1998 Pontiac Trans Sport Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Trans Sport years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 9 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 5 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 227 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Pontiac Trans Sport. That ranks 2nd out of 9 Trans Sport model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (52 complaints, 23%), typically at around 70,500 miles. Complaints mention 17 crashes, 4 fires, 25 injuries. There are 5 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 7 defect investigations involving it.
- 227owner complaints
- 5safety recalls
- 7NHTSA investigations
- 17complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1998 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 problems | 52 | 23% | 70,500 | “manifold gasket” (27%) | $3,450 |
| Exterior Lighting | 30 | 13% | 64,405 | — | — |
| Steering | 26 | 11% | 89,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 21 | 9% | 121,842 | — | — |
| Structure | 21 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 16 | 7% | 110,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 16 | 7% | 167,500 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 15 | 7% | 100,200 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 14 | 6% | 120,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 10 | 4% | 88,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 8 | 4% | 71,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 7 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 7 | 3% | 53,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 7 | 3% | 103,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 7 | 3% | 83,200 | — | — |
| Tires | 5 | 2% | 179,300 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 2% | 88,177 | — | — |
| Child Seat | 4 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 1% | 5,262 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1998 Pontiac Trans Sport recalls (5)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
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.
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Problem: Vehicle description: minivans equipped with passenger side power sliding doors. The door closes but may not be latched. If this happens, the power sliding door can open while the vehicle is in motion, particularly when the vehicle ascends a hill, makes a turn, or travels over a rough road surface.
Risk: An unrestrained occupant could fall out of the van and be injured.
Fix: Dealers will install a new un-latch actuator assembly to the power sliding door. This recall has been continued under safety recall 01v-264. 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.
Power train:automatic transmission
Problem: Vehicle description: mini vans. These vehicles may have (1) a broken shift cable fitting or (2) loose shift linkage. Consequently, moving the shift lever to a 'park' position may not shift the transmission to 'park'.
Risk: The vehicle could roll increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect, and replace if necessary, the automatic transaxle range selector cable.
Visibility:windshield wiper/washer:linkages
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger mini vans equipped with traction control systems. The windshield wiper linkage arm can contact a brake line which is connected to the traction control system modulator valve. This contact can chafe the brake line resulting in a brake fluid leak.
Risk: Brake fluid leakage can cause reduced brake effectiveness and increased stopping distances.
Fix: Dealers will install a brake line clip to ensure proper clearance. Also the brake lines will be inspected to any damage caused by this condition and will replace any damaged lines.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Power-sliding door (PE04064) — opened Sep 17, 2004, closed Dec 22, 2004, led to recall 04V597000.
- Rear axle trailing arm failure (EA03005) — opened Apr 23, 2003, closed Jan 12, 2004.
- Safety belt assembly failure (EA02032) — opened Nov 18, 2002, closed Nov 21, 2003.
- Rear axle trailing arm failure (PE02086) — opened Nov 18, 2002, closed Apr 9, 2003.
- Shoulder harness clip (PE02017) — opened Feb 11, 2002, closed Aug 2, 2002.
- Air bag tear during deployment (PE00045) — opened Nov 3, 2000, closed Jan 11, 2001.
- Unexpected opening of sliding door (SQ00014) — opened Jul 25, 2000, closed Oct 22, 2001, led to recall 01V067000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Air. *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 pontiac trans sport. The contact stated while driving various speeds, the vehicle stalled. The contact mentioned that the abs, air bag and check engine warning lamps illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was made…
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 pontiac trans sport. The contact stated that when accelerating from a complete stop, the front passenger's side air bag deployed inadvertently and without any impact to the vehicle. The driver sustained minor bruises and swelling to the right arm. The vehicle was in the…
Abs-anti locking brakes are faulty and light comes on for no reason. Also the airbag light comes on intermittently. *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 pontiac transport. The contact exited the vehicle and when he returned, the vehicle was engulfed with white smoke. The contact rolled down the windows to release the smoke. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, who stated that the failure was the result…
Other Pontiac Trans Sport years
← 1997 Trans Sport · 1999 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 | 227 | 5 |
| 1997 Trans Sport | 236 | 5 |
| 1996 Trans Sport | 61 | 1 |
| 1995 Trans Sport | 113 | 3 |
See all Pontiac Trans Sport problems by year, every Pontiac model, or the VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Pontiac Trans Sport?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, exterior lighting, steering problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 52 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Pontiac Trans Sport?
Yes, 5 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1998 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 1998 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.