Pontiac Sunfire Complaints

1,141 consumer complaints on file.

#10235515July 23, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2005 HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT - PONTIAC DEALER WRAPPED HARNESS WITH ELECTRICAL TAPE. STATED IT WAS FROM WASHER FLUID LEAKING. APPROX 12 MONTHS LATER INCIDENT OCCUR AGAIN. TAKEN TO ANOTHER DEALER ON REQUEST OF PONTIAC. RE-WRAP HARNESS DIFFERENT AREA. SERVICE LIGHT ON 2 WEEKS AGO. DEALER WRAPPED ENTIRE HARNESS. PONTIAC SERVICE NOTIFIED SEVERAL TIMES COMPLAINT NUMBERS OBTAINED. SAFETY ISSUE AS LIGHTS GO OUT. WIRING HARNESS DETERIORATED. BANDAIDED 3X. CONCERN RE: LIGHTS GOING OUT AGAIN AT NIGHT. FEEL THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. *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
#10232546June 27, 2008
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
MY 1996 AIR BAG DEPLOYED, A FEW MONTHS AGO, I RECEIIVED AT NOTICE OF THIS HAPPENING ONCE I CALLED A PONTIAC DEALERSHIP IN AUGUSTA GA. I THAN RECEIVE A NOTIFY OF THIS OCCURING IN THIS MADE AND YEAR OF CAR. GMC CONTACTED ME AND ASK IF THAY COULD REPURCHASE THE CAR. I TOLD THEM AT THAT TIME I WAS INTERESTED. THEY MADE ME AN AFFORD THAT WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR MY VECHICLE. THEY HAVE ACKNOWLEGE THAT THEY ARE RESPONSIBE FOR THE VECHICLE. I ASK THAT MY ARE BAG BE REPLACED, DUE TO I THINK AND KNOW MY CAR WAS WORTH MORE THAN THE OFFER. THEY DID NOT WANT TO DO THAT,TELLING ME I CAN TAKE THEIR OFFER ARE NOTHING, I FEEL THAT MY CAR WAS IENGINE AND BODY WAS IN EXACTLY EXCELLENT CONDITION, I KEPT THE CAR TO GIVEN TO MY SON , NOW I FEEL LIKE I AM THE ONE LOSING. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICHE NEW, AND IT WAS NOT MY FAULT THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED AND I HAVE TO TAKE THE LOST. .
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10232102June 23, 2008
TIRES, TIRES:VALVE
PURCHASED 4 TIRES ON 1/24/2007 FROM SEARS ROEBUCK ON CONCORD PIKE WILMINGTON DELAWARE AND HAD 4 VALVE STEMS REPLACED AT THAT TIME, ON JUNE 11TH 2008 AFTER GOING ONLY 8,000 MILES ON THE TIRES WE HAD THE TIRE GO FLAT FROM A DEFECTIVE VALVE STEM. TODAY WE HAD ANOTHER FLAT ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY FROM ANOTHER DEFECTIVE VALVE STEM. IN CHECKING THE REMAINING TWO TIRES THEY ALSO HAVE A SERIOUS CRACK IN THE SAME LOCATION. I FEEL THIS IS DEFECTIVE PRODUCT TO HAVE ALL 4 VALVE STEMS GO BAD AFTER 1 YEAR AND IN THE SAME LOCATION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10231846June 20, 2008
AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. AFTER IT RAINED FOR APPROXIMATELY 3-4 DAYS, THE CONTACT NOTICED STANDING WATER IN THE FRONT AND REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. SHE STARTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT ALL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. AFTER SEVERAL DAYS OF ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO DRY OUT, EVERY INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHT, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE AIR BAG LIGHT, DIMMED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT INSPECT THE VEHICLE FOR LESS THAN $350. THE CONTACT NO LONGER DRIVES THE VEHICLE BECAUSE SHE FEARS FOR HER LIFE DUE TO THE DEFECT. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000. UPDATED 09/13/08. *LJ UPDATED 09/16/08 *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10231598June 19, 2008
AIR BAGS
DRIVING DOWN THE DRIVEWAY ONTO ROAD, APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES AN HOUR, SUDDENLY BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AT THE SAME TIME. CALLED GM AND TOOK CAR TO GM DEALER FOR INSPECTION. GM CALLED TO REPORT THAT IT WAS A GM FAILURE AND REQUESTED TO (PRIVATE PARTY) PURCHASE THE CAR BACK FROM US AT A CURRENT VEHICLE VALUE OF AROUND $900. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10231090June 16, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
