1997 Pontiac Trans Sport complaints

FRONT HEADLIGHT LENSES FELL OFF IN STREET WHILE CLEANING SNOW OFF. CONSUMER NOTICED THAT LENSES WERE MISSING. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK CONSUMER STATES THAT BOTH OF THE RIGH AND LEFT HAND LAMP LENSE COVERS FELL OFF DUE TO FAULTY SEAL, DEALER SPLIT THE COST WITH THE CONSUMER. *SLC

HEADLIGHTS HAD FALLEN OF VEHICLE ON TWO OCCASIONS. FIRST ONE WHILE DRIVING, AND OTHER ONE WHEN JUST TOUCHED. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING OF DEFECT.*AK

POWER SLIDE DOOR WILL AUTOMATICALLY OPEN. WHEN DOOR BUTTON IS PRESSED TO SHUT, DOOR WILL GO ALL THE WAY TO THE SHUT POSITION AND THEN IMMEDIATELY OPEN AGAIN. I HAVE HAD THIS EXAMINED ONCE WHEN THE WARNING BUZZER WOULD NOT TURN ITSELF OFF. DEALER SUPPOSEDLY FIXED THE PROBLEM, BUT NOW THE DOOR WILL NOT STAY SHUT. THE DOOR WILL SOMETIMES STAY SHUT, BUT YOU CAN'T PREDICT WHEN THAT WILL HAPPEN.

WE HAVE A REPAIR SHOP. ALL OF OUR CUSTOMERS OWNING PONT TRANSPORT,CHEV VENTURE AND OLDS SILLOUHETTE HAVE HAD HEADLIGHT PROBLEMS. THE SEAL BETWEEN THE HEADLIGHT REFLECTOR AND LENS BECOMES BRITTLE AND ALLOWS WATER INTO THE LIGHT AND CAUSES REDUCED LIGHTING. EVENTUALLY(3-4 YRS OLD) THE SEAL FAILS COMPLETELY AND THE LENS FALLS OFF. WHEN THE LENS FALLS OFF BULB FAILURE IS ASSURED CAUSING LOSS OF TOTAL LOSS OF LIGHTING FROM THE UNIT. NOT AWARE OF ANY ACCIDENTS YET BUT SEEMS A MATTER OF TIME. GM NOT OFFERING ANY RECALL, CAMPAIGN OR EXTENDED WARRANTY YET? I SEE YOU HAVE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ON FILE- CAN'T YOU DO SOMETHING? THESE VEHICLES ONLY A FEW YEARS OLD AND FAILURE IS 100% IN MY EXPERIENCE. ALSO THESE UNITS ARE $200 PER SIDE AND I DONT SEE ANY IMPROVEMENT IN REPLACEMENT PART. SORRY FOR NO SPECIFIC VIN BUT I CAN HAVE INDIVIDUAL OWNERS CONTACT YOU. CHECK THIS OUT GM HAS BULLETINS BUT ARE A COPOUT INSTRUCTING DEALERS TO ONLY REPLACE LIGHTS WITH LESS THAN 50% MOISTURE ON GLASS . MOST WILL BARELY MAKE IT OUT OF 3/36 UNDER THIS STANDARD. THANK YOU.*AK

GOING 15MPH SIGHT SEEING AND SIDE SLIDING DOOR CAME OPEN. BUZZER WAS DISENGAGED DUE TO PARTS BEING ORDERED. WAS NO WARNING WHEN DOOR OPENED. BEEN TO DEALER 3-4 TIMES CONCERNING SLIDING DOOR. ENTIRE DOOR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS REPLACED. *AK

PASSENGER'S HEADLIGHT HAS CONDENSATION BUILD UP THAT AFFECTS DRIVING AT NIGHT. PASSEENGER HEADLIGHT HAS A 1/2 OF WATER BUILD UP THAT KEEPS BLOWING THE BULB OUT. THERE' S NOTHING THEY CAN DO. GMC KNOWS THAT IT'S A DESIGN DEFECT, BUT HAS NO REMEDY.*AK *SLC

STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP DURING CURVE, UNABLE TO TURN WHEEL, VAN CRACHED INTO CANAL. IS CONSIDERED TOTALED BY INSURANCE. *AK

WHILE MAKING A TURN STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, CAUSING A COLLISION WHICH TOTALLED THE VEHICLE.*AK

WHILE PULLING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY STEERING WILL WOULD NOT TURN TO LEFT, BUT IT WOULD TURN TO THE RIGHT. CONSUMER FEELS HE WAS LUCKY THERE WAS NOT ANY TRAFFIC, VEHICLE COULD HAVE CRASHSED.*AK THE CONSUMER THINKS THAT THE STEERING PROBLEM IS DUE TO DEFECT. *YH

