1997 Pontiac Trans Sport Visibility Problems

I HAVE OWNED BOTH A '92 AND A '97 TRANSPORT AND BOTH HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS. THE POWER WINDOW CONTROLS POP LOOSE OF THE DRIVER'S DOOR AND THE WINDOWS FAIL TO OPERATE. THE REAR DOOR LOCK FAILS. THE BLINKER AND CRUISE CONTROL LEVER SNAPPED OFF THE STEERING COLUMN SO THE BLINKER DOESN'T WORK. THE WINDOW WIPER CONTROL MODULE FAILED. THE TRANSAXLE HOSES SPRUNG A LEAK AT THE METAL CONNECTIONS CAUSING THE TRANSAXLE TO LOOSE FLUID AND THE VEHICLE TO BE STRANDED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10238776

Incident

Jul 15, 2008

Mileage

90,000 mi

VAN STARTED ON FIRE, IN DRIVER'S DOOR ORIGINATING FROM POWER WINDOW CONTROLS. PARKED IN DRIVEWAY NEXT TO HOUSE,NOT RUNNING. VAN WAS A COMPLETE LOSS,ONLY VEHICLE WAS ONLY ONE FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10209694

Incident

Nov 21, 2007

Mileage

100,000 mi

TL* - ON JANUARY 2, 2007 WHILE DRIVING THE BRAKES FAILED. THE CONTACT FOUND OUT THAT THEREWAS RECALL 98V072000, ON THIS VEHICLE , AND TOOK IT TO A DEALER, AND DEALER REFUSED TO DO RECALL REPAIRS. THEN, THE CONTACT CALLED PONTIAC AT 1800-762-2737, THE NUMBER SITED IN THE RECALL SUMMARY, AND WAS TOLD BY PONTIAC THAT THEY NEVER HEARD OF THE RECALL. *AK

NHTSA ID

10177749

Incident

Jan 2, 2007

Mileage

165,000 mi

MY TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE AND I AM ALREADY HAVING PROBLEMS WITH IT AGAIN, IT'S ONLY BEEN A YEAR SINCE IT WAS REPLACED. BOTH OF MY FRONT WINDOWS ARE POWER WINDOWS AND I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE LITTLE MOTOR FOR THEM TO GO UP AND DOWN TWICE AND THE PASSENGER IS NOT WORKING AGAIN. MY LEFT FRONT SIGNAL LIGHT NEVER WORKS, IT GETS REPLACED AND A DAY LATER IS NOT WORKING AGAIN. I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH MY STEERING WHEEL, IT IS VERY HARD TO TURN RIGHT, THIS WAS ALREADY FIXED AND I'M HAVING PROBLEMS AGAIN. I NEED TO KNOW IF THERE ARE OR THERE WHERE ANY RECALLS RELATED TO MY PROBLEMS. I HAVE READ ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THANK YOU. *JB

NHTSA ID

10156528

Incident

Feb 8, 2005

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

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.

NHTSA ID

10070514

Incident

May 15, 2003

Mileage

87,000 mi

THE WINDOWS IN THE BACK WILL NOT GO OUT. THEY ARE POWERED AND THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WINDOW WILL NOT GO UP. THE WINDOWS ARE ALSO POWERED. THE CLOCK IN THE VAN QUIT WORKING ABOUT A YEAR AGO. THE ABS LIGHT AT THE LOWER PANEL CONTROL DOES NOT WORK. THE GAS HAND IS STARTING TO SHOW A FULL TANK OF GAS WHEN THERE IS NOT. THE DOORS SOMETIMES WILL LOCK AND THE KEYS ARE IN THE IGNITION. SOMETIMES THE SLIDING DOOR WILL NOT OPEN, WHEN YOU TRY TO OPEN IT.

NHTSA ID

10069289

MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS STAY STRAIGHT UP WHEN THEY ARE TURNED OFF. THIS IS OBSTRUCTING MY VIEW WHILE DRIVING. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10049207

Incident

May 5, 2003

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKS INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10034375

Incident

Jul 15, 2003

Mileage

97,000 mi

I OWN A '97 PONTIAC TRANSPORT(MONTANA) AND FOR THE SECOND TIME IN 6 YEARS I AM HAVING WINDSHIELD WIPER PROBLEMS .. THE PROBLEM IS WHEN YOU SHUT OFF THE WIPERS THEY DON'T CLOSE CORRECTLY .. THEY CLOSE WITH THE BLADES STRAIGHT UP VERTICALLY. *PH

NHTSA ID

10030999

Incident

Jul 5, 2003

Mileage

69,000 mi

I TOOK MY 97 PONTIAC TRANSPORT INTO THE CHRISTENSEN DEALERSHIP AT 2125 N. UNIVERSITY PARKWAY. P.O BOX 1487 , PROVO UTAH 84604 FOR A RECALL ON MY WINDSHIELD WIPER PARKING ASSEMBLY. THE DEALERSHIP CHARGED ME $40.00 TO LOOK AT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD NOT HONOR THE RECALL BECAUSE ANOTHER PERSON HAD TAKEN THE CAR IN BEFORE ME AND HAD ALREADY FIXED THE RECALL. IF A RECALL IS PLACED ON A ITEM AND THE DEALERSHIP FIXES THE ITEM WITH ANOTHER FAULTY ITEM SHOULDN'T THEY BE RESPONSIBLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM UNTIL THEY GET IT RIGHT? SHOULD THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE CONTINUE TO PAY TO FIX THE PROBLEM OVER AND OVER WITH A FAULTY ITEM THAT COULD ENABLE HIM TO DRIVE HIS VEHICLE IN A SAFE MANNER? I HOPE THIS IS NOT THE CASE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. JAMES BALDWIN. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10013865