THE SPEEDOMETER IN THE VEHICLE BECOMES ERRATIC AFTER WARMING UP. ON A HOT DAY IT MAY NOT RESPOND AT ALL OR MAY RESET TO A NEGATIVE VALUE AND NOT RESPOND DURING MOVEMENT. IT ALSO LOCKS UP WHEN GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT WHATEVER THE SUSTAINED SPEED HAS BEEN, GRADUALLY FALLING TO ZERO AS THE CAR ACCELERATES AND DECELERATES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10229663June 2, 2008
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
FUEL PUMP WENT OUT ON 2003 GM PONTIAC SUNFIRE. LOST POWER ON HIGHWAY IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC ONLY 65K MILES ON THE CAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10228000May 16, 2008
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
REFERRING TO THE PASSENGER-SIDE HEADLIGHT: WHILE DRIVING MY CHILDREN HOME AFTER IT WAS ALREADY DARK, I NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER-SIDE HEADLIGHT SEEMED A LITTLE DIMMER THAN THE DRIVER-SIDE HEADLIGHT. I ALSO HAD ON MY DRIVING LIGHTS THAT ARE BELOW THE HEADLIGHTS. WE WERE ON A PARTICULARLY DARK ROAD WHERE THERE IS A TENDENCY TO BE DEER, SO WHEN IT WAS CLEAR OF OPPOSING TRAFFIC, I PUT THE HIGH-BEAM LIGHTS ON. AFTER PUTTING THE HIGH-BEAMS ON, ALL THE LIGHTS.....HEADLIGHTS, HIGH-BEAMS, AND DRIVING LIGHTS WENT OUT....WHILE I WAS DRIVING. A RED "SERVICE" LIGHT CAME ON THE DASHBOARD. I WAS VERY STARTLED AT THIS AND HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I SWITCHED THE LIGHTS OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN AND NOTHING WOULD WORK AND THE "SERVICE" LIGHT REMAINED ON. FORTUNATELY, I WAS NOT IN A HIGH TRAFFIC AREA OR THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN, ESPECIALLY IF I PANICKED. MY CHILDREN WERE VERY WORRIED THAT WE WERE PULLED OFF IN THE DARK. I DECIDED TO SHUT THE CAR OFF, HOPING TO RESET SOMETHING, AND TURN IT BACK ON. WHEN I DID THIS, THE "SERVICE" LIGHT WAS NOT ON, AND THE HEADLIGHTS AND DRIVING LIGHTS CAME ON. THE PASSENGER-SIDE LIGHT WAS STILL DIM WHEN I LOOKED AT IT, AND I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE HIGH BEAM LIGHTS WERE LIT AND DIM, ALTHOUGH THE HIGH BEAM SWITCH INSIDE THE CAR WAS NOT ON. I BOUGHT A NEW HEADLIGHT AND CHANGED THE BULB, BUT THERE WAS NO CHANGE IN THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE HEADLIGHT, IT WAS STILL DIM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10227820May 14, 2008
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
HAVING TROUBLE WITH FUEL SYSTEM ON A 1997 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10225667April 25, 2008
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I OWN A 1998 PONTIAC SUNFIRE AND HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE DAYTIME LIGHTS STAYING ON EVEN WHEN THE SWITCH IS TURNED TO HAVE THE NIGHT TIME HEADLIGHTS ON. IT GOES BACK AND FORTH FROM DAY TO NIGHT LIGHTS AND WILL NOT STAY ON NIGHT WHEN DRIVING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10225211April 21, 2008
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. OCCASIONALLY, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WILL NOT RELEASE ONCE IT IS DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE OCCURS WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. THE FAILURE INITIALLY OCCURRED EVERY THREE WEEKS, BUT NOW OCCURS ONCE A WEEK OR ONCE EVERY TWO WEEKS. GENERAL MOTORS STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 51,221 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10225180April 20, 2008
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES
