Is the 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix a bad year?
306 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine complaints: 153, 4.8× a quiet Grand Prix year.
Consider selling
Half of all engine complaints about the 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix were filed between 88k and 160k miles. You're at 120,000 miles.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2001 Grand Prix owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 120,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| EngineSTANDS OUT | 140 (46%) | 90k–170k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Electrical system | 59 (19%) | 71k–155k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Fuel system | 23 (8%) | 78k–150k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Air bags | 10 (3%) | 78k–150k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 22 (7%) | 42k–90k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Steering | 21 (7%) | 41k–100k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 20 (7%) | 40k–78k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Exterior lighting | 18 (6%) | 58k–108k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Exhaust | 15 (5%) | 64k–105k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Brakes | 12 (4%) | 37k–119k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Suspension | 7 (2%) | 37k–105k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Engine and cooling | 14 (5%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Equipment | 11 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Speed control | 9 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 120,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 306 complaints: 13 mention a crash · 105 mention a fire · 7 report an injury · 12 say the car was towed.
No complaints in the last 12 months; the newest was filed in Sep 2022.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
My 2001 Pontiac gtp grand prix's engine caught on fire 10 to 15 minutes after I walked away to go to work. The car is a total loss.
'01 Pontiac grand Prix gtp caught on fire in my garage 5-10 minutes after being turned off. I had driven the car approx.
Got in car and turned ignition key. Heard a loud kaboom and smoke started pouring out from under the hood. No warning lights activated.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 120,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix: 10
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. Engine oil that drips onto the hot surface of the exhaust manifold may result in a fire.
These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." These lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors. Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
Some of these vehicles have a condition in which drops of engine oil may be deposited on the exhaust manifold through hard braking. 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 and beyond increasing the risk of an engine compartment fire.
These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." These lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors. Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
A potential material or design defect could result in the steering knuckle breaking in the hub area. A broken steering knuckle could result in loss of steering control and a possible crash without warning.
These vehicles have higher front rocker cover gasket temperatures, creating the potential for earlier degradation of the front rocker cover gasket and eventual oil seepage. Certain underhood fires may be caused by drops of engine oil, from seepage or spillage, being deposited on the exhaust manifold through hard braking.
Certain delphi fuel pressure regulators, p/nos. FP10020-11B1, FP10026-11B1, and FP10027-11B1, sold after january 9, 2007, as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles listed above. The universal pressure regulators (Upr) were produced without an o'ring and retainer. Fuel may leak, possibly resulting in a fire.
On certain passenger, sport utility vehicles and Mini vans, some of these vehicles have a passenger air bag that was manufactured without a check valve pin. An air bag without the check valve pin could produce increased pressure at the onset of the air bag deployment and reduced pressure afterward. This could increase the severity of injury to a person who was not properly restrained and who was close to the passenger air bag at the time of deployment.
Vehicle description: passenger, sport utility vehicles and minivans. The passenger air bag inflator modules were built without the correct amount of generant, which produces the gas that fills the air bag. Some were built with a double load of generant and some were built without generant. In the event of a crash that would trigger a passenger air bag deployment, a double load of generant can cause the inflator module to explode.
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles, light duty trucks, sport utility vehicles, and Mini vans equipped with trw seat belt buckle assemblies. In the event of a vehicle crash, the occupant may not be properly restrained.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Pontiac: 92
Repair instructions Pontiac sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Rough idle, Crank no start, extended crank or misfire, MIL with DTCs, and explains how Top Tier fuels should be used to reduce carbon build-up
Guidelines to replace Oil Cooler, Oil Cooler Lines and Oil Tank if the engine was replaced where large amounts of debris has flowed throughout the oiling system
Proper way to install the pistons in an engine
Will need to be provided to TAC to aid in diagnosing if a vehicle comes in with misfire and DTC Codes P0300 - P0308 and/or P050D
NHTSA defect investigations: 4
Engine compartment fire
Engine compartment fire
Loss of brake lamp illumination
Engine compartment fires
Neighbouring years
2000 Grand Prix: 459 complaints, consider selling · 2002 Grand Prix: 331 complaints, consider selling.
Every Pontiac Grand Prix year
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · All Grand Prix years side by side
Other Pontiac models: Pontiac Aztek · Pontiac Bonneville · Pontiac G5 · Pontiac G6 · Pontiac G8 · Pontiac GTO · Pontiac Grand Am · Pontiac Montana · Pontiac Solstice · Pontiac Sunfire · Pontiac Torrent · Pontiac Vibe. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix a bad year?
306 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine complaints: 153, 4.8× a quiet Grand Prix year. At 120,000 miles the tool says: Consider selling. Half of all engine complaints about the 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix were filed between 88k and 160k miles. You're at 120,000 miles.
What are the most common problems with the 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: engine (140), electrical system (59), fuel system (23), air bags (10), transmission and drivetrain (22). Half of the engine complaints were filed between 88k–160k miles.
How many recalls does the 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix have?
10 recall campaigns list this model year: Exhaust (NHTSA 15V-701), Exterior lighting (NHTSA 09E025000), Engine (NHTSA 09V-116), Exterior lighting (NHTSA 09E012000) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.