Steering
Filed Jul 27, 1999
WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH STEERING WENT OUT WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AND RIGHT TURN. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 843560
- Incident
- Jun 27, 1999
1996 Pontiac Sunbird
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
4
Latest Jul 27, 1999
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
0
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0
Overview
Our database contains 4 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1996 Pontiac Sunbird, most frequently naming the engine, steering and transmission categories. 2 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaint activity over time
When owners filed reports about this model year
View as table
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 1996 | 1 | 1 |
| Apr 1997 | 1 | 2 |
| Jun 1999 | 1 | 3 |
| Jul 1999 | 1 | 4 |
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
- Engine125.0%
- Steering125.0%
- Transmission125.0%
- Visibility125.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Safety recalls
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Recent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
Engine
Filed Jun 28, 1999
ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT WHEN VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND AFTER BEING PARKED FOR AWHILE. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 841307
- Incident
- Apr 1, 1999
Visibility
Filed Apr 14, 1997
ALL OF A SUDDEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPER BURNT OUT WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE DEALER WAS AWARE OF THE DEFECT. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 810918
- Incident
- Apr 12, 1997
Transmission
Filed Jun 4, 1996
CLUTCH STICKING WITHOUT CLUTCH PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED, CLUTCH BURNED OUT. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 985204
- Incident
- May 31, 1996
Manufacturer communications
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
130089009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECU/ECM)
Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
9709015015A
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
COMPLAINTS THAT THE ABS INDICATOR LAMP IS "ON". *YC
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Compare model years
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.