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Pontiac LemansYears to avoid, problems & recalls

NHTSA has 118 owner complaints and 26 safety recalls on record for the Pontiac Lemans.

Years to avoidNoneBased on weighted complaintsBest years—Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints118Top: Seat beltsSafety recalls261967–1993 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years.

Best & worst years

Pontiac Lemans years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Lemans median. Tap a year for its full report.

'67'68'71'73'74'75'76'77'78'79'80'81'88'89'90'91'92'93
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
1993Not rated–/10018 complaints · 1 recall1992Not rated–/10021 complaints · 1 recall1991Not rated–/10024 complaints · 2 recalls1990Not rated–/10025 complaints · 2 recalls1989Not rated–/10015 complaints · 1 recall1988Not rated–/10013 complaints · 3 recalls1981Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall1980Not rated–/1000 complaints · 4 recalls1979Not rated–/1000 complaints · 4 recalls1978Not rated–/1000 complaints · 7 recalls1977Not rated–/1002 complaints · 3 recalls1976Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall1975Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall1974Not rated–/1000 complaints · 3 recalls1973Not rated–/1000 complaints · 4 recalls1971Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall1968Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall1967Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall
Complaints by system

Most common Pontiac Lemans problems

All model years combined: 118 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
Seat belts5311
Service brakes, hydraulic241
Power train144
Electrical system131
Engine and engine cooling112
Exterior lighting60
Suspension60
Vehicle speed control53
Visibility51
8 other systems201
26 recalls

Pontiac Lemans recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

–Front: webbing94V-248 · 1990–1993 · Dec 23, 1994 · 91,275 vehicles–Front: buckle assembly93V-154 · 1988–1991 · Sep 21, 1993 · 182,045 vehicles–Front: buckle assembly88V-163 · 1988 · Oct 18, 1988 · 85,063 vehicles–Tank assembly: filler pipe and cap88V-094 · 1988 · Jun 14, 1988 · 72,616 vehicles–Drum: wheel cylinders85V-048 · 1978–1980 · Apr 29, 1985 · 1,810,000 vehicles–Axle assembly: axle shaft84V-149 · 1978–1980 · Nov 24, 1984 · 3,100,000 vehicles–Suspension: rear81V-025 · 1978–1981 · Feb 25, 1981 · 5,821,160 vehicles–Visibility: glass, side/rear81V-022 · 1979–1980 · Feb 11, 1981 · 67,350 vehicles–Front: wheel bearing79V-175 · 1978 · Jul 23, 1979 · 1,896,222 vehicles–Axle assembly: axle shaft78V-138 · 1977 · Jun 13, 1978 · 265,068 vehicles–Cooling system: fan78V-139 · 1978 · Jun 13, 1978 · 333,619 vehicles–Front assembly: head restraint78V-115 · 1978 · May 24, 1978 · 1,643 vehicles

Showing the 12 newest of 26 recalls. Each model-year page lists all recalls for that year.

5 investigations

NHTSA investigations of the Lemans

  1. AUTO RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAILEA94004 · 1990–1993 · closed Jan 19, 1995
    Led to recall 94V-248
  2. AUTO RESTRAINT SYST. FAILSPE93078 · 1990–1992 · closed Jan 31, 1994
    No recall
  3. FRONT BRAKE DISC/HUB SEPPE91101 · 1988–1991 · closed Nov 4, 1991
    No recall
  4. INADEQUATE BRAKESPE89113 · 1988 · closed Nov 30, 1989
    No recall
  5. BRAKE BACKING PLATEEA86006 · 1978–1981 · closed Nov 28, 1988
    No recall