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Pontiac Trans SportYears to avoid, problems & recalls

Based on 971 NHTSA owner complaints across 13 model years, the Pontiac Trans Sport years to avoid are 1997 and 1998, and the strongest years are 1990, 1991, 1993 and 1996. The Trans Sport has 18 safety recalls on record.

Years to avoid'97 '98Use caution: 1994, 1995Best years'90 '91 '93 '96Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints971Top: Engine and engine coolingSafety recalls181990–2003 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years.

Best & worst years

Pontiac Trans Sport years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Trans Sport median. Tap a year for its full report.

'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'03
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2003Not rated–/1003 complaints · 0 recalls2001Not rated–/1003 complaints · 0 recalls2000Not rated–/1002 complaints · 0 recalls1999Not rated–/10010 complaints · 2 recalls1998Avoid22/100227 complaints · 5 recalls1997Avoid24/100236 complaints · 5 recalls1996Solid51/10061 complaints · 1 recall1995Caution37/100113 complaints · 3 recalls1994Caution39/10098 complaints · 4 recalls1993Solid51/10061 complaints · 3 recalls1992Solid50/10076 complaints · 2 recalls1991Solid64/10036 complaints · 2 recalls1990Solid65/10045 complaints · 4 recalls
Complaints by system

Most common Pontiac Trans Sport problems

All model years combined: 971 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine and engine cooling1559
Structure12710
Seat belts1153
Steering1039
Visibility1005
Service brakes, hydraulic895
Power train7812
Exterior lighting730
Electrical system6717
16 other systems25745
18 recalls

Pontiac Trans Sport recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

–Doors: latch04V-597 · 1997–1999 · Dec 22, 2004 · 717,302 vehicles–Steering: rack and pinion02V-286 · 1996–1998 · Nov 4, 2002 · 1,159,156 vehicles–Air bags: frontal02V-027 · 1999 · Jan 25, 2002 · 1,730 vehicles–Doors: latch01V-264 · 1997 · Aug 21, 2001 · 248,737 vehicles–Doors: latch01V-067 · 1997–1998 · Mar 8, 2001 · 477,011 vehicles–Power train: automatic transmission98V-131 · 1998 · Jun 11, 1998 · 38,540 vehicles–Windshield wiper/washer: linkages98V-072 · 1997–1998 · Apr 7, 1998 · 55,154 vehicles–Structure97V-058 · 1990–1991 · Apr 8, 1997 · 676,535 vehicles–Automatic transmission: cooling unit and lines96V-015 · 1992–1995 · Jan 23, 1996 · 585,182 vehicles–Vehicle speed control95V-214 · 1995 · Nov 3, 1995 · 6,772 vehicles–Service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages95V-048 · 1995 · Mar 20, 1995 · 6,523 vehicles–Front: webbing94V-100 · 1993–1994 · May 24, 1994 · 5,294 vehicles

Showing the 12 newest of 18 recalls. Each model-year page lists all recalls for that year.

22 investigations

NHTSA investigations of the Trans Sport

  1. POWER-SLIDING DOORPE04064 · 1998–2003 · closed Dec 22, 2004
    Led to recall 04V-597
  2. REAR AXLE TRAILING ARM FAILUREEA03005 · 1997–1999 · closed Jan 12, 2004
    No recall
  3. ENGINE CRADLE SEPARATIONRQ03003 · 1992 · closed Apr 10, 2003
    No recall
  4. REAR AXLE TRAILING ARM FAILUREPE02086 · 1998 · closed Apr 9, 2003
    No recall
  5. SAFETY BELT ASSEMBLY FAILUREEA02032 · 1997–1998 · closed Nov 21, 2003
    No recall
  6. POWER RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILUREEA02003 · 1997 · closed Dec 10, 2002
    Led to recall 02V-286
  7. SHOULDER HARNESS CLIPPE02017 · 1997–1998 · closed Aug 2, 2002
    No recall
  8. STEERING RACK AND PINIONPE01038 · 1997 · closed Apr 4, 2002
    No recall
  9. AIR BAG TEAR DURING DEPLOYMENTPE00045 · 1998–1999 · closed Jan 11, 2001
    No recall
  10. UNEXPECTED OPENING OF SLIDING DOORSQ00014 · 1997–2000 · closed Oct 22, 2001
    Led to recall 01V-067