Pontiac Grand Prix: Problems & Solutions

smokeyjoe1

i hope someone here can give me some suggestions on my problem so that maybe i can narrow it down to just a few things to look for. ok for starters...i just rebuilt the engine(3.1M) because of a blown intake gasket that leaked water into the oil. the heads were reworked and the block was bored by a mechanic. i bought a master kit that replaced everything except the pushrods and the rocker arms. i got it all together and installed back into the car. on initial startup it sounded good...like a new engine should. i let it run for probably 30 minutes and shut it off. the next day i decided i was going to drive it up the road for a test drive. when i first cranked it up, it smoked(blue i think). anyway i drove it down the road for a couple miles and the smoking stopped. on the way back to the house i let it get up to about 50 miles an hour and i floored it, kicking it in passing gear. it ran great! but as i was pulling back into the drive, my wife said she could hear ticking. i got out and sure enough, it was ticking pretty loud. ive tried everything i could think of to isolate the problem. its on the back head. i thought that maybe it was do to one of the old pushrods or rocker arms i put back in it....so i pulled all the pushrods and rockers off the front...even the lifters and put them on the back hoping that the sound would switch to the front if it was one of those. but no luck the sound is still on the back. i was told by someone that works alot on engines that it could be a valve problem(not seating or something like that...making the noise, because the guy that reworked the heads didnt grind them) i dont know but i figure you guys here would probably be my best chance at finding a solution to this. sorry for the log post but i wanted you to know the whole story about whats going on here. please help

mastaviper

When I try to turn on the fan I get a winding sound. Is that the blower motor? And where is it located?

seyad96

I have a 98 GP GT that I bought in 01. At around 65k miles, I experienced a similar sound. It began in the summer (Las Vegas) and thought it was because the AC was on. Then came the fall and the noise got louder. My mechanic (I'm car-repair-impaired) replaced a loose pulley (on the belt somewhere) and the Power Steering pump and the sound went away. The car runs awesome now. Also did the 90k service at 80k with all synthetic oil, new wix filters, spark plugs wires, and radiator flush; nice improvement and smoother ride. Luckily I did the hoses and thermostat this past summer and helped keep the cost down. My wife drives an 01 BMW X5 and this GP has had far LESS issues than it.

Hope this helps

seyad96

See message 173, might be your problem.

jr_little

Check your key it has a chip in it and it could be weak and not working right I had that go wrong in my 2000 grand prix so start there. It sends a signal to the computer and if the signal is weak or not right the computer shuts off the car it is a theft design that pontiac has on the cars I think it sucks. well good luck.

jr_little

I have a 2000 grand prix and the tranny is making a loud rubbing noise. When i make a left hand turn the noise fades a little bit but is still there and then when I straiten back out the noise is very loud I can feel it in the gas peddle. But when I make a right hand turn the noise is there the whole time. It not a wheel baring cuz I replaced that already.
Can any one help I think it is the tranny baring.

alcan

Which wheel bearing did you replace? If the noise fades when you turn left but gets louder when you turn right, it's usually the left side wheel bearing because turning left takes load off the left side.

ken1776

2001 GP-GT 3.8L lost power on hills eventually died! Towed to shop, after a while they found a hole in the “plastic” intake manifold. Looks like it melted through, hole is on the engine side of the throttle body flange. I’m pissed, mechanic called the dealer for new part, dealer said this is not an uncommon problem, Well it should be! Anyone ever hear of this, also want to bring this to someone’s attention “saved old manifold” would like some advise.

lstutz

My 2001 GP-GT 3.8L was losing power for a couple weeks, no get up and go and one day on my drive to work started chugging a bit. Got it to the shop and my upper intake manifold (as they called it) had melted. I also had a whole eaten through my catalytic convertor which needed replaced. I have 122000 miles on my car so I thought putting 1000 dollar in it wasnt too bad, but after reading more and more on this it seems that this is a problem that GM should be looking into. I do not know much about cars but would be interested in knowing if anyone else has had these problems.