Incident

Apr 2, 2003

Mileage

82,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING IN RAINY WEATHER, THE HEAD LIGHT LEN COVERS FELL OFF DUE TO INFERIOR ADHESIVE CAUSING THE BULBS TO BURN OUT. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *TT

NHTSA ID

567376

Incident

Oct 1, 2000

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

NHTSA ID

763955

Incident

Feb 15, 2002

1. FRONT HEATER AND DEFROSTER ONLY BLOWS COLD AIR. FRONT WINDSHIELD FOGS UP CONSIDERABLY. HEATER SYSTEM BLOWS WARM AIR IN BACK VENTS BUT COLD AIR ONLY IN FRONT VENTS. 2. GAS GAUGE STOPS WORKING AT ABOUT < TANK. AFTER REACHING THAT LEVEL, THE GAUGE PEGS TO PAST THE FULL LEVEL AND DOES NOT WORK AGAIN UNTIL THE TANK IS FILLED AGAIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

754869

Incident

Sep 1, 2001

WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM IS WEARING THROUGH BRAKE LINE, CAUSING A LOSS OF BRAKES. DEALER INSTALLED A RETAINER TO PREVENT CONTACT BETWEEN BRAKE LINE AND WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM, BUT DEFECT HAS REOCCURRED TWICE EVEN AFTER RETAINER WAS INSTALLED.*AK *SLC

NHTSA ID

892273

Incident

Sep 10, 1999

REAR WINDOW IMPLODED WITH GLASS FLYING INTO PASSENGER AREA. I DO NOT KNOW WHY WINDOW FAILED. I KNOW OF NO PREVIOUS DAMAGE SUCH AS SCRATCHES OR CRACKS. *AK

NHTSA ID

720968

Incident

Apr 1, 2000

WHEN IT'S RAINING, AND WHEN TURNING WINDSHIELD WIPERS OFF THEY STAYED UP AND WON'T GO DOWN, SO THAT THEY ARE COULD BE IN THE DRIVER'S VIEW. THIS WAS THE 5TH TIME THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED. ALSO, CONSUMER HAS PROBLEMS WITH REAR DRUM BRAKES. *AK

NHTSA ID

854947

Incident

Jan 13, 2000

I HAVE HAD THE SEAT BELT LATCHES REPLACED 4 TIMES ON THE MID-ROW SEATS. 2 TIMES I HAVE HAD TO TAKE IT IN TO HAVE THE WINDOW LATCH REPAIRED ON THE MID-ROW,LEFT WINDOW. IT KEPT POPPING OPEN WHEN DRIVING IN BUMPY CONDITIONS. THE WATER PUMP HAS GIVEN OUT 2X. THE POWER SLIDING DOOR KEEPS BLOWING THE FUSE AND WILL NOT OPERATE. THE REAR WINDOW WIPER AND WASHER HAS BEEN INOPERABLE ON 2 OCCASIONS. DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO FIX ALL THESE PROBLEMS REPEATEDLY, BUT THEY ARE ONLY TEMPORARY FIXES! THESE THINGS ARE OBVIOUSLY DEFECTS BECAUSE THEY OCCUR AGAIN AND AGAIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

714843

Incident

Dec 18, 1998

WHEN TURN ON DEFROSTER, DEFOGGER, THEY WON'T WORK, AFFECTING VISIBILITY. *AK

NHTSA ID

837921

Incident

May 13, 1999

SIDE WINDOW LOCATED ON DRIVER SIDE, WOULD NOT CLOSE OR LATCH PROPERLY. VEHICLE BEEN IN/OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON NUMEROUS TIMES, AND CONDITION STILL REMAINS UNRESOLVED. DEALER/MFR. ARE NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID

829181

Incident

Aug 10, 1997

WHEN THERE IS SNOW THE WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES DO NOT CLEAR SNOW PROPERLY. ICE FREEZES UNDER THE BLADES. MANUFACTURERS SAYS THERE IS NO PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

825581

Incident

Nov 1, 1997

RECALL 98V072000; THE STOPPING DISTANCE HASN'T GOTTEN ANY BETTER SINCE THE RECALL WORK HAS BEEN PERFORMED, AND WHEN TURNING ON THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS THE RADIO FAILED. THERE HAD BEEN AN CRASH BEFORE AND AFTER THE RECALL WORK HAD BEEN PERFORMED BECAUSE OF STOPPING DISTANCES OF THE BRAKES. *AK

NHTSA ID

823139

Incident

Apr 1, 1998

WINDSHIELD HAD A CRACK IN THE CENTER ABOVE REARVIEW MIRROR. CONSUMER THINKS IT IS A STRESS CRACK

NHTSA ID

523249

Incident

Sep 13, 1997