Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 2 of 61 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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.
Seat Belts. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports7 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
61 reports
Mileage unknown · Jan 25, 2001
Seat Belts
THIRD SUDDEN FAILURE OF BELT RETRACTOR WITHIN 18 MONTHS OUT OF SIX ORIGINAL ASSEMBLIES IN VEHICLE. DEALER CONTACTED UPON ALL 3 OCCURRENCES, QUOTED COST OF REPLACEMENT. DEALER INDICATED THAT NO SERVICE BULLETINS, SPECIAL WARRANTIES, OR RECALLS APPLIED TO THIS OUT-OF-WARRANTY VEHICLE. OPTED TO PURCHASE REPLACEMENT ASSEMBLY ON FI…
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THIRD SUDDEN FAILURE OF BELT RETRACTOR WITHIN 18 MONTHS OUT OF SIX ORIGINAL ASSEMBLIES IN VEHICLE. DEALER CONTACTED UPON ALL 3 OCCURRENCES, QUOTED COST OF REPLACEMENT. DEALER INDICATED THAT NO SERVICE BULLETINS, SPECIAL WARRANTIES, OR RECALLS APPLIED TO THIS OUT-OF-WARRANTY VEHICLE. OPTED TO PURCHASE REPLACEMENT ASSEMBLY ON FIRST TWO OCCURRENCES, AND REPLACED MYSELF. UPON THIRD (MOST-RECENT) FAILURE OF YET ANOTHER ORIGINAL RETRACTOR, DECIDED TO CONSULT NHTSA WEB SITE. FOUND NO OFFICIAL OPEN CASE, BUT MANY REPORTS OF SAME PROBLEM FOR THIS VEHICLE THROUGH THE 1995 MODEL YEAR. CONTACTED DEALER AND PONTIAC CUSTOMER SERVICE, WHO APOLOGIZED, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. DISCOVERED WHEN OBTAINING PRICE QUOTE FOR PART THAT THE ORIGINAL PART WAS DISCONTINUED IN 1995, REPLACED WITH A NEW DESIGN AND PART NUMBER. FIND THIS LOGICAL, AS THE COMPLAINTS TO NHTSA DROP DRAMATICALLY DURING AND SINCE 1995. HAVE HAD MANY VEHICLES NEW AND USED IN MY LIFETIME, AND HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH SAFETY BELTS IN ANY OTHER. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT ANY OF MY REMAINING ORIGINAL BELTS ARE TRUSTWORTHY IN A SUDDEN STOP OR COLLISION, BASED UPON THE SUDDEN FAILURES OF THE FIRST THREE WHILE SIMPLY PULLING THE BELT OUT OF THE RETRACTOR TO FASTEN IT. SPRING IN RETRACTOR FAILS, LEAVING ALL BELT LENGTH UNWOUND, AND THUS, THE SEATING POSITION UNPROTECTED UNTIL THE RETRACTOR IS REPLACED. I CONSIDER THIS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM, BUT WILL BE FACED WITH A $700.00 EXPENDITURE IF I DECIDE TO HAVE THE DEALER REPLACE THE CURRENT FAILED BELT AND THE REMAINING ORIGINAL THREE THAT I EXPECT TO FAIL SOON. EVEN THOUGH THIS VEHICLE WAS SOLD IN LIMITED QUANTITY, I URGE FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THIS PROBLEM, WHICH I SUSPECT AFFECTS A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF UNITS STILL ON THE ROAD. I PLAN TO APPEAL AGAIN TO PONTIAC IN AN ATTEMPT TO GET SOME MONETARY RELIEF WITH REPLACING THE CURRENTLY-FAILED AND REMAINING THREE ORIGINAL BELTS.*AK
NHTSA ODI #739937
Mileage unknown · Sep 28, 2000
Seat Belts
FRONT PASSENGER AND SECOND ROW RIGHT SEAT BELTS FAIL TO RETRACT, CONSUMER REQUESTS DEALER REPLACE DEFECTIVE PART. *SLC
NHTSA ODI #555613
Mileage unknown · Sep 25, 2000
Seat Belts
DRIVER SHOULDER BELT FAILS TO RETRACT. INSPECTION REVEALED THAT LOCKING. *AK
NHTSA ODI #732462
Mileage unknown · Sep 22, 2000
Power TrainFire
WHEN DRIVING ON HIGHWAY CONSUMER WAS ALERTED THAT VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER THEN DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH NO RESPONSE. GOT VEHICLE TO STOP AND NOTED THAT TRANSMISSION WAS ON FIRE WITHIN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. CONSUMER WAS UNAWEAR OF THE RECALL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURT…
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WHEN DRIVING ON HIGHWAY CONSUMER WAS ALERTED THAT VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER THEN DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH NO RESPONSE. GOT VEHICLE TO STOP AND NOTED THAT TRANSMISSION WAS ON FIRE WITHIN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. CONSUMER WAS UNAWEAR OF THE RECALL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
NHTSA ODI #871273
Mileage unknown · Sep 12, 2000
Seat Belts
