2004 Pontiac Sunfire Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2004 Pontiac Sunfire, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Electrical1642.1%
- Engine718.4%
- Body & structure37.9%
- Exterior lighting37.9%
- Brakes37.9%
- Driver assistance25.3%
- Tires & wheels12.6%
- Interior & seats12.6%
- Steering12.6%
- Airbags12.6%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
BOUGHT CAR USED IN 2013. EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE OKAY UNTIL 9/12/14 WHEN THE THEFT SYSTEM SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON AND I NOTICED THE SPEEDOMETER, RPMS, AND GAS INDICATORS WERE NOT READING - CAR BEGAN STALLING LIKE IT WAS GOING TO SHUT DOWN. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 50 TO 55 MPH ON A BUSY STREET. AFTER CAR IS SHUT OFF FOR A TIME IT STARTS UP OKAY AND RUNS UNTIL THE SAME THING REOCCURS AFTER GOING ABOUT 20 MILES OR SO - IF CAR SHUTS DOWN WHILE MOVING IT COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME THING ON VARIOUS WEBSITES. APPARENTLY, THE APPROXIMATE COST TO FIX IS $400.00 - I AM ON A LIMITED INCOME AND CANNOT AFFORD. PLEASE HELP. *TR
VEHICLE DOES NOT ALWAYS START RIGHT AWAY. THE VEHICLE HAS SHUT OFF MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE DRIVING IN TOWN AND ON THE HIGHWAY. *TR
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
BOUGHT CAR USED IN 2013. EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE OKAY UNTIL 9/12/14 WHEN THE THEFT SYSTEM SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON AND I NOTICED THE SPEEDOMETER, RPMS, AND GAS INDICATORS WERE NOT READING - CAR BEGAN STALLING LIKE IT WAS GOING TO SHUT DOWN. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 50 TO 55 MPH ON A BUSY STREET. AFTER CAR IS SHUT OFF FOR A TIME IT STARTS UP OKAY AND RUNS UNTIL THE SAME THING REOCCURS AFTER GOING ABOUT 20 MILES OR SO - IF CAR SHUTS DOWN WHILE MOVING IT COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME THING ON VARIOUS WEBSITES. APPARENTLY, THE APPROXIMATE COST TO FIX IS $400.00 - I AM ON A LIMITED INCOME AND CANNOT AFFORD. PLEASE HELP. *TR
VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AND PARKED FOR THE EVENING. IN THE MORNING WENT TO START THE VEHICLE AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS WERE TRIED TO START. NEW STARTER INSTALLED AND STILL NO SUCCESS TO START. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP. AFTER EVALUATION IT WAS FOUND THE TIMING CHAINS HAD BROKEN AND INFRINGED ON THE CYLINDER HEADS. VEHICLE REQUIRES REPLACEMENT ENGINE AS PER MECHANIC. INVESTIGATED OTHER CLAIMS OF THE SAME INCIDENT HAPPENING AND HAVE FOUND THAT THE 2.2L ECOTEC ENGINE HAS HAD SEVERAL COMPLAINTS OVER THE LAST 5-7 YEARS. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING MY 2004 PONTIAC SUNFIRE, I HAD TO HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT IN ORDER FOR IT TO GO STRAIGHT. I THOUGHT I MIGHT NEED A FRONT END ALIGNMENT AND DROPPED THE CAR OFF AT MY NEIGHBORHOOD FIRESTONE DEALER THAT NORMALLY WORKS ON MY CARS. AFTER CHECKING THE CAR, THEY CALLED ME AND SAID THE FRAME OF THE CAR WAS RUSTED OUT AND IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. WHEN I PICKED UP THE CAR, THEY GAVE ME PICTURES OF THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE FRAME WHICH ALL READY HAD CRACKED APART DUE TO THE RUST. THEY SAID IF YOU HIT A POTHOLE OR ANYTHING IN THE ROAD THE FRAME COULD SPLIT APART AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I CALLED A BODY SHOP TO SEE IF IT COULD BE REPAIRED AND THEY SAID IT WAS TO BIG OF A JOB.. THEY RECOMMENDED JUNKING THE CAR.. THIS CAR IS IN REAL GOOD SHAPE EXCEPT FOR THIS MAJOR DEFECT. THIS HAS FORCED ME TO BUY ANOTHER CAR.. I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE QUALITY OF YOUR PRODUCT. I FEEL THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM.
