Automobile / Pontiac / Trans Am

Pontiac Trans Am Repair Questions and Answers

Answer:  The “check engine” light will “light” when there is a malfunction in the engine management system.  The fault code is then stored in the computer.  The computer must be scanned to retrieve these stored faults to pinpoint the malfunctioning component.  Because the check engine light indicates something is wrong, scanning your car sooner rather than later is recommended.  We recommend a pocket scanner that you can buy that works just like your mechanics.  You can look up the trouble codes here. Once you have replaced all the sensors that have failed you can use the same scanner to clear the check engine light. Check for vacuum leaks and check the operation of the idle speed motor.

Question:  1995 Pontiac Transport  mileage: 145,000. New plugs and wires, new air, gas and oil filters, fuel pump and wiring harness replaced, new distributor rotor, new radiator fan motor, new rebuilt transmission and new thermostat installed about a month ago. The problem--three times at different intervals it loses speed from about 60 miles/hr and coughs and/or backfires through the air cleaner. It coughs, sputters, and jerks until it will hardly go-- about 10 or 15 mi/hr. Have left it at a garage and the mechanics (2) checked fuel filter, fuel pump, and IGN module the next morning and drove it about 30 miles and could not get it to repeat trouble again. No charge as he said he didn’t fix anything but would guarantee it would probably do it again in warmer weather. True to what he said it has stopped again. I left it in a church parking lot over night and drove it home (17 miles) the next day and no problem. About 30 minutes later I drove it one half mile to Wal-Mart and barely made it back home.  Check engine light has never come on except when switch is first turned on before starting. The mechanic said there were no codes on computer readout. Hinted it possibly might be oxygen sensor. It seems to act like a timing problem to me but later next day it runs fine.

Answer:   You mentioned you replaced the fuel pump which would have been our first guess.  If you used an after-market fuel pump your problem may still be the fuel pump.  Our experience with non-original equipment parts has been marginal.  We always used original equipment parts, especially fuel pumps

Question: 1995 Pontiac Transport 3.8 mileage: 125,000. My van is intermittently jerking on acceleration. The battery gauge will go from normal to 18, all my lights will dim and go really bright, and the van will jerk. I've had the alternator replaced, battery replaced, fuel pump replaced, and my transmission was just replaced. Now these all needed to be replaced, but I was having the problem before these were replaced. I've dropped about $2,000 into this van, I just want it done.

Answer: Your problem is probably related to the 12-volt power system in your car. A main power connection goes through the firewall. Within that connection is the main 12-volt power supply. These connections get corroded and cause the kind of trouble you described. In addition, check the battery cables for corrosion and or poor connections. It is also advisable to check ground connections to the engine compartment.

Question: 1995 Pontiac Transport  mileage: 86,000. Goes back several months along the lines of the following: 3/24 Died while driving (started after several attempts); 3/25 Would not start. (same); 3/27 Would not start (same); 3/29 Died while driving. (same); 3/31 Would not start. (same); 4/1 Died while at stop light (same); 4/2 Died while driving (same). Sometimes it will start after trying a few times; sometimes you wait a few hours. Mechanic said there was nothing wrong with fuel pump. Could he be wrong? What do you suggest?

Answer: The fuel pump needs to be checked when the no-start condition occurs. (Obviously, if the pump is checked while the car is running it will check okay.) If the pump checks okay, then check for spark at the spark plugs.

Question: 1997 Pontiac Transport  mileage: 152,000. What would cause the power window on the passenger side not to open or close? The window was working intermittently, and then it completely stops working. Both switches (the driver side and passenger side) for the window were activated at the same time. The power lock and the light for the window switch are still operational. The fuse (30 amp, only one for both windows) is still good. Currently the window is in the down position. Until permanent repairs, can I get that window back up? Need your advice desperately! By the way, I am not mechanically inclined.

Answer: Either the power window motor or the body control module is bad.

Question: 1992 Pontiac Transport SE  mileage: 110K. The front driver side brakes stick. I replaced the calipers and brake pads, and bled the brakes. That worked for a couple weeks, but then the same brake started sticking. I recently noticed that it sticks more when the air conditioner is on. I also noticed that when they start sticking, the amps go down in the van. Are my brakes sticking because my amps go down, or are my amps going down as a result of my sticking brakes? What can I do to correct the problem? My van has ABS and I am familiar with brake systems, but I cannot figure this one out.

Answer: Check the caliper slides for roughness. We have found some of the slides roughly machined which tends to cause them to stick. If they are rough, try emery paper to smooth them out. In addition, you should replace the caliper slide bushings. If your problem persists, try replacing the brake hoses.

Question:  1997 Pontiac Transport Montana 3.4 mileage: 60,000.  I am stationed with the British Army for two years and have no access to help for my van within 120 miles - hopefully you can help.  The other day, the electric sliding door on our van quit.  It was working fine until my wife and daughter tried opening it at the same time from different switches.  I checked the fuse and it is still good.  Do you have any suggestions?

Answer: The door switches in your van work by putting 12-volts and ground to the door motor.  If two switches were worked at the same time, the first switch, putting 12-volts and ground and the second switch, putting ground and 12-volts, could have burned out the motor and/or both the switches.  Test for 12-volts and ground to the motor that works the sliding door.  This will tell you if the switches are burned out or if the motor is burned out.

Question:  1996 Pontiac Transport SE mileage: 113,000.  One day we went to start the van and it just kept on turning over with no sound of it even trying to start.  The plugs had a spark, so we suspected the fuel pump.  Took apart the fuel line at the filter, turned the key so the pump would come on and sure enough, fuel shot out of the line.  Puzzled we put the fuel line back together.  Turned the key to start and pumped the gas pedal hard and it started.  The problem now is that it now has a tendency to want to cut out especially just after it slips into overdrive, or around 50 mph.  Also if you want to pass a car or take off quickly.  Changed the plugs and wires.  My friend showed me the paperclip trick for the diagnostic code, it revealed problem # 21.   Believe this is throttle-positioning sensor.   However we disconnected the battery to reset and there is no longer any problem code.  Just the vans code of #12 over and over again.  Could it be a weak fuel pump?  We have also replaced the fuel filter and yes, it is in the right way.  My next option is getting a new coil pack and putting it in each of the three places to see if one is bad.  I have however unhooked the sparkplug wire at each of the six locations coming off from the coil packs and started the vehicle and had a strong "ground out" so I really don't want to spend the money on it.  I am just about out of answers.  If you could narrow it down for me, I would appreciate it.

Answer:   Your car is equipped with a computer controlled engine management system.  An independent auto service center can scan your computer for fault or error codes.  The information should pinpoint the malfunctioning components.   The paper clip “trick” will not give all the fault codes.

Question:  1996 Pontiac Transport mileage: 155,000  Hey guys, I recently had the transmission on my 1996 Pontiac Transport replaced to the tune of $2500. Within days after getting the van back from the shop, I noticed drips on my driveway that had not been there before. I immediately took the van back to the shop to have them check the source of the leak - suspecting that they overlooked something while doing the transmission. The mechanic says the leak is coming from the intake-manifold (whatever that is - please forgive my ignorance) and the gasket needs to be replaced. Estimate: $1500. My question, dumb as it sounds, is: Can this leak be a result of anything these guys did during the transmission work or are these two expensive repair jobs completely unrelated to each other? It just seems to be an incredible coincidence that the leak begins only after leaving their shop. I would really like to know if this could be an issue to discuss with them before we get the work done. Also, do you think $1500 sounds like a lot to get this work done? He says it's all labor costs.

Answer:  Let us answer your question in a round about way. With a little detective work, you can determine what is leaking and here is how. Place newspapers on the garage floor under the car over night. Remove the newspapers and check the color of the "drips." Transmission fluid should be red, engine oil golden brown, engine coolant green-blue. To double check colors, remove the transmission dipstick and compare to the sample on the paper. Same for the engine oil. For the coolant, look at coolant in the radiator over flow bottle. Now that you know what is leaking, you can proceed. If the transmission fluid is the source of the leak, it should be corrected, no charge. If the intake manifold gaskets are leaking, they can leak motor oil or coolant. We would estimate the cost of replacing the intake manifold gaskets to be about $450.00 parts and labor (Southern California Prices.) We cannot see how replacing the transmission could cause the intake manifold gaskets to leak.

Question:  1993 Pontiac Transport Van, mileage: 180,000. What would be the recommended mileage to have the timing chain replaced on a Pontiac Transport? If so is this a rod bending engine?

Answer:  We would recommend replacing the timing chain at 100,000 miles. If the timing chain fails there is a very good chance the result would be bent valves.

Question: 1995 Pontiac Transport Van mileage: 125,000   I replaced a dead battery, and now need to know if there is any kind of special start-up procedure to follow to reset any computer components.

Answer:  No there is not.

Question:  1994 Pontiac Transport 3800 mileage: 100,000.  When you press the accelerator slightly, it hesitates, likes spits and sputters, or when doing 40 mph, when you keep your foot on the pedal slightly, it will shake and hesitate.  Does not matter whether it is hot or cold.  If you are in traffic, stop, and go, sometimes causes it to stall.  (When you accelerate then take your foot off the gas quickly).  Any ideas?  Changed fuel filter, plugs, air filter, oil and transmission filter.  Nothing changed.  Your help would be greatly appreciated, I would hate to take it to a dealer and be overcharged without having an idea of what it could be.

Answer:    Your car is equipped with a computer controlled engine management system. We recommend a pocket scanner that you can buy that works just like your mechanics.  You can look up the trouble codes here. The information should pinpoint the mal functioning components. Once you have replaced all the sensors that have failed you can use the same scanner to clear the check engine light.   

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