1997 Pontiac Trans Sport Engine Problems

IN NOV. OF 2007 I WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH MY VAN OVERHEATING AND WAS LOSING ENGINE COOLANT BUT COULD NOT SEE WHERE IT WAS GOING. I LATER FOUND OUT THAT I HAD A FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, WHICH COST ME OVER 800.00 TO REPAIR. NOT LONG AFTER THE GASKET WAS REPAIRED THE VAN STARTED OVERHEATING AGAIN AND I DISCOVERED THAT THE WATER PUMP WAS BLOWN, THAT WAS ANOTHER 174.00 TO REPAIR. NOW I AM STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE VAN OVERHEATING AND COOLANT LEAKING AND I WAS JUST INFORMED THAT IT IS A HEAD GASKET WHICH IS GOING TO COST ME OVER 1700.00 TO FIX. THIS IS RIDICULOUS, I KNOW 3 OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL VAN AS I DO WITH THE SAME ENGINE AND THEY ARE ALL ALSO HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THEIR VANS. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS TOO MUCH OF A COINCIDENCE AND THAT THEIR SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL IN PLACE TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEMS WITH THESE FAULTY PARTS. THESE ARE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE REPAIRS AND I PERSONALLY DO NOT HAVE AN EXTRA $1700.00 JUST LAYING AROUND, SO NOW I AM FACED WITH THE CHOICE OF JUNKING MY VAN AND TRYING TO GET A NEW ONE WHICH I CANNOT AFFORD OR FIXING IT WHICH I ALSO CANNOT AFFORD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10247940

Incident

Nov 10, 2007

OUR 1997 PONTIAC TRANSPORT HAS HAD 3 HEAD GASKET FAILURES. THE FIRST WAS AT 72000, SECOND AT 88,000 AND IS CURRENTLY DEAD IN FRONT DRIVE WITH WATER IN THE OIL AGAIN. HAD NEW HEADS PUT ON AT 72000. VEHICLE OVERHEATS AND DOES NOT SHOW ON GAUGES. YOU HEAR IT BUBBLING WHEN IT'S SHUT OFF. ALSO HAD TO REPLACE ALTERNATOR 3 TIMES AND VAN ONLY HAS 110,000 MILES ON IT. WE'VE HAD SINCE NEW. *TR

NHTSA ID

10235285

Incident

Feb 9, 2005

Mileage

72,000 mi

I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR 7 YEARS AND HAVE ALWAYS HAD PROBLEMS WITH COOLING SYSTEM LOSING ANTIFREEZE. NOW I AM TOLD THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET HAS BEEN NEEDS REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10195027

Incident

Jun 14, 2007

Mileage

90,000 mi

REPLACED THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET IN 2006 . IN THE LAST 3 WEEKS, THE VAN WAS NOT PUTTING OUT MUCH HEAT AND THE TEMP GAUGE DID NOT RISE UP TO THE NORMAL LEVEL. I DROVE INTO TOWN 6 MILES AT 60 MILES AN HOUR AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT ALL THE WAY UP. I LET IT COOL DOWN AND DROVE TO THE MECHANIC ( 1 MILE ) AND IT WAS GOING BACK UP AGAIN. THEY REPLACED THE WATER PUMP, RADIATOR CAP AND THERMOSTAT AND I PICKED UP THE VAN. WITHIN 1 MILE IT STARTED TO HEAT UP AGAIN. I RETURNED IT . THEY BELIEVE THE HEAD GASKETS ARE BLOWN. THE ESTIMATE THAT I GOT TO REPAIR IT IS 1200.00. I GOT 3 ESTIMATES WITH THE HIGH OF 1600.00. I ALREADY REPLACED ONE AND NOW HAVE TO RE REPLACE IT AND THE OTHER. I'M GETTING REALLY TIRED OF THIS BUT I HAVE TO FIX IT BECAUSE I CANNOT SELL IT IF IT DOESN'T RUN. HOPE THEY FIX THIS IN THE NEXT VEHICLES. I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND IT DUE TO THIS DEFECT. IT WAS ALSO VERY SCARY BECAUSE I WAS DEALING WITH TEMPERATURES OF -20 WITH WIND. *NM

NHTSA ID

10181712

Incident

Feb 1, 2007

Mileage

166,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH THE VEHICLE RAN HOT AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED HOWEVER NO REPAIRS WERE MADE.