MY DAUGHTER LEFT HOME AND THE VEHICLE FRAME, OF THE 2004 PONTIAC SUNFIRE,BROKE IN TWO PARTS WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER SAID IT BROKE DUE TO IT RUSTED INTO TWO PARTS. SHE WAS NOT INJURED BUT THE CAR OF COURSE WAS INOPERABLE. THERE WAS NO WRECK OR ACCIDENT FOR THE FRAME OF THIS VEHICLE TO DISINTEGRATE. SHE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED IF SHE WAS TRAVELING AT MORE THAN 35 MPH AND ON AN OPEN HIGHWAY. I CONTACTED GENERAL MOTORS AND THEY GAVE THIS A GM CASE NUMBER AND SUGGESTED I CONTACT YOU CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM TO MAKE OTHER VEHICLE OWNERS AWARE OF IT. THE SHOP THAT IS REPAIRING THE VEHICLE STATED HE HAD A HARD TIME FINDING A FRAME DUE TO THE FACT THIS IS VERY COMMON IN PONTIAC SUNFIRE VEHICLES. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
LEFT SIDE REAR BLINKER LIGHT GOES OUT SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON OTHER PONTIAC SUNFIRES BUT FOR YEARS OTHER THAN THE ONE I HAVE. APPARENTLY THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE WIRING. I CAN WIGGLE THE BULB AND IT WILL WORK UNTIL I HIT A BUMP AND THEN IT IS OUT AGAIN. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON 2004 PONTIAC SUNFIRES AS WELL AS THE OTHER YEARS. *TR
DT: THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT BRIGHT ENOUGH TO SEE. THERE IS NO ADJUSTMENT FOR THE HIGH BEAM TO LOW BEAM, ONLY A DIM BULB. HAS BEEN TO A DEALER AND TRIED OTHER HEADLAMPS, BUT THESE WERE NOT ANY BETTER WITH THE VISIBILITY. CONTACTED GM, AND GM STATED THAT THIS WAS THE WAY THE CAR WAS DESIGNED, AND THEY WOULD NOT REDESIGN THE VEHICLE. THIS WAS STILL A PROBLEM, NO CORRECTIONS DONE. GM SUGGESTED TO PUT IN A BRIGHTER BULB, BUT GM SAID THIS WOULD VOID THE WARRANTY.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE DOES NOT ALWAYS START RIGHT AWAY. THE VEHICLE HAS SHUT OFF MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE DRIVING IN TOWN AND ON THE HIGHWAY. *TR
WHILE BRAKING THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS WORKING NORMALLY THEN SUDDENLY WENT SOFT. PUMPED BRAKES BUT PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR. CAUSED CAR TO CRASH INTO VEHICLE IN FRONT OF IT. FAILURE WAS CONSISTENT WITH EITHER MATER CYLINDER FAILURE OR HYDRAULIC BRAKE LINE FAILURE CAUSING LOSS OF FLUID AND PRESSURE. BOTH VEHICLES WERE A TOTAL LOSS. BOTH FRONT AIRBAGS WENT OFF IN SUNFIRE. NO SERIOUS INJURIES. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
BOUGHT CAR USED IN 2013. EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE OKAY UNTIL 9/12/14 WHEN THE THEFT SYSTEM SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON AND I NOTICED THE SPEEDOMETER, RPMS, AND GAS INDICATORS WERE NOT READING - CAR BEGAN STALLING LIKE IT WAS GOING TO SHUT DOWN. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 50 TO 55 MPH ON A BUSY STREET. AFTER CAR IS SHUT OFF FOR A TIME IT STARTS UP OKAY AND RUNS UNTIL THE SAME THING REOCCURS AFTER GOING ABOUT 20 MILES OR SO - IF CAR SHUTS DOWN WHILE MOVING IT COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME THING ON VARIOUS WEBSITES. APPARENTLY, THE APPROXIMATE COST TO FIX IS $400.00 - I AM ON A LIMITED INCOME AND CANNOT AFFORD. PLEASE HELP. *TR
DT: THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE FELL APART, LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE .TRIED TO GET IT TO STRAIGTEN OUT., IT WAS LIKE THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T DO WHAT CONSUMER, WANTED IT TO DO AND THERE WAS NO IMPACT TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE,. BUT THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, AND THE WINDSHIELD BUSTED, HIT A MAILBOX ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PASSENGER DOOR. COULD SEE BLACK MARK LIKE IT WAS CLIPPED, AND NOT DENTED. FELT LIKE THE VEHICLE WAS MADE OUT OF PLASTIC, IT JUST BUCKLED. SMELLED SOMETHING THAT SEEMED LIKE SMOKE, BUT DIDN'T SEE IT.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE ABS,TRAC AND SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON AFTER I HIT A DEER BECAUSE THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS WOULD NOT LET ME STOP FROM HITTING IT. I NOW HAVE THE PROBLEM WITH ABS TRACTION CONTROL AND SERVICE LIGHT BUT IT NOW MAKES IT HARD TO STOP TILL ALL THOSE COME ON. I WAS TOLD IT WAS A SENSOR IN THE HUB OF REAR END. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEN DRIVING MY 2004 SUNFIRE THE DASH SEEMS TO GET REALLY HOT AND SMELLS LIKE SOMETHING IS BURNING. I AM AFRAID THAT IT IS GOING TO CATCH ON FIRE.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE DOES NOT ALWAYS START RIGHT AWAY. THE VEHICLE HAS SHUT OFF MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE DRIVING IN TOWN AND ON THE HIGHWAY. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
DURING A SUDDEN STOP AT 35 MPH FRONT AIR BAGS INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM . *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .