RoadVitals

1995 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.
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Latest Jun 24, 2014
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.
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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.
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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.
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Overview

Our database contains 5 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1995 Pontiac Trans Am, most frequently naming the steering, electrical and engine categories. 3 manufacturer communications are on file.

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

  • Steering240.0%
  • Electrical120.0%
  • Engine120.0%
  • Tires & wheels120.0%

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

Engine
Filed Jun 24, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 PONTIAC TRANS AM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNIN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS ISNPECTED BY THE CONTACT. THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR PARK BRAKE LEVER RETURN SPRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 296,493.

NHTSA ID
10605640
Incident
Jun 5, 2014
Mileage
296,493 mi
Steering
Filed Apr 20, 2005

LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL (SEE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 95V046000). THIS HAS AFFECTED MY VEHICLE FOR THE PAST COUPLE YEARS AND THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP KEEPS TELLING ME THAT IT IS THE WAY THE ROADS ARE MADE HERE AND/OR THE LOW PROFILE TIRES. WHEN CALLING YOU GUYS AND THE DEALERSHIPS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, I AM TOLD THAT THE RECALL DOESN'T AFFECT MY PARTICULAR VIN NUMBER [XXX]. PLEASE ASSIST.*AK *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID
10118158
Incident
Mar 1, 2000
Mileage
127,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Feb 24, 2005

OUR PROBLEM CONCERNS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. WHEN WE PURCHASED THE CAR ALMOST 4 YEARS AGO WE NOTICED THE TAILLIGHTS WERE LEAKING. THEY HAD CORRODED THE TAIL LIGHTS AND THEY SHORTED OUT. THIS CAR WAS BARELY 7 YEARS OLD AND HAD NO WORKING TAIL LIGHTS. WE BROUGHT THIS UP TO GM AS IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND A DEFAULT OF A FAULTY TAIL LIGHT AND THEY TOLD US THEY HAVE A SPECIAL GLUE MAN THAT WORKS THROUGH GM AND HE WILL COME OUT AND GLUE THE SEAL BUT REFUSED TO REPAIR THE LIGHTS. WE WERE ANGRY ABOUT THIS BUT HAD THEM SEND THE MAN OUT TO DO THE REPAIR. IT DID NOT WORK AND WE TOLD GM THIS AND THEY TOLD US THEY WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR NEW TAILLIGHTS AND HAVE THE ELECTRICAL FIXED THERE AND THE COST WOULD BE OVER 1,000 DOLLARS. WE WERE VERY ANGRY AND HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET HELP WITH THIS SAFETY ISSUE. WE PURCHASED ANOTHER VEHICLE MEANWHILE A TOYOTA CRESSIDA AND THERE IS NO PROBLEMS WITH THOSE TAILLIGHTS EVEN WITH THE AGE OF THE BEING OVER DOUBLE THAN THE TRANSAM. THE TAILLIGHTS DO NOT WORK. THE SIGNALS DON'T WORK AS THEY CANNOT BECAUSE OF THE ELECTRICAL SHORT. WE ARE NOT GOING TO PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT IS OBVIOUSLY A FAULT IN GMS WORK. WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO. *NM

NHTSA ID
10112096
Incident
Jan 1, 2003
Mileage
17,000 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Jul 12, 2004

THE PURPOSE TO THIS LETTER IS TO ADVISE YOU OF AN INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED SATURDAY JUNE 19, 2004. WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 80 AT 65 MPH, I EXPERIENCED A FRIGHTENING ENCOUNTER. I HEARD A LOUD POP AND IMMEDIATELY THE REAR RIGHT OF MY CAR BEGAN TO SWAY AND I ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF THE ROAD ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE, TO FIND A VERY SURPRISINGLY STRANGE TIRE BLOW OUT. THE ENTIRE SIDEWALL OF MY 285/35/18 NITTO NT555 COLLAPSED, AND WAS PUSHED IN TOWARD THE REAR SIDEWALL CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGES TO MY 18 Z06 WHEEL. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A SIDEWALL COMPLETELY BLOW OUT AND DETACH ITSELF FROM THE TIRE, LET ALONE FROM NORMAL USE. THIS TIRE APPEARED AS IF A KNIFE WAS TAKEN TO IT AND SEVERED OFF. DAMAGES SUFFERED TO THE RIM, AS A RESULT OF THIS INCIDENT ARE SO EXTENSIVE THAT REPAIRS ARE NOT AN OPTION. A REPLACEMENT RIM WILL NEED TO BE PURCHASED, AS WELL AS THE NEW NITTO TIRE. THE DEFECTIVE TIRE CURRENTLY HAS APPROXIMATELY 90-95% TREAD WEAR LEFT, WHICH IS THE REASON WHY I AM ASKING FOR NITTO CORP. TO COMPENSATE MY LOSSES. ENCLOSED PLEASE REVIEW THE PHOTOGRAPHS THAT WERE TAKEN ON SITE, AND PROCESS THIS REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT. I AM FORTUNATE ENOUGH THAT THIS MISHAP CAUSED BY YOUR DEFECTIVE TIRE DID NOT RESULT IN DAMAGES EXCEEDING THE ONES THAT OCCURRED. I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE. ENCLOSED IS ALSO A PRICE QUOTE ON A REPLACEMENT RIM. THE RIM PRICE IS $315, FROM AAA RIMS. THIS QUOTE WAS OBTAINED THROUGH JASON, AN AAA RIM REPRESENTATIVE THE MORNING OF 7/21/2004. THE TIRE HAS BEEN SHIPPED OFF TO TOYO TIRES INC. I ALSO FILED A CLAIM WITH TM CLAIM SERVICE, WHICH IS TOYO TIRES INSURANCE COMPANY. THE TIRE WAS SHIPPED OFF FOR INSPECTION, AND TWO WEEKS LATER I AM STILL WAITING FOR A RESPONSE. I ALSO HAVE PICTURES THAT WERE TAKEN ONSITE, AND VARIOUS OTHERS. THANK YOU P.S OLD PARTS ARE STILL AVAILABLE. *LA

NHTSA ID
10080852
Incident
Jun 19, 2004
Mileage
43,600 mi
Steering
Filed Jun 11, 2003
Crash reported

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE LOST STEERING POWER AND HIT A CURB. *AK

NHTSA ID
10022878
Incident
May 19, 2003

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

130089009

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECU/ECM)

Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules

876527

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

SOME VEHICLES EXPERIENCE ENGINE MISS/ POOR DRIVEABILITY SYMPTOMS. *YC

876002A

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

SOME V6 ENGINES MAY, ON A VERY INFREQUENT BASIS, HAVE AN OIL ODOR CONDITION THAT IS GENERALLY ENCOUNTERED AFTER THE ENGINE'S OIL HAS BEEN CHANGED.TYPICALLY THE ODOR LASTS APPROXIMATELY 1000 MILES AFTER THE CHANGE OF OIL AND THEN DOES NOT REAPPEAR UNTIL THE NEXT CHANGE OF OIL. *TT

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

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
1995Viewing500
1994910
1993100
1992300
1991200
1989100
1988100
1987100
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.