1997 PONTIAC SUNFIRE Complaints

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WITHOUT A PRIOR WARNING. FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT FIRE HAD STARTED UNDER HOOD. *AK

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

ENGINE THREW A ROD.TALKED TO OTHERS THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM.EVEN ON MULTIPLE ENGINES. *AK

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.

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..

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

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.

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.

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.

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