1995 Pontiac Sunfire

These are unverified consumer reports filed with NHTSA, shown as submitted.

• 12/23/1997· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  WHEN TURNING OFF VEHICLE CONSUMER SMELLED GAS WITHIN INSIDE VEHICLE. DEALER SAID #2 CYLINDER INJECTOR WAS LEAKING, WILL REPLACE. *AK

• 12/22/2004· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  THE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. *JB.

• 12/19/2002· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  IN FULFILLMENT OF RECALL 02008-S, A GM DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THAT REPLACEMENT OF THE STARTER WIRING HARNESS WILL DESTROY THE TERMINAL ON THE SOLENOID, RESULTING IN THE REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF BOTH THE SOLENOID AND STARTER MOTOR. BOTH PARTS ARE IN GOOD WORKING ORDER BUT GM WILL NOT COVER THE COST OF THIS DAMAGE, APPROX $260. IN SHORT, A RUSTY TERMINAL WILL PROBABLY BREAK WHEN REMOVED. FOR THIS, GM WANTS TO SELL A NEW STARTER WITH SOLENOID AT FULL PRICE. I HAVE CONFIRMED THE LIKELIHOOD OF THE DAMAGE WITH AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. GM REFUSED ME DIRECTLY UPON APPEAL. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT RECALL, THOUGH RELATIVELY SIMPLE TO IMPLEMENT. THE CAR IS ONLY 7 YEARS OLD. GM SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO COVER THE FULL COST OF IMPLEMENTATION, WITHOUT PROFITING ON AN OTHERWISE UNNECESSARY REPLACEMENT OF EXPENSIVE COMPONENTS. GM COULD REPLACE JUST THE SOLENOID OR PERHAPS EVEN JUST THE TERMINAL. THE WIRE LEAD COULD BE PROPERLY SPLICED WITHOUT TERMINAL REMOVAL. THIS POSSIBILITY (OR PERHAPS PROBABILITY) WAS NOT MENTIONED IN THE RECALL NOTICE OR IN CONVERATIONS WITH THE DEALER PRIOR TO THE RECALL WORK. I AM ARRANGING TO HAVE THE SOLENOID ALONE REPLACED FOR APPROX. $140. I SUGGEST THAT GM BE ORDERED TO REIMBURSE CUSTOMERS FOR THIS AND OTHER COSTS REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT THE RECALL FULLY AND TO COVER THEM DIRECTLY FROM THIS POINT FORWARD. I WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT GM HAS ALREADY INSTALLED A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF NEW STARTERS AT OWNERS' EXPENSE.

• 12/07/2000· UNKNOWN OR OTHERCrash

  NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

• 12/06/2002· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT HEAD GASKETPROBLEMS. HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND STATED THAT THIS WAS NOT A RECALL SO THERE FOR THEY WON'T COVER IT . *TS *TT *NLM.*AK

• 11/27/2000· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN

  AFTER VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER RECALL FOR PCM, CONDITION OF VEHICLE WORSENED. SINCE REPAIR, DEALER CONCLUDED THAT HEAD GASKETS NEED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE HEAD GASKET BLEW UP FIRST AND THEN THE PCM FAILED. AFTER THE REPAIR WAS DONE ON BOTH, THE VEHICLEE RUNS HORRIBLE. *YH

• 11/24/1997· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  UPON MAKING A COMPLETE STOP ON WET PAVEMENT CONSUMER NOTICED PULSTATION IN THE BRAKE PEDAL, VEHICLE BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO STOP. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK

• 11/23/1999· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT FUEL PUMP WAS NOT WORKING AT ALL. *AK

• 11/12/2004· SEAT BELTS

  CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE REAR MIDDLE SEAT BELT UNLOCKED ON ITS OWN. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE CAUSE HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *AK

• 11/09/1998· ELECTRICAL SYSTEMFire

  WHILE TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE UP THE STEERING COLUMN CAUGHT ON FIRE, AND SOMEONE PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME OUT AND THEY COULDN'T DETERMINE HOW THE FIRE STARTED. *AK

• 11/04/2002· VISIBILITY

  THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE STARTER, DEALER REPLACED STARTER AND UPON LEAVING STATION THE CONSUMER TRIED TO TURN ON HEAT, HEATER FAN STOPPED BLOWING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. MR THE HEATER FAN STOPPED WORKING DUE TO A GROUND WIRE THAT WAS NOT REPLACED ONCE THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED. *JG

