AI Damage1997 Pontiac Trans AM: common problems
Owners of the 1997 Pontiac Trans AM filed 12 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 12
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 25% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 17% of all complaints
- 3 Exterior lighting 17% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 8% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel system 8% of all complaints
- 6 Powertrain 8% of all complaints
- 7 Service brakes 8% of all complaints
- 8 Structure 8% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 3 complaints (25% of all).
- Air bags: 2 complaints (17% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 2 complaints (17% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (8% of all).
- Fuel system: 1 complaints (8% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 12 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 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.
The consumer was pulling inside of the parking lot and without prior warning both airbags deploy. The dealership is aware of the problem. Ts
The lead contact points for the brake lights are melting after approximately two weeks of use. The actual filments are still intact and the fuse does not blow. The tail fin brake light still works but the actual brake lights do not work after the lead contact points melt.
Engine compartment fire while driving, totalled vehicle. Dealer and manufacturer have been notified. Consumer stated there was smoke coming from underneath the hood, he pulled over opened the hood and the engine was on fire.
When the car get wet it will misfire and go dead, been in shop 69 times same problem, the car will loose all power, sunrise pontiac wolfchase says they refused to work on it because they dont know why it happening, the car is presently at sunrise covington pike.
High beams shine like low beams should. Low beams are to dim that they dont illuminate the roas enough. Forcing me to always use my high beams. This is dangerous and should not have to happen.
The sealed-beam headlights supplied by the pontiac firebird trans am model does not light the roadway sufficiently. This has endangered myself and others in my car several times and requires eye strain at highway speeds.
I was driving about 35 mph , I went to pass a car transmission dropped down to a lower gear ,as that happened my body weight pushed back in the seat , the head rest then suddenly released which allowed my head to fling back.there was considerable pain in my neck thereafter.
While traveling at 55 mph, a rock hit passenger side "t" top tempered glass shattering it to pieces which spread througout the interior of the vehicle. Yh
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 10,162 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 28% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Trans AM has 6 complaints (22 years in the data). This year has 12, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Pontiac Trans AM?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, air bags, exterior lighting. Total complaints: 12. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: vibration (17%), headlights and tail lights (8%), oil leak or consumption (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1997 Pontiac Trans AM?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1997 Pontiac Trans AM from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1997 models
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.