1996 Pontiac Trans Sport Problems

1996 PONTIAC TRANS SPORT, MOTOR SEIZED UP AND BEGAN TO SMOKE, MOTOR CAUGHT FIRE. *BF PRIOR TO THE FIRE, THE DRIVER NOTICED THE VEHICLE WAS LEAVING SOME TYPE OF FLUID BEHIND. ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT, THE ENGINE WAS LEAKING OIL. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0409-90)*JB UPDATED 08/05/10 *BF

1996 PONTIAC TRANSPORT VAN WITH LEAKING INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE INTERNAL MANIFOLD LEAKED FILLING THE OIL PAN UP WITH WATER WHICH IN TURN FROZE THE MAIN BEARINGS TO THE CRANKSHAFT, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOCK UP AT 50 MPH. HE SENT IN PREVIOUS LETTER ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM ON ANOTHER VEHICLE. *KB THE CONSUMER NOTICED A SMELL OF ANTI-FREEZE, BUT COULD NOT LOCATE THE PROBLEM, BECAUSE IT WAS INTERNAL NOT EXTERNAL. *JB

COMPLAINT #1- WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULDN'T WORK IN THE RAIN. DEFECTIVE CIRCUIT BOARD HAD TO BE REPLACED. COMPLAINT # 2- TILT STEERING COLUMN CAME OFF. THE WHOLE COLUMN HAD TO BE REPLACED. COMPLAINT #3- BLACK PAINT OVER THE CAB FLAKED OFF. *NM

WINDSHIELD WIPERS EITHER QUIT OR DO NOT WORK AT TIMES, IF YOU TURN THEM TO HIGH SPEED THEN USE WASHER FLUID THEY MAY CONTINUE TO WORK. THE PROBLEM CAN NOT BE DUPLICATED BY DEALER. ONLY KNOWN REPAIR IS REPLACEMENT OF WIPER MOTOR BY DEALER, "THAT SHOULD FIX IT". DRIVER NEVER KNOWS IF WIPERS WILL WORK WHEN NEEDED. MANY SIMULAR COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO YOUR AGENCY! *AK

COMPLAINT #1- WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULDN'T WORK IN THE RAIN. DEFECTIVE CIRCUIT BOARD HAD TO BE REPLACED. COMPLAINT # 2- TILT STEERING COLUMN CAME OFF. THE WHOLE COLUMN HAD TO BE REPLACED. COMPLAINT #3- BLACK PAINT OVER THE CAB FLAKED OFF. *NM

THE OWNER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE LOWER PINION BEARING AND POWER STEERING GEAR. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICING AND THE WORK WAS COMPLETED. NOW THE VEHICLE IS PULLING TO THE RIGHT. THIS OCCURRED ONLY AFTER HAVING IT WORKED ON FOR THE ORIGINAL RECALL. NOW THE DEALERSHIP IS TELLING THE CONSUMER THAT THE DEFECT THAT IS CURRENTLY BEING EXPERIENCED IS NO FAULT OF THE WORK THAT WAS DONE FOR THE RECALL. THE DEALERSHIP IS NOT WILLING TO REPAIR THE CURRENT PROBLEM UNLESS THE OWNER PAYS OUT OF POCKET. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING AFTER THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED ON THE RACK AND PINION, HOWEVER PRIOR TO THE RECALL THE OUTER TIE RODS WERE REPLACED, BUT THAT DID NOT RESOLVE THE STEERING PROBLEMS, ALSO THE FRONT ROTORS WERE RESURFACED. *TS *JB

IF CONSTANT CARE (AND COST) IS NOT PAID TO THE REAR BRAKE ADJUSTERS, THE FRONT CALIPERS APPLY GREATER PRESSURE TO THE FRONT ROTORS, CAUSING WARPING!!!*AK

SLIDING DOOR WILL RATTLE WHEN LOCKED, AND AT TIMES WILL OPEN WITHOUT ANY ONE TRYING TO OPEN IT. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK

I GOT INTO OUR 1996 PONTIAC TRANS SPORT FOR A QUICK ERRAND. AS I REACHED BACK OVER MY HEAD TO PULL UP THE HEADREST, THERE WAS A *POP* BEHIND ME AND THE ENTIRE SEATBACK COLLAPSED BACKWARDS, COMPLETELY FLAT BACK ONTO THE SEAT BEHIND. FORTUNATELY I WAS STILL IDLING IN THE DRIVEWAY AT THE TIME. MY OWN INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT THE MANUAL SEATBACK RECLINER MECHANISM HAS _ONE_ BOLT SUPPORTING THE SEATBACK ANGLE, AND THAT BOLT (ROUGHLY 5/16" DIAMETER, BUT METRIC) HAD SHEARED IN TWO. (THESE ARE GM FRONT-SEAT MINIVAN BUCKET SEATS WITH A FLIP-DOWN ARMREST ON THE INBOARD SIDE AND A LARGE BLACK PLASTIC ADJUSTMENT KNOB BELOW IT THAT YOU TURN FORWARDS OR BACKWARDS TO ADJUST OR RECLINE THE SEAT BACK.) NOTHING ELSE BESIDES THAT ONE BOLT HOLDS UP THE SEATBACK; WHEN IT BREAKS, YOU IMMEDIATELY FALL OVER BACKWARDS. I SPENT THE MORNING REMOVING THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND UNSCREWING THE BROKEN STUB OF THE BOLT FROM INSIDE THE SEAT BASE FRAME. I HAVE A COLLECTION OF METRIC MACHINE BOLTS FROM PREVIOUS CARS AND FOUND A USED REPLACEMENT THAT WAS A PERFECT FIT, AND EVERYTHING IS BACK TOGETHER FOR NOW. I BELIEVE I HAVE PUT IN A BOLT OF THE RIGHT STRENGTH. THE SHEARED-OFF BOLT HAS THE FOLLOWING ON ITS HEAD, LIKE THIS: 9. D (YES, A LETTER D, NOT A ZERO.) THE BOLT I PUT IN READS "9.8" I HAVE KEPT THE SHEARED-OFF BOLT (BOTH HALVES) FOR INSPECTION BY ANY INTERESTED PARTY. I DON'T BELIEVE I'VE OVERSTRESSED THE SEATBACK (I WEIGH ABOUT 225 POUNDS, MY WIFE WEIGHS ABOUT 150, AND NO ONE ELSE DRIVES THE VAN), AND TO OUR KNOWLEDGE THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. I DID VISIT A LOCAL PONTIAC DEALER IN MCHENRY, IL (NOT THE SELLING DEALER) AND WAS ABLE TO SIT DOWN WITH A MECHANIC AND REVIEW THEIR RECALL DATABASE FOR 1996 TRANS SPORTS, BUT FOUND NO MENTION OF A COLLAPSING SEATBACK PROBLEM. GIVEN THE LOCATION OF THE PROBLEM BOLT WITHIN THE SEAT, I DOUBT IT WOULD BE UNIQUE TO PONTIAC ONLY, BUT WOULD BE SHARED BY ALL GM MINIVANS OF THAT YEAR WHICH USED MANUAL-RECLINING BUCKET SEATS.*AK

WHILE CLOSING THE SIDE DOOR MY GRANDSON'S THUMB WAS CAUGHT IN IT. HE WAS SCREAMING AND THERE WAS NO EMERGENCY WAY TO STOP THE DOOR FROM CLOSING. THE DOOR HAD TO COMPLETE THE COURSE OF CLOSING BEFORE IT COULD BE OPENED TO GET HIS THUMB OUT. I THANK GOD IT WAS ONLY HIS THUMB!! *TR

THE VEHICLES SLIDING DOOR DIDN'T CLOSE PROPERLY WHICH CAUSED THE INDICATOR LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL TO ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *NLM

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO WORK, THE CONSUMER HAD TO HIT THE CONTROL SEVERAL TIMES TO GET THEM TO WORK. *JB. THE COOLANT LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE DEALER REPLACED THE UPPER AND LOWER INTAKE, THE FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW WENT UP AND DOWN SLOW, THE POWER SLIDING DOOR WAS INOPERATIVE, THE DEALER REPLACED THE BATTERY *PH *JB

HORN IS DIFFICULT TO LOCATE IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION DUE TO THE AIR BAG. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

