Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. 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. 54 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 54, in the owner's own words
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
I WAS TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT TO PARALLEL PARK NEXT TO THE CURB, THEN I HEARD A LOUD POP NOISE. WHEN I WENT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT IT BEGAN VERY HARD TO TURN THE WHEEL. AFTER LEAVING THE STORE AND FROM THAT POINT ON EVERY ATTEMPT I MADE TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. AFTER ARRIVING HOME I NOTICED LEAKING COMING FROM UNDER MY VAN. I CALLED THE LOCATION PONTIAC DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE MY STEERING PROBLEM AND THEY INDICATED THAT THE VAN HAD BEEN SERVICED FOR A RECALL IN FEBRUARY OF 2003 FOR THE RACK AND PINION RECALL SOMETHING RELATED TO THE STEERING. SO I CHECKED THE INTERNET FOR THE RECALL AND IT MENTIONED THE SAME EXACTLY PROBLEMS THAT I WAS HAVING NOW. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP BACK AND THEY SAID THAT THE RECALL WAS ALREADY DONE ONCE. I TOLD THEM IT IS DOING THE SAME EXACTLY THING, AND WHEN I WENT TO CHECK THE STEERING ONE MORE TIME I NOTICED A HUGE PUDDLE UNDER MY VAN OF REDDISH BROWN FLUID. COME TO FIND OUT IT WAS TRANSMISSION LEAKING AND WHEN I TURN THE ENGINE ON THE FLUID CAME POURING OUT LIKE A FAUCET. I CONTACTED A TRANSMISSION SHOP TO TAKE A LOOK AT MY VAN AND THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE AXLE WAS PULLED OUT OF THE TRANSMISSION BY THE STEERING SYSTEM. THE MECHANIC ALSO MENTIONED THAT HE HAS DONE QUITE A FEW OF THESE SAME EXACTLY KIND OF MINI-VAN WITH THE SAME EXACTLY PROBLEM. HE SAID THAT HE KNEW EXACTLY HOW THE FIX THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE HE DOES IT QUITE OFTEN. THE REPAIR COSTED $1,800.00 DOLLARS AND THE MECHANIC TOLD ME NOW I NEED TO TAKE BACK TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THEM REPAIR THAT RACK AND PINION AGAIN. NOW THIS HAS ME VERY UPSET, I'M SO MAD ABOUT THIS BECAUSE THIS DEFINITELY SOUNDS LIKE A MANUFACTURE PROBLEM AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS. I SENT THE VAN TO KARCO TRANMISSIONS IN LANCASTER, CALIFORNIA WHERE I LIVE AND THE PHONE NUMBER IS 661-723-1164. THIS DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME, SO THIS IS WHY I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT.
DT: THE CONSUMER STATES THE RIGHT AND LEFT STEERING KNUCKLES WERE CRACKED, RIGHT WHERE THE TIE ROD KNUCKLE CONNECTS. THE CONSUMER WAS DOING AN OIL CHANGE WHEN HE NOTICED THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP WAS CALLED TO FIND OUT IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS. THE CONSUMER THINKS BECAUSE THEY ARE MADE OF ALUMINUM, IT HAS HAPPENED BECAUSE OF OLD AGE. *JB
WIFE MAKING LEFT TURN ONTO BUSY ROAD, VAN WOULD NOT RESPOND TO TO TURNING THE WHEEL. SIDE IMPACT AT 40 MILE + FROM SEMI. INJURIES SUSTAINED BY WIFE, BROKEN HIP CRUSHED LEFT ARM , FRACTURED TAIL BONE AND FRACTURED BASE OF SKULL. DAUGHTER AND FRIEND ALSO INJURED BUT RELEASED WITH MINOR INJURIES. WE DID NOT KNOW THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE VAN UNTIL AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THAT IS WHEN I RECIEVED THE RECALL NOTICE. NOTHING COULD BE DONE AT THIS POINT BECAUSE THE VAN HAD BEEN CRUSHED INTO A CUBE OF SCRAP METAL. I WAITED THIS LONG TO FILE A COMPLANT DUE TO LEGAL ADVICE, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE THE BIG GUY ALMOST ALWAYS WINS. WE RECIEVED NO COMPENSATION FROM GM.
THE STEERING RACK FAILED ON MY 1997 PONTIAC TRANSPORT APPROX 14 MONTHS AFTER IT WAS RECALLED AND A PINON BEARING CHANGED IN THE RACK. THE ORIGINAL RECALL WAS PERFORMED IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE BEARING FAILURE AND SUBSEQUENT LOCKING OF THE STEERING RACK ON LEFT HAND TURNS. THE RECALL FAILED BECAUSE THE BEARING FAILED ( 14 MONTHS AFTER IT WAS CHANGED OUT). THE FAILURE OF THE STEERING RACK COULD HAVE CAUSED A SEVERE ACCIDENT IF CONDITIONS WERE RIGHT. FORTUNATLY NO PERSONS WERE INJURED WHEN THE STEERING LOCKED UP
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.
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT HAVING ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE. FIRSTLY, TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED, AND IT WAS REPAIRED. SECONDLY, POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LEAKING, AND CONSUMER KEPT REPLACING IT. THIRDLY, THERE WAS A GASOLINE LEAK, WHICH WAS REPAIRED.*AK
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
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.
