FaultScore

FaultScore report

1994 Pontiac Trans AM problems

Owners have filed 13 complaints about the 1994 Pontiac Trans AM with NHTSA between 1996 and 2000. The largest single group is the fuel & propulsion. Across this model's run it ranks 3 of 7 worst.

C

FaultScore 58/100

Higher is worse. Measured against the other years of the Pontiac Trans AM.

How this is worked out

The numbers

13

Complaints

3

Crashes reported

1

Fires reported

0

Injuries reported

What kind of bad

The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.

Complaint volume 33 vs 50 Severity 100 vs 50 Early failure not reported
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 33
Against the median year of the Pontiac Trans AM. 50 means typical for this model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 100
30.8% of these complaints involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of 9.7%.
Early failure — not reported
Too few complaints recorded a mileage to measure this.

How 1994 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 1994 Pontiac Trans AM

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

Fuel & Propulsion 3 23.1%
Windows, Mirrors & Wipers 2 15.4%
Acceleration & Cruise Control 2 15.4%

1 crashes, 1 fires

Brakes 2 15.4%

1 crashes, 0 fires

Equipment & Accessories 1 7.7%
Electrical System 1 7.7%
Transmission & Drivetrain 1 7.7%

1 crashes, 0 fires

Engine & Cooling 1 7.7%

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 3 Nov 2000

Complaints that involved harm

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

Whitmire, SC Crash Fire

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

THIS VEHICLE IS A 1998 MODEL. CONSUMER HAD TURNED FROM A STOP SIGN, VEHICLE ACCELERATED ABOUT 45MPH. REMOVED FOOT FROM PEDAL IT WENT TO THE FLOOR . CONSUMER CUT OFF THE SWITCH AND RESTARTED ENGINE. SOMETIMES VEHICLE WILL BE DECELERATING, SOMETIMES IT WILL STILL BE ACCELERATING. ON JULY 18, 1998, WHEN VEHICLE CRASHED THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE, EVEN AFTER CONSUMER SWITCHED IT OFF ON TWO OCCASIONS. DECELERATION HAD BEGUN, CONSUMER LOST CONTROL, RAN OFF ROAD, HITTING TREES. SPLIT THE FRONT END. THE MOTOR FIRST FLEW OUT APPROXIMATELY 250YARDS. THEN THE BACK HIT SOME TREES, AND BACK END TORE APART. THE TRUNK AND EVERYTHING WAS GONE. THE VEHICLE SPLIT INTO APPROXIMATELY 4 PARTS.

NHTSA complaint #827126 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Marietta, GA Crash

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

ABS BRAKES FAILED, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT, ALSO TRANSMISSION FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #510963 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Marietta, GA Crash

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

ABS BRAKES FAILED, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT, ALSO TRANSMISSION FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #510963 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

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

Athens, TX

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #736582 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Newport News, VA

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

VEHICLE EXPERIENCING WINDSHIELD WIPER WORKING INTRMITTENTLEY OR NOT AT ALL; CONDITION CAN REDUCE DRIVER'S VISIBILITY AND INCREASING THE RISK OF VEHICLE CRASH. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS:

NHTSA complaint #868822 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

APO AE, NY

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

THE ABS SYSTEM WILL NOT WORK UNLESS I TURN THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON WHILE DRIVING. JUST ORDERED THE PARTS TO FIX IT, THEY SAID I NEEDED THE MOTOR AND MODULATOR. PARTS ALONE COST ME $1,170.

NHTSA complaint #714455 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

APO AE, NY

VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM

THE ABS SYSTEM WILL NOT WORK UNLESS I TURN THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON WHILE DRIVING. JUST ORDERED THE PARTS TO FIX IT, THEY SAID I NEEDED THE MOTOR AND MODULATOR. PARTS ALONE COST ME $1,170.

NHTSA complaint #714455 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

APO AE, NY

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK

THE ABS SYSTEM WILL NOT WORK UNLESS I TURN THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON WHILE DRIVING. JUST ORDERED THE PARTS TO FIX IT, THEY SAID I NEEDED THE MOTOR AND MODULATOR. PARTS ALONE COST ME $1,170.

NHTSA complaint #714455 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Vincent, OH

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

VEHICLE LEAKS OIL FROM IN BETWEEN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND THE ENGINE BLOCK. DEALER SAID INTAKE MANIFOLD NEEDED TO BE TAKEN OFF, AND A NEW HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED.

NHTSA complaint #842625 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Vincent, OH

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM

VEHICLE LEAKS OIL FROM IN BETWEEN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND THE ENGINE BLOCK. DEALER SAID INTAKE MANIFOLD NEEDED TO BE TAKEN OFF, AND A NEW HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED.

NHTSA complaint #842625 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Whitmire, SC Crash Fire

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

THIS VEHICLE IS A 1998 MODEL. CONSUMER HAD TURNED FROM A STOP SIGN, VEHICLE ACCELERATED ABOUT 45MPH. REMOVED FOOT FROM PEDAL IT WENT TO THE FLOOR . CONSUMER CUT OFF THE SWITCH AND RESTARTED ENGINE. SOMETIMES VEHICLE WILL BE DECELERATING, SOMETIMES IT WILL STILL BE ACCELERATING. ON JULY 18, 1998, WHEN VEHICLE CRASHED THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE, EVEN AFTER CONSUMER SWITCHED IT OFF ON TWO OCCASIONS. DECELERATION HAD BEGUN, CONSUMER LOST CONTROL, RAN OFF ROAD, HITTING TREES. SPLIT THE FRONT END. THE MOTOR FIRST FLEW OUT APPROXIMATELY 250YARDS. THEN THE BACK HIT SOME TREES, AND BACK END TORE APART. THE TRUNK AND EVERYTHING WAS GONE. THE VEHICLE SPLIT INTO APPROXIMATELY 4 PARTS.

NHTSA complaint #827126 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Madison, VA

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.

THE DELCO CD PLAYER IS TOO HOT, IT CAUSES TO BURN THE CD AND MAY CAUSE A SHORT CIRCUIT AND CAUSE A FIRE. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT WON'T ASSIST THE CONSUMER.

NHTSA complaint #829029 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Winter HAV, FL

FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER

FUMES ENTERING VEHICLE CAUSING CONSUMER TO BECOME DIZZY, LIGHT HEADED, NAUSEOUS AND DISORIENTED.

NHTSA complaint #525315 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Downey, CA

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

GAS FUMES IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT.

NHTSA complaint #514992 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Marietta, GA Crash

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

ABS BRAKES FAILED, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT, ALSO TRANSMISSION FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #510963 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Marietta, GA Crash

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

ABS BRAKES FAILED, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT, ALSO TRANSMISSION FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #510963 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.