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 1998 Pontiac Trans Sport submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 26 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 26, in the owner's own words
WHILE DRIVING MY 1998 PONTIAC TRANS SPORT MONTANA, MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND WOULDN'T TURN TO THE LEFT, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. WHEN I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR INSPECTION, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT IT WAS A RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY. *JB
SEAT BELTS "STICKING", STEERING MAKING LOUD "POP" NOISES WHEN TURNING WHEEL, TRANSMISSION SHIFTING VERY HARD FROM PARK TO REVERSE ON A ANGLE. NOW MY ENGINE LOCKED UP, WAS HESITATING WHEN ACCELERATING. *JB
WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT A LOW SPEED THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND COULD NOT BE TURNED TO THE RIGHT WITHOUT USING EXCESSIVE EFFORT. *AK ONCE THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED TO THE RIGHT IT WOULD JUMP BACK TO THE LEFT CASING A SUDDEN CHANGE IN THE VEHICLE'S DIRECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. *NM
WHERE DO I START? SAME COMPLAINTS AS ALL OTHER PONTIAC MINIVAN OWNERS. SINCE ORIGINAL PURCHASE IN 1998, HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY FAULTY, ABS WARNING LIGHT MALFUNCTION, AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT MALFUNCTION, AND MALFUNCTIONING (STILL) PASSENGER AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOOR. RECENTLY HAD HEAD GASKET REPLACED DUE TO ANTIFREEZE LEAK, AS WELL AS FRONT LEFT WHEEL HUB. THIS IS THE WORST (AND MOST COSTLY) VEHICLE I HAVE OWNED WITH RESPECT TO MAINTENANCE.*AK
DURING SHARP LEFT TURNS, STEERING HAS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF RESISTANCE AND A LOUD THUD SOUND IS HEARD, ALONG WITH VIBRATION. SYMPTOMS HAVE BEEN INTERMITTENT FOR SEVERAL YEARS, BUT ARE BECOMING MORE FREQUENT. INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP REFERRED US TO RECALL #02V286000. LOCAL PONTIAC DEALER SAID OUR VIN# IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ALTHOUGH ADMITTING IT IS LIKELY THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK
RE: COMPLAINT OF UNSATISFACTORY TRANSACTION. *BF THE STEERING LOCKED WHEN THE CONSUMER MADE A LEFT TURN. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THERE WAS A RECALL REGARDING THE PROBLEM HE EXPERIENCED. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED CUSTOMER SERVICE ABOUT THE RECALL AND WAS TOLD HIS VEHICLE WAS ABOUT 200 VEHICLE OUT OF THE RANGE RECALL.(RECALL#02V286000). *JB
STEERING SUDDENLY WENT OUT...... STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP WHEN TURN LEFT. VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION. WE WERE IN NON BUSY AREA. FOUND OUT THERE IS A RECALL CONCERNING THIS, HOWEVER, MY VAN WAS NOT COVERED. MAKES NO SENSE. VAN IS IN SHOP NOW GETTING RACK AND OINION REPLACED.*AK
THIS VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAILURE AS DESCRIBED IN THE STEERING ASSEMBLY RECALL 02V286000. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT AS STATED IN RECALL 02V286000 CONCERNING POWER STEERING ASSEMBLY FAILURE; BUT, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK
WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED TO THE LEFT IT LOCKED UP WHICH CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *JB
THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE POWER STEERING LOCKED UP. THE CONSUMER VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SYMPTOMS OF RECALL 02V-286000 WHICH IS RELATED TO A STEERING RACK DEFECT. *AK *NLM
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE RACK AND PINION AS STATED IN THE RECALL, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *JB
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP WHEN CONSUMER TURNS VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. CONSUMER SAID THAT HE DID NOT RECEIVE A RECALL NOTICE CONCERNING STEERING.
I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET THAT HAS JUST BEEN REPLACED. ALSO MY STEERING WHEEL IS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN WHEN I AM MOVING FROM A STOPPED POSITION. DT
VEHICLE STEERING BECOMES VERY HARD AT EXTREME TURNS LIKE IN PARKING. DT
AIRBAG LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON SINCE SEPTEMBER 1998. STEERING WHEEL WOULD MAKE A NOISE, BUT DEALER COULD NEVER DUPLICATE PROBLEM. DEALER PUT IN A STEERING GEAR, AND STEERING PUMP A COUPLE OF TIMES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
THE POWER SLIDING DOOR OPENS ON IT'S OWN AND AT TIMES IT WON'T CLOSE, THE DOOR ALSO RATTLES AND THE MOLDING IS LOOSE. NLM
WHILE DRIVING IN WET CONDITIONS, THE STEERING "LOCKS UP" AND IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THE FIRST TIME, THEY PUT A NEW "WATER BELT" ON. THEY SAID THAT THIS WAS "NORMAL" AND ALL OF THE VANS DID IT. I SHOULDN'T DRIVE THROUGH PUDDLES. I WAS ALMOST IN A HEAD ON COLLISION YESTERDAY WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO TURN ONTO MY STREET AND TURNED THE WHEEL HALF WAY AND IT WOULDN'T TURN ANYMORE. PLEASE TELL ME IF THIS IS A "NORMAL CONDITION".
POWER STEERING LOCKED WHEN ROAD WET DUE TO BELT SLIPPING. *AK
WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN THE POWER STEERING QUITS. IT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT SPEED I AM GOING. I AM LEFT WITHOUT STERING AND IAM GOING TO RUN-OVER SOMEONE IF THIS IS NOT FIXED. I CAN CARRY 7 PEOPLE IN THIS VAN (AND OFTEN DO) WHAT IF I KILL SOMEONE? THIS HAS HAPENED ON MANY OCCASIONS. I HAVE NOTIFIED THE DEALER AND THEY SAY IT CHECKS OUT FINE. THE AUTOMOBILE IS UNSAFE,THE DEALER IS NOT CONCERNED AND I AM STUCK WITH A CAR THAT I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE. HOW CAN YOU HELP? WILL YOU E-MAIL A RESPONSE TO ME SOON. THANKS JOE BARNETT. IT HAS NOT RAINED HERE INABOUT 8 MONTHS SO I HAVE FORGOTTEN ABOUTTHIS PROBLEM UNTIL THIS MORNINGS SHOWER (MY STEERING FAILED AGAIN).
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 10 TO 15 MPH ON WET PAVEMENT AND PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT, STEERING WENT OUT. CONSUMER HAD TO USE BOTH HANDS AND ALOT OF FORCE ,AND APPLY THE BRAKES HARD TO BRING VEHICLE TO A STOP. *AK
POWER STEERING BELT FAILED SEVERAL TIMES WHEN TRAVELING OVER WATER IN RAIN WEATHER, CONSUMER UNABLE TO CONTROL STEERING EFFECTIVELY DUE TO FAILURE. MJS
DESIGN OF VEHICLE RESULTED IN THERE BEING NO SPLASH GUARD TO PROTECT THE STEERING BELT FROM ROAD SPRAY RESULTING IN TEMPORARY LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHEN BELT SLIPS OFF.
POWER PASSENGER DOOR FAILED TO CLOSE INTERMITTENTLY.
POWER STEERING BELT LOOSENS WHEN WET CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL AND STALLING. (QCAW)
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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