1998 PONTIAC TRANS SPORT Complaints

POWER SLIDING DOOR OPENED WHILE DRIVING. 5-YEAR-OLD CHILD WAS IN THE SEAT NEXT TO THE DOOR. THIS PROBLEM HAD TWO RECALLS IN 2001. THIS VEHICLE'S HISTORY SHOWS IT ALSO HAD WARRANTY WORK ON THIS DOOR IN 1998. GM REFUSED TO PAY FOR ANY OF THE COST OF THE REPAIR, DONE ON 6/12/06, APPARENTLY BECAUSE IT JUST CROSSED OVER 100,000 MILES. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ACTUATOR, LATCH, AND HANDLE, AT A TOTAL CHARGE OF $284.20. *JB

WHILE DRIVING MY 1998 PONTIAC TRANS SPORT MONTANA, MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND WOULDN'T TURN TO THE LEFT, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. WHEN I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR INSPECTION, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT IT WAS A RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY. *JB

1998 TRANSPORT INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILED CAUSING LEAKAGE OF THE ENGINE COOLANT. *TS THIS FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE. *NM

ON 12/26/05 I SMELLED COOLANT WHEN EXITING MY VEHICLE. AFTER INVESTIGATING, I FOUND THAT COOLANT WAS LEAKING. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC, AND HAD THE INTERNAL GASKET REPLACED FOR $575. THE NEXT DAY I SAW THAT IT WAS STILL LEAKING COOLANT. I TOOK IT BACK, AND HAD THE WATER PUMP REPLACED FOR $166. THE NEXT DAY I SAW IT WAS STILL LEAKING, AND I HAD NO HEAT. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE MECHANIC, WHO TOLD ME THAT IT IS LEAKING AT THE TIMING COVER, AND THE LACK OF HEAT COULD BE DUE TO AN AIR BUBBLE, OR I MAY NEED MY HEATER CORE REPLACED. HE GAVE ME ROUGH ESTIMATES OF $900-$1500 FOR THE LEAK, AND PROBABLY ABOUT $400-600 IF MY HEATER CORE NEEDS REPLACED. GM NEEDS TO RECALL THIS VEHICLE FOR THIS PROBLEM. *NM

DT*: THE CONSUMER STATED THE EXTERIOR PLASTIC HOUSING ON THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS TURNED YELLOW. THE YEARS OF DIRECT SUNLIGHT TARNISHED THE CLEARNESS OF THE COVER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND RECOMMENDED THE CONTACT PURCHASE NEW HOUSINGS FOR THE HEADLIGHTS. *JB *AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A RECALL # 01V067000 CONCERNING THE ACTUATOR. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED THREE TIMES ACCORDING TO THE RECALL, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AWAITING ADDITIONAL INSPECTION AND DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AT THE LOCAL DEALER. *NM

I BROUGHT MY 1998 PONTIAC TRANSPORT MINIVAN IN FOR RECALL REPAIR ARRIVING AT 7:30 AM. MY VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO ME AROUND 9 AM AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE WORK WAS COMPLETED. I PRESSED THE AUTOMATIC DOOR AND IT DIDN'T RELEASE, SO I LET SOMEONE KNOW. MY VEHICLE WAS SWOSHED AWAY AND I STOOD THERE NOT REALLY KNOWING WHAT THE PERSON SAID QUICKLY BEFORE JUMPING IN AND TAKING OFF. I SIMPLY STEPPED BACK OUT OF HIS WAY. FINALLY, I WENT BACK IN THE WAITING ROOM AND ABOUT AN HOUR LATER HE CAME IN. HE TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED TO BRING IT BACK DURING A WEEK DAY WHERE HE WOULD HAVE MORE TIME TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE DOOR HANDLE/LOCK. HE ALSO INFORMED ME THAT IT WOULD COST ME $95.00. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO AT THIS POINT EXCEPT CALL THE PHONE NUMBER ON THE RECALL LETTER. I TRULY FEEL THAT THERE SHOULD NOT BE A CHARGE, BECAUSE THE RECALL LETTER CLEARLY STATES TO REPLACE THE EXISITING HANDLE, LOCK, ETC. SO THE DOOR CAN OPEN AND CLOSE AS IT SHOULD. I ASKED TWICE IF HE NEEDED TO SEE THE LETTER AND HE SAID NO BOTH TIMES. *JB

THE DOORS HAVE AN ANNOYING CLICKING THAT COMES FROM THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS. IT SEEMS THAT THE SYSTEM SENSES THE DOORS TO BE UNLOCKED AND CLICKS TO LOCK EVEN THOUGH THE DOORS ARE ALREADY LOCKED! I AM AFRAID THAT ONE DAY THE DOORS WILL UNLOCK INSTEAD WHILE DRIVING. ALSO MY TRANSMISSION FAILED LAST SUMMER AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION COOLER LINES WERE INOPERABLE! CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION OIL TO BURN AND IT COST ME $3000.00 TO REPLACE. *NM

SEAT BELTS "STICKING", STEERING MAKING LOUD "POP" NOISES WHEN TURNING WHEEL, TRANSMISSION SHIFTING VERY HARD FROM PARK TO REVERSE ON A ANGLE. NOW MY ENGINE LOCKED UP, WAS HESITATING WHEN ACCELERATING. *JB

STABILIZER BAR BROKE ON DRIVERS SIDE WHILE ENTERING MY DRIVEWAY. IT APPEARS THAT IT HAS RUSTED FROM THE INSIDE OUT AND BROKE. THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS ABOUT TO BREAK IN THE SAME MATTER. I PURCHASED A NEW ONE FROM THE LOCAL DEALER AND INSTALLED IT MYSELF. *JB