RoadVitals

1999 Pontiac Trans Am Owner Complaints

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.
16
Latest Mar 5, 2015
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 Dec 11, 1999

What this page shows

Our database holds 16 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1999 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 1–16 of 16

SteeringSuspension
Filed Mar 5, 2015

BOTH OF MY SUN VISORS HAVE FALLEN OUT WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO PUT BACK IN PLACE. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL TIMES I HAVE NEEDED THESE VISORS TO DRIVE SAFELY WHEN THE SUN IS COMING UP OR GOING DOWN. I FEEL THIS COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT IN THE FUTURE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10692368
Incident
Jul 8, 2014
Mileage
65,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Dec 29, 2008

WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEEDS AFTER VEHICLE IS WARMED TO NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE, THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER UNEXPECTEDLY. MOTOR REVS DURING EVENT, ALMOST AS IF CAR IS BEEN SUDDENLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. NO ENGINE LIGHTS COME ON, VEHICLE SIMPLY LOSES FORWARD MOMENTUM. TRANSMISSION GUY SAYS EVERYTHING IS FINE, FOUND NOTHING WRONG. *TR

NHTSA ID
10253085
Incident
Jun 14, 2008
Mileage
136,981 mi
Engine
Filed Aug 28, 2006

TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER TO HAVE OIL CHANGE. WAS TOLD THAT THEY FOUND NEEDLE BEARINGS IN OIL PAN. CAR CANNOT BE DRIVEN BECAUSE NEEDLES MAY ENTER THE ENGINE AND CAUSE ENGINE TO SEIZE UP OR COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE. THEY HAD TO REPLACE 16 ROCKER ARMS, DRAIN MAGNET,R AND R OIL PAN TO CLEAN,CHANGE OIL AND FILTER. I BELIEVE THESE ROCKER ARMS FAILURE IS DUE TO A DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE AS MY CAR ONLY HAS 16480 MILES AND IS STORED FROM OCT. THROUGH MAY. CAR IS ONE OWNER,ME AND HAS BEEN TAKEN FOR OIL CHANGES BEFORE DRIVING IN SUMMER AND AGAIN BEFORE STORING FOR WINTER. THIS IS THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY NUMBERED EDITION CAR AND MEANS A LOT TO ME SO I TAKE EXTREME CARE OF THE CAR. *NM

NHTSA ID
10166805
Incident
Jun 29, 2006
Mileage
16,480 mi
Body & structurePowertrain (other)
Filed Dec 27, 2005

I BOUGHT MY 1999 PONTIAC TRANS AM BRAND NEW, 8/23/99. IT NOW HAS 31,310 MILES AND BOTH MY DOOR PANELS HAVE CRACKS, ABOUT 1/4 WAY BACK. ALSO, I HAD A GROWLING NOISE IN MY REAR BEARINGS AND I HAD TO HAVE A NEW PINION BEARINGS, CARRIER BEARINGS, RING AND PINION GEAR SET INSTALLED. I WAS TOLD BY THE TECHNICIAN WHERE I TOOK IT TO BE FIXED IT LOOKED LIKE IT HAD BEEN DRIVEN HARD. MY CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN APPROX. 10 MILES A DAY EVERYDAY SINCE I GOT IT AND HAS BEEN ONLY ONCE, TO LOUISVILLE, ABOUT 100 MILES AWAY. IT HAS BEEN IN THE GARAGE EVERY NIGHT SINCE I'VE HAD IT. *JB

NHTSA ID
10146123
Incident
Dec 15, 2005
Body & structure
Filed Mar 30, 2005

THERE ARE CRACKS DEVELOPING IN THE DOOR PANELS OF MY 1999 TRANS AM. THE CRACKS ARE IN THE SAME LOCATION ON EACH DOOR PANEL. (TOP OF PANEL AT EDGE, BACK 1/3 OF PANEL.) THIS PROBLEM IS EXTREMELY COMMON AMONG TRANS AM OWNERS WITH 1998-2002 MODELS. *AK

NHTSA ID
10116071
Incident
Jan 1, 2004
Powertrain (other)
Filed Aug 18, 2004

REAR DIFFERENTIAL WHINING UNBEARABLY LOUD. TOOK TO LOCAL GM DEALER TO DIAGNOSE, THEY SAY IT NEEDS REPLACED. WARRANTY I BOUGHT IS INSPECTING TO SEE IF THEY ARE GOING TO PAY FOR IT. THIS AFFECT'S THE COMFORT, RELIABLITY, AND SAFETY OF THIS CAR. I WILL UPDATE WHEN MORE INFO IS RECIEVED FROM THE GM DEALER. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION ONLINE, THIS IS HAS HAPPENED TO A LOT OF OTHER LS1 POWERED F-BODY OWNERS WITH THIS GM REAR DIFFERENTIAL.

