Pontiac Sunfire Complaints (2002)

82 consumer complaints on file.

#10071299January 15, 2004
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
THE GAS GAGE ON THE PONTIAC SUNFIRE IS NOT STABLE. IT WILL MOVE UP AND DOWN WHEN THE CAR IS IN PARK AND STILL RUNNING. I HAVE RAN OUT OF GAS WHEN THE GAS GAGE WAS SET AT 1/4 OF A TANK LEFT. THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED AND I DON'T THINK I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. THIS IS A DANGEROUS THING TO BE HAPPENING, IT COULD HAVE RAN OUT OF GAS ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE NIGHT. SANDRA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10070372January 15, 2004
STEERING, AIR BAGS
MY SON WAS DRIVING HOME THE NIGHT BEFORE HIS WEDDING, WAS NOT DRUNK ACCORDING TO THE CORONER. THE POLICE REPORT SAID HE MUST HAVE WENT OFF THE ROAD, OVERCORRECTED AND BEGAN SPINNING AND ROLLING.THE CAR WENT 469 FEET BEFORE IT CAME TO REST ON TOP OF HIM, THE REPORT SAYS HE MUST HAVE BEEN EJECTED THROUGH THE SUNROOF. MY SON WAS 34 VERY MUSCULAR. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT UNLESS THERE WAS SOMETHING MECHANICALLY WRONG WITH THE CAR THAR HE COULD NOT HAVE CONTROLLED IT. I HAVE SEEN OTHER REPORTS OF THE SAME THING HAPPENING TO OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME CAR. ALSO THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY THAT ALONE MIGHT HAVE SAVED MY SONS LIFE. THERE WERE TWO OTHER PEOPLE IN THE CAR, BOTH HURT SERIOUSLY. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THIS SAME THING IS HAPPENING TO OTHER PEOPLE AND IF THERE IS ANYTHING I CAN DO. I STILL HAVE THE CAR EXACTLY AS IT WAS, IN STORAGE.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
1
#10040102October 21, 2003
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH A POSITIONING GUIDE TO POSITION THE SHOULDER BELT AWAY FROM A CHILD'S NECK IN THE REAR SEATS, HOWEVER THE POSITIONING GUIDE DOESN'T HOLD THE SHOULDER BELT AWAY FROM THE CHILD'S NECK. *AK *TS *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10042152October 2, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
WHEN BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BRAKES MADE A LOUD NOISE, AND EXCESSIVE FORCE HAD TO BE APPLIED TO STOP VEHICLE. THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE ROTORS CONTINUOUSLY CRACKING. DEALERSHIP RESURFACED AND REPLACED THE ROTORS. ALSO WHEN SLOWING DOWN OR AT A COMPLETE STOP, VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING. DEALERSHIP REPROGRAMMED THE COMPUTER CHIP. IN ADDITION, POWER WINDOWS MALFUNCTIONED. THEY WOULD ENGAGE BY THEMSELVES AND SLIDE UP/DOWN, AND STICK IN EITHER POSITION. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE MOTOR, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10036936August 31, 2003
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:FAN/MOTOR
BLOWER FOR HEATER/AIRCONDITIONER BLEW AFTER HITTING SMALL BUMP ON 5/26/03; FUSE REPLACED;SAME PROBLEM AFTER HITTING POTHOLE ON 6/21/03 WITH A BURNING PLASTIC SMELL NOTED ON 6/22/03; BROUGHT TO DEALER ON 6/23/03 AND WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT THE FUSE IT WAS THE BLOWER WITH PART ON ORDER; RETURNED TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT A PURPLE AND WHITE WIRE "MELTED' AND "WAS CUT BACK" AND THAT A WIRE ON THE RADIO WAS NOT "POSITIONED INCORRECTLY" WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED THE "SHORT"; SINCE THEN THE FLOOR VENT BLOWS WARM TO HOT AIR WITHOUT THE BLOWER ON WITH ENOUGH INTENSITY TO BURN MY RIGHT FOOT. ALSO,WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER IS ON WITH THE INDICATOR ON THE FATHEREST COLD SECTION WARM-HOT AIR STILL BLOWS THROUGH THE FRONT FLOOR VENT; WENT BACK TO THE DEALER AGAIN AND THEY SAID IT WAS A TWISTED/DISCONNECTED HOSE/TUBE; PROBLEM STILL EXIST. ALSO, ON 5/26/03 A SMALL GROWLING NOISE WAS NOTED; THIS NOISE CONTINUES INTERMITTENTLY WHEN COMING TO A QUICK STOP AND HAS PROGRESSIVELY BECOME LOUDER AND LONGER; THE WINDSHIELD WIPER HAS SINCE BEEN REPLACED WITH OUT FURTHER VISIBILITY PROBLEMS. DEALER VISITS: 5/27/03, 5/28/03, 5/31/03 6/23/03,6/24/03, 6/25/03, 7/7/03, 7/16/03, 7/22/03, 7/25/03; 8/1/03, 8/6/03, 8/15/03, 8/25/03/AND 8/28/03. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10034300August 22, 2003
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING, CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES, BUT INSTEAD VEHICLE SPUN OUT OF CONTROL INTO A DITCH. DEALER STATED AXLES WERE CRACKED.*AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10024762July 28, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER, STRUCTURE, STEERING, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
SERVICE BRAKES WORE OUT PREMATURELY, AND DESTROYED THE ROTORS AND OTHER BRAKE COMPONENTS. *AK THE BRAKES SQUEALED AND MADE A GRIND NOISE, THE LEFT (DRIVER FRONT) HUB CAP RATTLED/SHAKED, WATER LEAKED IN THE BACK SEAT. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN SAID THE METAL BRAKES DIDN'T HAVE PADS. THE FRONT END STEERING SHAKED, THE ROTOR(S) HAD WORN OUT, THE RIGHT INSIDE DOOR PANEL WAS LOOSE, THE SPEAKER HAD GONE OUT, THE POWER STEERING SQUEAKED PER INVOICE, THE AC CHIRPED, AND A WIND NOISE HAD COME FROM THE FRONT DOORS. *SCC *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10028899July 22, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SLOW MY 2002 SUNFIRE TO MAKE A TURN I LOST MY BRAKES. THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT RESISTANCE. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO A STOP THEN HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. THEY CLAIMED THAT THE SYSTEM WAS CONTAMINATED BY THE WRONG BRAKE FLUID CAUSING THE SEALS TO FAIL. THE OIL CHANGE FACILITY THAT HAD LAST SERVICED THE VEHICLE HAD NO RECORD OF TOPPING OFF THE FLUID AND INSISTS THAT IT DID NOT TOUCH THE BRAKE FLUID. WARNING LIGHT NEVER CAME ON.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10029859July 22, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE'S STOPPING DISTANCE HAS GREATLY INCREASED DUE TO DEFECTIVE ROTORS. ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3X IN A YEAR.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10025339July 3, 2003
STEERING:COLUMN
STEERING COLUMN LOCKED ON ME WHILE I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN. I LITERALLY HAD TO PULL HARD TO THE LEFT TO AVOID HITTING ANOTHER CAR OR GOING RIGHT UP INTO PARK CARS. I CALLED TO PONTIAC ROADSIDE SERVICE SO THEY CAN TOW BECAUSE THE CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. DEALERSHIP THEY TOOK IT TO SAID THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG, I REFUSE TO PICK IT UP AND DRIVE IT ANY LONGER. I HAVE CHILDREN AND THEIR LIVES ARE NOT WORTH A $12,000 CAR. THIS IS THE 2ND TIME IN 4 MONTHS THAT THIS CAR HAS BEEN RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR DEFECTS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10018835May 17, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
THE BRAKES ON MY PONTIAC SUNFIRE 2002 GRINDS, AND WHEN YOU HIT A BUMP IT SOUNDS LIKE THE FRONT END IS COMING APART, I BELIEVE ITS THE BRAKE SYSTEM THAT'S CAUSING THE AWFUL NOISE, ITS EMBARRASSING THAT A NEW CAR SOUNDS LIKE A 1969 PONTIAC FIREBIRD COMING DOWN THE ROAD. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10019558May 9, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10012328March 24, 2003
TIRES, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE TIRE HEATS UP TO THE POINT THAT THERE IS A SMELL OF BURNING RUBBER. THE BRAKES ARE LAGGING WHICH HAS CAUSED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10011604March 13, 2003
STEERING
WHEN A TURN WAS MADE, THE STEERING MADE A NOISE, AND BECAME LOOSE, THE MECHANIC STATED THE PROBLEM WAS THE BOOT AND THE SEAL, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RECURRED TWO WEEKS LATER AND THE MECHANIC REFUSED TO FIX THE VEHICLE.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
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
#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
#8014669July 24, 2002
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE APPLIED BRAKES, AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR.CONTACTED DEALER. A ROPE HAD GOTTEN AROUND THE AXLE AND BROKE BRAKE LINE, CAUSING FUEL TO RUN OUT.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#8014115July 17, 2002
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT 50MPH VEHICLE WILL SHUT DOWN, LOSING ALL POWER. CONTACTED DEALER., CANNOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM.*AKI
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#763832July 4, 2002
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
TURNED IN DRIVEWAY AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK AND I WENT THRU THE GARAGE DOOR. BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK AND I HAD MY FOOT ON THE PEDAL. I CALLED A WRECKER AND HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THIS CAR. THEY DROVE IT AND CHECKED THE FLUID, SAID THEY CHECKED THE BRAKES BUT I ASSUME THEY DID NOT GET INSIDE THE BRAKE SYSTEM. THIS COULD OF HAD BEEN A LARGER PROBLEM IF I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND COULD NOT STOP. I KNOW MY FOOT WAS ON THE PEDDLE..PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS. I DON'T EVEN WANT TO GET BACK INTO THIS CAR IT SCARES ME.*AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#565969June 5, 2002
VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR
THE REAR WINDSHIELD SHATTERED AND THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE REAR WINDSHIELD WAS DEFECTIVE AND THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD REPLACE IT UNDER WARRANTY. *YH UPDATED *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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