Pontiac Sunfire Complaints (2005)

68 consumer complaints on file.

#10367985November 27, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
PURCHASE A 2005 PONTIAC SUNFIRE IN 2006. VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AS A PROGRAM CAR. THE SPEEDOMETER STARTED MALFUNCTIONING DURING THE WINTER TIMES WHEN IT WAS COLD OUTSIDE. AFTER THE CAR HAD WARMED UP THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD ,AGAIN, FUNCTION AS INTENDED. THIS MONTH, NOVEMBER 2010, THE VEHICLE'S FUEL GAUGE, SPEEDOMETER, AND TACHOMETER HAVE ALL MALFUNCTIONED AND ARE NOT CORRECTING AFTER THE VEHICLE WARMS. THE FAILURES HAVE NOT CORRECTED AND ARE STILL MALFUNCTIONING TODAY, NOVEMBER 27,2010. GMC HAS CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT QUALIFIES CERTAIN OWNERS FOR A SPECIAL COVERAGE ADJUSTMENT (SPECIAL POLICY ADJUSTMENT 07187A) TO THEIR STANDARD WARRANTY FOR ALLEGEDLY DEFECTIVE SPEEDOMETERS. THE COMMON CAUSE FOR ALL THESE ISSUES IS A FAULTY STEPPER MOTOR (XC5.168). THE MOTOR WAS USED THROUGHOUT GENERAL MOTOR'S ENTIRE PRODUCTION LINE FROM 2003 TO 2007. FOR THOSE WITH A TECHNICAL BENT, THIS INCLUDES THE GMT800, K20, GM360, AND GMX380 PLATFORMS. MODELS EFFECTED INCLUDE : * BUICK LESABRE * BUICK RENDEZVOUS * CHEVY AVALANCHE * CHEVY SILVERADO * CHEVY SUBURBAN * CHEVY TAHOE * CHEVY IMPALA * CHEVY TRAILBLAZER * CHEVY MONTE CARLO * GMC YUKON * GMC YUKON XL * GMC SIERRA * GMC ENVOY * GMC DENALI * CADILLAC ESCALADE * CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV * CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT * HUMMER H2 * PONTIAC SUNFIRE ON NOVEMBER 7, 2008, THE U.S. DISTRICT COURT IN SEATTLE GRANTED FINAL APPROVAL OF A CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT FOR OWNERS AND LESSEES OF CERTAIN 2003 TO 2005 GENERAL MOTORS VEHICLES WITH ALLEGEDLY DEFECTIVE SPEEDOMETERS. THOSE CERTAIN VEHICLES DID NOT INCLUDE ALL OF THE VEHICLES WITH THIS PROBLEM. WHY NOT! THOSE INCLUDED INCLUDE: CHEVROLET AVALANCHE, CHEVROLET SILVERADO ,CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, CHEVROLET TAHOE, GMC YUKON, GMC YUKON XL, GMC SIERRA, CADILLAC ESCALADE, CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV,CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT . SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE TO INCLUDE ALL VEHICLES AFFECTED DUE TO FAULTY MANUFACTURING! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10367410November 17, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY HUSBAND AND I PURCHASED A 2005 PONTIAC SUNFIRE IN 2006. IT HAD 13,000 MILES AT THAT TIME AND HAD BEEN A REALLY RELIABLE CAR. MY HUSBAND HAS CHANGED THE OIL AND FILTER ON A REGULAR SCHEDULE AS WELL AS THE AIR FILTER. IT STILL GETS 33 MPG ON THE FREEWAY AND THE MILEAGE WAS ABOUT 68,000 WHEN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER STARTED TO GO BAD. IF THE GAUGES HADN'T STARTED TO MALFUNCTION ABOUT 6-8 MONTHS AGO I WOULD HAVE NO COMPLAINTS. THE VEHICLE'S TEMPERATURE GAUGE STARTED CLIMBING OFF THE CHARTS ONE DAY WHEN WE WERE ABOUT FORTY MILES FROM HOME. WE WE DRIVING 65 MPH. ON THE FREEWAY WHEN IT STARTED. WE PULLED OFF AS SOON AS WE COULD TO CHECK THE MOTOR AND FOUND THAT IT WAS NOT OVERHEATED AT ALL AND WE HAD NO LEAKS IN SIGHT. I FEEL VERY BLESSES THAT NO ONE WAS INJURED. WITH IN A MONTH THE GAUGE EVENTUALLY SPUN ALL THE WAY AROUND AND STARTED EFFECTING THE TACHOMETER. NOW THE SPEEDOMETER IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY BECAUSE OF THE TACHOMETER. IF THE CLUSTER HAD BEEN DESIGNED WITH A BUMPER PIN TO STOP THE GAUGES FROM MAKING A COMPLETE 360 ROTATION, IT MIGHT HAVE NOT BURNED OUT SO SOON. OUR TEMPERATURE GAUGE HAS MADE ABOUT 3 OR 4 REVOLUTIONS SO FAR MAKING THE OTHER GAUGES EVEN MORE INACCURATE. THE TACHOMETER IS ON IT'S SECOND TRIP AROUND THE GAUGE SO WE KNOW THE SPEEDOMETER IS NOT FAR BEHIND. WE ARE VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH OUR CHOICE AT THIS TIME AND ARE CONSIDERING A DIFFERENT MANUFACTURE FOR OUR NEXT VEHICLE. MY FATHER WAS A DIESEL MECHANIC FOR FIFTY YEARS AND HE ALWAYS INSTILLED ON ME TO BUY AMERICAN WHEN IT CAME TO MY CARS. I ALWAYS HAVE AND DON'T PLAN TO CHANGE THAT BUT, I WILL DO MORE RESEARCH NEXT TIME. THIS PROBLEM WAS POSTED ON EVERY WEB SIGHT I FOUND AND HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR YEARS. IT'S TIME TO BE MORE CAUTIOUS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10363527November 1, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
2005 PONTIAC SUNFIRE 2 DOOR COUPE; SERIOUS ELECTRICAL FAILURE...ALL DASH COMPONENTS DO NOT WORK AND SHOPS THAT WE TAKE CAR TO TRY TO FIX PROBLEMS WITH SPEEDOMETER, TACH, AND TEMP GAUGES...NOT FIXED; THEN AC GOES OFF AND ON SOMETIMES WORKS/SOMETIMES DOES NOT. HAVE SPENT OVER 2K IN REPAIRS, STILL NOT FIXED AND NOW THE TRUNK LATCH HAS MALFUNCTIONED AND HAS TO BE REPLACED. CAR DIES IN EXTREME HEAT. SHOPS SAY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS A LOT ON THIS MODEL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10360305October 13, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. WHILE DRIVING 35 - 40 MPH SHE HEARD A NOISE IN THE DASHBOARD. SHE STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER, TEMPERATURE, GAS GAUGE ALL STOPPED WORKING PROPERLY. SHE STATED THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THE FAILURE HAS BEEN ON GOING FOR TWO MONTHS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASE USED IN 2009. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 82,334.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10349143August 13, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2005 PONTIAC SUNFIRE..INSTRUMENT GAUGES ERRATIC....TEMP GAUGE PEGS ALL THE WAY TO RPM GAUGE AND SOMETIMES RPM GAUGE DOES NOT WORK. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10346100July 29, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
2005 PONTIAC SUNFIRE, 36000 MILES, MFG DATE 2-2005 BEGINNING APPROXIMATELY 2 MONTHS AGO, THE SPEEDOMETER HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY UNRELIABLE TO THE POINT OF TOTAL FAILURE. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE COMPOUNDED BY HIGHER TEMPERATURES AS IT IS WORSE WHEN CAR GETS HOT FROM SITTING IN SUN AND LESS SO WHEN AMBIENT TEMPS ARE COOLER AS IN THE MORNING. AS A LOT OF MY DRIVING IS DONE IN CITY AND IN LOWER SPEED LIMIT AREAS, THIS PRESENTS A SAFETY ISSUE NOT ONLY FOR MYSELF BUT FOR OTHERS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10333882May 30, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
THE GAS GAUGE IS HAVING MAJOR PROBLEMS ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS REALLY HOT OR COLD OUTSIDE. THE GAS GAUGE WILL GO THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION INTO THE SPEEDOMETER. NOW IT IS STUCK ON THE DASH AND WILL NOT MOVE. I ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE SPEEDOMETER GETTING STUCK. IT WAS TELLING ME I WAS DOING 100MPH WHILE I WAS STOPPED. THIS IS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING BECAUSE I AM NOT ABLE TO TELL HOW MUCH GAS I HAVE IN MY TANK AND HOW FAST I AM GOING. THIS ITEM REALLY NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10300166January 18, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2005 PONTIAC SUNFIRE GAS GAUGE & SPEEDOMETER HAS FINALLY STOPPED WORKING, AFTER MANY SPORADIC FAILURES. CAN'T TELL HOW FAST CAR IS GOING - CAN'T JUDGE WHEN CAR MAY RUN OUT OF GAS. DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER MAKES THIS ALL THE MORE DANGEROUS. HAD THIS HAPPEN ON THE 2003 MODEL AND HAD TO REPLACE FULL COMPONENT. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DANGEROUS AND ONGOING DEFECT IN SUNFIRES AND PONTIAC NEEDS TO RECALL & CORRECT. TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM IN MODELS SHOWS A TOTAL LACK OF SAFETY CONCERN ON THE AUTO MAKERS PART. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10278764July 30, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE TACHOMETER WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE METER WOULD RISE AND FALL WITHOUT THE VEHICLE CHANGING SPEED. IN ADDITION, ALL OF THE OTHER GAUGES WERE MALFUNCTIONING. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 83,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10278540July 28, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