• 10/30/2004· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  WE HAVE HAD THIS CAR FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS, AND HAVE HAD PROBLEMS SINCE THE BEGINNING. FIRST THING WAS THE COOLING FAN. IT QUIT WORKING ABOUT 6 MONTHS AFTER WE BOUGHT THE CAR. WE HAD THAT FIXED THEN STARTED HAVING OTHER ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD WORK HERE AND THERE, THE TURN SIGNALS WOULD WORK ONE DAY AND NOT THE NEXT, NOW THEY DON'T WORK AT ALL. THE ABS LIGHT WOULD FLASH OFF AND ON AND THE BRAKE LIGHT WOULD COME ON ALSO. WE KNOW THAT FILING THIS COMPLAINT WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEMS WE ARE HAVING WITH THE CAR, WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE IT KNOWN THAT WE WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER PONTIAC DUE TO THE PROBLEMS WE ARE HAVING WITH THIS ONE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *JB

• 10/30/2002· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  THE ANTIFREEZE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND THE VEHICLE HESITATED, CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A BAD HEAD GASKET. TS *JB

• 10/28/1999· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  VEHICLE EXPERIENCING REOCCURRING PROBLEM WITH A BLOWN ENGIN EHEAD GASKE. DEALER REPLACED/REPAIRED AT 10,000 MILES, UNDER WARRANTY. CURRENTLY, PROBLEM REOCCURRED AT 50,000. DEALER NOTIFED AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT REPLACEMENT AND REPAIRS WOULD BE AT CONSUMER'S COST BECAUSE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. *AK

• 10/27/2003· LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

  DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS LOCKED AND UNLOCKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHILE DRIVING. THE DOOR MECHANISM WAS THE PROBLEM. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK

• 10/21/2002· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  DEALER TAKING TO LONG TO PERFORM RECALL. RECALL#02V070000 IGNTION SWITCH BUICK 2500 EAST HARDING SHERIDAN, AR 72150 870-534-3020 TS

• 10/20/1999· EXTERIOR LIGHTING

  WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE TURN SIGNALS SUDDENLY WENT OUT .THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN CHECKED FOR VARIUS THINGS. BUT, THE PROBLEM CANNOT BE REMEDIED.DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FUTHER INFORMATION. *AK

• 10/14/2003· SUSPENSION

  WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT A STOP SIGN AND WITHOUT WARNING LEFT FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT SNAPPED IN TWO. WHEN THIS OCCURRED, LEFT WHEEL ALMOST CAME COMPLETELY OFF. *AK

• 10/14/1998· VISIBILITY

  REAR WINDOW SQUEAKS.

• 10/12/1995· EXTERIOR LIGHTING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  THE HORN STOPPED WORKING SOON AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. TT CONSUMER STATES S HE TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND THEY STATED THEY PUT IN A NEW HORN BUT PROBLEM STARTED AGAIN, CONSUMER STATED SHE TOOK VEHICLE AGAIN ,AND SO FAR HORN IS WORKING NOW, ALSO HEADLIGHT WAS REPLACED.*JB

• 10/10/1995· AIR BAGSCrash

  ACCIDENT AT 11:30 POSITION AT 35-40MPH DRIVERS SHOULDER BELT DID NOT HOLD AND HIT HER FACE ON STEERING WHEEL SEATBACK FLEW FORWARD AND DRIVER AIRBAG DELAYED.

• 10/07/2000· AIR BAGS

  AIR BAG LIGHT GOES OFF AND ON INTERMITTENTLY, CONSUMER HAD NO ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF THIS,BUT CONCERNED THAT AIR BAGS MIGHT DEPLOY . *ET

• 10/06/2010· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED; WHEN SHE TURNED THE CRUISE CONTROL OFF AND ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL SUDDENLY STUCK. AFTER REPEATED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME DISLODGED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 115,000.

• 10/02/1997· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  ABS PROBLEMS; ON NORMAL ROAD CONDTIONS WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THERE IS A CLUNKING NOISE AND THE BRAKE GRAB AND RELEASE, MAKING THE VEHICLE SKIP FORWARD AND ADDITIONAL BRAKING DISTANCE IS REQUIRED. THIS HAPPENS DURING NORMAL BRAKING. THE DEALER IS NOT ABLE TO FIND A PROBLEM WITH THE SYSTEM. *AK

• 09/30/1997· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  WHEN STARTING VEHICLE CAN HEAR MUFFLER RATTLING REAL LOUD, CAN FEEL VEHICLE SHAKING. TOOK TO DEALER WHO REPLACED MUFFLER, BUT DID NOT FIND PROBLEM. INFORMED OWNER THAT MUFFLER BEEN BURNED OUT. *AK

• 09/29/1997· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  WAS APPLYING BRAKES WHEN THE ABS SYSTEM KICKED WHEN IT SHOULD NOT HAVE. LOCKED UP THE TIRES & SOMETIMES HAD NO BRAKE PEDAL. TOOK TO DEALER & INFORMED 1ST TIME NEEDED ADJUSTMENT. 2ND TIME PUT IN NEW ABS MODULE. THE 3RD TIME COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. *AK

• 09/27/1999· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  ENGINE HEAD CRACKED WITH NO WARNING / OR OVERHEATING. VERY FEW MILES ON THE CAR, 4 YEARS OLD. WHEN DEALER WAS ASKED, THEY SAID THAT SOMETIMES THE ENGINE TEMP INDICATOR DOESN'T WORK... $1750 TO REPAIR... OUT OF MY POCKET.

• 09/26/1995· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  STEERING WOULD LOCK UP WHILE DRIVING AND BRAKES WERE NONRESPONSIVE. TT

• 09/24/1995· POWER TRAIN

  DRIVER PUT CAR INTO REVERSE, STEPPED ON GAS, CAR WENT FORWARD. *DSH

• 09/22/1999· VISIBILITY

  WHEN USING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS THEY WILL STAND STRAIGHT UP, AND WON'T MOVE IN POSITION TO WORK. *AK

• 09/18/1995· STRUCTURE

  TRUNK LEAKS, FILLS WITH WATER. *DSH

• 09/09/1997· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLINGFire

  VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE.

• 09/06/2001· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  ANY TIME THE CAR IS STARTED, EITHER COLD OR WARM START, THE MOTOR HAS A VERY IRRATIC IDLE, COMES CLOSE TO STALLING, AND GIVES OFF VERY STRONG EXHAUST FUMES. THE PROBLEM LASTS FOR 1-3 MINUTES, DURING WHICH THE CAR IS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. UNTIL THIS TIME HAS ELAPSED, THE MOTOR IS UNRESPONSIVE TO ANY THROTTLE INPUT. IF I ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, THE PROBLEM WORSENS, AND EVENTUALLY STALLS. AFTER NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURES HAVE BEEN REACHED, THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO DISAPPEAR. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS NOW, AND CAN NOT SEEM TO GET A STRAIGHT ANSWER FROM GM, OR ANY OF THE LOCAL DEALERS AS TO THE CAUSE. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME MODEL SUNFIRE, AND 95% OF THEM HAVE HAD OR ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, AND HAVE ALSO BEEN TOLD BY LOCAL DEALERS THAT THE PROBLEM DOES NOT SHOW UP ON ANY OF THE DIAGNOSTIC EQUIPMENT. THERE ARE NO RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEM, AND ONLY ONE TSB ISSUED, WHICH I HAVE BEEN TOLD, DOES NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM.*AK

• 09/06/1995· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  WHEN IT RAINS THE ABS SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK IT LOCKS UP AND SLIDES. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

• 09/05/2000· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  THE MOTOR IN THIS CAR HAS BLOWN ON ME TWICE WITH NO WARNING RUNNING AS SMOOTH AS CAN BE AND JUST BOOM THE MOTOR GOES, THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPEND IT WAS SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY WITH THE AC ON COOLING DOWN THE INSIDE AND IT JUST BLEW UP. I THINK GM SHOULD GIVE ME A NEW CAR FOR FREE. THIS ONE HAS BEEN A LEMON.

• 09/04/2001· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED, CONSUMER LATER FOUND OUT THAT THE PART WAS DEFECTIVE AND MANUFACTURER WOULD HAVE FIXED IT FREE OF CHARGE, HOWEVER CONSUMER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET A RESPONSE FROM MANUFACTURER REGARDING REIMBURSEMENT.*JB

• 09/02/1997· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  EXAUST SYSTEM FAILED.

