1991 Pontiac Lemans Problems: Seat belts (24 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 1991 Pontiac Lemans is Seat belts (50% of 24 owner reports). There are 3 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Seat belts — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 24 complaints · 3 recalls

What problems show up on the 1991 Pontiac Lemans?

12 of 24 filings named Seat belts (50% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Transmission / driveline (4 reports).

There are 3 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Seat belts. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 1990 has 25 reports on file; this year has 24. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 1991 Pontiac Lemans

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 3 campaigns on file below.
  2. Seat belts. Check that every belt latches, retracts and that related recalls are closed.
  3. Transmission / driveline. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped.
  4. Cruise / speed control. Test cruise control and ask about unintended-acceleration reports on this year.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Seat belts. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Seat belts 12 complaints · 50.0% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 3
  • Fires 2
  • Injuries 3
  • Deaths 0
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) appears in 12 of 24 owner complaints (50.0%) in this vehicle snapshot. Seat belts (SEAT BELTS): 12 complaints, 50.0% of reports Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 2 crash reports 12 · 50.0% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 4 complaints, 16.7% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 1 crash reports 1 fire reports 4 · 16.7% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 2 complaints, 8.3% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 2 · 8.3% Engine (ENGINE): 1 complaints, 4.2% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 1 fire reports 1 · 4.2% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 1 complaints, 4.2% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 1 · 4.2% Steering (STEERING): 1 complaints, 4.2% of reports Steering (STEERING) 1 · 4.2% Suspension (SUSPENSION): 1 complaints, 4.2% of reports Suspension (SUSPENSION) 1 · 4.2% Wheels (WHEELS): 1 complaints, 4.2% of reports Wheels (WHEELS) 1 · 4.2% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 16 complaints, 66.7% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 3 crash reports 2 fire reports 16 · 66.7% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 12 50.0% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 4 16.7% 1 crashes · 1 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 2 8.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 1 4.2% 0 crashes · 1 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 1 4.2% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING) 1 4.2% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Suspension (SUSPENSION) 1 4.2% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Wheels (WHEELS) 1 4.2% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 16 66.7% 3 crashes · 2 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jan 1995; the first recall shown was reported in Sep 1993. 1995-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 1995-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 1995-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 1995-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 1996-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 1996-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 1996-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 1997-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 1998-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 1998-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 1999-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 1999-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2000-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2002-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Jul 1991 May 2006 Recall campaign 93V154000 ◆ Recall campaign 93V154000 Recall campaign 94V248000 ◆ Recall campaign 94V248000 Recall campaign 06E043000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E043000 Investigation PE91101 ● Investigation PE91101 Investigation PE93078 ● Investigation PE93078 Investigation EA94004 ● Investigation EA94004
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
1995-Q1 Owner reports 5
1995-Q2 Owner reports 3
1995-Q3 Owner reports 2
1995-Q4 Owner reports 1
1996-Q1 Owner reports 1
1996-Q3 Owner reports 1
1996-Q4 Owner reports 1
1997-Q1 Owner reports 1
1998-Q1 Owner reports 1
1998-Q4 Owner reports 1
1999-Q1 Owner reports 3
1999-Q2 Owner reports 1
2000-Q2 Owner reports 2
2002-Q2 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 93V154000
Recall campaign 1 94V248000
Recall campaign 1 06E043000
Defect investigation 1 PE91101
Defect investigation 1 PE93078
Defect investigation 1 EA94004
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (3)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Seat belts.