SPEEDOMETER STOPS WORKING DURING DRIVING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10277594July 21, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
AT FIRST MY SPEEDOMETER WOULD JUST STICK OCCASIONALLY, BUT NOW IT NEVER WORKS AT ALL. IT IS ALWAYS EITHER AT 0 OR STUCK ON SOME RANDOM NUMBER. I HAVE BEEN LOOKING ONLINE AND MANY OTHER PEOPLE WITH 2005 SUNFIRE'S HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND IT IS INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATING. I HAVE YET TO FIND SOMEONE WHO WAS WILLING TO LOOK AT MY CAR AND ATTEMPT TO PULL THE DASH APART TO FIX IT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10277503July 20, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
2005 PONTIAC SUNFIRE SPEEDOMETER & TACHOMETER QUIT IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. GAUGES RAN INTO EACH OTHER - NO OTHER PROBLEMS JUST OCCURRED OUT OF THE BLUE. ONLY 33,000 MILES ON VEHICLE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10267508May 1, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER FAILED ON MY 2005 PONTIAC SUNFIRE WHILE DRIVING DOWN I-4 IN FLORIDA. THIS CAUSES A SERVE SAFETY HAZARD NOT KNOWING HOW FAST YOU ARE GONG. FROM RESEARCH DONE ON THE INTERNET, THIS IS AN ALL TO COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. IT SEEMS TO OCCUR JUST AFTER THE VEHICLE COMES OUT OF WARRANTY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10264748April 8, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
ONLY ROUTINE DRIVING PRECEDED THIS INCIDENT. THE TACHOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER ON MY 2005 PONTIAC SUNFIRE BEGAN TO ACT ERRATIC PRIOR TO 33,000 MILES. AT ~34,500 MILES THE TACHOMETER COMPLETELY FAILED IN A POSITION WHICH PREVENTED THE SPEEDOMETER FROM FUNCTIONING (THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE WAS HELD DOWN BY THE TACHOMETER NEEDLE). THIS WAS A TREMENDOUS SAFETY CONCERN ESPECIALLY SINCE MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THIS APPEARS TO BE AN ALL TOO COMMON PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL LATE MODEL GM VEHICLES AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY CONCERN SINCE IT PREVENTS THE PROPER OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE AND CAN DISTRACT THE DRIVER. I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT A SPEEDOMETER FAILURE WOULD NOT REPRESENT A SAFETY DEFECT AND WARRANT ACTION. I HAVE HAD THE INSTRUMENT PANEL REPLACED AT THE DEALER. I CONTACTED PONTIAC CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY APPEAR TO ONLY LOG COMPLAINTS. I WAS INFORMED THAT RECALLS OF THIS NATURE WERE BASED ON CONSUMER COMPLAINTS REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY OF THE SPECIFIC PART THEY KNOW THEY HAVE REPLACED. THAT IS CRAZY ' IF THEY KNOW THAT A LARGE NUMBER OF A CERTAIN PART IS FAILING THEY SHOULD REPLACE IT WITHOUT WAITING FOR THE ISSUE TO MANIFEST ITSELF IN AN ACCIDENT. IN ADDITION, THE DRIVER SIDE ELECTRIC WINDOW IS ALSO NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY - WHICH ALSO APPEARS TO BE OCCURRING IN SEVERAL GM MODELS. THIS IS ALSO A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE IT COULD PREVENT THE OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE FROM EXITING IT IN AN EMERGENCY. GM IS AWARE THAT THIS IS A