1995 Pontiac Sunfire Owner Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED; WHEN SHE TURNED THE CRUISE CONTROL OFF AND ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL SUDDENLY STUCK. AFTER REPEATED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME DISLODGED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 115,000.

NHTSA ID

10359400

Incident

Oct 3, 2010

Mileage

115,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY STARTING HER VEHICLE AND TURNING THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE FOLLOWING MORNING, SHE OPENED THE DOOR AND NOTICED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN MELTED AND WAS LYING ON THE FLOORBOARD. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V070000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH). PONTIAC STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE CLOSEST DEALER. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, BUT WERE UNABLE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 157,000.

NHTSA ID

10222508

Incident

Mar 6, 2008

Mileage

157,000 mi

I SMELLED GAS AND LOSS OF FUEL. GAS LEAKING OUT FROM INJECTOR ONTO HOT ENGINE COULD CAUSE FIRE. HAD PART REPLACED- FUEL INJECTORS #2 AND 3. NOW ANOTHER IS LEAKING. HAVE TO TAKE IT IN, BUT MONEY IS AN OBJECT. *NM

NHTSA ID

10132798

Incident

Jul 5, 2005

Mileage

180,000 mi

THE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. *JB.

NHTSA ID

10105187

Incident

Dec 20, 2004

CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE REAR MIDDLE SEAT BELT UNLOCKED ON ITS OWN. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE CAUSE HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10099909

Incident

Oct 20, 2004

WE HAVE HAD THIS CAR FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS, AND HAVE HAD PROBLEMS SINCE THE BEGINNING. FIRST THING WAS THE COOLING FAN. IT QUIT WORKING ABOUT 6 MONTHS AFTER WE BOUGHT THE CAR. WE HAD THAT FIXED THEN STARTED HAVING OTHER ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD WORK HERE AND THERE, THE TURN SIGNALS WOULD WORK ONE DAY AND NOT THE NEXT, NOW THEY DON'T WORK AT ALL. THE ABS LIGHT WOULD FLASH OFF AND ON AND THE BRAKE LIGHT WOULD COME ON ALSO. WE KNOW THAT FILING THIS COMPLAINT WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEMS WE ARE HAVING WITH THE CAR, WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE IT KNOWN THAT WE WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER PONTIAC DUE TO THE PROBLEMS WE ARE HAVING WITH THIS ONE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *JB

NHTSA ID

10098031

Incident

Sep 15, 2002

Mileage

100,000 mi

1995 SUNFIRE, I BOUGHT THIS CAR IN 1997. THE BRAKES LOCK-UP WHEN I AM DRIVING AND I HAVE TO STOP A A CORNER OR LIGHT. THIS USUALLY ONLY HAPPENS WHEN OR AFTER IT RAINS. IT IS VERY SCARY I ALMOST LOSE CONTROL OVER THE CAR.MY HEAD GASKETS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE. THE ENGINE GAGE RISES ALMOST TO OVER HEATING WHEN IT IS HOTOUTSIDE, AND THE AIR DOES NOT WORK I HAVE TO GET IT CHARGED EVERY YEAR. IS THIS CAR A LEMON OR WHAT?*AK

NHTSA ID

10072648

Incident

May 10, 2004

Mileage

96,000 mi

DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS LOCKED AND UNLOCKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHILE DRIVING. THE DOOR MECHANISM WAS THE PROBLEM. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10044774

Incident

Oct 27, 2003

WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT A STOP SIGN AND WITHOUT WARNING LEFT FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT SNAPPED IN TWO. WHEN THIS OCCURRED, LEFT WHEEL ALMOST CAME COMPLETELY OFF. *AK

NHTSA ID

10042887

Mileage

51,867 mi

JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT RECALL ABOUT STARTER. HAD FIRE (SMOKE) IN STEERING WHEEL AND ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM NOT WORKING RIGHT. WINDOWS STUCK HALF WAY, BLINKING LIGHTS IN DASH AND HAD MOTOR REPLACED, BUT VERY BAD, DUE TO SUDDEN LOSS OF OIL AND MOTOR FROZE. CAR IS IN DESTRUCTION MODE.

