Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Pontiac Trans Sport submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 37 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 37, in the owner's own words
Sliding door on passenger side locked up trapping passenger inside. Door cannot be opened manually or electronically. A loud buzzing noise then a thud was heard prior. Can't open door any way now scary.
MY 97 PONTIAC TRANSPORTS HAS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE PASSENGER SLIDING DOOR IS INOPERABLE. THE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN AND APPERAS TO NOT BE CLOSED ALL THE WAY. THE DOOR IS TURNED OFF VIA THE SWITCH AND THE LOCK WILL NOT RELEASE VIA THE UNLOCK SWITCH OR THE MANUAL LOCK MECHANISM ON THE DOOR. IN THE EVEN OF AN ACCIDENT THIS DOOR COULD NOT BE USED AS AN EXIT. I ALSO HAVE CONCERNS OF THE DOOR POSSIBLE COMING OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT WAS HIT ON THE DRIVER SIDE BEHIND THE DOOR. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED BODY DAMAGE, THERE WERE NO INJURIES, AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR REPAIRS. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THERE WAS NO SAFETY SIDE BAR ON THE VEHICLE AND FEELS THIS IS A SAFETY DEFECT. THE BODY DAMAGE WAS REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.
I OWN A 1997 PONTIAC TRANSPORT THAT SHOULD HAVE A IMMEDIATE RECALL. THE POWER SLIDING DOOR IS OPENING WHEN EVER IT WANTS MOSTLY WHILE MAKING LEFT TURNS. THE DOOR OPENED TWICE WITHIN THE LAST WEEK. ONCE ALMOST LOSING MY SON. I TURNED A LEFT TURN AND IT POPPED OPEN LEAVING MY SON HANGING OUT THE DOOR IN HIS SEAT BELT. HE HAS SEAT BELT BURN MARKS ON HIS SHOULDER AND NECK. *JB
DT: THE CONTACT STATES WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS OF THE POWER STEERING RACK THE WELDS WHERE THE POWER STEERING RACK BOLTED TO THE FRAME CRACKED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED AT THE CONTACTED EXPENSE. *AK
DT: THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE SIDING DOOR NOT STAYING CLOSED. THIS WILL OCCUR EVEN WHEN THE DOOR IS LOCKED. THE PROBLEM FIRST STARTED ON FEBRUARY 1, 2005. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM. *AK
THE SLIDING DOOR OPENED WITHOUT WARNING. *JB THE SLIDING DOOR ALSO WOULD NOT CLOSE UNLESS MANUALLY PUSHED. THE DOOR WOULD STILL OPEN AGAIN. *SC *JB
THE STEERING ON OUR 1997 PONTIAC TRANSPORT MONTANA IS VERY HARD. I NOTICED THIS EARLIER THIS WEEK. WHILE DRIVING, WHEN I WANTED TO TURN IT TAKES A LOT OF EFFORT TO MAKE A TURN NOW, AND THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR SLIDING DOOR STILL COMES OPEN SOMETIMES AFTER YOU CLOSE IT. IT SEEMS AS IF IT'S GOING TO CLOSE AND THEN IT WOULD JUST OPEN. I KNOW MY HUSBAND TOOK THE CAR IN FOR REPAIR AND THEY SAID IT WAS A RECALL ON THESE TWO THINGS AND THEY WERE FIXED, BUT IT STILL SEEMS AS IF THE PROBLEM IS THERE. *PH
IN OCTOBER 2002 VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR RECALL 01V264000 REPAIRS CONCERNING POWER SLIDING DOOR. AFTER THE REPAIR WAS DONE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER ON 7/14/2003. DEALER WILL REPLACE THE ACTUATOR MODULE AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE.*AK
