Stats focus on model years from 1960 onwards.
Earlier years appear in the detailed table below where data exists.
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Get plain-language explanations of recalls and complaints for the
Pontiac Sunfire. Powered by AI, backed by NHTSA data.
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Important: This assistant provides context from aggregated NHTSA data.
Always check your specific VIN on
NHTSA.gov
for vehicle-specific recall information.
Key Takeaways
A quick scan of where recalls and complaints concentrate for the Pontiac Sunfire,
based on aggregated NHTSA counts and campaign metadata.
Coverage spans model years 1985–2005 with 27 recall campaigns and 1641 complaints in NHTSA data.
Years with the most recall activity: 1996 (7), 1997 (6), and 1995 (5).
Years with the most complaint volume: 1996 (320), 1997 (257), and 2000 (169).
Top recall themes: Visibility and lighting, Other, and Steering and suspension.
Most reported complaint areas (across all years): Electrical system, Engine and engine cooling:engine, Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip.
Complaints are not proof of a defect, but repeated themes can be useful signals when researching a used vehicle.
Always check your specific VIN for open recalls (open recalls are VIN-specific and can change over time).
Recall Themes
Instead of listing long campaign narratives, this groups recall campaigns into a few recurring areas.
Each theme links back to official notices as evidence.
Visibility and lighting
4 campaigns · Years: 1995–1996, 1999, 2003
These campaigns relate to lighting, glass, or visibility components (lamps, wipers, and related systems).
Across all model years, the most frequently reported areas for the
Pontiac Sunfire in NHTSA complaint data are
Electrical system, Engine and engine cooling:engine, Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip.
Jump to Model Year
Year-by-Year Overview
Each row shows how often this model appears in NHTSA recalls and consumer
complaints for a given model year. These are counts of campaigns and
complaints, not risk predictions.
Model Year
Recalls
Complaints
Details
2005
0
94
Complaints recorded; no recall campaigns issued.
Top complaint areas: Electrical system, Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel, Steering.
2004
1
41
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Electrical system, Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel, Engine.
2003
1
113
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Exterior lighting:turn signal.
2002
0
128
Complaints recorded; no recall campaigns issued.
Top complaint areas: Electrical system, Steering, Engine and engine cooling:engine.
2001
1
83
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Electrical system, Air bags, Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip.
2000
1
169
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Electrical system, Engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline, Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip.
1999
2
128
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Electrical system, Air bags:frontal, Engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline.
1998
3
149
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline, Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, Air bags:frontal.
1997
6
257
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Steering:rack and pinion, Air bags:frontal, Engine and engine cooling:engine.
1996
7
320
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Engine and engine cooling:engine, Air bags:frontal, Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip.
1995
5
154
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Engine and engine cooling:engine, Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, Electrical system:ignition:switch.
1994
0
2
Complaints recorded; no recall campaigns issued.
Top complaint areas: Power train:automatic transmission, Power train:automatic transmission:gear position indication (prndl).
1991
0
1
Complaints recorded; no recall campaigns issued.
Top complaint areas: Engine and engine cooling:engine.
1985
0
2
Complaints recorded; no recall campaigns issued.
Top complaint areas: Air bags:frontal, Exterior lighting:brake lights.
What to Do Next
Check open recalls by VIN on the official NHTSA site (open recalls are VIN-specific).
If buying used, ask for proof of recall remedy completion (dealer paperwork helps).
If symptoms match common complaint themes, consider a mechanic inspection before purchase or long trips.
A compact evidence view of recall campaigns that include this model.
The default text is an original summary line, with official notice text available on demand.
Most common areas involved:
Electrical system
, Exterior lighting
and Steering
Show recall evidence by year
2004
Seat belts: Rear/other:
Safety recall involving the seat belts area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Certain passenger vehicles fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 210, 'Seat belt assembly anchorages.' The passenger-side rear safety belt may have been installed with an incorrect nut and bolt.
2003
Exterior lighting: Turn signal:
Safety recall involving the exterior lighting area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: On certain passenger vehicles, the rear lamps that provide stop and turn signals and tail lamp functions stop working because of inadequate contact between the bulb and socket. In addition, if one bulbs were to become inoperative while the vehicle was operating in cruise control, the cruise contr
2001
Electrical system: Switch:
Safety recall involving the electrical system area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: On certain passenger vehicles. If the engine fails to start and the driver holds the key in the "start" position for an extended period, high current flows through the ignition switch, and sometimes produces enough heat to melt internal switch parts.
2000
Electrical system: Switch:
Safety recall involving the electrical system area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: On certain passenger vehicles. If the engine fails to start and the driver holds the key in the "start" position for an extended period, high current flows through the ignition switch, and sometimes produces enough heat to melt internal switch parts.
1999
Electrical system: Switch:
Safety recall involving the electrical system area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: On certain passenger vehicles. If the engine fails to start and the driver holds the key in the "start" position for an extended period, high current flows through the ignition switch, and sometimes produces enough heat to melt internal switch parts.
