Pontiac Sunfire Complaints

1,141 consumer complaints on file.

#10003173January 22, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSES/LINES/PIPING/FITTINGS
NOTICED THE COOLANT LIGHT KEPT COMING ON AND OFF. ADDED SOME EVEN THO IT SAID NOT BEFORE 5 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES. CAR DID NOT HEAT UP ON LONG TRIP FROM NM TO CA. DEALER SAID MAYBE IT WAS THE COMPUTER CHIP. AFTER CHECKING IT WAS TOLD THE BOTTOM HOSE ON RADIATOR HAD A LEAK CAUSE BY LOOSE MOTOR MOUNT AND DOGBONE. THEY FIXED IT FOR $187.00 AND WANTED ANOTHER $700.00 TO FIX MOTOR MOUNT AND DB. I HAD CHECKED BY ANOTHER MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD NOTHING WRONG WITH MM OR DB. I FEEL I WAS TAKEN. I NOTICED NO LEAK IN OVER 3 WEEKS BEFORE DEALER HAD THE CAR. I FEEL THEIR PRESSURE TEST BURST THE HOSE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10002982January 20, 2003
AIR BAGS
HAD A FRONTAL COLLISION, MY ENTIRE FRONT END WAS EFFECTED BY THE HIT NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED NOR DID MY SEAT BELT KEEP ME AGAINST THE SEAT.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10000943January 11, 2003
STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE
MY DAUGHTER WAS ON HER WAY TO COLLEGE AND SHE WAS GOING AROUND A CURVE AND THE STEERING OF HER 2002 PONTIAC SUNFIRE LOCKED UP AND SHE COULD NOT STEER. DUE TO THIS SHE HIT A TELEPHONE POLE AND THE CAR WAS TURNED SIDEWAYS AND HIT A TREE THEN WENT OVER A EMBANKMENT. THE DAMAGE IS ALL TO THE REAR OF THE CAR. I HAVE CALLED PONTIAC SEVERAL TIMES AND GOTTEN TRANSFERRED TO SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS AND NO ONE ENDS UP HELPING ME. I ALSO HAVE A TRIED MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND THEY JUST WANT TO FIX THE EXTERIOR AND NOT WORRY ABOUT THE PROBLEM. SHE IS HAVING A VERY HARD TIME DRIVING. SHE DOES NOT WANT TO GET BACK INTO THIS CAR AFTER IT'S FIXED. SHE FEELS IF IT'S FIXED ON THE OUTSIDE THAT DOESN'T MEAN THE PROBLEM IS SOLVED. I AM NOT HAVING ANY LUCK WITH ANY OF THE PEOPLE I HAVE CONTACTED. THERE ARE RECALLS FOR EARLY YEAR SUNFIRES BUT NOT 2002. IF THEY JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THE PROBLEM IN EARLIER YEARS HOW DO THEY KNOW THAT THEY FIXED IT IN THIS MODEL YEAR. TS
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10000815January 8, 2003
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
1997 PONTIAC SUNFIRE ALL OF A SUDDEN, WOULD NOT TURN LEFT AND I HIT A POLE, COME TO FIND OUT THE RACK AND PINION SUDDENLY WENT OUT. I HAD TO HAVE RACK AND PINION REPLACED, THIS IS VERY SCARY AND DANGEROUS, DEALER SAID THEY HAVE HEARD OF NO PROBLEMS WITH RACK AND PINION, AND WERE OF NO HELP AT ALL. *JB
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10002081January 6, 2003
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:POWER STEERING FLUID
THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING ASSEMBLY. (RECALL NUMBER 02V286000) THE VEHICLE'S' VIN NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. PH SCC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10000534January 5, 2003
POWER TRAIN, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, INTERIOR LIGHTING, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:ABS WARNING LIGHT, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL, EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL
I FILED A COMPLAINT ON A 2002 GRAND AM GT VIN [XXX] CONCERNING STEERING PROBLEMS. I CANNOT FIND IT IN YOUR CONSUMER COMPLAINT DATA BASE, NOR ANY OTHER INFORMATION RELATED TO THIS VEHICLE OR RECALLS, SAFETY ISSUES, ETC ON 2002 GRAND AM GT IN GENERAL. AM I LOOKING IN THE WRONG PLACE? PLEASE HELP. ALSO, I NOW OWN A 2002 PONTIAC SUNFIRE VIN [XXX]. I TOOK DELIVERY ON 10.31.02 AS PART OF LEMON LAW BYBACK BY GM ON ABOVE DISCUSSED GRAND AM. I AM HAVING SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS NEW CAR I CONSIDER SAFETY HAZARDS. GM SO FAR HAS HAD THE CAR MORE THAN I HAVE. HOW CAN I FILE A COMPLAINT AND FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ON THE AREAS OF CONCERN WITH THIS VEHICLE. SO FAR, IT WENT OF PARK INTO REVERSE AND HIT ME IN THE HEAD CAUSING INJURY MY DOC IS LOOKING INTO, THE CAR ON THE SAME TRIP COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN, LOSING ALL POWER EXCEPT RADIO, AND THE ABS OFF LIGHT WENT ON. YET TWO DEALERS, MIDWAY IN PHOENIX ON 12.16.02 AND COURTESY IN LAS VEGAS SAY NO PROBLEMS EXIST. COURTESY SILL HAS CAR BECAUSE IT WAS NOT FULLY REPAIRED PER WORK ORDER. I FEEL LIKE I AM IN THE SAME BLACK HOLE I WAS IN WITH THE GRAND AM GT EXCEPT NO SERIOUS ACCIDENTS TO THE VEHICLE LIKE THE ONE I HAD WITH THE GT HAS OCCURRED. PLEASE GUIDE ME ON WHAT TO DO IF YOU CAN. MY WIFE AND I ARE DISABLED AND THIS IS VERY TRYING ON US. ALSO, I AM WAITING PER MY DOCTOR FOR THE FIRST WEEK IN FEBRUARY TO RVIEW X-RAYS AND CAT SCAN F MY NECK. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10001805January 2, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
CONSUMER STATED THAT THE TRANMISSION STALLED THE ENGINE CAUSING THE ENGNE TO SMOKE. TS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10001269December 19, 2002
SEATS
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE SEAT BACK COLLAPSE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. TS VEHICLE WAS REAR-ENDED AND SEAT BACKS WERE THROWN FORWARD THEN COLLAPSED INTO RECLINE POSITION. DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES. *TT
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#10000286December 19, 2002
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY:SOLENOID
IN FULFILLMENT OF RECALL 02008-S, A GM DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THAT REPLACEMENT OF THE STARTER WIRING HARNESS WILL DESTROY THE TERMINAL ON THE SOLENOID, RESULTING IN THE REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF BOTH THE SOLENOID AND STARTER MOTOR. BOTH PARTS ARE IN GOOD WORKING ORDER BUT GM WILL NOT COVER THE COST OF THIS DAMAGE, APPROX $260. IN SHORT, A RUSTY TERMINAL WILL PROBABLY BREAK WHEN REMOVED. FOR THIS, GM WANTS TO SELL A NEW STARTER WITH SOLENOID AT FULL PRICE. I HAVE CONFIRMED THE LIKELIHOOD OF THE DAMAGE WITH AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. GM REFUSED ME DIRECTLY UPON APPEAL. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT RECALL, THOUGH RELATIVELY SIMPLE TO IMPLEMENT. THE CAR IS ONLY 7 YEARS OLD. GM SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO COVER THE FULL COST OF IMPLEMENTATION, WITHOUT PROFITING ON AN OTHERWISE UNNECESSARY REPLACEMENT OF EXPENSIVE COMPONENTS. GM COULD REPLACE JUST THE SOLENOID OR PERHAPS EVEN JUST THE TERMINAL. THE WIRE LEAD COULD BE PROPERLY SPLICED WITHOUT TERMINAL REMOVAL. THIS POSSIBILITY (OR PERHAPS PROBABILITY) WAS NOT MENTIONED IN THE RECALL NOTICE OR IN CONVERATIONS WITH THE DEALER PRIOR TO THE RECALL WORK. I AM ARRANGING TO HAVE THE SOLENOID ALONE REPLACED FOR APPROX. $140. I SUGGEST THAT GM BE ORDERED TO REIMBURSE CUSTOMERS FOR THIS AND OTHER COSTS REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT THE RECALL FULLY AND TO COVER THEM DIRECTLY FROM THIS POINT FORWARD. I WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT GM HAS ALREADY INSTALLED A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF NEW STARTERS AT OWNERS' EXPENSE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#8023853December 6, 2002
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT HEAD GASKETPROBLEMS. HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND STATED THAT THIS WAS NOT A RECALL SO THERE FOR THEY WON'T COVER IT . *TS *TT *NLM.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#8023813December 5, 2002
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CONSUMER STATES WARNING FOR COOLANT ILLUMINATED. NEXT DAY VEHICLE STARTED LEAKING COLLANT OVERNIGHT. WHILE THE DEALER VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#770267November 30, 2002
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
NOT ONLY DID MY AIR BAGS CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. MY FUEL SYSTEM IS HAS MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH IT. I HAVE SPENT SO MUCH MONEY TRYING TO GET THESE RECALLS FIXED. I HAVE LOST MY JOB OVER MY CAR AND IS ABOUT TO LOSE EVERY THING ELSE IF I CAN NOT GET BACK TO WORK. I AM A SINGLE MOTHER OF 3 GIRLS AND IS UNABLE TO SPEND ALL THIS MONEY ON A VEHICLE WITH PROBLEMS. THAT ARE THE FACTORY'S FAULT NOT MINE. DT
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#8023384November 26, 2002
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING ON A RURAL TWO LANE ROAD. CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND WAS HIT BROADSIDE ON DRIVERS SIDE DOOR BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. NONE OF THE VEHICLES AIRBAGS DEPLOYED RESULTING IN A FATALITY. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE DESCRIBE FURTHER. TS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
1
#8023273November 25, 2002
TIRES
WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE FOR ABOUT 20 MILES, CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A SMELL OF BURNING RUBBER COMING FROM THE REAR OF VEHICLE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CONTACTED. TS *TT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#8023310November 25, 2002
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
WHEN THE ROADS ARE ICY/SNOWY, THE BRAKE PEDAL DOESN'T GO TO THE FLOOR BUT WILL LOCK UP, MAKE NOISE, AND GO OUT OF CONTROL. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. TS SCC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#8023205November 22, 2002
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND NO WARNING THE ENGINE FAIL AND LOST POWER AND IT WAS HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED TS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#769916November 20, 2002
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
CAR STALLS AT ANY SPEED WHILE DRIVING. DEALER SERVICED 3 TIMES AND STILL NOT FIXED. DEALER STATES THEY DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT ELSE IT COULD BE. NO ERROR CODES FROM MODULES. DT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#8022804November 15, 2002
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
CONSUMER IS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH STEERING CONTROL. WHEN MAKING LEFT OR RIGHT TURNS, STEERING WHEEL WILL EXHIBIT RESISTANCE IN THE INTENDED DIRECTION, BUT THEN TURN EASILY IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THIS CAUSES CONSUMER TO "OVER CORRECT" STEERING AFFECTING VEHICLE CONTROL. TS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#769541November 10, 2002
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THIS CAR HAS BEEN STALLING INTERMITANTLY. IT HAS HAPPENED ON MOST OCASSIONS WHEN MAKING A SLOW TURN (LIKE FROM A STAND STILL AND TURNING AT A LIGHT). IT HAS HAD A TUNE UP AND STILL CONTINUES TO DO THIS. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERS FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS AND THEY CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG OR RECREATE THE PROBLEM. IN MY SEARCH ON THE NET I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS 1998 SUNFIRE OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. WHEN THE ENGINE STALLS THE POWER STEARING IS AFFECTED AND THE CAR IS DANGEROUS. MY DAUGHTER HAS THIS CAR IN GA WHILE ATTENDING COLLEGE AND HAS HAD TO RENT A CAR FOR THE PAST 2 WEEKS. I HOPE THIS CAN BE RESOLIVED SOON. DT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#8022433November 7, 2002
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED. THE CHECK ENGINE AND CHECK ENGINE GAUGE LIGHT APPEAR ON THE DASHBOARD. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFROMATION. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE VEHICLE. TS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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