NHTSA ID

10152319

Incident

Mar 8, 2006

Mileage

93,600 mi

I NOTICED THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT WOULD GO ON SOMETIMES AND THE VEHICLE WAS GOING THROUGH COOLANT MUCH FASTER THAN ANY OTHER VEHICLE I HAVE OWNED. *NM I PERFORMED SOME RESEARCH ON THIS ISSUE AND DISCOVERED A SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING THE FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET IN MODEL YEAR 1997 TRANSPORT VANS, AMONG OTHERS. THIS SERVICE BULLETIN CLEARLY INDICATES THAT THIS ISSUE A RESULT OF A POORLY DESIGNED GASKET. FURTHER RESEARCH INDICATED THAT HAVING THIS PROBLEM WITH YOUR VEHICLE COULD RESULT IN CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO THE LEAKING COOLANT GETTING INTO YOUR ENGINE. THIS NOW CREATES A SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO THE UNPREDICTABILITY OF WHEN YOUR VEHICLE COULD BREAKDOWN. I TOOK THE VAN IN TO A GM DEALER THE NEXT DAY. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS A FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET THAT WAS CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK INSIDE THE ENGINE. THE REPAIR ESTIMATED TO $720, FOR PARTS AND LABOR AND $130 TO PAY FOR A FAULTY BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR THAT WAS ALSO DIAGNOSED. I CALLED GM TO REQUEST COST ASSISTANCE AND WAS TOLD THAT THE "CAR HAS TOO MANY MILES ON IT, WE CAN'T HELP YOU NOW". I WAS GIVEN THE REASONS THAT THE VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT USED, AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOO OLD. ALTHOUGH I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM FIXED, GM CLAIMED NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS ISSUE. FURTHERMORE, I AM NOT CONVINCED THAT HAVING THIS FAILURE DID NOT CREATE OTHER PROBLEMS THAT WOULD RESULT IN CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE AT A LATER TIME.

NHTSA ID

10112145

Incident

Feb 22, 2005

Mileage

64,990 mi

VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLED WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN. DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10111798

Incident

Feb 15, 2005

Mileage

61,000 mi

THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED AND THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A FAULTY HEAD GASKET. *NM THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TWICE. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED THAT HE HAS HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED ON FOUR SEPARATED OCCASIONS. *TC

NHTSA ID

10109730

Incident

Jan 3, 2005

TODAYS DATE- DEC 15TH, 2004.HAVE HAD 1997 PONTIAC TRANSPORT FOR ALMOST 1 YR. I JUST FOUND OUT TODAY THAT THE RACK AND PINION ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE REPLACED, ALONG WITH THE THERMOSTAT AND WATER PUMP.*AK REGARDING OPERATION OF THE RACK & PINION, THE TROUBLE STARTED ABOUT A MONTH AGO. I FIRST NOTICED PROBLEMS W/THE STEERING WHILE BACKING OUT. I THOUGHT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN POWER STEERING, CHECKED THE FLUID AND IT WAS FULL. NOT TERRIBLE PROBLEMS, BUT LITTLE ENOUGH TO NOTICE SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT. IT HAS NOW GOTTEN A LITTLE WORSE, SO I HAD IT LOOKED AT AND WAS TOLD THE TERRIBLE NEWS JUST THIS VERY DAY.