DRIVER SHOULDER BELT FAILED TO RETRACT. INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE LOCKING MECHANISM IN THE RETRACTOR ASSEMBLE FAILED, THE SEAT/SHOULD BELT WOULD NOT RESTRAIN THE DRIVER IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT, REPLACEMENT PART IS DIFFERENT FROM THE ORIGINAL PART, PART IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION
NHTSA ODI #554585
Mileage unknown · Sep 7, 2000
Seat Belts
FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT AND SECOND ROW PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT. VAN WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. REPAIRS WERE MADE AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. ENTIRE SEAT BELT MECHANISM HAD TO BEL REPLACED FOR BOTH BELTS. *AK THIS VEHICLE HAD TWO PREVIOUS SEAT BELT RECALLS. *YH
NHTSA ODI #869883
Mileage unknown · Aug 31, 2000
Equipment
SPARE TIRE CABLE RUSTED THROUGH, CAUSING TIRE TO SEPARATE FROM VEHICLE.*AK
NHTSA ODI #869224
Mileage unknown · May 30, 2000
Latches/locks/linkages
SLIDING DOOR CAME OPEN INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. DEALER STATED THAT THERE WERE TOO MANY MILES ON VEHICLE. *AK
NHTSA ODI #862710
Mileage unknown · Apr 20, 2000
Wheels
WHILE THE DRIVER WAS GOING AT 63 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE CAME OFF (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). YH
NHTSA ODI #552213
Mileage unknown · Mar 23, 2000
Seat Belts
FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT SHOULDER HARNESS NO LONGER RETRACTS RESULTING IN THE SHOULDER HARNESS BEING TOTALLY DISABLED.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM AUGUST 1991 THROUGH JULY 1995. THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINE CAN SEPARATE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN LOW TEMPERATURES IN COMBINATION WITH HIGH TRANSMISSION LOADS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: VEHICLE FIRES CAN OCCUR DUE TO THE SPILLAGE OF TRANSMISSION FLUID.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINES.
THE SECOND ROW, RIGHT HAND SHOULDER BELT CAN BECOME "PINCHED" BETWEEN THE SEAT AND THE DOOR FRAME PILLAR TRIM. THE SHOULDER BELT MAY NOT RETRACT PROPERLY, WHICH DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION." THE 1994 VEHICLES HAVE AN OPTIONAL INTEGRAL (BUILT IN) CHILDSEAT INSTALLED NEXT TO THE POWER SLIDING SIDE DOOR. THE 1993 INVOLVED VEHICLES HAVE STANDARD SEATS IN THAT SAME POSITION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IMPROPER SHOULDER BELT RETRACTION DOES NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT IN THE EVENT OF A SUDDEN STOP OR COLLISION.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DOOR FRAME PILLAR TRIM PANEL WITH A REDESIGNED TRIM PANEL. ALSO, A CAUTION LABEL WILL BE APPLIED TO THE CHILD SEAT ADVISING THE OWNER NOT TO INSTALL THE SEAT TO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF A VEHICLE WITH A POWER SLIDING SIDE DOOR.
VEHICLE FAILS TO CONFORM TO FMVSS NO. 209, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES." THE SAFETY BELT OF THE LEFT THIRD ROW SEAT ON THE SIX PASSENGER VAN AND THE CENTER SECOND ROW SEAT OF THE SEVEN PASSENGER VAN MAY LOCK UP AND CANNOT BE WITHDRAWN FROM THE RETRACTOR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: THE OCCUPANTS OF THESE SEATS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO USE THE AFFECTED BELT. IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, UNBELTED OCCUPANTS ARE AT INCREASED RISK OF INJURY.
Remedy: OWNERS ARE BEING ASKED TO INSPECT THEIR VEHICLES TO DETERMINE IF THE SUSPECT RETRACTOR EXHIBITS A LOCKUP CONDITION. BASED ON THIS INSPECTION, DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SAFETY BELTS IF THE BELT LOCKS UP. REPLACEMENT OF THE SUSPECT SAFETY BELT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO CONSUMERS FOR THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE.
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
1
PE94070 · Trnsaxl Oil Hose Separates
Opened Sep 15, 1994 · Closed Jan 18, 1995
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train
There is no summary currently available
1993 Pontiac Trans Sport Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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