1990 Pontiac Grand Prix
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › Pontiac › Grand Prix › 1990
These records cover every 1990 Pontiac Grand Prix. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
9 recalls name the 1990 Pontiac Grand Prix. Newest first.
Certain replacement fuel filters, fram brand name p/n g3727, with date codes x52911 through x60801 sequentially or x600141 and a mexico country or origin marking on the fuel filter housing manufactured from october 18, 2005, through march 21, 2006, sold for use on the vehicles listed above and on certain school buses. (to see the school bus engine sizes…
Risk and remedy
Risk
This condition may cause an inadequate seal at the connection, potentially leading to a fuel leak. In the presence of an ignition source, a fire could occur.
Remedy
Honeywell will notify owners and replace the fuel filters free of charge. the recall began on october 18, 2006. owners may contact fram customer service at 1-800-890-2075 (option 1).
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…
Risk and remedy
Risk
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.
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…
Risk and remedy
Risk
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.
Cracks develop in the wheel mounting surface. If these cracks become severe enough, the wheel will completely separate from the vehicle.
Risk and remedy
Risk
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.
Cracks develop in the wheel mounting surface. If these cracks become severe enough, the wheel will completely separate from the vehicle.
Risk and remedy
Risk
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.
Front shoulder safety belt webbing may separate at front belt upper guide loops on either side of the front seat.
Risk and remedy
Risk
Webbing separation could occur without prior warning andincrease the risk of injury to belted front outboard occupants in a high energycrash.
Remedy
Install a controlled rotation bracket on driver and passenger side front seat belt guide loops.
Brake stoplamps may not illuminate or, in some cases, stoplamps will not stay illuminated all the time when brakes are applied due to a faulty stoplamp switch. Also in vehicles equipped with cruise control, a faulty stoplamp switch can result in resumption of the cruise control function upon release of the brake pedal.
Risk and remedy
Risk
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.
Front shoulder belt guide loop attachment fastener may pull through door mounted anchor plate.
Risk and remedy
Risk
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.
During a rear end collision, the rear exhaust system heat shield, which IS welded to the tail pipe assembly, may puncture the fuel tank.
Risk and remedy
Risk
In the presence of an external source of ignition, this could result in a fire.
Remedy
Remove rear exhaust system heat shield from the pipe assembly.
Owner complaints
176 complaints13 involved a crash2 involved a fire11 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Steering · Structure · Structure › Frame and members › Underbody shields
Rear subframe retainers rusted out causing engine/transaxle to drop and steering shaft to separate causing loss of control where the vehicle ended up in the on coming lane of traffic. The retainers have been replaced at least once before. replacement parts have the same defect as the original…
Rear subframe retainers rusted out causing engine/transaxle to drop and steering shaft to separate causing loss of control where the vehicle ended up in the on coming lane of traffic. The retainers have been replaced at least once before. replacement parts have the same defect as the original parts. I don't believe that IS a solution. one gm dealer (don miller in madison) denied any knowledge of a recall. another gm dealer said gm will offer a couple hundred dollars and take the car, but there IS no repair option. Your person I spoke with at the (888) phone number directed be to a gm (800) number who could not find any information even though I gave them the recall number. In addition to the bolts and retainers that are "covered", the rubber cushions and top retainers were unable to be found and will require replacement. I have ordered the parts at a cost of about $110 and a $60 tow bill plus any labor charge I incur. looking over the number of these failures on your site, it IS amazing to me that no accidents have resulted that have been reported. I wonder how many have occurred and the cause was not discovered. it seems to me that the recall should be continued to inspect vehicles that have been "repaired" with the same defective parts. *tr
- Suspension › Rear
Dt*: the contact stated while driving 40mph the left rear wheel steered 45 degrees to the side and the vehicle went out of control. the vehicle collided head on with a tree. the driver was wearing a seat belt, but sustained injuries. the police took a report at the scene. the vehicle was towed…
Dt*: the contact stated while driving 40mph the left rear wheel steered 45 degrees to the side and the vehicle went out of control. the vehicle collided head on with a tree. the driver was wearing a seat belt, but sustained injuries. the police took a report at the scene. the vehicle was towed to a junk yard and inspected by the manufacturer, who provided no clear determination as to what caused the accident. an engineer inspected the vehicle and determined the trailing arm failed and caused the accident.
