AI Damage2002 Pontiac Trans AM: common problems
Owners of the 2002 Pontiac Trans AM filed 32 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 32
- involving a crash
- 5
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 19% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 16% of all complaints
- 3 Exterior lighting 13% of all complaints
- 4 Structure 13% of all complaints
- 5 Seat belts 9% of all complaints
- 6 Electrical system 6% of all complaints
- 7 Fuel system 6% of all complaints
- 8 Steering 6% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 6 complaints (19% of all).
- Service brakes: 5 complaints (16% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 4 complaints (13% of all).
- Structure: 4 complaints (13% of all).
- Seat belts: 3 complaints (9% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 32 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 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.
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.
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.
There is bubbles coming through the paint on the roof panel. It is known by gm that its the glue bleeding through the fiberglass panel and paint.
Tl contact owns a 2002 pontiac trans am. When she took the vehicle to a local mechanic for routine maintenance, she noticed that her vehicle had a gasoline leak. The mechanic diagnosis located the failure as the gasoline tank liner which needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired.
Tl contact owns a 2002 pontiac trans am. The contact noticed that the driver's side door panel separated from the frame. He is concerned that the door will fall off while driving. The manufacturer sent him to the gmc collision center and they stated that the repair was not covered under the warranty.
Both left and right front turn signal lamps, sockets and lens housing failed due to high temperatures generated by the front lamp position lights remaining on during operation of vehicle.
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 6,636 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 18% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Trans AM has 6 complaints (22 years in the data). This year has 32, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Pontiac Trans AM?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, service brakes, exterior lighting. Total complaints: 32. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: windows, sunroof (13%), jerking, harsh shifts (9%), knocking, grinding or other noise (9%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2002 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 2002 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 2002 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.