tquinn

Wondering if this is a sign of thinks to come. :confuse: Bought the car new and after 22,000 miles took the car to the dealer for a ticking noise in right side of engine compartment that increased as did the RPM. Diagnosed on Tuesday afternoon as a broken camshaft. Estimated time to fix:Thursday night. Called dealer today (Thursday) to inquire. Parts have not yet arrived. Dealer is waiting on camshaft, gasket kits, push rod, and other various pieces. Any ideas as to how this happened. What should I be on the look out for once I get my car back? Really have liked the car up until now. Has this happened to anyone else and was there a parts availability problem?

In response to the Intake Manifold situation... I work for a radiator wholesaler and we began purchasing the intake manifolds from Delphi (FH10095) for resale . After one month of selling a ton of them, we were informed by Delphi that the dealerships had complained that so many aftermarket companies had begun to sell the OEM parts. Delphi caved and will no longer offer the intake to anyone other than the dealer network. I do know that some parts stores are selling an aftermarket replacement for around $100 - $115. The literature says that they have reinforced this and that... All I can say for sure is that when we had them, they sold like hotcakes.

Mr_Shiftright

Common problem, yes.

ken1776

Thanks, same problem, "catalytic convertor" Our car only has 79K, will pay the bill but won't buy another GM :mad:

kemo4

my 92 grand prix has a fuel problem it runs good . for about 30 min then it starts acting like it is running out of gas. and dies and will not start for a about an hour. then it runs good for a while please help .

art00

I am having a similar problem, have you figuered out what is wrong with the car. If so I really need to know.

art00

I really need help, my 99 pontiac rpm gets stuck and the track light comes on after a drive for a while. problem goes away when i disconnect the battery. The car has also left me stranded it turns off on occasions.

mdotson

I have a 2002 Grand Prix. The display on the radio would go blank periodically. Pushing the corner of the display would sometimes bring it back. The problem turned out to be a bad connection on the socket for the backlight to the display. You have to take the radio out and apart to get to it.

mdotson

See message 187

lohn

My wife has a 2002 Grand Prix, in the past two days I have gone outside after the car has been off for hrs and found the blower going. The first time I just started up the car and shut it off and the blower stopped. Today how ever it wouldn't go off unless I had the blower on high. Has anyone else had this problem, and if so how do I fix it
Thanks John

waughtal

Hi. I am having the same problems with my 98 Grand Prix GT. In addition to not being able to remove the key, sometimes the car won't crank at all. When I turn the key--I get a clicking noise. Battery is good and connections are good---Headlights don't dim at all when this happens, so I know the starter is not engaging at all. Problems are intermittent but becoming more frequent as time goes by.

waughtal

I have a 98 grand prix GT and was having a problem with a fuse blowing--fuse was for the taillights and the instrument panel lights. Brake lights were ok. I was on the road at night, and desperately needed the taillights, so I put a 5 amp larger fuse in. Probably not a good idea. Fixed the taillight problem and I was able to make it home. Never had another problem with the taillights, however, I smelled a burning smell I think was coming from under the dash. The instrument panel lights no longer work at all. Any ideas which part is bad? Is there a control module for the dash lights that is tied to the photoelectric sensor? Thanks

ken1776

Thank's for the input, turns out the guy in the cube next to me has an 00 with the same problem, go figure :lemon: If I have to take the radio out then I'm gettin a better radio!

meetbabu

I am having the same problem too with 98 Grand Prix GTP. It started happening recently. did u get your problem fixed?

slohandle

I had the same crazy problem with my '01 GTP kept blowing fuses on the fuel pump circuit.
Dealer had the car for 2 weeks (warantee?)...jerked out the whole harness ...turned out to be a board short inside the tank! It's on the fuel pump assy or near it. It has a single rivet through it that losens and bends a wire...going down a hill would cause it to blow. Fixed after a call to GM to get a specialist to help the dealer out. Hope this helps you, several of these cases have been reported. Good thing it caused no spark in tank!!!