NHTSA ID

10029217

Incident

May 1, 2003

1995 PONTIAC SUNFIRE REAR OF CAR SQUATS WHEN BRAKING I'VE HAD THE BRAKES CHECKED / ADJUSTED NUMEROUS TIMES NHTSA ALREADY HAS THIS LISTED AS SERVICE BULLETIN 735018 I WOULD LIKE TO ADD OUR VEHICLE TO THIS COMPLAINT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10023685

Incident

Jun 20, 2003

HEAD GASKET PROBLEM ON A 1995 SUNFIRE. SEEMS THAT THIS IS A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM ON THIS ENGINE. 2.2 LITER. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10019147

Incident

May 13, 2003

Mileage

84,500 mi

HEAD GASKET FAILURE ON MY 1995 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. WHEN I HAD IT REPAIRED AFTER NOT REALLY DRIVING IT FOR TWO YEARS BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM I WAS INFORMED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH THE 1995 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10014367

Incident

Sep 1, 2000

WHEN DRIVING AND SPEED REACHED 40 MPH THE CAR VIBRATES, WHEN SPEED REACHED 60 MPH IT VIBRATES AGAIN. WHEN DECELERATING AFTER DRIVING FOR A LITTLE WHILE, AND SPEED REACHED 10 MPH (WHILE DECELERATING) THE CAR VIBRATES VIOLENTLY, THEN SHUTS OFF. WHEN I RESTART THE ENGINE IT RUNS NOISILY WHILE STILL IN PARK, THEN SHUTS OFF AGAIN WHEN PUT IN GEAR. I HAVE TO WAIT A MINUTE OR TWO BEFORE I START THE CAR AND PUT IT IN GEAR AND IT RUNS, UNTIL I DECELERATE AGAIN AND THE CYCLE STARTS OVER. I HAVE HAD MY HEAD GASKET REPAIRED/REPLACE BY JAY PONTIAC IN COLUMBUS GEORGIA AT MY EXPENSE BECAUSE I RECEIVE THE RECALL NOTICE ON THE HEAD GASKET LEAK SEVERAL YEARS AFTER THE RECALL CAMPAIGN WAS OVER. I HAVE HAD MY ALTERNATOR REPAIRED/REPLACED, TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, ETC. THE DEALER NEVER SEES ANY PROBLEMS WHEN HE DIAGNOSES MY CAR ON HIS COMPUTER & EVERYTIME HE SUGGESTS WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND I GO BROKE PAYING TO GET IT FIXED, THE PROBLEM REMAINS. I AM VERY FED UP WITH PONTIAC & GM & THEIR DEALERS/SERVICE PEOPLE WHO SEEM TO KNOW NOTHING OF THEIR PRODUCTS' FAILURE. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS WITH MY CAR SO I CAN GET IT FIXED. I AM ALSO SEEKING TO PURCHASE A NEW VEHICLE AND FROM THE HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE I'VE BEEN HAVING WITH PONTIAC & GM I AM STAYING AWAY FROM THEIR PRODUCTS AND ADVISING EVERYONE I KNOW TO STAY AWAY FROM THEM. I AM AT THE POINT WHERE THE ONLY AUTOMOBILE PRODUCT I AM INTERESTED IN IS FOREIGN MADE. I UNDERSTAND YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR, BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND A PRODUCT HAVING PROBLEMS EVEN THE MANUFACTURER CAN'T FIGURE OUT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10005100

Incident

Jan 31, 2003

Mileage

90,000 mi

THE HEAD GASKET FAILED AND ANTIFREEZE LEAKED ONTO THE ENGINE. *AK *JB

NHTSA ID

10004747

Incident

Jan 20, 2003

Mileage

94,044 mi

HEAD GASKET LEAKED COOLANT AND WAS REPLACED AT 44,941 MILES. IT STARTED LEAKING AGAIN AT 54,313 AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. PONTIAC WON'T COVER IT BECAUSE THE CAR IS MORE THAN 7 YEARS OLD AND DEALER WON'T COVER IT BECAUSE IT WAS MORE THAN ONE YEAR WHEN IT HAD TO BE REPLACED THE SECOND TIME. WHAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH THIS HEAD GASKET ANYWAY??

NHTSA ID

10003388

Incident

Jan 24, 2003

Mileage

54,313 mi

IN FULFILLMENT OF RECALL 02008-S, A GM DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THAT REPLACEMENT OF THE STARTER WIRING HARNESS WILL DESTROY THE TERMINAL ON THE SOLENOID, RESULTING IN THE REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF BOTH THE SOLENOID AND STARTER MOTOR. BOTH PARTS ARE IN GOOD WORKING ORDER BUT GM WILL NOT COVER THE COST OF THIS DAMAGE, APPROX $260. IN SHORT, A RUSTY TERMINAL WILL PROBABLY BREAK WHEN REMOVED. FOR THIS, GM WANTS TO SELL A NEW STARTER WITH SOLENOID AT FULL PRICE. I HAVE CONFIRMED THE LIKELIHOOD OF THE DAMAGE WITH AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. GM REFUSED ME DIRECTLY UPON APPEAL. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT RECALL, THOUGH RELATIVELY SIMPLE TO IMPLEMENT. THE CAR IS ONLY 7 YEARS OLD. GM SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO COVER THE FULL COST OF IMPLEMENTATION, WITHOUT PROFITING ON AN OTHERWISE UNNECESSARY REPLACEMENT OF EXPENSIVE COMPONENTS. GM COULD REPLACE JUST THE SOLENOID OR PERHAPS EVEN JUST THE TERMINAL. THE WIRE LEAD COULD BE PROPERLY SPLICED WITHOUT TERMINAL REMOVAL. THIS POSSIBILITY (OR PERHAPS PROBABILITY) WAS NOT MENTIONED IN THE RECALL NOTICE OR IN CONVERATIONS WITH THE DEALER PRIOR TO THE RECALL WORK. I AM ARRANGING TO HAVE THE SOLENOID ALONE REPLACED FOR APPROX. $140. I SUGGEST THAT GM BE ORDERED TO REIMBURSE CUSTOMERS FOR THIS AND OTHER COSTS REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT THE RECALL FULLY AND TO COVER THEM DIRECTLY FROM THIS POINT FORWARD. I WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT GM HAS ALREADY INSTALLED A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF NEW STARTERS AT OWNERS' EXPENSE.

NHTSA ID

10000286

Incident

Dec 19, 2002

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT HEAD GASKETPROBLEMS. HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND STATED THAT THIS WAS NOT A RECALL SO THERE FOR THEY WON'T COVER IT . *TS *TT *NLM.*AK

NHTSA ID

8023853

Mileage

52,000 mi

THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE STARTER, DEALER REPLACED STARTER AND UPON LEAVING STATION THE CONSUMER TRIED TO TURN ON HEAT, HEATER FAN STOPPED BLOWING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. MR THE HEATER FAN STOPPED WORKING DUE TO A GROUND WIRE THAT WAS NOT REPLACED ONCE THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED. *JG

NHTSA ID

8022095

Incident

Oct 15, 2002

Mileage

83,000 mi

THE ANTIFREEZE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND THE VEHICLE HESITATED, CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A BAD HEAD GASKET. TS *JB

NHTSA ID

8021912

DEALER TAKING TO LONG TO PERFORM RECALL. RECALL#02V070000 IGNTION SWITCH BUICK 2500 EAST HARDING SHERIDAN, AR 72150 870-534-3020 TS

NHTSA ID

8021278

Incident

Oct 11, 2002

THEE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO A RECALL REGARDING THE IGNITION SWITCH AND STEERING COLUMN NUMBER 02V070. CONSUMER NEVER RECIEVED A RECALL NOTICE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DEEMED TOTALED. *JG

NHTSA ID

8016153

Incident

Jul 7, 2002

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTIFICATION (02V070000) HOWEVER IT TOOK 2 DAYS TO GET THE PART INSTALLED BECAUSE THE FIRST DAY CONSUMER WENT TO THE DEALER HE WAS TOLD THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH PARTS, EVEN THOUGH CONSUMER CALLED IN ADVANCE AND CONFIRMED IF THERE WERE PARTS, THE SAME DAY THE RELAY WAS INSTALLED CONSUMER HAD TO GET THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT START, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE STARTER WAS BAD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*JB

NHTSA ID

566745

VEHICLE BROKE DOWN WHILE BEING DRIVEN. OWNER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, AND HAD ALTERNATOR REPLACED. RECALL 02V070000 REPAIRS FAILED BECAUSE PART WAS PLACED TOO CLOSE TO FAN WHICH CUT THE WIRES. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID

8012803

WHEN TURNING IGNITION SWITCH SMOKE STARTED TO COME FROM BEHIND STEERING COMPONENT, AND SECONDS LATER VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID

8010961

Incident

Jun 1, 2002