DEFECTIVE DRIVER AIRBAG SENSOR DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER, BUT THE DEALER REFUSES TO REPAIR THIS IMPORTANT SAFETY SYSTEM. PLEASE REFER TO ODI ID (865567) WHICH IS A SIMILAR BY DIFFERENT REPORT BY ANOTHER 1997 PONTIAC TRANS SPORT OWNER. I AM SEEKING ASSISTANCE IN CONVINCING THE PONTIAC DEALERSHIP AND GM THAT THIS IS A SAFETY RELATED PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. THE DEALER ESTIMATED THE COST OF PARTS AND LABOR TO BE IN EXCESS OF $1,000. *AK

THE RIGHT REAR FIRESTONE FR680 TIRE P215/70R15 DOT W2M3 EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, CONSUMER NOTICED THE LEFT REAR TIRE WAS WORN AND THE TREADS HAD BEGUN TO PULL AWAY FROM THE INSIDE, PREVIOUSLY IN MAY WHILE HAVING A SAFETY INSPECTION, THE 2 REAR TIRES WERE WORN BADLY AND FAILED INSPECTION. *SLC

NO SUMMARY

TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR ROUTINE SERVICE & NOTICED LEFT REAR BRAKE LIGHT NEEDED REPLACING DUE TO OVERHEATING & MELTING THE SURROUNDING PLASTIC. IT WAS WARPED. *AK *SLC

STEERING FAILED AND LOCKED UP WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION DUE TO FAILURE OF RACK AND PINION STEERING. TOTAL FAILURE OF STEERING.*AK

WAS DRIVING IN THE RAIN & WENT THROUGH A PUDDLE. THIS CAUSED POWER STEERING TO GO OUT, AND LOST CONTROL. BUT THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. FINALLY, WENT TO A DEALERSHIP & MECHANIC INDICATED THAT SHIELD WAS MISSING. MISSING SHIELD CAUSED WATER TO GET INSIDE THE STEERING AREA. MECHANIC REPLACED THE SHIELD. *AK

THE HEADLIGHT COVER FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING WHEN I REALIZED IT I CHECKED THE OTHER LIGHTS AND SAW THAT THEY ARE ALL LOOSE AND READY TO FALL OFF. NOW THAT THE COVER FELL OFF, THE BULB IS BLOWN BECAUSE OF RAIN. WE HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT MOISTURE IN THE COVERS TO OUR DEALER AND WERE TOLD THAT IS NORMAL, WHICH ANYONE WOULD KNOW IT ISN'T NORMAL. DID CALL PONTIAC BUT HAVEN'T HEARD BACK YET. I FOUND OUT THERE ARE MANY VEHICLES THAT THIS IS HAPPENING TO. *AK

DUE TO A DEFECTIVE DRIVER AIRBAG SENSOR AIR BAG SYSTEM LIGHT STAYED ON, INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH AIR BAG SYSTEM, WHICH MAY DEPLOY UNEXPECTEDLY OR WON'T DEPLOY IN EVENT OF A CRASH AND WON'T PROTECT THE OCCUPANT (S). PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING HEADLIGHT LENS COVER FELL OFF, CAUSING THE BULB TO BLOW OUT. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

BOTH HEADLIGHTS AND ONE FRONT SIDEMARKER (TURN SIGNAL) LIGHT WERE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY DUE TO EXCESSIVE MOISTURE/WATER DROPLETS INSIDE THE ASSEMBLY. ONE OF THE REPLACED HEADLIGHTS NOW HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN (TWICE IN 2.5 YEARS). PONTIAC HAS ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN TO DEALERS SAYING NOT TO REPLACE ANY MORE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES BECAUSE THE MOISTURE THAT FORMS WITHIN THEM IS NORMAL. THEY SAY THE MOISTURE SHOULD DISSIPATE AFTER THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON FOR A FEW HOURS. SOME OF THE MOISTURE DOES GO AWAY, BUT I CONSIDER IT A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN HALF OF THE HEADLIGHT LENSE IS COVERED WITH STEAM/WATER EVEN IF SOME OF IT EVENTUALLY CLEARS UP. I CONTACTED PONTIAC DIRECTLY AND THEY REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS.*AK

POOR SEAL AROUND HEADLIGHTS, WATER LEAKS AND LIGHTBULB HAS EXPLODED. *AK

SLIDING DOOR CANNOT BE REPAIRED PROPERLY BY DEALER. HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE MANY TIMES. *AK

PASSENGER'S MIDDLE SIDE DOOR OPENS INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR, BUT DOOR NOW RATTLES BECAUSE IT ISN'T LINED UP WITH THE PANEL. *AK *ML

BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING ONTO BRAKE LINING. IF LEAK DEVELOPED ANY MORE CONSUMER COULD LOSE ALL BRAKING POWER. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND BOTH REAR WHEEL BRAKE CYLINDERS HAD FAILED, AND WERE REPLACED. *AK

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

POWER DOOR DOES NOT LATCH WHEN IT IS CLOSED BY USING THE REMOTE BUTTON. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, POWER DOOR HAS SINCE BEEN REPAIRED. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT HAS HAPPENED. *AK *ML

CHECK THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON DUE TO GAS FILTER FAILURE. YH

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT CROSSED THE LINE. DAMAGE WAS FROM THE FRONT TO DASHBOARD, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

