1993 Pontiac Trans Sport

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM AUGUST 1991 THROUGH JULY 1995. THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINE CAN SEPARATE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN LOW TEMPERATURES IN COMBINATION WITH HIGH TRANSMISSION LOADS.

Risk. VEHICLE FIRES CAN OCCUR DUE TO THE SPILLAGE OF TRANSMISSION FLUID.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINES.

Defect. THE SECOND ROW, RIGHT HAND SHOULDER BELT CAN BECOME "PINCHED" BETWEEN THE SEAT AND THE DOOR FRAME PILLAR TRIM. THE SHOULDER BELT MAY NOT RETRACT PROPERLY, WHICH DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION." THE 1994 VEHICLES HAVE AN OPTIONAL INTEGRAL (BUILT IN) CHILDSEAT INSTALLED NEXT TO THE POWER SLIDING SIDE DOOR. THE 1993 INVOLVED VEHICLES HAVE STANDARD SEATS IN THAT SAME POSITION.

Risk. IMPROPER SHOULDER BELT RETRACTION DOES NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT IN THE EVENT OF A SUDDEN STOP OR COLLISION.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DOOR FRAME PILLAR TRIM PANEL WITH A REDESIGNED TRIM PANEL. ALSO, A CAUTION LABEL WILL BE APPLIED TO THE CHILD SEAT ADVISING THE OWNER NOT TO INSTALL THE SEAT TO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF A VEHICLE WITH A POWER SLIDING SIDE DOOR.

Defect. VEHICLE FAILS TO CONFORM TO FMVSS NO. 209, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES." THE SAFETY BELT OF THE LEFT THIRD ROW SEAT ON THE SIX PASSENGER VAN AND THE CENTER SECOND ROW SEAT OF THE SEVEN PASSENGER VAN MAY LOCK UP AND CANNOT BE WITHDRAWN FROM THE RETRACTOR.

Risk. CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: THE OCCUPANTS OF THESE SEATS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO USE THE AFFECTED BELT. IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, UNBELTED OCCUPANTS ARE AT INCREASED RISK OF INJURY.

Remedy. OWNERS ARE BEING ASKED TO INSPECT THEIR VEHICLES TO DETERMINE IF THE SUSPECT RETRACTOR EXHIBITS A LOCKUP CONDITION. BASED ON THIS INSPECTION, DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SAFETY BELTS IF THE BELT LOCKS UP. REPLACEMENT OF THE SUSPECT SAFETY BELT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO CONSUMERS FOR THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 PONTIAC TRANSPORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE WIPER MOTOR FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000. *TR

1993 PONTIAC TRANS SPORT, LOST RIGHT FRONT WHEEL FROM HUB. WHEEL STRUCK FRONT FENDER CAUSING DAMAGE. THE RIGHT FRONT HUB STRUCK THE PAVEMENT. *BF ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT, ONE LUG STUD INTACT WAS BENT ON THE HUB. FOUR STUDS WERE SHEARED OR BROKEN OFF. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0476-90)*JB UPDATED 09/13/10*BF

THIS IS A CONTINUAL PROBLEM SINCE I TOOK OWNERSHIP IN MARCH 2000. IT STARTED W/ THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT OCCASIONALLY TURNING ON. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE LOOKED AT - THEY COULD FIND NO PROBLEM. AS TIME PASSED, THE LIGHT CAME ON MORE & MORE FREQUENTLY. THE ENGINE THEN BEGAN TO IDLE HIGH AND WOULD GO INTO A "SUPER IDLE" WHERE I WOULD HAVE TO NEARLY STAND ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE FORWARD MOTION AT A STOP. OW THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT IS COMING ON CONSTANTLY AND THE VEHICLE STALLS CONSTANTLY. I DRIVE A TOTAL OF 10 MILES TO WORK & THIS VEHICLE WILL NOW STALL A MIN. OF 5X EACH WAY. I EXPERIENCE POWER DRAIN, THE BATTERY INDICATOR WILL SHOOT UP TO BETWEEN 18 + 15, LIGHTS WILL DIM, HEATER WILL GO OUT, & VEHICLE WILL STALL. HE AIR CONDITIONER HAS NEVER WORKED. WE ATTEMPTED TO RE-CHARGE, BUT HAS STILL NEVER OPERATED. THE WINDOW CONTROLLERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. THE BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED 2X AND THE ALTERNATOR REPLACED 1X. THE REAR WIPER'S SOLVENT SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK. UPON OCCASION, THE FRONT WIPERS WILL NOT WORK. THEY (FRONT WIPERS) WILL WORK IF YOU GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE & FORCE THEM TO MOVE, THEN THEY WILL ENGAGE. ONE TIME, DURING A HEAVY DOWNPOUR, I MANAGED TO GET THEM WORKING BY TURNING ON THE BLINKERS - OTHERWISE YOU MUST GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE & MANUALLY MOVE THEM TO ENGAGE SYSTEM. THE HORN ALSO DOES NOT WORK - AND NEVER HAS. THE FUEL GAGE IS OFF BY 1/4 TANK. THE GAGES WILL READ THAT I HAVE 1/4 TANK OF GAS LEFT - WHEN IN FACT, IT IS ON EMPTY.*AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD. VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. NO INJURIES REPORTED. VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS INTERMITTENTLY QUIT WHILE IN USE. THIS HAS BEEN OCCURING SINCE PURCHASING THE VAN IN 1998. OTHER GMC VEHICLES HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM BACK TO 1994. NUMEROUS TIMES I HAVE TO PULL OVER DURING A STORM BECAUSE OF THE FAILURE.*AK