• 08/29/1995· AIR BAGSCrash

  CONSUMER DAUGHTER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE DUAL AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY . TT

• 08/26/2007· VISIBILITY,AIR BAGS

  MY FAMILY, AND I WERE RETURNING HOME ON I-77 FROM A CAMPING TRIP, WHEN WITHOUT WARNING, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG DEPLOYED, SHATTERING THE WINDSHIELD. WE MADE IT SAFELY TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, SCARED, AND DAZED, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED. FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER, WE RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE TO TRY TO MAKE IT THE REST OF THE WAY HOME, WHEN ABOUT FIVE MILES LATER, THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. WE WERE IN NO ACCIDENT, AND HAD NO WARNING LIGHT, OR SIGNAL. MY DAUGHTER WAS BURNED, AND CUT WITH FLYING GLASS, I TOO, WAS CUT, AS WAS MY FIANCE. OUR LIVES WILL NEVER BE THE SAME. AIR BAGS ARE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT NOT KILL. GM NEEDS TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR MALFUNCTIONS IN THEIR PRODUCTS. WE COULD HAVE ALL BEEN KILLED, AND I DON'T FEEL THAT G.M. CARES. AND NOW TO FIND OUT THAT G.M. KNEW ABOUT POSSIBLE MALFUNCTIONS, AND DIDN'T LET THE PUBLIC KNOW. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE!!!!!!! *TR

• 08/21/1996· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  WHILE DRIVING THE CAR STOPPED ACCELERATING. PLEASE DESCRIBE.*AK

• 08/14/2005· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  I SMELLED GAS AND LOSS OF FUEL. GAS LEAKING OUT FROM INJECTOR ONTO HOT ENGINE COULD CAUSE FIRE. HAD PART REPLACED- FUEL INJECTORS #2 AND 3. NOW ANOTHER IS LEAKING. HAVE TO TAKE IT IN, BUT MONEY IS AN OBJECT. *NM

• 08/14/2000· VISIBILITY

  WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVE TO BE REPLACED LESS THAN 6 MONTHS AND LEAVE A SMEAR ON DRIVERS SIDE. *AK

• 08/13/2002· ELECTRICAL SYSTEMFire

  THEE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO A RECALL REGARDING THE IGNITION SWITCH AND STEERING COLUMN NUMBER 02V070. CONSUMER NEVER RECIEVED A RECALL NOTICE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DEEMED TOTALED. *JG

• 08/13/1999· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  ENGINE HEAD WARPED AND COOLANT LEAKING FROM HEAD

• 08/09/2000· TIRES

  THE TIRE CAME APART AT THE SEEM JUST LIKE THE FIRESTONE TIRES IN QUESTION. IT LOOKS LIKE A RETHREAD WHEN IT COME APART. THE TIRE TOTALLY COLLAPSED. THE TIRE HAD JUST BEEN INSPECTED AT AN AUTHORIZED GM DEALER AND PASSED INSPECTION. ACCORDING TO THE WALMART AUTO DEPARTMENT IN KINGSPORT TENNESSE THE TIRE STILL HAS ENOUGH THREAD TO BE ON THE HIGHWAY. NEEDLESS TO SAY I BOUGHT FOUR BRAND NEW TIRES (BF GOODRICH) TO REPLACE THE GOODYEAR TIRES, THE ORIGINAL TIRES THAT CAME WITH THE CAR.( DOT NUMBER: HKDR 394 TIRE SIZE: P195/70R14 )

• 08/04/2000· AIR BAGSCrash

  WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 45 MPH VEHICLE HYDROPLAINED AND CRASHED SIDEWAYS INTO A TREE. UPON IMPACT, IMPACT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED A FEW SECONDS LATER. *AK

• 08/03/2000· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  I ALSO HAD MY ALTERNATOR REPLACED,I WAS TOLD BY A TOW TRUCK DRIVER THAT MY ALTERNATOR WAS REBUILT,KEEPING IN MIND I HADN;T REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR TILL NOW,WHICH WAS AUGUST '99. I HAD THE INITIALS RB ON MY ALTERNATOR.I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP,THEY SAID IT WAS PROBABLY THE MANUFACTURERS INTIALS.I ALSO TOOK PICTURES OF IT BEFORE THEY TOOK IT OUT. WHEN I GOT A SO CALLED NEW ONE IT DIDN;T HAVE ANY INITIALS ON IT. *AK

• 08/03/1999· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICCrash

  COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE,PEDAL ON FLOOR,HIT LGE BUSH IN MEDIAN TO STOP.

• 07/26/1995· SEATS

  THE FRONT SEAT BACK DOES NOT LOCK, WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE SEAT GOES FORWARD ABOUT 6-7 INCHES BEFORE LOCKING. TT

• 07/25/2003· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VISIBILITYFire

  JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT RECALL ABOUT STARTER. HAD FIRE (SMOKE) IN STEERING WHEEL AND ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM NOT WORKING RIGHT. WINDOWS STUCK HALF WAY, BLINKING LIGHTS IN DASH AND HAD MOTOR REPLACED, BUT VERY BAD, DUE TO SUDDEN LOSS OF OIL AND MOTOR FROZE. CAR IS IN DESTRUCTION MODE.