1996 PONTIAC SUNFIRE Complaints

View complaints related to 1996 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. The complaints found here are submitted by actual consumers with first hand experience. There are more than 170 complaints submitted for the 1996 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. You can submit your own complaint to the NHTSA or call the Hotline, Monday-Friday 8am to 8pm at (888) 327-4236, TTY: (800) 424-9153.

  • 1996 PONTIAC SUNFIRE
    - CORNISH, ME

    THE HEADLIGHTS GO OUT UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN THE DIMMER SWITCH IS MOVED TO OR OPERATED IN LOW BEAM. FAULTY DIMMER SWITCH. I HAD TO PUT A PIECE OF PAPER IN THE SWITCH SO I WOULDN'T HIGH BEAM EVERYONE ON THE WAY HOME ONE NIGHT.*AK

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 1996 PONTIAC SUNFIRE
    - WESTMONT, NJ

    FAILURE OF HEAD GASKET AT LESS THAN 64,000 MILES. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT WITH THE SUNFIRE MODEL ALTHOUGH THERE HAS BEEN NO OFFICIAL RECALL FOR THIS. *NLM

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 1996 PONTIAC SUNFIRE
    - OAK RIDGE, TN

    HEAD GASKET ON MY 96 PONTIAC SUNFIRE BLEW AND CAUSED MY CAR TO STALL IN TRAFFIC AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WITH MY FAMILY ABOARD. MY CAR WENT FROM 195 OPERATING TEMP TO 260 WITH IN 1 MINUTE. THE CAR COULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE AND CAUSED TREMENDOUS INJURIES.*AK

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 1996 PONTIAC SUNFIRE
    - OXFORD, MA

    CAR TURNS OVER BUT WILL NOT START.BROUGHT IT BACK TO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE CAMSHAFT SENSOR. GOT THE CAR BACK TWO DAYS LATER AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. BROUGHT BACK TO DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE OEM SERCRITY SYSTEM. TOOK BACK AND ARE STILL HAVING PROBLEMS STARTING ALL THE TIME.*AK

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 1996 PONTIAC SUNFIRE
    - TRAVERSE CITY, MI

    WHILE PUTTING THE KEY INSIDE THE IGNITION VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. DRIVER TOOK KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION AND STEERING COLUMN STARTED SMOKING. VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 1996 PONTIAC SUNFIRE
    - NEW BRUNSWICK, 00

    HEADLIGHTS GO OUT INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAS BEEN REPAIRED NUMEROUS TIMES, THE PROBLEM IS A SPLICE IN THE WIRING. *AK THE HIGH BEAMS WERE INOPERATIVE AND THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS FLASHED WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER REPLACED THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER. THE VACUUM ACTUATOR WAS STICKING WHICH CAUSED THE HEATER CONTROL NOT TO BLOW ON THE SETTING SELECTED. THE MUFFLERS HANGER BROKE AND THE BAFFLES WERE LOOSE WHICH CAUSED RATTLING AT IDLE. *SCC *NLM

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 1996 PONTIAC SUNFIRE
    - DEER PARK, TX

    WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE THE IGNITION FAILED TO TURN, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THEY DISCONNECTED THE CABLE AND BATTERY. THE KEY NO LONGER TURNED THE IGNITION, THE CAR WAS SENT TO THE DEALERSHIP , HOWEVER THEY REFUSED TO FIX THE VEHICLE, BECAUSE THEY CLAIMED THAT SMOKING OF A VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO FAX THEM A NOTICE THAT IS WAS A FIRE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK *CB *JB

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 1996 PONTIAC SUNFIRE
    - AMITE, LA

    THE IGNITION SWITCH HAD A SHORT CIRCUIT WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE NOT TO START. AFTER THE IGNITION WAS REPAIRED IT STILL DIDN'T WORK PROPERLY. THE HEAD LIGHT (HIGH AND LOW BEAMS) FAILED. THE HORN FAILED. THE WIPER FAILED. *JB *CB *NLM

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 1996 PONTIAC SUNFIRE
    - DOTHAN, AL

    -THE HORN ON 1996 PONTIAC SUNFIRE HAS QUIT WORKING AND BEEN REPAIRED THREE TIMES. THE PEOPLE AT THE SHOP SAID THAT IT WAS GETTING WET APPARENTLY EVERYTIME I WENT THROUGH WATER BECAUSE OF IT BEING POINTED DOWNWARD. -THE MUFFLER HAS BEEN FIXED THREE TIMES -THERE ARE MORE THAT I CAN NOT REMEBER RIGHT OFF HAND -THEIR IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE WHOLE CAR. THE LIGHT ON THE RADIO TIME AND STAION DISPLAY HAS NOT WORKED SINCE I BOUGHT IT, THE DRIVER'S REAR DOOR LIGHT HAS NOT COME ON, THE PASSENGER REAR WINDOW LETS DOWN BUT WILL NOT LET UP WHEN NEEDED SINCE RIGHT AFTER I GOT THE CAR, THE LIGHTS IN THE DASHBOARD GO ON AND OFF WITHOUT EVEN BEING TOUCHED, WHILE RIDING DOWN THE ROAD, THE WIDSHIELD WIPERS WILL JUST COME ON WITHOUT BEING TURNED ON AND THEN STOP HALFWAY DOWN IMPAIRING VISION, THE PASSENGER REAR TAIL LIGHT BLOWS ALL OF THE TIME, IT HAS NEVER STAYED WITH A BULB THAT WORKS, ETC. -THE VALVE COVER GASKET LEAKS AND HAS LEAKED SINCE I GOT IT -THE GAS LIGHT WILL NOT TELL YOU WHEN YOU ARE RUNNING LOW ON FUEL -THE RADIO WILL EAT YOUR TAPES SINCE I GOT THE CARTHE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACE ON THE CAR WITH LESS THAN 80,000 MILES ON IT -THE RACK AND PINION HAD TO BE REPLACED A FEW YEARS AGO ALONG WITH THE COMPLETE BRAKE SYSTEM THE POWER STEERING HAS LEAKED FLUID AND WILL STOP TURNING IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN. I HAVE ALMOST WRECKED ON IT SVERAL TIMES BECAUSE OF IT AND THE BRAKES. -THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR WORKS WHEN IT GETS READY TO IF EVEN THEN AND HAS ALWAYS DONE THAT.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 1996 PONTIAC SUNFIRE
    - MELVILLE, NY

    THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING, CONSUMER'S SON LOSS CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *JB

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE