1988 Pontiac Grand Prix

Complaint history

When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.

Problems owners report

Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.

AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.

Recalls

• NHTSA recall #00V189000July 11, 2000713,435 vehicles affected

  structure

  Vehicle description: passenger vehicles originally sold or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia, where road salt use is heavy. A condition where one or both front engine cradle bolts Can pull through the retainers due to corrosion of the retainers.

  If both bolts pull through, the front of the cradle would no longer be supported at the mounting locations and the steering intermediate shaft could separate from the steering gear.

  Remedy

  Dealers will replace the front and rear frame/cradle bolts and retainers.

• NHTSA recall #97V058000April 8, 1997676,535 vehicles affected

  structure

  Vehicle description: passenger vehicles and mini vans originally sold or currently registered in the following states: connecticut, illinois, indiana, maine, massachusetts, michigan, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont and wisconsin. The rear cradle bolts pull through the retainers due to corrosion of the retainer. If both bolts pull through, the rear cradle would not longer be supported at these mounting locations and the steering intermediate shaft Can separate from the steering gear.

  If this were to occur while the vehicle was in motion, a vehicle crash could result.

  Remedy

  Dealers will replace the rear cradle bolts and retainers.

• NHTSA recall #95V115000June 5, 199522,361 vehicles affected

  wheels

  Cracks develop in the wheel mounting surface. If these cracks become severe enough, the wheel will completely separate from the vehicle.

  If wheel separation occurs while the vehicle is in motion, loss of steering and brake control of the vehicle occurs, and a vehicle crash could result without prior warning.

  Remedy

  Dealers will inspect the manufacturing date codes stamped on each wheel of the vehicle and if a wheel falls within the specified date code range, the dealer will replace that wheel assembly.

• NHTSA recall #94V041000March 28, 1995198,163 vehicles affected

  wheels

  Cracks develop in the wheel mounting surface. If these cracks become severe enough, the wheel will completely separate from the vehicle.

  If wheel separation occurs while the vehicle is in motion, loss of steering and brake control of the vehicle occurs, and a vehicle crash could result without prior warning.

  Remedy

  Dealers will inspect the manufacturing codes stamped on each wheel of the vehicle and if a wheel falls within the specified date code range, the dealer will replace that wheel assembly.

• NHTSA recall #92V086000June 19, 1992112,765 vehicles affected

  exterior lighting: brake lights: switch

  Brake stoplamps may not illuminate or, in some cases, stoplamps may not stay illuminated all the time when brakes are applied due to a faulty stoplamp switch. Also, in vehicles with cruise control, a faulty stoplamp switch Can result in resumption of the cruise control function upon release of the brake pedal.

  A trailing vehicle may not recognize a braking actionin time to respond appropriately. Also, cruise control will reengage uponrelease of the brake pedal and resume the set speed. In either case, it couldresult in a crash without prior warning.

  Remedy

  Install an improved design stoplamp switch.

• NHTSA recall #90V054000March 14, 1990673,000 vehicles affected

  seat belts

  Front shoulder belt guide loop attachment fastener may pull through door mounted anchor plate.

  Seat belt may not sustain loads required by FMVSS 210, and in a vehicle accident, the seat belt may not properly restrain a passenger, resulting in increased risk of greater injury to an occupant.

  Remedy

  Replace front shoulder belt guide loop attachment nuts and install new guide cover.

• NHTSA recall #88V175000November 4, 19883,857 vehicles affected

  parking brake: conventional: mechanical: linkage and cable

  The parking brake cable may be disconnected from the left rear brake caliper.

  Parking brake cannot be properly applied and vehiclewill not meet the grade holding requirements of FMVSS 105.

  Remedy

  Install a retainer on left rear caliper if cable is not already retained with a cotter pin and adjust parking brake system.

• NHTSA recall #88V065000April 18, 198812,457 vehicles affected

  latches/locks/linkages: hood: latch

  The secondary hood latch may not properly engage.

  If primary latch disengages, hood could unexpectedlyopen. If car was in motion, hood could contact the windshield, reduce thedrivers forward vision area, and could result in an accident.

  Remedy

  Replace secondary latch with a new latch.

• NHTSA recall #88V049000April 1, 19881,559 vehicles affected

  seat belts: front: webbing

  The front shoulder belt guide loop attached to the upper rear corner of the door may interfere with the garnish molding.

  This interference could limit the rotation of the guideloop. If this condition exists and vehicle is involved in a crash it could bepossible for the shoulder belt welding to be cut by the guide. Loss of theshoulder belt function during a vehicle crash could increase the risk ofinjuries to occupants.

  Remedy

  A newly designed guide loop nut and spacer will be installed to eliminate the potential for interference conditions.

• NHTSA recall #88V045000March 28, 198817,745 vehicles affected

  power train: manual transmission: column shift assembly

  An interference between the transmission shift cable and the bellcrank clip in the steering column Can result in disengagement of the transmission cable.

  This condition could allow the transmission to be in agear other than that displayed by the shift indicator. The vehicle could movein an unexpected direction and cause a vehicle crash without prior warning.

  Remedy

  A newly designed bellcrank clip will be installed.

• NHTSA recall #88V035000March 23, 19887,775 vehicles affected

  wheels: lugs/nuts/bolts/studs

  Wheel lug nuts were not properly torqued to specifications.

  Wheel lug nuts could loosen and/or come off the wheelstuds. This could eventually result in wheel separating from the vehicle.loss of vehicle control and a vehicle crash could occur.

  Remedy

  Inspection of vehicle and assure proper torque replaces any missing lug nut or loose stud.

Other model years

• 1988
• 1989 139
• 1990 176
• 1991 172
• 1992 114
• 1993 131
• 1994 213
• 1995 169
• 1996 79
• 1997 810
• 1998 499
• 1999 412
• 2000 461
• 2001 308
• 2002 330
• 2003 106
• 2004 454
• 2005 148
• 2006 239
• 2007 220
• 2008 143