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: 16 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.
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Visibility. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Steering. Review the 7 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 reports2 fire reports4 injury reports
What owners actually said
61 reports
88,000 miles · Jan 15, 2004
Engine And Engine CoolingFuel System, GasolineUnknown Or Other
INTAKE MANIFOLD & GASKET FAILURE - OIL & COOLANT MIXING IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT - IMMINENT ENGINE FAILURE FRONT WIPER MOTOR/TRANSMISSION INTERMITENT FAILURE WHILE DRIVING - DIFFICULTY DIAGNOSING PROBLEM - MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE WHEN THE WIPERS SUDDENLY STOP/START WORKING WHILE DRIVING IN RAIN & SNOW OR SLOPPY HIGHWAY CONDITIONS COMP…
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INTAKE MANIFOLD & GASKET FAILURE - OIL & COOLANT MIXING IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT - IMMINENT ENGINE FAILURE FRONT WIPER MOTOR/TRANSMISSION INTERMITENT FAILURE WHILE DRIVING - DIFFICULTY DIAGNOSING PROBLEM - MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE WHEN THE WIPERS SUDDENLY STOP/START WORKING WHILE DRIVING IN RAIN & SNOW OR SLOPPY HIGHWAY CONDITIONS COMPRESSOR CLUTCH HUB & PULLEY FAILURE
NHTSA ODI #10071336
115,000 miles · Jan 15, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
FAILURE OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET.
NHTSA ODI #10069382
Mileage unknown · Jan 15, 2004
Engine And Engine CoolingInjury
AFTER THE 2ND VALVE SPRING BROKE, I WAS TOLD THAT THE VALVES WERE SEIZING UP AND A NEW ENGINE WOULD BE REQUIRED. ALL OF THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE BAD DESIGNED MANIFOLD GASKET THAT CAUSED COOLANT TO GO INTO THE OIL. AFTER SPENDING OVER $1,000 SINCE 4-29-03, I FINALLY HAD TO TRADE IN FOR ANOTHER VEHICLE. I DIDN'T HAVE BETWEEN $4,00…
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AFTER THE 2ND VALVE SPRING BROKE, I WAS TOLD THAT THE VALVES WERE SEIZING UP AND A NEW ENGINE WOULD BE REQUIRED. ALL OF THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE BAD DESIGNED MANIFOLD GASKET THAT CAUSED COOLANT TO GO INTO THE OIL. AFTER SPENDING OVER $1,000 SINCE 4-29-03, I FINALLY HAD TO TRADE IN FOR ANOTHER VEHICLE. I DIDN'T HAVE BETWEEN $4,000 AND $5,000 FOR A NEW ENGINE, WHICH ON A '96 MODEL WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN WORTH IT. I COULD HAVE GOTTEN A USED ENGINE, BUT ALL OF THEM HAVE THE SAME MANIFOLD GASKET AND THIS WOULD HAVE COST APROXIMATELY $2,000. I'VE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS VAN. GENERAL MOTORS SHOULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THIS AS A RECALL, BUT I GUESS IT WAS TOO EXPENSIVE FOR THEM TOO.
NHTSA ODI #10068965
Mileage unknown · Oct 10, 2003
Air BagsCrashInjury
INADVERTENT DRIVERS AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT CAUSING INJURIES. *MR WHILE DRIVING THE AIR BAG SUDDENLY DEPLOYED AND KNOCKED THE CONSUMER UNCONSCIOUS. THE CONSUMER HAD RUN OFF THE ROAD AND ENTERED A WOODED AREA AND STRUCK A TREE HEAD-ON. THE DRIVER COULD NOT REMEMBER ANYTHING ABOUT THE ACCIDENT. (LAWYER MICHAEL SHEPHERD ON BEHALF …
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INADVERTENT DRIVERS AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT CAUSING INJURIES. *MR WHILE DRIVING THE AIR BAG SUDDENLY DEPLOYED AND KNOCKED THE CONSUMER UNCONSCIOUS. THE CONSUMER HAD RUN OFF THE ROAD AND ENTERED A WOODED AREA AND STRUCK A TREE HEAD-ON. THE DRIVER COULD NOT REMEMBER ANYTHING ABOUT THE ACCIDENT. (LAWYER MICHAEL SHEPHERD ON BEHALF OF CLIENT KAREN WILSON (PER A. JIMENEZ, THIS DOCUMENT IS TO BE TREATED AS A MAILED IN VOQ) *SCC *JB
NHTSA ODI #10042709
193,690 miles · Sep 23, 2003
Air BagsSteering
WHILE TURNING RIGHT, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED WITH NO CONTROL. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO STOP VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK THE CONSUMER STOPPED A STOP SIGN AT AN INTERSECTION WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO SPIN AROUND. IT WAS DISCOVERED THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT AT THE BASE OF THE STEERING COLUMN HAD COME LOOSE. …
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WHILE TURNING RIGHT, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED WITH NO CONTROL. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO STOP VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK THE CONSUMER STOPPED A STOP SIGN AT AN INTERSECTION WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO SPIN AROUND. IT WAS DISCOVERED THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT AT THE BASE OF THE STEERING COLUMN HAD COME LOOSE. THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON AND THE CLOCK SPRING HAD BROKEN. *SCC *JB
NHTSA ODI #10034570
Mileage unknown · Sep 23, 2003
Visibility
CONSUMER NOTICED WHILE USING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION, THE WIPERS INTERMITTENTLY STOPPED WORKING. *AK *TS *JB
NHTSA ODI #10034475
Mileage unknown · Aug 15, 2003
Visibility
FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING OR FAILED TO WORK . *AK
NHTSA ODI #10032895
59,538 miles · Jul 11, 2003
Electrical SystemVisibility
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO WORK, THE CONSUMER HAD TO HIT THE CONTROL SEVERAL TIMES TO GET THEM TO WORK. *JB. THE COOLANT LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE DEALER REPLACED THE UPPER AND LOWER INTAKE, THE FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW WENT UP AND DOWN SLOW, THE POWER SLIDING DOOR WAS INOPERATIVE, THE DEALER REPLACED THE BATTERY *PH *JB
NHTSA ODI #10019537
96,000 miles · Jun 13, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
EXCESSIVE CONSUMPTION OF COOLANT. REPAIR SHOP TOLD US COOLANT WAS BEING SUCKED INTO INTAKE MANIFOLD. REPLACED GASKET AND CONVERTED FROM ORANGE TO GREEN COOLANT. *NLM
NHTSA ODI #10023008
96,500 miles · May 25, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
COOLANT IN OIL DUE TO MANIFOLD INTAKE GASKET..HAD GASKET REPLACED AND IS BACK IN THE SHOP AGAIN FOR SAME PROBLEM. IN BETWEEN THESE TWO TOWINGS, I HAD TO HAVE THE VALVE SPRING REPLACED BECAUSE IT BROKE. *NLM
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.
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.
1996 Pontiac Trans Sport Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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