Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 10 of 14 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
Visibility. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports1 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
14 reports
Mileage unknown · Apr 29, 2005
Steering
MY DAUGHTERS PONTIAC SUNFIRE RECEIVED A RECALL ABOUT THE STEERING. I TOOK IT IN TO BE FIXED. THEY FIXED IT WITH NO PROBLEM. THE DEALER EXPLAINED WHAT WOULD BE HAPPENING IF IT WERE TO GO OUT. THE STEERING TO THE LEFT WOULD BE HARD TO TURN. I TOLD HIM THAT I WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY PONTIAC TRANS SPORT MINI VAN. HE SUGGEST…
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MY DAUGHTERS PONTIAC SUNFIRE RECEIVED A RECALL ABOUT THE STEERING. I TOOK IT IN TO BE FIXED. THEY FIXED IT WITH NO PROBLEM. THE DEALER EXPLAINED WHAT WOULD BE HAPPENING IF IT WERE TO GO OUT. THE STEERING TO THE LEFT WOULD BE HARD TO TURN. I TOLD HIM THAT I WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY PONTIAC TRANS SPORT MINI VAN. HE SUGGESTED THAT I CALL GM. I DID AND THEY SAID IT WAS DOING ALL THE THINGS THAT THE RECALL WAS CALLED IN FOR, BUT BY MY VIN # MY CAR WAS NOT IN WITH THE RECALL. THEY TOLD ME TO CHECK IT OUT WITH THE DEALER AND CALL BACK. I TOLD THEM THAT I DID AND HAD IT IN WRITING, BUT THEY SAID THEY WOULD NOT FIX IT. I SAID THAT THEY FIXED MY DAUGHTERS CAR AND NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT, BUT MY CAR WAS DOING THE HARD TURN TO THE LEFT AND THEY WOULD NOT FIX IT. THEY SAID NO THEY COULD NOT HELP ME. I CALLED BACK MONTHS LATER AND THE PERSON I SPOKE WITH TOLD ME THE SAME THING. I ASK TO SPEAK TO THE MANAGER, AND HE SAID THAT HE WAS THE MANAGER AND HE COULD NOT DO ANYTHING AT THAT TIME, THAT MAYBE THEY WOULD RECALL IT LATER. HE SUGGEST THAT I CONTACT YOU AND MAYBE YOUSWILL DO SOMETHING.*AK NOW IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IF THERE IS A RECALL AND YOU HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT YOUR CAR WAS NOT MADE IN THE SAME FACTORY AS THE OTHERS, THAT THE OTHER FACTORIES CAN NOT GET BAD PARTS. I FEEL THAT THEY SHOULD FIX MY CAR AND NOT EXPECT ME TO FIX IT AND THEN HOPE THAT THEY WILL RECALL IT AND THEN I CAN GET MY MONEY BACK. THIS SHOULD BE DONE JUST AS A COURIOUS, SO I WILL CONTINUE TO BY THEIR PRODUCT. MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE ALWAYS PURCHASED GM PRODUCTS, WHETHER IT BE CHEVY OR PONTIAC. WE JUST PURCHASED A NEW CHEVY PICKUP TURCK. CAN YOU HELP ME TO GET THIS RESOLVED ON THERE BEHALF.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10118705
115,000 miles · Jan 6, 2005
Engine And Engine Cooling
COOLANT IN OIL, OIL IN COOLANT. INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK. 8AK
NHTSA ODI #10105883
112,200 miles · Sep 14, 2004
Visibility
WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE
NHTSA ODI #10090996
126,000 miles · Jul 19, 2004
Exterior Lighting
MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT WORK IN THE RAIN AND MY TURN SIGNAL ON SIGNAL CLICKS WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL ISN'T ON. BOTH ARE PROBLEMS WITH THE 1997 MODEL, AND SEEM TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE 1998 MODELS. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10082208
90,000 miles · Jun 22, 2004
Steering
STEERING LINKAGE IDLER ARM FELL APART, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING ON VEHICLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON BOTH SIDES OF LINKAGE. HAD JUST COME FROM A LONG TRIP ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. WAS TRAVELING AT LOW SPEED WHEN TIS HAPPENED, BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY. HAPPENED ONCE IN MISSISSIPPI AND ONCE AT HOME. REPLACED WITH IM…
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STEERING LINKAGE IDLER ARM FELL APART, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING ON VEHICLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON BOTH SIDES OF LINKAGE. HAD JUST COME FROM A LONG TRIP ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. WAS TRAVELING AT LOW SPEED WHEN TIS HAPPENED, BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY. HAPPENED ONCE IN MISSISSIPPI AND ONCE AT HOME. REPLACED WITH IMPROVED PARTS FROM AUTO PARTS STORE. COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10078645
Mileage unknown · Jun 14, 2004
Tires
FIRESTONE TREAD SEPARATION. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10075366
49,000 miles · Apr 22, 2004
Visibility
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK ONLY INTERMITTENTLY. FAIL TO START, OR QUIT WHILE TURNED ON. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD WHEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN. SEEMS TO HAPPEN MORE IN WARM WEATHER THAN WINTER. HAS BEENHAPPENING SINCE I BOUGHT THIS USED VEHICLE A COUPEL OF YEARS AGO, BUT IS NOT BECOMING MORE FREQUENT.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10067640
24,000 miles · Nov 4, 2003
Parking BrakeService Brakes, Hydraulic
AUTOMATIC PARK FAILURE WITH P-30 1998 MOTORHOME RESULTING IN COMPLETE BREAKDOWN ON INTERSTATE NECCESSITATING EXPENSIVE TOWING. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10045400
Mileage unknown · Oct 9, 2003
Electrical SystemFuel System, OtherFireInjury
FIRES AT THE GAS PUMPS CAUSED BY STATIC ELECTRICITY. VEHICLES ARE CATCHING FIRE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO FUEL VEHICLE. FEWER VEHICLES DOES NOT PROPERLY GROUND WHEN FUEL NOZZLE INSERTED INTO FILL SPOUT OF VEHICLE. I HAVE PERFORMED A STUDY TO SHOW DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OLDER FUEL SPOUTS WITH A GROUNDING CABLE AND NEWER SPOUTS THAT DO NOT …
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FIRES AT THE GAS PUMPS CAUSED BY STATIC ELECTRICITY. VEHICLES ARE CATCHING FIRE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO FUEL VEHICLE. FEWER VEHICLES DOES NOT PROPERLY GROUND WHEN FUEL NOZZLE INSERTED INTO FILL SPOUT OF VEHICLE. I HAVE PERFORMED A STUDY TO SHOW DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OLDER FUEL SPOUTS WITH A GROUNDING CABLE AND NEWER SPOUTS THAT DO NOT HAVE CABLE. ALSO, THE MATERIAL OF THE SPOUTS HAVE CHANGED FROM ALL METAL TO A METAL WITH A PLASTIC INSERT. THIS WOULD PREVENT VEHICLE FROM BEING GROUNDED. IN MY STUDY, I FOUND MANY DIFFERENT MAKES AND MODELS OF VEHICLES CONTAINING THESE TYPE FILL SPOUTS. I ALSO HAD MY FINDINGS CONFIRMED BY A PROFESSOR OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING FROM A LOCAL UNIVERSITY. *LA
NHTSA ODI #10041512
60,000 miles · Sep 24, 2003
Visibility
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WON'T TURN ON. WHEN YOU MANUALLY START THEM BY MOVING WIPER, THEN THEY START.
NHTSA ODI #10039486
Official recalls
0
No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0
No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
1998 GMC Passenger Vehicle Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year