NHTSA ID

10103001

Incident

Nov 10, 2004

I BOUGHT A 1997 PONTIAC TRANSPORT IN 2001 AND NOT EVEN A YEAR LATER THE INTAKE GASKET WENT BAD THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS A DEFECT ON THE INTAKE GASKET ANDGM DID NOT GIVE A RECALL FOR IT THAT ISN'T VERY FAIR WHEN IT IS THEIR FAULT IT KEEPS GOING I HAVE TO PAY $785 AGAIN AFTER ANOTHER 2 YEARS AND AGAIN NOW I THINK SOMEBODY SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE GETTING RIPPED OFF BECAUSE THEY WONT GIVE A RECALL ON THIS PART WHEN ITS THEIR FAULT PLEASE HELP US WITH THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU . *AK

NHTSA ID

10102456

Incident

Sep 6, 2002

DEXCOOL IN 1997 PONTIAC TRANSPORT CORRODED INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET ENABLING OIL AND DEXCOOL TO MIX IN OIL AND GUMMING UP, CAUSING ENGINE TO OVERHEAT AND SELF DESTRUCT. NO WARNING WHATSOEVER. NO WARNING LIGHTS. NO LOST OIL OR COOLANT. MAINTAINED AT MANUFACTURER INTERVALS. REQUIRES $6,000 ENGINE REPLACEMENT. OLD OIL AND DEXCOOL SAMPLES ARE AVAILABLE AS ARE ALL PARTS (MANIFOLD INTAKE GASKET). OVER 1100 PEOPLE HAVE THIS REGISTERED COMPLAINT -- SEE WWW.GM-V6LEMONS.COM FOR OTHERS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10067754

Incident

Apr 10, 2004

Mileage

92,000 mi

GENERAL MOTORS 1997 PONTIAC TRANSPORT MINIVAN- INTAKE MANIFOLD REPLACED AT 55,000 MILES AND 72,000. *NM

NHTSA ID

10063779

Incident

Feb 21, 2003

Mileage

55,000 mi

LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET IS LEAKING DUE TO FAULTY PLASTIC MATERIALS. DEALER ADVISES IMMEDIATE REPAIR TO AVOID ENGINE FAILURE. DEALER INDICATES THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH NO RELIEF FROM GENERAL MOTORS. GM HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL BULLETIN TO ITS DEALERS REGARDING THE PROBLEM. BULLETIN #: 03-06-01-010 MARCH 2003. *AK

NHTSA ID

10062788

Incident

Feb 23, 2004

FAULTY HEAD GASKEY CAUSES MAJOR ENGINE FAILURE IN GM BEHICLES. *AK

NHTSA ID

10062155

Incident

Mar 10, 2004

Mileage

84,000 mi

OUR CYL HEAD GASKETS HAD TO BE REPLACED AND OUR CYL HEADS HAD TO BE MACHINED, WE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE OUR FUEL PUMP AT THE SAME TIME

