Pontiac Trans Sport engine problems

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

AIR.

NHTSA complaint #10593566 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

AFTER I HAD THE RADIATOR REPLACED $350 JOB THE INTAKE GASKET SPRUNG A LEAK. THEREFORE I HAD TO HAVE NOT ONLY THIS REPLACED BUT THE VALVE COVER GASKET AS WELL WHICH COST A TOTAL OF $867. I ALSO HAD TO RENT A CAR FOR 3 DAY WHICH COST AN ADDITIONAL $30 PER DAY. MY MECHANIC SAID THAT THE RECOMMENDED DEXCOL COOLANT USED IN THIS MODEL CAR, OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, WILL EAT THRU THE GASKET THUS THE LEAK. I NEED TO KNOW IF THERE WAS A RE-CALL REGARDING THIS PROBLEM AND IF I CAN BE COMPENSATED. I AM A HARD WORKING INDIVIDUAL WITH LIMITED RESOURCES. I HAVE ALWAYS MAINTAINED REGULAR MAINTENANCE ON MY VEHICLES NOT FORESEEING THIS ISSUE THAT AROSE. PLEASE GET BACK IN TOUCH WITH ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE REGARDING HIS MATTER. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA complaint #10434040 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

IN NOV. OF 2007 I WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH MY VAN OVERHEATING AND WAS LOSING ENGINE COOLANT BUT COULD NOT SEE WHERE IT WAS GOING. I LATER FOUND OUT THAT I HAD A FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, WHICH COST ME OVER 800.00 TO REPAIR. NOT LONG AFTER THE GASKET WAS REPAIRED THE VAN STARTED OVERHEATING AGAIN AND I DISCOVERED THAT THE WATER PUMP WAS BLOWN, THAT WAS ANOTHER 174.00 TO REPAIR. NOW I AM STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE VAN OVERHEATING AND COOLANT LEAKING AND I WAS JUST INFORMED THAT IT IS A HEAD GASKET WHICH IS GOING TO COST ME OVER 1700.00 TO FIX. THIS IS RIDICULOUS, I KNOW 3 OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL VAN AS I DO WITH THE SAME ENGINE AND THEY ARE ALL ALSO HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THEIR VANS. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS TOO MUCH OF A COINCIDENCE AND THAT THEIR SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL IN PLACE TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEMS WITH THESE FAULTY PARTS. THESE ARE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE REPAIRS AND I PERSONALLY DO NOT HAVE AN EXTRA $1700.00 JUST LAYING AROUND, SO NOW I AM FACED WITH THE CHOICE OF JUNKING MY VAN AND TRYING TO GET A NEW ONE WHICH I CANNOT AFFORD OR FIXING IT WHICH I ALSO CANNOT AFFORD.

NHTSA complaint #10247940 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

OUR 1997 PONTIAC TRANSPORT HAS HAD 3 HEAD GASKET FAILURES. THE FIRST WAS AT 72000, SECOND AT 88,000 AND IS CURRENTLY DEAD IN FRONT DRIVE WITH WATER IN THE OIL AGAIN. HAD NEW HEADS PUT ON AT 72000. VEHICLE OVERHEATS AND DOES NOT SHOW ON GAUGES. YOU HEAR IT BUBBLING WHEN IT'S SHUT OFF. ALSO HAD TO REPLACE ALTERNATOR 3 TIMES AND VAN ONLY HAS 110,000 MILES ON IT. WE'VE HAD SINCE NEW.

NHTSA complaint #10235285 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

1996 PONTIAC TRANSPORT VAN WITH LEAKING INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE INTERNAL MANIFOLD LEAKED FILLING THE OIL PAN UP WITH WATER WHICH IN TURN FROZE THE MAIN BEARINGS TO THE CRANKSHAFT, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOCK UP AT 50 MPH. HE SENT IN PREVIOUS LETTER ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM ON ANOTHER VEHICLE. *KB THE CONSUMER NOTICED A SMELL OF ANTI-FREEZE, BUT COULD NOT LOCATE THE PROBLEM, BECAUSE IT WAS INTERNAL NOT EXTERNAL.