WORKMANSHIP/MATERIAL QUALITY ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10262758March 23, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ALL DASH GAUGES HAVE ULTIMATELY FAILED. FIRST, SPEEDOMETER WAS ERRATIC. THEN TACHOMETER FAILED. NOW ALL DASH GAUGES ARE INOPERATIVE. REQUIRES FULL REPLACEMENT OF GAUGE MODULE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10261913March 15, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ALL GAUGES ON THE DASH HAVE FAILED: TEMP, TACH, SPEEDOMETER AND FUEL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10259560February 21, 2009
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
REAR DEFROST WOULD NOT WORK FOR TWO DAYS AND ON THE THRID DAY TRIED IF AGAIN, THEN A FEW MINUTES LATER, MY REAR GLASS EXPLODED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10242156September 14, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
THE GAS GAUGE AND THE TACHOMETER ON MY CAR BOTH ARE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. WHEN I FILL UP THE CAR, THE GAS GAUGE DOESN'T RESET AND OFTEN FALLS OVER INTO THE SPEEDOMETER. THE TACK HASN'T WORKED IN OVER A YEAR. WARRANTY EXPIRED ON THE CAR. MECHANICS SAID I'D HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE PANEL, GIVING MY CAR AN INCORRECT READ ON THE MILEAGE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10235286July 22, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO DECELERATE AND THE AIR CONDITIONER BEGAN BLOWING WARM AIR FOLLOWED BY A BURNING SMELL. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, WHENEVER THE CONTACT WOULD DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER ACTIVATED AT ANY SPEED, SHE COULD HEAR A RATTLING SOUND COMING FROM THE AIR CONDITIONER UNIT. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. UPDATED 09/17/08. *LJ THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD IF SHE TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, IT WOULD NOT START AGAIN. UPDATED 09/24/08. B*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10219774March 1, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
SPEEDOMETER FAILURE- ONE DAY, I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON A RESIDENTIAL ROAD ABOUT 35 MPH AND NOTICED THAT MY SPEEDOMETER WAS REGISTERING 80 MPH. THIS CAME TO A GREAT SHOCK TO ME. I ATTEMPTED TO SHUT OFF THE IGNITION TO SEE IF THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD RESET AND IT DIDN'T. ALSO, THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD NOT RETURN TO 0 MPH- IT ONLY DROPPED TO ABOUT 65MPH. I SEARCHED 2005 PONTIAC SUNFIRE SPEEDOMETER AND 2005 CHEVROLET CAVALIER SPEEDOMETER IN GOOGLE AND HAVE FOUND MANY BLOG POSTINGS ON AUTOMOTIVE WEBSITES ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE WITH AN INACCURATE SPEEDOMETER AND/OR GAUGE CLUSTER MALFUNCTION. THIS ISSUE ALSO SEEMS TO EXTEND BEYOND THE SUNFIRE/CAVALIER MODELS TO OTHER GM VEHICLES BACK TO 1993. MY CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000 MILES ON IT AND WHILE I HAVE BEEN OUT OF THE WARRANTY BASED ON THE MILEAGE FOR SOME TIME, IF I HAD NOT EXCEEDED THE MILEAGE RESTRICTION, I WOULD HAVE JUST PASSED THE 3 YEAR MARK ON DEC. 12, 2007. IT SEEMS THAT MANY OTHER SUNFIRE/CAVALIER AND GM PRODUCT OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE FIRST EXPERIENCED THE ISSUE JUST OUTSIDE OF THE 3 YEAR WARRANTY PERIOD. THERE ARE CURRENTLY LAW SUITS PENDING AGAINST GM TO PAY FOR SPEEDOMETER REPAIRS. ONE POSTER ON THE CAR BLOG SAID THAT WHEN HE SAW HIS SPEEDOMETER READ 65 MPH ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET HE QUICKLY HIT HIS BRAKES AND IF ANYONE HAD BEEN BEHIND HIM, IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. FOR THIS REASON, I BELIEVE THAT THIS DEFECTIVE SPEEDOMETER ISSUE COULD CAUSE A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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