1996 Ford Explorer vs 1996 Pontiac Trans Sport
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 1996 Ford Explorer | 1996 Pontiac Trans Sport |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 1,450 | 61 |
| Recall campaigns | 2 | 1 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 238 | 31 |
| Investigations | 3 | 0 |
| Crash reports | 198 | 5 |
| Fire reports | 37 | 2 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 14–18 | 19 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 121,881 mi | — |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Ford Explorer | Pontiac Trans Sport |
|---|---|---|
| Tires | 570 | 2 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 148 | 2 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 120 | 5 |
| Power Train | 120 | 4 |
| Suspension | 97 | 1 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 81 | 13 |
| Seat Belts | 78 | 0 |
| Structure | 63 | 5 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Vibration / shaking | 60 | 0 |
| Stalling | 35 | 0 |
| Brake problems | 17 | 0 |
| Rust / corrosion | 15 | 0 |
| Check engine light | 14 | 0 |
| Hesitation / surging | 12 | 0 |
| Electrical failures | 9 | 0 |
| Clunking / rattling | 8 | 0 |
1996 Ford Explorer
1996 Pontiac Trans Sport
Compare all Ford Explorer vs Pontiac Trans Sport years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.