43 of the 1,262 complaints filed about the Pontiac Trans Sport are about the seats — 3% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 1995.
43
Complaints
3%
Share of all complaints
10
Crashes
0
Fires
SEATS
Sliding door on passenger side locked up trapping passenger inside. Door cannot be opened manually or electronically. A loud buzzing noise then a thud was heard prior. Can't open door any way now scary.
NHTSA complaint #11424900 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST
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.
NHTSA complaint #10134974 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HAD TO SLOW DOWN TO MAKE A TURN AND WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THIS CAUSED THE BACK OF DRIVER'S SEAT TO COLLAPSE, AND DRIVER ENDED UP IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. DRIVER SUSTAINED BACK, SHOULDER, NECK, AND HEAD INJURIES.
NHTSA complaint #10065156 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY
MY VEHICLE WAS REAR-ENDED WHILE I WAS STOPPED. THERE WAS NO VISIBLE DAMAGE, HOWEVER THE 3RD ROW RIGHT SIDE SEAT'S FRONT LATCHES BECAME UNHOOKED FROM THE FLOOR AND THE SEAT WAS LEFT IN A RECLINED POSITION. THE BACK FLOOR LATCHES WERE STILL SECURED. IF A PASSENGER OVER 5' HAD BEEN SEATED IN THIS SEAT, THEY WOULD HAVE STRUCK THE REAR DOOR WITH THEIR HEAD.
NHTSA complaint #10060043 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST
DRIVERS POWER SEAT HAS A POOR DESIGN. THE SIDE TRIM (RIGHT) BOTTOMS-OUT ON THE VEHICLE FLOOR AT THE BACK WHEN LOWERING THE POWER SEAT. THIS CAUSES THE SEAT TO TILT LATERALLY. AS A RESULT, THE TILTING OVER TIME HAS LOOSENED THE ENTIRE MECHANISM. I SUSPECT THAT IF THIS VEHICLE WERE TO BE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, THIS SEAT MECHANISM WOULD NOT RETAIN THE SEAT. WOULDN'T THIS CREATE A HAZARD FOR THE DRIVER? THE INCREASED MASS WOULD BE INCURRED BY THE DRIVER AND THE SEAT-BELT.
NHTSA complaint #10045656 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
A BRACKET UNDER THE LEFT FRONT CORNER OF THE DRIVERS SEAT BREAKS OVER TIME. THE BRACKET IS PART OF THE SEAT HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT (MANUALLY OPERATED). ONCE BROKEN, THE SEAT IS ONLY SECURED TO THE BASE AT THREE POINTS INSTEAD OF FOUR. THE SEAT CAN ALSO BE LIFTED AN ROCKED. ALSO, ONCE BROKEN THE SEAT MOVES AND SINKS TOWARD THE BACK LEFT WITH THE WEIGHT OF A PERSON AND MOVES A LOT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. I DECIDED TO BRING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION AFTER I LEARNED THAT THIS MAY BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS STYLE OF SEAT (WITH THE MANUAL HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT) AND DEFINITELY IMPEDES ONES ABILITY TO SAFELY OPERATE THE VEHICLE. NOT TO MENTION HOW THE SEAT WILL PERFORM IN AN ACCIDENT. I FIGURE IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM BECAUSE I WENT TO A JUNK YARD TO OBTAIN A USED SEAT/BASE AND THE JUNK YARD HAD 7 VEHICLES LIKE MINE. OF THE 7 VEHICLES, 2 HAD A FIXED HEIGHT DRIVER SEAT AND THE REMAINING 5 HAD AN ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT DRIVER SEAT. ALL 5 OF THOSE SEATS WERE BROKEN IN THE SAME PLACE THAT MINE WAS. I BELIEVE ONLY ONE OF THE JUNK VEHICLES WAS IN AN ACCIDENT (IF THAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU). SINCE MY DISCOVERY I HAVE TALKED TO 2 OTHER PEOPLE THAT OWN THE SAME MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR VEHICLE AS MINE AND THEY HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. AN AUTO COLLISION/BODY SHOP WON'T REPAIR/WELD THE SEAT BECAUSE OF POTENTIAL LIABILITY.
NHTSA complaint #10041459 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION DRIVER'S SEAT BROKE FROM FRAME, CAUSING SEAT TO SHIFT BACKWARDS.
NHTSA complaint #10034489 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, AND THE DRIVER'S SEAT RECLINED BACKWARDS, WHICH RESULTED IN THE CONSUMER BEING INJURED.
NHTSA complaint #10015455 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE DRIVERS SEAT BROKE MOVING WILDLY FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THEY WILL FIX IT ON CONSUMERS OWN POCKET ALSO STATED THAT WENT TO LOOK FOR ANOTHER SEAT HIM SELF AND WAS TOLD THAT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THAT TYPE OF VEHICLES. TS
NHTSA complaint #8023324 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #759037 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
RECLINE LATCHES - DO NOT PROPERLY RE-ENGAGE. SMALL CHILD CAN EASILY LIFT LATCH WHILE VEHICLE IS MOVING. UNTIL LATCH IS MANUALLY PUSHED BACK DOWN, SEAT BACK WILL NOT CATCH IN ANY POSITION. SEAT BELT RETRACTOR - WE HAVE HAD MULTIPLE FAILURES ON THE SEAT BELT MECHANISM IN THIS VEHICLE THAT EITHER PREVENT THE SEAT BELT FROM BEING PULLED OUT FOR USE, OR CAN LEAVE SEAT BELT HANGING OUT OF DOOR. CLOSING DOOR MIGHT DAMAGE BELT OR LATCH. BOTH ISSUES HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED WITH GM. GM CLAIMS (FILE # C06088691) NEITHER IS SAFETY ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint #756082 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST
AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON. THE DEALER HAS REPAIRED INTERMITTENT PROBLEM 7 TIMES IN 2 YEARS. MECHANIC STATED THAT DESIGN OF CABLES UNDER T DRIVER'S SEAT WERE BEING DRAGGED, CAUSING THEM TO LOOSEN UP.
