1991 Pontiac Trans Sport: common problems

Owners of the 1991 Pontiac Trans Sport filed 36 complaints with NHTSA, most often about structure and seat belts. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 36
involving a crash: 2

What fails most often

1 Structure 31% of all complaints
2 Seat belts 28% of all complaints
3 Service brakes 11% of all complaints
4 Steering 8% of all complaints
5 Engine and cooling 6% of all complaints
6 Powertrain 6% of all complaints
7 Visibility 6% of all complaints
8 Electrical system 3% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Structure: 11 complaints (31% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Seat belts: 10 complaints (28% of all).
Service brakes: 4 complaints (11% of all).
Steering: 3 complaints (8% of all).
Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (6% of all).

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

3.1 L · petrol · 6 cyl
automatic, 3-speed

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 36 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

seat belts8 · 22%
rust, corrosion5 · 14%
smoke, burning smell, fire3 · 8%
steering or power steering problems3 · 8%
brake failure1 · 3%
A/C or heater1 · 3%
headlights and tail lights1 · 3%
overheating, coolant loss1 · 3%
vibration1 · 3%
windows, sunroof1 · 3%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Structure	11	1
Seat belts	10	0
Service brakes	4	0
Steering	3	0
Engine and cooling	2	0
Powertrain	2	1
Visibility	2	0
Electrical system	1	0
Exterior lighting	1	0
Fuel system	1	0
Suspension	1	0
Tires	1	0
Other	2	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

Crack in rear axle caused axle to disconnect/fall off while driving, driver lost control, vehicle rocked back/forth, counter flipped over, landed on top, vehicle totaled. Please provide vin.
Powertrain · crash · 1997-06-23 · NHTSA complaint #813403
Was able to avoid oncoming traffic and stop vehicle, upon inspection owner noticed the front right of structure hanging down upon further inspection it is apparent the bolt pulled out of frame structure causing steering loss and motor to hang down.
Structure · 2013-02-28 · NHTSA complaint #10500779
The recall to fix the cradle bolts which have rusted and broken on my 1991 pontiac trans sport should have included vehicles registered in minnesota, because we have more salt used on our roads than some of the states included in the recall.
Structure · 2004-09-15 · NHTSA complaint #10091076
The rear subframe attaching bolt and washer kit rusted in half. This caused the rear of the subframe to separate from the body , pulling the steering shaft off of the rack and pinion . This causing complete loss of steering, and vehicle veered into oncoming traffic almost hitting another vehicle head on!
Structure · 2001-09-13 · NHTSA complaint #751898
The exact date of the failure of the seat belt on passengers side is unknoown. The failure of the seat belt on the drivers side is 06/17/2001.
Seat belts · 2001-06-26 · NHTSA complaint #747249
Bridgestone tire experienced tread separation which caused damage to the vehicle.
Tires · 2000-12-05 · NHTSA complaint #554844
Recall 97v058 000/rear cradle bolts: while pulling into a parking lot vehicle loses steering control. Dealer notified, and informed consumer vehicle was not under recall.
Steering · 2000-02-04 · NHTSA complaint #856317
Vehicle experienced a sudden aceleration while pulling off from a stop position (cruise control was not engage) causes the vehicle to ran another stop sign before consumer was able to get the vehicle under control. Dealer/mfr. Notified.
Engine and cooling · 1999-06-18 · NHTSA complaint #840513

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

19956
19966
19977
19982
19994
20003
20013
20033
20041
20131

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 6,253 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 17% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Trans Sport has 61 complaints (16 years in the data). This year has 36, below average.

What to check before buying

Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1991 Pontiac Trans Sport?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: structure, seat belts, service brakes. Total complaints: 36. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (22%), rust, corrosion (14%), smoke, burning smell, fire (8%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1991 Pontiac Trans Sport?

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 1991 Pontiac Trans Sport 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 1991 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 2026-11-05.