Owner-reported complaints naming the interior system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Pontiac Sunfire submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 14 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
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.
DT: THE DOORS OPENED BY THEMSELVES WHEN GOING AROUND THE CORNER. THREE OUT OF FOUR OF THE DOORS DO THIS. IF THE CONSUMER SLAMMED THE DOORS THEY WOULD LATCH PROPERLY. IT'S THE DOOR HANDLE ITSELF. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE PROBLEM WAS THE SPRING. *JB *SC
WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT. DUE TO THE INTERIOR DAMAGE THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. NO INJURIES REPORTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM
-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.
SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE INTO THE VENTS. VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PH *TR
FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATBACKS DON'T HOLD PROPERLY. WHEN APPLYING BRAKES SEATBACK WILL FLY FORWARD, AND WILL NOT LOCK IN PLACE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
AT THE END OF JUNE (2001) MY DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT SHUT. I HAD THE LOCK REPLACED. THIS MONTH (08/2001) MY PASSANGER SIDE DOOR LOCK IS NOT WORKING. MY DOOR CAN NOT BE SHUT . I HAVE TO REPLACE THE LOCK.*AK
ON SIX OCCASIONS I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE A SHORTED COIL SHELL.AT 6225 MILES AT CLASSIC PONTIAC BECAUSE OF ENGINE LIGHT WARNING AT 23033 ATCLASSIC I WAS TOWED TO SHOP TO REPLACE A SHORTED COIL SHELL.AT 23051 I WAS TOWED TO PARK PONTIAC NOW KNOWN AS ROSLYN AUTO GROUP WHERE I ORIGINALLY PURCHASED THE 1996 PONTIAC SUNFIRE., TO GET TO THE THE LATEST AND MOST TROUBLING INCIDENT I WAS OPERATING MY CAR IN N.Y. CITY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF THE WALDOF ASTORIA HOTEL ON PARK AVE ACCOMPANIED BY DAUGHTER WHO I WAS TAKING TO MT. SINANI HOSP. FOR TREATMENT.THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING IT FLASHED ABOUT TWENTY TIMES I THEN HEARD A LOUD POP SOUND AND LOST POWER TO A 10 MILE AN HOUR SPEED.THIS WAS A SERVERE SAFTEY PROBLEM FOR MYSELF MY DAUGHTERS ,OTHER MOTORIST AND THEGENERAL PUBLIC AT LARGE OTHER CARS AND TRUCKS HAD TO EXECUTE EVASSIVE MANUEVERS TO AVOID HITTING MY DISABLED CAR I WAS ABLE TO DIRECT MY CAR TO A SAFE SIDE STREET.THIS CAR IS A TIME BOMB BECAUSEOF GENERAL MOTORS INABILITY TO RESOLVE MY PERSISTANT AND INHERIENT PROBLEM THAT HAS CAUSED THIS AUTO TO BE TOWED TO THEIR REPAIR SHOPS THREE TIMES AS WELL AS DRIVEN IN 3 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM I AM STILL PAYING OFF THIS CAR AND THE DEALER HAS INFORMED ME MY LAST BILL INCLUDING TOWING WHICH CAME TO $500.00 IS MY RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE OF THE CARS CURRENT MILIAGE. ASIDE FROM THAT THIS CAR IS A DANGER TO THE PUBLIC AT LARGE BY ME NOTIFING YOU OF THIS CONDITION I AM HOPING THAT IF MYSELF OR ANYONE OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC SUFFERS DAMAGES OR LOSS OF LIFE GENERAL MOTORS WILL BECOME LIABLE.THANK YOU JAMES W. GRIFFIN
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
THE PASSENGER SEAT AFTER 32,000 MILES WILL NO LONGER MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARD MAKING IT A SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE PASSENGER SITTING IN THAT SEAT. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR TO TAYLOR PONTIAC IN AKRON, THEY TOLD ME THAT THE TRACKING WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AND TOLD ME IT WOULD COST AROUND $150.00 FOR PARTS AND LABOR. A FRIEND OF MINE ALSO HAS THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HIS 95 SUNFIRE. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS JUST A COINCIDENCE. MY CAR HAS LOW MILEAGE AND THE PASSENGER SEAT HAS NOT BEEN ABUSED FOR THIS PROBLEM TO BE HAPPENING. I HAVE NEVER FILED A COMPLAINT ABOUT ANY CAR THAT I HAVE OWNED BUT I HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR SINCE I HAVE PURCHASED IT AND IT HAS ALREADY BEEN RECALLED TWICE. I DO NOT THINK I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS REPAIR AND WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP CONCERNING THIS MATTER. THANK YOU. *AK
HARNESS OVERHEATS/MELTS AND SHORTS OUT SWITCH, MAKING HEADLIGHTS INOPERABLE. THIS IS MY SECOND REPAIR IN A YEAR. *AK
INTERIOR DOME LIGHT WIRING MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING A FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN# *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, CHANGING HIGH BEAMS TO LOW BEAMS, THE SWITCH BROKE. ALSO THE DOOR LATCHES BROKE. PROBLEM HAS BEEN CORRECTED. *AK
DURING OPERATION SMOKE WAS NOTICED COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE DASH BOARD. RESULTING IN FLAMES UNDER THE STEERING COLUMN, AND THE VEHICLE BURNING DOWN.*AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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