1997 Pontiac Trans Sport engine and engine cooling problems

“IN NOV. OF 2007 I WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH MY VAN OVERHEATING AND WAS LOSING ENGINE COOLANT BUT COULD NOT SEE WHERE IT WAS GOING. I LATER FOUND OUT THAT I HAD A FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, WHICH COST ME OVER 800.00 TO REPAIR. NOT LONG AFTER THE GASKET WAS REPAIRED THE VAN STARTED OVERHEATING AGAIN AND I DISCOVERED THAT THE WATER PUMP WAS BLOWN, THAT WAS ANOTHER 174.00 TO REPAIR. NOW I AM STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE VAN OVERHEATING AND COOLANT LEAKING AND I WAS JUST INFORMED THAT IT IS A HEAD GASKET WHICH IS GOING TO COST ME OVER 1700.00 TO FIX. THIS IS RIDICULOUS, I KNOW 3 OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL VAN AS I DO WITH THE SAME ENGINE AND THEY ARE ALL ALSO HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THEIR VANS. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS TOO MUCH OF A COINCIDENCE AND THAT THEIR SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL IN PLACE TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEMS WITH THESE FAULTY PARTS. THESE ARE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE REPAIRS AND I PERSONALLY DO NOT HAVE AN EXTRA $1700.00 JUST LAYING AROUND, SO NOW I AM FACED WITH THE CHOICE OF JUNKING MY VAN AND TRYING TO GET A NEW ONE WHICH I CANNOT AFFORD OR FIXING IT WHICH I ALSO CANNOT AFFORD. *TR”

“OUR 1997 PONTIAC TRANSPORT HAS HAD 3 HEAD GASKET FAILURES. THE FIRST WAS AT 72000, SECOND AT 88,000 AND IS CURRENTLY DEAD IN FRONT DRIVE WITH WATER IN THE OIL AGAIN. HAD NEW HEADS PUT ON AT 72000. VEHICLE OVERHEATS AND DOES NOT SHOW ON GAUGES. YOU HEAR IT BUBBLING WHEN IT'S SHUT OFF. ALSO HAD TO REPLACE ALTERNATOR 3 TIMES AND VAN ONLY HAS 110,000 MILES ON IT. WE'VE HAD SINCE NEW. *TR”

“I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR 7 YEARS AND HAVE ALWAYS HAD PROBLEMS WITH COOLING SYSTEM LOSING ANTIFREEZE. NOW I AM TOLD THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET HAS BEEN NEEDS REPLACED. *TR”

“REPLACED THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET IN 2006 . IN THE LAST 3 WEEKS, THE VAN WAS NOT PUTTING OUT MUCH HEAT AND THE TEMP GAUGE DID NOT RISE UP TO THE NORMAL LEVEL. I DROVE INTO TOWN 6 MILES AT 60 MILES AN HOUR AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT ALL THE WAY UP. I LET IT COOL DOWN AND DROVE TO THE MECHANIC ( 1 MILE ) AND IT WAS GOING BACK UP AGAIN. THEY REPLACED THE WATER PUMP, RADIATOR CAP AND THERMOSTAT AND I PICKED UP THE VAN. WITHIN 1 MILE IT STARTED TO HEAT UP AGAIN. I RETURNED IT . THEY BELIEVE THE HEAD GASKETS ARE BLOWN. THE ESTIMATE THAT I GOT TO REPAIR IT IS 1200.00. I GOT 3 ESTIMATES WITH THE HIGH OF 1600.00. I ALREADY REPLACED ONE AND NOW HAVE TO RE REPLACE IT AND THE OTHER. I'M GETTING REALLY TIRED OF THIS BUT I HAVE TO FIX IT BECAUSE I CANNOT SELL IT IF IT DOESN'T RUN. HOPE THEY FIX THIS IN THE NEXT VEHICLES. I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND IT DUE TO THIS DEFECT. IT WAS ALSO VERY SCARY BECAUSE I WAS DEALING WITH TEMPERATURES OF -20 WITH WIND. *NM”

“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH THE VEHICLE RAN HOT AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED HOWEVER NO REPAIRS WERE MADE.”

“1997 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE PROBLEM WITH CRACKING INTAKE MANIFOLD. MANIFOLD LEAKED COOLANT INTO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM CAUSING ENGINE TO LOCK UP. ONLY OFFERED REMEDY WAS TO COMPLETLY REPLACE THE ENGINE FOR $6,000.00.”