1995 Pontiac Sunfire Engine Problems

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

NHTSA ID

10105187

Incident

Dec 20, 2004

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

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

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

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

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

THERE'S A HESITATION WHEN BRAKING, ALSO, THERE'S HEAVY WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM EXHAUST. TOOK TO DEALER, AND DEALER STATED AN OIL LEAK WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

8009181

Incident

Apr 25, 2002

HEAD GASKET HAS FAILED TWICE. THE SECOND FAILURE AT 77,000 MILES. NLM

NHTSA ID

759945

THE FIRST FAILURE OF THE HEAD GASKET WAS ON AUG 12, 1996 WITH 12,453 MILES. PONTIAC WILL NOT RECALL THE 2.2 LITER (IRON) DUKE) ENGINE, NOR ARE THEY WILLING TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. THE WARRANTY STATES IT WILL BE COVERED FOR 7YEARS/100,000 MILES, BUT WHAT HAPPEN AFTER THAT??? THE HEAD GASKETS ONLY LAST ON THE AVERAGE FOR 15 MONTHS. *AK

NHTSA ID

758510

Incident

Feb 19, 2002

ANY TIME THE CAR IS STARTED, EITHER COLD OR WARM START, THE MOTOR HAS A VERY IRRATIC IDLE, COMES CLOSE TO STALLING, AND GIVES OFF VERY STRONG EXHAUST FUMES. THE PROBLEM LASTS FOR 1-3 MINUTES, DURING WHICH THE CAR IS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. UNTIL THIS TIME HAS ELAPSED, THE MOTOR IS UNRESPONSIVE TO ANY THROTTLE INPUT. IF I ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, THE PROBLEM WORSENS, AND EVENTUALLY STALLS. AFTER NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURES HAVE BEEN REACHED, THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO DISAPPEAR. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS NOW, AND CAN NOT SEEM TO GET A STRAIGHT ANSWER FROM GM, OR ANY OF THE LOCAL DEALERS AS TO THE CAUSE. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME MODEL SUNFIRE, AND 95% OF THEM HAVE HAD OR ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, AND HAVE ALSO BEEN TOLD BY LOCAL DEALERS THAT THE PROBLEM DOES NOT SHOW UP ON ANY OF THE DIAGNOSTIC EQUIPMENT. THERE ARE NO RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEM, AND ONLY ONE TSB ISSUED, WHICH I HAVE BEEN TOLD, DOES NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

751761

THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED, CONSUMER LATER FOUND OUT THAT THE PART WAS DEFECTIVE AND MANUFACTURER WOULD HAVE FIXED IT FREE OF CHARGE, HOWEVER CONSUMER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET A RESPONSE FROM MANUFACTURER REGARDING REIMBURSEMENT.*JB

NHTSA ID

562885

IN 1995 I BOUGHT MY PONTIAC SUNFIRE AND SCINCE I HAVE HAD IT I HAVE HAD TO PUT 3 HEAD GASKETS ON IT AND ONE HEAD THE FIRST 1 WAS REPLACED AT 36,275 IN 1998 AND AT THAT TIME THEY NEED TO REPLACE THE PISTONS AND RINGS DO TO THIS PROBLEM. THE NEXT TIME WAS IN2000 WITH 64,915 MILE AT THAT IME IT WAS JUST THE HEAD GASKET THEN THE 3RD TIME THEY REPLACED THE HEAD GASKET AND THE HEAD WHICH WAS CAUSED BY REPLACING THE HEAD GASKET SO MANY TIMES THIS TIME I HAD TO. *AK

NHTSA ID

744907

Incident

Mar 18, 1998

ENGINE HEAD GASKET IS LOSING ANTIFREEZE, CONSUMER HAS TO FILL UP EVERY 2 WEEKS, AND VEHICLE OVER HEATS.*AK

NHTSA ID

886871

Incident

Apr 23, 2001

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

HEAD GASKET LEAKED, AND WAS REPLACED AT 87000 MILES UNDER SPECIAL POLICY #98054. AT 112,800 MILES, HEAD GASKET FAILED AGAIN, AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN, THIS TIME NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL , AS THE GASKETS ARE OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE, AND GENERAL MOTORS IS VERY AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM IN THESE VEHICLES, ACCORDING TO THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

743609

Incident

Apr 5, 2001

ENGINE BLOCK IS MADE OUT OF CAST IRON AND HEAD IS MADE OUT OF ALUMINUM, AND THEY HEAT AT DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES, CAUSING HEAD GASKET TO LEAK ANTI FREEZE. PONTIAC ISSUED SPECIAL POLICY FOR THIS DEFECT.*AK PONTIAC WILL NOT FIX DUE TO VEHICLE HAVING OVER 100000 MILES. *SLC

NHTSA ID

885139

Incident

Jan 27, 1999

COOLANT LEAK FROM HEAD GASKET. *AK

NHTSA ID

741915

FIRST HEAD GASKET FAILURE AT 34149 MILES ON 2/14/98. *AK

NHTSA ID

739785

Incident

Jan 15, 2000

AFTER VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER RECALL FOR PCM, CONDITION OF VEHICLE WORSENED. SINCE REPAIR, DEALER CONCLUDED THAT HEAD GASKETS NEED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE HEAD GASKET BLEW UP FIRST AND THEN THE PCM FAILED. AFTER THE REPAIR WAS DONE ON BOTH, THE VEHICLEE RUNS HORRIBLE. *YH

NHTSA ID

875504

Incident

Jan 1, 2000

THE MOTOR IN THIS CAR HAS BLOWN ON ME TWICE WITH NO WARNING RUNNING AS SMOOTH AS CAN BE AND JUST BOOM THE MOTOR GOES, THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPEND IT WAS SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY WITH THE AC ON COOLING DOWN THE INSIDE AND IT JUST BLEW UP. I THINK GM SHOULD GIVE ME A NEW CAR FOR FREE. THIS ONE HAS BEEN A LEMON.

NHTSA ID

730188

Incident

Mar 20, 1999

WENT FOR AN INSPECTION ON MY 1995 SUNFIRE AND WAS NOTIFIED OF A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. *AK

NHTSA ID

723984