2003 Pontiac Trans Sport

SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE AVAILABLE WITH AN OPTIONAL POWER SLIDING DOOR.THE INTERIOR HANDLE IS ORIENTED IN THE VERTICAL POSITION IN THE DOOR PANEL AND LINES UP AT THE ELBOW LEVEL WHEN THE OCCUPANT IS SEATED IN THE 2ND-ROW OUTBOARD POSITION.IF THE OCCUPANT HOLDS THE INTERIOR HANDLE IN THE THUMB UP POSITION DURING POWER-ASSISTED OPENING, THE ARM/WRIST CAN BE PUSH BACK WITH FORCE AGAINST THE 2ND-ROW BUCKET SEAT OR CAPTAIN'S CHAIR SEAT BACK CREATING A RISK OF INJURY (OTHER SEATING CONFIGURATIONS HAVE AMPLE SEAT TO DOOR CLEARANCE TO AVOID ENTRAPMENT OF THE LOWER ARM).AMONG THE 103 TOTAL REPORTS, THERE WERE 102 ALLEGED INJURIES INCLUDING ARM/WRIST, THUMB AND SHOULDER INJURIES.A COUNT OF INJURIES REVEALS THAT 76 INJURIES WERE A FRACTURED OR A BROKEN ARM/WRIST REQUIRING AN IMMOBILIZING CAST FOR FOUR-TO-SIX WEEKS.ALL INJURIES INVOLVE THE RIGHT SIDE POWER SLIDING DOOR.THE LEFT SIDE POWER SLIDING DOOR IS ON FAR FEWER VEHICLES, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT PRODUCES LESS FORCE.GM NOTIFIED THE AGENCY BY LETTER DATED DECEMBER 21, 2004, THAT IT WILL RECALL MODEL YEAR 1997 THOUGH EARLY 2005 GM U-VAN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A RIGHT SIDE POWER SLIDING DOOR AND WITH 2ND-ROW BUCKET SEATS OR CAPTAIN CHAIRS (NHTSA RECALL #04V597).AS PART OF THE RECALL REMEDY, GM WILL REPLACE THE DOOR HANDLE WITH A FLUSH MOUNTED HANDLE THAT WILL PREVENT AN OCCUPANT FROM GRASPING THE HANDLE WITH THE PALM BETWEEN THE HANDLE AND DOOR PANEL (THUMB UP ORIENTATION) AND THUS ELIMINATE THE POTENTIAL FOR ARM/WRIST ENTRAPMENT.THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE UNIROYAL TIGER PAW TIRES THAT CAME WITH MY 2003 PONTIAC MONTANA THUNDER. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE SAME TIRE 4 TIMES AT A COST TO ME. EACH TIME THE TIRE WAS EASILY PUNCTURED OR SHREDDED ON ME. WE HAD NOTICED THE TIRE SEEMED TO BE LOSING AIR SO WE PUMPED IT UP AND THEN PROCEEDED TO FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS FOR FIX A FLAT. THIS DID NOT WORK HOWEVER... WE WERE DRIVING FROM CT TO NY WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HEARD THUMP THUMP, WE PULLED OVER TO FIND THAT THE TIRE HAD GONE FLAT. WHEN WE REMOVED THE TIRE WE FOUND THAT ALMOST ALL THE TREAD WAS WORN ON THE INSIDE AND THAT A HUGE INDENTATION WAS DEVELOPING IN THE WALL OF THE TIRE. I HAVE HAD IT WITH THE UNIROYAL BRAND...OBVISIOUSLY THEY MAKE INCOMPETENT TIRES BECAUSE ALL HAVE READ ARE COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER PEOPLE. I DON'T APPRECIAT HAVING TO FORK OVER HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO REPLACE TIRES EVERY FEW MONTHS.

NHTSA ID

10133934

Incident

Aug 22, 2005

Mileage

51,900 mi

TWO PROBLEMS: 1-SLIDING DOOR CONTINUES NOT TO OPERATE AND STOPE OPERATION AT ANY TIME. 2. HEADLIGHT COVER BLEW OFF. LIGHT BURNED OUT WHILE DRIVING. HAD TO REPLACE ENTIRE ASSEMBLEY. MANUFACTOR OF HEADLIGHT INDICATED A RECALL GIVEN SO MAY UNTIS BEING SOLD. DEALERSHIP SAID NO. UNIT WAS $200 PLUS SHIPPING AND HANDLING AND INSTALLTION. 3. WORRIED ABOUT COOLANT LIGHT COMING ON AND ALL THE PROBLEMS WITH INTAKE GASTKET BEING REPLACED AND ENGINES BLOWN.

NHTSA ID

10069635

Incident

Apr 15, 2003

WE WERE DRIVING HOME WITH OUR KIDS IN OUR 1995 PONTIAC TRANSPORT WHEN WE HIT A POT HOLE. IT SEEMED LIKE THE ALIGNMENT WENT BAD BUT WHEN WE GOT HOME I NOTICED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE WAS BENT. I TOOK IT TO TWO DIFFERENT PLACES AND BOTH MECHANICS SAID THAT THE WELDING THAT HOLDS THE STRUT TO THE FRAME/BODY CAME UNWELDED. THEY SAID THAT THEY NEVER SAY A WELDING THAT WAS DONE AT THE FACTORY COME UNWELDED LIKE THAT AND THAT IT COULDN'T BE FIXED. WHEN I CONTACTED GM THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE AND THAT THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO BUY ANOTHER VEHICLE AND I CAN'T DRIVE THE PONTIAC. CAN YOU ASSIST US IN ANYWAY? *LA

NHTSA ID

10043443

Incident

Sep 12, 2003

This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from TAC.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about changing the tire and wheel size on vehicles. General Motors will only support a tire calibration for tires that have been sized, tested and designed for the vehicle in question and its applications. Technician should not use the information that is provided by the antilock braking system tire size selection.

Vehicle Wide Programming (VWP) is a new process to update software on GM Vehicles. It provides the ability via a single selection within Techline Connect to first identify which modules need updating and then proceed to updating affected modules (with some exceptions). The updating of modules is completed in parallel instead of the technician needing to update one module at a time. This allows a more streamlined approach for dealers and customers.

This bulletin provides information for use on a Product Assistance Claim (PAC), which is formerly known as a Product Allegation Resolution (PAR) claim.

This service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Service Programming System (SPS) Error Codes E4398, E4399, E4401, E4403, M4404, M4413, M6954, M6955, E4414, E4423, E4491, E4492, or E6961 and resolution information.

This Warranty Administration bulletin provides retail and wholesale service personnel with the policies/procedures and the warranty transaction submission procedures that support the Personal Property Damage process.