1996 PONTIAC SUNFIRE Complaints

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

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

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). *

CONSUMER HAD THE CLUTCH REPLACED THREE TIMES, THIS IS THE FOURTH ONE THAT'S IN. PONTIAC SAYS CLUTCH SLIPPING CANNOT BE DUPLICATED.

THE ENGINE IN MY CAR HAS LITERALLY FAILED ON THE FREEWAY 2 TIMES. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED AND GENERAL MOTORS WILL NOT HELP ME AND THE DEALER WILL NOT REPLACE THE ENGINE FREE OF CHARGE. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT GM WILL NOT STAND BY THEIR PRODUCT. THIS CAR IS ONLY 3 1/2 YEARS OLD AND THE ENGINE SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED. *AK

INTERIOR DOME LIGHT WIRING MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING A FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN# *AK

WE WERE INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT. THE PASSENGER FRONT AIRBAG DEPLOYED, CAUSING THE WINSHIELD TO BUST. WHEN LOOKING AT THE CAR THE WINDSHIELD IS PUSHED FROM THE INSIDE OUT. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE AIRBAG. WHAT CAN BE DONE IN THIS CASE?

ENGINE EXPERIENCED COMPLETE FAILURE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, DUE TO PCM FAILURE. PCM WAS REPLACED TWICE 12-4-98 / 4-5-99. *YC

THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. THERE WAS NO BRAKING ABILITY AND HAD NOISES WHICH CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

DURING RECENT SNOW STORM WIPERS STOP IN THE UPRIGHT POSTION. THEN CONTINUE TO STAY IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION WHEN THE OFF SWITCH IS CLICKED. THEY DO WORK BUT WON'T LAY DOWN THEY STAY UP. ALSO HAVE SEEN ON THE ROAD OTHER SUNFIRES WITH SAME PROBLEM. WIPERS UP. TO GET THEM TO LAY DOWN MUST TURN THEM ON THEN PULL FUSE.