Pontiac Sunfire Complaints

1,141 consumer complaints on file.

#10052893January 12, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
MY BROTHER OWNS A 1997 PONTIAC SUNFIRE WITH ONLY 47,000 MILES ON IT AND THE ENGINE SEIZED (NEEDING ENGINE REPLACED ESTIMATED COST $3,500). I UNDERSTAND THE CAR IS ABOUT 6 YEARS OLD BUT THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN MINIMAL MILES. GM DEALERSHIP DID A DIAGNOSIS COSTING US $289 AND CONCLUDED PER THE INVOICE: PERFORM TEAR DOWN ON ENGINE - REMOVE VALVE COVER AND FOUND VALVE SPRING ON #2 CYLINDER BROKEN - REMOVE CYLINDER HEAD AND FOUND HEAD OF VALVE HAD GONE THROUGH TOP OF PISTON AND SCORED CYLINDER WALL. THE DEALERSHIP QUOTED US COST OF THE FOLLOWING: $3,250 FOR A BRAND NEW ONE WITH A 3 YEAR/75,000 MILE WARRANTY OR $1,400 FOR A USED ENGINE WITH 88,000 MILES ON IT (NO WARRANTY) OR $1,600 FOR A USED ENGINE WITH 62,000 MILES ON IT (NO WARRANTY). NOW, I SCRATCH MY HEAD AND WONDER HOW GM JUSTIFIES US PAYING ALMOST $1,500 OF A USED ENGINE WITH MORE MILES ON THE ENGINE THAN THE ENGINE WE ALREADY HAVE AT 47,000 MILES THAT DOES NOT WORK. AFTER THREE WEEKS WE HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED A REPUTABLE AUTO SERVICE FOR $1,089. THE AUTO SERVICE SUGGESTED TAKING PHOTOS OF A PART IN THE ENGINE NOTED ABOVE TO BE DEFECTIVE. THE AUTO SERVICE SAID THIS PART SHOULD NEVER HAVE BROKEN ON A VEHICLE WITH ONLY 47,000 MILES. WE INFORMED GM CUSTOMER SERVICE OF THIS DEFECTIVE PART AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE PICTURES BUT GM HAS DONE NOTHING TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. I THOUGHT GM MIGHT LOOK FURTHER INTO INVESTIGATION OF THE DEFECTIVE PART BUT NO. I DO NOT WANT THIS TO HAPPEN TO SOMEONE ELSE. IS THIS A REALISTIC EXPECTATION TO HAVE THIS COSTLY REPAIR AT 47,000 MILES? CAN WE DO ANYTHING ELSE? *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10053691January 8, 2004
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER A YEAR AGO FOR RECALL REPAIRS ON THE LOWER PINION BEARING. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS STICKING WHEN TURNING LEFT. CONSUMER FELT LUCKY NO OTHER VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN THE OTHER LANE WHEN THIS HAPPENED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10052526January 6, 2004
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH
THE HEADLIGHTS GO OUT UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN THE DIMMER SWITCH IS MOVED TO OR OPERATED IN LOW BEAM. FAULTY DIMMER SWITCH. I HAD TO PUT A PIECE OF PAPER IN THE SWITCH SO I WOULDN'T HIGH BEAM EVERYONE ON THE WAY HOME ONE NIGHT.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10051991December 23, 2003
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT
WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL THE CONSUMER COULD HEAR A LOUD POPPING NOISE WHICH CAME FROM THE FRONT END. THE STEERING WHEEL ALSO JERKED AWAY FROM THE CONSUMER. THE CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM HAS YET TO BE DETERMINE. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10050639December 17, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
FRONT ROTORS ON THE CAR ARE DEFECTIVE. MY CAR WAS BROUGHT IN AT 6000 MILES WITH A COMPLAINT OF WARPED ROTORS CAUSING A VIBRATION UPON BRAKEING. AT THAT TIME I WAS TOLD THE ROTORS "WERE WITHIN SPECS". I BROUGHT THE CAR IN AT 14000 MILES WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT AND THE ROTORS WERE "RESURFACED AND THE PADS WERE BUFFED". I DID NOT RECEIVE THE CAR WITH RESURFACED ROTORS AND BUFFED PADS. THIS HAS BEEN A COMPLAINT SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN FEBRUARY 2003. I FEEL SINCE THE CAR CAME WITH A DEFECTIVE PART, THE ROTORS AND THE BRAKE PADS SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH NEW ONES. THIS COULD BE A LIFE THREATING PROBLEM IF THE BRAKES FAIL DUE TO DEFECTIVE ROTORS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10050327December 10, 2003