WENT TO A GM DEALERSHIP AND THEY GREASED THE THROTTLE CABLE NO BINDS ANYWHERE. THE THROTTLE CABLE STICKS. IT'S A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. IF YOU PUSH THE CLUTCH PEDAL IN AND STOMP ON THE THROTTLE PEDAL IT RELEASE IT AND GOES BACK TO NORMAL. IT IS A 2002 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10224115April 10, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DRIVING TO THE STORE ONE NIGHT I REALIZED HALFWAY THERE, MY DASH LIGHT BEHIND THE FUEL GAGE WAS ALMOST OUT AND THEN REALIZED EVERYTHING ILLUMINATED BY MY HEADLIGHTS LOOKED VERY DIM, LIKE THEY WEREN'T ON, JUST MY FOG LIGHTS. I PULLED OVER TO FIND THAT IT WAS JUST MY FOG LIGHTS, I HAD NO LOW BEAMS YET THE SWITCH SHOWED MY LIGHTS TO BE ON. THANKFULLY NO POLICE WERE AROUND, I'VE BEEN TOLD DRIVING WITHOUT YOUR LIGHTS ON IS A RED FLAG TO THE POLICE THAT YOU MAY BE DRIVING DRUNK OR DRIVING RECKLESSLY, WHICH NEITHER WAS THE CASE. LUCKILY A FRIEND WAS DRIVING BEHIND ME AND PULLED OVER AT THE SAME TIME. WE BOTH LOOKED AT IT AND THEN HE HAD TO HELP ME GET BACK HOME, DIDN'T KNOW I HAD HIGH BEAMS STILL. I'VE TRIED EVERYTHING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S WRONG AND STILL WORKING ON IT 6 MONTHS LATER. I'M NOW ON A DISABILITY INCOME AND CAN'T JUST BRING IT TO THE DEALER/MECHANIC TO SEE IF THEY MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO FIX IT AND END UP WITH AN OUTRAGEOUS BILL, ESPECIALLY IF I HAVE TO KEEP GOING BACK. I WAS DOING RESEARCH TO SEE IF I MISSED A RECALL OR AN ARTICLE STATING THE PROBLEM & FIX WITH THIS ISSUE WHEN I FOUND THIS WEBSITE AND SEE THAT IT HAS AN AWFUL LOT OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS AS MINE. KIND OF A RELIEF. AFTER READING MOST OF THEM, I STILL HAVEN'T FOUND A COMMENT/COMPLAINT THAT SAYS EXACTLY WHAT THE ISSUE IS AND IF IT'S EXPENSIVE. IF I'M NOT THE ONLY PONTIAC OWNER WITH THIS ISSUE AND AT A LOSS, WHAT SHOULD I DO NEXT BESIDES THE OBVIOUS? IS THERE AN ACTUAL FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM THAT I HAVEN'T READ/FOUND YET OR WHEN THERE IS ONE, WILL I/WE BE NOTIFIED? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10223478April 6, 2008
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
1998 SUNFIRE BEGAN TO MAKE CLUNKING NOISES ON FRONT RIGHT SIDE. UPON VISUAL INVESTIGATION, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE FRAME COMPONENT WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH AND SEPARATED. THIS COULD BE A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM UNDER THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCE. I HAVE SENT DIGITAL FILES TO YOUR WEBMASTER EMAIL TO SHOW EXACTLY WHAT HAS HAPPENED AS I FEEL THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL IMMEDIATELY , AS THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY MATTER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10223430April 5, 2008
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL
I HAD BOUGHT 2003 PONTIAC SUNFIRE FROM MCELVEEN PONTIAC-BUICK-GMC TRUCK, SUMMERVILLE, SC IN 2002. THIS CAR WAS RECALLED UNDER FOLLOWING RECALL FOR REAR STOP LAMPS AND WORK WAS DONE ON 6/8/2005. NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: EA04028 NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V524000 MAKE: PONTIAC MODEL: SUNFIRE YEAR : 2003 MANUFACTURER : GENERAL MOTORS CORP. COMPONENT : EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL MY PASSENGER SIDE REAR SIGNAL LIGHT FAILED IN DECEMBER 2007 AND I TOOK THE CAR TO LOU SOBH PONTIAC, DULUTH, GA ON 12/13/2007. THEY REPLACED THE TURN LAMP. IN FEB. 2008 THIS LAMP FAILED AND I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO LOU SOBH PONTIAC, DULUTH, GA AND THEY REPLACED THE BULB (NO PAPER WORK WAS GENERATED BY SERVICE DEPT. AND WORK WAS COVERED UNDER PART WARRANTY). IN MARCH 2008 BOTH REAR SIGNAL LIGHT FAILED. I TOOK CAR AGAIN TO LOU SOBH PONTIAC, DULUTH, GA ON 4/5/2008. THIS TIME THEY CHECKED ALL WIRING AND INFORMED ME THAT THE BOTH SOCKETS ARE MELTED DUE TO OVERHEAT AND MAY BE LOOSE CONTACTS. THEY REPLACED BOTH SOCKET. SOCKETS WILL MELT OVER THE TIME ONLY IF THEY ARE LOOSE TO BEGIN WITH, AND IF IT IS NOT CAUGHT IN TIME, THAN WIRING MAY CATCH FIRE AND ALSO MAY CAUSE ACCIDENT. THIS ALSO MAY BE RELATED ANOTHER INCIDENT I HAD ENCOUNTERED WITH MY POWER WINDOWS WHICH FAILED DUE TO FAILURE OF REGULATOR DUE TO SHORT (IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY) WHICH HAPPENED AT THE SAME TIME AS WHEN REAR SIGNAL LIGHT FAILED IN DEC. 2007. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10223432April 5, 2008