VEHICLE CAN NOT BE DRIVEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS DO TO THE VEHICLE VIBRATING SO HARD. TOOK TO MECHANIC, AND THEY STATED THE DRIVESHAFT NEEDS REPLACING. PH

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT 65 MILES PER HOUR WHEN MY TIRE STARTED GOING FLAT. AFTER TAKING IT OFF, THE CORDS ON THE INNER SIDE OF THE TIRE WERE SHOWING. THESE TIRES WERE ONLY ABOUT A YEAR OLD.( DOT NUMBER: )

TRANSMISSION SLIPPED FROM OVERDRIVE INTO NEUTRAL WHILE VEHICLE WAS ACCELERATING AT 55 MP TO ENTER A HIGHWAY. *AK

VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO GEAR WHILE IGNITION WAS OFF AND FOOT WAS NOT ON THE BRAKE. *AK

INADVERTENT DRIVERS AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT CAUSING INJURIES. *MR WHILE DRIVING THE AIR BAG SUDDENLY DEPLOYED AND KNOCKED THE CONSUMER UNCONSCIOUS. THE CONSUMER HAD RUN OFF THE ROAD AND ENTERED A WOODED AREA AND STRUCK A TREE HEAD-ON. THE DRIVER COULD NOT REMEMBER ANYTHING ABOUT THE ACCIDENT. (LAWYER MICHAEL SHEPHERD ON BEHALF OF CLIENT KAREN WILSON (PER A. JIMENEZ, THIS DOCUMENT IS TO BE TREATED AS A MAILED IN VOQ) *SCC *JB

WHILE TURNING RIGHT, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED WITH NO CONTROL. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO STOP VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK THE CONSUMER STOPPED A STOP SIGN AT AN INTERSECTION WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO SPIN AROUND. IT WAS DISCOVERED THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT AT THE BASE OF THE STEERING COLUMN HAD COME LOOSE. THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON AND THE CLOCK SPRING HAD BROKEN. *SCC *JB

1996 PONTIAC TRANSPORT ACCELERATED TO 85 WHILE SET IN CRUISE CONTROL AT 65 MPH.*MR WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN TO 65 MPH, IT WOULD ACCELERATE TO 85 MPH ON ITS OWN. *JB

WHILE IN A DRIVE THROUGH LINE AND IN "DRIVE" POSITION, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO REV UP AND HIT VEHICLE IN FRONT. DRIVER TURNED WHEEL TO KEEP FROM THE HITTING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. BUT VEHICLE STILL ACCELERATED. DRIVER HAD TO PLACE VEHICLE IN THE "PARK" POSITION, AND VEHICLE STOPPED. LATER THAT NIGHT, OWNER DROVE VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP. BUT DID NOT EXPERIENCE THE PROBLEM AT THAT TIME. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

THE BALL JOINTS ARE WORN OUT, AND THE STRUTS NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

TURN INDICATOR (IN HALF)BROKE WHILE SIGNALLING FOR A RIGHT HAND TURN WHERE THE HANDLE JUTS AT AN ANGLE IN THE MIDDLE; CAN NO LONGER GET THE HIGH BEAMS TO TURN ON;THE WIRE FOR THE CRUISE CONTROL HANGS/ CAN'T GET THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO TURN OFF-IT TAKES SEVERAL TRIES-THEY MIGHT TURN OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD/ THW WINDOW HAS BECOME STUCK WHILE CLOSING--I TRY NOT TO OPEN IT, BUT SOMETIMES A KID DOES--YOU WAIT A LITTLE BIT AND IT INCHES UP SOME MORE UNTIL IT HAS CLOSED.

INTAKE MANIFOLD & GASKET FAILURE - OIL & COOLANT MIXING IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT - IMMINENT ENGINE FAILURE FRONT WIPER MOTOR/TRANSMISSION INTERMITENT FAILURE WHILE DRIVING - DIFFICULTY DIAGNOSING PROBLEM - MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE WHEN THE WIPERS SUDDENLY STOP/START WORKING WHILE DRIVING IN RAIN & SNOW OR SLOPPY HIGHWAY CONDITIONS COMPRESSOR CLUTCH HUB & PULLEY FAILURE