1999 Pontiac Sunfire Electrical Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SAFELY MANEUVER TO THE SHOULDER AND SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V036000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 86,000.

NHTSA ID

10466611

Incident

Jul 15, 2012

Mileage

86,000 mi

THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL ON MY 1999 PONTIAC SUNFIRE RECENTLY STARTED FUNCTIONING ERRATICALLY I.E. GAUGES (GAS GAUGE, TEMPERATURE GAUGE, SPEEDOMETER) WOULD START FLUCTUATING WILDLY. LOCAL PONTIAC DEALERSHIP HAS DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AS HAVING A DEFECTIVE (OR BURNED OUT) INSTRUMENTAL PANEL CLUSTER. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS COMPONENT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER ANY TYPE OF LIFETIME WARRANTY AND THAT THE REPAIRS WOULD COST $472.31. IN RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET, IT APPEARS TO BE SYSTEMIC AMONG LATE 1990 TO EARLY 2000 PONTIAC VEHICLES. FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT, IT IS A DANGEROUS CIRCUMSTANCE TO BE DRIVING 70-75 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND TO HAVE YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL START MALFUNCTIONING. PONTIAC SHOULD BE FORCED TO RECALL THESE DEFECTIVE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTERS AND REPAIR THEM AT NO CHARGE. *KB

NHTSA ID

10446306

Incident

Oct 22, 2011

Mileage

92,700 mi

DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF A 1999 PONTIAC SUNFIRE, 4DR, 2.2 LITER ENGINE, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE WIRING HARNESS AT THE DRIVERS DOOR FRAME, AT THE CONNECTION OF THE UNDERDASH HARNESS AND THE REAR OF VEHICLE HARNESS SHORTED, CAUSING THE INSULATION TO CATCH FIRE. THIS SITUATION SHORTED OTHER CIRCUITS IN THE HARNESS CAUSING BRAKING PROBLEMS WITH THE ANTI-LOCK SYSTEM. VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE STOPPED SAFELY, AND THE DRIVER, WITH GOOD SAMARITAN ASSISTANCE WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. FIRE RENDERED THE HOOD LATCH INOPERATIVE. THIS PREVENTED THE DRIVER FROM DISCONNECTING THE BATTERY GROUND CABLE, TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE AND/OR FIRE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10346427

Incident

Mar 9, 2010

Mileage

238,000 mi

I HAD A 1999 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. IT WAS PARKED OUTSIDE OF RESIDENCE WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THIS WAS A FEW YEARS AGO APPROXIMATELY AROUND JULY OF 2006. PONTIAC DID NOT ACCEPT FAULT. THEY SAID THE FIRE DESTROYED ANY EVIDENCE OF A DEFECT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10277533

Incident

Jul 27, 2006

Mileage

623,766 mi

MY HEADLIGHTS DO NOT STAY ON. THEY TURN OFF WHEN I USE MY TURN SIGNAL, OR IF I HIT A BUMP. THE HI-BEAMS AND DRL'S ARE FINE, IT'S JUST THE REGULAR HEADLIGHTS. ALSO MY ENGINE SHOWS THAT IT IS OVERHEATING ON MY TEMP. GUAGE, BUT DOES NOT ACT LIKE IT. WHEN THE A/C IS TURNED ON, IT RETURNS TO A NORMAL LEVEL. ANOTHER THING IS MY AIRCONDITIONING LINE HAS A HOLE IN IT FROM ANOTHER HOSE RUBBING UP AGAINST IT. I THINK IT'S EITHER MY STEERING HOSE OR RADIATOR HOSE. WHEN I TURN LEFT MY CAR MAKES AN AWFUL GRINDING NOISE.

NHTSA ID

10185467

Incident

Jan 4, 2004

THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR PUMP (A/C PUMP) COMES INTO CONTACT WITH THE (1999) OEM LOWER RADIATOR HOSE (HOSE), DENTING THE HOSE AND WEARING A HOLE IN THE HOSE OVER TIME. THIS CONDITION IS WORSE WHEN FRONT STRUTS AND/OR ENGINE MOUNTS BECOME WORN. INITIAL LEAK OF COOLENT IS ONLY DETECTABLE BY LOW FLUID LEVEL OVER EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME (APPORXIMATELY 6 MONTHS TO A YEAR): NO WETNESS ON THE HOSE OR POOLING OF COOLENT FLUID UNDER THE VEHICLE IS DETECTABLE PRIOR TO A LARGER HOLE BEING WORN INTO THE HOSE. PRIOR TO LARGER HOLE BEING WORN INTO HOSE, COOLENT LOSS IS IN VAPOR FORM, BUT NOT IN A SUFFICIENT AMOUNT TO BE SEEN. ONCE THE HOLE IN THE HOSE BECOMES LARGE ENOUGH TO BE DETECTED BY FLUID POOLING UNDER THE VEHICLE, THE COOLENT FLUID WILL COME IN CONTACT WITH THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) AND CAUSE FAILURE OF THE PCM. THE PCM CONTROLS MAJOR ENGINE AND BRAKING FUNCTIONS. A COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE PCM WILL CAUSE LOSS OF BRAKING CONTROL (VIA ABS) AND SHUT DOWN OF ENGINE (CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL). THERE IS ALSO THE POSSIBILITY OF CAUSING A ELECTRIC SHORT IN THE 12 VOLT CIRCUIT RESULTING IN A FIRE. PLEASE NOTE THAT "AFTER MARKET" MANUFACTURERS REPLACEMENT HOSE IS REDESIGNED TO HELP PREVENT CONTACT BETWEEN A/C PUMP AND THE HOSE. AT THE TIME OF THIS COMPLAINT IT IS UNKNOWN WHETHER THE OEM HOSE HAS BEEN REDESIGN TO PREVENT CONTACT WITH THE A/C PUMP.

NHTSA ID

10133509

Incident

Jul 4, 2005

Mileage

133,700 mi

IGNITION CIRCUIT THERMAL EVENTS REGARDING 1999 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. ***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE CONSUMER STATED THERE IS NO SERVICE DEALER NEAR HIS HOME TO GET THE RECALL TAKEN OF. ( RECALL #04V036000). *JB

NHTSA ID

10119173

Incident

Apr 1, 2005

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 04V036000 CONCERNING IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE. DEALER PERFORMED RECALL REPAIRS AND CHARGED CONSUMER $500.00 HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO HAVE STARTING PROBLEMS. DEALER TRIED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE THREE MORE TIMES AND CHARGED $500.00 EACH TIME A REPAIR WAS DONE. *AK *JB

NHTSA ID

10061577

THE WIRING HARNESS IS SHORTING OUT WHICH HAS MADE MY IGNITION SWITCH SHORT OUT AND MY COMPUTER. PONTIAC HAS ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN. SINCE THERE IS ENOUGH PEOPLE WITH THIS PROBLEM THEY SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL AND NOT JUST STOP AT A BULLETIN. THIS COULD HAVE MADE POSSIBLY MADE MY CAR CATCH ON FIRE. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A HAZARD. THIS IS GOING TO BE COSTING ME RIGHT ABOUT $1000, THIS IS A ROUGH ESTIMATE FROM THE MECHANIC.*AK

NHTSA ID

10032828

Incident

Aug 11, 2003

MILEAGE FLASHES ON AND OFF LIKE THERE IS A SHORT AND AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON THE WHOLE TIME THE CAR IS RUNNING AND WHILE DRIVING.:( CLUNKING IN FRONT END POSSIBLY BY TIRES? LIKE THE SHOCKS OR WHATEVER

NHTSA ID

10029321

Incident

Apr 20, 2002

Mileage

50,000 mi

1999 PONTIAC SUNFIRE BURST INTO FLAMES IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING LOUD CLUNK IN ENGINE WHILE DRIVING ON EXPRESSWAY. VEHICLE IS TOTALED. SPARK PLUG FELL TO GROUND AS FIRE STARTED. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10014247

Incident

Mar 16, 2003

Mileage

89,000 mi

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE BATTERY LEAKED ACID, THAT COMPLETELY CORRODED THE POSITIVE TERMINAL POST. ACID DRIPPED ON WIRE THAT RELEASES HOOD NOW HOOD IS INOPERABLE. NLM

NHTSA ID

8019920

Incident

Sep 26, 2002

THE ORIGINAL BATTERY THAT CAME WITH MY CAR HAS FAILED. THE POSITIVE TERMINAL POST HAS COMPLETELY CORRODED AND FELL OFF. ALSO THE CABLE THAT RUNS TO THAT POST HAS MELTED.*AK

NHTSA ID

765517

Incident

Aug 10, 2002

THE BATTERY ACID ATE AT THE METAL BOLTS OF THE BATTERY CAUSING THE POSTIVE CONNECTOR TO COMPLETELY COME OFF ( BOLT, CABLE, AND ALL). (AC DELCO BATTERY). *MJ

NHTSA ID

566917

Incident

Oct 2, 2001

TWO PARK PLUG WIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WITHIN 30000 MILES. WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED OUT. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER HAS REPLACED WIRES, BUT PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *AK

NHTSA ID

8008712

Incident

Apr 1, 2001

SOMETIMES WHEN CONSUMER STARTS AUTOMOBILE IT DOES NOT START RIGHT AWAY. SHE THINKS THAT THIS IS RELATED TO 1997 RECALL NOTICE.*AK

NHTSA ID

8006896

Incident

Nov 15, 2001

THE VEHICLE STALLS WHILE STOPPED AND WHILE DRIVING DUE TO A SHORTED WIRE AT THE PULLEY. NLM

NHTSA ID

559823

Incident

Apr 22, 1999

GENERATOR LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. REAR AND FRONT BRAKES SQUEAK. *AK

NHTSA ID

740512

Incident

Jan 29, 2001

HORN HAS NEVER WORKED SINCE I BOUGHT LAST MONTH. *AK

NHTSA ID

707626

Incident

Jun 3, 1999