Complaints
618
Crashes
25
Fires
76
Injuries
27
Fatalities
1
Recalls
1
Worst 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
#174 complaints
Exterior Lighting:Headlights
Avg mileage:66,816 mi
Crash-related:1
#251 complaints
Steering:Rack And Pinion
Avg mileage:93,658 mi
Crash-related:1
Fires:1
#337 complaints
Engine & Cooling
Avg mileage:116,206 mi
Fires:22
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights | 74 | 1 | — | 66,816 mi | |
| Steering:Rack And Pinion | 51 | 1 | 1 | 93,658 mi | |
| Engine & Cooling | 37 | — | 22 | 116,206 mi | |
| Engine Problems | 33 | — | 11 | 133,710 mi | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 28 | — | 2 | 95,000 mi | |
| Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls | 26 | — | — | 56,866 mi | |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 22 | 1 | — | — | |
| Electrical Faults | 18 | — | 10 | 90,699 mi | |
| Automatic Transmission | 17 | — | 1 | 105,002 mi | |
| Steering Defects | 17 | 2 | 3 | 128,266 mi | |
| Airbags | 14 | 3 | — | 39,950 mi | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 14 | — | 5 | 109,838 mi | |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 11 | 7 | — | 100,929 mi | |
| Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery | 11 | — | 1 | 62,503 mi | |
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights:Concealment Devices | 10 | — | — | 57,676 mi | |
| Steering:Rack And Pinion:Rack | 8 | — | — | 92,250 mi | |
| Electrical System:Ignition | 7 | — | 1 | 210,000 mi | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 7 | — | 1 | — | |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components | 6 | — | — | — | |
| Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist System | 6 | — | — | 88,317 mi | |
| Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer | 6 | — | — | 98,633 mi | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 5 | — | 1 | 117,724 mi | |
| Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner | 5 | — | — | — | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 5 | — | — | 65,000 mi | |
| Suspension Failures | 5 | 1 | — | 51,500 mi | |
| Electrical System:Wiring | 4 | — | 2 | — | |
| Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Fuel Pump | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage | 4 | 1 | — | — |
Exterior Lighting:Headlights
74
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
66,816
Steering:Rack And Pinion
51
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
93,658
Engine & Cooling
37
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
22
Avg Miles
116,206
Engine Problems
33
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
11
Avg Miles
133,710
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline
28
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
2
Avg Miles
95,000
Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls
26
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
56,866
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
22
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Electrical Faults
18
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
10
Avg Miles
90,699
Automatic Transmission
17
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
105,002
Steering Defects
17
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
3
Avg Miles
128,266
Airbags
14
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
—
Avg Miles
39,950
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
14
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
5
Avg Miles
109,838
Air Bags:Frontal
11
complaints
Crashes
7
Fires
—
Avg Miles
100,929
Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery
11
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
62,503
Exterior Lighting:Headlights:Concealment Devices
10
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
57,676
Steering:Rack And Pinion:Rack
8
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
92,250
Electrical System:Ignition
7
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
210,000
Unintended Acceleration
7
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
—
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components
6
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist System
6
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
88,317
Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer
6
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
98,633
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System
5
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
117,724
Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner
5
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Headlight/Taillight Failures
5
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
65,000
Suspension Failures
5
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
51,500
Electrical System:Wiring
4
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
2
Avg Miles
—
Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash
4
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Fuel Pump
4
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage
4
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Recalls for 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix
1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting ~1,003,556 vehicles.
15V701000Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:manifold/header/muffler/tail Pipe · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine
~1,003,556 affectedGeneral Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 1998-1999 Chevrolet Lumina and Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1997-2004 Buick Regal and Pontiac Grand Prix, 2000-2004 Chevrolet Impala, and 1998-2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. The affected vehicles were previously repaired under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 to address the possibility that engine oil may drip onto the hot exhaust manifold.
Other Pontiac Grand Prix Years
1998 Pontiac Grand Prix — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix reliable?
Verdict: High Complaint Volume. The 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix has 618 NHTSA complaints, 25 crash-related, and 1 recall campaign. The most common issue is Exterior Lighting:Headlights with 74 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix?
Top reported problems: Exterior Lighting:Headlights (74 complaints, avg 66,816 mi); Steering:Rack And Pinion (51 complaints, avg 93,658 mi); Engine & Cooling (37 complaints, avg 116,206 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 92,164 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix?
NHTSA complaints for the 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix include 25 crash-related reports, 76 fire reports, 27 injuries, and 1 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix have any recalls?
Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 1,003,556 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix?
This year has a higher-than-normal complaint volume. It's not an automatic no, but focus inspection on the top reported issue (exterior lighting:headlights) and verify open recalls have been addressed.
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.
Wider context: See the full Pontiac Grand Prix reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.
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