MY VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO; TINNEY CHEVROLET, 11249 W. CARSON CITY RD., GREENVILLE, MI 48838 FOR TWO (2) EA. RECALL NOTICES; 1) POWER SLIDING DOOR 2) STEERING BUSHING RESULTS OF RECALLS: 1) POWER SLIDING DOOR WORKED FINE TILL ONE WEEK AFTER TINNEY SERVIE DEPT. WORKED ON IT. (DOESN'T WORK WITH POWER BUTTONS @ ALL NOW ) 2) UPON PICKING-UP VEHICLE FROM THE STEERING (BUSHING) REPAIR WE NOTICED THAT STEERING WHEEL WAS COCKED TO LEFT, STEERS HARD & PULLS TO RIGHT TINNEY CHEVROLET WAS NOTIFIED OF BOTH PROBLEMS AND SAID THAT THEY HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH PROBLEMS. THE VEHICLE WAS FINE PRIOR TO TAKING IT TO THEM FOR THE RECALLS. UPON CONFRONTING THEM THE SECOND TIME, WE WERE INFORMED TO CHECK OUR OWN FUSES ETC.
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
NO STEERING CONTROL. STEERING WHEEL SPINS FREELY. INTERNAL POWER STEERING GEAR PROBLEM. *LA
THE POWER STEERING PRESSURE LINE MALFUNCTIONED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO BE UNCONTROLLABLE WHEN DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CAUSE HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB
SINCE HAVING THE RACK/PINION STEERING REPLACED TWICE (ONCE BEFORE THE RECALL AND ONCE AFTER), I HAVE AGAIN NOTICED DIFFICULTY PULLING OUT OF PARKING SPACES TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT (HARD TO TURN THE WHEEL/LOSS OF POWER STEERING?), ESPECIALLY, IN COLD WEATHER. AS YOU STRAIGHTEN WHEEL AND START DRIVING, PROBLEM SEEMS TO RESOLVE ITSELF. WENT TO DEALER WHO THOUGHT IT COULD NOT POSSIBLY BE THE RACK SO THEREFORE REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP IN EARLY NOVEMBER. THE FAILURE HAPPENED AGAIN TODAY. *LA
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
THE POWER STEERING FAILED. *JB
THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE REGARDING THE RECALL ON THE RACK AND PINION. *JB *SCC
NHTSA 02-V-286000 CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE REGARDING THE RACK AND PINION, HOWEVER THE DEALER STATED THE TOOLS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM WERE BROKE.*JB
NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE REGARDING THE RECALL FOR THE STEERING RACK AND PINION.*JB
STEERING LOCKS UP WHILE TRYING TO TURN VEHICLE TO THE LEFT. POWER STEERING SEEMS TO PUSH VEHICLE TO THE RIGHT. OCCURS AT ANY SPEED.
I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE, EVEN THOUGH WE NO LONGER OWN THE VEHICLE, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE INVESTIGATING IT. I WAS LUCKY THAT NO ONE WAS HURT. I HAD THREE CHILDREN IN THE CAR, DRIVING THEM TO SCHOOL, WHEN THE STEERING JUST GAVE OUT WHILE WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC; FORTUNATELY IT WAS ON A CITY STREET, SO WE WEREN'T TRAVELLING VERY FAST. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE PUSHED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND OUT OF THE WAY OF TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PONTIAC DEALER FOR REPAIRS, WHICH TOTALLED WELL OVER $1000. THE DEALER SAID THAT THEY WERE NOT A AWARE OF ANY PROBLEMS LIKE THIS WITH THE VEHICLE. SINCE THE VEHICLE HAD JUST PASSED 60,000 IT WAS NOO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY FOR THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. WE CALLED GM, AND THEY INSISTED THAT THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM, AND CONFIRMED THAT THE REPAIR WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY WARRANTY. THEY DID GIVE US A DISCOUNT OFF OF THE PURCHASE OF OUR NEXT GM CAR, BECAUSE OF THIS AND ALL OF THE OTHER PROBLEMS WE HAD WITH THE VEHICLE, INCLUD ING REARSEATS THAT DID NOT WORK PROPERLY - THEY WOULDN'T STAY LOCKED INTO THE FLOOR, AND A JUST A NICE LITTLE SHOVE FROM BEHIND WOULD KNOCK THEM OUT OF THE FLOOR. IF YOU ARE STILL INVESTIGATING THIS, KEEP AT IT. I HATE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED IF I WAS ON THE FREEWAY TRAVELLING 70 MPH DURING RUSH HOUR AND THE STEERING JUST QUIT.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 40MPH STEERING MOMENTARILY LOCKED UP. VEHICLE THEN LOCKED UP MAKING LEFT HAND TURN. HAD TO PULL STEERING WHEEL A FEW DEGREES TO THE RIGHT TO FREE UP BIND. TOOK VEHICLE TO PONTIAC DEALERSHIP, AND WAS TOLD THAT RACK AND PINION HAD FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE RACK AND PINION FAILURE DESTROYED THE AIR BAG COIL WHICH HAD TO BE REPLACED.
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
THE STEERING COMPLETELY LOCKED UP WITHOUT WARNING. FORTUNATELY I WAS JUST PULLING OUT OF A PARKING PLACE IN A SHOPPING CENTER, SO THERE WAS NO OTHER ACCIDENT OR ACTIVITY ENVOLVED. I PAYED TO HAVE THE RACK & PINION UNIT REPLACED AND HAVE HAD NO FURTHER PROBLEM. I READ THE OTHER DAY THAT YOUR ORGANIZATION WAS CONDUCTING AN ENGINEERING INVESTIGATION ON STEERING LOCKUP PROBLEMS FOR CERTAIN GMC MODELS. AMONG THESE MODELS LISTED WAS MY 97 PONTIAC TRANSPORT SO I THOUGHT I WOULD REPORT MY EXPERIENCE.*AK
WHILE TRAVELING ON A SIDE ROAD AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN STEERING LOCKED UP, PREVENTING VEHICLE TO MOVE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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