Pontiac Sunfire Complaints

1,141 consumer complaints on file.

#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
#10277533July 20, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I HAD A 1999 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. IT WAS PARKED OUTSIDE OF RESIDENCE WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THIS WAS A FEW YEARS AGO APPROXIMATELY AROUND JULY OF 2006. PONTIAC DID NOT ACCEPT FAULT. THEY SAID THE FIRE DESTROYED ANY EVIDENCE OF A DEFECT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10270065May 27, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY BECAME EXTREMELY DIM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND REPAIRED ACCORDING TO A SAFETY RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR IDENTICAL FAILURES, BUT THE REPAIRS DID NOT CORRECT THE ISSUE. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10270104May 27, 2009
STEERING
THE STEERING WHEEL WAS SO LOOSE IT HAD RADIAL AND AXIAL PLAY. THE CAR WAS HARD TO STEER BECAUSE OF THE COLLAPSED STEERING WHEEL. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEIR FINDING WAS A "WORN PART" WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN. IT WAS A PIN TYPE OF COMPONENT THAT WAS USED TO PIVOT AND MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC. THE CHARGE TO FIX THE PROBLEM WAS ESTIMATED AT $729 TO REPLACE THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN. THE CAR WAS DRIVEN HOME AND PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY WHERE A COMPLAINT IS BEING FILED. HOW CAN A COMPONENT BE WORN FROM ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL PARTS OF A CAR AND NOT BE CONSIDERED A DEFECT? THE FUNNIEST THING WAS WHEN THE SERVICE PERSONNEL GAVE THE KEYS TO THE MECHANIC HE SAID, "BE CAREFUL DRIVING THAT THING, IT'S DANGEROUS". DRIVING 65MPH ON AN INTERSTATE AND YOUR STEERING WHEEL COLLAPSING IS NOT ANYTHING I WOULD LIKE MY WORST ENEMY TO EXPERIENCE. I DON'T WANT TO BE THE FIRST PERSON TO BE INJURED OR DIE IN A CAR CRASH FOR THIS TO FINALLY BE A RECALL. *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
#10265560April 16, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
LEFT SIDE REAR BLINKER LIGHT GOES OUT SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON OTHER PONTIAC SUNFIRES BUT FOR YEARS OTHER THAN THE ONE I HAVE. APPARENTLY THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE WIRING. I CAN WIGGLE THE BULB AND IT WILL WORK UNTIL I HIT A BUMP AND THEN IT IS OUT AGAIN. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON 2004 PONTIAC SUNFIRES AS WELL AS THE OTHER YEARS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10265375April 14, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
MY GAUGES (ALL BUT THE SPEEDOMETER) HAVE GONE CRAZY! THE FUEL GAUGE AND TEMP GAUGE ARE THE WORST. SOMETIMES THE TACHOMETER , THOUGH NOT OFTEN. MY FUEL GAUGE NEVER READS CORRECT AND SOMETIMES POINTS DIRECTLY DOWN OR IS INTO THE SPEEDOMETER. MY TEMP GAUGE EITHER NEVER MOVES OR ONCE IT MOVES, IT STAYS STUCK IN THE NEW LEVEL. IT SOMETIMES GETS INTO THE TACHOMETER CAUSING THAT ONE TO STOP WORKING. IT SOMETIMES GOES BACK TO NORMAL IF THE CAR IS TURNED ON AND OFF MANY, MANY TIMES. OTHER TIMES THAT DOESN'T EVEN WORK. IT OCCURS ALL THE TIME AND FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS THEY HAVE BEEN STUCK. I WOULD GET IT REPAIRED, BUT CAN'T AFFORD THE COSTS. *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
#10263636March 30, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
