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1997 Pontiac Trans Sport

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1997 Trans Sport.

Body VANTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1997 Pontiac Trans Sport is a minivan paired with a 4-speed automatic transmission, returning EPA figures of 16 mpg city, 23 mpg highway, and 19 mpg combined, and it calls for 4.5 quarts of 5W-30 API oil at service intervals. Steering emerges as its dominant trouble spot, with 254 owner complaints and six recalls logged against this model year, placing it within the upper band of the nameplate's 1990-2003 reliability history. The 1997 sits just one year removed from the run's worst-marked entry—1998, with 259 complaints—and well above the 2000 outlier of only two, cementing this model year as a representative example of the Trans Sport's least dependable stretch.

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 economy16/23/19 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 78 · 600 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731175. Note the factory front wiper blades and cabin air filter are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 78 · 600 CCAOEM · verified

Tire sizeP215-70R15OEM · verified

Wheel / rim6-J inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	12731175
Engine air filter	19166106
Fuel filter	10290491
Spark plug	19301813
Front wiper blades	10329206 discontinued · alt 10329207
Serpentine belt	19244954 alt 24504180
Thermostat	24507563 alt 10226107
Cabin air filter	19238408 discontinued

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	187.4 in
Overall width	72.8 in
Overall height	67.3 in
Wheelbase	112.2 in
Curb weight	3426 lb
Track (front / rear)	61.8 / 63 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	60/40

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	16 / 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	151 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	46
Oil Capacity	8.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	78
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	600 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test	20 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	188-206 °F
Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum	47.0 psi
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)	40-47
RPM	31-44 @ Idle rpm
Injector Primary Resistance	11.8-12.6 na ohms
Engine Compression	100

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket	63 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	137 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.001 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	1.27 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To	1.27 in
Rotor Minimum Machining	1.224 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.

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	Cabin Air Filter (replace)
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 Pontiac Trans Sport’s federal record shows a clear escalation in reported problems as the generation progressed, with complaints generally rising from 70 in 1990 to a peak of 259 in 1998 before collapsing to single digits. The 1997 model year sits at the very crest of this trend, recording 254 complaints—more than double the 1996 total of 62—alongside 6 recalls and 6 investigations, the highest recall count in the dataset and a sharp jump from zero investigations the prior two years. Technical service bulletins also surged to 85 for 1997, up from 38 in 1996, indicating widespread service issues. The most frequent complaint areas were steering (41), engine and engine cooling (34), and exterior lighting (34), with 10 crash-related and 3 fire-related complaints, though the data does not specify root causes. Given that 1997 represents the peak of complaints, recalls, and investigations before a dramatic decline, this model year is a particularly risky choice and not recommended.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

254

Owner complaints

10 involved a crash · 3 a fire

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 254 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Steering41

Engine & Engine Cooling34

Exterior Lighting34

Structure28

Latches/Locks/Linkages14

Visibility13

Service Brakes, Hydraulic10

Fuel System, Gasoline8

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 6 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

01V264000Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:LatchReported 21/08/2001

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: 1997-2001 CHEVROLET VENTURE, PONTIAC MONTANA/TRANSPORT, AND OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH PASSENGER SIDE POWER SLIDING DOORS THAT WERE SERVICED IN CAMPAIGN 01013 (01V-067) FROM APRIL… Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF REQUIRED, INSTALL A NEW POWER SLIDING DOOR UNLATCH ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON OCTOBER 22, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO…

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.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 85 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
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…
PIC4696D	2019-09-05	Equipment	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…

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 78 battery Vehicles taking 4.5 qt Engine oil filter 12731175 Engine air filter 19166106 Fuel filter 10290491 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 1997 Trans Sport take?

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

Does the 1997 Trans Sport have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Trans Sport get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 23 highway / 19 combined mpg.