1995 Pontiac Trans Sport Transmission Problems

I OWN A 1995 PONTIAC TRANSPORT BOUGHT USED IN GOOD SHAPE. I HAVE OWNED IT APPROXIMATELY 3 YEARS. IN THAT TIME I HAVE HAD BOTH HEAD GASKETS SHAVED AND REDONE, THE TRANMSISSION REBUILT 3 TIMES, FOUR WATER PUMPS, A RADIATOR, A FAN, FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM TOTALLY REBUILT, THE TANK DROPPED, A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS WITH LOCKS AND ELECTRICAL SHORTS. IT IS A TOTAL LEMON. NOW THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN TOTALLY REBUILT AND STILL WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF 3RD GEAR TO DRIVE OR OVERDRIVE. NO ONE SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. SAYS IT MUST BE A FUSE OR WIRE PROBLEM. THIS CAR BREAKS DOWN CONTINUOUSLY FROM THE DAY I GOT IT, I HAVE PUT MORE MONEY INTO IT THAN I HAVE PAID FOR IT, AND STILL, IN FACT, OWE ON IT. PONTIAC DECLARED SOME 1997'S LEMONS, MINE IS MORE A LEMON THAN THEY ARE AND THEY WILL NOT TAKE CARE OF MINE. CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS. HAS BEEN WORKED ON THIS TIME, ON AND OFF FOR A MONTH.*AK

NHTSA ID

10025932

Incident

Jul 11, 2003

Mileage

1 mi

THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY SHUDDERED AND OCCASIONALLY ACTED LIKE IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. AFTER A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS RUN AT THE CRONIC PONTIAC SERVICE DEPT(PRESSURE TEST), I WAS ADVISED THE TRANSMISSION WAS BAD AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT(EST $2800). I PURCHASED A USED REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION FROM A LOCAL USED PARTS BUSINESS AND HAD IT INSTALLED BY MY MECHANIC(BULLDOG TIRE). ONCE ROAD-TESTED THE SAME SYMPTOMS EXISTED WITH THE REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION AS THE ORIGINAL. MY MECHANIC THEN FOUND THE PROBLEM, THE TRANSMISSION COOLANT LINE WAS RUPTURED INSIDE THE RADIATOR ALLOWING WATER TO GET INTO THE TRANSMISSION AS WELL AS TRANSMISSION FLUID TO ENTER THE RADIATOR. THE COOLANT LINES WERE REPLACED(SEE NHTSA RECALL ID NUMBER 96V015000) AND THE RADIATOR WAS REPAIRED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS ALSO FLUSHED. I THEN CONTACTED THE CRONIC PONTIAC SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO ADVISE THEM OF THEIR MIS-DIAGNOSIS AS WELL AS THE COSTS I HAD INCURRED. I ALSO ADVISED THEM OF THE MANUFACTURERS RECALL FOR THIS ITEM. HE STATED THERE WAS NO RECALL ON MY VEHICLE AND HE WAS STANDING BEHIND THE DIAGNOSIS OF A BAD TRANSMISSION EVEN THOUGH BOTH TRANSMISSIONS HAD THE SAME SYMPTOMS AND THE REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION WAS FINE AFTER THE COOLANT LINE WAS REPLACED. I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS WEBSITES ON-LINE DESCRIBING THIS RECALL AND ONE OF THEM SUGGESTS IT MAY BE A REGIONAL RECALL FOR VEHICLES PURCHASED IN NORTHERN STATES. I HAVE CALLED PONTIAC TWICE SO FAR AND THEY CAN NEITHER FIND A VEHICLE SPECIFIC RECALL NOR A MAKE/MODEL RECALL WITH THIS PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

765325

Incident

Mar 11, 2002

NOTICED A GREEN LIQUID COMING FROM VEHICLE ONTO THE GROUND AFTER CAR HAD BEEN SITTING OVER NIGHT. VEHICLE WAS RUNNING ROUGH AND JERKING. CONSUMER FEELS UNSAFE BECAUSE OF THE LEAK. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8001439

Incident

Dec 26, 2001

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

744867

Incident

Sep 25, 2000

PIN HOLDING GEAR SHIFT LEVER CAME OUT. IF THIS HAPPENS AND THE CAR IS NOT IN PARK POSITION, THE DOORS CANNOT BE UNLOCKED UNTIL SHIFT LEVER IS IN PARK POSITION.*AK

NHTSA ID

735871

Incident

Nov 6, 2000

WHEN DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS VEHICLE WILL DOWNSHIFT ON ITS OWN, AND WILL NOT CLICK BACK INTO THE OVERDRIVE GEAR. VEHICLE SHUTS COMPLETLY DOWN WHEN THIS HAPPENS. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

863765

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

719791

UPON STARTING THE VAN, THE PIN IN THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER FELL OUT, CAUSING THE LEVER TO FALL IN DRIVER'S HAND. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE VAN HOME SAFELY. DEALER HAS NOT NOTIFIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

842063

Incident

Jul 9, 1999

CONSUMER HAD BEEN DRIVING AT 60 MPH WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON AND ON WET PAVEMENT, ON EXIT RAMP SLOWING DOWN WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, IT FELT LIKE VEHICLE WAS PULLING A PIECE OF METAL. TRANSMISSION BURNED UP. DEALER STATED THAT CONSUMER NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION, NOT ONE THAT IS REBUILT. *AK

NHTSA ID

834651

Incident

Jan 30, 1999

TRACTION CONTROL FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE TO HYDROPLANE.

NHTSA ID

528016

Incident

May 1, 1995

ELECTRIC SLIDING DOOR AND DOOR LOCKS FAILED.

NHTSA ID

520334

TRANSMISSION FAILED TWICE.

NHTSA ID

507805

Incident

Aug 22, 1996