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
IN DEC. 2005 MY DRIVER SIDE POWER WINDOW FAILED TO OPERATE - IT WILL STICK AND NOT ROLL DOWN. AFTER WHILE IT WILL ROLL UP AND DOWN AS NORMAL. I TOOK THE CAR TO DEALER MCELVEEN PONTIAC, SUMMERVILLE, SC (I HAD BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE FROM THIS DEALER) AS IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. DEALER FOUND NOTHING WRONG AND NO WORK WAS PERFORMED. ABOVE PROBLEM CONTINUED WITH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW INTERMITTENTLY NORMALLY HAPPENED WHEN IT WAS DRIZZLING RAINING. IN DEC. 2007 MY PASSENGER SIDE POWER WINDOW FAILED AND IT WILL NOT ROLL UP. IT WAS DRIZZLING WHEN IT FAILED. I TOOK THE CAR TO DEALER LOU SOBH PONTIAC, DULUTH, GA ON 12/13/2007 AND GOT REPAIRED ON 12/17/2007. ACCORDING TO DEALER PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW ASSEMBLY HAD FAILED. DEALER REPLACED THE REGULATOR ASSEMBLY. SINCE THAN BOTH WINDOWS ARE WORKING OK SO FAR. THIS CAN CAUSE ACCIDENT IF IT IS RAINING AND WINDOW FAILS TO ROLL UP OR IN THE EVENT OF POOR VISIBILITY (MORNING WITH HEAVY FOG OR FROST ON THE WINDOW) WHEN YOU WANT TO ROLL DOWN WINDOW TO SEE UPCOMING TRAFFIC BEFORE TAKING LEFT TURN. THIS FAILURE OCCUR AT THE SAME TIME WHEN MY REAR SIGNAL LIGHT FAILED. IT TURNED OUT THAT THERE WAS ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AND SOCKET HAD MELTED. THEREFORE, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THESE TWO INCIDENTS ARE RELATED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10223014April 1, 2008
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V286000 (STEERING:RACK AND PINION) AND REPAIRED AT 135,000 MILES. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, HE COULD NO LONGER MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN AND THE VEHICLE WOULD TURN RIGHT AUTOMATICALLY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE LOWER BEARING WAS DESTROYED AND THE COVER FOR THE BEARING WAS MISSING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT WAS THE EXACT SAME FAILURE AS STATED IN THE RECALL. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE EXPERIENCED NO STEERING FAILURE UNTIL THE RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED. GM STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 176,193 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10222508March 27, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY STARTING HER VEHICLE AND TURNING THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE FOLLOWING MORNING, SHE OPENED THE DOOR AND NOTICED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN MELTED AND WAS LYING ON THE FLOORBOARD. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V070000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH). PONTIAC STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE CLOSEST DEALER. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, BUT WERE UNABLE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 157,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10221376March 16, 2008
WHEELS:HUB, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
THE ABS,TRAC AND SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON AFTER I HIT A DEER BECAUSE THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS WOULD NOT LET ME STOP FROM HITTING IT. I NOW HAVE THE PROBLEM WITH ABS TRACTION CONTROL AND SERVICE LIGHT BUT IT NOW MAKES IT HARD TO STOP TILL ALL THOSE COME ON. I WAS TOLD IT WAS A SENSOR IN THE HUB OF REAR END. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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