1996 Pontiac Sunfire Engine Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. WITHIN A WEEK OF PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, IT BEGAN OVERHEATING. IN ADDITION, THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD REMAIN ILLUMINATED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF, WIPER FLUID WAS LEAKING, AND THE MUFFLER MADE A LOUD NOISE. THE CONTACT HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO REACH THE DEALER SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,050. UPDATED 10/03/08 *BF UPDATED 10/06/08.*JB

NHTSA ID

10240905

Incident

Jul 8, 2008

Mileage

136,050 mi

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND THE CONSUMER NOTICED OIL WAS LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS AND THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO DETERIORATION. *AK THE VEHICLE HAD ALSO BEEN LOSING COOLANT FOR THE PAST YEAR AND EXHIBITED A COOLANT SMELL. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10050011

Incident

Dec 3, 2003

Mileage

60,000 mi

FAILURE OF HEAD GASKET AT LESS THAN 64,000 MILES. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT WITH THE SUNFIRE MODEL ALTHOUGH THERE HAS BEEN NO OFFICIAL RECALL FOR THIS. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10049089

Incident

Dec 2, 2003

HEAD GASKET ON MY 96 PONTIAC SUNFIRE BLEW AND CAUSED MY CAR TO STALL IN TRAFFIC AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WITH MY FAMILY ABOARD. MY CAR WENT FROM 195 OPERATING TEMP TO 260 WITH IN 1 MINUTE. THE CAR COULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE AND CAUSED TREMENDOUS INJURIES.*AK

NHTSA ID

10048886

Incident

Nov 30, 2003

Mileage

150,000 mi

HEADLIGHTS GO OUT INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAS BEEN REPAIRED NUMEROUS TIMES, THE PROBLEM IS A SPLICE IN THE WIRING. *AK THE HIGH BEAMS WERE INOPERATIVE AND THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS FLASHED WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER REPLACED THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER. THE VACUUM ACTUATOR WAS STICKING WHICH CAUSED THE HEATER CONTROL NOT TO BLOW ON THE SETTING SELECTED. THE MUFFLERS HANGER BROKE AND THE BAFFLES WERE LOOSE WHICH CAUSED RATTLING AT IDLE. *SCC *NLM

NHTSA ID

10026652

Incident

Oct 20, 1997

-THE HORN ON 1996 PONTIAC SUNFIRE HAS QUIT WORKING AND BEEN REPAIRED THREE TIMES. THE PEOPLE AT THE SHOP SAID THAT IT WAS GETTING WET APPARENTLY EVERYTIME I WENT THROUGH WATER BECAUSE OF IT BEING POINTED DOWNWARD. -THE MUFFLER HAS BEEN FIXED THREE TIMES -THERE ARE MORE THAT I CAN NOT REMEBER RIGHT OFF HAND -THEIR IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE WHOLE CAR. THE LIGHT ON THE RADIO TIME AND STAION DISPLAY HAS NOT WORKED SINCE I BOUGHT IT, THE DRIVER'S REAR DOOR LIGHT HAS NOT COME ON, THE PASSENGER REAR WINDOW LETS DOWN BUT WILL NOT LET UP WHEN NEEDED SINCE RIGHT AFTER I GOT THE CAR, THE LIGHTS IN THE DASHBOARD GO ON AND OFF WITHOUT EVEN BEING TOUCHED, WHILE RIDING DOWN THE ROAD, THE WIDSHIELD WIPERS WILL JUST COME ON WITHOUT BEING TURNED ON AND THEN STOP HALFWAY DOWN IMPAIRING VISION, THE PASSENGER REAR TAIL LIGHT BLOWS ALL OF THE TIME, IT HAS NEVER STAYED WITH A BULB THAT WORKS, ETC. -THE VALVE COVER GASKET LEAKS AND HAS LEAKED SINCE I GOT IT -THE GAS LIGHT WILL NOT TELL YOU WHEN YOU ARE RUNNING LOW ON FUEL -THE RADIO WILL EAT YOUR TAPES SINCE I GOT THE CARTHE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACE ON THE CAR WITH LESS THAN 80,000 MILES ON IT -THE RACK AND PINION HAD TO BE REPLACED A FEW YEARS AGO ALONG WITH THE COMPLETE BRAKE SYSTEM THE POWER STEERING HAS LEAKED FLUID AND WILL STOP TURNING IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN. I HAVE ALMOST WRECKED ON IT SVERAL TIMES BECAUSE OF IT AND THE BRAKES. -THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR WORKS WHEN IT GETS READY TO IF EVEN THEN AND HAS ALWAYS DONE THAT.

