1998 PONTIAC TRANS SPORT Complaints

DT: CONSUMER OWNS A PONTIAC, 1998 MODEL TRANS SPORT MINIVAN. WHEN DRIVING AT 40 MPH THE SIDE DOORS OPENED WITHOUT NOTICE WHEN PRESSED THE BUTTON WAS LOCATED ON THE RIGHT PASSENGER'S SIDE. HAD NOT CONTACTED THE DEALER OR MANUFACTURER REGARDING THIS MATTER. CONSUMER WANTED TO KNOW IF THIS OFFICE COULD INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM. ALSO, THE SEATS SHAKE WHEN DRIVING.*AK

INTAKE GASKET LEAKING AND REPLACED IN JANUARY 2005 AT A COST OF OVER $600. CAM SHAFT SNAPPED IN HALF IN APRIL 2005 RESULTING IN TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE AND REPLACEMENT - COST OF $3400. THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED BY GM AND ANYONE THAT HAS HAD THIS OCCUR REIMBURSED.

VAN STOPPED SUDDENLY ON EXPRESSWAY. DEALER TOWED IT AWAY AND DIAGNOSED PROBLEM. HE SAID THAT CAM SHAFT WAS SEIZED OR BROKE. ALL FLUID LEVELS WERE OK. CAR HAD NO LEAKS . FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF SLUDGE IN THE MOTOR. FOUND THAT VAN WAS PROPERLY MAINTAINED BY OWNER. QUOTED NEW ENGINE COST OF $4693. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH CONSUMER HEARD LOUD NOISE, AND THEN THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY STALLED. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO CONSUMER'S HOME. A MECHANIC CAME TO CONSUMER'S HOUSE TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE, AND INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE VEHICLE HAS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. THIS PROBLEM CAUSES THE CAM SHAFT TO SEIZE. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED.*AK

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK. THE TEMP GAUGE WENT UP AND THE ENGINE HAD NO POWER. SHE PULLED OVERHAND PARKED. AFTER THE CAR COOLED DOWN I TRIED STARTING IT AND THE TEMP STAYED DOWN SO I DROVE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. I FELT ALL THAT WAS WRONG WAS THE THERMOSTAT STUCK. THEN I GET A CALL THAT THE HEAD GASKETS HAD FAILED AND THAT THE DAMAGE WAS GOING TO COST ME $2400 AT LEAST THAT BECAUSE OF THE GASKET FAILURE ALL KINDS OF DAMAGE WAS DONE. *JB

WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT A LOW SPEED THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND COULD NOT BE TURNED TO THE RIGHT WITHOUT USING EXCESSIVE EFFORT. *AK ONCE THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED TO THE RIGHT IT WOULD JUMP BACK TO THE LEFT CASING A SUDDEN CHANGE IN THE VEHICLE'S DIRECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. *NM

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. VEHICLE HESITATED WHILE DRIVING. DRIVER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE HEAD GASKET, VALVES, AND LIFTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

DRIVING DOWN A HIGHWAY 65 MPH, I TURNED ON THE CRUISE CONTROL AND SET IT FOR 65 MPH. AFTER A MINUTE, I NOTICED I WAS GOING 75, THEN 85. GOING UP HILL THE VEHICLE WAS NOW APPROACHING 95 MPH. I TRIED TOUCHING THE BRAKE, BUT THAT DID NOT TURN OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL. I THEN TURNED OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL VIA THE SWITCH AND THAT DID NOT WORK. I TRIED PUTTING THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL, AND BRAKED UNTIL THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP. THE ENGINE WAS ROARING AT FULL SPEED. I TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND PUT IT INTO PARK. WHEN I TURNED ON THE VEHICLE I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I THEN TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND WAITED A LONGER TIME. THIS TIME THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED. THEY TOLD ME AT THE SHOP THE CRUISE CONTROL MODULE FAILED. IT IS PRESENTLY DISCONNECTED. THIS IS A BAD MODE OF FAILURE. I SHOULD ALWAYS BE ABLE TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL BY TOUCHING THE BRAKE. THE VEHICLE IS: 98/PONTIAC/TRANS SPORT/4DR SE EXT WG MONTANA VAN. VEHICLE ID # [XXX]. *JB UPDATED 07/24/2012 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

(1) WE PURCHASED A USED 1998 PONTIAC TRANS SPORT AND DISCOVERED THE NEXT DAY THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYED ON ALL THE TIME. (2) WE ARE CONCERNED AS TO WHY THIS LIGHT FLASHES WHEN WE TURN THE IGNITION ON WHILE THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST PROCEEDS AND ALL OTHER LIGHTS GO OUT. THE AIR BAG LIGHT CONTINUES TO FLASH WHICH MUST INDICATE SOMETHING. THE AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHES UNTIL WE START THE VAN AND THEN JUST STAYS ON BUT DOES NOT FLASH TILL THE IGNITION IS TURNED OFF. WE ARE MOST CONCERNED WHAT THIS LIGHT MEANS TO THE SAFETY OF DRIVING AND THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYING CORRECTLY. KENNY ROSS PERFORMS AN ADVERTISED 130 POINT SAFETY CHECK WHICH THEY SHOW THE CUSTOMER THAT INDICATES WHAT WAS FOUND AND THE REPAIRS THEY PERFORMED. WE WOULD ASSUME THAT AIR BAG PROBLEMS WOULD BE POINTED OUT IF THE DEALER CHECKED FOR THE SAFETY OF THE AUTOS THAT THEY SELL. THIS DEALERSHIP HAS A VERY GOOD REPUTATION AND IS WHY WE FELT SAFE DEALING WITH THEM. (3) THE VAN WAS PURCHASED "AS IS" AND THE SALESMAN DENNIS MILLER HAS YET TO RESPOND TO OUR EMAILS CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM. *NM

I HAVE NEVER HAD ANY ACCIDENTS IN MY 1998 MONTANA. I'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHTS 2 TIMES ON THE RIGHT, AND ONCE ON THE LEFT. THE FRONT LENS ON THE LIGHTS SEEM TO JUST FALL OFF. THESE PARTS ARE $100 OR MORE. WHY ARE THE POORLY ASSEMBLED AND HAVE THERE BEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS?*AK