  1. Recall campaign 06E043000

    Safety recall 06E043000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    THIS CONDITION MAY CAUSE AN INADEQUATE SEAL AT THE CONNECTION, POTENTIALLY LEADING TO A FUEL LEAK. IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE COULD OCCUR.
    Remedy:
    HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION 1).
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  2. Recall campaign 93V154000

    Seat belts

    Report date
    Component:
    Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
    Consequence:
    THE BUCKLE MALFUNCTION WOULD PREVENT THE USE OF THESAFETY BELT SYSTEM, PLACING THE FRONT SEAT OCCUPANT IN INCREASED RISK OF INJURYIN THE EVENT OF A SUDDEN STOP OR ACCIDENT.
    Remedy:
    REPLACE OR REPAIR THE SAFETY BELT BUCKLES.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  3. Recall campaign 94V248000

    Seat belts

    Report date
    Component:
    Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
    Consequence:
    THIS CONDITION CAN PREVENT A PERSON FROM USING THEIRRESTRAINT SYSTEM RESULTING IN AN INCREASED RISK OF INJURY IN AN ACCIDENT.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL LUBRICATE THE TRACK SYSTEM ON THESE VEHICLES.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 10 of 24 complaints · page 1 of 1
2002-06-11Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 566061
CrashFireInjuryDeath
VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING STEERING PROBLEMS. *YD
2000-06-08Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
NHTSA ODI 863259
CrashFireInjuryDeath
RECALL 94V248000/ MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELTS. INTERMITTENTLY, SHOULDER BELT GETS STUCK IN THE RAIL. DEALER DID PERFORM RECALL REPAIRS, BUT PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. *AK DURING RECALL REPAIR, THE BELT WAS GREASED BUT SHORTLY AFTER WARDS IT CONTINUED TO EITHER STOP HALF WAY OR NOT AT ALL. *YH
2000-05-22Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 862263
CrashFireInjuryDeath
DOOR ON DRIVER'S SIDE DID NOT STAY CLOSED BECAUSE THE LATCHING MECHANISM BROKE. A ROPE HAD TO BE TIED AROUND THE DOOR TO KEEP IT FROM OPENING. GMC WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. OWNER WAS TOLD THAT PART WAS NO LONGER MADE, AND TO TRY A JUNK YARD. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
1999-04-07Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 544854
CrashFireInjuryDeath
SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR LOCKS UP INTERMITTENTLY, ESPECIALLY AT STABLE SPEEDS. IF VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF WHILE RETRACTOR IS LOCKED UP, DRIVER IS PINNED TO SEAT UNTIL RETRACTOR SELF CORRECTS.(APPR 15 SECS).
1999-03-24Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL)
NHTSA ODI 544560
CrashFireInjuryDeath
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNWANTED ACCELERATION WHEN RELEASING ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND BRAKING, VEHICLE WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN.
1999-03-10Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 835641
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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
1999-03-04Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 835455
CrashFireInjuryDeath
EXPERINECED BRAKE FAILURE A NUMBER OF TIMES. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40-50MPH CONSUMER APPLIES BRAKES AND VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. CONSUMER TURNED THE IGNITION SWITCH OFF, AND LET VEHICLE DRIFT TO SIDE OF ROAD. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED. PLEASE ADD VIN#. DEALERS HAVE SPRAYED THE LINKAGES A NUMBER OF TIMES BECAUSE TEY WERE NO ABLE TO FIND A PROBLEM. IN FEBRUARY, 1999, DEALER REPLACED BOTH FRONT AXLES, AND THE VERY NEXT DAY THE SAME THING HAPPENED. THERE WERE NO BRAKES. *AK
1998-11-17Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
NHTSA ODI 781544
CrashFireInjuryDeath
FRONT EXTERIOR DOOR LOCKS, DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE WILL NOT OPERATE NORMALLY.ALSO, MOTORIZED DRIVER'S SIDE SHOULDER BELT OPERATES ERRATICALLY SOMETIMES WILL NOT FUNCTION AT ALL. *AK
1998-01-23Engine (ENGINE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 528778
CrashFireInjuryDeath
ENGINE FIRE.
1997-02-04Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL)
NHTSA ODI 514450
CrashFireInjuryDeath
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION, RESULTING IN A COLLISION.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 1991 Pontiac Lemans?

Owners named Seat belts most often — 12 of 24 reports (50%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 1991 Pontiac Lemans?

NHTSA lists 3 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Seat belts. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 1991 Pontiac Lemans?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Check that every belt latches, retracts and that related recalls are closed. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources