AI DamagePontiac Trans AM: problems, complaints, bulletins
Summary for the Pontiac Trans AM across 22 model years: 141 owner complaints and 0 NHTSA service bulletins, plus repair videos. Pick a year for details.
Model years
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 14% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 13% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 12% of all complaints
- 4 Structure 12% of all complaints
- 5 Electrical system 9% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel system 9% of all complaints
- 7 Seat belts 9% of all complaints
- 8 Steering 9% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 20 complaints (14% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 19 complaints (13% of all).
- Powertrain: 17 complaints (12% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Structure: 17 complaints (12% of all).
- Electrical system: 13 complaints (9% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 141 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 20 | 3 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 17 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 12 | 4 | 0 |
| Visibility | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| Tires | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Wheels | 4 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
While driving approximately 95 mph in fourth gear, the vehicle stalled without warning. As a result, the contact crashed into a guardrail and drove down an embankment. The air bags failed to deploy and the seat belts failed to retract. A police report was filed.
1979 pontiac trans am 10th silver addition-crash, steering failed and struck tree, person driving received c6 spinal cord injury.
Tire separation -- of 4 tires with the same dot 3 either show signs of separation or separated and caused an accident.
Sensing diagnostic module complaint. Consumer states that he found out that gm was putting event data recorders on their vehicles. He states these recorders will not be accurate if the consumer changes things such as tire size.
Driver side rear wheel bearing malfunction causing me to wreak my car into a mailbox. State farm insurance would not fix wheel bearing said that it was a defect from pontiac. Contacted pontiac they would not help pay for the repair since I took it to a state farm service first location which was a dodge dealership.
While braking, the pedal went to the floor and warning lights were noticed. This failure led to a 2 vehicle accident where 1 person was possibly injured. The emergency brake was needed to slow the car, though the spin out as a result of the accident ultimately stopped the vehicle.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Other models of this make
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.