Total Complaints
24 filings
PONTIAC 6000 · model year
1986 PONTIAC 6000
24 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1986PONTIAC6000 carries 24 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1986 6000 is steering:rack and pinion with 6 filings, followed by power train:automatic transmission (2) and service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 17 investigation files overlapping the 1986 6000. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
24
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION | 6 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER | 1 |
| PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:MECHANICAL:LINKAGE AND CABLE | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20010212STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
THE LEFT AND RIGHT SUB-FRAME THAT SUPPORTS THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION BROKE (RUSTED OUT MAYBE) AT THE FRONT ,AROUND THE ISOLATORS. THIS DROPPED EVERYTHING DOWN ABOUT 6-8INCHES. LUCKILY THIS HAPPENED AT A VERY LOW SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS VERY HARD TO STEER AND REALLY SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN DRIVEN ANYWHERE. I WAS A MILE OR TWO FROM A MECHANIC SHOP, SO I DROVE IT THERE.
20000824STEERING:RACK AND PINION
GEN MOTORS RACK AND PINION GEARS HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE SINCE1980 WHEN THEY WERE FIRST PRODUCED. I AM A RETIRED FACTORY SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE FOR GENERAL MOTORS AND I KNOW THIS FOR A FACT. WHEN I WAS IN THE "FIELD" I WAS TOLD UNOFFICIALLY TO MAKE A 'GOODWILL" ADJUSTMENT FOR ANY COMPLAINTS OF RACK AND PINION STEERING GEARS THAT WOULD "LOCK-UP" DURING VEHICLE OPERATION. THE DEFECT IS DUE TO THE DESIGN OF A STEEL SPOOL VALVE PINION IN AN ALUMINUM RACK ASSEMBLY. PRESENTLY THE MANUFACTURERS HAVE CORRECTED THE DEFECT BY INSTALLING A STEEL SLEEVE IN THE PINION SECTION OF THE RACK ASSEMBLY SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS A 'TOP HAT" RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY. COMPARISONS FORM EARLIER DESIGNS AND PRESENT WILL CONFIRM THIS TO BE TRUE. I BELIEVE MY VEHICLE SHOULD BE REPAIRED AT NO CHARGE DUE TO THIS INHERENT MANUFACTURER DEFECT.
19981030SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
BRAKES FAILED.
19981030SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
MASTER CYLINDER FAILED.
19970611SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
BRAKES: REAR BRAKES AND CALIPERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND THE PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT WORK AFTER HAVING REAR BRAKES ,ROTORS , CALIPERS AND PARKING BRAKE CABLES REPLACED. *AK
19970611PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:MECHANICAL:LINKAGE AND CABLE
BRAKES: REAR BRAKES AND CALIPERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND THE PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT WORK AFTER HAVING REAR BRAKES ,ROTORS , CALIPERS AND PARKING BRAKE CABLES REPLACED. *AK
19970611SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM
BRAKES: REAR BRAKES AND CALIPERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND THE PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT WORK AFTER HAVING REAR BRAKES ,ROTORS , CALIPERS AND PARKING BRAKE CABLES REPLACED. *AK
19970611SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
BRAKES: REAR BRAKES AND CALIPERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND THE PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT WORK AFTER HAVING REAR BRAKES ,ROTORS , CALIPERS AND PARKING BRAKE CABLES REPLACED. *AK
19970606SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
SEAT BELTS: THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR ON DRIVER'S SIDE. SEIZES, CAUSING THE SEAT BELT TO BE INOPERATIVE.
19970502SEATS
DRIVER SIDE SEAT TRACK AND ANCHORS BROKE, CAUSING THE SEAT TO FALL BACK. *AK
19970128STEERING:RACK AND PINION
'COLD POWER STEERING.'
19961114POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE.(OTHER VEHICLES ON 506366,601615)
19961114FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS
FUEL INJECTOR FAILURE.
19961114SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM
REAR BRAKES FAILED.
19961114STEERING:RACK AND PINION
RACK AND PINION FAILURE.
19960628STEERING:RACK AND PINION
RACK/PINION GEAR FAILED, CAUSING STEERING DIFFICULTY. *DH
19960619STEERING:RACK AND PINION
'COLD POWER STEERING'. *SD
19960404VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
PLASTIC IN WINDSHIELD FROZE, FOLLOWED BY CLOUDINESS/HAZINESS, RESULTING IN POOR VISIBILITY. *DSH
19960404VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
HEATER CORE FAILED.
19960209SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
RECEIVED RECALL 9 YEARS AGO AND STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
Compare 1986PONTIAC6000 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1986 PONTIAC 6000 have?▼
The 1986 PONTIAC 6000 has 24 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 PONTIAC 6000?▼
The most-complained component for the 1986 PONTIAC 6000 is STEERING:RACK AND PINION with 6 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP.
Is the 1986 PONTIAC 6000 safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.