- Engine and engine cooling › Exhaust system › Manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
Car would get horrid gas mileage, occasionally stall, exhaust smell under hood, black exhaust. The crossover pipe from each exhaust manifold has a common cracking on the bellows and must be replaced, they run $2500 from gm which just crack again, or $425 for jeff m one that doesn't crack. The pipe…
Car would get horrid gas mileage, occasionally stall, exhaust smell under hood, black exhaust. The crossover pipe from each exhaust manifold has a common cracking on the bellows and must be replaced, they run $2500 from gm which just crack again, or $425 for jeff m one that doesn't crack. The pipe cracks cause fresh air to enter the exhaust and the oxygen sensor thinks the cars running rich, causing horrible gas mileage, oil contamination, and stalling. The extra heat from the car running rich cracks the turbo housing. *nm
- Electrical system › Wiring
If you use the turn signal, the steering wheel will start smoking. Took vehicle to dealer and dealer didn't want to fix it. Turn signals still worked when applied. *nm
- Structure
Recall campaign, having some problems with recalls never received. *bf the rear cradle bolts pulled through the retainers due to corrosion. recall# 00v189000. *sc *jb
- Unknown or other
Consumer inquiring about recalls for 1990 pontiac grand prix. *mr recall #'s 90v185000 exterior lighting brake light switch, 90v036000 fuel system tank assembly, 90v054000 seat belts, 00v189000 structure, and 94v041000 wheels. *sc *jb
- Structure › Frame and members
Consumer stated that while waiting at an atm engine fell out of vehicle. Consumer had vehicle towed to the mechanic, who said that the cradle bolts rusted. consumer indicated he never received a recall notice. but when he called GMC he was told that this vehicle was included in the recall. *ak
- Engine and engine cooling
While driving the engine fell. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was determined that the retainer cradle broke. Consumer never received a recall notice. *nm *mr
- Service brakes, hydraulic
When the brakes were applied, the pedal traveled to the floor. *jb
- Service brakes, hydraulic
Vehicle's rear brakes were inoperative. rust accumulated on the surface of the brakes. As a result the rotors and pads did not come in contact. *nlm
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine
Consumer called complaining about having problem with the engine mounts. Which he replaced at 115 thousands miles and has to replaced again. Dealer has not been notified. Please provide fiurther information. Ts
- Structure
Rear left and right carriage bolts pulled through retainers, causing the steering shaft to split and the engine cradle to drop to the ground. pontiac admits responsibility and also agreed to provide work according to "warranty" i.e. Pontiac will absorb the cost of repair. work done by russ at…
Rear left and right carriage bolts pulled through retainers, causing the steering shaft to split and the engine cradle to drop to the ground. pontiac admits responsibility and also agreed to provide work according to "warranty" i.e. Pontiac will absorb the cost of repair. work done by russ at woburn, mass. Pontiac. the gm rep spoke with my husband several times, indicating pontiac's responsibility and that the work was being done as a recall. however, when the work was completed and the car was ready to be picked up, gm's final word was handed down and they refuse to absorb the cost (800-762-2737 file #s19313957). the cost of the repair IS $620.00 (which includes an inflated tow charge of $115.00 -- the actual cost of the tow according to the driver IS $65.00). my normal driving habits take me 15 miles to and from work on the highway, if this had happed on a weekday and I was travelling at my usual average rate of speed of 70 mph I would be have been seriously injured or dead. I expect to be fully compensated for this failure as a good faith gesture that pontiac stands behind their vehicles even after 10 years. It appears that the bolts loosened themselves from the carriage. this IS a serious safety defect, which pontiac IS responsible to correct both professionally and financially. prior to the engine falling onto the ground, this was a dependable, excellent running vehicle. I can only hope that there was no damage to the engine when the bolts failed. your intervention IS appreciated.*ak
- Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Disc › Caliper
While driving brakes make a loud noise. Contacted dealer. calipers had frozen up.*ak *yh
- Suspension
While driving at any speed and hitting a bump steering column will pull to right or left. Cause unknown. Dealer notified.*ak
- Power train › Manual transmission · Suspension
Consumer states vehicle IS shaking in the front and not shifting properly. *Jb consumer stated that the drive train was slipping. Also the front control arm failed. *Yh
- Structure
Engine cradle had rotted out underneath frame. There IS recall 10946 00 v 189 000. Please provide any further information.*ak
- Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak
- Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Disc › Caliper
Rear caliper has locked up. dealership informed consumer of a class action suit regarding this defect. however, cutoff date for class action was last year. please provide any additional information/attachments.*ak
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine
Motor mounts came loose and engine fell down some inches. currently consumer IS not able to start vehicle.*ak
- Structure
Consumer received recall 00v189, however in 1999 the repair was completed by someone other than gm, consumer submitted bill for refund and was denied due to the replacement parts were not gm parts.
- Structure
Retainer and insulater that hold engine cradle had to be replaced due to rust. manufacturer will be notified.*ak three of the four retainer rusted out compeletely. eventhough there was a recall, this vehicle was not in the list. *yh
- Structure
Consumer paid for the repairs for the frame mounts for recall 00v189, consumer requests reimbursement. *slc
- Exterior lighting › Headlights
I can be driving down the road and my headlights will go out for no reason, in the owners manual it shows this problem so thy must have known it when it was manufactured.....help, when I bought the vehicle they said there was nothing wrong with it, and they even advertise a warranty but when I…
I can be driving down the road and my headlights will go out for no reason, in the owners manual it shows this problem so thy must have known it when it was manufactured.....help, when I bought the vehicle they said there was nothing wrong with it, and they even advertise a warranty but when I approached them about it, they said it was sold as is..the labor rate to have it looked at IS too great....if u could contact me I could go into the details further..thank you. *ak
- Air bags › Frontal · Structure › Body › Bumpers
While driving 30mph hit a tree and front was in a v shape after accident. Air bags did not deploy. Radiator and hood were no good. *ak the bumper was split in half and the hood buckled in a 45 degree angle. *Yh
- Structure › Frame and members
The cradle frame pulled through the bolt and retainer causing the frame to drop, leaving the engine into the left wheel well, the alternator into the radiator hose, the hose lost coolant and went into the electric wire harness, and blew fuses. *slc
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- Structure
There is no summary currently available
- Engine cradle separation
The engine cradle front bolts and/or retainers may fail, allowing the front of the engine cradle to fall, possibly separating the steering intermediate shaft from the steering gear, with complete loss of steering control
- Cradle bolt failures
There is no summary currently available
- Corroded rear disk brakes
There is no summary currently available
- Wheel failures
There is no summary currently available
- Sticking throttle
There is no summary currently available
- Jack failure
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- Jack failure
There is no summary currently available
- Steering wheel separation
There is no summary currently available
- Failure stop lamp switch
There is no summary currently available
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 6088680Customers may complain of grinding / scraping / groaning noise from rear suspension.
- 615073Some V6 engines may, on a very infrequent basis, have an oil odor condition that IS generally encountered after the engine's oil has been changed.typically the odor lasts approximately 1000 miles after the change of oil and then does not reappear until the next change of oil.
- 45857Emission campaign 90-c-52 ignition (i.d.i.) coil housing cracked.
- 39080Rear strut related thumping/squeaking noise.
- 39072ABS warning light IS on.
- 37955ABS wire harness for the right front wheel may rub on the brake line causing the ABS warning light to come on.
Every Pontiac Grand Prix model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.