UNIT REP, TO INVESTIGATE MY CASE. I HAVE MANY EMAILS AND PICTURES FOLLOWING MY CASE. GM HAS PROVIDED A LOT OF MISINFORMATION, LACK OF COMMUNICATION, AND NO PROBLEM RESOLVE. THERE WERE ISSUES INVOLVING THE TITLE, BUT I RESOLVED. I HAD TO TAKE THE PICTURES FOR THE INVESTIGATION, EVEN THOUGH I WAS TOLD REPS WOULD BE SENT OVER. I WENT TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP, WHERE THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TRIED TO CONTACT THE PAC UNIT. THEY ALSO DID NOT RESPOND TO HIM. AFTER MANY VISITS TO GATEWAY DEALERSHIP AND ASSISTANCE GETTING MY INFORMATION TO SOMEBODY WITH GENERAL MOTORS, IT WAS DETERMINED THE RECALL CAUSED THE FIRE. OIL DRIPPED ON THE MANIFOLD. MY CAR STILL SITS IN THE IMPOUND AT $30 A DAY. I HAVE LEFT NUMEROUS MESSAGES AND EMAILS ASKING FOR UPDATES AND RESOLVE. THE LAST I WAS TOLD IS THAT GM WOULD REPURCHASE MY CAR, AND SEND THE PAPERWORK TO SIGN. THAT WAS 2 WEEKS AGO! THE LOCAL SERVICE REP HAD TO STOP HELPING ME DUE TO A JOB CHANGE, SO I AM LEFT NOT KNOWING WHAT IS HAPPENING. THE PAC AND GM CUSTOMER SERVICE ARE NOT RETURNING CALLS OR RESPONDING. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP?? [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TT
DRIVING DOWN MY FAMILIAR ROAD OF DUTCH HILLS OFF OF DR. 50. I TURNED MY WHEEL AT 27MPH. SLID OFF TOWARD THE EDGE OF THE ROAD. FISHTAILED, MAINTAINED COMPOSURE. THEN , BEGAN A FISHTAIL TO A 180-360 INTO A CONCRETED STEEL BEAMED MAILBOX. KNOCKING OUT MY DRIVERS LIGHT ASSEMBLY, FRONT FENDER, BUMPER, DISABLING THEHOODOF MY CAR, TILTING MY RADIATOR. NOTHING OFTHENIGHT SHOULD OF SKINNY TIRES,NOR MADEMEFAIL TO MAINTAIN MY VEHICLE.
I HAD BARELY HIT A CURB PULLING INTO THE BANK PARKING WHEN MY BRAKE PAD WOULDN'T STOP. AT LESS THAN 7MPH. MY AIR BAGS HAD DEPLOYED LEAVING ME JARRED, AND IN A SHOCK I COULD NOT MOVE. I SAT LOCKED IN TO MY SAFETYBELT UNTIL THE CONSTRUCTION WORKER DOWN ROADPULLED ME OUT TO SAFETY. SUCH A MILS HIT. BLEW MY AIRBAGS.. IN RETURN, DAMAGED MY WINDSHIELD, DASH, AND, STEERING COLUMN. I WAS TURNING INTO A BANK PARKING LOT. CONSIDERED A PRIVATE LOT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, A RATTLING NOISE WAS PRESENT COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEMONTROND GMC (14101 N. FREEWAY, HOUSTON, TX), BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 177,000.
OIL LEAK DUE TO FAULTY VALVE COVERS/GASKET ON ENGINE WHICH RESULTS IN BURNING SMELL AND LOSS OF OIL QUICKLY. PER MECHANIC REPORT, "LEAKING VALVE COVERS AND INTAKE GASKETS". THIS HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY 2 DIFFERENT MECHANICS. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT OUR VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN 2 RECALLS FOR THIS SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH THE RECALL HAS BEEN ON THE SAME YEAR MAKE AND MODEL.
MY CAR WAS PARKED TURNED OFF . I WENT INTO A STORE AND CAME BACK OUT TO MY CAR IN FLAMES IT IS DESTROYED AND I AM DEVASTATED. THE FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD WHERE THE ENGINE IS THE ENGINE IS DESTROYED. TIRES BURNT UP COMPLETELY UNDRIVEABLE.
SERVICE THEFT SYSTEM TRIPS ALMOST EVERY CYCLE OF DRIVING THE CAR HAS LEFT ME AND MY FAMILY STRANDED COUPLE OF TIMES AND DOESN'T LEAVE ANY CODES. GETS UP TO ABOUT 20-30 MPH AND DIES RIGHT AWAY KILLING THE CAR. PULL OVER CYCLE THE CAR A FEW TIMES AND SOMETIMES IT'LL WORK FINE AFTER THAT FEW A FEW MILES AND AND THEN DOES IT AGAIN. HAZARDOUS TO NOT ONLY ME AND MY FAMILY BUT ALSO TO OTHER PEOPLE ON THE ROADS WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN!
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