NHTSA ID

10071293

Incident

Jun 15, 2002

Mileage

113,000 mi

AT 51000 MILES THE 3.4L ENGINE HAD LOWER INTAKE GASKET FAILURE IN WHICH THE DEX-COOL ANTI FREEZE DUMPED INTO THE CRANKCASE MIXING WITH THE OIL. THIS ONLY HAD ONE WARNING A COUPLE MONTHS EARLIER AS THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON AND I ADDED 1/2 GALLON DEX-COOL WITH NO SIGNS OF LEAKAGE. NEXT TIME IT HAPPENED WAS WHEN MY WIFE WAS TAKING DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL AND TEMP. LIGHT CAME ON. VAN WAS NOT DRIVEN OVER 2 MILES TO DEALER, AS LIGHT WENT OUT. DEALER SAID EXTREME MIXTURE IN BOTH CRANKCASE AND RADIATOR. RECOMMENDED REPLACE RADIATOR, WATERPUMP, INTAKE GASKETS, FLUSH BOTH SYSTEMS AT A COST OF 1500 NOT TO BE APPLIED TOWARD ENGINE REPLACEMENT IF FAILURE ON START UP. DEALER HAD JUST HAD VAN IN WEEK BEFORE FOR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND STEERING RECALL AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG !!!! WE TRADED IT IN AT A LOSS AS I CHECKED INTO THE PROBLEM AND LEARNED ABOUT THOUSANDS OF OTHER OWNERS WITH SAME PROBLEMS WITH TOTAL ENGINE FAILURES AFTER REPAIRS MADE. WE LOST OVER $3000 EQUITY BETWEEN WHAT TRADE VALUE WOULD HAVE BEEN IF NO PROBLEM WITH ENGINE AND LETTING DEALER FIX PROBLEM AFTER TRADE. VAN HAD MANY PROBLEMS SINCE WE BOUGHT IT NEW BUT WE ALWAYS HAD THEM FIXED AND WAS WELL MAINTAINED. LOOKED NEW WHEN WE TRADED WITH ONLY 50,000 MILES. PAINT ON HOOD BLISTERED TWICE, STEERING / BRAKES WOBBLED SINCE NEW AT VARYNG SPEEDS, ALWAYS HAD TICKING SOUND IN ENGINE DEALER SAID WAS "NORMAL", REAR SEATS WOULD JAMB UP IF YOU TRIED TO REMOVE, WIPER ARMS FAILED TWICE, SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER BROKE OFF ON ENGINE START UP IN DEC. 2002. COST $375 WITH TOWING, POWER WINDOW SWITCH FAILED IN DOWN POSITION AT REPLACEMENT COST OF ABOUT $175. ENGINE UNDER WARRANTY WHEN IT HAD A SEVERE GAS SMELL THAT NEARLY CAUSED A FIRE IN ABOUT 1999. THEY KEPT IT A WEEK AND NEVER SAID WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. THEY HAD JUST WORKED ON IT FOR TICKING SOUND. (PROBABLY INTAKE GASKETS THEN ALSO). GM WAS NO HELP AFTER WARRANTY WAS UP.

NHTSA ID

10070686

Incident

May 15, 2001

Mileage

39,000 mi

ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO LEAKING INTAKE MAIFOLD GASKET ON 3.4L ENGINE. ENGINE WAS METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED TO THAT POINT, WITH ALL SERVICE RECEIPTS TO PROVE THAT FACT. NO PERVIOUS COOLANT LEAKAGE WAS NOTED BEFORE THE PROBLEM. ENGINE BEGAN MAKING SEVERE KNOCKING NOISES WHILE DRIVING IN MOUNTAINS OF WYOMING. SERVICE TECH AT LARAMIE GM AUTO CENTER SAID THAT THE ENGING WAS LOSING OIL PRESSURE AND CONSUMING (LOSING) COOLANT. COOLANT LEAKED INTO THE INTAKE MAINFOLD THROUGH THE FAULTY INTAKE MAINFOLD GASKET. I HAD THE REPAIR DONE, AND NOW 28,000 INTO THE NEW ENGINE, I AM HEARING VARIOUS ENGINE NOISES AGAIN. WILL GO TO NEW LOCAL DEALER FOR ANALYSIS. GM SHOULD REPAY ME FOR THIS--THEY WILL NOT ADMIT ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PROBLEM, ONLY OFFERING A DISCOUNT ON A NEW GM CAR. I AM STILL PAYING ON THIS VEHICLE, BECAUSE THE MONEY THAT WOULD HAVE GONE INTO PAYMENTS WENT TOWARD THE NEW ENGINE AT 67,950 MILES. DRIVER'S SIDE POWER WINDOW REGULATOR HAS ALSO FAILED. $650 ESTIMATE TO REPLACE IT. NUMEROUS OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR--MANY HAVE BEEN REPAIRED THROUGH RECALLS. THE ENGINE ISSUE SHOULD BE A RECALL AS WELL, OR A CLASS ACTION SHOULD BE STARTED.