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 35 MPH. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10050258December 8, 2003
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL
CONSUMER REPLACED DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL BULBS FOUR TIMES. CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT THIS WAS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE WHEN PREPARING TO MAKE A TURN, AND LOOKING IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR A VEHICLE WAS RIGHT NEXT TO HER. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10049089December 3, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
FAILURE OF HEAD GASKET AT LESS THAN 64,000 MILES. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT WITH THE SUNFIRE MODEL ALTHOUGH THERE HAS BEEN NO OFFICIAL RECALL FOR THIS. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10049891December 2, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH MUFFLER FELL OFF INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10048886November 30, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
HEAD GASKET ON MY 96 PONTIAC SUNFIRE BLEW AND CAUSED MY CAR TO STALL IN TRAFFIC AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WITH MY FAMILY ABOARD. MY CAR WENT FROM 195 OPERATING TEMP TO 260 WITH IN 1 MINUTE. THE CAR COULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE AND CAUSED TREMENDOUS INJURIES.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10047290November 21, 2003
STRUCTURE:BODY
SHE WAS INVOLVED IN A ACCIDENT WHERE THE LADY HIT HER ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE CAR. I HAVE SEEN ON TV WHERE THIS CAR HAS A VERY BAD SIDE IMPACT RATING, AND ALSO ON THIS WEBSITE. THE WOMAN WHO HIT HER GOT TWO BROKEN LEGS, THE DRIVER OF THE PONTIAC SUNFIRE DIED. SHE SUFFERED A BROKEN BRAIN STEM, PELVIS, ARMS, AND FEMUR. *LA
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
1
#10047209November 19, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE ON 06/1999 BRAND NEW WITH ONLY 122 MILES. WITHIN A FEW MONTHS IT DIDN'T START. I CALLED THE DEALER AND ADVISED THEM OF THE SITUATION. THEY COULDN'T FIND OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT? ABOUT TWO DAYS LATER THEY TOLD ME THAT THE GAS TANK HAD SUGAR IN IT??? SINCE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY THEY FIXED IT I HAD TO PAY $500.00. WHICH I FEEL WAS A DISCREPANCY ON THEIR DIAGNOSIS?? ON 06/00 THE VEHICLE AGAIN WOULD NOT START AND THIS TIME THEY ADVISED ME THAT IT WAS MY BATTERY? A FEW DAYS LATER THE CAR KEPT TUGGING AND JERKING. I DROVE IT TO THE DEALER AGAIN.THEIR DIAGNOSIS THIS TIME WAS: ENGINE CUTS OUT UNDER LOAD; PLUG WIRES ARE DEFECTIVE;PER TECH BULLETIN#00032.THAT SAME DAY MY STERIO CD PLAYER GAVE OUT! IT KEPT READING ERROR CODE, AND MY CARPET CAME LOOSE FROM THE PASSENGERS SIDE? ON 08/00 THE CAR BEGAN TO STALL AGAIN, IT WAS PULLING BACK AND FORTH,IT LEFT ME STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT! THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE NEAREST DEALER SHIP.THEY FIGUREF OUT THAT IT WAS A WIRING TO MOTOR BROKEN CODE P0507, IAC MOTOR. ON 09/00 MY RADIO AGAIN WENT OUT;HAD TO BE SENT OUT FOR REPAIR? ON 03/01 THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON. I TOOK IT AGAIN TO THE DEALER SHIP AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE INTAKE AIR TEMP SENSOR. I DECLINED THE DEALERS SERVICE SINCE I HAVE LOST CONFIDENCE IN THEIR WORK PERFORMANCE. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND HE FIXED THE PROBLEMS THAT IT HAD; FUEL INJECTION, VALVE COVER, SERP V-BELT, WHL CYLINDES L/R, TEMP SENSOR @ A COST OF $450.00. NOW I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS TURNING ON AND THE VEHICLE IS STALLING AND SHAKING. I TOOK IT TO THE SAME LOCAL MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME THAT IN THE SYSTEM IT CAME UP AS THE AIR TEMP SENSOR. WHEN HE TESTED THE SENSOR, IT CAME UP AS WORKING PROPERLY. HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS??? BY THE WAY MY STERIO AND CARPET ARE STILL DEFECTIVE BUT NOW I FEEL LIKE, WHY COMPLAIN?? DO YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS ON THIS MATTER?*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10048178November 18, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED THREE TIMES. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10046542November 7, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
UPON PULLING HOOD RELEASE LATCH INSIDE THE VEHICLE THE HOOD FAILED TO OPEN TO SECONDARY LATCH. THE MECHANISM WAS INOPERATIVE DUE TO BATTERY ACID LEAKING ONTO HOOD RELEASE CABLE, CORRODING IT. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10043852October 29, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES, EQUIPMENT
CAR STOPS ACCELERATING WHILE DRIVING THEN DIES. BEEN GOING ON SINCE AUGUST AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. GENERATING NUMEROUS COMMUNICATION ERRORS. HAD THE COMPUTER REPLACED THOUGHT THIS WAS THE PROBLEM BUT IT DID NOT FIX THE ISSUE. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS 8/5/03 AND IT WAS IN THE SHOP FOR A WEEK WITH NO RESOLUTION. IT RAN FOR A COUPLE MORE DAYS THEN DID IT AGAIN THE FOLLOWING WEEK AROUND 8/11/03. THIS WENT ON THROUGH AUGUST IN AND OUT OF THE SHOP AT WHICH TIME I RENTED A CAR TO GET BACK AND FORTH TO WORK SINCE THE PROBLEM WAS GRADUALLY GETTING WORSE AND BEING BROKEN DOWN ON THE FREEWAY WAS GETTING TO BE A DANGEROUS PROBLEM. THE COMPUTER WAS REPLACED ON 10/22/03 AND IT DIED WHEN I DROVE OFF. CAR HAS BEEN TOWED 3 TIMES DUE TO NOT STARTING RIGHT BACK UP AND BEING STRANDED ON THE FREEWAY. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR OVER A WEEK AS OF TODAY 10/29/03 AND DEALER IS TELLING ME THAT IT IS THE OXYGEN SENSORS BUT CANNOT GUARANTEE THE WORK. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10044774October 27, 2003
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS LOCKED AND UNLOCKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHILE DRIVING. THE DOOR MECHANISM WAS THE PROBLEM. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10026967October 27, 2003
STEERING
WHEN TURNING TO THE LEFT, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOCKED AND THE CONSUMER HIT A POLE. DRIVER FEELS VERY LUCKY THAT THE STEERING WHEEL DIDN'T LOCK WHILE AT A HIGH SPEED. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *SCC *JB
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10043399October 22, 2003
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS
I HAVE A 97 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. IT HAS A FAULTY FUEL INJECTOR WHICH LEAKS ALL OVER MY ENGINE. THE FUMES BLOW INTO MY VENTS AND IS HARD TO BEAR. I ALSO HAVE THREE SMALL CHILDREN AND DON'T WANT THEM EVEN IN THE CAR BUT IT IS ALL I HAVE TO DRIVE. I CALLED DEALERS AND THEY SAID IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH SAFETY OR ANY RECALL, BUT THE CAR IS ONLY SIX YEARS OLD AND IN GREAT MECHANICAL SHAPE. IT HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF SO I DO NOT SEE WHY THE FUEL INJECTOR SHOULD BE FAULTY ALREADY. I FEEL AS THOUGH GM WONT HELP ME AT ALL. THIS IS APART THAT SHOULD NOT BE BAD SO SOON. THANKS. *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#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
#10042887October 14, 2003
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT A STOP SIGN AND WITHOUT WARNING LEFT FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT SNAPPED IN TWO. WHEN THIS OCCURRED, LEFT WHEEL ALMOST CAME COMPLETELY OFF. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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