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2002 Pontiac Trans Am

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

23 reports with mileage · 9 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

6 reports
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39,101 miles · May 29, 2006
Engine And Engine Cooling

NORMAL MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS MAINTAINED ON THIS LOW MILEAGE CAR. ENGINE COOLANT (LISTED AS 5 YEAR/150,000. MILE COOLANT) BROKE DOWN AND TURNED TO BROWN FOAMY SLUDGE AT 39,000. MILES (LESS THAN 4 YEARS). I WILL BE HAVING MY LOCAL SERVICE CENTER FLUSH THE COOLING SYSTEM AND REPLACE THE LONG LIFE COOLANT. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10158498

5,000 miles · Mar 9, 2006
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingExterior Lighting

CAR STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS AFTER BEING PURCHASED TWO MONTHS BRAND NEW. MULTIPLE ELECTRIC PROBLEMS, FUSES CONSTANTLY BURNING OUT AND ARE REPLACED, ALL POWER OPTIONS FAILED, CRACKLING NOISE FROM UNDER THE DASH, GROANING/GRINDING NOISE FROM UNDER ENGINE COMPARTMENT, WHEEL BALANCE ISSUES, LEFT BLINKER CONSTANTLY MALFUNCTIONS, RIGH…

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CAR STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS AFTER BEING PURCHASED TWO MONTHS BRAND NEW. MULTIPLE ELECTRIC PROBLEMS, FUSES CONSTANTLY BURNING OUT AND ARE REPLACED, ALL POWER OPTIONS FAILED, CRACKLING NOISE FROM UNDER THE DASH, GROANING/GRINDING NOISE FROM UNDER ENGINE COMPARTMENT, WHEEL BALANCE ISSUES, LEFT BLINKER CONSTANTLY MALFUNCTIONS, RIGHT HEADLAMP ALWAYS BURNING OUT, BATTERY ACID LEAKED ALL OVER AFTER ONLY HAVE THE CAR A FEW MONTHS, WAS GETTING 30+ MILES TO A GALLON, NOW GETS <8 MILES TO A GALLON, INTERIOR DOOR PANEL SPLIT, POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE, ISSUED A COMPLAINT WITH GMC - THEY NOTED ME AS A DISSATISFIED CUSTOMER, DEFOG VENT DOES NOT WORK IN DRIVER'S SIDE A-PILLAR. THERE IS MORE, BUT I DON'T HAVE MY LOG AND RECEIPTS WITH ME. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10152327

51,000 miles · Aug 22, 2005
Engine And Engine Cooling

DT: THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN THE CONSUMER STARTED IT AND COULD HEAR AN EXPLOSION SOUND COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WHEN LIFTING THE HOOD COULD SEE OIL COMING FROM ALL OVER. WHEN SHE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY VERIFIED THAT THE MAINTENANCE HAD BEEN KEPT UP. THEY TOLD HER THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE THE MOTOR WITH A USED…

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DT: THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN THE CONSUMER STARTED IT AND COULD HEAR AN EXPLOSION SOUND COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WHEN LIFTING THE HOOD COULD SEE OIL COMING FROM ALL OVER. WHEN SHE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY VERIFIED THAT THE MAINTENANCE HAD BEEN KEPT UP. THEY TOLD HER THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE THE MOTOR WITH A USED MOTOR. THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THAT THE SAME PROBLEM WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, THEY UNDERSTOOD HER CONCERN AND STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT HELP HER BECAUSE HER WARRANTY WAS WITH SOMEONE ELSE. THERE HAVE BEEN NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10133755

Mileage unknown · Aug 26, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE KNOCK; PISTON SLAP. CONTINUOUS TAPPING SOUND FROM THE ENGINE THROUGHOUT THE TEMP RANGE. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10033513

3,500 miles · Aug 1, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

CONSUMER STATES WHEN ACCELERATING ENGINE LOOSES POWER. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK WHEN CONSUMER ATTEMPTS TO PASS A VEHICLE, THE RPM GOES DOWN. THE ENGINE WOULD DIE DOWN TO 50 MPH FORCING THE CONSUMER TO PULL BEHIND THE VEHICLE HE TRIED TO PASS. SINCE DEALER COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE REPAIRED. *PH

NHTSA ODI #10031816

8,000 miles · Jun 12, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

I HAVE A KNOCK IN MY ENGINE APPEARING TO BE COMING FROM THE NUMBER 1 PISTON AND CYLINDER AREA. ONE DEALER CALLS IT PISTON SLAP, WHICH I HAVE READ UP ON AND IT SAYS THAT IT GOES AWAY AFTER IT WARMS UP, MY KNOCK CAN BE HEARD AT ALL TIMES OF ENGINE OPERATION. GM SAYS THERE ARE TEFLON COATED PISTONS AVAILABLE ONLY FOR THE CORVETTE…

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I HAVE A KNOCK IN MY ENGINE APPEARING TO BE COMING FROM THE NUMBER 1 PISTON AND CYLINDER AREA. ONE DEALER CALLS IT PISTON SLAP, WHICH I HAVE READ UP ON AND IT SAYS THAT IT GOES AWAY AFTER IT WARMS UP, MY KNOCK CAN BE HEARD AT ALL TIMES OF ENGINE OPERATION. GM SAYS THERE ARE TEFLON COATED PISTONS AVAILABLE ONLY FOR THE CORVETTE LS1 ENGINE AND NOT MY TRANS AM LS1 ENGINE. I HAVE DEALT WITH ONE DEALER IN OAK HARBOR WA THAT IS BOTH A CHEVY AND PONTIAC SERVICE CENTER. I REFUSE TO USE THIS DEALER EVER AGAIN BECAUSE THEY TRY TO PAWN IT OFF AS PISTON SLAP AND THAT IT IS NORMAL TO HAVE. I HAVE A HIGH PERFORMANCE ENGINE I SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY KNOCKS IN IT, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT IS WORSENING AND I AM ABLE TO FEEL THE KNOCK THROUGH THE GEAR SHIFT HANDLE. THE NEXT CLOSEST GM DEALER IS IN ANACORTES WA AND IT IS NOT A PONTIAC SO PONTIAC CUSTOMER SERVICE WANTS ME TO ONLY GO TO A PONTIAC DEALER WHICH THE NEXT CLOSEST DEALER IS ANOTHER 15 MILES AWAY. WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO ABOUT THE KNOCK IN MY ENGINE? I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO GET THE ENGINE REPLACED DUE TO THE DEPRECIATION VALUE OF MY CAR SINCE IT WILL BE A COLLECTORS ITEM BEING THE LAST MODEL MADE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10021492

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.