10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
4 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
5 / 0
Average Mileage:
40,095 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

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problem #14

May 172006

Sunfire

  • 137,000 miles
My wreck happened in 2006. The air bag deployed and crushed my face I had to have titanium plates put in my face crashed my legs broke many bones.

- Kannapolis, NC, USA

problem #13

May 312013

Sunfire 4-cyl

  • 209,600 miles
The contact owns a 1996 Pontiac Sunfire. The contact stated that while parked, the driver's side air bag deployed inadvertently. The contact then shifted into reverse and the passenger's side air bag deployed inadvertently. The contact had not been involved in a crash. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the incident. The approximate failure mileage was 209,600.

- Fenton , MI, USA

problem #12

May 292008

Sunfire

  • 214,733 miles
Driving down the driveway onto road, approximately 5 miles an hour, suddenly both air bags deployed at the same time. Called GM and took car to GM dealer for inspection. GM called to report that it was a GM failure and requested to (private party) purchase the car back from us at a current vehicle value of around $900.

- North English, IA, USA

problem #11

Mar 082008

Sunfire 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
While traveling at 5 mph barely bumped vehicle in front of me, when airbags deployed causing windshield to shatter and damage to complete dash. TL the contact owns 1996 Pontiac Sunfire. While driving the driver barely bumped into a vehicle in front of him. There was no damage and both front air bags deployed. The drivers finger was injured. The window shattered and the dashboard was destroyed. She noticed there was a recall, called Pontiac and they stated that there were no existing recalls. The vehicle was towed. The dealer stated that the estimate repair cost would be $2,100. There were no warning lights present on the dashboard. There was no damage to the vehicles involved in the crash.

- Boyertown, PA, USA

problem #10

Jun 152003

Sunfire

  • Manual transmission
  • 0 miles
I was a passenger in the car, so I don't know specific mileage, or VIN number. The car had approximately 80,000 miles on it. The accident occurred on July 5, 2002. It was a fairly low speed crash, mye estimate is we were going about 30 mph at impact. We struck the car in front of us. The airbag deployed in my face. I was wearing my seat belt and was not sitting particularly close to the airbag. The force of the impact from the air bag, broke my nose and resulted in permanent damage to my eyes. I was the only person injured in the accident.

- Lewes, DE, USA

problem #9

Sep 252002

Sunfire

  • miles
Consumer states: While driving at the speed of 35 mph was involved in a frontal collision neither air bag deployed. Dealer has been notified. If you have any additional information feel free to add.

- Baltimore, MD, USA

problem #8

Mar 072002

Sunfire

  • miles
The airbags have failed to deploy on two separate occasions and I have statements proving they should of. The fuel injectors damaged in the accident were fixed by newby auto 2 weeks later they were broken again they refused to redo them saying it wasn't the same one they fixed. They also refused to add an airbag check onto the estimate saying there wasnt enough damage to deploy them I have two other estimates totalling my car they refused to look at them and insisted it was ok and they would fix it unfortually they did not and it has had many problems since. Newby auto a Pontiac dealership was located in richfield Utah at the time they had my car they are no longer in business in richfield.

- Redmond, UT, USA

problem #7

Mar 012002

Sunfire

  • miles
Vehicle will not start sometimes, and sometimes it does. Took dealer, dealer stated had to turn switch off and on until it catched. When hearing a click vehicle started. Currently, airbag light illuminates and vehicle loses power.

- Canfield, OH, USA

problem #6

Sep 171999

Sunfire

  • miles
Warning light came on for air bag. Dealer stated unsafe to drive as is. Only fix is to replace entire unit for $1100.

- Baton Rouge, LA, USA

problem #5

Dec 301998

Sunfire

  • miles
False deployment of air bag resulting in injury to face and hand, recall on component however consumer was not notified.(attorney for consumer).

- Shreveport, LA, USA

problem #4

Sep 171997

Sunfire

  • miles
No deployment of air bag during collision.

- Rocky Rive, OH, USA

problem #3

Sep 091997

Sunfire

  • miles
Electrical system failure causing instrument and daytime running lights to fail. False deployment of air bags during service of electrical system resulting in damage to vehicle.

- Madison, TN, USA

problem #2

Jul 141998

Sunfire

  • miles
Recall 98V146000.98026. Consumer contacted the Pontiac manufacturer, and the contact person did not know anything about the recall on airbags. She stated that she did not have any information on the recall, and she could not help her with problem, she also she did not know where any of the information came from regarding the recall.

- Groesbeck, TX, USA

problem #1

Feb 071998

Sunfire

  • Manual transmission
  • miles
False deployment of air bag causing a vehicle collision and injury.

- Monterey, TN, USA