On May 27th 2023 just three days ago I went to start my car but it would not start, I tried two times then I smelled gas so I let it sit over night then the next day my friend went out to start it for me and it made a loud bang and the intake manifold exploded causing a fire and debris went everywhere, my is lucky he got away from the when he did or he would have been injured maybe even killed from the flames. I did not take any photos or report to anyone, a neighbor heard the load bang and came out to see if anyone was ok. There were no warning signals that appeared to my knowledge. There were 200,000 miles on the vehicle at time of the incident.
Pontiac Grand Prix won't start problems
59 of the 5,184 owner complaints about the Pontiac Grand Prix describe won't start, most of them for the 2004 model year.
- owner complaints
- 59
- worst model year
- 2004
- typical repair cost reported
- $900
- typical mileage
- 113,000
Is there a fix? There are 4 recalls for this area of the car. See below
By model year
Often reported together
Stalling 7Fuel pump 6Fire or smoke 5Loss of power 4Headlights 4Check engine light 4Jerking 2ABS 2
Trouble codes mentioned
B3055 1B2960 1
What owners say
The ignition key gets suck and won't turn and leaves marks on key. Sometimes the key won't start the car
I am driving down hwy 311 in houma, la. I went around another vehicle and as my car went into passing gear I hear a noise from under the hood. I stopped and put gas in my car. As I'm driving down savanne road I hear the noise again. As I'm driving the noise gets louder and worse. On june 10, 2020 the car starts getting hot so I pull over and shut the engine off. Smoke starts coming out the hood and water is all over the ground. Can't find where the water spewed out at or a crack or anything. Fans are constantly not working. This is the second time this happens. Car wouldn't start. Get it started and immediately went straight home. The bearings are going out in the engine. I bought the car in february 2013 and have had problems since march 2013. Ac goes out. I fix it. It works a week or 2 and stops again. Abs light is on but a mechanic cannot diagnose the problem. Service engine light stays on no matter what. The pieces on the outside of the doors have fallen off, once while I was driving. I always have trouble starting it. Changed the battery 3 times. The headlights are not bright and the housings for them are horrible. The sunroof leaks into the dome light. The driver side seat belt gets stuck down and I have to fight with it to get it up to buckle it. The whole car should be recalled and on the list of worst cars numbers 1 thru 20 with others after. I'm getting rid of this car and never buying another pontiac grand prix gt.
Pontiac wont start, changed starter, saw recall for ignition switch. Rack & pinion leak, cover gasket leak, saw recall. Air bag code came up.
My car wouldn't start so I called aaa. The man tried to start the car before he attempted to jump it. When he turned the key, the car exploded and caught fire. Thank goodness he hadn't opened the hood because I was standing next to the car and could have been killed from the flying debris. When we opened the hood to put out the fire, the intake manifold was completely destroyed and in pieces. I ended up having the car towed and they replaced the intake manifold and the fuel rails costing me $900. Yesterday I went to start the car and it acted like it didn't want to start again but finally it did but I did hear a pop. When I researched the problem online, I found an article about chevy impalas exploding but from reading the comments, it appears this is a problem with all gm cars from that time period. I'm linkng the article so you can read the reviews and can see that this is still an ongoing problem. The opening comment explains that there was a previous recall about this very same problem in the late 1990's. The problem is with defective fuel pressure regulators. Everything described is exactly what happened with my car on february 6 of this year. I now know I need to have the regulator replaced or it might happen again. I'm a senior on limited income and I can't afford this expense, especially when it's a problem that should have been fixed with a recall. Unfortunately, I didn't take any photos of the incident but I have the repair bill and I'm sure I could get a statement from the aaa person who was also present when it happened. Here is the link for further testimony showing someone wrote as recently as february 12 with the same issue. Https://rjhillconsulting.wordpress.com/2014/03/08/chevy-impala-not-recalled-for-exploding-intake-manifold-and-engine-fire/
I bought my car used, and a few weeks later it was having a problem with "charging system failure" when I would try to turn it on and it would not start, in stationary position. At the time, my car key had 3 other keys plus a small keychain, and a clasp to hook onto a belt loop or something. After I took off the clasp, I haven't had any major problems, just every once in a while. I'm wondering what can be done since there was a recall specifically for this and it was never taken care of prior to me buying it.
Key turns over but won't start
I filed a complaint in aug of 2017. Never heard anything. My car is worse. In the shop again. The car will die out in park or while driving it. Dies out waiting at a red light or at a stop sign. It also starts when it wants to start. The engine cranks over normally when you attempt to start the car, but the engine does not start at first attempt. Can take up to 4 attempts and 15 minutes (give or take minutes) between each attempt to finally start. 3 auto places and no one can find out what it wrong. This car can cause an accident when it dies out while driving.
The problem started with "starting disabled due to theft system". Upon further investigation I got body codes b3055 and b2960. Upon further investigation I found online this to be a real problem for a lot of people due to the pk3 sensor in the ignition. The problem happened when the battery had died. I jumped started the car as per the manual instructs, drove into town "1 mile from home" left it running the 20 min I was there come home and parked it. Next morning it wouldn't start and the info screen said starting disabled due to the ft mode. Everything oint to a faulty ignition and pk3 sensor in ignition switch not allowing it to read the ECM.
Recall for my car 14v400. I was given 2 little key rings for my keys, and a little black rubber insert was placed in the key slot. The rubber insert, by the way, always comes out (3 days after it was put in) it will not stay in at all. I am very worried driving my car. My car has died out 3 times at a red light after I had the little key rings and rubber insert. ( I have nothing on my car key hanging when it goes into my ignition ) . I do have proof of one time it died out, its on paper from spitzer's auto. They were trying to find out why my car won't start at first attempt, and why it totally dies out. This issue is still going on. It is really getting worse. It will not start on 2nd or 3rd try any more (waiting for 10 min. In- between tries. Its worse, it takes 20 min to 40 min in-between tries for it to start. My car dies out on me at red lights, its a shorter time period in-between tries. When it dies out, takes 10 to 15 minute wait, try to start it again, it will start. I dont feel safe in my car. I really need this looked into. From reading the paper I was sent explaining about the recall .. I feel that if my car ignition is going to the "run" position, by itself, then the key rings and rubber insert did not fix the problem. If you need any further info please let me know. Thank you .it is asking down below "when did this happen" ..I have several dates, it will only let me choose one.
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
- What is wrong
- General 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.
- Risk
- Engine oil that drips onto the hot surface of the exhaust manifold may result in a fire.
- Remedy
- The remedy applied under recalls 08V‑118, 09V‑116, and 15V‑201 did not adequately remove the safety risk. Under the improved remedy, dealers will replace the engines front valve cover and gasket. Vehicles that are covered by recalls 08V‑118, 09V‑116, or 15V‑201 that have not yet received the original remedy will instead receive the improved remedy under the original recall number. The recall began on February 19, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑222‑1020, Buick customer service at 1‑800‑521‑7300, Oldsmobile customer service at 1‑800‑442‑6537 and Pontiac customer service at 1‑800‑458‑8006. GM's number for this recall is 15757. Note: Until the improved remedy has been applied, owners are advised to park their vehicle outside since the fire risk exists even when the vehicle is unattended.
Recall number 15V701000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling: engine
- What is wrong
- General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on April 2, 2015, that they are is recalling certain model year 2004 Buick Regal vehicles manufactured April 9, 2003, to June 1, 2003, 2004 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactured April 8, 2003, to June 23, 2003, and 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles manufactured April 7, 2003, to June 23, 2003. On May 18, 2015, GM expanded the recall to cover an additional 49,751 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles manufactured January 6, 2003, to June 25, 2004. In the affected vehicles, the valve cover gasket may leak.
- Risk
- The leaking engine oil can drip onto the hot surface of the exhaust manifold, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will remove the plastic cover and plastic oil fill tube extension and replace the front valve cover and gasket. These repairs will be done free of charge. The recall began on April 24, 2015. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1‑800‑521‑7300, Pontiac customer service at 1‑800‑762‑2737 or Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑222‑1020. GM's number for this recall is 14574.
Recall number 15V201000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling
- What is wrong
- General motors is recalling 1,497,516 my 1997-2003 buick regal, my 1998-2003 chevrolet lumina, monte carlo and impala, my 1998-1999 oldsmobile intrigue, my 1997-2003 pontiac grand prix vehicles equipped with a 3.8l v6 naturally aspirated engine. Some of these vehicles have a condition in which drops of engine oil may be deposited on the exhaust manifold through hard braking.
- Risk
- 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.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the engines front valve cover and front-valve-cover gasket with new parts of an improved design and remove the engines plastic cover and plastic oil-fill-tube extension, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during may 2016. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑630‑2438, oldsmobile at 1‑800‑630‑6537, and pontiac at 1‑800‑620‑7668 or http://www.pontiac.com or http:www.gmownercenter.com.
Recall number 09V116000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling
- What is wrong
- Gm is recalling 207,542 my 1997-2003 buick regal and pontiac grand prix vehicles equipped with a 3.8l supercharged v-6 engine. 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.
- Risk
- Certain underhood fires may be caused by drops of engine oil, from seepage or spillage, being 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, in some instances, the fire may spread to the plastic spark plug wire channel and beyond.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the engines front valve cover and front-valve-cover gasket with new parts of an improved design and remove the engines plastic cover and plastic oil-fill-tube extension, along with the 1-3-5 spark plug wire retainers, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during may 2016. , free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during may 2016. Until the remedy is completed, gm strongly recommends that owners observe the following important precautions (1) that owners do not park their vehicle in a garage, car port, or other structure; (2) if owners notice a burning odor, they should have their dealer inspect the vehicle. The dealer will inspect the vehicle without charge; (3) use premium fuel (91 octane or higher) in the vehicle as recommended in the vehicle's owner manual. Owners may contact buick at 1‑866‑608‑8080 or pontiac at 1‑800‑620‑7668, or through their website at http://www.gmownercenter.com .
Recall number 08V118000 · Recall details
Questions about the Pontiac Grand Prix won't start
Which Pontiac Grand Prix years have won't start problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2004 (9 complaints), 2008 (8 complaints) and 2007 (7 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix won't start on the Pontiac Grand Prix?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $900 (median of 5 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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