NHTSA# 94 V 027 000/SEAT BELT LAP REAR: CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DEALER, LONG PONTIAC IN CHATTANOOGA, TN. PHONE# 423/756-4501 REFUSED TO HONOR THE RECALL NOTICE. DEALER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE VIN# WAS NOT COVERED. *MRTHE SEAT BELT LOCKED UP AND IT WILL NOT RETRACT. DEALER STILL WILL NOT HONOR THE RECALL. *JG

SEAT BELTS:EVERY SEAT BELT IN THIS VEHICLE HAS BECOME "NON-FUNCTIONING" BETWEEN 7/01/97 AND PRESENT. SEAT BELT RETRACTORS NOT WORKING, AND THE LOCKING MECHANISM AT SUDDEN STOPS DOES NOT FUNCTION, MAKING EACH SEATBELT IN THIS VEHICLE USELESS AND ENDANGERING PASSENGERS. DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN CONTACTED SEVERAL TIMES, AND DENIES THEY HAVE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPAIRS. MANUFACTURER CLAIMS THERE ARE NO "OPEN" RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE, ALTHOUGH THEY CANNOT VERIFY IF THE RECALLS LISTED HAVE IN FACT EVER BEEN COMPLETED. ALTERNATOR:HAVE HAD MAJOR ALTERNATOR/BATTERY PROBLEMS, SEVERAL REPLACEMENTS TO THE ALTERNATOR, LOW VOLTAGE AND GRADUAL LOSS OF POWER, UNSTEADY VOLTAGE METER...HAVE HAD THE FUSEABLE LINK REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES, CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM.*AK

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW ROLLED DOWN ON ITS OWN, SECONDS LATER SMOKE STARTED SEEPING OUT OF THE CONTROLS.*JB

AT SPEEDS OF 15 TO 25MPH THE ENGINE WILL LOSE ALL OIL PRESSURE UNTIL DRIVING STRAIGHT AGAIN. *AK

MOST DISTURBING IS GM REFUSAL TO ADMIT SEAT BELT RETRACTOR PROBLEM AND FIX IT. THIS IS SAFETY EQUIPMENT WHICH SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE CAR, WAS REPLACED ONCE UNDER WARRANTY AND HAS FAILED AGAIN. WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY $350 + LABOUR COST WHEN IT IS SO OBVIOUSLY A DEFECTIVE PART? DEALER EVEN LIED TO ME, CLAIMING THERE HAD NEVER BEEN A SEATBELT RECALL ON TRANS SPORT VANS, WHEN I HAD THE RECALL NOTICE IN FILE AT HOME! I HAVE OWNED A FORD MUSTANG FOR 9 YEARS WITHOUT SEATBELT PROBLEM, FOLLOWED BY A CAMARO FOR 16 YEARS WITHOUT SEATBELT PROBLEMS. I AM THE ONLY DRIVER OF THIS VAN, SO IT'S NOT LIKE THERE ARE TOO MANY FOLKS ADJUSTING IT... RETRACTOR IS OBVOIUSLY POOR QUALITY. I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX IT, SO EVERY TIME I DRIVE MY LIFE IS AT RISK. GUESS GM DOESN'T CARE ABOUT MY LIFE ANY MORE THAN FORD CARED ABOUT DRIVERS OF EXPLORERS. IS THERE SOME REASON, WITH ALL THE COMPLAINTS POSTED ON NHTSA WEBSITE ABOUT TRANS SPORT SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILURE, THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN EFFORT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM? I DIDN'T KNOW THE EXTENT OF THIS CRISIS UNTIL TODAY, BUT IF I KEPT DRIVING UNSAFELY, HOW MANY OTHERS ARE OUT THERE? (I KNOW OF SEVERAL).*AK

