RoadVitals

1987 Pontiac Trans Am

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
1
Latest Jul 31, 2012
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
0
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
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.
0

Overview

Our database contains 1 NHTSA owner-reported complaint for the 1987 Pontiac Trans Am, most frequently naming the brakes, fuel system and powertrain (other) categories.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Brakes133.3%
  • Fuel system133.3%
  • Powertrain (other)133.3%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

BrakesFuel systemPowertrain (other)
Filed Jul 31, 2012

THE BRAKE PEDAL SUDDENLY FELL TO THE FLOOR WHILE I WAS TRYING TO BRAKE THE CAR FOR A RED LIGHT AT 40 MPH WITH OTHER TRAFFIC DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME. THE BRAKE LINE TRAVELING ALONG THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR HAD RUSTED THROUGH DUE TO CORROSION CAUSING THE BRAKES TO FAIL. IN ADDITION, ALL OF THE FUEL LINES WHICH CARRY FUEL AT HIGH PRESSURE AT APPROX. 48PSI ARE ALSO BADLY CORRODED AND LIKELY TO FAIL WITH CATASTROPHIC RESULTS (E.G., FIRE, EXPLOSION, ETC.). THESE BRAKE AND FUEL LINE SAFETY DEFECTS STEM FROM THE FACT THAT GENERAL MOTORS USED INFERIOR BRAKE AND FUEL LINE PARTS (E.G., ORDINARY RUST PRONE STEEL) INSTEAD OF SLIGHTLY COSTLIER STAINLESS STEEL PIPING FOR BRAKE AND FUEL LINES. IN ADDITION, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINES ARE ALSO BADLY CORRODING DUE TO GM USING ORDINARY STEEL INSTEAD OF STAINLESS STEEL FOR THESE LINES. NOW, I HAVE TO HAVE ALL OF THESE BRAKE AND FUEL LINES REPLACE DUE TO GM USING INFERIOR RUST-PRONE STEEL PARTS INSTEAD OF SLIGHTLY MORE COSTLY CORROSION RESISTANT STAINLESS STEEL BRAKE AND FUEL PIPE LINES. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE SINCE CORROSION OF BRAKE, FUEL, AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PIPE LINES COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL RESULTING IN LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY DAMAGE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10468435
Incident
Jul 22, 2012
Mileage
120,158 mi

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Pontiac Trans Am by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2002320038.8
2001100038.9
2000110033.8
1999160037.1
1998110033.9
1997120038.0
1996400—
1995500—
1994910—
1993100—
1992300—
1991200—
1989100—
1988100—
1987Viewing100—
1986100042.0
1984500—
1982200—
1980100—
1979100—
1977200—
1969100—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.