1995 Pontiac Sunfire Electrical Problems

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

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

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

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

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

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

RECALL 02V070000 CONCERNING IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE. DEALERSHIP HAD NO PARTS AVAILABLE. BALCOMI PONTAC BICK GMC INK 84 AVON ROAD GENESEO NEW YORK 14452 585 243 2170. *AK

NHTSA ID

8010167

Incident

Apr 1, 2002

VEHICLE IS LEAKING WATER FROM HEAD GASKET. COOLANT LIGHT ILLUMINATES ON DASH. TOOK TO DEALER. ALSO THERE WAS A RECALL CAMPAIGN 00V367000. *AK DEALER FOUND SMALL HOLE IN CYLINDER HEAD. ENGINE WILL NOT START AND IS OVERHEATING. VEHICLE SHUTS OFF AT STOP. VEHICLE SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. ALTERNATOR, IGNITION SWITCH, HEAD GASKET, COOLANT, FAN BELT, PLUGS AND WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED. FOUND FRONT HUB BEARING MAKING ROARING NOISE. A/C STOP WORKING. DEALER FOUND COMPRESSOR FAILED. THERE IS A STRONG GAS ODOR WHEN CRANKING VEHICLE. FUEL INJECTOR WAS REPLACED. *TT

NHTSA ID

8009184

Incident

Feb 1, 2002

CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL, AND WAS TOLD THAT PART WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL JULY 2002. WHAT GOOD WAS THE RECALL IF PROBLEM COULD NOT BE CORRECTED.*AK *YH

NHTSA ID

8007057

Incident

Apr 4, 2002

THIS WAS NOT A CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY TURNED OFF. IT WOULD NOT START IN THE MORNING AND ABOUT TWO HOURS LATER THE IGNITION WIRING CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE STEERING COLUMN AND DASH BOARD WERE MELTED. THE FRONT SEAT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACKED IN A LARGE CIRCLE THE SIZE OF A BASKETBALL. THERE WAS SMOKE DAMAGE INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND TO THE ITEMS IN THE TRUNK. THE FIRE DEPT SAID THAT IF THE WINDSHIELD WOULD HAVE BROKEN ALL THE WAY THROUGH THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE EXPLODED. AS IT WAS, THE LACK OF OXYGEN PUT OUT THE FIRE.

NHTSA ID

749006

FOR MORE THAN A YEAR MY CAR HAS COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. FUSES BLOW. I'VE HAD HEAD GASKET REPLACED, 2 CLUTCHES INSTALLED, AND A NEW IGNITION MODULE. VARIOUS OTHER SMALL PROBLEMS. MECHANIC DOES NOT KNOW WHAT TO REPAIR NEXT. THE MOST RECENT SHUT DOWN OCCURED ON HIGHWAY DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. WAS TOWED HOME. NOW SITTING IN DRIVEWAY.

NHTSA ID

743899

Incident

Feb 10, 2001

I ALSO HAD MY ALTERNATOR REPLACED,I WAS TOLD BY A TOW TRUCK DRIVER THAT MY ALTERNATOR WAS REBUILT,KEEPING IN MIND I HADN;T REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR TILL NOW,WHICH WAS AUGUST '99. I HAD THE INITIALS RB ON MY ALTERNATOR.I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP,THEY SAID IT WAS PROBABLY THE MANUFACTURERS INTIALS.I ALSO TOOK PICTURES OF IT BEFORE THEY TOOK IT OUT. WHEN I GOT A SO CALLED NEW ONE IT DIDN;T HAVE ANY INITIALS ON IT. *AK

NHTSA ID

726594

KEY WAS NOT IN THE IGNITION WHEN THE HORN STARTED TO BLOW ON ITS OWN . ALSO, WITHIN MINUTES CONSUMER NOTICED FLAMES COMING OUT OF STEERING COLUMN. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT ,CONSUMER HAD TRIED TO START VEHICLE, BUT IGNITION DID NOT TURN OVER, AND HEARD A GRINDING NOISE.VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. *AK

NHTSA ID

862768

Incident

May 26, 2000

HAD HEADGASKET/ TRANSMISSION/ BOTH FRONTSPEAKERS/ REAR GLASS FOR REAR DEFOGGER, AND RADIO REPLACED ONCE THEY SAY IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN, HAD ONE SPARK PLUG REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

719750

VEHICLE WAS SURGING AT 35 MPH. LOCAL PONTIAC SERVICE CONTACTED GM TECHNICAL SERVICE. WHEN COMPUTER WHICH IS PLACED IN WHEEL WELL WAS REMOVED IT WAS FULL OF WATER AND CORRODED. NEW COMPUTER WAS INSTALLED, BUT VEHICLE CANNOT BE SET TO CORRECTLY RUN WITH IT. VEHICLE HAS BEEN INOPERABLE FOR TWO WEEKS.

NHTSA ID

705712

Incident

Apr 5, 1999

ELECTRICAL FAILURE CAUSING THE FUSE TO BLOW FOR LIGHTING SYSTEM ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.

NHTSA ID

543595

WHILE TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE UP THE STEERING COLUMN CAUGHT ON FIRE, AND SOMEONE PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME OUT AND THEY COULDN'T DETERMINE HOW THE FIRE STARTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

830422

Incident

Nov 5, 1998

FIRE DUE TO FAILURE OF THE IGNITION SWITCH.

NHTSA ID

536519

Incident

Apr 13, 1998

STRANGE NOISE CAME FROM IGNITION WHEN VEHICLE WAS CRANKED. ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN AFTER IGNITION WAS SWITCHED OFF. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO SWITCH OFF, THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND SMOKE CAME FROM THE IGNITION AREA. SMOKING STOPPED, BUT LATER VEHICLE WAS FOUND WITH THE INTERIOR ENGULFED INFLAMES.

NHTSA ID

531829

Incident

Mar 1, 1998

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR STOPPED ACCELERATING. PLEASE DESCRIBE.*AK

NHTSA ID

801143

Incident

Aug 17, 1996

WHEN APPLY THE BRAKE CAR SHUT OFF. TT

NHTSA ID

978943