RACK AND PINION POWER STEERING MECHANISM DISINTEGRATED WITHOUT WARNING, FAILURE OF POWER STEERING PUMP. CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING. DEALER HAS REPAIRED VEHICLE. *AK *ML

POWER SLIDING DOOR OPENS AUTOMATICALLY AFTER BEING CLOSED

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

UPON TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT TRAVELING 10-15 MPH, STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. CONSUMER CONTACTED T DEALER, DELAER REPLACED THE ENTIRE STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

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

1 WEEK PRIOR TO INCIDENT SLIDING DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN ELECTRONICALLY, THEREFORE OWNER USED MANUAL DOOR ON LEFT SIDE. ON THE WAY HOME UP A HILL, THE RIGHT DOOR SUDDENLY OPENED VERY FAST, CATCHING AND CRUSHING CHILD PASSENGER'S FOOT.

WHILE MAKING A TURN STEERING WHEEL JERKED AND WENT TO THE RIGHT AND LOCKED UP. THE DEALER IS INSPECTING AND REPAIRING THE VEHICLE. *AK

THE FIRST PROBLEM IS A "CLUNKING" IN THE GAS TANK WHEN IT IS OVER 1/2 A TANK BUT LESS THAN FULL. WHEN COMING TO A GENTLE STOP, FORWARD OR REVERSE, THE TANK MAKES A PHYSICAL 'THUNK'. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE IN TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM 5 TIMES NOW. THE DEALERSHIP HAS TRIED ISOLATION PADS, TIGHTENING FASTENERS, INSTALLING STRUCTURAL BRACING STRAPS, AND EVEN REPLACED THE GAS TANK. ALL TO NO AVAIL. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ALMOST 2 YEARS NOW. I AM AT A LOSS AS TO WHAT TO DO NOW. THE SECOND PROBLEM WAS WITH MY SERPENTINE BELT. I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK AND I SUDDENLY LOST MY POWER STEERING GOING INTO A 90 DEGREE TURN. I NAVIGATED THROUGH IT, AND THE DEALER RETRIEVED MY VAN THE NEXT MORNING. THEY FOUND THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS SHREDDED WITH NO EXPLANATION. THEY REPLACED IT, AND I HAVE NOT HAD A PROBLEM IN THAT AREA SINCE.

WHILE DRIVING IN A RAIN STORM THE PROTECTIVE COVERS ON THE HEADLAMPS DEVELOPED LEAKS AROUND THE SEAL, PERMITTING WATER TO LEAK ON TO THE HALOGEN BULB AND BLOW OUT. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

THE COVERS FOR THE LEFT AND RIGHT HEADLIGHTS FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

BOTH MANUAL SIDING DOORS HAVE EXCESSIVE RATTLES AND NOISES IN THEM. THE MINVAN HAS BEEN RETURNED TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS WHICH HAVE BEEN ONLY TEMPORARY FIXES. WITHIN ONE MONTH OF DEALERSHIP VISIT, THE RATTLES AND NOISES REAPPEAR. THE MINIVAN HAS BEEN BROUGHT IN MANY TIMES SINCE SEPTEMBER 1997 WITHOUT BEEN FIXED.

WHILE PULLING INTO A BANK DRIVE IN CONSUMER WAS SITTNIG IN THE LINE WAITING FOR TRANSACTION TO BE CONCLUDED WHEN BRAKES HAD GONE OUT. PEDAL WAS PUSHED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR.ONCE PULLING OUT OF THE PARKING LOT, CONSUMER TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER. *AK

LOSS OF POWER STEERING DURING WET CONDITIONS. OTHER CONDITIONS NOISE FOR BELT AND BATTERY LIGHT ON.

SLIDING DOOR SLIDES RIGHT OFF THE TRACKS REGULARLY.

HEADLAMPS HAVE MOISTURE ON THE INSIDE OF THE LENS WHICH COULD DISTORT THE LIGHTING. THIS MOISTURE DOES NOT GO AWAY. PONTIAC SAYS THIS IS A "NORMAL" CONDITION.

REAR TIRES ARE BADLY DAMAGED ON THE INSIDE, DUE TO REAR SUSPENSION FAILURE. YH

WHILE DRIVING OVER WATER PUDDLES OR IN THE RAIN POWER STEERING BELT SLIPS, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING UNTIL IT DRIES OFF. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS LOCK AND UNLOCK WHILE VEHICLE IS MOTION. THE DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THE LOCKS SEVERAL TIMES WITH NO SUCCESS. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

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

AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS LOCK AND UNLOCK WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOTION. THE DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THE LOCKS SEVERAL TIMES WITH NO SUCCESS. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BACK BROKE, AND SEAT CONTINUED TO LEAN BACK TO THE RIGHT. DEALER SAID IT WA SDUE TO POOR DESIGN, IF FIXED IT WILL REOCCUR. EALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE AT LEAST 8 TIMES. *AK

THE DOOR LOCKS ON THIS MINIVAN OPEN WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE

SERPENTINE BELT FAILS CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST WHEN DRIVING IN WET WEATHER.