NHTSA ID

10020716

Incident

May 29, 2003

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE TRANMISSION STALLED THE ENGINE CAUSING THE ENGNE TO SMOKE. TS

NHTSA ID

10001805

Incident

Oct 23, 2002

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED. THE CHECK ENGINE AND CHECK ENGINE GAUGE LIGHT APPEAR ON THE DASHBOARD. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFROMATION. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE VEHICLE. TS

NHTSA ID

8022433

Incident

Oct 1, 2002

THE AIRBAGS HAVE FAILED TO DEPLOY ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS AND I HAVE STATEMENTS PROVING THEY SHOULD OF. THE FUEL INJECTORS DAMAGED IN THE ACCIDENT WERE FIXED BY NEWBY AUTO 2 WEEKS LATER THEY WERE BROKEN AGAIN THEY REFUSED TO REDO THEM SAYING IT WASN'T THE SAME ONE THEY FIXED. THEY ALSO REFUSED TO ADD AN AIRBAG CHECK ONTO THE ESTIMATE SAYING THERE WASNT ENOUGH DAMAGE TO DEPLOY THEM I HAVE TWO OTHER ESTIMATES TOTALLING MY CAR THEY REFUSED TO LOOK AT THEM AND INSISTED IT WAS OK AND THEY WOULD FIX IT UNFORTUALLY THEY DID NOT AND IT HAS HAD MANY PROBLEMS SINCE. NEWBY AUTO A PONTIAC DEALERSHIP WAS LOCATED IN RICHFIELD UTAH AT THE TIME THEY HAD MY CAR THEY ARE NO LONGER IN BUSINESS IN RICHFIELD.

NHTSA ID

763671

Incident

Mar 7, 2002

WHILE TRAVELING 65 MPH VEHICLE LOST POWER IMMEDIATELY DUE TO HEAD GASKET BLOWING. INSIDE COMPARTMENT FILLED WITH STEAM AND PIPES AND HOSES BURSTED. VEHICLE WAS IN FOR RECALL SEPTEMBER 2001. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID

8010096

CONSUMER RECIEVED RECALL NOTICE P00010 PERTAINING TO THE HEAD GASKET. CONSUMER HAD REPAIRS DONE AT ANOTHER FACILITY AND IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT OF MONIES PAID. *JG

NHTSA ID

565468

Incident

Aug 21, 2001

ENGINE QUIT WHILE WAITING AT STOP LIGHT. ENGINE QUIT THREE TIMES PREVIOUSLY WHILE DRIVING.*AK

NHTSA ID

760451

Incident

Mar 8, 2002

ENGINE QUIT WHILE WAITING AT STOP LIGHT. ENGINE QUIT THREE TIMES PREVIOUSLY WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ID

760450

Incident

Mar 8, 2002

ENGINE QUIT WHILE WAITING AT STOP LIGHT. ENGINE QUIT THREE TIMES PREVIOUSLY WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ID

760449

Incident

Mar 8, 2002

VEHICLE IS LEAKING ANTI-FREEZE ONTO THE GROUND, CAUSING HEADGASKET TO FAIL. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8006682

Incident

Mar 29, 2002

I AM FILLING THIS OUT BECASE I AM TRYING TO FIND THE INFORMATION ON THE HEAD GASKET REALL ON MY CAR. THE HEAD GASKET HAS BLOWN AGAIN, AND I BELIEVE I AM STILL COVERED. *AK

NHTSA ID

756686

Incident

Nov 21, 2000

ENGINE RUNS HOT AT THE VERY TOP OF THE GAUGE JUST BEFORE THE OVER-HEATING MARK ON THE GAUGE. LOSING COOLANT. CAR SOME TIMES HAS TROUBLE STARTING AND BACK-FIRES. WATER PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 43,000 MILES AS IT HAD A HOLE IN IT AND WAS LEAKING. OIL LEAKS IN SEVERAL PLACES, OIL COMING OUT OF EXHAUST PIPE, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. REPLACED GASKET BETWEEN THE TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE DUE LEAKS. CURRENTLY, THE CLUTCH STICKS INTERMITTENTLY AND I SOMETIMES CAN'T GET THE TRANSMISSION TO GO INTO REVERSE. HAD TO REPLACE HIGH-PRESSURE POWER STEERING PUMP DUE TO LEAKS. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CURRENTLY HAS A PROBLEM WHEREBY I CAN'T TURN ON THE CAR ALARM, THE SENSOR ALARMS DON'T FUNCTION RIGHT, DRIVERS-SIDE WINDOW ONLY WORKS INTERMITTENTLY AND I'VE BURNED-OUT ABOUT 5 FUES IN SIX MONTHS. DRIVER'S LEATHER SEATS RIPPED AT THE SEWED RIBBING AT AROUND 15,000. THE TRUNK HYDRAULIC LIFT PUMPS STOPPED WORKING AT 25,000 MILES, AND THE TRUNK-LID WOULDN'T STAY UP AND IT'S A HEAVY TRUNK LID TO HOLD OPEN AND TRY TO PUT SOMETHING IT AT THE SAME TIME. BACK-UP LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING AT 10,000 MILES. DRIVER'S-SIDE SEATBELT IS TWISTED, AND THE SEAT CASING HOLDER FOR THE SEAT ADJUSTMENT BROKE-OFF. THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A RATTLE IN THE RIGHT REAR TRUNK AREA?*AK

