Pontiac Sunfire Complaints (1996)

201 consumer complaints on file.

#721028April 4, 2000
SEATS
THE PASSENGER SEAT AFTER 32,000 MILES WILL NO LONGER MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARD MAKING IT A SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE PASSENGER SITTING IN THAT SEAT. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR TO TAYLOR PONTIAC IN AKRON, THEY TOLD ME THAT THE TRACKING WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AND TOLD ME IT WOULD COST AROUND $150.00 FOR PARTS AND LABOR. A FRIEND OF MINE ALSO HAS THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HIS 95 SUNFIRE. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS JUST A COINCIDENCE. MY CAR HAS LOW MILEAGE AND THE PASSENGER SEAT HAS NOT BEEN ABUSED FOR THIS PROBLEM TO BE HAPPENING. I HAVE NEVER FILED A COMPLAINT ABOUT ANY CAR THAT I HAVE OWNED BUT I HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR SINCE I HAVE PURCHASED IT AND IT HAS ALREADY BEEN RECALLED TWICE. I DO NOT THINK I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS REPAIR AND WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP CONCERNING THIS MATTER. THANK YOU. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#719178February 24, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
I HAD CONTACTED PONTIAC THROUGHOUT ENGINE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM AND WAS NOT THE LEAST BIT PLEASED. I KNOW OF 3 OTHER 96 SUNFIRES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND THE 95'S HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#719036February 21, 2000
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
FUEL PUMP HAD TO REPLACE AFTER ONLY 56000 MILES. DEALER SAYS IT WILL COST $600.00 OR MORE TO FIX. AFTER IT WAS FIXED IT STILL HESITATES WHEN YOU FIRST ACCELERATE. LOUD KNOCKING AND VIBRATION NOISE IN EXHUAST WHEN YOU ACCELERATE OR JUST IDLING. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER SUNFIRE. I CAN'T WAIT TO GET RID OF THIS ONE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#716673December 30, 1999
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH
HARNESS OVERHEATS/MELTS AND SHORTS OUT SWITCH, MAKING HEADLIGHTS INOPERABLE. THIS IS MY SECOND REPAIR IN A YEAR. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#714099October 30, 1999
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
NO SUMMARY
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#713677October 22, 1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
NO SUMMARY
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#850335October 8, 1999
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
WAS TOWING ANOTHER VEHICLE BEHIND THE MOTOR HOME WHEN THE FRAME OF VEHICLE STARTED TO RIP APART NEAR TOWING BAR. HAD BEEN TO DEALER & MECHANIC WELDED PART BACK TOGETHER. DISTRICT MANAGER WAS SUPPOSE TO COME CHECK. HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING YET. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#712291September 27, 1999
AIR BAGS
WARNING LIGHT CAME ON FOR AIR BAG. DEALER STATED UNSAFE TO DRIVE AS IS. ONLY FIX IS TO REPLACE ENTIRE UNIT FOR $1100.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#848492September 23, 1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
VEHICLE HAS A CRACKED ENGINE HEAD GASKET WHICH IS CAUSING AN OIL LEAKAGE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#847769September 15, 1999
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE WON'T SHIFT. ALSO, VEHICLE VIBRATES DUE TO THE GOVERNOR GEAR INSIDE TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONING. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#710283August 20, 1999
STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID
LEFT FRONT AND REAR DOOR LATCHES BROKEN, COMINGAROUND A CORNER TWO SEPERATE TIMES PROBLEMS WITH THE DEALER TO REPLACE PART ALSO
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#710194August 19, 1999
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
NO SUMMARY
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#709988August 14, 1999
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
I WAS ON VACATION IN WV. WHEN I SLOWED TO TURN A CORNER I FELT A THUMP UNDER THE CAR AND THE CAR LURCHED TO THE RIGHT. STEERING FELT AS IF THERE WAS A FLAT TIRE. HAD TO PULL HARD RIGHT TO STRAIGHTEN CAR THEN LOST STEERING CONTROL ALTOGETHER. I OBSERVED THAT THE LEFT WHEEL SEEMED TO BE SLIDING OUTWARD WHILE THE RIGHT WHEEL REMAINED VERTICAL.. AT MECHANIC'S THE FOLLOWING DAY WE DISCOVERED THAT THE SUBFRAME HAD RUSTED SO BADLY THAT THE LEFT WHEEL ASSEMBLY HAD FALLEN THROUGH IT. THE STEEL OF THE FRAME HAS RUSTED IN LAYERS - PAPER THIN LAYERS WITH HEAVY CORROSION ON ALL EDGES. I AM APALLED! I HAVEN'T EVEN HAD TO REPLACE THE MUFFLER YET AND THE FRAME RUSTS THROUGH? VERY SCARY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#844386August 5, 1999
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
GOING AROUND A CURVE TOO FAST LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND ROLLED OVER THREE TIMES. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY ON EITHER SIDE. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#547744August 3, 1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HEAD GASKET FAILED CAUSING LEAKAGE ONTO ENGINE, ENGINE RUSTED REQUIRING REPLACEMENT. MJS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#843621July 28, 1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HEAD GASKET LEAKS AND ANTIFREEZE IS LEAKING ONTO ENGINE. GASKET AND ANTIFREEZE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#843628July 28, 1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE AND THE RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARM, WHICH DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#842501July 16, 1999
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
FIRST OWNER SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL, THEN THE VEHICLE JUST SHUT DOWN. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. FUEL PUMP SENDING UNIT WAS REPLACED BY DEALER AT OWNER'S EXPENSIE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#841904July 8, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC:ROTOR
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THE VEHICLE SHAKES EXCESSIVELY. BRAKE ROTORS HAVE BEEN GROUNDED DOWN 3 TIMES, AND STILL HAVE THE SAME DEFECT. DEALER SAYS IT'S NO DEFECT.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#708267July 6, 1999
STEERING:RACK AND PINION, STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
THE POWER STEERING ACTUALLY HAD TWO INTERMITTENT INCIDENTS THE SAME DAY THAT INDICATED A PROBLEM WAS OCCURRING. THE POWER STEERING LOCKED UP TWO TIMES, ONCE PULLING ME INTO A CURB AND THE SECOND TIME PULLING ME INTO A MEDIAN IN A PARKING LOT. EACH OF THESE TWO TIMES, THE POWER STEERING RELEASED AND WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN AGAIN. I, HOWEVER, HAD ABOUT 9 MILES TO GO TO GET HOME AND FELT THAT IT WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. I CONTINUED ON MY WAY HOME. I TURNED LEFT ONTO A STREET, WHERE OTHER CARS WERE ONCOMING, AND THE STEERING LOCKED UP AS I TURNED. FORTUNATELY, THE STEERING LOCKED AS I TURNED LEFT AND SUDDENLY PULLED ME TO THE RIGHT AND OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AT THIS POINT MY STEERING NEVER RELEASED AGAIN. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND WAS TOWED TO JK PONTIAC ON OGDEN AVENUE IN DOWNERS GROVE, ILLINOIS. THEY INFORMED ME ON JULY 6TH THAT THE RACK AND PINION HAD GONE OUT OF MY CAR. I FEEL THAT MY CAR HAS VERY LOW MILEAGE FOR THIS TO HAVE OCCURRED. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF ANYONE HAVING THEIR RACK AND PINION GOING OUT OF THEIR CAR, LET ALONE FOR IT TO GO OUT OF A CAR AT THIS LOW MILEAGE. WHEN I QUESTIONED THE DEALERSHIP THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY ACTUALLY HAD A PONTIAC GRAND AM IN THE SHOP WITH ONLY 30,000 MILES ON IT THAT HAD ALSO HAD THE RACK AND PINION GO OUT OF IT. THIS INDICATES TO ME THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM THAT PONTIAC NEEDS TO GIVE ATTENTION TO. MY INCIDENT, FORTUNATELY, ENDED WITH NO ACCIDENT, INJURIES OR FATALITIES. HOWEVER, HAD THIS OCCURRED ONE DAY LATER, ON MY WAY TO WORK, THERE IS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT I WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED, IF NOT KILLED. I DRIVE FIVE DAYS A WEEK ON A MAJOR TOLLWAY (I-355) IN THE CHICAGOLAND AREA TO AND FROM WORK, USUALLY AT ELEVATED SPEEDS OF AT LEAST 65 MPH. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON THE TOLLWAY, THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT IT WOULD BE MY FAMILY WRITING THIS, NOT ME. I DID CONTACT PONTIAC REGARDING THIS, AND THEY HAVE AGREED TO PAY FOR THE PARTS INVOLVED IN THIS REPAIR. HOWEVER, I AM PAYING FOR LABOR ($350). *
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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