NHTSA ID

10070622

Incident

Jan 15, 2001

Mileage

67,950 mi

THIS VEHICLE WAS VERY WELL MAINTAINED OILCHANGE EVERY 3K MILES, TRANSMISSION SERVICED EVERY 30,000 MILES. THE RACK&PINION WENT OUT IN OCTOBER 2003. THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT IN MAY OF THIS YEAR AND NOW THE ENGINE. VAN WAS RUNNING HOT, WE REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT, WATER PUMP, OXYGEN SENSOR, MAIN RADIATOR HOSE AND FLUSHED RADIATOR, AND PURCHASED A NEW RADIATOR CAP. IT IS STILL RUNNING HOT. IT HAS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET, AND A WARPED HEAD, NO TELLING WHAT THIS WILL COST.

NHTSA ID

10070607

Incident

Jul 15, 2003

Mileage

143,987 mi

OUR 97 PONTIAC TRANSPORT WAS FINE UNTIL LAST YEAR. NEW TRANSMISSION (70,000 MILES, O.K.) THEN A FEW MONTHS LATER IT BEGAN OVERHEATING--NEW THERMOSTAT, WHICH WORKED FOR A FEW WEEKS, THEN NEW RADIATOR, WHICH WORKED FOR A FEW WEEKS, THEN, WHEN THE MECHANIC SAID IT PROBABLY NEEDED A HEAD GASKET ($2000 OR MORE) WE DECIDED TO GET RID OF IT. BUT WE WERE NOT EVEN ABLE TO USE IT AS A TRADE IN, BECAUSE IT OVERHEATED SO BADLY. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAD ALWAYS BEEN QUIRKY, BUT LIVABLE (I.E. THE GAS GAUGE HAD NEVER WORKED, THE WINDOWS WERE VERY SLOW AND THE CELL PHONE PLUGS NEVER WORKED) I CALLED THE DEALER (PERUZZI, IN LANGHORNE, PA) BUT, OF COURSE, IT WAS NOT THEIR PROBLEM. THE MECHANIC TOLD US THAT GM WAS USING A NEW COOLANT IN THEIR 97'S WHICH BECAME PROBLEMATIC AS IT AGED--HE THOUGHT THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE ORIGINAL SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT GM HAS NOT ADMITTED TO ANY ERROR. WE WERE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS AND ALWAYS MAINTAINED THE CAR PROPERLY, FROM DAY ONE. THE MECHANIC IS A PERSONAL FRIEND, AND HAS AN EXCELLENT REPUTATION. THE CAR WAS SOLD FOR JUNK. IT'S VALUE, ACCORDING TO EDMUNDS.COM, WAS ABOUT $6000/7000 .

NHTSA ID

10070158

Incident

Jun 15, 2003

THE DAY BEFORE I TOOK THE VAN IN FOR REPAIRS IT STOPPED ON ME AND I COASTED HOME WITH HARDLY NO BRAKES AND BAD STEERING.THE REPAIRS THAT I WAS ABOUT TO HAVE DONE WAS FOR A LEAKING INTAKE GASKET.I DID NOT KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED UNTIL I READ ABOUT THE SAME THING HAPPENING WITH OTHER PEOPLE.SOME PEOPLE CALL IT VAPOR LOCK. IF THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN PEOPLE OR OTHER CARS IN MY WAY THIS COULD HAVE TURNED VERY BAD. ALL THE GM DEALERS SAY THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. WHEN I CALL GM THEY SAY THEY NEVER HEARD ABOUT IT. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE NOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU , SCOTT EGGEBRECHT

NHTSA ID

10069739

Incident

Dec 15, 2002

BOTH, NOT JUST ONE OF MY HEADLIGHTS CASINGS POPPED OFF WITHOUT WARNING. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THEM. WHICH I HAVE NEVER HAD TO DO WITH ANY OTHER CAR I HAVE OWNED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10052607

Incident

Oct 15, 2003

I HAVE OWNED MY PONTIAC TRANSPORT 2 YEARS. IN THAT TIME I HAVE DRIVEN IT 17,000 MILES. IT HAS 78,500 MILES AT PRESENT. FOR MOST OF THAT TIME THE ADD COOLANT LIGHT HAS COME ON INTERMITTENTLY. MY PONTIAC DEALER TELLS ME THAT I NEED A $900 REPAIR TO REPLACE A INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. IN CONVERSING WITH OTHER GM OWNERS, I HAVE LEARNED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE COOLING SYSTEM POSSIBLY DUE TO THE DEX-COOL ANTIFREEZE WHICH GM SAYS SHOULD LAST 150,000 MILES. I FEEL THAT GM SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THESE FAILURES. E G ARMENTROUT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10023690