NHTSA ID

754873

WHILE DRIVING AN UNSUAL NOISE OCCURRED DUE TO FAILURE OF ONE OF THE LIFTERS WHICH CAUSED DAMAGE TO CRAMSHAFT. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID

882726

WATER PUMP LEAKING HALF GALLON OR MORE OF FLUID EVERYDAY, CAUSING LOW COOLANT LIGHT TO COME ON. LOCAL DEALER WANTED 7 HOURS AND $600.00 DOLLARS OR MORE TO FIX. CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED AT ACCORDIAN-LIKE SHOCK ABSORBER AT HIGH SPEED. WAS UPSET TO LEARN THAT REPLACEMENT PART WAS DEALER-ONLY ITEM AND COST $420.00 DOLLARS PLUS $40.00 DOLLAR CORE CHARGE. WHEEL STUDS (THREE)ON PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WHEEL FAILED DURING HIGHWAY TRIP IN JUNE OF 1999. TWO MORE FAILED DURING AUGUST OF 2000. HAVE BEEN TOLD, COULD BE OVERTIGHTENING ISSUE, BUT HAVE NOT HAD PROBLEM WITH REMAINING STUDS ON OTHER WHEELS. THIS COULD BE VERY SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. INTERIOR DOME LIGHT HAS INTERMITTENT MALFUNCTION WHICH CAUSES LIGHT TO REMAIN LIT INDEFINITELY. HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. HAD TO TURN LIGHT OFF BY PULLING DOME LIGHT FUSE OR DISCONNECTING BATTERY EACH TIME. *AK

NHTSA ID

730413

Incident

Jun 25, 1999

COOLANT SEEPING FROM ENGINE AREA. SUSPECT DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET. NOTICED PROBLEM ON AUGUST 8, 2000 AFTER COMING BACK TO PARKED CAR IN TWO HOURS. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND THE CAR HAS NEVER OVERHEATED.

NHTSA ID

727558

Incident

Aug 8, 2000

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FAILURE OF THE HEAD GASKET PRIOR TO RECALL NOTIFICATION FROM THE MANUFACTURER. *MJS

NHTSA ID

553117

Incident

Jun 12, 2000

AT 72,000 MILES THE HEAD GASKET BLEW AND THE HEAD WAS CRACKED. ONLY HAD THE VEHICLE SINCE FEBRUARY 1999. ALL PREVIOUS RECALLS ON VEHICLE WERE NOT HANDLED BY DEALER BEFORE PURCHASE. THIS INFORMATION WAS DISCOVERED SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE. INFORMATION OBTAINED DETERMINED THAT GM RECALLED THE QUAD 4 ENGINE FOR PREVIOUS VEHICLES 1992-93 DUE TO THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINES. GMC REFUSES TO ACCEPT BLAME. THE REPAIRS OF THE ENGINE WILL COST $2,650.00 DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

721425

Incident

Sep 17, 1999

I HAD CONTACTED PONTIAC THROUGHOUT ENGINE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM AND WAS NOT THE LEAST BIT PLEASED. I KNOW OF 3 OTHER 96 SUNFIRES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND THE 95'S HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

719178

Incident

Feb 24, 1999

FUEL PUMP HAD TO REPLACE AFTER ONLY 56000 MILES. DEALER SAYS IT WILL COST $600.00 OR MORE TO FIX. AFTER IT WAS FIXED IT STILL HESITATES WHEN YOU FIRST ACCELERATE. LOUD KNOCKING AND VIBRATION NOISE IN EXHUAST WHEN YOU ACCELERATE OR JUST IDLING. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER SUNFIRE. I CAN'T WAIT TO GET RID OF THIS ONE.

NHTSA ID

719036

Incident

Dec 26, 1999

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA ID

713677

Incident

Oct 15, 1999