tpitts

I am currently having the exact problem with my 99 GTP. First had the relay replaced. 2 months later it went again and was replaced under warranty. One week later same problem...starts for about 3 seconds then dies. Mechanic figured it was a bad Fuel Pump $1084 to replace the fuel pump thanks to GM's pathetically high prices...ran fine at dealership...drove it home and 25 minutes after leaving the shop....it died again on start-up. Back to the shop tomorrow to see what else it could be....any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

ocmike3

if it happens often enough the shop can send you out with a portable data logging unit that can capture the codes when the problem happens. The shop I use offered this one time when I had a brake sensor light keep coming on nd they couldn't diagnose. (Ended up being a brake sensor that had been knocked loose when they rotated the tires. A savvy mechanic diagnosed it when he heard a funny click while driving it out of the shop stall)

gmfan007

This question is in reference to our '98 GT 3.8 liter (not supercharged), but could refer to any engine I guess. At 45,000 miles, oil leaks have developed at both valve covers and the oil pan. Not major leaks, but enough to leave a few annoying drops on the garage floor about every other day. I have been the primary driver (at least 90%) since it was new and do mostly city driving. I almost always downshift when slowing or coming to a stop. Question: Does this downshifting cause abnormal oil amounts and/or pressures in the upper engine block which could promote leakage? I guess I do this downshifting of the automatic mostly from habit. It does save on brake pads. Still have lots of the original pads front and rear. (Our last 2 front drive Buicks went through front pads about every 20,000 miles.) Thanks for the help.

ken1776

Tried your solution by pushing the corners of the display with no results . Then I poked it with my index finger a few times the other day :mad: now it works again :confuse: talked to my wife today and it still works but overall I still think the car is my last GM :lemon:

sparty1

My 2002 Ponitac Grand Prix blower quit working for speeds 1 & 2 only. The others (3, 4, &5) work just fine. I've looked at the fuse box, but can only see a fuse for "HVAC Blower-High" but nother for the other speeds. Any ideas?

ken1776

The switch needs to be replaced, I think this goes on every GP.

alcan

Check the blower motor resistor.

98gp

I bought a 1998 Grand Prix about a year ago. My battery died and now my stero is locked and after reading my manual it states I need a code to unlock my stereo system. I called a local dealer and they said service might be able to get code for a charge???? Does anyone have any idea how I can get the code without having to take it to the dealer. (of course I no longer have the previous owners number)
Thanks to anyone that might be able to help!

mikelee

Fuel Pump is your problem. A dealer can hook up a guage on the top side of your engine and check the pressure. Definitely will be low and changing the pump will fix your problem for sure.

mikelee

Welcome to the 3.8 Liter GM engine. Oil leaks are quite common from valve covers and intake manafold. Wish I could be of more help but I don't think it's your driving habits.

97redgp

http://www.talkaboutautos.com/group/alt.autos.camaro.firebird/messages/277835.html

That might do the trick. Had to do this one time after installing subs since we disconnected the battery.

If that doesn't work, a quick google search can do wonders.

- Shawn

gmfan007

Thanks for the feedback. I went ahead with the repairs and all seems fine now. Can you believe? .... they get 6.9 hrs. labor to replace the oil pan gasket alone. I heard they have to pull the engine from its mounts to get at the oil pan (at least on the Grand Prix).