PROBLEM #1 - SEAT BELTS. FOUR OUT OF THE SEVEN SEAT BELTS IN THE CAR HAVE FAILED. SPECIFICALLY THE RETRACTION SYSTEM. FOUR OUT OF SEVEN GOING BAD TO ME, MEANS THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED FAILURE. I'M CONCERN ABOUT THE OTHER 3 WORKING IF IN AN ACCIDENT. DEALERS CONTACTED WANT TO CHARGE ME $800 - $1000 TO FIX FOUR SEAT BELTS. NEED TO GET IT FIXED, BUT NOTHING TO BELIEVE I WON'T BE ASKING THAT SAME DEALER TO FIX THE OTHER 3 SEAT BELTS WHEN THEY GO BAD TOO. DEALERS SAY HIGH COST OF REPAIR IS DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTED TO THE COST OF PARTS. UNLIKE AN ALTERNATOR, OR OTHER ENGINE COMPONENT, THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY IS SOLE SOURCED FROM ONE MANUFACTURER. LOCKED IN TO A NON-COMPETITIVE PRICE (AND OBVIOUSLY OVER INFLATED). PROBLEM #2 - RACK AND PINON STEERING. I NOTICED ON YOUR WEB SITE WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE THE SAME PROBLEM UNDER PONTIAC TRANSPORTS. BASICALLY TOLD BY DEALER THE RACK AND PINON STEERING SYSTEM IS BAD. OUT OF WARRANTY, SO BIG BUCKS. HAVE HAD TO PAY QUITE A BIT IN DEALER REPAIR BILLS ALREADY ON VEHICAL. FOR EXAMPLE, PROBLEMS WITH AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOOR, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, BACK HATCH, SIDE WINDOW, PUSH BUTTONS ON DOOR ARM REST, AIR CONDITIONING.....ALSO POOR DESIGN WITH PLASTIC PARTS IN HIGH STRESSED POINT AREAS.*AK
REPAIR POWER SLIDING DOOR BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT WORK, REPLACE PSO MODULE, DOOR FAILED AGAIN. CHANGED ALL THE PARTS IN THE DOOR AT NO COST. DOOR OPENED WHILE THE VAN IN MOTION, WILL NOT CLOSE ALL THE WAY, MAY CLOSE BUT ALARM SOUNDS, FAILED TO OPERATE AT ALL.
I HAD NO PROBLEM WITH POWER SLIDING DOOR, UNTIL RECALL CAMPAIGN # 01V067000.. REPOTED PROBLEM TO NHTSA AND ALSO PONTIAC CUSTOMER RELATIONS. WAS INSTRUCTED TO TAKE VAN TO DEALER AND DID SO MANY TIMES FOR REPLACEMENT OF PARTS IN THE DOOR. FINALLY WAS INFORMED OF A RECALL ON THE RECALL.. CAMPAIGN # 01V264000... DATED IN OCTOBER 2001... LOCAL DEALER COULD NOT GET PARTS, SINCE I LIVE IN FLORIDA FOR WINTER MONTHS WAS TOLD BY PONTIAC CUSTOMER RELATIONS TO TAKE THE VAN TO CARL'S PONTIAC, STUART, FL. DID SO AND THEY PERFORMED THE CAMPAIGN. DOOR STILL FAILS TO WORK PROPERLY, WILL NOT ALWAYS LATCH, AND WILL OPEN WHEN VAN IN MOTION. HAVE BEEN TOLD BY PONTIAC CUSTOMER RELATIONS TO RETURN CAR TO DEALER. BUT EACH TIME I DO THEY CLAIM TO FIND SOMETHING WRONG TO CHARGE ME FOR. AFTER FIRST RECALL, AND FAILURE, IT TOOK PONTIAC CUSTOMER RELATIONS 10 MONTHS TO REIMBURSE ME FOR CHARGES. HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN PONTIAC TRAINED MECHANICS, SINCE THE VAN HAS BEEN TO 3 DEALERS, AT LEAST 15 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, THAT WAS CAUSED BY FIRST RECALL.*AK
THE PROBLEM I AM HAVING IS THE POWER SLIDING DOOR OPENING WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, FAILING TO CLOSE PROPERLY, OR FAILING TO OPERATE AT ALL. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN HAPPENING OVER A SIX MONTH PERIOD, AND STARTED AFTER A SAFETY RECALL OF THE POWER SLIDING DOOR TO FIX A PROBLEM WITH THE DOOR OPENING WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. HAD NO PROBLEM WITH THAT TILL REWORK WAS DONE. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AT THE REQUEST OF PONTIAC BUT ALL ATTEMPTS AT REPAIRING THE PSD HAVE FAILED. THE DOOR WILL OPEN WHILE VAN IS IN MOTION, WILL NOT CLOSE, OR STOPS WORKING ALL TOGETHER. VERY CONCERNED WITH WHAT MAY HAPPEN IF DOOR OPENS WHILE DRIVING AT TURNPIKE SPEED.*AK
AFTER 17 REPAIR ATTEMPS, ELECTRIC SLIDING DOOR STILL DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY.