NHTSA complaint #895502 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST
WHILE IN DRIVEWAY WAS ADJUSTING FRONT SEAT AND VEHICLE STARTED SMELLING LIKE SMOKE. CONSUMER LOOKED UNDER SEAT, AND ONE OF THE WIRES WAS COMPLETELY BARE. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER DID REPAIRS. BUT, WIRES WERE STILL HANGING FROM UNDER SEAT.
NHTSA complaint #894050 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
I GOT INTO OUR 1996 PONTIAC TRANS SPORT FOR A QUICK ERRAND. AS I REACHED BACK OVER MY HEAD TO PULL UP THE HEADREST, THERE WAS A *POP* BEHIND ME AND THE ENTIRE SEATBACK COLLAPSED BACKWARDS, COMPLETELY FLAT BACK ONTO THE SEAT BEHIND. FORTUNATELY I WAS STILL IDLING IN THE DRIVEWAY AT THE TIME. MY OWN INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT THE MANUAL SEATBACK RECLINER MECHANISM HAS _ONE_ BOLT SUPPORTING THE SEATBACK ANGLE, AND THAT BOLT (ROUGHLY 5/16" DIAMETER, BUT METRIC) HAD SHEARED IN TWO. (THESE ARE GM FRONT-SEAT MINIVAN BUCKET SEATS WITH A FLIP-DOWN ARMREST ON THE INBOARD SIDE AND A LARGE BLACK PLASTIC ADJUSTMENT KNOB BELOW IT THAT YOU TURN FORWARDS OR BACKWARDS TO ADJUST OR RECLINE THE SEAT BACK.) NOTHING ELSE BESIDES THAT ONE BOLT HOLDS UP THE SEATBACK; WHEN IT BREAKS, YOU IMMEDIATELY FALL OVER BACKWARDS. I SPENT THE MORNING REMOVING THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND UNSCREWING THE BROKEN STUB OF THE BOLT FROM INSIDE THE SEAT BASE FRAME. I HAVE A COLLECTION OF METRIC MACHINE BOLTS FROM PREVIOUS CARS AND FOUND A USED REPLACEMENT THAT WAS A PERFECT FIT, AND EVERYTHING IS BACK TOGETHER FOR NOW. I BELIEVE I HAVE PUT IN A BOLT OF THE RIGHT STRENGTH. THE SHEARED-OFF BOLT HAS THE FOLLOWING ON ITS HEAD, LIKE THIS: 9. D (YES, A LETTER D, NOT A ZERO.) THE BOLT I PUT IN READS "9.8" I HAVE KEPT THE SHEARED-OFF BOLT (BOTH HALVES) FOR INSPECTION BY ANY INTERESTED PARTY. I DON'T BELIEVE I'VE OVERSTRESSED THE SEATBACK (I WEIGH ABOUT 225 POUNDS, MY WIFE WEIGHS ABOUT 150, AND NO ONE ELSE DRIVES THE VAN), AND TO OUR KNOWLEDGE THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. I DID VISIT A LOCAL PONTIAC DEALER IN MCHENRY, IL (NOT THE SELLING DEALER) AND WAS ABLE TO SIT DOWN WITH A MECHANIC AND REVIEW THEIR RECALL DATABASE FOR 1996 TRANS SPORTS, BUT FOUND NO MENTION OF A COLLAPSING SEATBACK PROBLEM. GIVEN THE LOCATION OF THE PROBLEM BOLT WITHIN THE SEAT, I DOUBT IT WOULD BE UNIQUE TO PONTIAC ONLY, BUT WOULD BE SHARED BY ALL GM MINIVANS OF THAT YEAR WHICH USED MANUAL-RECLINING BUCKET SEATS.
NHTSA complaint #746079 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
MOUNTING BOLT FOR DRIVER'S SEATBACK SHEARED OFF, CAUSING SEATBACK TO COLLAPSE. I HAVE THE DAMAGED BOLT AND WILL PROVIDE IF REQUESTED.
NHTSA complaint #743860 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED, AND SEATBACK COLLAPSED. SPEED OF OTHER VEHICLE WAS UNDETERMINED. DEALR HAS BEEN CONTACTED.
NHTSA complaint #881073 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
DRIVERS SIDE SEAT COLLAPSED AS SHE WAS REACHING FOR THE SEAT BELT. NLM
NHTSA complaint #556522 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
DRIVERS SIDE SEAT COLLAPSED AS SHE WAS REACHING FOR THE SEAT BELT. NLM
NHTSA complaint #556522 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
METAL PART UNDER DRIVER'S SEAT THAT HOLDS THE SEAT UP AND MOVES THE SEAT FORWARD/BACKWARD, BROKE WHILE DRIVING WHICH CAUSED DRIVER'S SEAT TO MOVE UNEXPECTEDLY, AND COULD CAUSE A CRASH. HAD TO REPLACE SEAT TWICE. *AK *SLC
NHTSA complaint #874971 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
WHILE DRIVING SEATBACK COLLAPSED, CAUSING CONSUMER TO ALMOST FALL BACKWARD.
NHTSA complaint #860133 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.