THE SPEEDOMETER ON MY 2004 PONTIAC SUNFIRE STICKS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND DOES NOT RETURN TO 0MPH WHEN I STOP. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IT WILL BE PEGGED ALL THE WAY TO MAX. THIS CONDITION SEEMS TO BE WORSE WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS COLD. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED THAT THE TACHOMETER WILL DO THE SAME THING BUT IS NOT AS BAD AS THE SPEEDOMETER. WHEN THE ENGINE IS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED THE TACH WILL RESET BACK TO 0. *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
#10262702March 22, 2009
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
FEBRUARY 2007 HAD VEHICLE SERVICED AND WAS TOLD REAR CALIPERS NEEDED REPLACEMENT. WORK WAS COMPLETED TOTALING $875. WITHIN A WEEK, THE BRAKES LOCKED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SKID AND FAILURE TO STOP. NEARLY HIT A PEDESTRIAN IN CROSS WALK AT 20 MPH. RETURNED TO SERVICE, WAS TOLD ADJUSTMENTS NEEDED TO THE ABS BRAKES SYSTEM. SERVICE COMPLETED. 4 WEEKS LATER THE VEHICLES BRAKE SYSTEM LOCKED UP AND A GRINDING NOISE OCCURRED. RETURNED FOR SERVICE, PADS REPLACED, BRAKES ADJUSTED PER THE MECHANIC. 3 MONTHS HAVE PASSED NOW AND NOW THE ABS BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATES PERIODICALLY AND NOW WITHIN THREE MONTHS OF REPLACEMENT OF THE BRAKE PADS AND ADJUSTMENTS TO THE ABS SYSTEM, I AGAIN NOTICE THE VEHICLE VEERING RIGHT WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES AND THE REAR BRAKES TEND TO LOCK AT SPEEDS OF 20 TO 35 MPH WITH A LIGHT SCRAPPING AND/OR GRINDING NOISE AGAIN. THE MECHANIC INFORMED ME THEY HAVE COMPLETED AND REPAIRED THE BRAKES TO THE VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS AND CANNOT SERVICE ORE REPAIR IT ANY FURTHER. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH, IT APPEARS SEVERAL OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM OR INCIDENT OCCUR, UNFORTUNATELY RESULTING IN A CRASH. I AM REQUESTING A FURTHER INVESTIGATION TO BE COMPLETED ON THE GM ABS SYSTEMS FOR THIS VEHICLE. BRAKES SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED 3 TIMES IN A TWO YEAR TIME SPAN. THERE IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE ASSEMBLY OR DESIGN OF THIS ABS SYSTEM. I HAVE REPLACED THE ROTORS, BRAKE PADS, CALIPERS ON THIS VEHICLE TOTALING NEARLY $2,000. I MUST COMMUTE TO WORK ON TWO MAJOR FREEWAYS IN LOS ANGELES, WHICH IF AN ABS FAILURE OCCURS, COULD RESULT IN A CRASH WITH SEVERE OR FATAL INJURIES TO MYSELF AND/OR PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10262706March 22, 2009
STEERING:RACK AND PINION, STEERING
FEBRUARY 25, 2009 - NOTICED WHEN USING THE TILT STEERING LEVER, THE STEERING COLUMN DID NOT LOCK AT CERTAIN LEVELS (LOWER POSITION). WITHIN A WEEK OF NOTICING THIS PROBLEM, I NOTICE THE STEERING COLUMN SEEMED LOOSE AND WHEN IT WAS DIFFICULT AT TIMES WHEN TURNING LEFT. IN ONE INCIDENT, NEARLY LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE VEERED INTO MY LANE ON THE FREEWAY AT SPEEDS OF 65 MPH. I HAD TO OVER COMPENSATE THE IMMEDIATE TURN TO AVOID LOOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHING. MARCH 13, 2009 - NOISE HEARD WHEN TURNING OR STEERING THE VEHICLE. CHECK POWER STEERING FLUID - SLIGHTLY LOW, ADDED POWER STEERING FLUID - NOISE WENT AWAY. MARCH 14, 2009 - NOTICED POWER STEERING FLUID LEAK NEAR BOTH FRONT WHEELS. NOISE AGAIN HEARD - IT APPEARS THE RACK AND PINION STEERING IS THE PROBLEM. THIS WAS A PREVIOUS RECALL BY GM (NHTSA NO 02V286000) AND MY VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED IN 2003 BASED ON THE RECALL. FURTHER RESEARCH INDICATES THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER CONSUMERS AFTER THE REPAIRS HAD BEEN MADE BY A GM CERTIFIED MECHANIC AT A DEALERSHIP. THE GM DEALERSHIP DOES NOT WANT TO REPAIR THEIR PREVIOUS WORK AT NO CHARGE. I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE REPAIRED AT NO COST TO ME, AS IT WAS A PREVIOUS RECALL, SERVICED WHEN NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL AND CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM THAT COULD OR WILL RESULT IN A CRASH OR INJURIES TO THE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS SHOULD THE STEERING LOCK-UP DUE TO THE RACK AND PINION FAILURE. MARCH 15, 2009 - TILT STEERING DOES NOT WORK AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS IN ONE POSITION, ALL THE WAY UP AND TENDS TO EXTEND MORE LEFT THAN RIGHT. IT APPEARS A PIN ON THE STEERING COLUMN HAS FALLEN OUT AND IS LOOSE INSIDE THE STEERING COLUMN. REMOVED IGNITION COVERING AND FOUND METAL PIN FOR THE STEERING COLUMN HAD POPPED OUT, NOW CAUSING THE TILT STEERING TO LOCK IN THE MOST UPWARD POSITION AND EXTEND LEFT. RESULTS IN THE DRIVER OVER CORRECTING TO MAKE TURNS AND A CRASH WITH INJURY WHAMMY OCCUR. *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
#10261665March 12, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
2001 PONTIAC SUNFIRE RUNNING LIGHTS WILL NOT WORK. THEY WILL FLICKER WHEN THE CAR IS PUT INTO GEAR AND THEN SHUT OFF COMPLETELY. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AS WELL AS THE SERVICE (WRENCH) LIGHT AT THE TIME OF THE RUNNING LIGHTS FAILING. I BEGAN USING THE HIGHBEAMS ONLY (UNTIL I COULD FIGURE OUT THE RUNNING LIGHT) AND THEY WILL NOT WORK NOW. THE HEADLIGHTS WILL STILL FLASH WHEN THE LOCK BUTTON IS USED ON THE KEY REMOTE. I HAVE GOTTEN PULLED OVER FOR MY HEADLIGHTS NOT WORKING BECAUSE MY HIGHBEAMS FAILED IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING THE VEHICLE. I NOW HAVE NO HEADLIGHTS AND HAVE BEEN READING INTERNET DISCUSSION BOARDS OF MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM. MANY ARE SAYING THAT GM KNOWS OF THIS PROBLEM AND REFUSE TO RECALL THE PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10260055February 26, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, INTERIOR LIGHTING, VISIBILITY
THIS CAR WAS BOUGHT BRAND NEW. SINCE IT'S PURCHASE WE HAVE HAD MANY ISSUES. WE HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT LESS THAN 20,000 (IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY THOUGH). MY POWER WINDOWS HAVE ALL STOPPED WORKING AND HAVE BEEN REPLACED (I'VE HAD TO BUY 7 DIFFERENT ONES), MY CIGARETTE LIGHTER FUSE HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE, I HAVE ALSO HAD THE PROBLEMS WITH MY HEADLIGHTS AND THEY HAVE HAD SHORTS AND THE WIRING HAS NEEDED REPLACED ON BOTH SIDES, AND LAST FINALLY MY SWITCH ON MY DRIVER DOOR THAT TURNS THE DOME LIGHT ON AND THE RADIO OFF HAS NEEDED CHANGED 3 TIMES NOW! WE HAVE HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR AND I WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND THIS CAR TO ANYONE!! *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
#10259473February 20, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEAD LIGHTS FAIL FOR NO REASON AND AT ANY TIME. THIS CAN INCLUDE BOTH HIGH AND LOW BEAM AND FOG LIGHTS. HAS BEEN REPAIRED NOW FOR THE 5TH TIME AT A GM DEALER SHIP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Pontiac Sunfire