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Pontiac Grand Prix headlights problems

515 of the 5,184 owner complaints about the Pontiac Grand Prix describe headlights failing or too dim, most of them for the 1997 model year.

owner complaints
515
worst model year
1997
typical repair cost reported
$300
typical mileage
93,550
Is there a fix? There are 2 recalls for this area of the car. See below

By model year

What owners say

Filed Oct 2, 2026 · Lights · MO

Took it in to Valvoline for an oil change and they checked the headlights,blinkers etc.They could not get main headlights to come on so they replaced them and they still would not come on.Told me I was going to have to take it to a mechanic.High beams and fog lights work but replaced bulbs and still no low beam headlights.There should be a recall on this since so many are having an issue.

Filed Feb 17, 2026 · Lights · MI

Low beam lights quit randomly, running lights did once too. This has happened multiple times so I switch to hi beams before I crash. This is a documented safety issue and recall should include my car.

Filed Aug 3, 2023 · Electrical, Lights · SC

My headlights quit working while I was driving with no warning

Filed Mar 28, 2023 · Lights · 102,000 miles · TN

The contact owns a 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix. The contact stated while driving at night the headlights had started to fail and would not properly illuminate. The contact stated that the fog lights and hi-beam worked as designed. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer in 2021 to be repaired under the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 15V519000 (Exterior Lighting); however, the contact stated that following the recall repair, the headlights started to fail. The contact was informed that the vehicle would be diagnosed and repaired out-of-pocket. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000.

Filed Sep 23, 2022 · Engine, Fuel system · ID

Not sure if the problem is in the engine or engine or the fuel but I but I smell Exhaust or gas when the engine is running. With the headlights I can barely see at night. Having my brights on Is like having your regular lights on.

Filed May 7, 2021 · Lights · IL

My vihicle turns off the low beams when I am driving and I can have an accident

Filed Apr 4, 2021 · Electrical, Engine · 170,000 miles · AR

I have same problem as others. Have been able to start car sometimes by putting it in neutral. Several years ago I left the car with our son to see if he could figure out the problem because my wife quit driving the car after being stranded a few times. When using blinkers the high beam would come on. It has a roaring sound like a wheel bearing going out.the key fob doesn't work. I've been told the bcm body control module could be causing problems. Had estimate of $500 to replace and program new bcm.. We have towed car home after going to store. I used to drive otr so we got a second vehicle to drive. After reading other posts on this car 4/4/2021 I don't think I want to put more money into it. Especially when I've read gm techs can't fix the problems.. Once the vacuum line to brake booster came off when my wife was going down hill. I put the line back on, it hasn't done that again. We have not driven the car out of town for fear of it breaking down. And shops not being able to tell us what is wrong with it.. I tied a cable on trunk release so I can open trunk. . We did love the car when it was running. Has 193,000k at this time. Has stalled/quit on city streets. And we quit driving it on highway.

Filed Mar 1, 2021 · Acceleration, Lights · 218,000 miles · KS

My power steering went out and when you try to go over 40 the car lunges forward and has a hard time shifting and will continue while in cruise control. I already had work done on the fuel line cause the line was clogged and the vehicle would lunge forward cause the fuel wasn't getting pushed through. My power steering went out after my boyfriend parked it. He only noticed it when he tried driving away and he couldn't turn the wheel like usual. The cruise control does its thing while in motion. Also the headlamps! The brights stay on, you have to hold the dimmer switch back to get the brights to turn off but if you let go of the switch they turn on and flash people. It only turns off when turning left. The AC compressor blew too. I had bought the vehicle 3 years ago during the winter so it was blowing cold air, but when summer hit is when I noticed it was only blowing air from outside into the cab. The heater works, but the AC doesn't. My boyfriend was driving home recently and couldn't move the steering wheel and almost had a head on collision because of the power steering. The power steering happened in town at his place of work and had to drive on the highway to come home. The cruise happens on the highway. The headlamps is a constant thing, we pulled the fuse that controls the brights and the dims worked just fine, but it's hard to drive at night without brights.

Filed Oct 14, 2020 · Lights · 194,000 miles · AR

My 2007 pontiac grand prix had a headlamp switch problem. I would be driving at night and the headlights would just go out. Sometimes if you'd keep them on low beam you'd have lights. But sometimes even this didn't work. There was a recall in this so I took it in for the repair. It worked for a couple of months but then quit working and the lights would go out again. We parked the car for a while. Then gave it to my daughter and her husband. We recently got the car back from my daughter because they had because of the same reason. They were having the same problem. I called a gm dealership here in town and they said it wasn't covered. I then called gm directly and was told that I would be responsible for the repair.

Filed Oct 3, 2020 · Electrical, Engine · 90,000 miles · UT

I have a secondary air issue that we can't seem to get fixed, even with all the parts we have replaced. Also at night every time I use my blinker the high beams come on and won't turn off. The issue is when im driving at night it seems to happen when my blinker clicks back into place.

Related recalls

Exterior lighting: headlightsReported August 14, 2015 · 429,170 vehicles affected
What is wrong
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix, 2006-2009 Buick LaCrosse, 2006-2007 Buick Rainier, Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT, GMC Envoy XL, 2006-2008 Isuzu Ascender, and Saab 9-7x vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the headlamp driver module (HDM) may overheat and fail, causing the headlamps and daytime running lights to not illuminate.
Risk
Headlamps that do not illuminate reduce the driver's ability to see the roadway and reduce the vehicle's visibility to oncoming vehicles, both of which increase the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the HDM, free of charge. The recall began on May 17, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1‑800‑521‑7300 or Pontiac customer service at 1‑800‑762‑2737. GM's number for this recall is 14291.

Recall number 15V519000 · Recall details

Exterior lighting: brake lights: switchReported October 16, 1990 · 476,422 vehicles affected
What is wrong
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
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.

Recall number 90V185000 · Recall details

Questions about the Pontiac Grand Prix headlights

Which Pontiac Grand Prix years have headlights failing or too dim problems?

The model years with the most reports are 1997 (141 complaints), 2007 (90 complaints) and 1998 (87 complaints).

How much does it cost to fix headlights failing or too dim on the Pontiac Grand Prix?

Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $300 (median of 27 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.

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