IllustrationNORMAL MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS MAINTAINED ON THIS LOW MILEAGE CAR. ENGINE COOLANT (LISTED AS 5 YEAR/150,000. MILE COOLANT) BROKE DOWN AND TURNED TO BROWN FOAMY SLUDGE AT 39,000. MILES (LESS THAN 4 YEARS). I WILL BE HAVING MY LOCAL SERVICE CENTER FLUSH THE COOLING SYSTEM AND REPLACE THE LONG LIFE COOLANT. *JB
2002 Pontiac Trans Am
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Trans Am years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
110–25K
725–50K
350–75K
175–100K
1100–150K
0150K+
23 reports with mileage · 9 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
32 reports2002 TRANS AM JERKS WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. MECHANIC DETERMINED THE ROTORS WERE WARPED. *TS THE DEALER STATED THE CALIPERS ARE HARD HITTING WHICH WARPS THE ROTORS. IT IS A KNOW PROBLEM AND A DEFECT. THE WINDOW MOTOR WAS REPLACED AND THE INSIDE LIGHT ABOVE THE HANDLE WAS INOPERATIVE. *JB
CAR STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS AFTER BEING PURCHASED TWO MONTHS BRAND NEW. MULTIPLE ELECTRIC PROBLEMS, FUSES CONSTANTLY BURNING OUT AND ARE REPLACED, ALL POWER OPTIONS FAILED, CRACKLING NOISE FROM UNDER THE DASH, GROANING/GRINDING NOISE FROM UNDER ENGINE COMPARTMENT, WHEEL BALANCE ISSUES, LEFT BLINKER CONSTANTLY MALFUNCTIONS, RIGH…
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CAR STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS AFTER BEING PURCHASED TWO MONTHS BRAND NEW. MULTIPLE ELECTRIC PROBLEMS, FUSES CONSTANTLY BURNING OUT AND ARE REPLACED, ALL POWER OPTIONS FAILED, CRACKLING NOISE FROM UNDER THE DASH, GROANING/GRINDING NOISE FROM UNDER ENGINE COMPARTMENT, WHEEL BALANCE ISSUES, LEFT BLINKER CONSTANTLY MALFUNCTIONS, RIGHT HEADLAMP ALWAYS BURNING OUT, BATTERY ACID LEAKED ALL OVER AFTER ONLY HAVE THE CAR A FEW MONTHS, WAS GETTING 30+ MILES TO A GALLON, NOW GETS <8 MILES TO A GALLON, INTERIOR DOOR PANEL SPLIT, POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE, ISSUED A COMPLAINT WITH GMC - THEY NOTED ME AS A DISSATISFIED CUSTOMER, DEFOG VENT DOES NOT WORK IN DRIVER'S SIDE A-PILLAR. THERE IS MORE, BUT I DON'T HAVE MY LOG AND RECEIPTS WITH ME. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE GUIDE THAT HOLDS THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT SHOULDER STRAP BROKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE GUIDE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. THIS CAUSED THE SEAT BELT TO RIDE UP\ ON THE DRIVER'S NECK. IF AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A BROKEN NE…
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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE GUIDE THAT HOLDS THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT SHOULDER STRAP BROKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE GUIDE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. THIS CAUSED THE SEAT BELT TO RIDE UP\ ON THE DRIVER'S NECK. IF AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A BROKEN NECK OR STRANGLING THE DRIVER . MANUFACTURER TOOK REPORT OVER THE TELEPHONE, BUT DEALER DID NOT SHOW CONCERN. *AK
DRIVER SIDE REAR WHEEL BEARING MALFUNCTION CAUSING ME TO WREAK MY CAR INTO A MAILBOX. STATE FARM INSURANCE WOULD NOT FIX WHEEL BEARING SAID THAT IT WAS A DEFECT FROM PONTIAC. CONTACTED PONTIAC THEY WOULD NOT HELP PAY FOR THE REPAIR SINCE I TOOK IT TO A STATE FARM SERVICE FIRST LOCATION WHICH WAS A DODGE DEALERSHIP. I HAVE HAD BA…
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DRIVER SIDE REAR WHEEL BEARING MALFUNCTION CAUSING ME TO WREAK MY CAR INTO A MAILBOX. STATE FARM INSURANCE WOULD NOT FIX WHEEL BEARING SAID THAT IT WAS A DEFECT FROM PONTIAC. CONTACTED PONTIAC THEY WOULD NOT HELP PAY FOR THE REPAIR SINCE I TOOK IT TO A STATE FARM SERVICE FIRST LOCATION WHICH WAS A DODGE DEALERSHIP. I HAVE HAD BAD DEALINGS WITH THE WIESE (GM) DEALERSHIP. BUT THIS WAS A PLACE THAT THE STATE FARM CASE WAS DELT WITH SO THEY HAD TO INVESTIGATE AND PONTIAC WOULD NOT HELP. SECOND TIME PONTIAC WOULD NOT HELP ME OUT. I WILL TRADE MY CAR IF THIS IS NOT SOLVED. *NM
DT: THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN THE CONSUMER STARTED IT AND COULD HEAR AN EXPLOSION SOUND COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WHEN LIFTING THE HOOD COULD SEE OIL COMING FROM ALL OVER. WHEN SHE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY VERIFIED THAT THE MAINTENANCE HAD BEEN KEPT UP. THEY TOLD HER THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE THE MOTOR WITH A USED…
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DT: THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN THE CONSUMER STARTED IT AND COULD HEAR AN EXPLOSION SOUND COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WHEN LIFTING THE HOOD COULD SEE OIL COMING FROM ALL OVER. WHEN SHE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY VERIFIED THAT THE MAINTENANCE HAD BEEN KEPT UP. THEY TOLD HER THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE THE MOTOR WITH A USED MOTOR. THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THAT THE SAME PROBLEM WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, THEY UNDERSTOOD HER CONCERN AND STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT HELP HER BECAUSE HER WARRANTY WAS WITH SOMEONE ELSE. THERE HAVE BEEN NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE. *AK
REQUEST FOR FEDERAL OR STATE INVESTIGATION OF EDR / SDM ACCURACY.*MR CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION THAT RESULTED IN AN AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT AND TWO FATALITIES (2002 PONTIAC TRANS AM MODIFIED TO FIREHAWK BY SUPERLEGAL PERFORMANCE). *BF THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE INFORMATION FROM THE EDR/SDM USING THE VETRONIX SOFTWARE WAS IN…
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REQUEST FOR FEDERAL OR STATE INVESTIGATION OF EDR / SDM ACCURACY.*MR CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION THAT RESULTED IN AN AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT AND TWO FATALITIES (2002 PONTIAC TRANS AM MODIFIED TO FIREHAWK BY SUPERLEGAL PERFORMANCE). *BF THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE INFORMATION FROM THE EDR/SDM USING THE VETRONIX SOFTWARE WAS INCORRECT/INACCURATE. THE CONSUMER REQUEST A FULL INVESTIGATION DETERMINE THE ACCURACY OF THE EDR/SDM IF MODIFICATIONS ARE MADE TO THE VEHICLE AFTER THE FACTORY BUILT SPECIFICATION ARE MADE. *NM
LOSS OF TURN SIGNALS AND HIGH/LOW HEADLIGHTS CAUSED BY FAILURE OF WHAT IS CALLED THE "WIND SHIELD WASHER SWITCH ASSEMBLY" LOCATED ON THE STEARING COLUMN. PART NUMBER 26098535 SWITCH,WS 10 163.*AK TO CORRECT, REQUIRED TEARDOWN OF STEARING COLUMN.
HEADLIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY SHUT OFF BUT, COME RIGHT BACK ON. DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THE RUNNING LIGHTS SHUT OFF TOO, BUT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO.*AK
WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND THEN SLOWING DOWN, THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK VIOLENTLY. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE ROTORS WERE WARPED. THE OWNER HAD THE ROTORS TURNED AT LEAST FOUR TIMES. *NM
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.