SLIDING DOOR OPENED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. THREE WEEKS LATER ON APRIL 11TH, SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. DEALER STILL COULDN'T FIND PROBLEM. ON APRIL 26, DEALER FIXED DOOR, AND CURRENTLY IT WAS LIKE CAR HAD A MIND OF ITS OWN, CONSUMER TRIED TO START CAR, AND IT WOULD START 3 MINUTES LATER. APRIL 26 THROUGH MAY 4 THEY HAD THE CAR. DEALER SAID TO TAKE CAR BACK TO GMC.*AK
PASSENGER'S SLIDING DOOR WAS WORKING WHEN SHE TOOK IT IN FOR MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. 00000115967 REPAIRS. WHEN SHE DROVE VEHICLE HOME PASSENGER'S DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. CONSUMER HAD A TALK WITH DEALERSHIP MECHANIC, AND HE TOLD HER THAT ELECTRICAL MOTOR WAS NOT RUNNING. *AK
PASSENGER'S SLIDING POWER DOOR QUIT WORKING. A RECALL WAS RECEIVED FOR LATCH ON DOOR, BUT DID NOT FIX PROBLEM. ALSO, BOTH SEATS BELTS IN MIDDLE WILL NOT STAY LATCHED. *AK
POWER SLIDE DOOR WILL AUTOMATICALLY OPEN. WHEN DOOR BUTTON IS PRESSED TO SHUT, DOOR WILL GO ALL THE WAY TO THE SHUT POSITION AND THEN IMMEDIATELY OPEN AGAIN. I HAVE HAD THIS EXAMINED ONCE WHEN THE WARNING BUZZER WOULD NOT TURN ITSELF OFF. DEALER SUPPOSEDLY FIXED THE PROBLEM, BUT NOW THE DOOR WILL NOT STAY SHUT. THE DOOR WILL SOMETIMES STAY SHUT, BUT YOU CAN'T PREDICT WHEN THAT WILL HAPPEN.
GOING 15MPH SIGHT SEEING AND SIDE SLIDING DOOR CAME OPEN. BUZZER WAS DISENGAGED DUE TO PARTS BEING ORDERED. WAS NO WARNING WHEN DOOR OPENED. BEEN TO DEALER 3-4 TIMES CONCERNING SLIDING DOOR. ENTIRE DOOR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS REPLACED. *AK
WAS DRIVING IN THE RAIN & WENT THROUGH A PUDDLE. THIS CAUSED POWER STEERING TO GO OUT, AND LOST CONTROL. BUT THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. FINALLY, WENT TO A DEALERSHIP & MECHANIC INDICATED THAT SHIELD WAS MISSING. MISSING SHIELD CAUSED WATER TO GET INSIDE THE STEERING AREA. MECHANIC REPLACED THE SHIELD. *AK
SLIDING DOOR CANNOT BE REPAIRED PROPERLY BY DEALER. HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE MANY TIMES. *AK
PASSENGER'S MIDDLE SIDE DOOR OPENS INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR, BUT DOOR NOW RATTLES BECAUSE IT ISN'T LINED UP WITH THE PANEL. *AK *ML
POWER DOOR DOES NOT LATCH WHEN IT IS CLOSED BY USING THE REMOTE BUTTON. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, POWER DOOR HAS SINCE BEEN REPAIRED. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT HAS HAPPENED. *AK *ML
CHECK THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON DUE TO GAS FILTER FAILURE. YH
POWER SLIDING DOOR OPENS AUTOMATICALLY AFTER BEING CLOSED
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.
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