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1996 Pontiac Trans Sport

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1996 Trans Sport.

Body VANTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1996 Trans Sport is a van that pairs a 4-speed automatic transmission with an engine requiring 4.5 quarts of 5W-30 API oil, achieving an EPA-estimated 19 mpg combined. Its 62 owner complaints, focused primarily on the engine and engine cooling system and accompanied by two recalls, position this model year as a relatively moderate entry in the generation’s reliability spectrum—far more settled than the 1998 peak of 259 complaints, though not as trouble-free as the 2-complaint low in 2000.

Model year1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy17/23/19 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 75 · 525 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731175. Note the factory serpentine belt is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 75 · 525 CCAOEM · verified

Tail / brake / turnFUSEOEM · verified

Tire sizeP205-70R15OEM · verified

Wheel / rim6-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	12731175
Engine air filter	24577608
Fuel filter	25121468
Spark plug	19301813
Front wiper blades	10284387 alt 10284388
Serpentine belt	24504180 discontinued
Thermostat	24507563 alt 10226107

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	192.1 in
Overall width	74.4 in
Overall height	65.7 in
Wheelbase	109.8 in
Curb weight	3391 lb
Track (front / rear)	59.1 / 61.4 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	60/40

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	17 / 23 / 19 mpg
Drivetrain	Front-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuel	Regular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.5 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)	24X Sensor: 8 ft-lbs, 7X Sensor: 6 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)	8 ft-lbs
Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s)	96 ft-lbs
Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor Bolt(s)	22 ft-lbs
Oxygen (O2S) Sensor Bolt(s)	30 ft-lbs
Knock Sense (KS) Bolt(s)	14 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	18.0 ft-lbs
Torque Converter Bolts	44 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts	100 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	104 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-2-3-4-5-6
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance	5000-7000 ohms
Spark Plug Manufacturer	AC Delco
Spark Plug Gap	0.045 in
Spark Plug Torque	11.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	GM part number 12345923 or equivalent.
Standard BCI Group Number	75
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	525 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test	20 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	188-206 °F
Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum	55.0 psi
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)	48-55
RPM	38-52 @ Idle rpm
Injector Primary Resistance	11.8-12.6 na ohms
Engine Compression	100

Brakes

Torque to Knuckle	38 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.0005 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	1.26 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To	1.26 in
Rotor Minimum Machining	1.224 in
Rotor Discard at or Under	1.209 in

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant every 7,500 mi. The big-interval services (every 7,500 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 7,500 mi	Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate)
Every 15,000 mi	Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 60,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect)
Every 100,000 mi	Spark Plug Wires (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1996 Trans Sport sits at a notable inflection point in the model's federal record, with complaints dropping to 62 from a generation high of 126 in 1995 and recalls holding at a low two, while technical service bulletins remained elevated at 38. This improvement follows a general trend of rising complaints and TSBs through the early 1990s, peaking in 1995 before the sharp 1996 decline. The subsequent 1997 model year saw complaints quadruple to 254 and recalls triple to six, a pattern that persisted through 1998 before collapsing in 1999. The 1996 data shows Engine & Engine Cooling (12), Visibility (10), Structure (5), and Steering (4) as the top complaint categories, alongside six crash complaints and two fire complaints, though the data does not specify root causes for these issues. Given its significantly lower complaint and recall counts compared to the surrounding 1995 and 1997 model years, the 1996 Trans Sport represents a comparatively favorable vintage for a used purchase, provided the elevated TSB volume is addressed during pre-purchase inspection.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

6 involved a crash · 2 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95’96’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’03

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 62 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling12

Visibility10

Structure5

Steering4

Power Train4

Electrical System4

Service Brakes, Hydraulic4

Vehicle Speed Control2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

07E021000Fuel System, Other:Storage:Tank Assembly:Pressure Relief DevicesReported 12/03/2007

CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, P/NOS. FP10020-11B1, FP10026-11B1, AND FP10027-11B1, SOLD AFTER JANUARY 9, 2007, AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE UNIVERSAL PRESSURE… Remedy: DELPHI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE UPR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 23, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT DELPHI AT 877-411-8770.

02V286000Steering:Rack And PinionReported 04/11/2002

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES AND MINI VANS HAVE LOWER PINION BEARINGS IN THE POWER RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY IN WHICH THE RETAINER TABS WERE NOT CRIMPED PROPERLY. THESE AND SOME OTHER RETAINERS USED IN VEHICLES ASSEMBLED… Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW LOWER PINION BEARING UNLESS INSPECT OF THE EXISTING BEARING INDICATES THAT REPLACEMENT OF THE GEAR ASSEMBLY IS NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 38 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
PIP4723F	2022-01-14	Service Brakes, Hydraulic	This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
PIP4723D	2020-01-31	Electrical System	This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
19NA273	2019-12-02	Electrical System	This informational bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Procedures to…
PIC4696E	2019-11-22	Equipment	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
17NA073	2019-09-18	Equipment	This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Trans Sport. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 75 battery Vehicles taking 4.5 qt Engine oil filter 12731175 Engine air filter 24577608 Fuel filter 25121468 Spark plug 19301813

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1996 Trans Sport take?

4.5 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1996 Trans Sport have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Trans Sport get?

EPA figures are 17 city / 23 highway / 19 combined mpg.