Incident

Jun 22, 2003

Mileage

62,000 mi

COOLANT LIGHT STARTED COMING ON OVER A YEAR AGO. TOOK THE VAN TO BOB NEIL PONTIAC IN WINSTON-SALEM NC. THEY CHECKED IT OUT BUT SAID THEY COULD FIND NO REASON. HAD BEEN CHECKING AND ADDING COOLANT REGULARLY. PROBLEM HAD INCREASED AND HAD IT CHECKED AGAIN IN MARCH 2003 WHILE THE VAN WAS IN FOR A RECALL NOTICE. THIS TIME THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD COST $600.00 + TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE VAN HAS STARTED HAVING SUDDEN SWINGS IN THERMOSTAT READINGS AND USING OVER A QUART OF COOLANT A WEEK. I HAVE READ OF OTHERS COMPLAINING ON THIS SITE OF THE SAME PROBLEM AND WORSE. I ALSO REVIEWED NUMEROUS SERVICE BULLETINS FROM PONTIAC REGARDING THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. WHY WOULD GM NOT OFFER TO HELP CORRECT THIS PROBLEM IF THEY KNOW ABOUT IT?*AK

NHTSA ID

10021288

Incident

Mar 20, 2003

MY 1997 PONTIAC TRANSPORT ONLY HAS 54000 MILES ON IT AND THE ENGINE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAS GONE UP ON IT. AFTER LOOKING INTO IT I HAVE FOUND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH GM CARS AND TRUCKS WITH A 3.4L ENGINE. THERE SEEMS TO BE A FAULTY DESIGN TO THE GASKET. I HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THIS VAN DOING ALL MAINTENANCE ON SCHEDULE. GM WILL DO NOTHING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE WELL AWARE OF THIS HAPPENING. THEY HAVE EVEN ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN TO DEALERS ON HOW TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM QUICKLY (TSB#02-06-01-014). WHEN THE GASKET GOES THERE IS A LOSS OF POWER IN THE ENGINE OR STALLING MAKING IT HARD TO STEER AND BREAK. *JB

NHTSA ID

10016501

Incident

Apr 25, 2003

Mileage

54,902 mi

VEHICLE: 1997 PONTIAC TRANS SPORT, VIN [XXX], 96,634 MI. ENGINE DEVELOPED SEVERE KNOCK AND STRONG SMELL OF COOLANT. TOOK VEHICLE TO FRANKLIN PONTIAC GMC IN FRANKLIN, TN AND WAS TOLD THE INTAKE GASKETS HAD FAILED AND CONTAMINATED OIL, AND THAT THIS WAS NOT UNCOMMON FOR THIS VEHICLE. REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF LIFTERS, PUSHRODS, INTAKE GASKETS, OIL AND COOLANT ON JAN. 17, 2003 FOR COST OF APPX. $1,100. REPLACED WATER PUMP ON OCT. 18, 2002 FOR COST OF APPX. $250. LOW COOLANT LIGHT HAD BEEN COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY FOR PAST SEVERAL YEARS, WITH FAINT SMELL OF COOLANT, AND I FILLED UP RADIATOR RESERVOIR WITH DEXCOOL THINKING IT WAS A NORMAL EVAPORATION THROUGH RESERVOIR CAP. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED OF MANY OTHER SIMILAR INTAKE GASKET PROBLEMS ON GM VEHICLES, AND AM WORRIED ABOUT ANOTHER GASKET FAILURE AS WELL AS WHAT UNKNOWN DAMAGE HAS OCCURRED TO MY ENGINE'S BEARINGS. *NLM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10014117

Incident

Jan 17, 2003

Mileage

96,634 mi