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2002 Pontiac Grand PrixProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 331 owner complaints about the 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix, most often about the engine. It is covered by 3 safety recalls, and for recall 15V-701 the manufacturer reports only 26% of affected cars repaired.

30
CarFlaw IndexUse caution2.3× the Grand Prix median · #6 of 21 years by complaints
Safety recalls3Lowest repair rate 26%Owner complaints331127 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage146kEngine, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 5, 2026. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix has problems

331 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine8752
Engine and engine cooling6233
Electrical system5713
Exterior lighting241
Service brakes, hydraulic203
Visibility191
Power train182
Fuel/propulsion system135
Steering121
17 other systems8125

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

3 recalls

2002 Pontiac Grand Prix recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

26%repaired · 2017 Q3

Engine and engine cooling: engine

Recall 15V-701 · Oct 26, 2015 · 1,003,556 vehicles · 265,197 repaired

Risk. Engine oil that drips onto the hot surface of the exhaust manifold may result in a fire.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Engine and engine cooling

Recall 09V-116 · Apr 8, 2009 · 1,497,516 vehicles

Risk. IF THE MANIFOLD IS HOT ENOUGH AND THE OIL RUNS BELOW THE HEAT SHIELD, IT MAY IGNITE INTO A SMALL FLAME AND MAY SPREAD TO THE PLASTIC SPARK PLUG WIRE CHANNEL…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Engine and engine cooling

Recall 08V-118 · Mar 12, 2008 · 207,542 vehicles

Risk. CERTAIN UNDERHOOD FIRES MAY BE CAUSED BY DROPS OF ENGINE OIL, FROM SEEPAGE OR SPILLAGE, BEING DEPOSITED ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD THROUGH HARD BRAKING.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Pontiac.

Mileage at failure

When do engine problems start?

146kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 63 engine complaints. 19% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
1under 30k miles12under 100k miles51100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2002 vs. every other Grand Prix year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Grand Prix median. How we score

'65'66'70'72'73'74'76'77'78'79'80'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2002 Pontiac Grand Prix safety ratings

2002 Pontiac Grand Prix 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2002 Pontiac Grand Prix frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
4 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix, and the recalls they led to.

  1. ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRESEA02030 · closed Mar 9, 2004
    Led to recall 04V-090
  2. ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIREEA07008 · closed May 1, 2008
    Led to recall 08V-118
  3. LOSS OF BRAKE LAMP ILLUMINATIONPE07001 · closed Apr 30, 2007
    No recall
  4. ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIREPE07006 · closed Jun 12, 2007
    No recall
In owners' words

What Grand Prix owners report

Recent engine complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

I took my 2002 Pontiac to Thompson Chevrolet, located in Patterson, CA., for a recall that was not needed since the engine was rebuilt. My car had no issues and was operating just as it was when first bought. It was running excellent. On March 20, 2025, after I got my car back I noticed my gas…
Complaint 11775920 · Nov 5, 2026
I had just drove about 30 miles home and when I arrived my engine was was smoking a little more than was usual because of oil burn off. So I popped the hood and a fire started in the back of the engine where I was having problems previously with the power steering pump. Obviously when I opened the…
Complaint 11487499 · Oct 2, 2022
LARGE AMOUNTS OF OIL IS ACCUMULATING ON TOP OF THE ENGINE. DURING HARD BRAKING/TURNING, THIS OIL CAN SPILL OFF THE ENGINE ONTO THE HOT EXHAUST.
Complaint 11300235 · Jan 18, 2020 · 97,000 miles

Own a 2002 Grand Prix?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.