1996 Pontiac Trans Sport Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Trans Sport years
- Far more complaints than other years 4th of 9 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 61 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Pontiac Trans Sport. That ranks 4th out of 9 Trans Sport model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (13 complaints, 21%), typically at around 96,000 miles. Complaints mention 5 crashes, 2 fires, 5 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 61owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 5complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 Pontiac Trans Sport problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 13 | 21% | 96,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 13 | 21% | 59,538 | — | — |
| Steering | 7 | 11% | 104,489 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 5 | 8% | 59,538 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 5 | 8% | 95,028 | — | — |
| Structure | 5 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 4 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 3 | 5% | 193,690 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 3 | 5% | 127,900 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 2% | 88,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 Pontiac Trans Sport recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Steering:rack and pinion
Problem: 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.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
1996 pontiac trans sport, motor seized up and began to smoke, motor caught fire. *bf prior to the fire, the driver noticed the vehicle was leaving some type of fluid behind. According to the police report, the engine was leaking oil. (ohio traffic crash report # 10-0409-90)*jb updated 08/05/10 *bf
1996 pontiac transport van with leaking intake manifold gaskets. Consumer states that the internal manifold leaked filling the oil pan up with water which in turn froze the main bearings to the crankshaft, causing the vehicle to lock up at 50 mph. He sent in previous letter about the same problem…
While closing the side door my grandson's thumb was caught in it. He was screaming and there was no emergency way to stop the door from closing. The door had to complete the course of closing before it could be opened to get his thumb out. I thank god it was only his thumb!! *tr
Coolant mixing into engine oil due to defective intake manifold gasket,why is there no recall on this problem?*jb
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…
Other Pontiac Trans Sport years
← 1995 Trans Sport · 1997 Trans Sport →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 Trans Sport | 3 | 0 |
| 2002 Trans Sport | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 Trans Sport | 3 | 0 |
| 2000 Trans Sport | 2 | 0 |
| 1999 Trans Sport | 10 | 2 |
| 1998 Trans Sport | 227 | 5 |
| 1997 Trans Sport | 236 | 5 |
| 1996 | 61 | 1 |
| 1995 Trans Sport | 113 | 3 |
See all Pontiac Trans Sport problems by year, every Pontiac model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Pontiac models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Pontiac Trans Sport?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, visibility, steering problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 13 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Pontiac Trans Sport?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1996 Pontiac Trans Sport a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Trans Sport model years, the 1996 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.