General Motors produced the Pontiac Grand Prix from 1962 to 2008. The Grand Prix was generally a reliable car, exhibiting considerable power in its early years and fuel efficiency in the last two decades of its existence. Its engine problems were minimal.
General Motors issued a recall notices in 2009 for nearly 1.5 million 1997 to 2003 GM vehicles, including the Pontiac Grand Prix, equipped with the 3.8-liter V6 engine. The engines were prone to having oil drop onto the exhaust manifold due to hard braking. The oil on the manifold could cause an engine fire. GM repaired the problem with no charge.
More than 200,000 GM cars, including the 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix, received recall notices in 2008. Grand Prix cars equipped with the 2.8-liter supercharged V6 had rocker cover gasket that degraded over time due to high temperatures. This created an oil leak, leading to an engine fire. GM dealers installed better-engineered gaskets to solve the problem.
A handful of 1989 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles -- fewer than 300 -- had a misrouted oil feed pipe on the turbocharged engine versions that could touch the positive battery cable and start a fire. GM made the repair at no cost following the 1989 recall.
