Pontiac Sunfire Complaints (1997)

190 consumer complaints on file.

#897398October 5, 2001
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CONTINUES TO TURN ON, AND INSIDE CAB THERE IS A SMELL LIKE SOMETHING IS BURNING. ALSO, AN INTERNAL COOLANT LEAK. CONTACTED DEALER.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#752549September 25, 2001
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY SHAFT BROKE IN HALF, RESULTING IN TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#895881September 6, 2001
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED UNDER NOMAL STOPPING CONDITIONS PEDAL BECAME HARD, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DRIVER STOPPED VEHICLE WITH EMERGENCY BRAKE. DEALER HAS INSPECTED AND REPAIRED VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK REPAIR SHOP STATED THE BRAKES WERE WORN, CONSUMER STATES THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME STUCK. *SLC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#750206August 10, 2001
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS REST IN A VERTICAL POISITION WHEN SHUT OFF.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#750208August 10, 2001
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
I WAS IN ACCIDENT AT 45 MPH. A VEHICLE TURNED IN LANE AND STOPPED, I HIT MY BRAKES, AND MY VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW. I HIT HIS CAR AND PUSHED IT APPX. 15 FEET. I DROPPED IT IN NEUTRAL AND THAT HELPED. THE ACCIDENT TOTALED MY VEHICLE. I FELT THAT THE BRAKES DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY.*AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#890959June 21, 2001
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 55 MPH ACCELERATOR GOT STUCK, AND THE BRAKES COULD NOT STOP VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD TO SHIFT TO NEUTRAL TO CONTROL VEHICLE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#888054May 11, 2001
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 60MPH CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. VEHICLE WENT OFF OF FREEWAY AND IMPACTED A CEMENT BARRIER. INSURANCE ADJUSTER AND DEALERSHIP EXAMINED VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT INNER TIE ROD SHEARED OFF WHICH CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *THE MECHANIC AT DEALERSHIP REFERRED TO 4 PREVIOUS INCIDENTS WHICH RESULTED IN DEATHS BECAUSE OF THIS.*AK *JB
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#743005March 25, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
SINCE THE ACCIDENT I HAVE COMPLAINED OF THUMPING AND CLANKING NOISES.. CAR STARTED TO STALL UNDER 1X RPM... ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, POSSIBLE SOLUTION WAS CRANKSHAFT. THEN THEY SAID IT WAS POSSIBLY A BUSHING. I NOTICED IN YOUR FILES SOMEONE ELSE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY SUCH PROBLEMS ON A CAR THAT IS PAMPERED AND LOW MILES. THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CAR ACCIDENT???*AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#742860March 22, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HEAD GASKET HAS EXTERNAL WATER LEAK AT DRIVER SIDE, FRONT AREA. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#880686February 15, 2001
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WITHOUT A PRIOR WARNING. FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT FIRE HAD STARTED UNDER HOOD. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#879509January 31, 2001
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING IN A VERY BAD SNOW STORM AT APPROXIMATE SPEED OF 40MPH AND COMING DOWN AN INCLINE. TRYING TO AVOID HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE, CONSUMER CRASHED INTO A BRICK WALL. DRIVER'S AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. CAR WAS TOTALLED. SEAT BELT WAS BEING WORN AT THE TIME. CONSUMER SUFFERED CHEST INJURIES. NO RESPONSE FROM PONTIAC, THEY WERE COLLECTING INFORMATION.*AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#738521December 30, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE THREW A ROD.TALKED TO OTHERS THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM.EVEN ON MULTIPLE ENGINES. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#738120December 21, 2000
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD IN THE EVENING HOURS AND LIGHTS FAILED. THE LIGHTS QUIT WORKING AND FOUND OUT BY PUTTING SOMETHING BEHIND THE DIMMER SWITCH THAT THE LIGHTS WOULD COME BACK ON. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE SWITCH IN APRIL 2000 HOWEVER IN DEC 2000 THE SAME SWITCH HAS FAILED AGAIN. I HAVE CONTACTED PONTIAC CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THAT DUE TO THE MILEAGE IT WAS MY RESPOSIBILITY TO REPAIR. DUE TO THE FACT THAT I PAID APPROXIMATELY $170.00 IN APRIL 2000 I FEEL THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE ABLE TO AID IN GETTING THIS REPAIRED AT NO CHARGE TO ME.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#737759December 13, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
ENGINE SHUTS OFF WITHOUT WARNING, WHILE DRIVING. FAILS TO START WHEN COLD AND ALSO AFTER DRIVING. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TWICE IN FOUR DAYS. FUEL PUMP WAS INITIALLY THOUGHT TO BE THE PROBLEM. TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP 2 TIMES IN 7 DAYS AFTER THE $700 FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENT. ALTHOUGH TECHNICIANS ARE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO HELP ME, THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. IN MY OPINION, THE NHTSA SHOULD CONSIDER ANY VEHICLE THAT STOPS ON THE FREEWAY UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND WORTHY OF INVESTIGATION. THANK YOU, IN ADVANCE, FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE..
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#875210November 20, 2000
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR, SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
STEERING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO STEERING COLUMN BREAKING. ALSO, SEATBELT LOCKED UP WHEN MAKING A HARD RIGHT TURN. DEALER REPLACED SEATBELT, BUT PROBLEM IS STILL REOCCURRING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#735049October 24, 2000
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#730846September 9, 2000
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
WHEN DRIVING THROUGH ANY PUDDLE MORE THAN 2-3 INCHES DEEP, POWER STEERING GOES OUT, BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON, AND IF LIGHTS ARE ON THEY DIM DOWN ALMOST TO OFF. I LIVE IN A PLACE WHERE IT RAINS A LOT EVERYDAY AND THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM WHEN TRYING TO MAKE A TURN. THE AUTHORIZED DEALER IN MY AREA HAS STATED THAT THERE HAS BEEN AT LEAST 3 OTHER REPORTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL TO HIS DEALERSHIP (ATKINS KROLL, GUAM). THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#729751August 31, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE HEAD PISTON BOLT BROKE WHICH RESULTED IN THE DAMAGE OF THE ENGINE PISTON. ALL MECHANICS I SPOKE TO SAID THAT IT COULD ONLY HAPPEN IF I WAS GOING AT SPEEDS OF EXCESS OF OVER 100 M.P.H. WHICH I WASN'T BECAUSE I STOPPED THE CAR QUICKLY ENOUGH TO STOP FURTHER PISTON DAMAGE. IF I DIDN'T, THE MECHANICS TOLD ME I MIGHT HAVE HAD TO BUY A NEW ENGINE OR SO THEY TOLD ME. PEOPLE TELL ME THAT THE ENGINE PISTON BOLT BREAKING IS A VERY, VERY RARE OCCURENCE AND THAT IT COULD BE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. PLEASE LOOK INTO IT SO I CAN BE ABSOLUTELY SURE IF IT WAS THE COMPANY'S FAULT OR MINE IN HAVING TO PAY $800.00 FOR SOMETHING I SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT HAVE PAID. THANK YOU.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#728282August 17, 2000
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDOW AND STAY THERE. THE WIPERS WOULD NOT PARK. I HAVE NOTICED 5 OTHER PONTIAC SUNFIRES ON THE ROAD THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. IT SEEM LIKE I KEEP HAVING TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM. I REALLY THINK IT IS ODD THAT I SEE SO MANY OTHER SUNFIRES OUT IN THE COMMUNITY WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#865244July 11, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 55MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND HEARD A RUMBLING NOISE. WHEN SHE APPLIED THE GAS PEDAL THERE WAS A LOUD RAMBLING NOISE. SHE LOOKED IN HER REARVIEW MIRRIOR AND SAW WHITE SMOKE THOUGH THE WINDOW. CONSUMER GOT OUT OF CAR AND DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING. SHE GOT INTO THE VEHICLE AND STARTED IT, AND WHITE SMOKE CAME FROM THE HOOD. CAR WAS TURN OFF. SHE GOT OUT OF VEHICLE, AND LIFTED THE HOOD, AND NOTICED A BIG GIANT WHOLE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. A PIPE WAS BUSTED, AND OIL WAS LEAK OUT FROM THE ENGINE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Pontiac Sunfire