FaultScore

FaultScore report

1986 Pontiac Trans AM problems

Owners have filed 10 complaints about the 1986 Pontiac Trans AM with NHTSA between 1996 and 2009. The largest single group is the seat belts.

Not graded

Too few complaints, or too short a model run, to compare fairly.

How this is worked out

The numbers

10

Complaints

1

Crashes reported

1

Fires reported

1

Injuries reported

How 1986 compares with every other Pontiac Trans AM

Click any bar to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 1986 Pontiac Trans AM

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Seat Belts 4 40.0%
Other & Unspecified 1 10.0%
Doors, Latches & Locks 1 10.0%

1 crashes, 0 fires

Tires 1 10.0%

Median failure at 217,000 miles

Fuel & Propulsion 1 10.0%
Transmission & Drivetrain 1 10.0%
Engine & Cooling 1 10.0%

0 crashes, 1 fires

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

Nov 1996 peak 1 Feb 2009

Complaints that involved harm

Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.

Pittsburgh, PA Fire

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

ENGINE FIRE.(OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT).

NHTSA complaint #540869 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lowell, IN Crash 3 injured

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

RIGHT FRONT DOOR LATCH/STRIKER FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #511447 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

Port Angeles, WA

SEAT BELTS

MAKE: PONTIAC MODEL: FIREBIRD MODEL YEAR: 1986 MANUFACTURER: GENERAL MOTORS CORP. MFR'S REPORT DATE: MAY 04, 1990 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 90V105000 EA90001 NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: EA90001 COMPONENT: SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY POTENTIAL NUMBER OF UNITS AFFECTED: 1500000 SUMMARY: PLASTIC COMPONENTS OF SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLIES DO NOT CONTAIN AN ULTRA VIOLET STABILIZER, AND EXPOSURE TO DIRECT SUNLIGHT AND ELEVATED INTERIOR TEMPERATURES COULD WEAKEN THE PLASTIC COMPONENTS. CONSEQUENCE: THIS COULD RESULT IN BREAKAGE OF PLASTIC COMPONENTS WHICHCOULD PREVENT BUCKLE FROM LATCHING AND PROTECTING OCCUPANT IN A SUDDEN STOP ORACCIDENT. REMEDY: REPLACE OR REPAIR SEAT BELT BUCKLE. NOTES: SYSTEM: SEAT BELT BUCKLE.VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER CARS.

NHTSA complaint #10257594 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 217,000 miles Cibolo, TX

TIRES

KELLY SPRINGFIELD TIRES 245/5016R HUGGER GT-D. INNER TREADWALL HAS SEPARATED APPROX 1/2 ABOVE RIM, COMPLETELY AROUND TIRE. TIRE IS STILL INFLATED, BUT HAD A FAILURE OF FRONT RIGHT TIRE IN 1/2007. DID NOT SEE TIRE PRIOR TO REPLACEMENT OF TIRE BY FAMILY MEMBER. LEFT REAR TIRE HAS SAME SEPARATION BUT NOT YET AS SEVERE AS FRONT LEFT. CAR IS UTILIZED MOSTLY ON WEEKENDS AND HAS AMPLE TREAD REMAINING ON TIRE SURFACE. PICTURES AVAILABLE. HAVE NOT YET REPLACE TIRE AS I WILL TRANSIT TO STORE PURCHASE LOCATION 9/30/08 FOR ASSESSMENT.

NHTSA complaint #10243882 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Beaumont, TX

SEAT BELTS:FRONT

I TRIED TO BRING IN MY 86 PONTIAC TRANS AM TO THE LOCAL GM DEALERSHIP (MIKE SMITH AUOTPLAZA) AND THEY REFUSED TO FIX A RECALL THAT WAS PUT OUT FOR DEFECTIVE SEATBELTS ON MY CAR. THEY SAID TIME HAD RAN OUT FOR ME TO GET THE WORK DOWN AND MY CAR WAS TOO OLD FOR THE RECALL.

NHTSA complaint #10062624 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Saint Clair Shores, MI

POWER TRAIN

THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP WHICH CAUSED THE REAR TIRES TO LOCK UP, WHICH MADE THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL.

NHTSA complaint #10008849 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Indianapolis, IN

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

SEEKING ASSISTANCE IN MAKING PONTIAC DIVISION ACKNOWLEDGE ITS RESPONSIBILITY IN TAKING CORRECTIVE ACTION ON AN OPEN RECALL NUMBER 90-C-03. THIS RECALL WAS COMPLETED BY DON SISK PONTIAC IN INDIANAPOLIS ON APRIL 1995. THE UNIT SUBSEQUENTLY FAILED IN NOV. 1999 AND WAS TAKEN TO THREE PONTIAC DEALERS IN SEARCH OF A REPAIR, FIELDS PONTIAC IN LAKE WALES, FL, DON SISK IN INDIANAPOLIS, AND COGGIN STARLING, 4425 W. VINE ST., KISSIMMEE, FL 34746, 407/847-8122 WHERE THE LAST REFUSAL TO HONOR THE DEFECTIVE RECALL WAS RECEIVED. THE PONTIAC ZONE MANAGER, DENNIS FERGUSON, WHO TAKES A NEGATIVE POSITION IN HONORING THIS PLEDGE MADE IN THE LETTER TO ME WHICH ACCOMPANIED THE RECALL, "IF YOU EVER HAVE ANY OF THE CONDITIONS OF THE RECALL OCCUR IN THE FUTURE - NO MATTER WHEN - CONTACT YOUR PONTIAC DEALER FOR THE SAFETY BELT BUCKLE REPAIR. PLEASE KEEP THIS LETTER IN YOUR PONTIAC, ALONG WITH YOUR OWNERS MANUAL, SO THAT ANY FUTURE OWNER WILL ALSO KNOW OF THIS SITUATION." I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH PONTIAC AND HAVE A COMPLAINT FILE NUMBER WITH THEM OF 00017837. I HAVE HAD CONSTANT DISCUSSIONS WITH PONTIAC OVER THE PAST 3 DAYS WITH THE RESULT THAT PONTIAC'S OPERATIVES UP THROUGH JAN 26TH HAD NOT TAKEN THIS DISPUTE UP THE LINE, RATHER THEY TOOK IT DOWN TO THE ZONE MANAGER (FERGUSON) WHO DECLINED IT IN THE FIRST PLACE. AT THE LAST CONVERSATION THEY WERE TO GO TO HIGHER AUTHORITY BUT HAVING FAILED TO DO THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE. NO SAFETY DEFECT (S) LISTED IN SUMMARY.

NHTSA complaint #717920 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Tewksbury, MA

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

WHILE DRIVING SMELLED GAS FUMES. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC. NOTICED TOP OF TANK WAS SOFT & WAS BECOMING RUSTY DUE TO WATER ACCUMULATION. FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #850735 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Waupaca, WI

SEAT BELTS

DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE SHOULDER BELT ANCHORS DO NOT WORK PROPERLY, CONSUMER CAN'T PULL THE SEAT BELTS OUT.

NHTSA complaint #837376 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pittsburgh, PA Fire

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

ENGINE FIRE.(OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT).

NHTSA complaint #540869 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pekin, IL

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

NOT SPECIFIED.

NHTSA complaint #546817 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lowell, IN Crash 3 injured

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

RIGHT FRONT DOOR LATCH/STRIKER FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #511447 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.