1984 Pontiac Sunbird Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1984 Pontiac Sunbird, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Steering228.6%
- Body & structure114.3%
- Driver assistance114.3%
- Interior & seats114.3%
- Seat belts114.3%
- Transmission114.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
STEERING GEAR RACK AND PINION SEAL FAILED RESULTING IN LEAK.
'COLD POWER STEERING.' *SD
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
1984 PONTIAC SUNBIRD VEHICLE CRASH 4/14/1986 SEAT CAME OUT OF THE FLOOR, SEAT BACK COLLAPSED BREAKING MY BACK AND PELVIS IN 7 PLACES SEAT BELT RETAINER CAME OUT OF THE SIDE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE GENERAL MOTORS KNEW ABOUT THESE DEFECTS AND FAILED TO NOTIFY ANYONE CAR WAS TOTALED. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE VEHICLE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
1984 PONTIAC SUNBIRD VEHICLE CRASH 4/14/1986 SEAT CAME OUT OF THE FLOOR, SEAT BACK COLLAPSED BREAKING MY BACK AND PELVIS IN 7 PLACES SEAT BELT RETAINER CAME OUT OF THE SIDE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE GENERAL MOTORS KNEW ABOUT THESE DEFECTS AND FAILED TO NOTIFY ANYONE CAR WAS TOTALED. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
1984 PONTIAC SUNBIRD VEHICLE CRASH 4/14/1986 SEAT CAME OUT OF THE FLOOR, SEAT BACK COLLAPSED BREAKING MY BACK AND PELVIS IN 7 PLACES SEAT BELT RETAINER CAME OUT OF THE SIDE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE GENERAL MOTORS KNEW ABOUT THESE DEFECTS AND FAILED TO NOTIFY ANYONE CAR WAS TOTALED. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE GEAR SHIFT DOES NOT OPERATE. WHEN IT IS PUT IN GEAR THE VEHICLE DOES NOT MOVE; A PART THAT CONNECTS THE GEAR SHIFT TO THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT CONNECTED. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .