Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
10
Latest Feb 5, 2009
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
2
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Nov 19, 1996
What this page shows
Our database holds 10 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1986 Pontiac Trans Am. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaints, most recent first
Showing 1–10 of 10
Seat belts
Filed Feb 5, 2009
MAKE: PONTIAC MODEL: FIREBIRD MODEL YEAR: 1986 MANUFACTURER: GENERAL MOTORS CORP. MFR'S REPORT DATE: MAY 04, 1990 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 90V105000 EA90001 NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: EA90001 COMPONENT: SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY POTENTIAL NUMBER OF UNITS AFFECTED: 1500000 SUMMARY: PLASTIC COMPONENTS OF SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLIES DO NOT CONTAIN AN ULTRA VIOLET STABILIZER, AND EXPOSURE TO DIRECT SUNLIGHT AND ELEVATED INTERIOR TEMPERATURES COULD WEAKEN THE PLASTIC COMPONENTS. CONSEQUENCE: THIS COULD RESULT IN BREAKAGE OF PLASTIC COMPONENTS WHICHCOULD PREVENT BUCKLE FROM LATCHING AND PROTECTING OCCUPANT IN A SUDDEN STOP ORACCIDENT. REMEDY: REPLACE OR REPAIR SEAT BELT BUCKLE. NOTES: SYSTEM: SEAT BELT BUCKLE.VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER CARS. *TR
NHTSA ID
10257594
Incident
Dec 17, 1986
Tires & wheels
Filed Sep 29, 2008
KELLY SPRINGFIELD TIRES 245/5016R HUGGER GT-D. INNER TREADWALL HAS SEPARATED APPROX 1/2 ABOVE RIM, COMPLETELY AROUND TIRE. TIRE IS STILL INFLATED, BUT HAD A FAILURE OF FRONT RIGHT TIRE IN 1/2007. DID NOT SEE TIRE PRIOR TO REPLACEMENT OF TIRE BY FAMILY MEMBER. LEFT REAR TIRE HAS SAME SEPARATION BUT NOT YET AS SEVERE AS FRONT LEFT. CAR IS UTILIZED MOSTLY ON WEEKENDS AND HAS AMPLE TREAD REMAINING ON TIRE SURFACE. PICTURES AVAILABLE. HAVE NOT YET REPLACE TIRE AS I WILL TRANSIT TO STORE PURCHASE LOCATION 9/30/08 FOR ASSESSMENT. *TR
NHTSA ID
10243882
Incident
Sep 29, 2008
Mileage
217,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Mar 19, 2004
I TRIED TO BRING IN MY 86 PONTIAC TRANS AM TO THE LOCAL GM DEALERSHIP (MIKE SMITH AUOTPLAZA) AND THEY REFUSED TO FIX A RECALL THAT WAS PUT OUT FOR DEFECTIVE SEATBELTS ON MY CAR. THEY SAID TIME HAD RAN OUT FOR ME TO GET THE WORK DOWN AND MY CAR WAS TOO OLD FOR THE RECALL. *AK
NHTSA ID
10062624
Incident
Dec 11, 2003
Powertrain (other)
Filed Feb 20, 2003
THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP WHICH CAUSED THE REAR TIRES TO LOCK UP, WHICH MADE THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL.*JB
NHTSA ID
10008849
Seat belts
Filed Jan 26, 2000
SEEKING ASSISTANCE IN MAKING PONTIAC DIVISION ACKNOWLEDGE ITS RESPONSIBILITY IN TAKING CORRECTIVE ACTION ON AN OPEN RECALL NUMBER 90-C-03. THIS RECALL WAS COMPLETED BY DON SISK PONTIAC IN INDIANAPOLIS ON APRIL 1995. THE UNIT SUBSEQUENTLY FAILED IN NOV. 1999 AND WAS TAKEN TO THREE PONTIAC DEALERS IN SEARCH OF A REPAIR, FIELDS PONTIAC IN LAKE WALES, FL, DON SISK IN INDIANAPOLIS, AND COGGIN STARLING, 4425 W. VINE ST., KISSIMMEE, FL 34746, 407/847-8122 WHERE THE LAST REFUSAL TO HONOR THE DEFECTIVE RECALL WAS RECEIVED. THE PONTIAC ZONE MANAGER, DENNIS FERGUSON, WHO TAKES A NEGATIVE POSITION IN HONORING THIS PLEDGE MADE IN THE LETTER TO ME WHICH ACCOMPANIED THE RECALL, "IF YOU EVER HAVE ANY OF THE CONDITIONS OF THE RECALL OCCUR IN THE FUTURE - NO MATTER WHEN - CONTACT YOUR PONTIAC DEALER FOR THE SAFETY BELT BUCKLE REPAIR. PLEASE KEEP THIS LETTER IN YOUR PONTIAC, ALONG WITH YOUR OWNERS MANUAL, SO THAT ANY FUTURE OWNER WILL ALSO KNOW OF THIS SITUATION." I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH PONTIAC AND HAVE A COMPLAINT FILE NUMBER WITH THEM OF 00017837. I HAVE HAD CONSTANT DISCUSSIONS WITH PONTIAC OVER THE PAST 3 DAYS WITH THE RESULT THAT PONTIAC'S OPERATIVES UP THROUGH JAN 26TH HAD NOT TAKEN THIS DISPUTE UP THE LINE, RATHER THEY TOOK IT DOWN TO THE ZONE MANAGER (FERGUSON) WHO DECLINED IT IN THE FIRST PLACE. AT THE LAST CONVERSATION THEY WERE TO GO TO HIGHER AUTHORITY BUT HAVING FAILED TO DO THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE. NO SAFETY DEFECT (S) LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK
NHTSA ID
717920
Incident
Nov 13, 1999
Fuel system
Filed Oct 14, 1999
WHILE DRIVING SMELLED GAS FUMES. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC. NOTICED TOP OF TANK WAS SOFT & WAS BECOMING RUSTY DUE TO WATER ACCUMULATION. FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
NHTSA ID
850735
Incident
Sep 12, 1999
Seat belts
Filed May 3, 1999
DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE SHOULDER BELT ANCHORS DO NOT WORK PROPERLY, CONSUMER CAN'T PULL THE SEAT BELTS OUT. *AK
NHTSA ID
837376
Incident
Apr 30, 1999
Engine
Filed Sep 16, 1998
Fire reported
ENGINE FIRE.(OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT).
NHTSA ID
540869
Incident
Aug 23, 1998
Filed Feb 22, 1997
NOT SPECIFIED.
NHTSA ID
546817
Interior & seats
Filed Nov 19, 1996
Crash reported3 injuries reported
RIGHT FRONT DOOR LATCH/STRIKER FAILURE. *AK
NHTSA ID
511447
Incident
Jul 14, 1996
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.