This is our second 3.8 liter GM engine. The first (not a Series II) was in an '87 Buick LeSabre. That was many years ago, but I don't recall it ever having an oil leak. It was close to 90,000 miles when we traded it. (I do recall it having gone thru 3 water pumps however.) We never downshifted that car. The mechanic agreed with you that my driving habits had no effect. But, I read years ago that downshifting (as in race cars with manual transmissions) forces more oil up into the heads. Makes me wonder.

trq

I'm getting a e-20 error code on my cd player for my 2000 Gt Grand Prix. It ejects all the cd's and than a error code appears. Any suggestions?

tross

John,

I have a 2000 Grand Prix 3.8 v6 and I am experiencing the same problem. Mine started on May 7th. I was driving with my AC on and had the fan set on 2 and it started blowing on High. I turned off the AC, but it didn't stop. When I shut the car off it still continued. The only thing I could do was to pull the HVAC fuse until I can get it fixed. I have been told by several mechanics that it is probably my blower switch (but noone has actually looked at it yet.) Keep me posted if you find out anything and I will do the same.
T Ross

98gp

Thanks Shawn, I will try it tomorrow. And I did a google search and that is how I found this site. Wish me luck!

Robin

augieblew

Hi miked2, It seems to me that the safety switch on your shifter may be the
culprit. Try putting the car in "Neutral" and then start it. If this works then that
switch is touchy. (note) Cars only start in "PARK" or "Neutral". also be aware
that on some you will need the "KEY" turned a click,and your foot ON the Brake
in order to shift the trans. to Neutral. (Automatic Trans) GoodLuck hope this works. augieblew

jplipp

I have a 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix that has been an excellent car. Just lately I have noticed that the transmission has began to shift hard intermittenly. It seems to only do it when it's running a while (Interstate, stop and go traffic). Is changing the fluid and filter a good start?

grandprixkid

hey there just wondering if you figured out your problem cause i also have a 2001 grand prix gt and it is doing the same thing yours is. when i drive for longer then 30mins is when the jolting starts. its really pissing me off and my mechanic just keeps giving me a run around. please help

grandprixkid

hhmm this seems to be a big problem with the grand prix's mines doing the same thing can't figure it out?

cindy62

Wow...I had this problem last summer, my fuses kept blowing..then all of a sudden it was fine...TILL TONITE! The car will not start, replaced fuse about 5 times, it kept blowing..now it wont start at all....

Any ideas on what it is that I should tell the mechanic tomorrow so I dont spend a zillion dollars.

My car also has a short, the window wont go down sometimes, the horn honks at times when driving, the radio flashes weird letters and numbers....

any help would be apprecaited!

Single mom here, cant afford to spend a fortune!

Cindy

cindy62

My 2002 does the same thing! Good grief, only 3, 4, and 5 work for me too!!

2002gtp

My wife was driving our 2000 Grand Prix gtp today and it died on the highway,she pulled over and the car was dead. She was able to start the car but it would die after 5 seconds any time she tried it....anyone have any ideas on what the problem may be

mrrogers

Please see posts # 119 and 120.

ted10

I am having the same problem. I have checked the switch and it is ok. Where is the resistor located ? Thanks.

christina1981

Hi,
I had the same problem that when my car died the radio got locked...I've also tried the web site you provided but the account# for the phone # you gave doesn't work anymore...is there anything else I can do? or is there another # I can try...I think its ridiculous for me to pay to get a code that they should of provided me with when I purchased the vehicle in the first place.

Thanks
Christina

gmfan007

If I recall (when my car battery died 3 years ago) ... if the car is new (not pre-owned or a new unit is installed), it comes unlocked. But, if you opt to engage the Theft Lock feature, you had better remember or write down the code you entered and store it in a safe place at home for future reference. There is no way anyone else can figure out the code. I think the dealer said they can remove the unit and send it off to be unlocked for about $200. When we traded our last vehicle, I unlocked the radio so the new owner would not have to go thru what you're experiencing.

2gps

Same problem on my '99. Every time I think I found "the trick" it turns out it doesn't really work long term. I've been told the whole column that houses the ignition switch needs to be replaced, at a cost of roughly $400, so with 113, 000 miles on the car, I'm living with it.