I GOT INTO OUR 1996 PONTIAC TRANS SPORT FOR A QUICK ERRAND. AS I REACHED BACK OVER MY HEAD TO PULL UP THE HEADREST, THERE WAS A *POP* BEHIND ME AND THE ENTIRE SEATBACK COLLAPSED BACKWARDS, COMPLETELY FLAT BACK ONTO THE SEAT BEHIND. FORTUNATELY I WAS STILL IDLING IN THE DRIVEWAY AT THE TIME. MY OWN INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT THE …
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I GOT INTO OUR 1996 PONTIAC TRANS SPORT FOR A QUICK ERRAND. AS I REACHED BACK OVER MY HEAD TO PULL UP THE HEADREST, THERE WAS A *POP* BEHIND ME AND THE ENTIRE SEATBACK COLLAPSED BACKWARDS, COMPLETELY FLAT BACK ONTO THE SEAT BEHIND. FORTUNATELY I WAS STILL IDLING IN THE DRIVEWAY AT THE TIME. MY OWN INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT THE MANUAL SEATBACK RECLINER MECHANISM HAS _ONE_ BOLT SUPPORTING THE SEATBACK ANGLE, AND THAT BOLT (ROUGHLY 5/16" DIAMETER, BUT METRIC) HAD SHEARED IN TWO. (THESE ARE GM FRONT-SEAT MINIVAN BUCKET SEATS WITH A FLIP-DOWN ARMREST ON THE INBOARD SIDE AND A LARGE BLACK PLASTIC ADJUSTMENT KNOB BELOW IT THAT YOU TURN FORWARDS OR BACKWARDS TO ADJUST OR RECLINE THE SEAT BACK.) NOTHING ELSE BESIDES THAT ONE BOLT HOLDS UP THE SEATBACK; WHEN IT BREAKS, YOU IMMEDIATELY FALL OVER BACKWARDS. I SPENT THE MORNING REMOVING THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND UNSCREWING THE BROKEN STUB OF THE BOLT FROM INSIDE THE SEAT BASE FRAME. I HAVE A COLLECTION OF METRIC MACHINE BOLTS FROM PREVIOUS CARS AND FOUND A USED REPLACEMENT THAT WAS A PERFECT FIT, AND EVERYTHING IS BACK TOGETHER FOR NOW. I BELIEVE I HAVE PUT IN A BOLT OF THE RIGHT STRENGTH. THE SHEARED-OFF BOLT HAS THE FOLLOWING ON ITS HEAD, LIKE THIS: 9. D (YES, A LETTER D, NOT A ZERO.) THE BOLT I PUT IN READS "9.8" I HAVE KEPT THE SHEARED-OFF BOLT (BOTH HALVES) FOR INSPECTION BY ANY INTERESTED PARTY. I DON'T BELIEVE I'VE OVERSTRESSED THE SEATBACK (I WEIGH ABOUT 225 POUNDS, MY WIFE WEIGHS ABOUT 150, AND NO ONE ELSE DRIVES THE VAN), AND TO OUR KNOWLEDGE THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. I DID VISIT A LOCAL PONTIAC DEALER IN MCHENRY, IL (NOT THE SELLING DEALER) AND WAS ABLE TO SIT DOWN WITH A MECHANIC AND REVIEW THEIR RECALL DATABASE FOR 1996 TRANS SPORTS, BUT FOUND NO MENTION OF A COLLAPSING SEATBACK PROBLEM. GIVEN THE LOCATION OF THE PROBLEM BOLT WITHIN THE SEAT, I DOUBT IT WOULD BE UNIQUE TO PONTIAC ONLY, BUT WOULD BE SHARED BY ALL GM MINIVANS OF THAT YEAR WHICH USED MANUAL-RECLINING BUCKET SEATS.*AK
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES AND MINI VANS HAVE LOWER PINION BEARINGS IN THE POWER RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY IN WHICH THE RETAINER TABS WERE NOT CRIMPED PROPERLY. THESE AND SOME OTHER RETAINERS USED IN VEHICLES ASSEMBLED BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997, COULD FAIL AND PERMIT THE BALL BEARINGS TO ESCAPE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS OCCURS, THE PINION SHAFT CAN BE FORCED UPWARD DURING LEFT TURNS AND BACK DOWN AS THE STEERING WHEEL IS MOVED BACK AND TO THE RIGHT. IF THE PINION SHAFT MOVES FURTHER, THE DRIVER WILL NEED TO EXERT MORE EFFORT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL, SIMILAR TO A VEHICLE WITHOUT POWER ASSISTED STEERING. IF THE PINION SHAFT MOVES EVEN FURTHER, THE DRIVER WILL REQUIRE MUCH HIGHER EFFORT TO TURN LEFT AND MAY NOT BE ABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL AS MUCH AS INTENDED. WITH THE MAXIMUM PINION SHAFT MOVEMENT, WHICH REQUIRES INTERNAL GEAR COMPONENT DAMAGE, THE DRIVER CAN ENCOUNTER HIGH RESISTANCE TO TURNING LEFT, FOLLOWED BY UNINTENDED POWER ASSIST TO THE RIGHT. IN ANY OF THESE CONDITIONS, A CRASH COULD OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW LOWER PINION BEARING UNLESS INSPECT OF THE EXISTING BEARING INDICATES THAT REPLACEMENT OF THE GEAR ASSEMBLY IS NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JANUARY 24, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020, PONTIAC AT 1-800-762-2737, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-442-6537.
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NHTSA investigations
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1996 Pontiac Trans Sport Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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