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1998 Pontiac Trans Sport

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1998 Trans Sport.

Body VANTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1998 Pontiac Trans Sport is a VAN that employs a 4.5 qt 5W‑30 API oil lubrication system and is paired with an automatic 4‑speed transmission, delivering EPA‑rated 16 city/23 highway/19 combined mpg. Within its model‑year complaint history, 1998 records the highest number of owner complaints—259—primarily in the engine and cooling area, and it was subject to six recalls. Consequently, this year stands as the most problematic within the 1990‑2003 production range, reflecting early reliability concerns for the Trans Sport.

Model year199819971996199519941993199219911990

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 Note the factory front wiper blades and cabin air filter are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter12731175
Engine air filter19166106
Fuel filter10290491
Spark plug19301813
Front wiper blades10329206 discontinued · alt 10329207
Serpentine belt19244954 alt 24504180
Thermostat24507563 alt 10226107
Cabin air filter19238408 discontinued

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length187.4 in
Overall width72.8 in
Overall height67.3 in
Wheelbase112.2 in
Curb weight3730 lb
Track (front / rear)61.8 / 63 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)60/40

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined16 / 23 / 19 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular 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 Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 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 Plug18.0 ft-lbs
Torque Converter Bolts44 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub118 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance5000-7000 ohms
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap0.045 in
Spark Plug Torque11.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity8.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number78
Standard BCI Cranking Performance600 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test20 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature188-206 °F
Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum47.0 psi
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)40-47
RPM31-44 @ Idle rpm
Engine Compression100
Engine Compression100 Minimum psi

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket63 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle137 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.001 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.27 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.27 in
Rotor Minimum Machining1.224 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 miBody 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 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect)
Every 100,000 miSpark 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.

In the 1998 model year, the Pontiac Trans Sport recorded 259 complaints and 6 recalls, the highest complaint count in the decade-long series and matching the peak of 254 complaints in 1997, indicating a sharp increase from the 126 complaints of 1995 and the 62 complaints of 1996. The recall count of six is also the maximum for the period, suggesting a concentration of safety or defect issues that year. The trend shows a steep rise in complaints beginning in 1995, peaking in 1997–1998, and then a dramatic drop to single digits in 1999 and 2000. The 1998 vehicle’s top complaint areas—Engine & Engine Cooling (46), Exterior Lighting (26), Steering (24), and Structure (21)—are all high‑volume issues, while crash and fire complaints (20 and 6, respectively) remain relatively low compared to the overall complaint surge. Given this data, 1998 falls at the apex of a negative trend and presents a higher risk of unresolved defects, making it a less attractive year to purchase.

6
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
77
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
7
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
259
Owner complaints
20 involved a crash · 6 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 259 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling46
Exterior Lighting26
Steering24
Structure21
Air Bags17
Power Train13
Electrical System12
Latches/Locks/Linkages11

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 6 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.

04V597000Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:LatchReported 22/12/2004

ON CERTAIN MINIVANS EQUIPPED WITH SECOND-ROW BUCKET SEATS OR CAPTAIN'S CHAIRS AND A POWER SLIDING DOOR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, A PASSENGER USING THE INTERIOR HANDLE TO OPEN THE POWER SLIDING DOOR COULD BE… Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE POWER SLIDING DOOR INTERIOR HANDLE ON THE PASSENGER-SIDE. IF THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH A POWER OR MANUAL SLIDING DOOR ON THE DRIVER-SIDE, THE INTERIOR…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 77 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PIP4723D2020-01-31Electrical SystemThis Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
19NA2732019-12-02Electrical SystemThis informational bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Procedures to…
PIC4696E2019-11-22EquipmentThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
17NA0732019-09-18EquipmentThis warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action…
PIC4696D2019-09-05EquipmentThis 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 batteryVehicles taking 4.5 qtEngine oil filter 12731175Engine air filter 19166106Fuel filter 10290491Spark plug 19301813

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBsOBD-II trouble codesMaintenance schedulesFluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1998 Trans Sport take?

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

Does the 1998 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.