1998 Pontiac Grand Prix problems & reliability
499 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix, alongside 4 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
16 complaints report injuries (21 injured, 1 deaths reported).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles were involved in 6 fatal crashes with 6 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 90 | 18% |
| Exterior Lighting | 90 | 18% |
| Steering | 89 | 18% |
| Electrical System | 51 | 10% |
| Visibility | 48 | 10% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 34 | 7% |
| Engine | 33 | 7% |
| Air Bags | 24 | 5% |
| Power Train | 21 | 4% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 14 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 94,170 miles (middle 50% between 62,000 and 125,730 miles), based on 168 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“I have a problem I drop my car off at the Chevy dealership to get a recall done and they only did one value cover when there are two value cover both was leaking so why only one got change that don't make any since when both value cover leaks oil too cause a fire just like the recalls says it will do so something need…”
Engine · filed May 26, 2023
“The contact owns a 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix. The contact stated that he noticed oil spots on the ground underneath the vehicle. The contact then stated that upon inspection, he checked under the vehicle and noticed that oil was leaking from the valve cover gasket. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not…”
Engine · filed Sep 15, 2022
“Tl* the contact owns a 1998 pontiac grand prix. Upon purchasing the vehicle, the contact replaced the power steering pump due to a steering failure. There were no warning indicators illuminated. An independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and informed the contact that the rack and pinion needed replacement. The…”
Steering · filed Jul 24, 2019
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
Engineering Analysis EA02030 · opened Oct 22, 2002 · closed Mar 9, 2004 · led to recall 04V090000
- ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
Preliminary Evaluation PE02050 · opened Jun 13, 2002 · closed Oct 22, 2002
- AIR BAG INFLATOR
Engineering Analysis EA01014 · opened Jun 11, 2001 · closed Aug 26, 2002 · led to recall 02V027002
- WINDSHIELD WIPER
Engineering Analysis EA99024 · opened Aug 20, 1999 · closed Jan 13, 2000
- WINDSHIELD WIPER
Preliminary Evaluation PE99028 · opened Apr 16, 1999 · closed Aug 20, 1999
Technical service bulletins
83 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix. The 10 most recent:
This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8…
PIP4723F · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 14, 2022
This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8…
PIP4723D · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 31, 2020
This informational bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Procedures to Unlock Delco Radio with Theftlock.
19NA273 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 2, 2019
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to…
PIC4696E · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 22, 2019
This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy transportation policy.
17NA073 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 18, 2019
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to…
PIC4696D · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 5, 2019
This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy transportation policy.
17NA073 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 15, 2019
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco Theft Lock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to…
PIC4696C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 31, 2018
This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8…
PIP4723C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 20, 2017
This warranty administration bulletin provides policy information with the field action courtesy transportation policy.
17-NA-073 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 15, 2017
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 94,170 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.