2003 PONTIAC SUNFIRE Complaints

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

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

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

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY BECAME EXTREMELY DIM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND REPAIRED ACCORDING TO A SAFETY RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR IDENTICAL FAILURES, BUT THE REPAIRS DID NOT CORRECT THE ISSUE. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

HEAD LIGHTS FAIL FOR NO REASON AND AT ANY TIME. THIS CAN INCLUDE BOTH HIGH AND LOW BEAM AND FOG LIGHTS. HAS BEEN REPAIRED NOW FOR THE 5TH TIME AT A GM DEALER SHIP. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT WAS NOT WORKING ON THE VEHICLE. THE FORWARD ELECTRIC HARNESS ALLOWED WATER TO ENTER INTO THE LIGHT AND CAUSED IT TO FAIL. SOON AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE IN 2003, THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED. THE DEALER INFORMED HIM THAT THERE WAS A RECALL (GM RECALL NUMBER 03029) ON THE LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BECAUSE IT AFFECTED THE SIGNAL LIGHTS AND DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT. THE CONTACT RECENTLY TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR, BUT THEY STATED THAT IT WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED AND WOULD NOT BE REPAIRED A SECOND TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,700. UPDATED 03/23/09. *LJ UPDATED 03/24/09.*JB

THE FRONT WIRING HARNESS ON MY 2003 PONTIAC SUNFIRE 2 DOOR HAS FAILED FOR THE 4TH TIME DUE TO CORROSION OF THE OBVIOUSLY-TOO-SMALL GAUGE WIRING AND INAPPROPRIATE PLACEMENT AND WATER-PROOFING OF THE WIRING HARNESS AND CONNECTORS. HEADLIGHT(S) OR FOGLIGHT(S) TYPICALLY EITHER FAIL OUTRIGHT, OR DIM TO ABOUT 10% INTENSITY, CAUSED BY CORROSION IN THE WIRES AND CONNECTORS. PREVIOUS FAILURES OF THIS WIRING HARNESS AFFECTING BOTH HEADLIGHTS AND/OR FOGLIGHTS OCCURRED IN JAN 2005, JAN 2006, AND JAN 2007, AND WERE REPAIRED BY REMOVAL OF CORRODED WIRE SECTIONS AND RE-SPLICING OF WIRES. DISCUSSIONS WITH BOTH GM AND INDEPENDENT MECHANICS CONFIRM MY SUSPICIONS OF SIMILAR FAILURES IN MANY OTHER SUNFIRES AND CAVALIERS. I AGREE WITH A LIFELONG MECHANIC WHO SAYS THE ONLY PROPER SOLUTION IS A COMPLETE REWIRING JOB. THIS IS AN EXTREME HAZARD AS COMPLETE HEADLIGHT FAILURE OR DIMMING CAN HAPPEN ANY TIME WITHOUT WARNING. A DEAD OF NIGHT FAILURE ANYWHERE, IN THE CITY, NEAR A SCHOOL, OR ON A COUNTRY ROAD AS HAPPENED TO MY DAUGHTER'S FRIEND IN HER SUNFIRE, CANNOT BE CONSTRUED AS ANYTHING OTHER THAN LIFE-THREATENING; FOG LIGHT AND HEADLIGHT FAILURE AT ANY OTHER TIME IS DANGEROUS. IF THE FAILURE OF SUNFIRE/CAVALIER REAR BRAKE AND TURN LIGHTS WARRANTED A 2004 RECALL, THEN SURELY THIS EQUALLY OR MORE THREATENING CHRONIC PROBLEM DESERVES ONE. WHY THIS HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED ALREADY IS BEYOND ME. GM HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM BY ISSUING A SERIES OF TSBS OVER THE YEARS ON THIS PROBLEM: #03018, #0309, #030842002, #021903, AND THE NHTSA HAS BEEN APPRISED OF THEM. I AM A HOBBY MECHANIC WHO HAS SPENT 45 YEARS BUILDING AND RACING POWERBOATS AND WORKING ON AND RESTORING CARS. I KNOW A DESIGN FAULT WHEN I SEE ONE. THIS ISSUE MUST BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED. THE SUSPECT WIRING HARNESSES SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPLACED, RATHER THAN WAITING FOR THEM TO FAIL (TIME AND TIME AGAIN) AND THEN MAKING SPLICES TO THE WIRING AND CLEANING UP THE CONNECTORS. *TR

I HAVE HAD ALOT OF SHORTAGES ON MY 2003 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING ON LINE AND THERE HAVE BEEN ALOT OF SIMILAR ISSUES. SUCH AS POWER WINDOW SHORTAGES, HIGH BEAM AND LOW BEAM SHORTAGES, THE LOCKS, AND ISSUES WITH THE DASHBOARD GAUGES NOT WORKING. I FEEL THAT THIS IS TO MANY ISSUES WITH SHORTAGES AND IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

THE 2003 PONTIAC SUNFIRE IS AN INFERIOR CAR. MINE CURRENTLY HAS APPROX 57,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THE DAY AFTER I PURCHASED IT BRAND NEW, IT WOULD NOT START. THE DEALER CAME OUT AND REPLACED THE BATTERY. THE CAR HAD WHITE PAINT OVERSPRAY ON IT. THE DEALER REPAINTED IT. THE SUNROOF MALFUNCTIONED AND THE DEALER FIXED IT. THE TURN SIGNALS KEPT GOING OUT & IT WAS FIXED DUE TO THE RECALL. THE DASH HAD TO BE TAKEN OUT DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE AIR WAS NOT COMING OUT OF THE VENTS PROPERLY. THE POWER WINDOW DRIVER'S SIDE FAILED COMPLETELY AROUND 38,000 MILES & PASSENGER INTERMITTENTLY WOULD NOT WORK. THIS WAS FIXED AT MY EXPENSE. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR BRAKE PROBLEMS NUMEROUS TIMES. I HAD THE DEALER CHECK THEM SEVERAL TIMES WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY FINALLY REPLACED THEM AT THEIR COST BECAUSE THEY SAID IT SHOULD NOT BE NECESSARY GIVEN THE MILEAGE ON THE CAR. I'VE HAD BRAKES REPLACED TWO OTHER TIMES AT MY EXPENSE AND THEY ARE STILL SQUEAKING AND CREAKING VERY LOUDLY AND I'M TOLD THE BRAKE PADS ARE "CRACKED" BUT THAT IT WON'T HURT ANYTHING. NOW, THE NEW PROBLEM IS, THE RADIO QUIT PLAYING FOR 15 MINUTES AFTER THE CAR IS TURNED OFF AND YOU'RE IN IT. WHEN I COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, MY DOME LIGHT AND MAP LIGHTS COME ON AND STAY ON UNTIL I LET OFF THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATE. ALSO, THE HORN NO LONGER HONKS WHEN I LOCK THE CAR WITH THE REMOTE. I'VE HAD IT UP TO HERE WITH THIS CAR BUT CANNOT AFFORD TO GET RID OF IT SINCE I JUST PAID IT OFF IN JULY 2008. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER PONTIAC! *TR

2005 HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT - PONTIAC DEALER WRAPPED HARNESS WITH ELECTRICAL TAPE. STATED IT WAS FROM WASHER FLUID LEAKING. APPROX 12 MONTHS LATER INCIDENT OCCUR AGAIN. TAKEN TO ANOTHER DEALER ON REQUEST OF PONTIAC. RE-WRAP HARNESS DIFFERENT AREA. SERVICE LIGHT ON 2 WEEKS AGO. DEALER WRAPPED ENTIRE HARNESS. PONTIAC SERVICE NOTIFIED SEVERAL TIMES COMPLAINT NUMBERS OBTAINED. SAFETY ISSUE AS LIGHTS GO OUT. WIRING HARNESS DETERIORATED. BANDAIDED 3X. CONCERN RE: LIGHTS GOING OUT AGAIN AT NIGHT. FEEL THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR