Pontiac Sunfire Complaints

1,141 consumer complaints on file.

#10346427July 30, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF A 1999 PONTIAC SUNFIRE, 4DR, 2.2 LITER ENGINE, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE WIRING HARNESS AT THE DRIVERS DOOR FRAME, AT THE CONNECTION OF THE UNDERDASH HARNESS AND THE REAR OF VEHICLE HARNESS SHORTED, CAUSING THE INSULATION TO CATCH FIRE. THIS SITUATION SHORTED OTHER CIRCUITS IN THE HARNESS CAUSING BRAKING PROBLEMS WITH THE ANTI-LOCK SYSTEM. VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE STOPPED SAFELY, AND THE DRIVER, WITH GOOD SAMARITAN ASSISTANCE WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. FIRE RENDERED THE HOOD LATCH INOPERATIVE. THIS PREVENTED THE DRIVER FROM DISCONNECTING THE BATTERY GROUND CABLE, TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE AND/OR FIRE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10346100July 29, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
2005 PONTIAC SUNFIRE, 36000 MILES, MFG DATE 2-2005 BEGINNING APPROXIMATELY 2 MONTHS AGO, THE SPEEDOMETER HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY UNRELIABLE TO THE POINT OF TOTAL FAILURE. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE COMPOUNDED BY HIGHER TEMPERATURES AS IT IS WORSE WHEN CAR GETS HOT FROM SITTING IN SUN AND LESS SO WHEN AMBIENT TEMPS ARE COOLER AS IN THE MORNING. AS A LOT OF MY DRIVING IS DONE IN CITY AND IN LOWER SPEED LIMIT AREAS, THIS PRESENTS A SAFETY ISSUE NOT ONLY FOR MYSELF BUT FOR OTHERS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10341693July 6, 2010
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC SUNFIRE, WITH COOPER, TREND SETTER SE, SIZE P195/15/R15 REPLACEMENT TIRES. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH THE PASSENGER FRONT TIRE SEPARATED AND THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE STEEL BELT. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE SAFELY ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE. THE CONTACT SATED THE TIRE DID NOT DEFLATE; HOWEVER, THE WHEEL WELL AND THE REAR TIRE WERE DAMAGED. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED AT A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. THE LOCAL MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE WAS ALSO CRACKED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WERE 90,000. UPDATED 12/30/10
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10334335June 2, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL OF THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL STOPPED FUNCTIONING WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING 50 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER MALFUNCTIONED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 70,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10333882May 30, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
THE GAS GAUGE IS HAVING MAJOR PROBLEMS ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS REALLY HOT OR COLD OUTSIDE. THE GAS GAUGE WILL GO THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION INTO THE SPEEDOMETER. NOW IT IS STUCK ON THE DASH AND WILL NOT MOVE. I ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE SPEEDOMETER GETTING STUCK. IT WAS TELLING ME I WAS DOING 100MPH WHILE I WAS STOPPED. THIS IS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING BECAUSE I AM NOT ABLE TO TELL HOW MUCH GAS I HAVE IN MY TANK AND HOW FAST I AM GOING. THIS ITEM REALLY NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10321705March 24, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. UPON STARTING THE ENGINE AT NIGHT, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER BUT THERE WERE NO REPAIRS MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10321990March 23, 2010
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
1999 PONTIAC SUNFIRE, VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. *BF WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER FELT A THUMP AND BEGAN TO LOOSE POWER. ONCE THE CONSUMER STOPPED, HE NOTICED FIRE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0699-90.*JB UPDATED 04/14/10 *BF
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10320296March 16, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
CAN'T RECALL EVENTS LEADING UP TO FAILURE. THE SPEEDOMETER IS ALWAYS REGISTERING 100 MPH EVEN WHEN IT IS NOT MOVING. SOMETIMES IT WILL REGISTER TO 70 MPH, BY RUNNING BACKWARDS FROM 100, WHILE IT IS MOVING. I DID SOME RESEARCH TO FIND OUT THE HISTORY OF THIS PROBLEM. I FOUND WHERE GM SETTLED IN A CLASS ACTION FOR THIS DEFECT WHICH LISTED MY CAR AS A CAR THAT HAD THIS FAULTY COMPONENT, BUT MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE SETTLEMENT. I SEARCHED THIS WEBSITE'S COMPLAINT DATA BASE AND SEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS VERY SAME ISSUE, THE SPEEDOMETER. MY QUESTION IS, HOW MAY COMPLAINTS WILL IT TAKE FOR ODI TO INITIATE AND INVESTIGATION, SO THAT A PROPER RECALL CAN TAKE PLACE? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10318397March 10, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
