1996 Pontiac Trans Sport Recalls, Complaints & Specs
1 safety recall lists the 1996 Pontiac Trans Sport, and owners have filed 61 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
1 safety recall for the 1996 Pontiac Trans Sport
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
-
Rack and pinion (steering)
Certain passenger vehicles and MINI vans have lower pinion bearings in the power rack and pinion assembly in which the retainer tabs were not crimped properly. These and some other retainers used in vehicles assembled between january 1, 1996 and october 31, 1997, could fail and permit the ball bearings to escape.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new lower pinion bearing unless inspect of the existing bearing indicates that replacement of the gear assembly is necessary. Owner notification began january 24, 2003. Owners who take their…
61 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1996 Pontiac Trans Sport have filed 61 complaints with NHTSA; 5 describe a crash and 2 describe a fire. Reports cite 5 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 101,194 miles. Complaints peaked in 2003 with 14 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“1996 pontiac trans sport, motor seized up and began to smoke, motor caught fire. *bf prior to the fire, the driver noticed the vehicle was leaving some type of fluid behind. According to the police re”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 21, 2010 · 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 cranks”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, June 6, 2008 · Engine and engine cooling
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 1996 Pontiac Trans Sport/Montana (Trans Sport 2WD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 19 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 17 / 23 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Special Purpose Vehicles |
| Engine | 6 cyl, 3.4 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 4-spd |
Compare Pontiac Trans Sport model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Pontiac Trans Sport model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 Pontiac Trans Sport | 0 | 1 |
| 1986 Pontiac Trans Sport | 0 | 1 |
| 1990 Pontiac Trans Sport | 4 | 45 |
| 1991 Pontiac Trans Sport | 2 | 36 |
| 1992 Pontiac Trans Sport | 2 | 76 |
| 1993 Pontiac Trans Sport | 3 | 61 |
| 1994 Pontiac Trans Sport | 4 | 98 |
| 1995 Pontiac Trans Sport | 3 | 113 |
| 1996 Pontiac Trans Sport | 1 | 61 |
| 1997 Pontiac Trans Sport | 5 | 236 |
| 1998 Pontiac Trans Sport | 5 | 227 |
| 1999 Pontiac Trans Sport | 2 | 10 |
| 2000 Pontiac Trans Sport | 0 | 2 |
| 2001 Pontiac Trans Sport | 0 | 3 |
| 2003 Pontiac Trans Sport | 0 | 3 |
Checking a specific 1996 Pontiac Trans Sport
How do I know if my 1996 Pontiac Trans Sport has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 1 campaign currently lists the 1996 Pontiac Trans Sport; your car may already have been repaired under it.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Pontiac dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 02V286000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Pontiac models
- G65,889 complaints
- Grand AM5,580 complaints
- Grand Prix5,426 complaints
- Bonneville1,979 complaints
- Vibe1,865 complaints
- Sunfire1,144 complaints
- Montana1,054 complaints
- Solstice728 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.