Pontiac Sunfire Complaints (1998)

120 consumer complaints on file.

#10112345March 1, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
IN MY 98 SUNFIRE GT I HAVE SOME MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH YET I STILL OWN THE CAR. A LITTLE BIT AGO IT SEEMS LIKE MY EXHAUST PIPE FALLS OFF FROM THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD FROM THE FLANGE. WITH CAUSING YOUR CAR TO SOUND LIKE IT WAS A DRAG RACER. WELL I WENT TO PONTIAC AND FIGURED OUT THAT IT WAS GOING TO COST ME A PRETTY PENNY $500 SOME ODD DOLLARS. AND THE FUNNY THING IS THAT THIS HAS NOT JUST HAPPENED TO ME. IT HAS HAPPENED TO A FEW OF MY FRIENDS AS WELL. I DON'T HOW KNOW MANY TIMES YOU HAVE GOTTEN LETTERS ABOUT THE FAULTY EXHAUST FLANGES. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10105764January 4, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR USED IN OCTOBER OF 2000 IT HAD TO KEEP GOING BACK TO THE DEALER FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS BECAUSE THE ENGINE IN THE CAR KEPT CUTTING OUT WHILE DRIVING AROUND 55-60 MPH. DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. FINALLY AFTER THE 3RD MONTH THEY FOUND THE MAIN COMPUTER WAS BAD. THAT WAS REPLACED. IT RAN FINE UNTIL THE NEXT WINTER. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON & CAR KEPT STALLING WHEN AT STOP SIGNS/LIGHTS. TOOK TO DEALER HAD DIAGNOSTIC RAN WHICH READ FAULTY GAS CAP, TPS SENSOR.... I REPLACED THEM MYSELF. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT OUT TILL THE NEXT DAY. TOOK CAR BACK IN FOR DIAGNOSTIC WHICH READ FAULTY GAS CAP, TPS SENSOR,EGR ,COIL PACKS,GAS TANK SENSOR.....HAD DEALER WORK ON IT.... THEY COULD NOT SEE WHY ALL THIS STUFF WAS POPPING UP ....HAD IT ALL REPLACED. REPLACING IT DID NOT WORK. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN ABOUT 2 DAYS LATER!!! I CHECKED CAR OVER & FOUND IF YOU WIGGLED THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS CONNECTIONS THE CAR RAN FINE & ENGINE LIGHT WENT OUT! TOOK TO DEALER TO HAVE WIRING FIXED. THEY TOOK ALL THE WIRING APART & CLEANED EVERYTHING. THEY FOUND NO PROBLEM IN THE WIRING. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON NEXT DAY.TOOK TO DEALER AGAIN FINALLY THEY SAID I NEEDED A NEW BATTERY..... WEATHER WAS NICE AGAIN & HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH CAR.... NOW THAT WINTER IS HERE AGAIN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AGAIN , DIAGNOSTIC STATED TPS SENSOR WAS BAD... I AGAIN REPLACED IT & CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT OUT FOR A COUPLE HOURS & IS BACK ON AGAIN & CAR STALLS WHEN STOPPING & TRYING TO GO ....CAR IS AT DEALER RIGHT NOW AGAIN. THE WHOLE TIME THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON I ALSO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR STALLING.................... HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS FROM 2000 TO NOW & STILL HAVING PROBLEMS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10086679August 12, 2004
STEERING:RACK AND PINION:PINION SHAFT, EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL
MY CAR MAKES A CLUNKING NOISE WHENEVER I TURN TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT. THE FIRST TIME I HAD THE REPAIR WAS IN 2002 AT A PONTIAC DEALERSHIP AND WAS COVERED BY WARRANTY. HOWEVER THE PROBLEM HAS RETURNED AND I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP. THEY HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY ONLY GUARANTEE WORK DONE FOR A YEAR, WHICH LEAVES ME TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. I HAVE ALSO CONTACTED GMC AND THEY WILL NOT HELP COVER ANY CHARGES, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I WILL NEED THIS SAME PROBLEM FIXED. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS "SHAFT" PROBLEM SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF EITHER BY THE DEALERSHIP OR GMC. BY READING THE OTHER REPORTS HERE, IT'S OBVIOUS TO ME THAT THERE ARE OTHERS WHO ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. SO WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN A RECALL? WHY AM I RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PAYMENT WHEN IT'S A MANUFACTURER ISSUE?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10083180August 2, 2004
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH MY STEERING COLUMN. WHEN I TURN MY STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT, IT MAKES A BUMPING NOISE. IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME THE WHEEL IS TURNED TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT. NOW IT HAS GONE OUT AND THE RECALLS R THE SAME BUT THEY SAY IT DOES NOT COVER MY CAR I NEED TO KNOW HOW THIS IS GOING TO BE FIXED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10066708July 19, 2004
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THERE WAS A PLASTIC PIECE ON THE BUCKLE THAT KEPT THE LAP BELT IN PLACE WHEN THE SEAT BELT WAS FASTENED. BOTH FRONT SEAT BELT PLASTIC PIECES BROKE UPON FASTENING THE SEAT BELT. WHEN THIS OCCURRED THE LAP BELT SLID FREELY BACK AND FORTH AND FAILED TO RESTRAIN THE OCCUPANTS. *AK *SC *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10081305July 18, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY, EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL
I TOOK MY SUNFIRE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE SPECIFIED IGNITION SWITCH RECALL AND AM NOW HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY STARTER. THE STARTER I HAVE IS NOT EVEN ONE YEAR OLD - I AM SURE THIS HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE RECENT RECALL WORK DONE AT THE DEALERSHIP.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10075608June 3, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. TWO MONTHS LATER A RECALL WAS ISSUED AND PART REPAIRED, HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED. THE CONSUMER IWAS CONCERNED THAT THE VEHICLE WILL CATCH FIRE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10063578May 11, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
RECALL NO. 04V036000, IGNITION SWITCH: THE DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR THE RECALL BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS SALVAGED.*AK SINCE THE DEALER REFUSED REPAIR, VEHICLE DOESN'T START AND CAN NO LONGER BE DRIVEN. *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10065510April 5, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO COAST, AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10065399April 1, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ABS BRAKES FAILED 50% OF THE TIME WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. WHEN THIS FAILURE OCCURRED, VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN, BUT THEN THE FRONT BRAKES RELEASED, AND VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ROLL FORWARD. REAR BRAKES WERE THE ONLY BRAKES STOPPING THE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP SERVICED THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES FOR THIS ISSUE, BUT ONLY PERFORMED A BRAKE ADJUSTMENT. THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10064205March 30, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
I TOOK MY 98 SUNFIRE IN FOR SERVICE ON A RECALL ON THE IGNITION SWITCH. TWO DAYS LATER I BEGAN TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH MY STARTER. THE DEALER SUGGESTED A $400 REPLACEMENT OF MY STARTER AND AN $855 REPLACEMENT OF MY FLY WHEEL. IT SEEMS VERY UNLIKELY THAT THIS PROBLEM ISN'T RELATED TO THEIR WORK ON MY CAR DURING THE RECALL WORK.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10062071March 13, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
THE TEMPERATURE GUAGE FLUTTERS FROM TIME TO TIME. THEN IT WILL GO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO 0.WHEN IT STARTS TO FLUTTER AGAIN THE ENGINE SEEMS TO BE RACING. THE TACH. GUAGE WILL BOUNCE ABOUT 200-300 PRM. I ALSO NOTICED THAT WHEN THE CAR IS IN PARK AND YOU IDLE THE ENGINE UP TO ABOUT 3000 RPM, IT ACTS LIKE THERE IS A REV LIMITER. IT HAS NEVER DONE THAT UNTILL A FEW MONTHS AGO. THE CHECK ENGIN LIGHT HAS NEVER COME ON UNTIL TODAY. I CHANGED PLUGS AND PLUG WIRES AND IT DIDNT HELP AT ALL. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10058462February 19, 2004
STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
MY 1998 PONTIAC SUNFIRE CONVERTIBLE, HINGES HAVE CREATED HOLES IN THE INSIDE TOP, REAR OF THE CAR.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10058231February 16, 2004
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
THIS CONCERNS THE FUEL SYSTEM ON '98 (AND SIMILAR YEAR) PONTIAC SUNFIRES. ON DECEMBER 29, 2003 THIS VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE IN-LINE FUEL FILTER. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN LOSING ACCELERATION AND HAS 78,000 MILES ON IT. IT WAS TAKEN TO A PONTIAC DEALER FOR THE SERVICE. THE FILTER IS CONNECTED TO THE FUEL LINE WITH A 'SNAP' FITTING. UPON TRYING TO SERVICE THE FILTER, EITHER THE DEALER BROKE THE SNAP FITTING OR THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD DAMAGED IT (VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED WITH 45,000 MILES ON IT, AND THERE WERE NO LEAKS SO I SUSPECT THAT IT WASN'T DAMAGED). ALSO, THERE WAS A FAIR AMOUNT OF CORROSION ON AND IN THE FITTING. IN THE END, THE FILTER COULD NOT BE REPLACED WITHOUT CORRECTING THE 'SNAP' FITTING. TO MY SURPRISE THE FUEL LINE COULD NOT BE REPLACED AS A SEPARATE PIECE, YOU HAVE TO PURCHASE THE ENTIRE FUEL DELIVERY MODULE. THIS COST (WITH THE TECHNICIAN TIME) WAS $ 425 VS. $50 FOR A FILTER REPLACEMENT. IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT SINCE THE FILTER IS A CRITICAL PART OF THE SYSTEM (A CLOGGED FILTER COULD RESULT IN VEHICLE STALLS AND/OR NO STARTS, EMISSION ISSUES ETC.) THAT IT SHOULD HAVE SOME SORT OF REASONABLE WAY TO REPLACE IT WITHOUT PAYING FOR AN ENTIRE MODULE THAT WAS NOT NEEDED. THE FILTER IS A RECOMMENDED SERVICE ITEM. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10058181February 15, 2004
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH MY STEERING COLUMN. WHEN I TURN MY STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT, IT MAKES A BUMPING NOISE. IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME THE WHEEL IS TURNED TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT. IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING IS KNOCKING.*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
#10040640September 25, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
CONSUMER PREFERS TO SEND A MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ENGINE FAILURE. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10038471September 9, 2003
TIRES
WQHILE DRIVING AT 60 PMH DRIVER HEARD NOISE FROM REAR LEFT TIRE. CONSUMER PULLED OVER IN NOTICED A BLOWN TIRE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10029932August 7, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE)
CONSUMER WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE EGR VALVE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK WHILE DRIVING THE EGR VALVE BECAME STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO ROUGH OR STALL WITHOUT WARNING. *PH *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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