1999 PONTIAC SUNFIRE Complaints

WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. IT HIT A STEEL MAIL BOX TRYING TO KEEP FROM HITTING AN ANIMAL. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER. *AK

CONSUMER HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS MENTIONED IN NHTSA 99V21800 REGARDING INTERIOR LIGHTING. THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 101, "CONTROL LOCATION, IDENTIFICATION, AND ILLUMINATION." THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BACK LIGHTING MAY NOT FUNCTION AFTER ADJUSTING THE INTERIOR LIGHT INTENSITY. DEALER STATED SORRY THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

WE HAVE A 1999 PONTIAC SUNFIRE WITH 32445 MILES ON IT. THE TRANSMISSION, 3RD & 4TH GEARS, HAVE GONE BAD. I WOULD EXPECT TO RECIEVE MORE MILEAGE THAN THIS OUT OF A PROPERLY SERVICED TRANSMISSION. THIS OCCURRED WITHIN 220 MILES OF HAVING THE FLUID REPLACED IN HTE TRANSMISSION.*AK

PAINT IS STARTING TO WEAR OFF ON THE TOP OF MY CAR BY THE MOON ROOF AND AROUND THE OUTSIDE EDGE OF THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR; ALSO THE SPOILER IS BECOMING DISCOLORED AND THE SAME, THE PAINT IS WEARING OFF. *AK

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 04V036000 CONCERNING IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE. DEALER PERFORMED RECALL REPAIRS AND CHARGED CONSUMER $500.00 HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO HAVE STARTING PROBLEMS. DEALER TRIED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE THREE MORE TIMES AND CHARGED $500.00 EACH TIME A REPAIR WAS DONE. *AK *JB

LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO OPERATE. DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS OPERATE ERRATICALLY (SOMETIMES BLINKING RAPIDLY). I REPLACED BOTH BULBS AND DRL RELAY. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER HOPING THAT HE WOULD BE MOST EFFICIENT AND LOWEST COST TROUBLESHOOTER BASED ON HIS FAMILIARITY WITH THIS MODEL. CALLS TO MULTIPLE MICHIGAN DEALERS ACKNOWLEDGE THE EXISTENCE OF THIS ISSUE ON 1998 AND 19'99 SUNFIRE/CAVALIERS. ROOT CAUSE IS CORROSION OF WIRING WITHIN THE WIRE HARNESS. IT TOOK 6 HOURS ($500 WORTH OF LABOR, $0 PARTS!) TO LOCATE AND CORRECT A BROKEN WIRE WITHIN ITS INSULATION AND WITHIN THE HARNESS. UNFORTUNATELY, GM DOES NOT DEEM THIS TO BE AN ISSUE WHICH IS WORTHY OF PROVIDING REIMBURSEMENT ASSISTANCE TO ITS CUSTOMERS. OF COURSE, HEADLIGHTS ARE AN IMPORTANT SAFETY COMPONENT OF A VEHICLE- AND I SUSPECT MANY OTHER 1998 AND 1999 CAVALIER/SUNFIRE OWNERS RECOGNIZE THIS FACT. A SEARCH OF THIS ODI DATABASE REVEALS OTHERS; REF ODI ID #10053346, 562403, 8009447, 831751, 718361 AND 8008072. I AM CERTAIN THAT MANY, MANY OTHERS GO UNREPORTED TO THE ODI. I ENCOURAGE THE NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE THIS CONDITION AND ENCOURAGE THE MANUFACTURER TO ADDRESS THIS PRODUCT DEFECT- IF NOT PROACTIVELY, AT LEAST WHEN IT MANIFESTS ITSELF IN ITS CUSTOMERS VEHICLES.*AK

GEARS NO LONGER WORK BECAUSE THE SHIFTER CABLE THAT LEADS TO THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT OF ITS HOUSING WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. *LA

REAR BRAKES KEEP GOING OUT OF ADJUSTMENT. I HAVE TO GET THEM READJUSTED ALMOST EVERY WEEK. FIRST STARTED IN FEBUARY 2001. SINCE THEN ESPECIALLY IN THE LAST 1.5 - 2 YRS. HAVE TO GET ADJUSTMENT DONE EVERY WEEK TO TWO WEEKS. THERE HAS BEEN SEVERAL TIME MOST ON FWYS WERE I HAD TO STOP SUDDENLY AND THE BREAKS DID NOT CATCH. I KEPT GOING FWD. LUCKILY I WAS FAR ENOUGH BACK FROM VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME THAT I DID NOT HIT THEM. DURING RAINY DAYS IT'S EVEN WORSE.

THE WIRING HARNESS IS SHORTING OUT WHICH HAS MADE MY IGNITION SWITCH SHORT OUT AND MY COMPUTER. PONTIAC HAS ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN. SINCE THERE IS ENOUGH PEOPLE WITH THIS PROBLEM THEY SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL AND NOT JUST STOP AT A BULLETIN. THIS COULD HAVE MADE POSSIBLY MADE MY CAR CATCH ON FIRE. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A HAZARD. THIS IS GOING TO BE COSTING ME RIGHT ABOUT $1000, THIS IS A ROUGH ESTIMATE FROM THE MECHANIC.*AK

MILEAGE FLASHES ON AND OFF LIKE THERE IS A SHORT AND AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON THE WHOLE TIME THE CAR IS RUNNING AND WHILE DRIVING.:( CLUNKING IN FRONT END POSSIBLY BY TIRES? LIKE THE SHOCKS OR WHATEVER