Interior lighting:
Safety recall involving the interior lighting area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles do not comply with requirements of fmvss no. 101, "Control location, identification, and illumination." The instrument panel backlighting may not function after adjusting the interior light intensity.
1998
Steering: Rack and pinion:
Safety recall involving the steering area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Certain passenger vehicles and mini vans have lower pinion bearings in the power rack and pinion assembly in which the retainer tabs were not crimped properly. These and some other retainers used in vehicles assembled between january 1, 1996 and october 31, 1997, could fail and permit the ball be
Electrical system: Switch:
Safety recall involving the electrical system area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: On certain passenger vehicles. If the engine fails to start and the driver holds the key in the "start" position for an extended period, high current flows through the ignition switch, and sometimes produces enough heat to melt internal switch parts.
Wheels: Lugs/nuts/bolts/studs:
Safety recall involving the wheels area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: On certain passenger vehicles. If the engine fails to start and the driver holds the key in the "start" position for an extended period, high current flows through the ignition switch, and sometimes produces enough heat to melt internal switch parts.
Steering: Rack and pinion:
Safety recall involving the steering area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Certain passenger vehicles and mini vans have lower pinion bearings in the power rack and pinion assembly in which the retainer tabs were not crimped properly. These and some other retainers used in vehicles assembled between january 1, 1996 and october 31, 1997, could fail and permit the ball be
Wheels: Space saver wheel:
Safety recall involving the wheels area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The compact spare tire assemblies were assembled with incorrect rims. If the spare tire is underinflated, the bead can separate from the rim causing a rapid loss of air. This does not comply with the requirements of fmvss no. 110, "Tire selection and rims.
Structure: Body:
Safety recall involving the structure area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles were built with mis-located welds at the joint between the left rocker panel inner reinforcement and the body side ring. This does not meet the requirements of fmvss no. 214, "Side door strength."
Air bags:
Safety recall involving the air bags area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Because of certain calibrations in the air bag's sensing and diagnostic module, an inadvertent air bag deployment could occur in a low speed crash or when an object strikes the floor pan.
Suspension: Rear:
Safety recall involving the suspension area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: On certain passenger vehicles. If the engine fails to start and the driver holds the key in the "start" position for an extended period, high current flows through the ignition switch, and sometimes produces enough heat to melt internal switch parts.
Steering: Rack and pinion:
Safety recall involving the steering area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Certain passenger vehicles and mini vans have lower pinion bearings in the power rack and pinion assembly in which the retainer tabs were not crimped properly. These and some other retainers used in vehicles assembled between january 1, 1996 and october 31, 1997, could fail and permit the ball be
Vehicle speed control:
Safety recall involving the vehicle speed control area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: The accelerator control cable could have been kinked during assembly causing high accelerator pedal effort, sticking accelerator control cable, or a broken accelerator control cable.
Exterior lighting: Hazard flashing warning lights:
Safety recall involving the exterior lighting area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: The front and/or rear hazard warning lamps (four-way flashers) do not flash when the hazard switch is activated. This fails to comply with fmvss no. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Interior lighting:
Safety recall involving the interior lighting area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles were built with the potential for the interior lamps to come on unexpectedly while the vehicles are being driven. This does not meet the requirements of fmvss no. 101, "Controls and displays."
Air bags:
Safety recall involving the air bags area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Because of certain calibrations in the air bag's sensing and diagnostic module, an inadvertent air bag deployment could occur in a low speed crash or when an object strikes the floor pan.
Suspension: Rear:
Safety recall involving the suspension area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: On certain passenger vehicles. If the engine fails to start and the driver holds the key in the "start" position for an extended period, high current flows through the ignition switch, and sometimes produces enough heat to melt internal switch parts.
Suspension: Lower arm:
Safety recall involving the suspension area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: These vehicles have been built with welds missing from the front suspension lower control arm assemblies causing excessive loads on the existing welds.
Structure: Frame and members:
Safety recall involving the structure area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Some welds were omitted from the body lock pillar, or "b" pillar. This does not comply with fmvss no.208, "Occupant crash protection."
Power train: Gear position indication (prndl):
Safety recall involving the power train area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: The instrument panel cluster trim plate/bezel can sag and cover the light emitting diode portion (lighted pointed above panel) of the transaxle shift indicator display. This does not comply with fmvss no. 101, "Control location, identification, and illumination."
Exterior lighting: Hazard flashing warning lights:
Safety recall involving the exterior lighting area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: The front and/or rear hazard warning lamps (four-way flashers) do not flash when the hazard switch is activated. This fails to comply with fmvss no. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Other Pontiac Models
Explore recall and complaint data for other Pontiac models.
Recall Explained provides independent analysis of official NHTSA data.
This site does not replace the official NHTSA VIN lookup and should not be
treated as legal or safety advice for your specific vehicle.
For any safety concerns: Always check your VIN on the official
NHTSA site and contact an authorized dealer.
