1999 Pontiac Trans Sport

Defect. ON CERTAIN MINIVANS EQUIPPED WITH SECOND-ROW BUCKET SEATS OR CAPTAIN'S CHAIRS AND A POWER SLIDING DOOR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, A PASSENGER USING THE INTERIOR HANDLE TO OPEN THE POWER SLIDING DOOR COULD BE INJURED.

Risk. IF A PASSENGER USES THE INTERIOR HANDLE TO OPEN THE POWER SLIDING DOOR AND HOLDS ONTO THE HANDLE WHILE IT IS BEING OPENED BY THE MOTOR, THE PASSENGER'S ARM MAY BE PUSHED INTO THE SEAT BACK OR ARMREST AND A WRIST OR LOWER ARM INJURY MAY RESULT.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE POWER SLIDING DOOR INTERIOR HANDLE ON THE PASSENGER-SIDE. IF THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH A POWER OR MANUAL SLIDING DOOR ON THE DRIVER-SIDE, THE INTERIOR HANDLE WILL ALSO BE REPLACED FOR APPEARANCE REASONS. NOTE: BEFORE THE VEHICLE IS SERVICED, GM ADVISES OWNERS TO NOT USE THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE TO OPEN THE DOOR. THE DRIVER CAN OPEN AND CLOSE THE DOOR FROM SWITCHES AT THE DRIVER'S POSITION OR BY USING THE REMOTE KEY FOB. THE DRIVER SHOULD TELL PASSENGERS TO USE THE SWITCH LOCATED IN FRONT OF THE DOOR TO OPEN OR CLOSE IT. THE DRIVER SHOULD USE THE OVERRIDE SWITCH TO PREVENT OPERATION OF THE POWER DOOR BY CHILDREN OR BY OTHERS WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH ITS USE. THE OWNER NOTIFICATION LETTER MAILING WILL BE CONDUCTED IN PHASES WITH THE FIRST PHASE BEGINNING ON MAY 31, 2005. THE SECOND PHASE MAILING BEGAN ON JULY 18, 2005. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 31, 2005. PHASE 2 BEGAN ON JULY 18, 2005. PHASE 3 (FINAL PHASE) BEGAN ON AUGUST 24, 2005, TO ALL REMAINING CUSTOMERS. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438; PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668; OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537.

Defect. ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES AND MINI VANS, THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG INFLATOR MODULES COULD PRODUCE EXCESSIVE INTERNAL PRESSURE. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH THAT WOULD TRIGGER A DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, THE INCREASED INTERNAL PRESSURE CAN CAUSE THE INFLATOR MODULE TO EXPLODE.

Risk. METAL AND PLASTIC DEBRIS COULD CAUSE SEVERE INJURY TO VEHICLE OCCUPANTS.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DRIVER AIR BAG MODULE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 1, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT PONTIAC AT 1-800-762-2737.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE WENT OFF THE ROAD AND STRUCK A TREE. WHEN THIS OCCURRED, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEATBELT SHOULDER STRAP DID NOT LOCK. THE DRIVER HIT THE STEERING WHEEL CAUSING MINOR CHEST INJURIES, THEN THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. ALSO, THE MIDDLE ROW DRIVER SIDE SEATBELT CAME UNLOCKED. THIS CAUSED THE OCCUPANTS LEG TO BE CRUSHED, RESULTING IN SURGERY. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD AND INSPECTED BY THE MANUFACTURER, BUT IT WAS DETERMINED NOT TO BE A DEFECT.

WITH RESPECT TO MY 1999 PONTIAC TRANSPORT VAN, OCTOBER OF 2003 THE ENGINE STARTED OVERHEATING AND WE DISCOVERED THAT THE COOLANT WAS LOW. WE ADDED COOLANT AND SOME TYPE OF SEAL INTO THE COOLANT BECAUSE WE WERE TOLD BY SEVERAL GM MECHANICS THAT IT WAS PROBABLY THE HEAD GASKET AND THIS SEAL WOULD HELP TO GET US BY UNTIL WE COULD HAVE IT FIXED. I CALLED THE COMPANY WHERE I PURCHASED THE VAN (2ND HAND) AND THE VAN WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY (OVER BY 4,000 MILES AT THE TIME). I DID PURCHASE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. WE PRICED AROUND FOR THE COST TO HAVE THE HEAD GASKET REPAIRED/REPLACED AND FOUND THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO SPEND BETWEEN $800 AND $1,000 TO GET IT FIXED. OUR VAN IS NOW SITTING IN A GARAGE BEING TORN APART AND THE HEAD GASKET WAS THE PROBLEM. PRIOR TO OCTOBER 2003 WE HAD THE COILS CHANGED AND THE #5 PLUG WAS SHOWING A MALFUNCTIONING PROBLEM WHICH WAS SHOWING UP ON THE COMPUTER. WHEN WE BROUGHT IT TO THE GARAGE THEY REPLACED THE PLUGS. WE WERE TOLD BY THE MECHANIC WHO IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON THE GASKET THAT THE COOLANT WAS LEAKING OUT ON THE #5 GASKET AND THIS WAS THE PROBLEM PREVIOUSLY WHICH WAS NOT PICKED UP ON BY THE PAST MECHANIC. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR US SINCE ABOUT JUNE OF 2003.*AK

PROBLEMS WITH THE SLIDING DOOR, HEADLAMP FELL OFF, AUTOMATIC LOCKS/WINDOW AND ETC. *PH THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE VEHICLE HAS A COOLANT LEAK. THE FUEL MODULATOR AND SPARK PLUGS WERE REPLACED. *JB

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS (UPPER & LOWER) NEED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT IS LEAKING ENGINE COOLANT. ALSO NEED TO REPLACE THERMOSTAT AND GASKET. COST $900.

TRANSMISSION FAILURE CAUSED BY ANTIFREEZE IN TRANSMISSION. CORROSION OF RADIATOR CAUSING ANTIFREEZE TO MIX WITH TRANSMISSION FLUID. NOW IS OVERHEATING CAUSED BY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKING ALLOWING ANTIFREEZE TO GET INTO CRANKCASE. POTENTIALLY FATAL FOR ENGINE. *NLM

RETRACTOR MOUNT NOT SECURED TO UPPER PANEL, TOP THREADS INTO PILLAR NOT DONE, INSTALLED MISSING BOLT IN SEAT BELT MOUNT.

WHILE EXITING A PARKING LOT, THE REAR SLIDING DOOR OPENED, THE DEALER FOUND THAT A BENT BRACKET IN THE DOOR MOUNTING WAS THE APPARENT CAUSE OF THE DOOR FAILING TO LATCH PROPERLY. NLM

WHILE IN DRIVEWAY WAS ADJUSTING FRONT SEAT AND VEHICLE STARTED SMELLING LIKE SMOKE. CONSUMER LOOKED UNDER SEAT, AND ONE OF THE WIRES WAS COMPLETELY BARE. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER DID REPAIRS. BUT, WIRES WERE STILL HANGING FROM UNDER SEAT. *AK

THE ENGINE HAS BEEN MAKING A CLICKING SOUND OR DRUMMING SOUND FOR QUITE A WHILE NOW. I HAVE TAKEN THE VAN INTO THE DEALER ON A NUMBER OF OCCASSIONS. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT MY VAN IS NOT THE ONLY VAN TO MAKE THIS NOISE, AND THAT SOME VANS HAVE HAD THE ENGINE REPLACED BECAUSE OF IT. SOMETHING ABOUT THE PISTONS AND WALL CHAMBER. THE VAN HAS ALSO QUITE RUNNING WHILE I WAS DRIVING W/CHILDREN, AND WHEN BRAKING, AN AWFUL LOUD NOISE COMES, SOUNDS LIKE THE CAR IS FALLING APART. I REFUSE TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK, AND AM HAVING LOADS OF PROBLEMS DEALING WITH THIS. *AK

8 PASSENGER VAN, TRIED TO GET 3 DIFFERENT TYPES OF CAR SEATS TO WORK IN THE SECOND ROW OF SEATS, BUT SEEM UNABLE TO DO SO. THE BUCKLE PART OF THE SEAT BELT SEEMS TO COME OUT TO FAR FROM THE SEAT ALLOWING A LARGE GAP SO THE CHILD SEAT CAN NOT FIT TIGHTLY INTO ANY OF THE 3 SEATS IN THE SECOND ROW. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING A CARSEAT SHOULD NOT MOVE ANYMORE THEN AN INCH AFTER IT IS BUCKLED IN. AND WHEN THE CARSEATS ARE IN. THE BOTTOM CORNER WHERE IT BUCKLES IN, MOVES AROUND QUITE VIGOROUSLY. ALLOWING WAY MORE THE AN INCH OF SLACK.