NHTSA ID
10088172
Incident
Aug 18, 2004
Mileage
79,000 mi
Body & structureElectricalSuspension
Filed May 7, 2003

HEADLIGHTS FLIP UP AND DOWN AND MAKES GRINDING NOISE WHEN CAR IS TURNED OFF. SAME OCCURS WHEN FACTORY INSTALLED ALARM IS ACTIVATED. DEALER REPORTS ACTUATOR BAD. SAME PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED 4 TIMES SINCE 2000. ALONG WITH THAT, THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW MOTOR HAS BURNED OUT TWICE ALONG WITH THE ACTUATOR. REAR END OF VEHICLE RATTLES NEAR SPEAKERS. DRIVER SIDE INTERIOR DOOR PANEL LOOSE. *JB

NHTSA ID
10018365
Incident
Aug 1, 2000
Steering
Filed Apr 29, 2003
Crash reported

THE TIE ROD SNAPPED AND CAUSED CAUSING THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL TO TURN TO THE EXTREME LEFT OR RIGHT WHICH RESULTED IN A CRASH. *NLM

NHTSA ID
10017718
Incident
Apr 25, 2003
Body & structure
Filed Mar 28, 2003

THE DOOR PANELS CRACKED. *JB THE DOOR PANELS CRACKED. *MR

NHTSA ID
10014691
Incident
Mar 28, 2003
Brakes
Filed Nov 5, 2002

WHEN VEHICLE IS AT A STOP CONSUMER HAS TO PHYSICALLY PUT BOTH FEET ON BRAKE PEDAL TO HOLD VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAS TO RESTART VEHICLE TO GET ENGINE TO STOP RACING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

NHTSA ID
8022221
Incident
Oct 4, 2002
Engine
Filed Nov 5, 2002

WHILE AT A STOP, CONSUMER STATES' VEHICLES ENGINE REV'S VERY HIGH. FEELS LIKE VEHICLE IS GOING TO TAKE OFF. CONSUMER HAS TO PRESS ON BRAKES WITH BOTH FEET TO KEEP VEHICLE FROM MOVING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

NHTSA ID
8022211
Incident
Oct 4, 2002
Interior & seats
Filed Apr 9, 2001
Crash reported3 injuries reported

WHILE SITTING IN TRAFFIC ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT CONSUMER AT45 MPH ,AND DRIVERS AND PASSENGER SEATBACKS RECLINED. CONSUMER FELT THAT SEATS SHOULD NOT RECLINE.*AK CONSUMER, DAUGHTER AND PASSENGER SUFFERED INJURIES.*JB

NHTSA ID
885418
Incident
Nov 21, 2000
Body & structureSeat beltsSuspension
Filed Oct 10, 2000

WHEN MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN CONSUMER NOTICED A RATTLE IN REAR END OF VEHICLE. ALSO, WHEN DRIVING WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE STARTED SWAYING WHICH CAUSED POOR VEHICLE CONTROL. CONSUMER NOTED THAT SEAT BELTS DO NOT RELEASE/ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON DASH, AND VEHICLE LEAKED WATER INTO ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHENEVER IT RAINED. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID
872602
Incident
Dec 7, 1998
Brakes
Filed May 9, 2000

THE BRAKES SHUDDER. AT LOW SPEEDS IT FEELS AS THOUGH A ROUGH SPOT IN THE BRAKES CAUSES THE CAR TO STOP HARD THEN SOFT REPEATEDLY. AT HIGH SPEEDS THE STEERING WHEEL AND CAR SHAKE. ROTORS SEEM TO BE WARPED. PARTS WERE REPLACED AND SAME PROBLEM CAME UP ON NEW PARTS. *AK

NHTSA ID
722436
Incident
May 8, 2000
Filed Dec 11, 1999

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
715942
Incident
Jun 18, 1999
Powertrain (other)
Filed Dec 11, 1999

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
715940
Incident
Jun 18, 1999

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.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .