IllustrationPAINT IS PEELING ON THE TOP OF VAN. OTHER TRANSPORTS I HAVE SEEN HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. IS THERE A RECALL ON THE PAINT? THE PAINT ON THE REST OF THE VEHICLE IS GOOD WITH NO APPARENT DEFECTS. *TR
1994 Pontiac Trans Sport
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1994 Pontiac Trans Sport do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 36.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Trans Sport 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
Limited mileage data: 5 of 98 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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.
- Power Train. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
4 crash reports12 fire reports3 injury reports
Structure complaints
13 reportsTRANSMISSION - WHEN YOU START THE VAN, AND PUT INTO GEAR, IT TAKES AT LEAST 10-20 SECONDS BEFORE IT WILL ENGAGE INTO FORWARD AND REVERSE. DRIVERS SIDE SEATBELT- WOULD NOT RETRACT, HAD TO REPLACE, IT COST $100.00 REPLACED 2 ALTINATORS, 1 STARTER AND 4 BATTERIES. HAD TO RE-SEAL INTAKE TWICE. LIFTER TICK, DONUT SEAL REPLACED. VACUM…
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TRANSMISSION - WHEN YOU START THE VAN, AND PUT INTO GEAR, IT TAKES AT LEAST 10-20 SECONDS BEFORE IT WILL ENGAGE INTO FORWARD AND REVERSE. DRIVERS SIDE SEATBELT- WOULD NOT RETRACT, HAD TO REPLACE, IT COST $100.00 REPLACED 2 ALTINATORS, 1 STARTER AND 4 BATTERIES. HAD TO RE-SEAL INTAKE TWICE. LIFTER TICK, DONUT SEAL REPLACED. VACUMM LEAK REPAIRED. COOLANT LEAK, HAD TO REPLACE HEAD GASKET TWICE. COOLANT IS LEAKING AGAIN. DOOR HANDLE, DRIVERS SIDE BROKE TODAY.
ALL THESE PROBLEMS OCCURED WITH LESS THAN 4 YEARS OF USE ON THIS VAN. WE HAVE REGULAR SERVICE RECORDS FOR IT AS WELL. IT WAS A VERY WELL TAKEN CARE OF VAN. WE JUST HAD TO REPLACE THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION WITH 90,000 MILES! WE'D LIKE TO BE RE-IMBURSED IF POSSIBLE BY PONTIAC.WE'VECALLED PONTIAC BUT HAVE RECEIVED NO HELP AS OF YET. W…
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ALL THESE PROBLEMS OCCURED WITH LESS THAN 4 YEARS OF USE ON THIS VAN. WE HAVE REGULAR SERVICE RECORDS FOR IT AS WELL. IT WAS A VERY WELL TAKEN CARE OF VAN. WE JUST HAD TO REPLACE THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION WITH 90,000 MILES! WE'D LIKE TO BE RE-IMBURSED IF POSSIBLE BY PONTIAC.WE'VECALLED PONTIAC BUT HAVE RECEIVED NO HELP AS OF YET. WE'D LIKE TO GET SOME HELP,WE HAVE ALL THE RECEIPTS OF ALL THE EXAUSTING WORK DONE TO THIS VAN. ITS NO WONDER THEY TOOK IT OUT OF PRODUCTION 3 YEARS LATER
WHEN TRYING TO ENTER PASSENGER DOOR I LIFTED UP HANDLE AND THE INNER PART OF THE LOCK BROKE OFF.I CALLED DEALER ,THEY SAYIT NOT UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE HEARD NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROB AND WAS WONDERING IF AN INVESTIGTION COULD BE POSSIBLE BEFORE THE DRIVERS DOOR BRAKES AND THEN ENTERING THE VEHICLE WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE…
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WHEN TRYING TO ENTER PASSENGER DOOR I LIFTED UP HANDLE AND THE INNER PART OF THE LOCK BROKE OFF.I CALLED DEALER ,THEY SAYIT NOT UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE HEARD NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROB AND WAS WONDERING IF AN INVESTIGTION COULD BE POSSIBLE BEFORE THE DRIVERS DOOR BRAKES AND THEN ENTERING THE VEHICLE WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE? *AK
DRIVER OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLE BROKE. COULD NOT OPEN THE DRIVER'S DOOR FROM THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. COMMON PROBLEM. WAS REPAIRED AT NO CHARGE BECAUSE STILL UNDER WARRANTY. *AK *ML
TRANSMISSION SYSTEM DOESN'T WORK, DEALER SAID THE MODULE HAS FAILED BUT THEY SEE AS GM PROBLEM. THE CONTROLS BETWEEN THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE DASH ARE SHORTING OUT CHANGING EVERYTHING WHEN YOU DRIVE. SEAT BELTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOOR HANDLES HAVE BOTH BEEN REPLACED AS THEY BROKE RIGHT OFF. JUST S…
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TRANSMISSION SYSTEM DOESN'T WORK, DEALER SAID THE MODULE HAS FAILED BUT THEY SEE AS GM PROBLEM. THE CONTROLS BETWEEN THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE DASH ARE SHORTING OUT CHANGING EVERYTHING WHEN YOU DRIVE. SEAT BELTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOOR HANDLES HAVE BOTH BEEN REPLACED AS THEY BROKE RIGHT OFF. JUST SPENT $560.00 TO DEALER AND ALL I GOT WAS THE SEAT BELT FIXED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 35MPH THE ENTIRE FRAME FELL OFF THE VEHICLE. THIS CAUSED THE ENGINE/TRANSMISSION & STEERING TO BE INEFFECTIVE. HAD NO STEERING CONTROL. FINALLY HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER TO CHECKE IT OUT. MANUFACTURER HAD NO ENGINEER TO CHECK IT. *AK
BOTH DOOR HANDLES HAVE BROKEN, KNOW OF OTHERS WITH SAME STYLE OF HANDLE MECHANISM THAT HAVE FAILED SAME WAY, LOOKS LIKE DEFECT OF DESIGN, NO RECALLS OR TSB'S FOUND, BROKE WITHIN THREE WEEKS OF ONE ANOTHER; SEATBELTS ARE SLOW TO RETRACT IF AT ALL, RESULTED IN SLACK GETTING CAUGHT IN DOOR JAM, SO CONSEQUENTLY WHEN PULLED IT BROKE …
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BOTH DOOR HANDLES HAVE BROKEN, KNOW OF OTHERS WITH SAME STYLE OF HANDLE MECHANISM THAT HAVE FAILED SAME WAY, LOOKS LIKE DEFECT OF DESIGN, NO RECALLS OR TSB'S FOUND, BROKE WITHIN THREE WEEKS OF ONE ANOTHER; SEATBELTS ARE SLOW TO RETRACT IF AT ALL, RESULTED IN SLACK GETTING CAUGHT IN DOOR JAM, SO CONSEQUENTLY WHEN PULLED IT BROKE AND NOW WILL NO LONGER RETRACT; IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING AND WE PAID GOOD MONEY FOR A GOOD VEHICLE SO WE DIDN'T EXPECT THIS STUFF TO BE HAPPENING. *AK
SLIDING DOOR ELECTRICAL, PUSH BUTTON CLOSED, WANTED TO STOP THE DOOR FROM CLOSING, HIT THE BUTTON AGAIN TO STOP FROM CLOSING, THE DOOR WOULD NOT STOP, ARM WAS CAUGHT IN THE DOOR, AFTER TRYING TO OPEN DOOR THE MOTOR FAILED, HAD TO OPEN THE DOOR MANUALLY. *AK
POWER SLIDING DOOR MALFUNCTIONS WHEN DASH PANEL LIGHT INDICATES DOOR AJAR WHEN IT'S ACTUALLY SHUT, CAUSING EXCESSIVE PULLING ON BATTERY, RESULTING IN BATTERY DRAINAGE AND NOT BEING ABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. *AK
Official recalls
496V015000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:cooling Unit And Lines
Jan 23, 1996
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: VEHICLE FIRES CAN OCCUR DUE TO THE SPILLAGE OF TRANSMISSION FLUID.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINES.
94V100000 · Seat Belts:front:webbing
May 24, 1994
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
94V015000 · Seat Belts:front:retractor
Jan 21, 1994
THE THIRD ROW SAFETY BELT RETRACTORS MAY BE INSTALLED INCORRECTLY AND MAY LOCK-UP WHEN THE VEHICLE IS ON SLOPES OF LESS THAN 15 DEGREES, WHICH DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO. 209, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: PASSENGERS SEATED IN THESE POSITON MAYBE UNABLE TO EXTRACT AND FASTEN THEIR SEAT BELTS UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS MOVED TO A MORE LEVEL SURFACE. UNBELTED OCCUPANTS ARE MORE AT RISK OF INJURY IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION THAN THOSE USING SAFETY BELTS.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THIRD ROW SAFETY BELT RETRACTORS AND REINSTALL THEM PROPERLY.
93V212000 · Seat Belts:rear/other
Dec 13, 1993
THE SAFETY BELT RETRACTORS FOR THE REAR CENTER POSITION ARE MISSING A PAWL SPRING AND IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT, WILL ALLOW THE SAFETY BELT WEBBING TO EXTEND BEYOND THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT THE SAFETY BELT WOULD NOTRESTRAIN THE OCCUPANT, SUBJECTING THE OCCUPANT TO INCREASED RISK OF INJURIES.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SAFETY BELT RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY AND REPLACE THE RETRACTOR IF THE PAWL SPRING IS MISSING.
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
2PE95062 · Passenger Side Dash Fires
Opened Dec 9, 1995 · Closed Apr 10, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System:wiring
There is no summary currently available
PE94070 · Trnsaxl Oil Hose Separates
Opened Sep 15, 1994 · Closed Jan 18, 1995
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train
There is no summary currently available