THIRD SUDDEN FAILURE OF BELT RETRACTOR WITHIN 18 MONTHS OUT OF SIX ORIGINAL ASSEMBLIES IN VEHICLE. DEALER CONTACTED UPON ALL 3 OCCURRENCES, QUOTED COST OF REPLACEMENT. DEALER INDICATED THAT NO SERVICE BULLETINS, SPECIAL WARRANTIES, OR RECALLS APPLIED TO THIS OUT-OF-WARRANTY VEHICLE. OPTED TO PURCHASE REPLACEMENT ASSEMBLY ON FIRST TWO OCCURRENCES, AND REPLACED MYSELF. UPON THIRD (MOST-RECENT) FAILURE OF YET ANOTHER ORIGINAL RETRACTOR, DECIDED TO CONSULT NHTSA WEB SITE. FOUND NO OFFICIAL OPEN CASE, BUT MANY REPORTS OF SAME PROBLEM FOR THIS VEHICLE THROUGH THE 1995 MODEL YEAR. CONTACTED DEALER AND PONTIAC CUSTOMER SERVICE, WHO APOLOGIZED, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. DISCOVERED WHEN OBTAINING PRICE QUOTE FOR PART THAT THE ORIGINAL PART WAS DISCONTINUED IN 1995, REPLACED WITH A NEW DESIGN AND PART NUMBER. FIND THIS LOGICAL, AS THE COMPLAINTS TO NHTSA DROP DRAMATICALLY DURING AND SINCE 1995. HAVE HAD MANY VEHICLES NEW AND USED IN MY LIFETIME, AND HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH SAFETY BELTS IN ANY OTHER. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT ANY OF MY REMAINING ORIGINAL BELTS ARE TRUSTWORTHY IN A SUDDEN STOP OR COLLISION, BASED UPON THE SUDDEN FAILURES OF THE FIRST THREE WHILE SIMPLY PULLING THE BELT OUT OF THE RETRACTOR TO FASTEN IT. SPRING IN RETRACTOR FAILS, LEAVING ALL BELT LENGTH UNWOUND, AND THUS, THE SEATING POSITION UNPROTECTED UNTIL THE RETRACTOR IS REPLACED. I CONSIDER THIS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM, BUT WILL BE FACED WITH A $700.00 EXPENDITURE IF I DECIDE TO HAVE THE DEALER REPLACE THE CURR

FRONT PASSENGER AND SECOND ROW RIGHT SEAT BELTS FAIL TO RETRACT, CONSUMER REQUESTS DEALER REPLACE DEFECTIVE PART. *SLC

DRIVER SHOULDER BELT FAILS TO RETRACT. INSPECTION REVEALED THAT LOCKING. *AK

WHEN DRIVING ON HIGHWAY CONSUMER WAS ALERTED THAT VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER THEN DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH NO RESPONSE. GOT VEHICLE TO STOP AND NOTED THAT TRANSMISSION WAS ON FIRE WITHIN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. CONSUMER WAS UNAWEAR OF THE RECALL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

DRIVER SHOULDER BELT FAILED TO RETRACT. INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE LOCKING MECHANISM IN THE RETRACTOR ASSEMBLE FAILED, THE SEAT/SHOULD BELT WOULD NOT RESTRAIN THE DRIVER IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT, REPLACEMENT PART IS DIFFERENT FROM THE ORIGINAL PART, PART IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION

FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT AND SECOND ROW PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT. VAN WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. REPAIRS WERE MADE AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. ENTIRE SEAT BELT MECHANISM HAD TO BEL REPLACED FOR BOTH BELTS. *AK THIS VEHICLE HAD TWO PREVIOUS SEAT BELT RECALLS. *YH

SPARE TIRE CABLE RUSTED THROUGH, CAUSING TIRE TO SEPARATE FROM VEHICLE.*AK

SLIDING DOOR CAME OPEN INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. DEALER STATED THAT THERE WERE TOO MANY MILES ON VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE THE DRIVER WAS GOING AT 63 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE CAME OFF (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). YH

FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT SHOULDER HARNESS NO LONGER RETRACTS RESULTING IN THE SHOULDER HARNESS BEING TOTALLY DISABLED.