1996 Pontiac Sunfire

ON SEPTEMBER 23, 2003, THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA) RECEIVED A LETTER DATED SEPTEMBER 8, 2003 FROM MR. DONALD FRIEDMAN, PETITIONING THE AGENCY TO OPEN A DEFECT INVESTIGATION INTO UNINTENDED ACCELERATION INVOLVING [MODEL YEAR] 1996 AND 1997 GENERAL MOTORS J-CARS.IN SUPPORT OF HIS PETITION, MR. FRIEDMAN CITED A REPORT HE RECEIVED FOR GM SHOWING IT HAD RECEIVED FAR MORE REPORTS OF ALLEGED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION FOR THESE MODELS THAN FOR OTHERS.AFTER ASSESSING THE DATA CLAIMED BY THE PETITIONER TO JUSTIFY HIS REQUEST, ODI FOUND NO INDICATION THAT DEFECT TREND RELATED TO THE PETITIONER'S ALLEGATIONS EXISTS AT THIS TIME.THEREFORE, THERE IS NO REASONABLE POSIBILITY THAT AN ORDER CONCERNING THE NOTIFICATION AND REMEDY OF A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT WOULD BE ISSUED AS A RESULT OF GRANTING MR. FRIEDMAN'S PETITION.CONSEQUENTLY, IN VIEW OF THE NEED TO ALLOCATE AND PRIORITIZE NHTSA'S LIMITED RESOURCES TO BEST ACCOMPLISH THE AGENCY'S SAFETY MISSION, THE PETITION IS DENIED.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS ANALYSIS, PLEASE REFER TO THE ATTACHED FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE.

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SUNFIRE WON'T START A SOMETHING WITH FUEL PUMP

NHTSA ID

10906226

Incident

Jul 21, 2016

Mileage

257,895 mi

MY WRECK HAPPENED IN 2006. THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED AND CRUSHED MY FACE I HAD TO HAVE TITANIUM PLATES PUT IN MY FACE CRASHED MY LEGS BROKE MANY BONES.

NHTSA ID

10717454

Incident

May 17, 2006

Mileage

137,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. THE CONTACT THEN SHIFTED INTO REVERSE AND THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. THE CONTACT HAD NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 209,600. *TR

NHTSA ID

10514559

Incident

May 31, 2013

Mileage

209,600 mi

NUMEROUS FAILURES WITH MY CAR I AM ONLY LISTING THE ONES WHICH HAVE HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE 1..TRANSMISSION FAILURE, TRANSMISSION FAILED 3 TIMES FIRST TIME WHILE TRAVELING 35MPH CAR CAME TO A DEAD STOP TIRES LOCKED UP, CAR WOULD NOT EVEN ROLL, CAUSING NEAR ACCIDENT. 2...WINDOW MOTORS FAILED TWICE ON EACH EACH DOOR OF MY 4 DOOR CAR 3...HEADLIGHT SWITCH HAS FAILED 3 TIMES CAUSING DANGEROUS SITUATION AT NIGHT 4...SEVERE WATER LEAK IN TRUNK AREA , WATER GETTING IN THROUGH FENDER WELL OR TRUNK UNDERBODY, CAUSED SO MUCH TO PUDDLE UP A MUSHROOM STARTED GROWING FROM BACK SEAT,... WATER PUDDLED UNDERNEATH CARPET IN SPARE TIRE AREA SO IT WAS NOT VISIBLE TO NAKED EYE, BUT WAS SLOSHING BACK AND FORTH WITH EVERY STOP AND GO OF VEHICLE STILL TO THIS DAY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO PINPOINT EXACT LOCATION WATER IS GETTING IN ALTHOUGH IT FOR SURE IS FROM UNDERBODY 5... OTHER DEFECTS INCLUDE RADIO DISPLAY LIGHTS FAIL ON 2 RADIOS, SEATBELTS AND STEERING WHEEL BECOME TOO HOT IN SUMMER BRAKE PADS WEAR UNEVENLY,,,, FUEL PUMPS GO OUT OFTEN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10405944

Incident

May 1, 2011

Mileage

75,000 mi

1996 PONTIAC SUNFIRE 2.2L. REAR RIGHT BRAKE LOCKS. CAUSES THE CAR TO SHUDDER AND DIFFICULT TO STOP. THIS ALSO CAUSES THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE ON THE DASH. BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED. POSSIBLE FAILURE TO STOP IS THE GREATEST CONCERN. THIS MAY LEAD TO ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10384013

Incident

Feb 22, 2011

Mileage

188,300 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE DRIVER FRONTAL AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARRANT. AS A CONSEQUENCE SHE SUSTAINED BRUISES TO HER FACE AND SHOULDERS. SHE FILED REPORT NUMBER 71762569700 WITH THE MANUFACTURER, AND SHE WAS AWAITING A RESPONSE. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING TO TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 180,000.

NHTSA ID

10286427

Incident

Sep 30, 2009

Mileage

180,000 mi

FEBRUARY 25, 2009 - NOTICED WHEN USING THE TILT STEERING LEVER, THE STEERING COLUMN DID NOT LOCK AT CERTAIN LEVELS (LOWER POSITION). WITHIN A WEEK OF NOTICING THIS PROBLEM, I NOTICE THE STEERING COLUMN SEEMED LOOSE AND WHEN IT WAS DIFFICULT AT TIMES WHEN TURNING LEFT. IN ONE INCIDENT, NEARLY LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE VEERED INTO MY LANE ON THE FREEWAY AT SPEEDS OF 65 MPH. I HAD TO OVER COMPENSATE THE IMMEDIATE TURN TO AVOID LOOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHING. MARCH 13, 2009 - NOISE HEARD WHEN TURNING OR STEERING THE VEHICLE. CHECK POWER STEERING FLUID - SLIGHTLY LOW, ADDED POWER STEERING FLUID - NOISE WENT AWAY. MARCH 14, 2009 - NOTICED POWER STEERING FLUID LEAK NEAR BOTH FRONT WHEELS. NOISE AGAIN HEARD - IT APPEARS THE RACK AND PINION STEERING IS THE PROBLEM. THIS WAS A PREVIOUS RECALL BY GM (NHTSA NO 02V286000) AND MY VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED IN 2003 BASED ON THE RECALL. FURTHER RESEARCH INDICATES THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER CONSUMERS AFTER THE REPAIRS HAD BEEN MADE BY A GM CERTIFIED MECHANIC AT A DEALERSHIP. THE GM DEALERSHIP DOES NOT WANT TO REPAIR THEIR PREVIOUS WORK AT NO CHARGE. I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE REPAIRED AT NO COST TO ME, AS IT WAS A PREVIOUS RECALL, SERVICED WHEN NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL AND CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM THAT COULD OR WILL RESULT IN A CRASH OR INJURIES TO THE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS SHOULD THE STEERING LOCK-UP DUE TO THE RACK AND PINION FAILURE. MARCH 15, 2009 - TILT STEERING DOES NOT WORK AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS IN ONE POSITION, ALL THE WAY UP AND TENDS TO EXTEND MORE LEFT THAN RIGHT. IT APPEARS A PIN ON THE STEERING COLUMN HAS FALLEN OUT AND IS LOOSE INSIDE THE STEERING COLUMN. REMOVED IGNITION COVERING AND FOUND METAL PIN FOR THE STEERING COLUMN HAD POPPED OUT, NOW CAUSING THE TILT STEERING TO LOCK IN THE MOST UPWARD POSITION AND EXTEND LEFT. RESULTS IN THE DRIVER OVER CORRECTING TO MAKE TURNS AND A CRASH WITH INJURY WHAMMY OCCUR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10262706

Incident

Feb 27, 2009

Mileage

165,000 mi

FEBRUARY 2007 HAD VEHICLE SERVICED AND WAS TOLD REAR CALIPERS NEEDED REPLACEMENT. WORK WAS COMPLETED TOTALING $875. WITHIN A WEEK, THE BRAKES LOCKED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SKID AND FAILURE TO STOP. NEARLY HIT A PEDESTRIAN IN CROSS WALK AT 20 MPH. RETURNED TO SERVICE, WAS TOLD ADJUSTMENTS NEEDED TO THE ABS BRAKES SYSTEM. SERVICE COMPLETED. 4 WEEKS LATER THE VEHICLES BRAKE SYSTEM LOCKED UP AND A GRINDING NOISE OCCURRED. RETURNED FOR SERVICE, PADS REPLACED, BRAKES ADJUSTED PER THE MECHANIC. 3 MONTHS HAVE PASSED NOW AND NOW THE ABS BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATES PERIODICALLY AND NOW WITHIN THREE MONTHS OF REPLACEMENT OF THE BRAKE PADS AND ADJUSTMENTS TO THE ABS SYSTEM, I AGAIN NOTICE THE VEHICLE VEERING RIGHT WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES AND THE REAR BRAKES TEND TO LOCK AT SPEEDS OF 20 TO 35 MPH WITH A LIGHT SCRAPPING AND/OR GRINDING NOISE AGAIN. THE MECHANIC INFORMED ME THEY HAVE COMPLETED AND REPAIRED THE BRAKES TO THE VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS AND CANNOT SERVICE ORE REPAIR IT ANY FURTHER. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH, IT APPEARS SEVERAL OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM OR INCIDENT OCCUR, UNFORTUNATELY RESULTING IN A CRASH. I AM REQUESTING A FURTHER INVESTIGATION TO BE COMPLETED ON THE GM ABS SYSTEMS FOR THIS VEHICLE. BRAKES SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED 3 TIMES IN A TWO YEAR TIME SPAN. THERE IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE ASSEMBLY OR DESIGN OF THIS ABS SYSTEM. I HAVE REPLACED THE ROTORS, BRAKE PADS, CALIPERS ON THIS VEHICLE TOTALING NEARLY $2,000. I MUST COMMUTE TO WORK ON TWO MAJOR FREEWAYS IN LOS ANGELES, WHICH IF AN ABS FAILURE OCCURS, COULD RESULT IN A CRASH WITH SEVERE OR FATAL INJURIES TO MYSELF AND/OR PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10262702

Incident

Feb 15, 2007

Mileage

160,000 mi

This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester  and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving website address and step by step instructions to complete the update.

This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester  and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving website address and step by step instructions to complete the update.

This informational bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Procedures to Unlock Delco Radio with Theftlock.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code.  The PI update to version D is to advise the unlock procedure is temporarily unavailable.  E version update is to add administrative details.

This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy transportation policy.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code.  The PI update to version D is to advise the unlock procedure is temporarily unavailable.