1992 Pontiac Lemans Problems: Seat belts (21 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 1992 Pontiac Lemans is Seat belts (48% of 21 owner reports). There are 2 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Seat belts — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 21 complaints · 2 recalls

What problems show up on the 1992 Pontiac Lemans?

10 of 21 filings named Seat belts (48% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Lights (2 reports).

There are 2 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Seat belts. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 1991 has 24 reports on file; this year has 21. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 1992 Pontiac Lemans

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 2 campaigns on file below.
  2. Seat belts. Check that every belt latches, retracts and that related recalls are closed.
  3. Lights. Walk around the vehicle: headlights, brake lights and turn signals all working.
  4. Transmission / driveline. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Seat belts. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Seat belts 10 complaints · 47.6% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 2
  • Fires 0
  • Injuries 1
  • Deaths 0
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) appears in 10 of 21 owner complaints (47.6%) in this vehicle snapshot. Seat belts (SEAT BELTS): 10 complaints, 47.6% of reports Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 1 crash reports 10 · 47.6% Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING): 2 complaints, 9.5% of reports Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 2 · 9.5% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 2 complaints, 9.5% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 2 · 9.5% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 1 complaints, 4.8% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 · 4.8% Engine (ENGINE): 1 complaints, 4.8% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 1 · 4.8% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 1 complaints, 4.8% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 1 crash reports 1 · 4.8% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 1 complaints, 4.8% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 1 · 4.8% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 15 complaints, 71.4% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 2 crash reports 15 · 71.4% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 10 47.6% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 2 9.5% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 2 9.5% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 4.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 1 4.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 1 4.8% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 1 4.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 15 71.4% 2 crashes · 0 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jan 1995; the first recall shown was reported in Dec 1994. 1995-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 1995-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 1995-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 1996-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 1997-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 1997-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 1998-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 1998-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 1999-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2001-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2001-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Sep 1993 May 2006 Recall campaign 94V248000 ◆ Recall campaign 94V248000 Recall campaign 06E043000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E043000 Investigation PE93078 ● Investigation PE93078 Investigation EA94004 ● Investigation EA94004
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
1995-Q1 Owner reports 5
1995-Q3 Owner reports 6
1995-Q4 Owner reports 2
1996-Q1 Owner reports 1
1997-Q2 Owner reports 1
1997-Q4 Owner reports 1
1998-Q1 Owner reports 1
1998-Q3 Owner reports 1
1999-Q4 Owner reports 1
2001-Q1 Owner reports 1
2001-Q4 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 94V248000
Recall campaign 1 06E043000
Defect investigation 1 PE93078
Defect investigation 1 EA94004
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (2)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Seat belts.

  1. Recall campaign 06E043000

    Safety recall 06E043000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    THIS CONDITION MAY CAUSE AN INADEQUATE SEAL AT THE CONNECTION, POTENTIALLY LEADING TO A FUEL LEAK. IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE COULD OCCUR.
    Remedy:
    HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION 1).
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  2. Recall campaign 94V248000

    Seat belts

    Report date
    Component:
    Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
    Consequence:
    THIS CONDITION CAN PREVENT A PERSON FROM USING THEIRRESTRAINT SYSTEM RESULTING IN AN INCREASED RISK OF INJURY IN AN ACCIDENT.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL LUBRICATE THE TRACK SYSTEM ON THESE VEHICLES.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 10 of 21 complaints · page 1 of 1
2001-11-02Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 754023
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THE BRACKITS THAT HOLD THE SEAT TO THE TRACK BROKE. *AK
2001-02-12Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 740809
CrashFireInjuryDeath
BRAKES CONTINUOUSLY SQUEAL EVEN AFTER REPAIR/REPLACEMENT; MECHANICS SAY DIRT IN WHEELS; LIGHTS GO TO BRIGHT WHEN TURN SIGNALS PUT ON; DOOR LATCH FAILED; SPRING SNAPPED AND FLEW OUT FROM BENEATH CAR ON SMOOTH SURFACE, NO WARNING SOUNDS OR FEEL; FLEW OUT BEHIND CAR AT SPEED OF 10 MPH OR LESS - UNABLE TO FIND PART BECAUSE TOO MANY OTHERS LOOKING FOR SAME PART AT ONCE - COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF GOING DOWN HIGHWAY WITH OTHER TRAFFIC OR AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED
1999-11-25Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 715240
CrashFireInjuryDeath
HEATER BLOWER SWITCH FAILURE. REPLACED SWITCH THREE TIMES, EACH TIME THE SWITCH MELTED AND BECAME INOPERATIVE. THE LAST TIME IT WAS REPLACED THE WIRING TO WHICH THE SWITCH IS CONNECTED ALSO MELTED. IN REGARDS TO THE DRIVERS SIDE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT, IT FAILS TO RETRACT. THIS ONLY OCCURRED ONCE AND HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED.
1998-09-10Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
NHTSA ODI 827793
CrashFireInjuryDeath
DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS SIDE SEAT BEL IS DO NOT RESTRAIN OCCUPANTS WHILE DRIVING, SEATBELTS WILL COME LOOSE. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. DEALERS CANNOT CORRECT PROBLEM. *AK
1998-03-31Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 533409
CrashFireInjuryDeath
CV JOINT FAILED.
1997-11-19Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
NHTSA ODI 525133
CrashFireInjuryDeath
SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILED, LOCKED UP.
1997-04-22Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 811573
CrashFireInjuryDeath
WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT EXPERIENCED HEADLAMP SWITCH FAILURE, WHEN TURNING SWITCH TO ON POSITION, LIGHT DOESN'T COME ON, UNLESS PRESSED FIRMLY AND HOLDING SWITCH TO KEEP LIGHTS ON. DEALER REPLACED SWITCH SEVERAL TIMES SINCE 1994, NOW IN SHOP FOR SIXTH REPLACEMENT, WHEN OCCURS MUST DRIVE AND HOLD SWITCH. *AK
1996-01-31Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
NHTSA ODI 978530
CrashFireInjuryDeath
DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT HAS FAILED, VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN RECALL BUT THERE IS A CONTINUING PROBLEM. TT
1995-12-13Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 976525
CrashFireInjuryDeath
HEADLIGHTS GOES OFF DUE TO FAULTY SWITCH; DRIVER STRANDED ON HIGHWAY ROAD; SWITCH REPLACED 5 TIMES. TT
1995-10-11Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 488684
CrashFireInjuryDeath
AUTOMATIC RESTRAINING SYSTEM FAILED. *SD

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 1992 Pontiac Lemans?

Owners named Seat belts most often — 10 of 21 reports (48%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 1992 Pontiac Lemans?

NHTSA lists 2 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Seat belts. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 1992 Pontiac Lemans?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Check that every belt latches, retracts and that related recalls are closed. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources