What breaks most · 1990 to 1993 model years
Pontiac LeMans problems by year
Owners have filed 88 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Pontiac LeMans across model years 1990 to 1993. Three years stand out: 1990 for seat belts complaints, 1991 for seat belts complaints and 1992 for seat belts complaints.
- Years to check closely: 1990, 1991, 1992
- Complaints on file
- 881990 to 1993, all trims
- Worst year
- 199025 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 113 fires · 11 injuries · 0 deaths
- Recall campaigns
- 10Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | 3 | 3 | Seat belts (8) | |
| 24 | 3 | 3 | Seat belts (12) | |
| 21 | 2 | 2 | Seat belts (12) | |
| 18 | 3 | 2 | Seat belts (8) |
What fails on the 1990 Pontiac LeMans
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat belts | 32% |
8 | 0 | Check recalls for seat belts on NHTSA.gov |
| Brakes (hydraulic)Brake pads, rotors and calipers | 24% |
6 | 0 | Shop brakes (hydraulic) parts for the 1990 Pontiac LeMans |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 16% |
4 | 2 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 8% |
2 | 0 | Shop engine and cooling parts for the 1990 Pontiac LeMans |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 8% |
2 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 1990 Pontiac LeMans |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 8% |
2 | 2 | Shop speed control and throttle parts for the 1990 Pontiac LeMans |
| VisibilityMirrors and glass | 4% |
1 | 0 | Shop all visibility parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| SuspensionStruts, springs and control arms | 4% |
1 | 0 | Shop suspension parts for the 1990 Pontiac LeMans |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
Experience brake malfunction, when front brakes heat up, pads wear excessively, pedal goes to floor, brake action inadequate normal stop and go conditions. *ak
-
Right after turning off the igntion vehicle caught on fire in the dash area. Owner was able to put out the fire. The problem was reported to the dealership. Vehicle is being repaired. Also, windshield wiper motor/transmission and wires are being replaced. *ak
-
Upon applying brake during panic stop, at approx. 10-12mph, brake pedal went to floor, allowing vehicle to continue to roll forward, no prior warning. Tt
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Pontiac LeMans years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 1990, 1991, 1992 carry the most filings on the Pontiac LeMans. The 1990 alone has 25 complaints, led by seat belts.
What is the most common Pontiac LeMans problem?
On the 1990 model year, the most-reported component is seat belts with 8 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.