1999 Pontiac Sunfire Engine Problems

I WAS PURCHASING THIS USED CAR FROM A DEALER. THEY REPLACED THE IGNITION ASSEMBLY 3 TIMES. THE CAR WOULD MYSTERIOUSLY SHUT OFF, THE IGNITION ASSEMBLY WOULD NOT ALLOW THE KEY TO BE REMOVED AND MULTIPLE TIMES THIS HAPPENED. I LOST ALLOT OF MONEY I PUT ON THE CAR AS IT BECAME OBVIOUS THEY COULD NOT FIX IT AND I HAD TO LET THEM TAKE IT BACK WITH NO REFUND TO ME.........THEY SAID AT THE DEALER THAT I WAS LUCKY THAT I DIDN'T HAVE A FIRE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10631179

Incident

Oct 1, 2013

Mileage

160,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING THE CAR JUST AFTER I PURCHASED IT AND BECAME COLD SO I TURNED ON THE HEATER AND WITHIN 30 SECONDS SMOKE FILLED THE CAR. I THOUGHT THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. IT SMELLED LIKE BURNING OIL OR GAS. I CALLED DELPHI ABOUT RECALLS AND BEFORE I COULD FINISH A SENTENCE THE MAN CUT ME OFF SAYING THAT THE ONLY RECALL ON MY CAR WAS FOR THE O RING ON THE FUEL. HE SAID IF I HAVE A 1999 AND THAT WAS DEFECTIVE I WOULD BE SPEWING FUEL EVERYWHERE. I DESCRIBED WHAT HAPPENED AND HE JUST CUT ME OFF. MY BROTHER PURCHASED THE CAR FROM A DEALER FOR OVER 3,000 DOLLARS AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE ODOMETER IS SUPPOSE TO BE BECAUSE HE SAID THE DEALER TOLD HIM TO BRING IT BACK AND HE WOULD FIX IT. AFTER HE PAID THE DEALER HE CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THE DEALER TOLD HIM THAT HE WILL CONTACT MY BROTHER WHEN HE CAN FIX IT. ACCORDING TO THE ODOMETER IT HAS A LITTLE OVER 23,000 MILES. I ALSO NOTICED THE HEADLIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT AND THERE IS YELLOW HOT WIRE HANGING OUT OF THE FUSE BOX. *TR

NHTSA ID

10501229

Incident

Nov 14, 2012

Mileage

200,000 mi

1999 PONTIAC SUNFIRE, VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. *BF WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER FELT A THUMP AND BEGAN TO LOOSE POWER. ONCE THE CONSUMER STOPPED, HE NOTICED FIRE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0699-90.*JB UPDATED 04/14/10 *BF

NHTSA ID

10321990

Incident

Jul 24, 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RADIATOR CAP FAILS EACH TIME IT IS TURNED. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED SEVEN TIMES AND HE HAS REPLACED IT EACH TIME. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER. HE FEELS THAT SOMEONE COULD BE INJURED IF THE CAP BLOWS OFF THE RADIATOR. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 170,000. UPDATED 11/03/08. *JB

NHTSA ID

10244158

Incident

Aug 4, 2008

Mileage

170,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED ON FEBRUARY 19, 2007 WITH ONE OF THE FRONT TIRES SHREDDED. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ODOMETER ON THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER WORKED. A MECHANIC STATED THAT THE REAR AXLE AND THE BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT CONTINUE TO ILLUMINATE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 116,598.

NHTSA ID

10189975

Incident

Feb 19, 2007

Mileage

116,598 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

CHECK ENGINE AND AIR BAG LIGHTS HAVE BEEN LIT FOR ABOUT 1 YEAR AND LOCAL DEALER WAS UNABLE TO FIND PROBLEM OR FIX. VEHICLE RECENTLY HIT A BUMP AND DRIVER AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. SPEED ABOUT 30 MPH WITH ANOTHER ADULT IN PASSENGER SEAT AND INFANT IN REAR-FACING SEAT IN REAR. *JB

NHTSA ID

10160955

Incident

Jun 21, 2006

Mileage

95,000 mi

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

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH THE IDLE PULLEY FAILED. AS A RESULT, ENGINE BLEW OUT. *AK

NHTSA ID

10091885

Incident

Sep 10, 2004

Mileage

102,000 mi

THE VEHICLES HEAD GASKET BLEW AND DESTROYED THE ENTIRE ENGINE AND OTHER COMPONENTS. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10019592

Mileage

41,000 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

MY CAR HAS MADE FRONT END NOISE AND NOW ENGINE CHECK LIGHT IS COMING ON AND OFF. THE ENGINE RUN AT A ROUGH IDLE.*AK

NHTSA ID

727769

WHILE TRAVELING AND MAKING A TURN VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT INDICATON. ALSO, WHILE IN REVERSE VEHICLE WILL NOT BACK UP. THIS IS INTERMITTENT. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

854670

Incident

Jan 3, 2000

WHILE DRIVING ON EXPRESSWAY/STREET, WHEELS WOULD WOBBLE. DRIVER HAD SOME CONTROL. DRIVER'S SEAT FAILS TO MOVE FORWARD WHEN LATCH IS RELEASED FOR ADJUSTING. ALSO, SHOCK ABSORBERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO KNOCKING NOISE. 2 WEEKS AFTER HAVING OIL REPLACED FOR LEAKING, IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

855608

Incident

Jul 7, 1999

I BROUGHT MY VEHICLE IN BECAUSE IT STALLED SEVERAL TIMES FOR NO REASON. I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. THE DAY I PICKED IT UP IT STALLED AGAIN. APROXIMATELY ONE MONTH AFTER THE ORIGINAL VISIT I DISCOVERED THAT THE CATYLYTIC CONVERTER WAS NOT FUNCTIONING BUT WAS TOLD THIS PROBABLY DID NOT CAUSE THE STALLING.

NHTSA ID

714463

Incident

Sep 1, 1999

NOISE OVER SPEED BUMPS IS AT A LOW SPEED EASING OVER THEM.

NHTSA ID

712735

ENGINE SHUTS OFF ALOT..WHEN IN REFERSE;GOING AROUND TURNS...RANDOMLY

NHTSA ID

708417

Incident

Mar 13, 1999

VEHICLE CONTINUALLY STALLING.

NHTSA ID

545044

Incident

Feb 12, 1999