1996 Pontiac Trans Sport

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1996 Pontiac Trans Sport do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 36.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →

61Owner complaints

Model-year median: 36

1Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

1996 Pontiac Trans Sport

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 61 owner complaints · 1 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

Engine And Engine Cooling: 13 reports
Visibility: 13 reports
Steering: 7 reports
Electrical System: 5 reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 5 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

02V286000 — Steering:rack And Pinion

Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year

Compare all Trans Sport years →

Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Engine And Engine Cooling

13 Visibility

13 Steering

7 Electrical System

5 Service Brakes, Hydraulic

All reported categories

3 Latches/locks/linkages

2 Seats

2 Tires

2 Vehicle Speed Control

2 Exterior Lighting

1 Fuel System, Gasoline

1 Service Brakes, Air

1 Suspension

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: 16 of 61 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.

Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Visibility. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Steering. Review the 7 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 reports2 fire reports4 injury reports

Unknown Or Other complaints

3 reports

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127,900 miles · Jan 12, 2006

Unknown Or Other

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS CORRODED THE CABLE THAT HELD THE SPARE TIRE ON THE VEHICLE. THE CABLE SNAPPED AND RELEASED THE SPARE TIRE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DRIVEWAY. UPON INSPECTION BY THE CONTACT, THE CABLE SIMPLY CORRODED THEN RELEASED THE SPARE TIRE UNDER PRESSURE OF THE WEIGHT OF THE TIRE. *AK UPDATE…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #10147646

160,000 miles · Nov 17, 2005

SteeringUnknown Or OtherVisibility

COMPLAINT #1- WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULDN'T WORK IN THE RAIN. DEFECTIVE CIRCUIT BOARD HAD TO BE REPLACED. COMPLAINT # 2- TILT STEERING COLUMN CAME OFF. THE WHOLE COLUMN HAD TO BE REPLACED. COMPLAINT #3- BLACK PAINT OVER THE CAB FLAKED OFF. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10143026

88,000 miles · Jan 15, 2004

Engine And Engine CoolingFuel System, GasolineUnknown Or Other

INTAKE MANIFOLD & GASKET FAILURE - OIL & COOLANT MIXING IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT - IMMINENT ENGINE FAILURE FRONT WIPER MOTOR/TRANSMISSION INTERMITENT FAILURE WHILE DRIVING - DIFFICULTY DIAGNOSING PROBLEM - MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE WHEN THE WIPERS SUDDENLY STOP/START WORKING WHILE DRIVING IN RAIN & SNOW OR SLOPPY HIGHWAY CONDITIONS COMP…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #10071336

Recall campaigns

02V286000 · Steering:rack And Pinion

Nov 4, 2002

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES AND MINI VANS HAVE LOWER PINION BEARINGS IN THE POWER RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY IN WHICH THE RETAINER TABS WERE NOT CRIMPED PROPERLY. THESE AND SOME OTHER RETAINERS USED IN VEHICLES ASSEMBLED BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997, COULD FAIL AND PERMIT THE BALL BEARINGS TO ESCAPE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THIS OCCURS, THE PINION SHAFT CAN BE FORCED UPWARD DURING LEFT TURNS AND BACK DOWN AS THE STEERING WHEEL IS MOVED BACK AND TO THE RIGHT. IF THE PINION SHAFT MOVES FURTHER, THE DRIVER WILL NEED TO EXERT MORE EFFORT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL, SIMILAR TO A VEHICLE WITHOUT POWER ASSISTED STEERING. IF THE PINION SHAFT MOVES EVEN FURTHER, THE DRIVER WILL REQUIRE MUCH HIGHER EFFORT TO TURN LEFT AND MAY NOT BE ABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL AS MUCH AS INTENDED. WITH THE MAXIMUM PINION SHAFT MOVEMENT, WHICH REQUIRES INTERNAL GEAR COMPONENT DAMAGE, THE DRIVER CAN ENCOUNTER HIGH RESISTANCE TO TURNING LEFT, FOLLOWED BY UNINTENDED POWER ASSIST TO THE RIGHT. IN ANY OF THESE CONDITIONS, A CRASH COULD OCCUR.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW LOWER PINION BEARING UNLESS INSPECT OF THE EXISTING BEARING INDICATES THAT REPLACEMENT OF THE GEAR ASSEMBLY IS NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JANUARY 24, 2003. 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 CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020, PONTIAC AT 1-800-762-2737, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-442-6537.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

Defect investigations

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.