FAILURE TO THE HEADLIGHT HARNESS, WITH TIME, CORROSION ATTACK THE HEADLIGHT HARNESS. WHICH WILL CAUSE THE HEADLIGHT INTENSITY TO LOWER OR WORST, TOTAL HEADLIGHT FAILURE. THAT MEAN THAT YOU CAN BE DRIVING AT NIGHT AND TOTALLY LOSE YOUR HEADLIGHT. THIS DEFECT HAS BEEN REPAIRED 4 TIMES NOW, AND I NEED TO HAVE IT REPAIRED A 5TH TIME APRIL 2004. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10315166March 1, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2003 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. HEADLAMPS DO NOT WORK. FOUND OUT THRU INTERNET SEARCH THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE. THERE ARE MULTIPLE WIRING PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE THAT GM SHOULD FIX (FOG LAMPS AS WELL). THE LAMPS ALREADY WENT OUT A COUPLE OF TIMES BEFORE. IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE IF THIS HAPPENS AT NIGHT YOU HAVE NO LIGHTS. GM KEEPS SKIRTING AROUND THE ISSUE UNTIL YOUR WARRANTY RUNS OUT THEN IT COSTS YOU MORE MONEY THAN YOU HAVE TO GET IT FIXED. VERY, VERY, VERY FRUSTRATING. JUST DO A INTERNET SEARCH FOR SUNFIRE HEADLIGHT PROBLEMS/DO NOT WORK/ ETC. AND YOU'LL SEE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10300166January 18, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2005 PONTIAC SUNFIRE GAS GAUGE & SPEEDOMETER HAS FINALLY STOPPED WORKING, AFTER MANY SPORADIC FAILURES. CAN'T TELL HOW FAST CAR IS GOING - CAN'T JUDGE WHEN CAR MAY RUN OUT OF GAS. DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER MAKES THIS ALL THE MORE DANGEROUS. HAD THIS HAPPEN ON THE 2003 MODEL AND HAD TO REPLACE FULL COMPONENT. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DANGEROUS AND ONGOING DEFECT IN SUNFIRES AND PONTIAC NEEDS TO RECALL & CORRECT. TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM IN MODELS SHOWS A TOTAL LACK OF SAFETY CONCERN ON THE AUTO MAKERS PART. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10298920January 10, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I HAVE 1999 PONTIAC SUNFIRE AND I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THE HEADLIGHTS. ONE IS THAT I HAVE NO HIGHBEAMS AND THE HEADLIGHTS GO OUT AFTER DRIVING IT FOR AWHILE,THE DRIVERSIDE LIGHT FLASHES ON AND OFF FROM TIME TO TIME I HAVE TALKED TO A MECHANIC ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE HEADLIGHT HARNESS. I WENT TO THE LOCAL JUNK YARD GOT A HARNESS AND IT SOLVED THE PROBLEM BUT JUST RECENTLY IT HAPPENED AGAIN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10296807December 23, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. THE IGNITION SWITCH HAS MELTED,WHICH DISABLED VEHICLE OPERATION. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED. HE WAS REFERRED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE WARRANTY EXPIRED, AND THERE WERE NO RECALLS THAT ADDRESSED THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10295015December 8, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I PURCHASED THE CAR IN 2006 WITH EVERYTHING ON IT STOCK. IN 2009 THE COIL PACK STARTED MISFIRING CAUSING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER TO GO BAD AND ALSO CAUSING THE RODS BEARINGS TO SPIN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10294382December 3, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ELECTRICAL GAUGES ON DASH DO NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY. TACH IS PEGGED OUT, FUEL GAGE NOT CORRECT AND SPEED IS INACCURATE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10291910November 12, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
VEHICLE WAS BLOWING 30 AMP FUSE GOING TO REAR DEFOGGER GRID. FOUND MELTED INSULATION ON 12 VOLT LINE AND GROUND RESULTING IN SHORT CIRCUIT. DEFOGGER GRID STILL DRAWING ENOUGH CURRENT TO MELT INSULATION OF 12 VOLT LINE. DISCONNECTED REAR DEFOGGER GRID TO PREVENT POSSIBLE FIRE IN DASH. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10290562November 2, 2009
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
LOST BRAKES IN MY 1998 PONTIAC SUNFIRE WHEN BRAKING ON AN EXPRESSWAY EXIT RAMP. THIS WAS A VERY UNSAFE CONDITION, BUT WAS ABLE TO AVERT A COLLISION. THE LEFT REAR BRAKE LINE (HYDRAULIC) CORRODED THROUGH AND CAUSED A LARGE LEAK, LEAVING MARGINAL BRAKES.*TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10286427October 6, 2009
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE DRIVER FRONTAL AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARRANT. AS A CONSEQUENCE SHE SUSTAINED BRUISES TO HER FACE AND SHOULDERS. SHE FILED REPORT NUMBER 71762569700 WITH THE MANUFACTURER, AND SHE WAS AWAITING A RESPONSE. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING TO TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 180,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10283884September 14, 2009
TIRES, TIRES:TREAD/BELT
I HAD 4 DELTA FORTUNE TIRES ON MY 1997 SUNFIRE. 2 OF WHICH I REPLACED IN APRIL, 2009 FOR TIRE SEPARATION. I REPLACED THE THIRD TIRE IN EARLY SEPT. 2009 AGAIN FOR SEPARATION AND TODAY THE FORTH TIRE SEPARATED WHILE DRIVING CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO RIGHT-REAR QUARTER PANEL AND TAIL-LIGHT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10283087September 7, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
1. HIGH USE OF TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE LEADS TO SEPARATION AT THE TRANSMISSION END LINK. 2. ONCE THE SHIFT CABLE LINK WEARS OUT IT FALLS DOWN AND THE TRANSMISSION CAN NO LONGER BE SHIFTED THROUGH GEAR POSITIONS FROM WITHIN THE VEHICLE. A VEHICLE CAN BE LEFT STRANDED IN ANY GEAR, DRIVE, REVERSE, NEUTRAL, OR ANY OTHER POSITION. 3. A TEMPORARY FIX IS POSSIBLE WITH A ZIP TIE, BUT IS ONLY TEMPORARY DUE TO HEAT AND WEAR ON THE ZIP TIE. AN OE REPLACEMENT FOR THE SHIFT CABLE NEEDS TO BE INSTALLED. THIS IS A HIGH FAILURE ITEM LEADING TO STRANDED VEHICLES IN MANY DANGEROUS LOCATIONS AND NEEDS TO BE UPGRADED WITH A FAIL SAFE CONNECTION AT THE TRANSMISSION END. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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