2004 PONTIAC SUNFIRE Recalls, Complaints & Safety

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.

THE INNER IGNITION LOCK NEEDS TO BE CHANGED ABOUT EVERY 60,000 MILES. YOU CAN'T TURN THE KEY OVER AT ALL SO OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN'T START YOUR CAR. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL, ALOT OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME 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.

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

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN BECAME FRACTURED AND AS RESULT, THE ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

IN JANUARY OF 2006 THE TACHOMETER GAUGE STARTED JUMPING AROUND NOT READING CORRECT, BY CLICKING THE IGNITION ON AND OFF WITH THE CAR NOT RUNNING IT WOULD RE-SET. IN THE FALL OF 2012 THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE STARTED AND CONTINUES TO READ WRONG. APRIL 1ST 2013, NOW THE FUEL GAUGE HAS STARED TURNING COUNTER CLOCKWISE AND NO LONGER WORKS.

THE RPM NEEDLE WENT TOTALLY ON THE RIGHT SIDE INTO THE NEEDLE OF THE SPEEDOMETER. CAN'T TELL HOW FAST I AM GOING. EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE. PAINT STARTING TO CHIP IN DIFFERENT PLACES. THIS IS THE SECOND VEHICLE THAT I HAD THAT THE PAINT PEELED AND GENERAL MOTORS STATES THAT IT IS TOO OLD OF A VEHICLE TO PAY TO HAVE PAINTED. THAT IS TOTALLY SAD. *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

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WHEN IT IS VERY HOT OR COLD OUTSIDE THE SPEEDOMETER AND ALL OF THE NEEDLES IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WILL STICK AT CERTAIN POINTS OR STOP WORKING COMPLETELY, THIS OCCURS RANDOMLY AND I CAN NOT SEE HOW FAST I AM GOING. THIS WAS PART OF A GM CLASS SETTLEMENT BUT MY VEHICLE MODEL WAS NOT INCLUDED FOR A FREE REPAIR OR A RECALL OF THIS PART. I DO NOT PLAN TO GET IT FIXED AT A DEALER BECAUSE OF THE COST BUT I PLAN TO SHIP THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER OFF AND GET THE STEPPER MOTORS IN IT REPAIRED. *TR

CAN'T RECALL EVENTS LEADING UP TO FAILURE. THE SPEEDOMETER IS ALWAYS REGISTERING 100 MPH EVEN WHEN IT IS NOT MOVING. SOMETIMES IT WILL REGISTER TO 70 MPH, BY RUNNING BACKWARDS FROM 100, WHILE IT IS MOVING. I DID SOME RESEARCH TO FIND OUT THE HISTORY OF THIS PROBLEM. I FOUND WHERE GM SETTLED IN A CLASS ACTION FOR THIS DEFECT WHICH LISTED MY CAR AS A CAR THAT HAD THIS FAULTY COMPONENT, BUT MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE SETTLEMENT. I SEARCHED THIS WEBSITE'S COMPLAINT DATA BASE AND SEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS VERY SAME ISSUE, THE SPEEDOMETER. MY QUESTION IS, HOW MAY COMPLAINTS WILL IT TAKE FOR ODI TO INITIATE AND INVESTIGATION, SO THAT A PROPER RECALL CAN TAKE PLACE? *TR

ELECTRICAL GAUGES ON DASH DO NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY. TACH IS PEGGED OUT, FUEL GAGE NOT CORRECT AND SPEED IS INACCURATE. *TR

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

MY GAUGES (ALL BUT THE SPEEDOMETER) HAVE GONE CRAZY! THE FUEL GAUGE AND TEMP GAUGE ARE THE WORST. SOMETIMES THE TACHOMETER , THOUGH NOT OFTEN. MY FUEL GAUGE NEVER READS CORRECT AND SOMETIMES POINTS DIRECTLY DOWN OR IS INTO THE SPEEDOMETER. MY TEMP GAUGE EITHER NEVER MOVES OR ONCE IT MOVES, IT STAYS STUCK IN THE NEW LEVEL. IT SOMETIMES GETS INTO THE TACHOMETER CAUSING THAT ONE TO STOP WORKING. IT SOMETIMES GOES BACK TO NORMAL IF THE CAR IS TURNED ON AND OFF MANY, MANY TIMES. OTHER TIMES THAT DOESN'T EVEN WORK. IT OCCURS ALL THE TIME AND FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS THEY HAVE BEEN STUCK. I WOULD GET IT REPAIRED, BUT CAN'T AFFORD THE COSTS. *TR

THE SPEEDOMETER ON MY 2004 PONTIAC SUNFIRE STICKS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND DOES NOT RETURN TO 0MPH WHEN I STOP. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IT WILL BE PEGGED ALL THE WAY TO MAX. THIS CONDITION SEEMS TO BE WORSE WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS COLD. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED THAT THE TACHOMETER WILL DO THE SAME THING BUT IS NOT AS BAD AS THE SPEEDOMETER. WHEN THE ENGINE IS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED THE TACH WILL RESET BACK TO 0. *TR

I OWN A 2004 PONTIAC SUNFIRE AND THE HEADLIGHTS ARE EXTREMELY DIM, MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE AT NIGHT WITHOUT USING THE "BRIGHTS". AFTER REPLACING HEADLIGHT BULBS, THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC THAT TOLD ME THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE SUNFIRE AND IT INVOLVED CORROSION TO THE HEADLIGHT WIRING HARNESS. I LOOKED ONLINE TO SEE IF THERE WAS A MANUFACTURER RECALL, WHICH I DID NOT FIND. WHILE RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM I FOUND THAT THIS PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON AND THERE IS MUCH WRITTEN ABOUT THE PROBLEM IN SEVERAL AUTO FORUMS, BUT GM HAS NOT ADDRESSED THE ISSUE WITH A RECALL. MY DAUGHTER DRIVES THIS VEHICLE AND HAD COMPLAINED TO ME ABOUT THE PROBLEM WHICH I DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE UNTIL SHE WAS FOLLOWING ME AT NIGHT AND I SAW THAT HER HEADLIGHTS WERE EXTREMELY DIM. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND COULD CAUSE ACCIDENTS, WHY HASN'T THIS PROBLEM BEEN ADDRESSED. I SEE THE DEALERS ARE CHARGING APPROX. $600 TO REPAIR THE WIRING HARNESS, WHICH SEEMS RIDICULOUS, CONSIDERING IT IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. DOES THERE NEED TO BE DEATHS INVOLVED IN ORDER FOR THIS PROBLEM TO BE ADDRESSED?HEADLIGHTS *TR

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

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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

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE SPEEDOMETER DISPLAYS INACCURATE READINGS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE SPEEDOMETER CLUSTER IN THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED DUE TO THE COST. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 20,000. UPDATED 07/09/08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN IT IS REALLY HOT OR COLD OUTSIDE. UPDATED

ALL GAUGES WERE ACCURATE UNTIL ONE MORNING WHEN I WAS DRIVING AND NOTICED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER WAS STUCK ON 50 WHEN CAR WASH COMPLETELY STOPPED. AS I DROVE FARTHER THE SPEEDOMETER ROSE TO 70 WHEN AT A COMPLETE STOP. THE RPM GAUGE IS READING 0 WHEN CAR IS IN MOTION WHICH IS COMPLETELY IMPOSSIBLE. *TR

I AM EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE AS ODI ID NUMBER : 1016866, WHERE AT ANYTIME, ANY SPEED, STOPPED OR MOVING, MY CAR'S ENGINE WILL DROP BELOW THE NORMAL IDLING SPEED AND STALL OUT. IT WILL JUST STOP! THE CAR IS MOVING, BUT THE ENGINE HAS STOPPED! THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES! I'VE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM A COUPLE OF TIMES IN A HIGH VOLUME TRAFFIC AREA. THIS ISSUE COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR WRECK, BECAUSE WHEN THE ENGINE IS STOPPED, YOU LOOSE POWER STEERING! THIS CAR IS NOT AN EASY CAR TO MANEUVER WITHOUT POWER STEERING. I CRANKED THE KEY, THE CAR WOULD START RIGHT UP, BUT AS SOON AS THE CLUTCH HITS THE FLOOR AND GIVES THE ENGINE TIME TO WIND DOWN, IT STALLS AGAIN. THIS ISSUE IS VERY SPORADIC, I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO PUT A FINGER ON WHAT WOULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL THAT WAY. I DID EMAIL PONTIAC'S CUSTOMER SUPPORT AND HAVE RECEIVED NO REGARD TO MY EMAIL. NO QUESTIONS, NO CONFIRMATION OTHER THAN THE AUTOMATIC REPLY, NO CALLS, NOTHING. I FEEL LIKE WE ARE GETTING SHAFTED ON THIS ISSUE AND I DON'T THINK PONTIAC IS TAKING THIS ISSUE SERIOUSLY! I DON'T THINK THEY REALIZE THE POTENTIAL DANGER THIS ISSUE PROPOSES! *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS OR WHILE STOPPED AT AN IDLE, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. AFTERWARDS, THE ENGINE WAS EASILY RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE BATTERY, AIR FLOW SENSOR, ALTITUDE SENSOR, AND THE FUEL FILTER FITTING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALTHOUGH THE REPLACEMENTS WERE MADE, THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.

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

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

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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

I WAS DRIVING MY NEW 2004 SUNFIRE THAT WAS JUST PURCHASED AT THE END OF AUGUST, WHEN I SAW A FLAME COME OUT FROM UNDER THE DASH NEAR MY FOOT. I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES, THROUGH IT IN PARK AND JUMPED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED!*JB

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MP3 RADIO DISPLAY WAS INCORRECT AND PROGRAM STATIONS WERE NOT KEEPING ITS PROGRAM AFTER CAR WAS SHUT OFF. RADIO WAS REPLACED, AND NOW THE DISPLAY WAS INCORRECT ON ONE OF PROGRAM STATIONS.*AK

THE LOW BEAM LIGHTS ARE SO LOW THAT DURING THE NIGHT THE VISION IS VERY POOR. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, WHO INDICATES THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. THE BRIGHTNESS FOR THE LOW BEAM BULBS ARE SO BAD THAT IT IS ALMOST AS IF DRIVING WITHOUT. *JB HEADLIGHTS.*AK

CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING THE TRUNK POPPED OPEN. THE FIRST DAY THAT CONSUMER GOT THE VEHICLE HE COULD NOT OPEN THE TRUNK . THEN ,WHILE DRIVING TRUNK WOULD OPEN ON ITS OWN. THIS WAS DANGEROUS BECAUSE CONSUMER COULD NOT SEE FROM THE REAR. *AK

DURING A SUDDEN STOP AT 35 MPH FRONT AIR BAGS INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM . *AK

WHEN STOPPING AT A STOP LIGHT VEHICLE STALLED, AND THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH MUFFLER FELL OFF INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. *AK