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Pontiac Trans AMModel year report

2002 Pontiac Trans AM Problems

Complaints
32filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
25,000miles, 23 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2002 Pontiac Trans AM (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error

NHTSA recorded 32 consumer complaints for the 2002 Pontiac Trans AM. The part named most often is engine cooling, with 6 complaints (19% of the total), followed by brakes (5) and exterior lighting (4). 23 of the complaints include a mileage, and 78% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 25,000 miles. Of all complaints, 5 involved a crash, 3 an injury, 4 a death, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 52 technical service bulletins for this model year. Engine cooling complaints overlap with 13 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (2), Air bags (1), Engine (1), Equipment (1), Interior lighting (1), Suspension (1), Transmission and drivetrain (1), Vehicle speed control (1).

Example complaints

Engine cooling: “Normal maintenance requirements maintained on this low mileage car. Engine coolant (listed as 5 year/150,000. Mile coolant) broke down and turned to brown foamy sludge at 39,000. Miles (less than 4 years). I will be having my local service center flush the cooling system and replace the long life coolant.”

NHTSA complaint #10158498, filed 2006-05, 39,101 miles

Brakes: “I have had two vehicles of different year models with the same issues. He first was a 1999 Pontiac Trans Am heavy brake shudder after only 20000 miles.the dealership stated the rotor was warped and turned it. The problem re ocurred after aprox 20k more miles but by then was out of warranty.I also had issues with the rear window defroster, the dealrship attempted to repair it 3 times with no success. I traded that vehicle in for a 2002 firebird firehawk. 22k miles and guess what, the brakes shudder. …”

NHTSA complaint #10067677, filed 2004-04, 20,000 miles

Exterior lighting: “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.”

NHTSA complaint #10207944, filed 2007-11, 65,010 miles

Body and structure: “The 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. The failure and current mileages were 49,000.”

NHTSA complaint #10241753, filed 2008-09, 49,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

78% of the 23 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 12,093 and 41,580 miles.

26%0–1022%10–2530%25–5013%50–754%75–1004%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (23 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 25,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

200382005200720102017
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Recalls and investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2002 Pontiac Trans AM in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 52 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 52 bulletins →

Other model years of the Pontiac Trans AM

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20023225,0000——Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20011032,0000———Not enough data
20001152,0000———Not enough data
19991672,0000———Stable
199811—0———Not enough data
199712—0———Not enough data
1995585,3000———Not enough data
19949—1———Not enough data
198610217,0000———Not enough data
19845—0———Not enough data

All Pontiac Trans AM model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2002 Pontiac Trans AM have?

NHTSA recorded 32 consumer complaints for the 2002 Pontiac Trans AM as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2002 Pontiac Trans AM is reported most often?

Engine cooling is named most often, in 6 complaints (19% of the total), followed by brakes with 5.

Has the 2002 Pontiac Trans AM been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

At what mileage are problems with the 2002 Pontiac Trans AM reported?

Among the 23 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 25,000 miles and the middle half falls between 12,093 and 41,580 miles; 78% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.