NHTSA complaint #10230669 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR 7 YEARS AND HAVE ALWAYS HAD PROBLEMS WITH COOLING SYSTEM LOSING ANTIFREEZE. NOW I AM TOLD THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET HAS BEEN NEEDS REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #10195027 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 PONTIAC TRANSPORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S INTAKE MANIFOLD IS LEAKING INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY IN BETWEEN THE INTAKE AND THE BLOCK. HE HAS NOT CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER DUE TO PRIOR ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CONSUMES A LARGE AMOUNT OF COOLANT WHICH CONTAMINATES THE OIL. THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 65,150 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000. UPDATED 06/08/07

NHTSA complaint #10190639 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

REPLACED THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET IN 2006 . IN THE LAST 3 WEEKS, THE VAN WAS NOT PUTTING OUT MUCH HEAT AND THE TEMP GAUGE DID NOT RISE UP TO THE NORMAL LEVEL. I DROVE INTO TOWN 6 MILES AT 60 MILES AN HOUR AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT ALL THE WAY UP. I LET IT COOL DOWN AND DROVE TO THE MECHANIC ( 1 MILE ) AND IT WAS GOING BACK UP AGAIN. THEY REPLACED THE WATER PUMP, RADIATOR CAP AND THERMOSTAT AND I PICKED UP THE VAN. WITHIN 1 MILE IT STARTED TO HEAT UP AGAIN. I RETURNED IT . THEY BELIEVE THE HEAD GASKETS ARE BLOWN. THE ESTIMATE THAT I GOT TO REPAIR IT IS 1200.00. I GOT 3 ESTIMATES WITH THE HIGH OF 1600.00. I ALREADY REPLACED ONE AND NOW HAVE TO RE REPLACE IT AND THE OTHER. I'M GETTING REALLY TIRED OF THIS BUT I HAVE TO FIX IT BECAUSE I CANNOT SELL IT IF IT DOESN'T RUN. HOPE THEY FIX THIS IN THE NEXT VEHICLES. I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND IT DUE TO THIS DEFECT. IT WAS ALSO VERY SCARY BECAUSE I WAS DEALING WITH TEMPERATURES OF -20 WITH WIND.

NHTSA complaint #10181712 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

FAILED HEAD GASKET.

NHTSA complaint #10175639 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

1998 PONTIAC TRANSPORT SPIKED THE TEMPERATURE LIGHT AND WAS SHUT DOWN. PROBLEM CAUSED BY CRACKED HEAD. REPLACED ENGINE AT 70,000+ - WITH USED ENGINE WITH 30,000 MI. NOW AT 80,000 MI. ENGINE HAS BLOWN HEAD GASKET. VAN NOT WORTH ANOTHER ENGINE REPAIR BILL.

NHTSA complaint #10174603 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE PLASTIC HEAD CRACKED AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #10173852 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

COOLANT MIXING INTO ENGINE OIL DUE TO DEFECTIVE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET,WHY IS THERE NO RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM?

NHTSA complaint #10158916 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

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

NHTSA complaint #10153038 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH THE VEHICLE RAN HOT AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED HOWEVER NO REPAIRS WERE MADE.

NHTSA complaint #10152319 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

WE HAVE A 1995 PONTIAC TRANSPORT. IT LEAKS OIL REALLY BAD. WE GO ABOUT FIFTEEN MILES, AND THEN WE HAVE TO ADD TWO MORE QUARTS OF OIL. WE HAVE A FRIEND THAT HAD THE SAME MODEL OF VAN. HIS VAN DID THE SAME THING. HE REPAIRED THE MANIFOLD GASKET THREE TIMES. EACH TIME COSTING $900. FINALLY ON THE FOURTH TIME THIS SITUATION OCCURRED AGAIN. HE TRADED HIS VAN IN ON ANOTHER VEHICLE. WE HOWEVER DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO REPAIR OUR VAN. WE LIVE ON A SOCIAL SECURITY INCOME.

NHTSA complaint #10150625 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

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.

NHTSA complaint #10148064 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

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.

NHTSA complaint #10144488 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.